Paralele//Paralele

Astă seară s-au decernat premiile RoBlogFest 2008, competiţia cea mai autorizată din blogosfera românească. Recunosc că am fost destul de ignorant: până în august 2007 nu am avut blog, şi nici nu prea citeam ce scriau alţii. De RoBlogFest nici atât nu auzisem. După mai mult de 7 luni în blogosferă, lucrurile par un pic diferite. Sunt mai prezent în comunitatea bloggerilor (mai ales în rândul celor care scriu despre politică), dar tot nu am acordat prea mare atenţie RoBlogFest-ului, deşi îi înţeleg utilitatea. N-am fost în seara asta în Fabrica, dar am aflat rezultatele finale de aici. Vă reamintesc că Paralelele se calificaseră în finalele concursului jurizat la secţiunile "cel mai bun blog despre politică" şi "cel mai bun blog". Eu unul sunt mulţumit să aflu că la prima secţiune am ocupat locul 9 din 36, la egalitate cu Doc şi Cristi Banu, iar la a doua categorie locul 32 din 79. Acum e clar că:

• locul ocupat la categoriile jurizate nu e neapărat mai important decât cel de la categoriile populare (unde se vota de către cititori)
• locurile ocupate în diversele categorii nu reflectă neapărat calitatea blogurilor în competiţie
• RoBlogFest e o competiţie funny, ceva de genul "10 pentru România" de la Realitatea.

În încheiere, mai adaug că unele dintre blogurile pe care le citesc zilnic şi le apreciez ocupă locuri fruntaşe (Diana, Mihnea, Tolo). Pentru lista întreagă a premiilor, intraţi aici.

Recunosc că nu am acordat mare interes acestei competiţii, dar nu pot să nu vă semnalez că Paralelele au fost selectate de către juriu (nu ştiu cine face parte din juriu:) la 2 categorii: cel mai bun blog (unde au mai rămas în competiţie 79 din 454 de bloguri iniţial selectate) şi cel mai bun blog despre politică (unde au rămas în competiţie 36 de bloguri). Urmează etapa a doua a votului. Eu sunt destul de mulţumit că particip la aceste finale şi nu mă intersează foarte mult poziţia în clasamentul final. Amintesc cu acest prilej şi semi-nominalizarea pe care mi-a făcut-o Mihnea la BlogOscarurile organizate în premieră de el:) Gata, m-am îmbătat destul cu succesul, e timpul să ma odihnesc un pic, aşa de weekend

Militez de mult timp pe blogul asta pentru mutarea un pic a atentiei publice, si de ce nu si in blogosfera, asupra subiectelor de politica externa cu impact ridicat asupra Romaniei, si nu numai. Recomand prin urmare un blog nou-nout, bine scris si cu potential. Sa nu uitam ca maine la ora asta vom discuta numai despre independenta unilateral declarata de Kosovo si posibilitatea unui nou butoi cu pulbere la granita de sud-vest a Romaniei.

Recunosc ca am activat si eu in astfel de "structuri", si nu pot decat sa subscriu opiniilor Aurei din acest articol

Analiza, extrem de ambitiosa, ii apartine lui Mihnea pe care il felicit si ii multumesc ca a inclus si Paralele//Paralele in analiza, fara a-i cere eu asta. Particular, Paralelele au fost incluse la categoria "comentatori politici", fapt care ar sugera si o nota de impartialitate adusa de acest blog. Alte detalii legate de analiza lui Mihnea le gasiti aici. Am o singura nedumerire, e adevarat mai academica, referitor la modul in care s-a facut repartizarea pe partide a blogurilor. Mai precis, e vorba de o analiza cantitativa, fapt exeplicabil daca ne gandim ce ar insemna sa analizam riguros continutul a sute de bloguri politice "independente" pentru a le putea include in categorii pro-partide. Cum aceasta analiza calitativa lipseste deocamdata, blogul lui Dan Andronic a intrat tot in categoria "comentatori", desi stim cu totii cine il plateste pe mai sus numitul consultant:)

