Japan learns English from Obama speech textbook

TOKYO (Reuters) – President-elect Barack Obama's speeches are proving a best-seller in Japan -- as an aid to learning English.

An English-language textbook, "The Speeches of Barack Obama," has sold more than 400,000 copies in two months, a big hit in a country where few hit novels sell more than a million copies a year.

Japanese have a fervor for learning English and many bookstores have a corner dedicated to dozens of journals in the language, many of them now featuring the new U.S. leader's face.

"Speeches by presidents and presidential candidates are excellent as listening tools to learn English, because their contents are good and their words are easy to catch," said Yuzo Yamamoto of Asahi Press, which produced the best-selling text book.

"Obama's is especially so. His speeches are so moving, and he also uses words such as 'yes, we can,' 'change' and 'hope' that even Japanese people can memorize," he said.

Speeches by President George W. Bush and former nominee John Kerry's four years ago did not have the same appeal, however, and nor do those made by Japanese politicians, Yamamoto said.

"In Japan, we don't have politicians who have such a positive influence. That's why we have to turn to a foreign president for someone in whom to place our hopes."

The 95-page paperback features Obama's speeches in English from the 2004 Democratic National Convention and during the Democratic Party primaries, in which he defeated Hillary Clinton. They are accompanied by Japanese translations.

The 1,050 yen ($12) book, which includes a CD of the speeches, tops the bestseller list on bookseller Amazon's Japanese Website, http://www.amazon.co.jp/

"Readers have sent in postcards saying that when they heard the speeches, they were so moved and cried even though they don't understand English very well," Yamamoto said.

He said lawmakers from Japan's main opposition Democratic Party had bought the book to study Obama's speeches.

Following Obama's inauguration on Tuesday, Asahi Press plans to issue a sequel that includes his inaugural address, as well as President John F. Kennedy's 1961 inaugural speech. It will also feature a reading of President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg address of 1863.(Editing by Michael Watson)
Get Sirius----Comedy---2009 Dodge Ram----Advertise Here and 24 Other Sites!

Will Obama say 'banana' in inaugural speech? Bets say no

STOCKHOLM (AFP) – What are the chances US president-elect Barack Obama will utter the words "banana," "Angela Merkel," or swear during his inaugural speech?

Little to none, according to Swedish online betting site Betsson.

The site has listed the odds of Obama using certain words during his inaugural address on January 20, with "banana" and (German Chancellor) "Angela Merkel" given 1,000-to-1.00 odds on Thursday.

Lowest odds were meanwhile given to "the United States," at 1.01-to-1.00 odds, and "change," at 1.03-to-1.00.

The site also provided odds on the president-elect's choice of puppy, which he has promised his daughters Sasha, seven, and Malia, 10.

The most likely First Pet was a Labradoodle, at 1.75-to-1.00 odds, and in second place a Portuguese water dog, with 3.00-to-1.00 odds. Least likely were a Shetland sheepdog and a bulldog, at 100-to-1.00 odds.

8 Out Of 10 (79%) Americans - Think Favorably About Obama

A pre-inaugural Pew Research Center poll finds about eight-in-ten Americans (79%) say they have a favorable impression of the incoming president including 59% of Republicans; that is far higher than George W. Bush’s personal favorability shortly before he took office in 2001 (60%).

Also, seven-in-ten (70%) approve of the job Obama has done in explaining his plans and policies for the future. This rating tops those achieved by both Bush and Bill Clinton as they were taking office. As is typically the case at this stage, most Americans think it is too early to tell whether Obama will be a successful or unsuccessful president.

Yet optimists far outnumber pessimists (30% successful vs. 4% unsuccessful). At a comparable point in 2001, 26% said they expected Bush to be successful, compared with 15% who said he would be unsuccessful....More
Get Sirius----Comedy---2009 Dodge Ram----Advertise Here and 24 Other Sites!

Odd News:Obama look-alike shoots to fame in Indonesia

JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesian photographer Ilham Anas won't be at U.S. President Barack Obama's inauguration on Tuesday. Instead he'll be starring as an Obama look-alike on Indonesian TV.

Anas, 34, who from some angles bears a resemblance to the new U.S. president, shot to fame in Jakarta after Obama, 47, won the election in November, and is now earning income as an Obama double.

