The U.S. Elections | Florida Primary Fall-out

Following the results of the Florida primaries, two candidates one each from the Republicans and the Democrats have given up their race for the presidency.

Rudy Giuliani of the Republicans, former Mayor of New York has finally decided that he stands no chance to be nominated and has announced that he has given up. It's likely that he will give his support to John McCain.

John Edwards has also quit, following his equally disappointing result in the Florida Primary. That basically leaves the field open for Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Obama was recently endorsed by Sen. Edward Kennedy, which is powerful support.

The race is narrowing. A yearning for a new direction and a fresh purpose are still compelling underlying factors that could push Obama past the other candidates at the finishing line.

The State of the Union and President Bush

The actual state of the union and what President Bush has to say about it are two different things. In his opening remarks, he said the state of the union has never been stronger. Is that really true?

In the course of his presidency, America has gone from crisis to crisis. The nation has been plunged into wars in far off foreign lands. Iraq has been destroyed on the empty rhetoric of “weapons of mass destruction”. Hundreds of thousands have been killed. American soldiers have sent on a brutalising mission. Abu Ghraib has sent disturbing images around the world of a nation that does not practise what it preaches.

A new term, “enemy combatant”, which still has no real legal meaning has been coined to deprive prisoners of war of their rights and of due process, and even American citizens could be held as an enemy combatant.

Torture has been redefined. There is no such thing as American torture. It's only practised by foreign nations.

People have been kidnapped and sent to secret prisons in foreign countries by way of extraordinary rendition, beyond the control of any court of law.

The economy is in or is facing imminent recession. Many have lost their homes in the recent so-called sub-prime mortgage fiasco. The ordinary American has not been better off in terms of social security or medical care.

American power has never been stronger, but some might say that he state of the union is in a shambles.

A Population Under Siege | Gazans Break Down Barriers

The television images of thousands of Palestinians from Gaza, women and children, old men and young men, crossing into Egypt to buy essential supplies including food and fuel once again dramatically bring to the world's attention the on-going privations and suffering that these people have been enduring and are still enduring.

How could it be that a whole civilian population is made to suffer to the point that they have to break down barriers in search of food and fuel? What humanity does a government have that coldly resolves to inflict suffering, starvation and impoverishment on a whole civilian population?

Yet this is what is going on, and the U.N. Security Council still cannot persuade the mighty powers to lift the cruel and genocidal blockade that is the cause of all this.

Death of a Legend | Former World Chess Champion Bobby Fischer

Bobby Fischer the former World Chess Champion died in Reykjavik, Iceland. He was aged 64. He was truly a legend not only in but also outside the chess world. His death cannot be let pass without some mention here.

He was the first American World Chess Champion, a title that he gained by defeating Boris Spassky in 1972. That match took place in Reykjavik, which became his home since 2005. At that time Fischer was a mere teen of 15. It was a celebrated match, hailed as the “match of the century”, as that was during the height of the Cold War between American and Russia. Fischer was an American, and Spassky was Russian. And Russia had until then dominated the chess world. It was a symbolic triumph for the US. It's ironic that later Fischer renounced his US citizenship and frequently made derogatory remarks about the country of his birth.

He was an eccentric person even at his young age. After his victory over Spassky he refused to play again. In 1975 he was stripped of his title. However in 1992 he had a rematch with Spassky, whom he defeated again. The game was played in the former Yugoslavia, despite protestations by the US that this was breaking international sanctions. As a result Fischer became a wanted man.

In 2004 he was held at the airport in Japan for travelling on a revoked US passport. The Japanese were wavering whether to send him back to US, where he would be arrested. Iceland offered him sanctuary and gave him Icelandic citizenship. He lived there for his remaining years.

He made headlines in September 2001 by publicly rejoicing at the 9-11 attack in New York, and speaking against the Jews (although he was half-Jewish).

His remarks against the US were also colourful. Borrowing from Bush, he denounced the US as an evil-doer, and being one of the “allies of evil”.

An eccentric indeed, but without doubt a legend, and one of the greatest chess minds that ever lived.

Chess Legend Bobby Fischer Has Died

An Experiment for Bloggers - Qassia

For those of you who indulge in blogging, you will know that one can get a little obsessed about whether anyone is actually reading what you write. The gurus tell us that it's important to get good search-engine optimisation. One way of achieving that is to get backlinks. That is, to get other blogs and sites linking to you.

A new site called Qassia has been set up. It's designed to collect “intel” from its member. An “intel” is a piece of information, or intelligence, that readers might find useful, be it gossip or some technical or general information.

It rewards its members by giving them credit for providing and rating intel, and giving out backlinks. It also promises to share revenue with its members.

So may be it's something worth trying. Here's the link to Qassia – you can only join by “invitation”.

Hillary Clinton Rebounds in New Hampshire Primary

This round goes to Hillary, the “comeback kid”.

She narrowly defeated Obama, achieving 39% of the votes, while Obama got 36%. It' s bitter-sweet victory, as the votes show there is very substantial support for Obama. Feeling her loss in Iowa, her supporters came all out to give her a push.

Meanwhile there is no denying that the ground-swell for Obama is no fleeting phenomenon. It's real, and it will carry him forward.

Roundly defeated were John Edwards (15%) and Bill Richardson (5%).

Musharraf the Undiplomatic

Meanwhile, we see Musharraf with his awe-inspiring antics as he speaks his mind in this televised interview. Need one say more than “undiplomatic”? Maybe add “uncharitable”?

Are there good PR firms in Pakistan, I wonder.

Destiny's Child | Bilawal Bhutto | Pakistan

The world watched in horror when Benazir Bhutto was assassinated followed by the days of rioting that have turned Pakistan into a state of chaos. The world was not less stunned when Bhutto's party Pakistan People's Party scrambling in confusion, it seems, to look for a successor and a new leader, announced Benazir's son Bilawal as joint leader of the party.

A young man of only 19 (to be terminologically correct, still a teenager), who has just started his college studies, he has been thrust into the front line of Pakistan, and world, politics. It seems almost unbelievable.

However, I just saw a brief interview of him on the television. He seems remarkably mature and collected for a person of his age. It's just the beginning. He will be groomed by those more experienced and naturally by the passage of time. He already has put a “face” on his party. And it is a new and fresh face. His English is perfect, and that may be a great advantage also in dealing with other world leaders.

Perhaps this is a good thing for Pakistan after all. Someone with a new vision, to give the country a fresh direction. Will he prevail or will he end up as another sacrifice thrown into the ruthless and the power-hungry world of uncertain and dangerous politics that is engulfing Pakistan?

For Bilawal, it seems he recognises his destiny. He is a child of a dynastic family. Politics, as he say, is in his blood. Certainly he is no ordinary teeanager.

Obama Thrashes Hillary Clinton in Iowa

Well, all the hype about Obama seems to have some substance after all. He has won in the Iowa caucus, gaining almost 38% of the vote. Poor Hillary got less than 30%.

"We are choosing hope over fear, we are choosing unity over division," said the victorious Obama.

These are early days, but there is no doubt that this result has given Obama a great boost and a head-start on the campaign trail. Is history in the process of being made?

I await with excitement the contest in New Hampshire next Tuesday.