Chris Abraham » population http://chrisabraham.com Because the Medium is the Message Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:08:23 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Social Networking Pioneers Launch Audience Machine To Help Online Brands Leverage Shared Interests Across Social Networkshttp://chrisabraham.com/2009/02/17/social-networking-pioneers-launch-audience-machine-to-help-online-brands-leverage-shared-interests-across-social-networks/ http://chrisabraham.com/2009/02/17/social-networking-pioneers-launch-audience-machine-to-help-online-brands-leverage-shared-interests-across-social-networks/#comments Tue, 17 Feb 2009 23:43:31 +0000 Chris Abraham http://chrisabraham.com/2009/02/17/social-networking-pioneers-launch-audience-machine-to-help-online-brands-leverage-shared-interests-across-social-networks/ My friend Todd Tweedy popped me the following press release that I would love to repeat for him, back-scratching and all.  Don’t judge me!  For more information, check out the Audience Machine website! Social Networking Pioneers Launch Audience Machine To Help Online Brands Leverage Shared Interests Across Social Networks Audience Machine to provide unique social [...]


Social Networking Pioneers Launch Audience Machine To Help Online Brands Leverage Shared Interests Across Social Networks

My friend Todd Tweedy popped me the following press release that I would love to repeat for him, back-scratching and all.  Don’t judge me!  For more information, check out the Audience Machine website!

Social Networking Pioneers Launch Audience Machine To Help Online Brands Leverage Shared Interests Across Social Networks

Audience Machine to provide unique social networking technologies and viral marketing services to Brands, Entertainment, Health & Wellness and Education Companies

 

Los Angeles, CA and Charlottesville, Virginia - February 17, 2009 – Social networking and viral marketing expert, VBMA (Viral & Buzz Marketing Association) board member, and Perceptions, Practices & Ethics in Word of Mouth Marketing author Todd Tweedy today introduced, Audience Machine Inc., a unique technology company helping online brands who want to identify, cultivate and mobilize communities of individuals with shared interest across social networking sites to build their businesses using Audience Machine’s online marketing tools.

Guided by Tweedy, and video technology pioneer and advertising veteran Dan Bates, Audience Machine helps brand and product managers, chief marketing officers as well as ecommerce executives to establish new networks of social networking connections and dialog in support of purchasing preferences and participation in word of mouth referrals.

“Social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace are relationship amplifiers for brands, products and services that can have a profound influence on preferences, referral behavior, information consumption and internet usage if advertisers are prepared to listen to, act on and match the right technology and community practices to support a desired purchase outcome or subscription,” noted Todd Tweedy, co-founder and CEO of Audience Machine. “There is a natural migration of dialogs from offline sources to online social sharing sites. Marketing executives want to embrace customer-facing ad strategies and incorporate social networking processes in their firm’s online marketing DNA that can boost product perceptions and potential sales but many enterprises lack the expertise and resources to realize those objectives. Audience Machine was founded to give online brands unique technology solutions, community development processes, marketing services, analytics, and expertise they need to engage and collaborate with audiences.”

Audience Machine also announced that is has signed a strategic business development consulting agreement that will be led by Provident Financial Management, a prominent established leader in entertainment and media business management.

“Audience Machine is at the heart of an evolving consumer-facing marketing phenomenon that is transforming connections on social networks into a powerful audience generation channel. Led by an experienced executive team and founded on concrete business fundamentals with a number of high-profile clients already on board, Audience Machine is a rising star among our media and communication clients,” stated Craig Sussman, Business Development Director at Provident. We’re excited to support Audience Machine as they grow their technology and services business practices with customers that want and need to expand and sustain business growth by creating networks of social commerce.”

Word of Mouth Communications Opportunity

The eighth annual Burson-Marsteller/PRWeek CEO Survey published in November 2008, which surveys CEO’s about the changing influence of different types of media as well as plans for digital communications including social networking, reported that 60% of CEO’s noted that word of mouth has the fastest growing influence on business in the past three years but that just one-fifth of firms have used social media to communicate with stakeholder groups.

The proliferation of social networking and community sites has transformed viral and word of mouth marketing practices into a practical and necessary communication solution due in part to research findings that note that nearly 80% of consumers trust recommendations from people they know over all forms of advertising and marketing. These authentic and trusted voices serve an important role by distributing compete information for others to act upon across search engines and into indexes of shared knowledge that people can access along with advertiser-generated experiences and evidence whenever 1,463,632,361 internet users from around the world – based on Internet Usage and Population in North American data provided by Internet World Stats – need to research a brand, product or service.

Audience Machine Team

Led by Tweedy, who’s career started in the political grassroots mobilization arena working on Presidential, Senatorial, Congressional, Inaugural and issue-based public relations campaigns, the Audience Machine team has 35 years of combined leadership experience in online marketing, real-time communications, ASP development, video ad technology, viral marketing, search engine optimization, and community development practices.

Dan Bates, co-founder, president and COO brings a vast wealth of knowledge in community technology development, online video, online advertising and a decade’s experience in filmed entertainment and music. Bates previous served as CEO of Avant Interactive, an object-based video ad serving technology provider.

About Audience Machine

With offices in Los Angeles, California and Charlottesville, Virginia, Audience Machine is a provider of unique community technology solutions and online marketing services. Audience Machine works with online brands to identify, cultivate and mobilize communities of shared interest to establish social commerce that CMO’s, brand and product managers, and ecommerce executives can enlist to grow their business. The company is privately held. For more information, please visit Audience Machine’s website – http://www.audiencemachine.com, email info@audiencemachine.com, or call 1.800.573.1536. Audience Machine is presently engaged with several beta customers and will release its first product in Q2 of this year.

About Provident Financial Management

Established over twenty-five years ago with offices in Los Angeles, Woodland Hills, San Francisco and New York, Provident has become a leader in various entertainment and media business management practices. Provident recently established a strategic and business planning department to assist mid sized and emerging entertainment and media companies with their growth and business development needs. Provident Financial Management is part of RSM McGladrey one of the largest and most prominent accounting firms in the world. For more information on RSM McGladrey, please visit http://www.rsmi.com.

Keyword Tags:
social networking, online marketing, viral marketing, audience machine, provident financial management

PR Contact: Todd Tweedy
434.996.6370
todd@audiencemachine.com

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]]> http://chrisabraham.com/2009/02/17/social-networking-pioneers-launch-audience-machine-to-help-online-brands-leverage-shared-interests-across-social-networks/feed/ 0 Successful SNS’s Will Be Modeled on the College Campushttp://chrisabraham.com/2009/02/03/successful-sns%e2%80%99s-will-be-modeled-on-the-college-campus/ http://chrisabraham.com/2009/02/03/successful-sns%e2%80%99s-will-be-modeled-on-the-college-campus/#comments Tue, 03 Feb 2009 19:34:36 +0000 Chris Abraham http://chrisabraham.com/2009/02/03/successful-sns%e2%80%99s-will-be-modeled-on-the-college-campus/ The future of Social Network Services (SNS) can be discovered on High School and College campuses. I believe that topic-specific “vertical” SNS’s are very important, but I also think that the model needs to be University-like – a modularized SNS. There needs to be a campus “brand” (or University) within which the topic-specific “clubs,” “houses,” [...]


Successful SNS’s Will Be Modeled on the College Campus

The future of Social Network Services (SNS) can be discovered on High School and College campuses. I believe that topic-specific “vertical” SNS’s are very important, but I also think that the model needs to be University-like – a modularized SNS. There needs to be a campus “brand” (or University) within which the topic-specific “clubs,” “houses,” “fraternities,” “dorms,” and “interest groups” can interact – somewhere where crossovers, cross-fertilization, and aggregation are encouraged – no, needs – to happen. I hate SNS sites like boompa.com – a site devoted to your favorite cars – because I am not JUST a car guy.

I am a car guy for sure but I am also interested in rowing, in biking, in Thomas Pynchon, and in talk radio – Boompa might be successful in the short term, but in the long-term, the real power would come from creating a open, creative, resource-rich platform/campus/university/high school and maybe create a school of engineering, a liberal arts school, a law school, a dining hall, and so forth, but then allow the SNS to find itself.

To allow the SNS and its members to find their own voice, their own interests, and their own passions – which may well be very different from what is first assumed by the creator. Google gets this, though not yet within the construct of the SNS’s. What Google did do successfully was to buy USENET – the original newsgroups – and then build an superstructure on top of that – make it modern, sustainable, durable, and more readable.

Google returned USENET to relevance in a world that considered newsgroups and IRC to be dead or dying. Each and every one of communities on USENET is amazingly vertical, but they could all back up and back out to the larger USENET community – to the equivalent of the “welcome new students??? meetings and gatherings colleges offer to entering Freshmen.

Communities that are too vertical tend to shoe horn the “general topics??? conversations into hidden “off topic??? eddies. That is just the opposite of what should be done. The conversation should be general, cross-pollinating, and then move, after a conversation starts, into another room.

Start with an amazing platform, collect users, listen and watch them to see how they’re playing with the software application objects, widgets, and tools (are they playing with the toy or the box?), and then build for the users base, withholding judgment. Digg is a case study for this: start small, grow organically, and allow your members to find themselves.

The developers of Digg realized that after initial vertical growth based on the general members of Slashdot (techie, geeky, teens, boys), digg would suffer from the same sort of vulnerabilities that Slashdot suffered when Slashdot didn’t evolve and grow and broaden itself.

People love talking about Linux, but when happens when the Dow drops or the elections come? Where will the conversation happen? Where is the “kitchen??? at the party where every eventually goes to just talk about general interest stuff? Unless there are opportunities to express and share so-called “off-topic??? conversation right there, within the community in which members are already committed, with members to whom they’re already committed, then they are bound to go elsewhere.

Starting small and allowing the community to design itself is much different than starting big and losing one’s focus. Other mistakes happen when community builders make assumptions as to what participants, members, and lurkers want. Another mistake is putting a wall up around the community so that non-members cannot get a full feeling for the community from without.

The best SNS’s, virtual worlds, and online communities are honeypots. By honeypot, I am not suggesting, “a server that is configured to detect an intruder by mirroring a real production system. It appears as an ordinary server doing work, but all the data and transactions are phony. Located either in or outside the firewall, the honeypot is used to learn about an intruder’s techniques as well as determine vulnerabilities in the real system.” Although I am, sort of. The best SNS needs to be appealing, attractive, sweet, and compelling. Community-builders and SNS ASP developers need to be willing learn about member techniques, interests, processes, and needs, as well as determine “vulnerabilities” in the SNS platform that may repel, turn off, or limit the evolution and growth of the community.