Many Indonesians have a keen interest in Obama, who lived in Jakarta for four years after his American mother, Ann Dunham, married Muslim Indonesian Lolo Soetoro following the end of her marriage to Obama's Kenyan father.

"When Obama won, my colleagues played a practical joke on me -- they made me wear a suit, a tie, and took pictures of me posing as Obama," Anas told Reuters on Saturday.

"The pictures spread very quickly on the Internet. It was phenomenal. Then TV stations and an advertising agency got in touch with me."

That led to an appearance in a pharmaceuticals advertisement in the Philippines where he played Obama, who is due to be sworn in as the 44th U.S. president on Tuesday.

Anas, who was born and raised in Bandung, West Java, said he feels lucky to resemble Obama.

"I never thought I would be a star in a commercial, then this happened. It's very fortunate," Anas said.

"I was in the airport in Malaysia in transit and a man approached me and asked: 'Are you Obama?'. I was very surprised when he asked to take a picture together and bought me a meal," said Anas, flashing a broad smile.

If he ever gets the chance to meet Obama, Anas said he would ask the U.S. president to take a firm stance in dealing with the conflict between Israel and Palestine.

Get Sirius----Comedy---2009 Dodge Ram----Advertise Here and 24 Other Sites!

Spiderman Celebrates Obama As President

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Barack Obama will be "nerd-in-chief" when he takes office as U.S. president this month, according to Marvel Comics, which is putting him on the cover of its next "Spider-Man" comic.

The special edition of the weekly Spider-Man comic features a six-page story about the superhero saving the day when an imposter tries to take Obama's place as president. It is due to hit newsstands next Wednesday.

Marvel editor in chief Joe Quesada said the idea for the "Spidey meets the President!" edition came from a statement from Obama's campaign listing 10 little known facts about the Democrat who will be America's first black president.

"Right at the top of that list was he collected Spider-Man comics," Quesada told Reuters in an interview on Thursday.

"I was inundated with tons of fan mail saying 'Have you read this?'" Quesada said. "I was just floored, absolutely floored, to find out that the future commander-in-chief was actually going to be the future nerd-in-chief."

Excitement about Obama's election has already fueled a boom in memorabilia, from posters to front pages of November 5 newspapers announcing his victory. The Spider-Man edition, likely to become an instant collectors' item, features Obama on the cover, smiling and giving a thumbs-up.

Spidey hangs upside down behind him whispering in his ear: "Hey, if you get to be on my cover, can I be on the dollar bill?"

The story is set on January 20 in Washington, where Spidey's alter ego, Peter Parker, is on assignment as a photographer covering Inauguration Day...More....

Breaking News----Feds disrupt alleged plot targeting Obama

Two Men Full Of Hate! Killing Spree Planned!

WASHINGTON – Two white supremacists allegedly plotted to go on a national killing spree, shooting and decapitating black people and ultimately targeting Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, federal authorities said Monday.

In all, the two men whom officials described as neo-Nazi skinheads planned to kill 88 people — 14 by beheading, according to documents unsealed in U.S. District Court in Jackson, Tenn. The numbers 88 and 14 are symbolic in the white supremacist community.

More...
The spree, which initially targeted an unidentified predominantly African-American school, was to end with the two men driving toward Obama, "shooting at him from the windows," the documents show.

"Both individuals stated they would dress in all-white tuxedos and wear top hats during the assassination attempt," the court complaint states. "Both individuals further stated they knew they would and were willing to die during this attempt."

An Obama spokeswoman traveling with the senator in Pennsylvania had no immediate comment.

Sheriffs' deputies in Crockett County, Tenn., arrested the two suspects — Daniel Cowart, 20, of Bells, Tenn., and Paul Schlesselman 18, of Helena-West Helena, Ark. — Oct. 22 on unspecified charges. "Once we arrested the defendants and suspected they had violated federal law, we immediately contacted federal authorities," said Crockett County Sheriff Troy Klyce.

The two were charged by federal authorities Monday with possessing an unregistered firearm, conspiring to steal firearms from a federally licensed gun dealer, and threatening a candidate for president.