Fara alte comentarii, aici. Primele reactii in blogosfera, aici si aici

...chiar daca nu e de dreapta. 2 motive, aici si aici

Blogul dnei Weber este simplu, la obiect si electoral. Blogul Cristinei (am fost colegi pe vremea cand eram ziarist) promite. p.s. nu uitati de sondaj, mai sunt 3 zile de vot

Nu va ascund ca Adina Valean este printre politicienii mei preferati. Deci pot fi acuzat de subiectivism cand spun ca blogul arata chiar f bine. Un singur neajuns: de ce abia acum, cand a inceput campania pentru euro-alegeri, unde dna Valean este si candidata? Cam prea mult simt utilitarist, chiar si pentru o liberala. Accesati blogul aici

In afara analizelor mele mai vechi, gasiti si aici argumente foarte bune din partea jurnalistului Andrei Badin.

www.cotidianul.ro Cresterea economica bate lustratia poloneza Razvan Ciubotaru Aparut in editia din 23 Octombrie 2007 Scurta aventura ultraconservatoare poloneza ar trebui sa le ofere o lectie noilor membri UE. De la Donald Tusk, vorbitor de germana, se asteapta relansarea relatiei cu Berlinul Euroscepticul Jaroslaw Kaczynski si-a recunoscut infringerea in alegerile legislative in fata liberalului Donald Tusk, care a cistigat mizind pe o carte proeuropeana, a reformelor si a cresterii economice. Presedintele Comisiei Europene, José Manuel Barroso, a salutat luni „spiritul european al poporului polonez“ si „si-a exprimat increderea intr-o cooperare fructuoasa cu viitorul guvern“, dupa cum a declarat purtatorul sau de cuvint. Liberalii, cu 208 mandate in Dieta, au inceput deja negocierile pentru formarea noului guvern impreuna cu partidul taranesc PSL, care are 35 de mandate din totalul celor 460 ale Camerei inferioare. Insa oficiali din cadrul partidului lui Jaroslaw Kaczynski au invocat dreptul presedintelui Lech Kaczynski de a numi el insusi ministrii Apararii, Internelor si Externelor. Cum Polonia este o republica parlamentara, in care presedintele are doar drept de veto legislativ, liberalii au precizat categoric ca noul guvern va fi format exclusiv de Donald Tusk. UE, dar mai ales noii sai membri au avut de invatat lectii importante din cei doi ani de aventura ultraconservatoare poloneza. In primul rind, Jaroslaw Kaczynski a aratat ca o lustratie in masa nu se mai poate realiza, la 17 ani de la caderea regimurilor comuniste. Legea poloneza care obliga 700.000 de cetateni sa declare daca au facut sau nu politie politica a fost criticata de insasi Comisia Europeana. Guvernarea Kaczynski a demonstrat ca lupta dusa prin politizarea justitiei impotriva a ceea ce polonezii numesc „oculta“ fostei politii politice a disidentilor anticomunisti si a marilor oameni de afaceri nu este eficienta. Infierarea disidentilor emblematici Lech Walesa si Adam Michnik pentru presupusa colaborare cu regimul comunist nu i-a adus lui Kaczynski nici un cistig electoral. La fel, renasterea rivalitatilor istorice cu Berlinul si cu Moscova s-a dovedit o carte pierzatoare pentru Polonia, care a fost ocolita de rutele energetice dintre Rusia si Germania. Nu in ultimul rind, alianta cu partide ce promoveaza homofobia, antisemitismul si ai caror lideri sint implicati in scandaluri de coruptie s-a dovedit letala pentru premier. Instalarea scutului antiracheta al SUA pe teritoriul Poloniei pare sa fie singura mostenire a guvernului Kaczynski care va fi continuata, mai ales ca Radek Sikorski, ministrul care a initiat acest proiect, a schimbat tabara si se afla acum in Platforma Civica.

