News Nuggets 101

MUST SEE Nugget!

Obama's message to Iran

Iran Gives Cautious Welcome to Barack Obama's Video Message from the Guardian of London

"Iran today hailed an unprecedented direct appeal by the US president,Barack Obama, for better relations between the two countries, but urged the US to "realise its previous mistakes" as well as end sanctions and drop its support for Israel."

Thorns and All, Obama's Dialogue with Europe has Begun from Le Figaro [in France in English]

"The Americans are hearing the laments of Europeans, who reproach them for being at the root of the global banking crisis and not wanting to alter the rules of capitalism to prevent it from happening again. Obama and his advisors retort that their urgency is elsewhere and that above all, the economy must be revived before reform is addressed."

Fix the Country Already! (Walter Shapiro) from the Daily Beast

"Fifty days into Bamalot and we still have war, recession, unemployment. Walter Shapiro wonders if the media’s hyperactive coverage give the president a chance to, you know, do something."

A Continent Adrift (Paul Krugman) from the New York Times

"I’m concerned about Europe. Actually, I’m concerned about the whole world — there are no safe havens from the global economic storm. But the situation in Europe worries me even more than the situation in America."

France Must Learn Lessons of Roosevelt's New Deal Tax Policies from Le Monde [of France in English]

"America has turned the page on George Bush and opened another era with the first measures of Barack Obama. Mired in an outdated ideology, the France of Nicolas Sarkozy is likely to be out of the game for a long time to come."

Team Obama Runs the Offense from BusinessWeek

"Welcome to Barack Obama's second Presidential campaign—this time, for his economic policy."

Obama Leaves Chavez Fumbling from the Guardian of London

"Hugo's anti-Americanism worked in his favour during the Bush years, but Obama's appeal in Venezuela has left him fumbling."

Ten Ideas that are Changing the World Right Now from Time Magazine

Normally I despise these type of articles -- but this one actually had several items that were QUITE interesting.

Regarding Michelle Obama: The Many Meanings of a New American Icon from New York Magazine

"Michelle declared that her primary role in the Obama administration would be “mom-in-chief,” it had the ring of total plausibility, drawing far less contempt than Hillary received when she offered America her chocolate-chip-cookie recipe. The question is: Why?"

Michelle Obama Comic Book to be Released in April from the Chicago Tribune

"She's not faster than a speeding bullet or more powerful than a locomotive.  Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound? Hardly.  But the First Lady is poised to become a superhero next month when a biographical comic book hits the stands."

VIDEO NUGGET!

A truly INSPIRING portrait of an elderly Obama volunteer done during the campaign.

ANOTHER VIDEO NUGGET!

"The crappiest generation of spoiled idiots!" from the Conan O'Brian Show

Another piece of MUST-SEE T.V.!

HISTORY NUGGET!

The Interpreter from the Washington Post

Fascinating story!

"As the Nazis killed her parents, friends and neighbors, a teenage girl talked circles around the enemy to survive."

SCIENCE NUGGET!

The Fall and Rise of the Right Whale from the New York Times

"“It’s a bumper year for calves,” Richard Merrick, an oceanographer for NOAA’s fisheries service, said in an interview. “That’s a good sign.”  Actually, it’s one of so many good signs that researchers are beginning to hope that for the first time in centuries things are looking up for the right whale. "