Cowart and Schlesselman were being held without bond. Agents seized a rifle, a sawed-off shotgun and three pistols from the men when they were arrested. Authorities alleged the two men were preparing to break into a gun shop to steal more.

Jasper Taylor, city attorney in Bells, said Cowart was arrested Wednesday. He was held for a few days in Bells, then moved over the weekend to another facility.

Until his arrest, Cowart lived with his grandparents in a southern, rural part of the county, Taylor said, adding that Cowart apparently never graduated from high school. He moved away, possibly to Arkansas or Texas, then returned over the summer, Taylor said.

Attorney Joe Byrd, who has been hired to represent Cowart, said in a written statement that he was was investigating the charges against his client and would have no further comment. Messages left on two telephone numbers listed under Cowart's name were not immediately returned.

No telephone number for Schlesselman in Helena-West Helena could be found immediately.

The court documents say the two men met about a month ago on the Internet and found common ground in their shared "white power" and "skinhead" philosophy.

The numbers 14 and 88 are symbols in skinhead culture, referring to a 14-word phrase attributed to an imprisoned white supremacist: "We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children" and to the eighth letter of the alphabet, H. Two "8"s or "H"s stand for "Heil Hitler."

Court records say Cowart and Schlesselman also bought nylon rope and ski masks to use in a robbery or home invasion to fund their spree, during which they allegedly planned to go from state to state and kill people. Agents said the skinheads did not name the African-American school they were targeting.

Jim Cavanaugh, special agent in charge of the Nashville, Tenn., field office for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, said authorities took the threats very seriously.

"They said that would be their last, final act — that they would attempt to kill Sen. Obama," Cavanaugh said. "They didn't believe they would be able to do it, but that they would get killed trying."

He added: "They seemed determined to do it. Even if they were just to try it, it would be a trail of tears around the South."

An ATF affidavit filed in the case says Cowart and Schlesselman told investigators the day they were arrested they had shot at a glass window at Beech Grove Church of Christ, a congregation of about 60 black members in Brownsville, Tenn.

Nelson Bond, the church secretary and treasurer, said no one was at the church when the shot was fired. Members found the bullet had shattered the glass in the church's front door when they arrived for evening Bible study.

"We have been on this site for about 120 years, and we have never had a problem like this before," said Bond, 53 and a church member for 45 years.

The investigation is continuing, and more charges are possible, Cavanaugh said. He said there's no evidence — so far — that others were willing to assist Cowart and Schlesselman with the plot.

At this point, there does not appear to be any formal assassination plan, Secret Service spokesman Eric Zahren said.

"Whether or not they had the capability or the wherewithal to carry out an attack remains to be seen," he said.

Zahren said the statements about the assassination came out in interviews after the men were arrested last week.

The Secret Service became involved in the investigation once it was clear that an Obama assassination attempt was part of the plot. Obama received a Secret Service detail in May 2007, the earliest a candidate has ever been assigned protection, in part because of his status as a prominent black candidate.

"We don't discount anything," Zahren said, adding that it's one thing for the defendants to make statements, but it's not the same as having an organized assassination plan.

Helena-West Helena, on the Mississippi River in east Arkansas' Delta, is in one of the nation's poorest regions, trailing even parts of Appalachia in its standard of living. Police Chief Fred Fielder said he had never heard of Schlesselman.

However, the reported threat of attacking a school filled with black students worried Fielder. Helena-West Helena, with a population of 12,200, is 66 percent black. "Predominantly black school, take your pick," he said.

Associated Press writers Erik Schelzig in Nashville, Tenn., Jon Gambrell in Little Rock, Ark., and Eileen Sullivan in Washington contributed to this report.
Facebook-Pics----Pics For Myspace----Political Roast----Lingerie Football Pics

Climber Found the yeti! and He Is Voting For Obama!

The Yeti's for Obama club! When the yeti was interviewed about his position in the 2008 United States Election, he was asked a question.

Are you supporting The Democrats because you oppose the Republicans view, that Global Warming doesn't exist?

The Yeti replied: Wug Wug ug AAAAH Ug Wug OOOOH!

I Believe that is a Yes!