To channel Chauncey Gardener for a second, one must do whatever one must to make sure that the earth in the garden is moist and well fed, one must seed well and completely, one must keep the garden in sun and water, one must encourage the garden to grow as it will for only in its growth will the garden be successful, and then, after rigorous growth, pruning and weeding must be done, only in order to allow the garden to be healthy, not to turn the garden into topiary. Okay, I am done.

Digg allows all of these things. Digg is perfectly useful and compelling even as an alien, but it is way more fun and interesting when you’re a citizen, that’s for sure. An SNS community needs to be as attractive as possible because exclusivity is no longer essential or even valuable. What is valuable is “useful,??? “interesting,??? and “authentic.??? They also have to have community buy-in and the best enjoy a certain fanatical devotion. Just like the best Universities and Colleges.

And Digg allowed its member to tell it when it was time to evolve past tech and geek news. Digg did not limit its scope or define itself too tightly with being “gear for geeks??? or “news for nerds.??? That would have ultimately been the death of Digg.

What the best Universities (such as Yale) understand is that it is not the student who is blessed and honored by being accepted by a top college (Yale College) but rather it is the college that should be blessed and honored (and should be grateful) that such a quality student is accepting its offers and actually attending – choosing – their particular school: Yale instead of Princeton, Brown, Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge, Dartmouth, Stanford, Columbia, Berkeley, etc…

Harvard, too, is aware that although in the short-term Harvard makes the Harvard Man, over the long term, it is Harvard Men who made Harvard and continue to make Harvard. “Who have you graduated recently???? Unless the quality and character of its students and alumni remain top-drawer, Harvard is not guaranteed its position as “top three??? in USA Today alongside Princeton and Yale. No matter how grand its endowment.

So, Harvard and Yale spoil their students rotten! My friends who attended Harvard or Yale college swoon over those 4 years like I swoon over my first love.

Likewise, SNS’s, virtual worlds, and virtual communities need to realize that at any one point, their brand is only as good as the collective that is manifest in the users, the members, the lurkers, the stewards, and the alumni of the property.

This isn’t only true in SNS’s. The same thing can be said of the most successful message boards and online communities. The most important distinction, I think, is that all of these “rooms” and all of these “clubs” and all of these spaces where (and are) defined and created by the communities themselves. Sui generis. And this sort of ownership – “for us by us,??? as the slogan goes over as Howard Rheingold’s Brainstorms community – should never be underestimated.

The Well has Howard Rheingold as a member and alumnus, for example, and the credibility of all that he has made and done; over time, more and more virtual communities, virtual worlds, and SNS will be known for their members as well: who studies, who studied, and who wants to join.

“What’s in it for me??? (WIIFM) and the concept of pride of ownership are important – essential – ingredients of a sustainable, deep, thriving, and healthy community. The success of MySpace and of Facebook is that the verticals are not (were not) defined for them by their grand architects – they are self-creating, self-forming, and also self-destructing. They form, reform, mutate and disperse after they hit a limit of general conversation and then either break off and reform into an “interest group” or “club” or they self-check and work to “get back on topic.”

SNS’s and communities in general tend to be formed in one of two ways: like Paris or like London. Intelligence Design (architecture) or Emergent Design. The later never looks very beautiful or the way people – or the creators, investors, and architects – expect (or want) it to look, because investors and designers tend to not be able to control it – and when they do try to impost order, often in a heavy-handed way, they also tend to scare off all of their members, too.

This organic revolution has proven its success online time and time again. The Internet does not respond (well or at all) to command and control. The smartest Web 2.0 platforms allow the “masses of asses” (yes, the customer; yes, us) to define the platform and the experience – their own and collective environment and experience.

MySpace does this amazingly well and so does Facebook. Until recently, Friendster suffered from a vision and used command and control tactics to try to coerce its users that “it didn’t really want to do things that way??? and Friendster members abandoned in droves to platforms and experiences not so monitored by “mom and dad.???

A command and control grand vision doesn’t work when you develop an environment that needs to be truly both attractive and compelling much more than it needs to be informational or instructional. An SNS needs to be attractive, diversional, compelling, amusing, and entertaining – never limiting.

My analogy of college and high school never mentioned classrooms or classes for training or learning. People do enough of that at school and at work. An SNS needs to give its users a university campus without any expectations or concepts of dropping out, getting judged, doing homework, or being held accountable for anything.

A good SNS should be all late-night wine-influenced discussions of Descartes and Plato and the summer afternoons on the quad and the time playing Xbox with your roommates.

When I go onto my long-term online communities, the Well, The Meta Network, USENET, and Brainstorms, there are many very deep and very vertical communities, discussing things as frivolous as fashion and video games and as deep as how to survive cancer, how to get a post doc grant, and very deep discussions on “spirit,” “chaos theory,” and “world politics.”

What makes this amazing and sustainable is that there are an infinite number of ways to get along, to move into a space of intense conversation, and then to pull back into common areas, just to see who’s around. In a university setting, this could be the dining hall, the quad, the commons, etc. These spaces are very important.

If you think about all of this in terms of evolution, then we can think about the way things evolve in the most perverse ways when isolated from others of its kinds. So, if there are impervious walls – gaps or voids, mountains or ridges – between these vertical markets, SNS’s, and communities, then there may be an initial success, but there can also be a terrible volatility. One plague or drought can decimate a population completely.

Having a commons allows members and visitors to have a place to meet new people, have new experiences, and learn of new clubs, new opportunities, and new places – inbreeding versus crossbreeding. Ultimately, a diversity of visitors helps build a more resilient, invested, and self-identifing community. They will become “students for life??? at best and proud alums at worst. They will carry the brand awareness, even if their lives become too busy to participate any more.

They will become life long brand ambassadors for your community. Proud alumni.

And, in terms of “viral marketing,” it is also important when it comes to a member of an SNS “inviting his friends” – not all of my friends have the same vertical interests that I do… They could have very different interests – but as I explore the “commons” of an SNS, I can note that there are things happening online that “friend x” and “friend y” would love, and that would be my incentive to invite them on board.

Boompa? I am the only person I know in my entire community – that is not true, my buddy has an Audi S4 – who is into cars. My buddy is an Audi driver and I am a BMW driver. Does that mean we’re both drivers? Does that mean we love cars or our particular car? Do we cross over on performance sedans? On German cars? On luxury cars?

You have to offer the tools to allow the market to choose for itself, otherwise, you might never find out that the SNS needs all three, or none at all.

A “Modularized SNS” should be neutral like a university (unlike MySpace, which is pretty pre-defined as to what the demographic is), and there are lots of “vertical niche SNS’s” (e.g. car enthusiasts, gourmet cooking, travel, Rolex fans, Republican politicos, etc.) That way, everyone can form a SNS experience that actually fits them by modularly assembling the groups of people who have similar interests, (not just friends-in-common!)

]]> http://chrisabraham.com/2009/02/03/successful-sns%e2%80%99s-will-be-modeled-on-the-college-campus/feed/ 0 Twitter Services from Abraham Harrison LLChttp://chrisabraham.com/2009/01/15/twitter-services-from-abraham-harrison-llc/ http://chrisabraham.com/2009/01/15/twitter-services-from-abraham-harrison-llc/#comments Thu, 15 Jan 2009 07:34:58 +0000 Chris Abraham http://chrisabraham.com/2009/01/15/twitter-services-from-abraham-harrison-llc/ Abraham Harrison has been at the forefront of the Twitter phenomenon since its public offering, successfully leveraging the power of micro-blogging for many of its clients. (Via Abraham Harrison LLC) Services include: Twitter Consultation: Abraham & Harrison often works with clients to help them understand what micro-blogging means, the impact it can have within their [...]


Twitter Services from Abraham Harrison LLC

Abraham Harrison has been at the forefront of the Twitter phenomenon since its public offering, successfully leveraging the power of micro-blogging for many of its clients. (Via Abraham Harrison LLC)

Services include:

  • Twitter Consultation: Abraham & Harrison often works with clients to help them understand what micro-blogging means, the impact it can have within their industry, and the ways in which it can be utilized to implement customer service, improve customer loyalty, promote the brand, and protect a company’s reputation.
  • Twitter Profile Creation: Abraham & Harrison has successfully created and populated Twitter profiles for a number of clients. Profile creation includes:
    • Twitter Brainstorming: An initial consultation with the client that outlines the goals, challenges and Twitter strategy prior to profile creation
    • Profile Creation: Abraham & Harrison will create a Twitter profile that mirrors the branding, marketing, and messaging currently utilized by the client. All messaging “tweeted” through Twitter will mimic that of the company’s branding.
    • Constant Population: Once the profile is created, Abraham & Harrison will either train or populate the Twitter profile with valuable information that connects with fellow users on Twitter. Population will include daily “tweets” throughout the work week to boost followers and community engagement.
    • Valuable Team “Retweeting”: Not only will a skilled team member help with the population of the Twitter profile, but the entire Abraham & Harrison team will be behind the client, “retweeting” their content which in turn means an exponentially larger audience seeing the company’s message. For instance, Chris Abraham, Abraham & Harrison’s President and COO, who is known as one of the top Twitterers of Social Media news (having over 2,700 followers) will “retreet” every client messaging. What does this mean? A Twitter veteran will be promoting your company, brand, and message…and people will listen. At least three Abraham & Harrison team members with high profile Twitter profiles will be able to retweet each client “tweet” at a time.
    • Continual Re-Evaluation: Abraham & Harrison will continually connect with each client to ensure the messages disseminated on Twitter stay fresh, valuable, and relevant.
  • Abraham & Harrison Twitter Case Study: A fantastic example of Abraham & Harrison’s knowledge of Twitter is illustrated by our work with the client, The Fresh Air Fund, a non-profit agency providing free summer vacations in the country to more than 1.7 million New York City children from disadvantaged communities.
    • Twitterers Who Will Change The World: With Abraham & Harrison’s help, The Fresh Air Fund created a Twitter profile to communicate with other NPOs, current volunteers, potential families interested in The Fresh Air Fund, and donors. In just three months of tweeting, The Fresh Air Fund Twitter profile has over 600 followers and has reached thousands of individuals who they otherwise would never have been in contact with. Not only does Abraham & Harrison help guide The Fresh Air Fund on how to best utilize Twitter in a respectful and value-driven way, Chris Abraham is also eager to help “retweet” The Fresh Air Fund’s Twitter content, meaning that over 3,000 users are seeing this non-profit’s messaging, creating a critical relationship with The Fresh Air Fund that results in support of the NPO. Even more impressive, The Fresh Air Fund was recently nominated to be a part of the “Top Ten List of Twitterers Who Will Change The World” — a fantastic feat for an NPO who has only been a part of the Twittosphere for three months.
]]> http://chrisabraham.com/2009/01/15/twitter-services-from-abraham-harrison-llc/feed/ 0 The Social Mediasphere is Truly Globalhttp://chrisabraham.com/2008/12/10/the-social-mediasphere-is-truly-global/ http://chrisabraham.com/2008/12/10/the-social-mediasphere-is-truly-global/#comments Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:05:54 +0000 Chris Abraham http://chrisabraham.com/2008/12/10/the-social-mediasphere-is-truly-global/ Please enjoy my latest AdAge Global Idea Network blog post, Social Media Are Truly Global — Just Ask a Slovakian: Don’t Underestimate the Reach of Twitter, Facebook: (Via Adage) Social Media Are Truly Global — Just Ask a Slovakian: Don’t Underestimate the Reach of Twitter, Facebook Recently, I was a speaker at a conference in [...]


