Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Barack Obama















Barack Obama has a special place in history as he is the first African American president of USA. Born in Honolulu to Ann Durham and Barack Obama Sr., Obama served as Illinois Senator for a time period of approximately three and a half year from January 2005 - November 2008. As soon as he was elected as the President of the United States, he resigned from his post of Senator.

Obama's childhood was quite tumultuous as his parents separated when he was just two years old. His father went to Kenya while his mother stayed back and later married an oil manager from Indonesia and moved to Jakarta, Indonesia when Barack was only six. Barack moved in with his grandparents and was mostly brought-up by them. During his childhood, his father visited him once, when he was ten years old.

He was a bright child and attended Columbia University. However, the racial problem in New York made him worry a lot. During his college years he formed a small community to help Southerners. Later he attended Harvard Law School. It was in 1990 when he achieved the honor of being the first African American editor of Harvard Law Review. One of his fine career moves was when he started teaching at University of Chicago Law School. Over there he met Michelle Robinson, who was a fellow attorney. He married her in 1992. Later he was elected as a Senator to Illinois State.

It was in the year 2004, when Obama got elected as a democrat to the US Senate. He was representing the State of Illinois. He won his bid for Senate by a huge margin in which he took almost 70% of Illinois vote. He came into limelight when at a National Convention at Boston, he gave a stirring speech where he urged for united American Union that was well received by the Democrats. When he ran for presidency in 2008, he had had just four years of experience in politics. Despite that, he won the elections. It was in January 2009 when Barack Obama was sworn as forty-forth President of the United States and he was one of the youngest members of US Senate that time.

Obama grew up with his white grandparents and admitted to the fact that there was time when his grades slipped. He used to spend numerous hours lazily on a basketball court with his friends. He admits to have been addicted to marijuana and cocaine at one point of time. However, all this was taken care of by his grandparents who taught him value of life.

The Barack Obama racism issue in America is one that threatens to tear this nation's core values apart. Whether you are a red or blue state follower is less important than the values that we bring to our children and our children's children. If any one "race" has "claim" to the U.S., it's the indigenous Native Americans. Other than that we are all immigrants here.

As an American born Chinese growing up in San Francisco, I saw firsthand how cultural differences caused misunderstandings, distrust, and sometimes even hatred. But, I never understood how these cultural barriers began. I was called everything from "Chink" to "Slanty-eyes" to "banana." The funniest part of that was being called "banana" by even some of my own race. Banana refers to being yellow (Asian) outside, but white on the inside.

Dissecting "white on the inside" a bit further, it means not truly acting "Chinese or Asian." How is an AMERICAN born Chinese / Asian supposed to act? None of us spoke Chinese, so by default we were American, wouldn't you say?

The Barack Obama racism issue also holds no logic. Here is an AMERICAN born black person with degrees from Columbia and Harvard, Magna Cum Laude, no less. How many Americans, forget about whether you are Yellow, Brown, Black or White, have that type of pedigree? Couple that with the fact that he was a respected Senator who dedicated his life to public office.

I find it interesting that the 2008 US Census doesn't even know how to "categorize" people. While the overwhelming category in the U.S. is 79.8% White, the definition includes peoples of Europe, Middle East or North African descent. In some people's calculation North Africa means you're African American. Let's also look at the Asian category, which according to the 2008 bureau stats is about 4.5% of the U.S. population. They include people of Indian and Pakistani descent. Yet, knowledgeable PhDs believe that they should be considered "white."

The categorization of Middle Easterners as "white" would suggest that the "white" culture should have no issue with accepting people from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Saudi Arabia, to name a few. Yet, we know the prejudices or predispositions that we ALL bring to the table when we meet someone who is culturally different or appears to be different from ourselves.

At a minimum this tells me that the Barack Obama racism issue itself is one that makes no sense whatsoever. Whether we like it or not, the U.S. was founded on the principle that "all men are created equal" and we pledge as Americans to "liberty and justice for all."

Barack Obama will go down in history as first African-American president of the United States. His place in history is secure for that, if for no other reason. It does not stop there, however. He was elected president in 2008. Although his popularity has declined substantially since his election, due to many factors, there are still many people who will support Obama in 2012.

President Obama's Unique Story -

While every U.S. President has a somewhat different story than the average American, President Obama's story stands out, even among this group. Born in Hawaii, he was born of two University of Hawaii students. His mother was American, and his father, a Kenyan student from Nyanza Province who was studying in America. The early 1960′s was a difficult time for interracial marriages, and the young Obama's faced tremendous pressure. This, among other things culminated in the couple's divorce when young Barack was only 2 years old.