Facebook-Pics----Pics For Myspace----Political Roast----Lingerie Football Pics

Cat championship include Obama, McCain - the cats

NEW YORK – Barack Obama and John McCain will attend a New York cat show this weekend — Obama the Bombay cat and McCain the American Shorthair, that is.

The two felines are vying for the title of "Purr-fect President" at the Cat Fanciers' Association-IAMS 2008 championship that opens Saturday at Madison Square Garden.

More...
More than 40 breeds are represented among the several hundred competing animals. The top title goes for "Best in Show."

In addition, hundreds of other kittens and cats will be available for adoption.

This year's show also features a rescued New Jersey shelter cat and member of the Iams Trained Cats that perform Olympic-style tricks.

FCS-For Sale----Pics For Myspace----Political Roast----Lingerie Football Pics

No Love For The Republicans-10,000 protesters gathered at the RNC

No Love For The Republicans-10,000 protesters gathered at the RNC

My fellow Republicans, George Bush and his cronies have destroyed the integrity of the Republican Party.

This is no longer the party of Abraham Lincoln, it's the party of incompetent leadership and mistrust!
Thanks You George Bush and Dick Cheney!

Who every wins Senator Obama or Senator McCain, you gotta lot of fixing to gain the peoples trust back! This looks like the 1970's!


Clip of CNN Report

There were 10,000 protesters here on Monday -- peaceful protesters -- and there were right around 300 arrests for people who were not peaceful protesters," Drinkwine, the Ramsey County sheriff's spokeswoman, said. "These were people who were doing damages to the city that are criminal.----read the whole story---CNN

Funny Political Video- Obama and Obama Girl

Funny Political Video- Obama and Obama Girl
Obama Girl heads back to 1966 to talk with a young Barack Obama

Funny political Videos-Barely Political-Website

Funny Pics - funpicsfree.com -Broccoli Obama-Redneck-08-07-08

These are some pretty funny pics! Click on the pics to goto the website to get the html code to embed into myspace,facebook,website or blogger!Enjoy the humor!

fun pics free.com-Funny Pics and Crazy Pictures

fun pics free.com-Funny Pics and Crazy Pictures

fun pics free.com-Funny Pics and Crazy Pictures

fun pics free.com-Funny Pics and Crazy Pictures

fun pics free.com-Funny Pics and Crazy Pictures

fun pics free.com-Funny Pics and Crazy Pictures

Stupid News - Jesse Jackson Hates Obama - Jackson says sorry for crude threat.

Stupid News - Jesse Jackson Hates Obama - Jackson says sorry for crude threat.
Sorry, Jackson says, for crude Obama quip


CHICAGO – The Rev. Jesse Jackson apologized Wednesday for "regretfully crude" comments he made about Barack Obama during what he thought was a private conversation with a reporter.

The remarks came Sunday in response to a question from a fellow guest during a break from taping Fox & Friends. The guest asked about speeches on morality Mr. Obama has given at black churches.

An open microphone picked up Mr. Jackson whispering, "See, Barack's been talking down to black people. ... I want to cut his nuts off."

Mr. Jackson said Wednesday that he felt there were other important issues to be addressed for black voters, such as unemployment and the number of blacks in prison.

The Obama campaign said it accepted Mr. Jackson's apology. But Mr. Jackson's son, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. of Illinois, blasted his father's comments Wednesday.

The elder Jackson drew fire in 1984 for calling New York City "Hymietown," referring to its large Jewish population. He later acknowledged it was wrong to use the term but said he did so in private to a reporter.

From wire reports

Stupid News - Chicago students seek Obama's haircut, speedy spud, Weird Al

CHICAGO - Dozens of students from the University of Chicago returned Sunday from a four-day multistate trek dubbed the world's largest scavenger hunt after trying to find Barack Obama's haircut and a car horn that plays "La Cucaracha," among other things.

The list of 269 items includes having "a Nobel Prize winner or 'Weird Al' Yankovic witness your organ donor registration" and trying to get "Obama's haircut at Obama's barbershop."

Teams get points for the items they bring back to campus, tasks they complete or questions they answer correctly. The scavenger hunt, in its 22nd year, includes a road trip as far as 1,000 miles from Chicago.