The Social Mediasphere is Truly Global

Please enjoy my latest AdAge Global Idea Network blog post, Social Media Are Truly Global — Just Ask a Slovakian: Don’t Underestimate the Reach of Twitter, Facebook: (Via Adage)

Social Media Are Truly Global — Just Ask a Slovakian: Don’t Underestimate the Reach of Twitter, Facebook

Recently, I was a speaker at a conference in Bratislava, Slovakia, called Daily Web. Everybody there was super-connected. Everyone was on both Facebook and Twitter. While I was at the conference, I received invites from my fellow attendees get connected on Twitter, Facebook and even LinkedIn.

During a break, I was told that there are about 60,000 Slovakian users of Facebook, using a mix of the available Czech interface and the English. They were all much newer to Twitter, but the conference did have a Twitter profile and I chose to create the hash tag for the conference, #dailywebsk. I was told Facebook is beginning to bogart the populations of local Slovakian communities and there are plans to localize Facebook into Slovakian the way that it is localized in the Czech Republic and Germany.

This got me to thinking. All of the Brits I have been meeting in Berlin are more keen on getting my “Facebook e-mail,” the e-mail that would allow them to easily find me on Facebook, rather than asking for a business card. Are cards going obsolete? Or, at the very least, are your Twitter and Facebook credentials more important on your site, your business card or your name tag than your e-mail, phone and fax?

All of my German friends are on Facebook as well, sharing images and adopting the social network with as much dedication and abandon as we do in the U.S. Same thing goes with my friends from Mexico and Colombia. When I attend conferences these days, I am likely to be recognized as @chrisabraham as I am by my name.

However, I admit that I live in a rarefied air and so there might be issues of connectivity, class and access that I am not addressing here. That said, I am still amazed whenever I take some time to click on over to Twittervision to watch a global representation of the whole Twittering world.

Because of the nature of Facebook and Twitter, localization works very well. Since both social networks allow you to easily communicate with your friends, and your friends are generally a lot like you. There isn’t a lot of cross-talk between English-, German- and Spanish-speakers.

There are no barriers, of course, between the different locales and the different languages. The barriers are emergent. Since I have quite a few Facebook friends and Twitter followers, 2,707 and 2,374 respectively, I get a lot of cross-talk between languages, and that pleases me. What makes me even happier is when I visit someone’s Wall, sort of like the publicly visible whiteboard that lots of students hang outside their dorm room. I often see a mixture of Spanish, German and English, all mixed up, according to each particular relationship.

The feeling I have, however, is that Twitter and Facebook are not perceived, worldwide, as American imperialism. And I think this is fantastic. Why is that? I think it’s because Facebook and Twitter created relatively neutral platforms and then got out of the way. This is especially the case with Twitter, which is perfectly inert: 140 characters. No context, only essential conversation.

After being a part of the Twitter community for a little while, the whole nature of it falls away and it becomes invisible, a simple communications vehicle, disassociated from its origins: like the phone, texting, TV, electricity, e-mail, the internet! Who cares who invented these things, after all, when each nation, culture and people ultimately make it their own. And this is what is happening with Twitter and Facebook — people are making them their own.

I really don’t use MySpace very much at all. In fact, I embarrass myself every time I look at my MySpace profile. That said, every band in Berlin has a MySpace profile, just like every other band in the entire world. Globally, you’re likely to see a MySpace address if the band you’re digging on has an internet presence. Even if your favorite global brand has its own website, there’s a good chance that they also have a MySpace address. A couple weeks ago, I checked out three bands here in Berlin and they all has MySpace URLs: Orchestre Miniature in the Park and Tim and Puma Mimi.

None of these bands think about the gross imperialism associated with their decisions; they have adopted all of this American innovation with complete ease. Back in the day, Friendster had a terribly time sorting out its business model internationally. Its success in Asia bogged down its servers while confounding its salespeople on how to make any money from all these community members who were dedicated participants but not generating any local revenue. It was probably because the worldwide ad networks and the global sales of ads were not there yet, focused mostly on the U.S. market. Now times have changed. Here I am in Berlin being served not simply German ads but also geo-targeted ads based on exactly where my data is being served.

I have taken all of this in due course and just considered it normal; however, I realized tonight that it isn’t normal. It occurred to me that folks might not know how thoroughly adopted these Web 2.0 platforms are worldwide. How many people around the world refresh Facebook and Twitter many times an hour at their workplace, the same way everyone does it, even among an ever-growing population in the Slovak Republic.

]]> http://chrisabraham.com/2008/12/10/the-social-mediasphere-is-truly-global/feed/ 0 Sarah Palin Comment Thread Par Excellencehttp://chrisabraham.com/2008/10/10/sarah-palin-comment-thread-par-excellence/ http://chrisabraham.com/2008/10/10/sarah-palin-comment-thread-par-excellence/#comments Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:52:16 +0000 Chris Abraham http://chrisabraham.com/2008/10/10/sarah-palin-comment-thread-par-excellence/ If you have not been keeping on top of all of the great comments streaming in to the AH Poll entitled “If John McCain died or became incapacitated, would Sarah Palin be competent to be President?” you are really missing out! Some of them are the most insightful, thoughtful, and brilliant collection of thoughts representing [...]


Sarah Palin Comment Thread Par Excellence

If you have not been keeping on top of all of the great comments streaming in to the AH Poll entitled “If John McCain died or became incapacitated, would Sarah Palin be competent to be President?” you are really missing out! Some of them are the most insightful, thoughtful, and brilliant collection of thoughts representing the best and the worst of the right and the left! Roll up your sleeves and batten your hatches because you’re going to have one hell of a ride. Oh, also, these comments are in reverse-chronological order so the most recent are at the top. If you want to keep track of them live, please go visit them where they love and breathe. Read below for the most amazing Sarah Palin comment thread of the Internets!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/10/2008 – 12:58.

Only a complete moron would vote for a Republican after the past 8 years of idiocy. McCain is a Bush croney and Palin is just an idiot.

Submitted by ab (not verified) on Fri, 10/10/2008 – 08:52.

KB,
Sorry, I don’t usually reply to these remarks, but I couldn’t resist……..
What message of “hate” are you talking about?
If someone doesn’t agree with your worldview, that doesn’t
mean they hate. Where is your tolerance?
AB

Submitted by Walter Arndt (not verified) on Thu, 10/09/2008 – 22:23.

Only a person with his head in the sand would vote for a democrat.

Submitted by KB in IA (not verified) on Thu, 10/09/2008 – 21:54.

Things might get interesting soon, since the Alaska Supreme Court said today that the investigation known as Troopergate could proceed, dashing the hopes of the McCain/Palin campaign to stonewall it until after the election (article at www.adn.com). Amazing that someone CURRENTLY under investigation for misuse of public office, could be stirring up crowds with a message of hate. Mind-boggling that someone who had to attend 5 or 6 different colleges before getting a degree in journalism, can try to make a bogeyman out of someone who graduated with honors from Harvard Law. I hope Alaska gets their Governor back soon…if they even want her back.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 10/09/2008 – 18:06.

Are you as crazy as she is? It IS the republican party that has messed up this Country over the last 8 yrs. We may not get out of this mess we are in. Take your head out of the sand. Obama IS the best selection this election.

Submitted by Leo (not verified) on Thu, 10/09/2008 – 17:17.

Mrs. Palin is much more qualified to be President than Obama who has done absolutely nothing but organize thugs in ACORN! She could save this Country from Socialism and all the corruption the Democrats are up to. He is not capable of telling the truth and Hollywood and the Media are doing their best to cover for him. He is not qualified to be a Senator and should be on trial for treason.

Submitted by GE Mayer (not verified) on Thu, 10/09/2008 – 16:53.

Not only is Palin not qualified to be Vice President much less President, I am incensed, that John McCain would insult my intellegence by picking such a “newby” above several well qualified, experienced women who have served the country and the Republican party.
I expect my Comander in Chief to Carefully sellect an individual more qualified than him/herself to take over. It shows John’s thinking.

Submitted by Krissi (not verified) on Wed, 10/08/2008 – 21:35.

While I admire Sarah Palin’s spunk and determination, I think that she is completely out of her league as not only a vice president but also a president. If people would take a good look at her record, they’d see that she doesn’t even have a good grasp of the issues.

In addition, she’s been caught in numerous lies and distortions. For example, she did not sell a jet on eBay — she tried but failed; the jet was sold later to a private buyer. She did not leave the town of Wasilla financially sound; she left it in debt. She says she;ll be a strong supporter of kids with needs. In truth, Palin actually slashed funding for schools for special needs kids by 62%.

And her famous, “I told the Congress “thanks, but no thanks,” for that Bridge to Nowhere. If our state wanted a bridge, we’d build it ourselves” line? More spin. Congress’ requirement that funds be spent on that bridge (aka the ‘earmark’) were removed before Sarah Palin became governor. She was, therefore, in no position to tell Congress anything about the bridge, one way or the other. During her campaign, she said she supported funding for the bridge.

