World Watches As Obama Takes Office
Today, the world watched as the 44th President of the United States of America, Barack Hussein Obama was sworn in to office on the steps of Capitol Hill. On a freezing cold day, millions of people gethered to see the new president take office and billions more around the globe watched as President Barack Obama took his oath at a few minutes to noon on January 20th 2009. Read more
Ronaldo Wins FIFA Player of the Year
Manchester United winger Christiano Ronaldo has been crowned FIFA World Player of the Year in this year’s awards show. Christano Ronaldo fought off competition from Fernando Torres, Lionel Messa and last year’s winner Kaka to win the coverted title and is the first UK based player to win the FIFA World Player of the Year award.
Winehouse Divorce Shock
Shock horror, Blake has allegedly filed for a divorce from Amy. Could this be true? According to latest news reports and his representative Henri Brandman who said in a brief statement,
“I can confirm that I have been instructed to commence divorce proceedings on the grounds of Amy’s adultery,”
Apparently Amy has allegedly been frolicking with some rugby player in the Caribbean somewhere. No doubt enjoying some wonderful sun, sea, sand and even sampling some caribbean food (she can stand to put on some weight).
To be honest, if it gets her away from the drugs and back to the music, divorce may not be a bad thing.
Obama Person of the Year 2008
President Elect Barack Obama has been named Person of the Year by Time magazine. TIME’s Person of the Year is recognition of the
person or persons who most affected the news and our lives, for good or ill, and embodied what was important about the year.
Congratulations president elect Obama, we think Time has chosen well, after conquering in the Primaries against formidable opposition, and all conquering in the election on November 4th 2008, and for the challenges you will face ahead in your first term, we salute your efforts and wish you good luck
Barack Obama Wins It
Barack Obama has won the US Presidential race with a resounding majority of the electorate voting for him and has achieve a landslide victory over his opponent John McCain in the electoral college votes. The turnout for the election (when all is counted) will probably be the highest turnout ever. Read more
Dixville Notch Backs Obama
Barack Obama has been declared the winner in the first poll to close in the 2008 US Presidential Election results coming from Dixville Notch in northern New Hampshire. The town’s 21 registered voters are the first to vote with their polling station opening at midnight. They have been the first place to vote on poling day since 1960.
The presidential election results were: Obama 15 votes, McCain 6 votes. There was a resounding cheer as the results of the votes were announced, from those gathered.
Dixville Notch is said to be a traditionally republican town, perhaps another sign that Barack Obama’s message has crossed political boundaries, or perhaps it’s because everyone is feeliing the effects of the Bush years and feel they need to change.
As polling opens across the USA, record turnouts are expected with as much as 85% turnout predicted in some states.
Consumer Giant Warnings on Equity Release
UK Consumer advice organisation Which? have warned potential equity release borrows of the dangers relating to takine out this type of home owner loan in a report that has been slated as ‘outdated’ by equity release lenders. Although popular in the UK equity release is know as reverse mortgage in the US. Which wants borrowers to take into account what an equity release scheme could mean for those who’s circumstances may change in the future.
Lewis Hamilton Loses Belgian Title To Massa
September 7, 2008 by Editor
Filed under Formula One
In Formula 1 news today, driver Lewis Hamilton won the Belgian Grand Prix, only to have the 2008 title stripped from him after a stewards enquiry resulted in a 25 second penalty being awarded to the British driver for an alleged infraction sometime earlier in the race. The penalty meant that the title was awarded to Ferrari’s Felipe Massa whilst Lewis Hamilton was demoted to a third place finish.
Hamilton must be bitterly disappointed, watch video highlights right here
Treasury To Save Mortgage Giants
Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac are to be saved from almost certain collapse by the American taxpayer. In an announcement by the US Treasury secretary, Henry Poulson today said that action was needed and Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director James Lockhart added
“Our economy and our markets will not recover until the bulk of this housing correction is behind us. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are critical to turning the corner on housing.”
The FHFA will purchase up to $100 billion of senior-preferred stock in each company as needed to maintain a positive net worth. They will take over from the executives in each and will get rid of their dividends.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac act as guarantors for 50% of the US mortgage market some $5 trillion. If the companies were to collapse it would send shockwaves through the market place. The financial markets reaction to this news “will be difficult to tell” said Kim Ghattas, BBC Washington correspondent said today.
Is this a sign that the troubled US markets are not past the worst? Will will be the knock-on effects as the US cuts spending in order to counter-balance this enormous injection of funds (said to be the biggest since the Great Depression) in the bedrock of the US home-loans market?
Track Hurricane Ike
If you have friends or family in one of the hurricane zones, then chances are they’re not able to track the path of the storms themselves, being to busy boarding up, or moving out to a place of shelter. Most people will have radio and perhaps TV, however satellite services are affected by heavy weather and so can digital television signals as well. If you know of people in those situations, there is a way you can track storms online using various websites. It is possible then for you to update relatives or friends who may not have access to information on that level.
Although we would expect that in those areas, the local authorities will keep their citizens informed of what is happening and whether there may be a need to evacuate. Certainly in places like Louisiana and especially in New Orleans last week, we saw that the lessons of Katrina have been learned and the Mayor ordered the city to evacuate with a good amount of time to spare.
Today we found this site from a former television meteorologist which show’s pictures of the path of the current threat Hurricane Ike. In light of what we’ve written above, maybe this type of information is more for our own comfort, rather than those who may be in the path of the storms.