Totul aici, pe blogul Doinei. Asteptam si reactia Sorinei

Aici, pe blogul Doinei

Doina va spune de ce

www.foxnews.com

www.redstate.com

AHMADINEJAD

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday questioned why Iran can't have a nuclear program when the United States does and repeated his inference that historical accounts of the Holocaust are myths in animated remarks before students and faculty at Columbia University.

He also denied that Iran sponsors terror, instead pointing the finger at the U.S. government as a supporter of terrorism.

"We don't need to resort to terrorism. We've been victims of terrorism, ourselves," he said. "Within six months, over 4,000 Iranians lost their lives, assassinated by terrorist groups. All this carried out by the hand of one single terrorist group. Regretfully, that same terrorist group now, today, in your country, is operating under the support of the U.S. administration, working freely, distributing declarations freely, and their camps in Iraq are supported by the U.S. government."

During his third visit to New York in three years, Ahmadinejad asked why the United States was allowed to develop nuclear weapons capabilities, but his country was not.

"How come you have that right and we don’t have it?" he challenged.

On the issue of the Holocaust, Ahmadinejad said more "research" was needed on what took place, but he seemed to acknowledge that it did exist.

"I am not saying that it didn't happen at all. This is not that judgment that I am passing here," he said. "Granted this happened, what does it have to do with the Palestinian people? ... Why is it that the Palestinian people are paying the price for an event they had nothing to do with?"

And the Iranian leader denied that homosexuality exists in his country when asked to explain the execution of homosexuals in Iran.

"In Iran we don't have homosexuals like in your country," he said, to laughter and boos from the audience. 'In Iran we do not have this phenomenon. I don't know who's told you that we have this."

But he said he believes that the United States and Iran have the potential to be great friends.

"I think that if the U.S. administration, if the U.S. government, puts aside some of its old behaviors, it can actually be a good friend for the Iranian people, for the Iranian nation," Ahmadinejad said.

"If the U.S. government recognizes the rights of the Iranian people, respects all nations and extends a hand of friendship with all Iranians, they, too, will see that Iranians will be one of its best friends."

REAGAN

I can tell you that nothing would please my heart more than in my lifetime to see American and Soviet diplomats grappling with the problem of trade disputes between America and a growing, exuberant, exporting Soviet Union that had opened up to economic freedom and growth.

Is this just a dream? Perhaps. But it is a dream that is our responsibility to have come true.

Your generation is living in one of the most exciting, hopeful times in Soviet history. It is a time when the first breath of freedom stirs the air and the heart beats to the accelerated rhythm of hope, when the accumulated spiritual energies of a long silence yearn to break free.

We do not know what the conclusion of this journey will be, but we're hopeful that the promise of reform will be fulfilled. In this Moscow spring, this May 1988, we may be allowed that hope — that freedom, like the fresh green sapling planted over Tolstoy's grave, will blossom forth at least in the rich fertile soil of your people and culture. We may be allowed to hope that the marvelous sound of a new openness will keep rising through, ringing through, leading to a new world of reconciliation, friendship, and peace.

Thank you all very much and da blagoslovit vas gospod! God bless you.

Intreaga poveste aici

Aici si aici

FRED THOMPSON: FIRST LOBBYIST FOR PRESIDENT



By DICK MORRIS & EILEEN MCGANN



Published on FoxNews.com on September 10, 2007.



There’s a new first in the 2008 presidential campaign.



We’ve already seen the first woman candidate, Hillary Clinton and the first
African American with widespread support and a serious chance at winning the
presidency.



But now there’s another groundbreaker: the first lobbyist candidate — Fred
Thompson.



Thompson was a lobbyist for 20 years before he was elected to the Senate,
representing the Tennessee Savings and Loan Association, the deposed Haitian
President Aristed and the National Planning & Reproductive Health
Association.



Although Fred bills himself as strongly against government interference and handouts,
he also lobbied for Westinghouse in its bid for government subsidies for a
nuclear power plant in Oak Ridge. After retiring from the Senate in 2002,
Thompson went back to lobbying, earning $750,000 since then from Equitas, the
British insurance company that wants to limit payments to the families of those
who died due to asbestos exposure.