There are more examples, of the fibs and many examples of her poor insight into our nation’s problems. I could list them all, but I encourage you to do your own homework (forwarded emails DO NO COUNT)!

If MCCain and Palin win this election, I’ll probably be hoping for a lengthy, overseas assignment — maybe four years or more!

Submitted by GA for Brains in the White House (not verified) on Wed, 10/08/2008 – 21:02.

W – below C student
McCain – at the bottom of his class
Are we really electing the best? Shouldn’t we elect someone better than we are? And someone not ready for the assisted living home? Someone who can remember the name of his opponent instead of calling him “that one”. McCain left right away after the debate – seniors do go to bed early, probably past his bedtime. As for integrity, check out McCain’s involvement in the S&L bailout, he was right there along side W’s brother Neil. All working to steal investors’ money. Just like King Henry is doing now, rewarding his Wall St. buddies.

And we wonder why this happens to us???

Submitted by Ed Sherrill (not verified) on Wed, 10/08/2008 – 10:49.

Not only is Sarah Palin competent to become President, she is idealogically and tempermentally better suited to be President than John McCain. Republicans are going to be very sorry thet chose McCain over Mitt Romney. I only pray the Democrates don’t screw up the country so bad over the next four years that it can’t be fixed.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 10/07/2008 – 22:13.

If Joe Biden winked at the camera 5-6 times during the debate, wouldn’t we be calling him a pervert? Come on people, get serious. Sarah Palin is a joke — an embarrassment to Americans who take our politics — and the plight of our country — seriously.

Submitted by Joi (not verified) on Tue, 10/07/2008 – 13:34.

To be sure, Sarah Palin doesn’t deserve the crucifixion the media and entertainment world are giving her (and her family). McCain might deserve some of it, after all – he picked her. Why? She’s female. I admire the man completely – he is an American hero and I can’t even begin to imagine the hell this brave man endured.

However, when it came to choose running mates, I belive Obama chose one that was best for the country and McCain chose one (he thought) was best for the campaign.

I THINK that he lost the race with his choice. I KNOW he lost my vote.

Submitted by olivier blanchard (not verified) on Tue, 10/07/2008 – 13:30.

Hindsight is always 20/20. Perhaps Gov. Palin’s weaknesses weren’t 100% obvious to Sen. McCain when he picked her. (So much for due diligence, I guess.) Did he want a dynamic, charismatic, family-friendly VP running-mate? Of course. And she fit the bill… on the surface, at least. But honestly, weren’t there better choices (male or female) for the job? Competent, charismatic, appealing, worldly Republican governors or senators? People he actually knows and trusts? 30 years in politics, and he can’t think of a single person he has worked with who would be a better choice for a running mate? He goes with a complete stranger? I find that bizarre. Irresponsible, even. I just don’t get it. There are plenty of smart, competent, experienced women in the Republican Party who would have made a great running mate.

Submitted by DBStevens (not verified) on Tue, 10/07/2008 – 12:21.

Too many people in this country confuse personal appeal with competence, and make decisions based on who’s the most charming or even who’s sexiest. Or they make decisions based on generalities such as “we need a woman in the White House.” A COMPETENT woman in the White House would be a great asset to this country. There is no doubt of that.

But we can’t decide the leaders of our country based on a visceral reaction to her charm and folksy demeanor (there is a lot of doubt as to the sincerity of that demeanor anyway…she shows signs of being rather ruthless). During these times of uncertainty and fear, it’s natural to want some comfort, to feel that the person leading our country is down-to-earth and “real.’ We felt good about Bush and people like Rudy Guiliani for a short time right after 9/11. They appealed to our emotions and need for reassurance. But that demeanor means nothing. It’s the actions that matter, and in the time following 9/11, both Bush and Guiliani’s true nature was revealed… incompetence and self-serving.

Sarah Palin acts cute and has a pretty face. That’s perfect for president of the PTA. But has not gained enough experience to be president of a country. The job of Vice-President or President is NOT an “on-the-job-training” type of job. Being Mayor of a tiny town in a remote state, then Governer of that remote, sparsely populated state (670,000, way smaller than a city like El Paso, TX) is not enough experience to lead a country whose every move has global implications. Palin treated the job of Governer like a telecommuting job, she worked form her hown home for 86% of the year.

No matter how intelligent she may seem to be, no matter how ambitious or driven she may seem, and ESPECIALLY no matter how pretty or charming she is, she is not ready for the responsibilities of a job like President. Without experience, without having the time to really begin to understand the nature of national and global dealings on every level, no matter how much coaching or guidance she would receive, Palin would either crumble under pressure or make very bad decisions with repercussions that could shake this country and its international stature to the core. Or she wouldn’t act quickly enough at all…stalling and deflecting decisions (as she does with many questions, or with such events as the investigation dubbeed “Troopergate”).

I also worry about the demands of her family. During times of her family’s need, do we want someone faced with the dilemma of either neglecting her family’s needs because of her duties as Vice-President, or neglecting the VP duties because of her family’s needs? Neither of those are good choices….Sarah Palin has too many personal responsibilities.

Palin also shows all the signs of behavior very similar to Bush’s…including a tendency toward cronyism, abuse of power, and self-serving decisions that flout the law.

She even mispronounces the word “nuclear” just like Bush. Certainly that’s a small point, and that pronunciation is commonly recognized as a sub-standard metathesis of the word, but it’s very annoying to listen to.

So wake up American. Move your responses from your gut to your brains, and make sure you understand the repercussions of your vote.

Submitted by Andy Osier (not verified) on Tue, 10/07/2008 – 10:15.

John McCain himself isn’t capable of running the country; I shudder to think of the train wreck a Palin administration would be. If they win, I’m seriously considering a moving. How’s the January weather in Berlin, Chris?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/06/2008 – 18:11.

Granted, we’ve got plenty to worry about at home!
But we’re talking about a Governor of a state bordered by 2 foreign countries, Palin is the proud NEW owner of a passport! (barely 1 year)
The world is smaller than ever and so is our standing in it. We don’t need “a little Wasilla in Washington”. We already have a narrow minded view of the world with our current administration.

Submitted by Joyce (not verified) on Mon, 10/06/2008 – 16:49.

She would call on the brightest brains in the Republican party, put them in positions of power and support, and do her best to do the best she could for her country. She’s an acheiver and would never accept failure for herself. She has Condeleesa, Romneys, Huckabees and several others who want to serve and members to help and advise her. Her history shows that she uses support and advise to guide her towards her goals and accomplishments. She would take the credit for it too.

Submitted by Allison (not verified) on Mon, 10/06/2008 – 15:10.

Palin is the only person that does not have someone dictating what she says about policy and does not try to appear to have all of the answers. She certainly knows how to find the answers. She has integrity, and knows truth when she sees it and definitely has mankind’s best interests as her priority. These are some of the things that make her the best candidate for the job. I am sick and tired of politicians with agendas! She is a real person that is capable of any good, or decent task put before her. She will also employ the same type of people to work beside and under her. The point that she is not capable of selling us down stream for a special interest group, or her own pocket, or fame makes her my choice in a leader – regardless of the presence of McCain. Allison

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/06/2008 – 15:08.

Palin is the only person that does not have someone dictating what she says about policy and does not try to appear to have all of the answers. She certainly knows how to find the answers. She has integrity, and knows truth when she sees it and definitely has mankind’s best interests as her priority. These are some of the things that make her the best candidate for the job. I am sick and tired of politicians with agendas! She is a real person that is capable of any good, or decent task put before her. She will also employ the same type of people to work beside and under her. The point that she is not capable of selling us down stream for a special interest group, or her own pocket, or fame makes her my choice in a leader – regardless of the presence of McCain. Allison

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/06/2008 – 12:47.

She didn’t ride in on her “own merits” She rode in on her SEX. PERIOD.

Submitted by RisingFromDecadence (not verified) on Mon, 10/06/2008 – 12:17.

It’s the most frightening and compelling reason to not elect McCain to date. It’ clear that the choice was to win vs. what’s right for the country. And it saddens me that with so many strong female candidates out there McCain has landed on this choice. It speaks volumes of his lack of sound judgement and doesn’t do justice to the feminist movement.

I couldn’t agree more with “Double Standard’s” comments about education, and intelligence vs. the “experience” of a low-population governor. Has it somehow become a negative trait for our president to be articulate well educated and even published?

I think its safe to now say, like every great civilization, America has grown from it’s indestructible, can-do “adolescence,” and has entered it’s “decadent” period of greed, fear, fat and a lack of clear vision. America needs a president who will bring intelligence, a new vision, and optimism so that we don’t lose the real values we’ve grown up to believe are American such as truth, innovation, compassion, charity and vision.

Our values as a nation should not be confused with same sex marriages or religious agendas. I seem to remember from my grade school social studies classes that America was born as a nation with the purpose and promise of many freedoms. Personal choice values are not to be mixed with National values. Growing up, this difference has been why I’ve been so proud to be an American. In the last 8 years much has changed. I believe that only with the leadership of Obama will we be able to regain our credibility and our course as a nation. Most importantly, America could be “Proud Again.”

Submitted by Jaz-Michael King (not verified) on Mon, 10/06/2008 – 10:40.

As an unbiased, unable-to-vote immigrant, can I point out that as usual, from either of your minimalist two sides, when the question is simply If John McCain died or became incapacitated, would Sarah Palin be competent to be President?”, the arguments spin off to why the opponent isn’t. Maybe that will be the next question, but like I wanted to yell at Palin while watching the debate… answer the question posed to you.

Everyone has their weak points, and in some respects, Obama, who has considerably more than two years in the US Senate as his experience (he was a state senator, you know) has plenty. However, I think there’s a good reason hockey moms and joe sixpacks don’t run. No-one wants regular folk in charge. You all want a ruling elite no matter how much you profess to the contrary.

There are plenty of strong, competent women on both sides of the aisle in the USA. Gov. Palin is not one of them.

She is not qualified because she is not qualified. Being as unqualified as anyone you wish to compare her to does not make her qualified. Her inabilty to answer a straight question makes her unqualified. I personally believe the fact she is the kind of person who can compete in a beauty contest makes her unqualified. And as of today, her assertion that Obama’s political career started off in the living room of a terrorist (all of a sudden, he’s been a politician a lot longer than two years according to the Republicans) has pulled her from the absurd to the surreal.