"This allows us to take another kind of brain power and put it into frivolous, trivial but completely enjoyable tasks," said senior David Pisano, 21.

Winners had not been posted as of late Sunday for this year's challenges, which included having "a potato break the sound barrier" and finding "a disgruntled beekeeper."

Some participants headed to Las Vegas in search of celebrities to photograph, while others contemplated weaving a basket underwater, building a working light bulb from scratch, or locating or constructing a bust of Abraham Lincoln made out of pennies.

In 2000, the list called for a live elephant, which students were able to procure for judging.

Hillary Rodham Clinton won the Pennsylvania primary

Hillary Wins The PA. Primary! Watch out! She's coming Obama!

fun pics free.com-Funny Pics

fun pics free.com-Add To Myspace Comments

fun pics free.com-Add To Myspace Comments

Reported by The Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton won the Pennsylvania primary Tuesday night, defeating Barack Obama and staving off elimination in a riveting race for the Democratic presidential nomination.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton edged ahead in the Pennsylvania primary Tuesday night in a fight for survival against Barack Obama, her rival in a Democratic presidential race growing steadily more negative.

Early precinct votes from across the state showed the former first lady running ahead in the western part of the state, including Pittsburgh, as well as the area around Scranton with large numbers of blue-collar voters.

Obama was ahead in Philadelphia and the populous surrounding suburbs.

The last of the big states to vote, Pennsylvania had 158 delegates at stake, the largest prize remaining in a primary season that ends on June 3.

Interviews with voters as they left their polling places showed economic concerns dominated, with more than 80 percent of the electorate judging the nation already in a recession.

Clinton won among blue-collar voters, women and white men. Obama was favored by blacks, the affluent and voters who recently switched to the Democratic Party, a group that comprised about one in ten Pennsylvania voters, according to the survey conducted by The Associated Press and the TV networks.

Both rivals sought to shape expectations in advance.

Trailing in the national delegate chase and outspent badly in the state, Clinton needed a win to sustain her candidacy. She projected confidence by scheduling a rally in Philadelphia after the polls closed.

Obama, the front-runner, said he expected to lose, but narrowly, and worked to limit any erosion in his delegate lead. Even before the polls closed, he flew off to an evening rally in Indiana, one of two states with primaries on May 6. North Carolina was the other, and both campaigns have been airing television commercials in both for weeks.

While a Pennsylvania defeat for Clinton could spell the end of her candidacy, a sizable win would strengthen her claim to being the stronger general election opponent. It’s an argument she has made to Democratic officeholders and other superdelegates who hold the balance of power at the party convention in Denver in August.

Whatever the outcome, the six-week run-up to the primary was notable for close-to-the-ground campaigning normally reserved for the early-voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire, and for the decidedly negative tone of its final few days.

Flush with cash, Obama reported spending $11.2 million on television in the state, compared with $4.8 million for Clinton.

The tone of the campaign was increasingly personal.

“In the last 10 years Barack Obama has taken almost $2 million from lobbyists, corporations and PACs. The head of his New Hampshire campaign is a drug company lobbyist, in Indiana an energy lobbyist, a casino lobbyist in Nevada,” said a Clinton commercial that aired in the final days of the race.

Obama responded with an ad that accused Clinton of “eleventh-hour smears paid for by lobbyist money.” It said that unlike his rival, he “doesn’t take money from special interest PACs or Washington lobbyists — not one dime.”

To the delight of Republicans, the six-week layoff between primaries produced a string of troubles for the Democrats.

Obama was forced onto the defensive by incendiary comments by his pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, then triggered controversy on his own by saying small-town Americans cling to guns and religion because of their economic hardships.

Clinton conceded that she had not landed under sniper fire in Bosnia while first lady, even though she said several times that she had. And she replaced her chief strategist, Mark Penn, after he met with officials of the Colombian government seeking passage of a free trade agreement that she opposes.

McCain, the Republican nomination already his, rose in the polls as he prepared for the fall campaign.

The remaining Democratic contests are primaries in North Carolina, Indiana, Oregon, Kentucky, West Virginia, Montana, South Dakota and Puerto Rico, and caucuses in Guam.

David Espo reported from Washington.