His mother then met and fell in love with an Indonesian man studying for his master's degree, Lolo Soetoro. Soon they were married and the family then relocated to Jakarta, Indonesia. At the time of the move, Barack was 6. While there, they had a daughter, Barack's half sister, Maya. While in Indonesia, Barack attended a private Catholic School, SD Assisi. He later attended another excellent elementary school, SD Besuki Menteng. After 4 years in Indonesia, Barack moved back to Hawaii and lived with his maternal grandmother.

After moving back to Hawaii, he frequently played basketball, a sport at which he excelled, and enjoys playing to this day. By most accounts he is still quite good. He even played on his school' s well regarded varsity team, although he wasn't a starter. While in high school he worked at a Baskin-Robins ice cream shop.

After graduating from high school, he moved to Los Angeles, California, where he attended Occidental College for 2 years. He got good grades, and after his sophomore year, transferred to Columbia University in New York. At this prestigious, Ivy League school, he again excelled, and graduated with his political science degree.

Barack Obama's Early Political Career

Barack has reached the pinnacle of U.S. politics, being elected President of the United States in 2008. However, he started out far more modestly, back in his adopted home city of Chicago. He won his Illinois Senate seat in 1996, after he manages to get all his opponents disqualified. As he was the only candidate on the ballot, he won easily.

In 1999, Obama began his fight for the U.S. Congressional seat of Rep. Bobby Rush. He lost that contest in 2000, but was determined to continue his quest for a Federal government office. To that end, Mr. Obama set his sights on the U.S. Senate.in 2003, in preparation for the 2004 election.

He again managed to receive significant assistance from the press and the missteps of his opponents. His main challenger for the Democratic primary was ousted due to a sex scandal that the Obama campaign was only too happy to assist the media in reporting. Again, the future president used what some consider "dirty" tactics to help secure a nomination.

That was only the beginning, however. Later in the campaign, after he had won the Democratic primary, he again received substantial assistance due to an opponent's scandal, which his campaign was the beneficiary of. This time it was his Republican opponent in the 2004 Senate campaign who fell by the wayside, actually withdrawing from the election, and paving the way for an unopposed Obama victory. He was now a U.S. Senator.

If anyone thought he would receive such an easy victory in his run for the Presidency, they would be mistaken. Although he had very limited governmental experience, and no leadership experience in the private sector, Mr. Obama is undeterred in seeking the Democratic Party's presidential nomination for 2008.

Facts about Barack Obama -

Barack Obama

44th President of the United States (D)

Date of Birth:

August 4, 1961

Place of Birth:

Honolulu, Hawaii

Parents:

Mother - Ann Dunham, Father - Barack Obama Sr. (Divorced when Barack was 2 yrs old)

Barack lived with grandparents (Madelyn and Stanley Dunham) in Hawaii from the age of 10

Wife:

Michelle, born 1963 - Married Barack on 10/18/1992

Children:

Mailia Ann, born 1998

Natasha, born 2001

High School Education:

Punahou Academy - Honolulu, HI - Graduating Class of 1979

College Education:

BA-political science, Columbia University, 1983

Law School:

Harvard, 1991, editor and president of the Harvard Law Review

Employment:

Director, Developing Communities Project (DCP), 1985 - 1988

Lecturer, Constitutional Law, University of Chicago 1992 - 2004

Government:

Illinois State Senate, 1997 - 2004

United States Senate, 2004 - 2008

President of the United States, 2009-

Barack Obama Books:

The president is a best selling author. He has authored 2 books.

The first was Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance

published by Times Books in 1995, and the second, The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream (Vintage),published in 2006 by Crown Publishing. They have been very successful and probably won't be his last.

Barack Obama Quotes - A Window Into His Soul?

Much can be discovered about a person by the original things which they say. Here are some of Barack Obama's quotes. They give us a good glimpse into the man himself.

"A good compromise, a good piece of legislation, is like a good sentence; or a good piece of music. Everybody can recognize it. They say, 'Huh. It works. It makes sense.'"

"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek."

"Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it's only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential."

"I cannot swallow whole the view of Lincoln as the Great Emancipator."

"I know my country has not perfected itself. At times, we've struggled to keep the promise of liberty and equality for all of our people. We've made our share of mistakes, and there are times when our actions around the world have not lived up to our best intentions."

"I don't take a dime of their lobbyist money, and when I am president, they won't find a job in my White House."

"If the people cannot trust their government to do the job for which it exists - to protect them and to promote their common welfare - all else is lost."

Google Trends
















Google Trends is a fascinating service that has fast become indispensable to online marketers, bloggers, data enthusiasts and curious individuals.

As the world's most popular search engine and one of the driving forces behind the continued growth of the internet, Google's position in the online world is undoubtedly that of a trend-setter. However, while Google may strongly influence the direction in which the internet proceeds, its self-professed dedication to making information more accessible for people around the world means it also pays close attention to global trends in search.