Don’t get me wrong, Obama seems to pander to some vaporous “change” mentality, but that wasn’t the question.

Submitted by Anonymous jones (not verified) on Mon, 10/06/2008 – 09:16.

The difference between Obama and Palin is that Obama thinks. He’s smart enough to go to Harvard, graduate high enough in his class to be president of the Harvard Law Review there. He’s a thinker who doesn’t shoot from the hip. He knows the Constitution inside and out and knows if something is just a whim to increase his own power compared to a great idea which would help millions of people (think fairer taxes, health insurance coverage). Palin bankrupted Wasilla which is now 23.5 MILLION dollars in debt. She has no idea of what real issues are out there—she doesn’t have any idea of what to do in a financial situation, a diplomatic situation or anything beyond her own home. She shows no compassion for others who are not in her situation (religious, financial, educational, political) and has no international experience. We do not need another DOPE in the White House. McCain has shown very poor judgment in choosing an under-educated (a BA is like a high school degree these days) fool rather than a smart, intellectually sophisticated worthy VP candidate. This is a sellout of the Democratic process. Such a shame. But then again, McCain graduated at the bottom of his class (894 out of 899), so what does he want with a smart second?

Submitted by Bjshazam (not verified) on Sun, 10/05/2008 – 22:34.

Does it not trouble anyone who has been posting here that we have reached this point at all? I’ve been writing draft after draft of posts here, trying to find the right balance that won’t come across as too ideological, or that won’t be automatically dismissed by the true sycophants because it contains some Left or Right code word that justifies their turning off of the brain. Can’t do it. She’s too dangerous, and it angers me so much that we as a country have been put in the position of having to opine about the staggering impropriety of her selection as McCain’s running mate.

Consider:

My brother is a great guy. Smart as a whip, with what I think is decent judgment (except for his love of the Yankees). I trust him implicitly. So, should I be in a position to name him to, say, the Supreme Court, I would expect no questions from anyone about his qualifications. According to the Constitution, he is legally qualified to be a Justice, even the Chief Justice. I already told you he is smart and has good judgment. What else do you need to know? How dare you question my choice or his desire to serve?

The President of the United States has a mind bogglingly huge amount of discretion in executing the job. The president can, without obstruction by court or Congress, lay waste to our financial system, impede entirely the execution of justice, or unleash Armageddon. The office of the president can disband virtually unilaterally the entirety of the intelligence gathering power of the U.S., or focus it all on the least secure among us — with no recourse by anyone.

Most of the time, this isn’t an issue. Regardless of your political persuasion, we have been blessed mostly with chief executives that took the burdens of job dead seriously. A president of the entire country, not just those who cast the votes.

Now the bar has been set so low that we cannot figure out the right words to describe how wrong it is for a candidate to relish the fact that she really doesn’t understand the job the Constitution has laid out. That this is somehow an asset to a campaign makes me ashamed for my country.

That John McCain affirmatively foisted this train wreck upon his own party, and possibly upon the country, is a sin for which he should never be forgiven.

That she is considered by some to be the next face of the GOP, and a real contender for the nomination next time around, should make my GOP colleagues shudder and the nation weep.

I don’t want a hockey mom or joe six-pack running the country. Hell, I don’t want anyone like me running the country. I want a president. And she is not it.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 10/05/2008 – 22:25.

Darn, brain outrunning my fingers.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 10/05/2008 – 22:22.

And the mental midgets who are using that as a ruse to comment on Obama miss the entire point. Biden IS qualified to fill in shoudl something happen to Obama (go to smoking gun to see why that IS an issue).

Palin is a bimbo and if you do not think so, Palin supporters, then take this simple acid test: were it Obama who made those brain dead comments instead of Palin, what would you be saying about him? Gotcha!

jim

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 10/05/2008 – 22:01.

Anyone that believes that Sarah Palin is qualified to be President is kidding themselves. It has nothing to do with the fact that she is a woman. The fact that she is SO unqualified is what made her pick an insult to every hard-working, intelligent woman out there. She was picked for her good looks and her folksy charm. There were MANY more qualified women in the ranks of the Republican party that could have been chosen.
Palin attended five different colleges before she was finally able to stick out a degree program. She majored in journalism and communications and couldn’t name ONE newspaper or magazine that she reads on a regular basis. She minored in political science and doesn’t know what the Vice President’s role and duties are in our government. She has abused her power in every political post she has been elected to, has lied about her record both as mayor and governor and her short political career has been marked by scandal. She says that she fought the energy interests in Alaska, but her campaigns have all been heavily funded by energy companies.
In short, she’s not smart, she’s lacks integrity, she has gotten most of what she has attained on her looks and charm and these things don’t add up to someone who is qualified for Vice President, nevermind the Presidency. If you want her to be your leader, move to Alaska. This country and the world cannot afford another incompetent leader at the helm. One more bumbling idiot at the helm will spell doom for the future of all of the citizens of this country.

Submitted by Crazy Politico (not verified) on Sun, 10/05/2008 – 20:10.

If Gov. Palin isn’t qualified to “POSSIBLY” become president, then what of Barack Obama?

What exactly is his qualification for the job? A couple of non-descript years in the Senate with no major legislation to show for that time? A history of voting “Here” on controversial issues so as to keep a rather neutral record when running for the next higher office?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 10/05/2008 – 14:49.

Does she have enough political experience for the position of president? I would say not….. but then again, there’s nothing like a long run of a president that can’t even string a sentence together in English to remind you that you don’t really need much skill for the job. It’s whose behind the president that counts no?

Submitted by Thoughtful_Independent (not verified) on Sun, 10/05/2008 – 11:49.

I’m a registered independent. I was waiting for the VP picks to be made before making my mind up. VP’s Gore and Cheney have both illustrated the growing importance of the VP position in the Executive Branch. The magnitude of the nations and worlds problems highlight the fact that the top two elected officials in the US need to have a wide range of capabilities., strong intellect, and global perspective. At minimum, the President needs a knowledgeable confidant and advisor he/she can trust.

For all of her folksy charm, Governor Palin displays very little of these qualities or qualifications. If you take the time to investigate the educational and professional accomplishments of our sitting VP’s over the past 50 years, even the most biased observer would conclude that Governor Palin would be the least educated and least experienced. If you don’t have the time to look at all of them, just compare her against Dan Quayle who was arguably the weakest of the sitting VP’s. Quayle’s accomplishments at the time he was selected as Bush’s running mate dwarf Palin’s.

Upon inspection, the rabid and exaggerated claims about her energy expertise and executive experience vaporize (the claims of foreign policy experience are not even a valid topic). Living in an oil rich state, shuffling petrodollars from the oil companies to the citizens in the form of dividends, “negotiating” potential terms of a yet unplanned and unfunded natural gas pipeline, and a college degree in journalism do not qualify one as an energy expert.

Furthermore, the role of Governor of Alaska is diminished in complexity compared to the Governors of the lower 48 due to factors such as: 1) very small population (the whole state has a population smaller than typical medium sized US cities), 2) the largest Alaskan cities are smaller than many small ciities or large towns in the lower 48 (Anchorage = ~280K, Fairbanks = ~35K, Juneau = ~35K), 3) low industrial output (Alaska is ranked near the bottom compared to the other 50 states), and 4) a budget which is majority funded by revenues from oil and gas companies. The hardest problem of the Alaskan governor appears to be deciding how much money to send from the Permanent Fund to the citizens versus how much to stash away for a future time when oil revenues begin declining.

I find the argument that Palin has more “executive experience” than McCain, Obama or Biden to be disingenuous. If executive experience is really so important, Mitt Romney should be the Republican candidate for President or, at minimum, the VP candidate. While I was not a huge fan of Mr. Romney, his skillset is so superior to Palin’s that comparisons are impossible. The same can be said with respect to experience in matters of the economy. Ironically, Mr. Romney’s biggest shortcoming appeared to be that he was a Washington outsider. Now being from our most remote state is a strength for Palin?

My perspective is that the most successful Presidents of the last 50 years (for arguments sake Eisenhower, Reagan and Clinton) were able to balance their core idealogical positions with advocacy for programs and policies that improved the situation for the majority of US citizens and improved our stature in the global community. Each of these Presidents had well educated and highly skilled running mates. As an Independent who holds a blend of conservative and liberal positions, this mix is what I am weighing the most. My assessment is that Obama/Biden have a better overall leadership/intelligence/world view profile than McCain/Palin. McCain could have selected a male or female running mate who would have tilted my assessment in his favor. Unfortunately, for reasons only he and his advisors can comprehend, he went with a female ideologue with weak academic, intellectual and professional skills.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 10/05/2008 – 06:15.

@ CanIGet2NewZealand

What does it take to satisfy people like you?
or… is this a display of jealousy ? Ms Palin does make a rather impressive appearance on a simple ‘ride in from the Wilds of Alaska’.
Instead of complimenting a person on a job well done you prefer to show the “cat fight” attitude.
What has Obama more than Palin?

If Obama had been a white boy from Illinois, would he have received the nomination of the Dem Party? If your answer is NO _ then you must vote for Palin for she rode in on her own merits not on her skin color!

Submitted by REB 84 (not verified) on Sun, 10/05/2008 – 00:35.

Would John McCain be a competent president? This is a question you should be asking.
QuestionItNow – Will America lead?

Submitted by CanIGet2NewZealand (not verified) on Sat, 10/04/2008 – 19:28.

Palin has been governor of a state with the population of Poughkeepsie, New York .

The State of Alaska, despite its conservative appearance has been giving out money to its citizens from its oil dividens (Alaska Permanent Fund) (http://www.newamerica.net/publications/articles/2003/sharing_alaska_style) since the 1970′s. The money Palin boasts about giving her citizens is money of this sort, the citizens of Alaska have been receiving these payments for almost 40 years. How can she use these payments as part of a discussion of her fiscal capabilities as Governor?

Governor Palin impresses me as being a cross between a Barbie Doll and that really annoying head cheerleader that the intelligent girls all could not stand in highschool.

Submitted by FranklinB (not verified) on Sat, 10/04/2008 – 16:52.