Center of The Earthquake Map

Here is a link to the center of the earthquake map in Illinois. The National Earthquake Center is reporting that a 5.4 seismic magnitude earthquake hit 7 miles away from West Salem, Illinois just after 5:30 this morning. West Salem is about 400 miles away from Knoxville.
Click Here

Oh Crap! 5.4 earthquake rocks Illinois it was also felt in Indiana and Michigan

The end of the world is coming! There was an Earthquake in Obamas home state of Illinois and was felt all the way to Indiana!

Here is the story from a couple new sources...

(AP)
5.4 earthquake rocks Illinois; also felt in Indiana
2 hours ago

WEST SALEM, Ill. (AP) — A 5.4 earthquake early Friday rocked people awake as far away as Indiana, surprising residents unaccustomed to such a large Midwest temblor.

The quake just before 4:37 a.m. was centered 6 miles from West Salem, Ill., and 66 miles from Evansville, Ind. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

"It shook our house where it woke me up," said David Behm of Philo, 10 miles south of Champaign. "Windows were rattling, and you could hear it. The house was shaking inches. For people in central Illinois, this is a big deal. It's not like California."

The quake also shook tall buildings in downtown Indianapolis, about 160 miles northeast of the epicenter.

Indiana State Police spokesman Sgt. Todd Ringle in Evansville said there were no immediate reports of damage.

(CNN)
(CNN) -- A magnitude-5.2 earthquake, centered 131 miles east of St. Louis, Missouri, shook southern Illinois early Friday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

There were few reports of damage immediately after the predawn quake, which struck at 4:36 a.m. (5:36 a.m. ET), but CNN affiliate WHAS-TV in Louisville, Kentucky, showed footage of rubble left in a street after a cornice fell off a brick building there.

The epicenter of the earthquake was about three miles below ground, six miles northwest of Mount Carmel, Illinois, and 38 miles north-northwest of Evansville, Indiana, according to the USGS.

Don't Miss
WRTV: Earthquake felt across Indiana
iReport.com: Quake damage? Send your pictures and video
People as far north as southern Michigan and as far west as Des Moines, Iowa, reported feeling the quake, according to The Associated Press. Map »

Air traffic was halted for an hour at Indianapolis International Airport while the control tower was evacuated, CNN affiliate WRTV-TV in the Indiana city reported.

At least 30 people reported feeling the quake in Clarksville, Tennessee -- 227 miles south of the epicenter -- according to the USGS Web site.

Buildings swayed in Chicago's Loop and people were shaken awake in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the AP reported.

People as far away as southwest Michigan and northeast Georgia e-mailed CNN to say they felt the tremor.

"It shook our house where it woke me up," David Behm of Philo, Illinois, told the AP. "Windows were rattling, and you could hear it. The house was shaking inches. For people in central Illinois, this is a big deal. It's not like California."


NEWS INDY...
The USGS Web site said the quake was centered near West Salem, Ill., or about 40 miles north of Evansville, Ind. It struck at about 5:37 a.m. It was believed to have been centered along the Wabash Valley Fault Zone, which is north of the well-known New Madrid fault area.

There were reports of minor structural damage in buildings in Terre Haute and Evansville. The quake also appeared to have damaged building in Louisville, Ky.

The earthquake was felt all over Indiana. It was also felt in the Chicago area, parts of Wisconsin and Iowa.

"This is one of the larger earthquakes that you've had in a while in the region," said Randy Baldwin of the USGS.

The American Gladiators! Hillary, Obama and McCain Pic

Funny pic from funpicsfree.com of Hillary, Obama and McCain dressed like the Spartans from the 300 movie.

read more digg story

New Funny Pics of Hillary and Obama

Just posted new funny pics of Hillary and Obama on funpicsfree.com. Use the new gigya feature to send the pics anywhere! To myspace, facebook, friendster,bebo,hi5,blogger and a bunch more!fun pics free.com-Funny Pics

fun pics free.com-Funny Pics

Hillary Vs. Obama Cartoon

Here is a funny little cartoon animated video of Hillary and Obama fighting.


WMWCOMEDY Youtube Channel----CLICK

Animated Video Hillary Vs. Obama

Hillary Fights Obama in a little animated video.