In recent years, the huge amounts of data it collects on search frequencies has been collated into the daily-updated Google Trends, a pioneering service that has fast become indispensable to online marketers, bloggers, data enthusiasts and curious individuals.

Google Trends is a simple but incredibly useful tool that displays the search volume for a specified keyword from the beginning of 2004 on a dual axis chart. This is titled the Search Volume Index graph. Alongside this is the News Reference Volume graph, which is particularly useful when analysing how the search volume attributed to a particular term aligns with its popularity on news websites.

The value of this set-up is neatly demonstrated by the results for the search term "flights". Across time, the search volume for "flights" follows largely the same pattern, spiking in January after the Christmas and New Year break before dipping and rising once again in the summer months. In 2010, however, this pattern changes significantly. While the January rise in "flights" search volume is mapped on Google Trends' graph, there is another much higher rise in April. This spike is mirrored in the News Reference Volume graph, which displays a huge increase in news stories containing the word "flights" in April 2010 thanks to the eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland and the ensuing travel chaos it caused.

The News Reference Volume graph, then, is vital to help search engine optimisation experts that are using Google Trends distinguish between natural spikes in search volume and those that are created by a popular news story.

These two graphs aren't the only tools provided by Google Trends. Its homepage hosts an hourly-updated list of the top 10 "Hot Searches" in the USA, which is invariably dominated by sports fixtures and entertainment stories as well as keywords from news headlines. Moreover, displayed alongside graphical information are the regional variations in search volume for a given term, as well as the languages in which it is most popularly searched.

Perhaps most interestingly for search marketing professionals - particularly those who are new to the field - Google Trends lets you compare search volume for several terms at the same time, representing the results side-by-side on the same graph. For example, a search for "Justin Bieber, flights" displays the data results for these two popular search terms simultaneously, showing that "Justin Bieber" consistently eclipsed the search volume for "flights" throughout 2010 but that both were roughly equal at the end of the year.

Online Social Networking

















Online social networking has taken the internet by storm. The rising popularity of social networking sites has attracted users both young and old. What's more is that these sites are now being used for more than just socializing. Businesses both big and small have found these online communities to be very effective for marketing purposes.

No matter what your motivation may be the key to your social networking starts with posting an effective online biography. Most social sites require that users post a little information about themselves.

These profiles are basically used as 'filters' by site members to determine common interest they may have with any member whose profile they may be viewing. It is important therefore that you put a little thought into the short bio you post on the site.

Whether your goals are for business or social purposes you want to be able to connect with other members who best fulfill your intentions or needs.

Let's now look 5 key elements you should include in your online biography that will make your interactions at any of the social networking sites all the more effective.

Adopt a Unique Avatar

Most every site has 'default' avatars that can be used by the members. Take the time and thought to change this. You want to make yourself noticed and not blend into the crowd so the best start is to choose your own avatar.

Personalize Your Avatar

When selecting the avatar that you want to represent you it is ALWAYS best to simply go with your picture. People can better relate to a picture rather than a symbol or cartoon character. Remember these are 'social sites' where you're interacting with real people so be a real person yourself by posting your own picture.

For those of you who are perhaps a little 'shy' or possibly part of the Witness Protection Program you can select a 'character' that may best reflect you or your personality.

If your intentions at the site are business your avatar can be something that relates to your line of work.

Keep to the Facts

The short bio you post does not necessarily have to be complete but it should contain nothing but facts. Regardless of your intentions by immediately 'drifting' away from the truth in your bio you are starting out on the wrong foot. If you intend to create something meaningful from your membership you are not going to be able to do that by 'building your foundation in the sky.'

Remember once you've compromised your own credibility it takes a lot of effort to restore it if you even can. By lying up front you are ALREADY wasting your time and that of others who attempt to interact with you. Be nice, be truthful, or be gone!

The Bio Outline

Your bio should be brief but it will need to contain certain information in order for it be effective for you.

Let's look at 2 different types of bios and what we should include in them:

1) Personal - this type bio is for the purpose of socializing. You'll want to include a little about your background, personal interest, beliefs, and any other 'experiences' that may be relative to who you are.

2) Business - your bio information here should be more detailed and include what your business is, what you have to offer, any experience relative to your line of work and what your business goals are.

No Selling

If your social networking is for the purpose of business restrict the use of any hard sales pitches within your bio. Nothing will turn people away quicker than being met with 'in your face sales tactics' while viewing another members' profile.

Online social networking can be a very effective means in which to conduct business. Originally established for the purpose of serving as social hubs, online communities now cater to both personal and professional needs. What you need to keep in mind is not to overlook the importance of the bio you post. This is usually the other members' first impression of you. By focusing attention on the 5 key elements that we spoke of above you will insure that your first impression will be accurate and hopefully favorable but certainly not misleading.