I have been publishing my thoughts on this matter for awhile now regarding the selection of Sarah Palin for VP. I gave my views on her initial selection here:

Did John McCain have good judgement?
http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-72657

Sarah Palin is not my Vice President
http://digitalseller.tblog.com/post/1970016179

Sarah Palin is just another pretty face
http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-86323

McCain will have to pick a new VP
http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-94699

VP Debate was great, for Biden and Obama
http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-102625

Overall I agree that McCain is kind of a maverick, but also he is a big gambler. Instead of picking one of the most qualified in the arena, he went outside to a relatively unknown woman who he knew could energize the base. That has happened, but with such obvious liabilities that only a pure conservative will think she is qualified, because pure conservatives don’t care who is in that position as long as that person is republican, conservative and can walk & talk. Hannity has said publicly that he believes she would be qualified to fill the top job, and so did Limbaugh as well. I got yelled at the other day by one of my very oldest and best friends who couldn’t believe I didn’t think she was for real. That was before the Couric interview. Now after the debate I know I have made the right choice with Obama and Biden. The financial collapse is bad enough, but if there was a President Palin someday, it could be an even worse disaster for our country.

Obama and Biden are consistant in their positions on the Iraq war and other matters regarding the need to help the middle class. I believe McCain has no interest in the working class folks in this country, and even if Palin does have that interest, she is not knowledgeable enough to make any difference. JMHO

Submitted by Shelly Roberts (not verified) on Sat, 10/04/2008 – 14:04.

Sarah Pallin is an embarrassment to the Republican Party, who may well be qualified to run for PTA vice president, but hardly for the heart-beat-away position of Vice President of the United States.

In the debate with Sen. Bieden Palin spoke repeatedly an d stiltedly from obviousy drilled-in talking points rather than from any appropriate knowledge. With a wooden, albeit cheerful presentation worthy of earning her the title of Best Stepford Candidate.

Palin’s presentation was a constant one-note, praise-singing golly/gee campaign advertiisement for John McCain, and did litttle if anything to present any viable credentials as a candidate for the high office into which she has been so thoughtlessly thrust.

I’d pity her for the position for which she has been recruited if the holder of that position didn’t stand such a strong chance of becoming the leader of the free world with a 79 year old unhealthy running mate –shudder– a horrifying thought.

It shouldn’t be enough merely that she didn’t panic, screw up or cry to qualify her as even a contender in the so-called debate. I have some issues with Mr. Bidden as well, but at least he came across as someone who has done more than simply look west and north in the direction of the former Soviet Union, and self-pronounce a competency in foreign affairs. That’s way too much like watching Animal Planet and proclaiming veterinary competence with elephants.

Did Sarah win the debate? She wasn’t ever even qualified to enter the race.

Is she qualified to be President regardless of the state of John McCain’s health? You’re kidding, right?!

Submitted by Skillet Marimba (not verified) on Sat, 10/04/2008 – 11:27.

The G.O.P. targets DUMMYS but DUMMYS are finally starting to wake up. Dummy be gone.

Submitted by Patrick Pearce (not verified) on Sat, 10/04/2008 – 09:33.

Let me first establish that I am not hopping on any band waggon here to vilify or demonize Sarah Palin because she is a woman. My argument is limited to choice. Based on both Vice Presidential Candidates, Sarah Palin and Joe Biden of the Republican and Democratic Party respectively, should one of these men (Whether Obama or McCain) died or become incapacitated as President of the United States, and constitutionally the Vice President is next in line to assume the presidency, I unequivocally would trust the experience of Joe Biden to lead this great Nation over Sarah Palin. I am sure I share the same views as most sensible Americans. I used to hear that John McCain was a stubborn man, I am now convinced. There are so many more experience and viable Republicans out there to be VP, why did he chose Sarah Palin? If only some of these potentially great men would listen to somebody instead of arrogating to themselves because of ego, they would be such great leaders. Obama-Biden victory in November, hands down! See my recent post at: http://legalconsulting.wordpress.com/2008/08/30/obama-biden-a-winning-ti…

Submitted by thescoundrel (not verified) on Sat, 10/04/2008 – 09:21.

I tend to disbelieve anything that comes out of any politicians mouth. Politicians are liars& cheats. While they are kissing your baby they are picking your pocket at the same time. The President’s Job is limited. The Congress is where most of the power in this country lies. They make legislation, they pass legislation and even if the President vetoes that legislation, they have the power to override it. A relative rookie politician, Palin, actually has more executive experience than McCain, Biden or Obama. Now that is scary since she is merely a VP nominee. I would vote for her over Obama or Biden. She has a limited track track record of what Obama/Biden pretends to have without any track record to prove their claims: Palin has shown the grit to fight her own party as governor of Alaska. Obama has shown me nothing for the time he was in my state of Illinois government or once he was elected Senator. He was no more than a puppet to Emile Jones that is the strong arm thug of DEmocrat Gov. Governor Blagodabitch, the soon to be cell mate of ex Republican Gov. George Ryan. So yeah I would trust Palin much further than I would Obama leading this nation. Obama only understands Chicago and Springfield style corruption which he was a part of.

Submitted by Pat Baker (not verified) on Sat, 10/04/2008 – 08:21.

To Anonymous:
I have been hollering “Double Standard” all summer”. You hit the nail on the spot. When Obama was trained by the late great Saul Alinsky & his staff to learn how to be a better community activist, take surveys, housing problems, school problems in the poor Chicago districts, Palin sneered at the his outcomings, stating all those programs arenow defunct. Her ignorance is bliss. Reason: Viet Nam war, & the 60′s riots cost us plenty At least Obama was vetted. Some pundits t laughed him. I too, was trained by Alinsky, this great Jewish community consultant for the poor back in the late 60′s. If Palin was crossed examined by a Judge/Atty she would simply say I will only answer the questions I wish to reply to. My people call it “double standard”. Thanks, Anonymous for reminding me that I don’t need on the job training vp by McCain/Palin ticket.

Submitted by joe (not verified) on Sat, 10/04/2008 – 07:35.

Ihave no faith or trust in any politition, democrat or republican, they all end up shafting the middle class in the end,She will be no better or worse than the rest of the lot.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 10/04/2008 – 07:26.

Why do people feel someone who has been a Senator for 2 years is more qualified to be President than in the unlikely event McCain has to be replaced by Govenor Palin??? The other thing that keeps being over looked is Nancy Pelosi has been two heartbeats away from President?? She is qualified?? Unfortunately, people are being too influenced by the media and not doing there own research. Quit using the medias opinions and form your own. Do some real research. Somethinf fun to do is go to http://abcnews.go.com/politics scroll down to the Match-o-Matic II game. It is ver interesting.

Submitted by artbcpa (not verified) on Sat, 10/04/2008 – 01:54.

In “Third Out of Four” the commentator points out that Clinton and Reagan were both Governors before becoming President. We shouldn’t forget that Jimmy Carter was also a Governor before becoming the most incompetent president in the history of the United Staetes. He also may have been among the academically brightest of all recent Presidents. What does all that tell us?. …NOTHING.

Whether Sarah Palin was a Governor or Barack Obama was at the top of his academic class does not ensure that either will or will not do a good job in their respective positions.

We need to make our decision based on factors more likely to lead to a successful Presidency. After eight years of the most secretive, nontransparent Presidency in history, we need someone who will instill trust in the institution of the Presidency and restore confidence in the people of the country.

We had several such Presidents in the prior century – Franklin Roosevelt, John Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan. Each had a vision for the country which was clearly articulated and embraced by the people. In a choice between the idealistic Barack Obama and the wily curmudgeon, John McCain, Barack Obama is clearly the choice of what this country needs at this time in history.

Submitted by Pam (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 23:59.

I know that I do not want Palin. I know that I don’t want her anywhere near our foreign policy. I know that I don’t like what she said in the debate about ‘expanding’ the role of vice president. I know that I don’t like her far right, religious views that can impact the world in a bunch of ways that I don’t like.

There are other things I don’t like about her, though, I can’t say I am completely sure about my reasoning. I don’t like her winks and her nods. I don’t like how she talks to us like children.

I question my own opinion about these things, as I am not sure if I know what I want or expect in a female politician. It’s a very important thing. This first woman. This example of all of us. This person in whom I place so much of my future and that of my daughters. Hmmm, too much pressure?!?

Do I want her to be more of a man than any of the men at the table? Competing in the same way as men, but climbing the ladder in stilettos? Or do I want her to be the nurturing female that gets things done without men being any the wiser? With charm and feminine wiles that could will men to do what they might not have done, otherwise?

I thought, when considering Hillary, that I didn’t want a woman President who had a husband that is a former President. My sister then pointed out that we might not consider too many women that did not have such a sense of the White House.

It’s difficult. These women, up for consideration, don’t have military backgrounds. Yet, she would be responsible for ‘pushing the button’ and/or ending a war.

I guess, even if I did not have a problem with her foreign presence, her religious intent or her understanding of the role she was about to take on, I would still have an issue to deal with.

So, I don’t like Sarah, but, who do I like? And, the bigger question for me, why?

Submitted by FD (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 23:24.

To King of Chatalot: I’m an independant, but I voted once and the poll will not allow me to vote again.
The only way someone could vote twice is through a proxy, but I tested that idea fater reading your comment.
It didn’t work.
I tried several different proxies, I reset my ip, and nope, it would not allow me to vote again.

Take off the tin foil hat.

Submitted by King of Chatalot (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 22:11.

I find it amazing that Democrats would stoop so low as to make multiple votes in this silly poll just to bend the outcome towards their way of thinking………..so to make it appear as if they are the winners……….

…but then………considering that they will ultimately lose in November I’m not totally surprised……..

…..merely amazed………

Submitted by Media Concepts (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 21:39.

I can’t decide whether that’s hilarious, or horrifyingly frightening. I think it’s both. Based on McCain’s age alone, historian Doris Kearns Goodwin says that there’s almost a one in three chance that McCain would die in office were he to be elected. Factor in his FOUR bouts of Melanoma, which is often fatal regardless of the victim’s age, and those odds increase markedly.

Something to think about.

Submitted by Shane from PV (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 20:30.

The presidency is about leadership, and if we can survive eight years being led by an Arkansas governor who would rather molest the hired help than pay attention to what Osama Bin Laden is doing, then America will do just fine with a President Sarah Palin. She certainly has more leadership experience than her opponents. Does that mean I would have made her my choice for VP? I would have loved to see Mitt Romney as VP, but she’s smart, focused, and knows how to lead. The important question, if she should ever end up in the Oval Office, would be who she surrounds herself with. That’s another reason why Obama would be very scary as president. He has terrible judgment, and considering the people he has surrounded himself with throughout his life, and the fact that as president he will have to decide what advice to act on when it comes to important issues – I don’t trust him to be able to distinguish from among a bevy of poor advisers the advice least damaging.