Now Fred’s campaign is attracting other lobbyists, who are bundlers and donors
to the Thompson campaign.



Most Americans feel strongly that a presidential candidate should not accept
any money from lobbyists. According to a recent Gallup Poll, 75 percent of
Americans find it unacceptable for candidates to finance their campaigns with
contributions from lobbyists — and 80 percent want candidates to return any contributions
they do receive from lobbyists.



But Fred definitely doesn’t agree with them. His promising campaign is
positively overflowing with advisers and donors who are lobbyists, former
lobbyists or employees of lobbying firms. Aside from Thompson, there’s his
wife, Jeri, who worked for the PR/lobbying giant Burson-Marsteller and law
firm/lobbyists DLA Piper after she met Fred. Then there’s Ken Reitz, a senior
campaign adviser, who works for 360Advantage — owned by two lobbying firms
Burson-Marsteller and Quinn Gillespie & Associates. Reitz is the former CEO
of Burson and became famous for creating the National Smokers Alliance — a faux
grassroots group opposing tobacco regulation that was funded by the tobacco
companies.



Fred’s first campaign manager, Tom Collamore, was a former tobacco lobbyist. He
is one of the many Thompson staffers who was shown the door after disagreeing
with Mrs. Thompson. Fred’s chief counselor is Michael Toner, an adviser to
Bryan Cave Strategies, which represents Shell Oil and other corporations. Then
there’s Tom Daffron, COO of the Jefferson Consulting Group that lobbies on
homeland security issues. Ed Gillespie, co-founder of the Quinn Gillespie &
Associates lobbying firm is also a close adviser.



Then there are the bundlers and donors. Public Citizen identified six Thompson
bundlers as registered lobbyists, but the number associated with lobbyists
significantly increases when the names of employees of lobbying firm, who are
not necessarily registered lobbyists, are added:



Bundler/Lobbyists (amounts collected are not available)



• Richard F.Hohlt, a lobbyist for tobacco, nuclear energy, Chevron, and Fannie
Mae

• Rachael Jones Hensler, lobbyist for the Nickles Group

• William Hilleary, lobbyist, Sommerstein, Nasy & Rosenthal

• Robert L. Livingston, lobbyist, The Livingston Group

• W. Timothy Loche, lobbyist, Smith-Free Group

• David Lugar, lobbyist, Quinn Gillespie

• Mach F. Mattingly, lobbyist

• Tom Collamore

• Michael Toner



Registered Lobbyist Contributors:



• Katie Huffard

• Chris Lamond

• Jeffrey Bloemaker

• Patrick O’Donnell

• William Timmons

• William Hilleary



Sources: Washington Magazine, Center for Responsive Politics



Other:



• Johanna Hardy, Dir., Legislative Affairs, Rolls Royce

• Kirk Clinkenbeard, Potomic Advocates

• John Dowd, partner Akin, Gump which has lobbying practice

• Sarah Newman, employee, Cassidy and Associates



Sources: Washington Magazine, Center for Responsive Politics



So the "Fred Thompson for President" campaign — based on his promises
to shake up Washington — is being run by and paid for by corporate insider
lobbyists.



Do you think Fred will make any big changes if he’s elected?

Detalii aici

Dupa ce acum 2 zile s-a luat destul de rau de Cristi Sutu pentru ”dezvaluirea” acestuia legat de optiunea pesedistilor pt Ponta ca ”uzurpator” al lui Geoana, Dan Andronic revine si ii da dreptate jurnalistului de la Cotidianul. Iata cum de la zi la alta o diversiune se transforma in potential adevar. Noi ce sa mai credem? Au stat aseara Silberstein si Andronic la masa si au gasit solutia de a arunca fumigene in tabara PSD, doar-doar or incepe astia sa se paruiasca inainte de lansarea motiunii? Posibil, nu? Asa ii raspund si lui Borna in privinta ”relevantei” post-ului cu urgenta convocare a consultantilor straini facuta de Tariceanu. p.s. uitati-va bine la poza..arata asta a presedinte PSD?