Obama supporters, like so many on this comment board, have no idea who Obama really is – frankly, no one does. Obama has locked up his records, is protected by a compliant press, and says only what he thinks Americans want to hear. He’s a charlatan, but his supporters don’t care. That’s why this question is so ironic. They hate Bush/Republicans/conservatives more than they fear the inexperience of their presidential candidate and manchild Barack Obama. The derangement of the left has led them to support and oppose issues not because they want to protect their country or improve the lives of Americans, but because they hate their adversaries and will do or say anything to beat them (the “this war is lost” quote by Harry Reid comes to mind – how incredibly telling). I think this frothing derangement will cause them to self-destruct again as they did in 2000 and 2004, where Americans got a good look at the mindless bitterness and spite that inspires the left. McCain will win in a squeaker.

Submitted by Greg (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 20:24.

I’m not a big political kind of guy nor do I follow many campaigns. I voted for a democrat and a republican for president; the best person for the job always gets my vote. But this is the first time in a long time that I’ve seen an honest person make it this far in politics. Usually they get creamed by the media – Palin is still holding her own. What you see is what you get – nice change of pace especially since I’m originally from Delaware. No doubt this isn’t true for Biden – he’s all over the place telling you whatever it is you want to hear whenever you want to hear it.. I don’t dislike Biden and yes, he is qualified to continue the same old Washington politics; not what I’m looking for this year at least.

I’m still wondering why Obama thinks Biden represents change? Not even close.

Submitted by Al Barger (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 20:08.

Not to put too fine a point on it, Sarah Palin’s the sharpest person of the four here. People I think get that when they get a good look at her as in her famous nomination speech or last night’s vice presidential debate.

Of course, this ain’t from lack of media attempts to Quayle-ize her. Look at the double, triple, quadruple standards. It’s supposedly some proof that she’s a moron that she didn’t choose to spit up a list of newspapers she reads for Katie Couric.

But Joe Biden says the most ignorant nonsense day after day, and it doesn’t make the news. When the current financial meltdown started a few weeks ago, Biden was out criticizing Bush reaction. See, when the 1929 market crash happened, FDR when on television to show people that he was involved and doing something. FDR wasn’t president, and there was no television then. This nonsense didn’t make the news. Imagine if Palin said something that stupid.
=====================================
Little known Palin fact:
FACT: Having run out of ammunition during a hunting trip, Sarah Palin once took down a moose using a beauty pageant tiara as a boomerang.

More Palin fun facts I just made up, and a couple hundred pictures of our girl
http://www.morethings.com/images/sarah_palin/sarah_palin-photo_gallery00…

Submitted by Robert (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 20:00.

Joe Biden, VP (Vice and Plagiarist)

Submitted by Ethel W (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 19:50.

Obama has done much good thru working for ACORN. Remember, from tiny acorns, might oak trees grow.

Submitted by Mike Lanza (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 19:43.

Please folks – give us an example. And please, make it a good one.

If this were an election for Student Body President, I might vote for the dude, but he’s applying to be the Leader of the United States of America. Is there anything in his governmental experience that indicates that he can be a great leader? Anything?

This ain’t no popularity contest…

Submitted by Janet Johnson (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 19:41.

I’m tired of Sarah Palin. I’m tired of kicking her around, of waiting for her to have a public brain freeze, of hearing her droppin’ g’s and bringing nuc-u-lur back into the lexicon (I hope we’re almost finished with that coming out of the White House).

At the same time, I’m proud that she’s the second legitimate woman who’s a running mate on a presidential ticket, the first to “electrify” a country. I’m mortified as I write that, but I’m proud of that big ol’ crack in the glass ceilin’ she’s added to Hilary’s 18 million others. (sigh)

As most of your poll-takers agree, no way is she qualified to be president. God help us all if she’s a heartbeat away.

Submitted by Stevie (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 19:35.

Do I feel that a citizen of this country who has not kept abreast of the foreign policy situations, and the current administration doctrines is qualified to step in as head of state in an emergency? No….
Do I feel that someone who will terminate people who disagree with her is worthy to be in the White House? No…….
Do I feel that someone who feels that because she is a woman she should be treated with deference in a television interview should be leading a country? No…..
Does a cram session with various political pundits counteract her inacurate knowledge of what life is like for the rest of us in the lower 48? No……
Does this woman have the ability to gain respect of various world leaders particularly those from countries where women are considered to be less than equal? no.
what we really need is a Margaret Thatcher type.. the closest we have is Hilary Clinton.
Anita Palin is no Hilary Clinton
And being a POW and being in the Vietnam War does not make you the right person to be president either. There are plenty of Vietnam Vets and others who were POW’s .. and they aren’t running for President– though John Kerry did.. and he wasn’t a POW.. he served his country. Don’t bank on that one being the ACE..

Submitted by Ken S (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 19:29.

Or maybe Obama would want his friend Tony Rezko to advise him on ethics in government.

Submitted by Ken S (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 19:28.

Or maybe Obama would like William Ayers for his Secretary of Defense, since he knows how to blow things up.

Submitted by Ken S (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 19:25.

Maybe Obama can install Rev. Wright as Secretary of State. All the other nations of the world will love his philosophy: God damn America!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 19:23.

I think where the logic breaks down is that you’re assuming all Governor’s are created equally. An American Governor’s principal job is running the state, and to be honest, I’m not sure how good a governor she is, but thats for the people of Alaska to decide. But as an American, I feel that she’s dangerously ignorant of world affairs and issues around a global economy.

And frankly, I think we’ve had enough of that already.

On the other hand, Obama and Biden are far more savvy. If you watched the debate, you’ll have noticed how rarely Palin answers a direct question. She’s not dumb, but she’s not worldly either. And worse, she revels in her inexperience.

If she ever gets into the Presidential office, you might just wish for the good ol days when GW was in charge. And if that doesn’t scare you, it should.

Submitted by Ken S (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 19:21.

Don’t you love it when a public relations man calls people degrading, hateful names?

Submitted by Dan Keeney, APR (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 19:16.

You and your swill slinging dopes really should stop. Aside from Billy Bobs missing teeth with Confederate Flags in their pickups, Americans understand that Senator Obama is as American as you or I.

Submitted by Ken S (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 19:15.

Someone commented on here that we live in a Global society and therefore need Obama. Folks, this world is getting so screwy and dangerous, that is exactly why we do NOT need a post-modern green horn such as Obama as POTUS. All the pie in the sky he professes is absolutely meaningless without solid, tough, and REAL national security. Somehow, grandiose social programs lose their luster when you have a nuclear missile up your ass.

Submitted by Jason Preston (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 19:12.

Palin took five tries and five years to get a journalism degree at undistinguished schools, and managed to be an undistinguished student at all four schools involved in her quest for a chance to be a TV reporter. Obama was at the top of his class at every step of his collegiate journey. When pressed three times to answer, Palin cannot name a single existing newspaper or news magazine that she reads. If you can’t see the difference here, perhaps you’re not an ideal student or intellect either, but only through pride does a person lacking in a certain virtue seek to exalt that lack. Just because I’m not tall enough to slam dunk doesn’t mean I push for the NBA to hire more short people! The Presidency’s the hardest job in the world, or one of them. Stellar intellect, stellar ethics, and stellar success in life should all be ironclad prerequisites to the job. If Palin is qualified to be President, I am twice as qualified and will expect Palin fans’ votes when I make my run for high office.

Submitted by Cowboy X (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 19:10.

Who is qualified to be the President? There is no class to take to become certified. We have to put our trust in a person. I wish that person were Ron Paul!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 19:00.

So 75% believe Palin cant be president in case something happens to McCain. So I guess its OK to be an inexperienced presidential candidate, but if your a vice presidential candidate who has actually run a state, you don’t qualify. The logic here escapes me completely.

Submitted by John Schuller (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 18:50.

CLICK ON MY NAME TO SIGN THIS PETITION

To: CBS News

Sarah Palin herself has requested to speak to America without the Media Filter in the Vice Presidential debate. ?I like being able to answer tough questions without the filter of the mainstream media telling the American people what they just heard,? she said in her closing.

The people of the United States of America deserve to see the CBS Katie Couric interviews with Sarah Palin in their entirety.

This should be acceptable by Republicans and Democrats as it will let Sarah Palin talk to America without the filter created by editing and leaving important information on the cutting room floor.

Let us see an edition of “Sarah Palin: Unfiltered”.

This will allow Americans to see the real Sarah Palin.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

Submitted by newyorkmoments (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 18:49.

regardless of the VP candidates…are we really going to vote in a Hussein???? Seriously?? I’m saddened that I’m not going to be able to vote Democrat this election.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 18:43.

I sent John McCain a $1000 in September 2007…when his campaign was flailing. I believed his voice needed to be in the debate. Until Sarah Palin’s acceptance speech I did not send a penny to any other candidate.

I was so outraged by the poor judgment demonstrated by McCain — there were thousands, if not tens of thousands, of more capable, competent men and women who could serve as his VP. I promptly sent a large contribution to Obama. And with every solicitation letter I receive from John McCain (they arrive daily), I write to ask for my money back.

Whether “Joe six-pack” likes it or not…we live in a Global Society, not an igloo nation. We already had Joe-six pack from President for the last 8 years. Doesn’t any one remember – “George W. Bush is the guy I want to have at my BBQ”???…Well – we got him– only we got bbq’d.

Submitted by Eric (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 18:35.

Would it be so much to ask for a Presidential nominee who actually had some experience?

Submitted by Ian Thomas (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 18:32.

…for a VP nominee who actually had some experience *before* she takes office?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 18:30.

Stack rank all four candidates — Obama, Biden, McCain and Palin — in terms of experience, and she comes out 3rd out of 4. Obama is last.

Stack rank all four candidates in terms of executive experience — meaning, ‘has the candidate ever managed a budget before, had headcount before, and had to make decisions as opposed to provide advice’ — and she incredibly comes out first amongst the four, as she’s been both governor and mayor.

Being the governor of a state was good enough for Clinton, good enough for Romney, and good enough for Reagan.

Those who attack her experience must feel terrible that Obama is the leading candidate for the Dem’s, given his extraordinarily thin resume.

Submitted by Mike Lanza (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 18:29.

Be honest, folks. In his career in *government*, not running a campaign, has he ever demonstrated outstanding leadership or executive skills? Sarah certainly has, but her experience may nonetheless be too light.

Barack Obama has the least leadership or executive skills of *any* of the major candidates for president or vice president.

Submitted by Dan Keeney, APR (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 18:21.

I’m not a Sarah fan, but she has a solid foundation — an ability to connect with men and women, powerfully deliver her messages and ramp up quickly on complex subjects. The actuaries estimate that there is a 75% chance that Mr. McCain would survive a first term. Presumably, the chances of him passing in the first YEAR would be very small. So the real question would be — If Sarah Palin had at least a year as Vice President under her belt, would she be competent to be President if John McCain were to be incapacitated? I don’t have any doubt that she would. I will not be voting for the GOP ticket, but the fear mongering about Ms. Palin’s ability is baseless and perhaps sexist.

Submitted by The Sensible J. (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 18:01.

To Pat Baker,
Actually, she has NOT been governor for a few years. She has been a governor since 2007, she won the election at the END of 2006. So, not even 2 years yet.

Submitted by The Sensible J. (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 17:58.

When a lot of people say she was put in the VP nominee ticket because she would shake things up for the Republican party, that’s scary. Why was that the first and foremost reason why she was picked?!

We are not running a popularity contest here for god’s sake. We need a leader, a WORLD LEADER that will get American back into the respectful country it is amongst other nations in this world. Not a PTA mom who claims she can juggle 5 kids when in fact her nanny, chef, driver/pilot, gardener and 20 other staffers take care of the Mom role for her. I’m all for the “women can do the same if not better job than men” ideal, but come on, she isn’t even up to par on her events and history. When you can only make punch points and be a talking head, that is NOT a leader. She can’t even name ONE supreme court decision other than Row vs. Wade. And being able to see Russia from Alaska does not qualify as foreign experience. We do not need and DO NOT want an average Joe or Jane to be our president or vice president.

It is scary when our (by that I mean the republicans) expectations have sunk so low.

And it’s even more scary when people are voting for republican SIMPLY because she’s pro-life, even for those women who were victims of rape or incest would NOT get a choice. That alone, to me, is hugely undermining the equality so many women have worked so hard for so many years.

Submitted by Don S (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 17:54.

Maybe the most appropriate question is . . . if Barack Obama is elected president, whether or not John McCain dies, is he qualified to lead the country?

Being a governor is a proven road to the White House. Alaska is a strategic state. Let’s see: Clinton was from Arkansas — even less strategic, Carter from Georgia and Reagan from California . . . Bush from Texas . . . oh, sure, I saw a post on the Huffington Post this week that said “Bush is intellectually challenged.” Of course, there was no evidence to support the claim.

Obama is currently more likely to become president than Sarah Palin and that’s something that should concern all clear-thinking Americans.

Submitted by Jerome Schindler (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 17:53.

How could she possibly be any worse that what we have been subjected to recently. I am sure Harry Truman’s skills woudl also have been panned. McCain ought to be a good choice as nobody has been sure what party he belongs to for many years.

Submitted by Bill Platt (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 17:45.

Deluded? Although she has as much or more experience than Obama, you are willing to suggest that my delusion is that she could not be President, but Obama can be?

The only delusion is that Obama’s experience is greater than hers.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 17:31.

Palin is absolutely not qualified – anyone who thinks so is deluded.

Submitted by Chemosapien = Idiot (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 17:29.

The point was she won’t take no crap.

Submitted by Chemosapien = Idiot (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 17:27.

Too bad they don’t have a minimum test for people to take in order to qualify for the job.

Then James they should do the same before becoming parents. Maybe then we won’t have so many libetards. Bunch of whiners don’t know a good thing when it slaps them upside the head.

Submitted by Gerald (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 17:26.

As a Vietnam veteran I can assure you that sad fact by itself (yeah, we lost a war we had no business being in) does not qualify anyone to be President. While I respect McCain’s service to his country McCain himself has admitted that he collaborated with the enemy and signed documents condemning America’s.bombing of Hanoi as being war crimes.

As at the time we were carpet bombing a densely populated Hanoi with low level B-52 bombing runs, the North Vietnamese perhaps had a point that a stressed out and in terrible pain McCain decided to agree with.

Not that I blame him. Fortunately, my POW camp experience was limited to a combat training exercise at Camp Lejeune, N.C. It was only for a very long day but that was enough to make brave grown men trained for combat by battle hardened US Marines cry out in pain. McCain’s experience had to be horrible and I’m sure that the scars, mental and physical, must still be with him.

However, I wasn’t referring to McCain other than his grandstanding poor judgement in selecting Governor Palin as his running mate. Sarah may be a swell gal, certainly her down home nature appeals to a lot of down home people across America, but please, qualified to perhaps have to step into the President’s role?

She is a little league player suddenly thrown into the major leagues. I admire her spunk but fear her aggressive claim that she is ready to serve when she can’t even handle soft ball interviews. Who wants a President just like an average Joe? In case you haven’t noticed there are very complicated problems that America faces that will require outstanding leadership to solve.

I’m not a big Obama fan either but at least the man has first class intelligence and a first class temperament. He doesn’t tend to shoot from the hip or fire, ready, aim like old fighter pilots are apt to do. Palin was a choice designed to fire up the Republican Party’s conservative base and in that the move was successful. But at what risk to the country if McCain and Palin are elected?

With the odds being about one in four that a 72 year old cancer survivor would not make it another four years a President Palin is a frightening possibility.

That’s putting country first? Please! Give me a break.

Submitted by Chemosapien = Idiot (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 17:24.

ldaught2

AHEM ! ! !

Submitted by ldaught2 (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 17:16.

//Until then, keep reading all the world’s magazines and Newspapers. They actually can teach you a lot.//

Are you kidding?? what can a bias newspaper and magazine teach?? (and that would be all of them)That is the most idiot statement I have read!

To answer the question…Could Palin be President?…yes yes and yes….The other 3 on the ticket was in the senate and HELPED drive America where we are today! I dont care if Palin comes from a goat farm, she could do better than this stinkin government!!

Submitted by Ken S (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 17:15.

Lady Coveted….another woman that feels threatened by good looking successful women.

Submitted by Ken S (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 17:14.

James flew in from that alternate universe that Joe Biden lives in. Maybe the Missouri Truth Squad can help him.

Submitted by lady coveted (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 17:14.

being as putin’s no longer president of russia.

dmitri medvedev succeeded putin back in march, she’s so out of touch she’d probably miss that point too.

Submitted by James (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 17:08.

She’s competent all right. Competent enough to ban books at the public library, books she has never even read. Competent enough to try to fire a librarian who was just doing her job, Competent enough to veto sex education for minors, (surprise there huh?), competent enough to fire the head of the troopers who refused to fire her ex-brother in law for unjustifiable reasons.

No wonder repugs love her so much, she’ll fit right in..*L*

At least Obama went through a process and garnered enough votes to earn the right to be where he is today. Palin was handed the position because McCain needed a quick fix and liked the way she looked and talked.

Was she the most qualified and best suited republican for the job? Of course not and people are not being genuine if they say yes. For that reason McCain should and will lose this election.

Too bad they don’t have a minimum test for people to take in order to qualify for the job.

Submitted by Chemosapien = Idiot (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:54.

Palin would shove her pretty heels up Putin’s ass. Then make him beg for more.

Submitted by Ken S (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:52.

Yes. She would do a great job, because she has intelligence coupled with common sense, grit, and good solid values. Would to God that this country had had dozens of Presidents like her instead of some of the buffoons we’ve suffered through.

Submitted by Chemosapien = Idiot (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:52.

No he’ll bring them in from the hood.

Submitted by chemosapien (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:50.

is not the kind of Hunter i respect…..and margaret Thatcher is on her way over their to whoop your ass for comparing her to Palin….Thatcher was one of the most intelligent and tough politicians in modern times….Palin doesn’t have a college education and she can’t even stand up to KATIE M*^#ATHERF%*#KING COURIC….stop comparing her to Thatcher

Submitted by Matt Sanchez (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:49.

Obama will have the flag stomper and terrorist, Dick Ayres and the God D@*$ America Reverend Wright. Both these gentlemen have doctorates!

Submitted by chemosapien (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:46.

it is very important who the president brings into their admin…..I’m certain Obama isn’t going to fill his cabinet from his high school yearbook like little miss Palin

Submitted by Matt Sanchez (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:46.

A one-term governor who is the most popular governor in the country.

Of course, that’s one more term than former “community organizer” and one-term senator.

Submitted by Robert (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:46.

Obviously you haven’t seen Sarah Palin in the real world, she hunts guts and eats things that get in her way, I would imagine you are the type of idiot that thought Margaret Thatcher was a bad choice too….Russia would beg for forgiveness from Palin and Putin would be licking Sarah’s boots in red square….

Moron.

Submitted by Chris Meirose (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:45.

More competent than Al Gore. More competent than Dick Cheney. More competent than Dan Quayle. Palin would do just fine. Being president is as much or more about who you have around you than anything else. You must be able to make tough decisions, and know what you believe in, but at the end of the day the experts you surround yourself with as President will make or break your term in the modern context.

Submitted by chemosapien (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:43.

russia calls us a bunch of homos, and Putin slams his shoe on the desk? ……if Palin were president Putin would literally rape her mouth on live telivision then claim he thought she was the “entertainment”

Submitted by Robert (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:42.

The answer is YES, she has run something, SHE has more experience RUNNING a government than ANY of the candidates… So yes she is Qualified.

Obama isn’t qualified to be elected dog catcher, McCain at least has the experience in dealing with hostile forces, and for you libtards there still are hostile forces at work oh and they are hoping for Obama too…

Submitted by Margaret (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:41.

I didn’t say NO degree. I said not an “Ivy League Degree”. I was just giving my opinion – “If John McCain died or became incapacitated, would Sarah Palin be competent to be President?” My answer is yes.

Submitted by Matt Jones (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:40.

Clinton’s budget experience was a budget of Arkansas which was smaller than cuyahoga county. Obama has ZERO budget experience. She can manage a budget. She communicates and articulates the GOP positions more effectively than McCain, Bush, Cheney and Dole to name some powerful people.

go to Canada you commie bastages!

Submitted by Robert (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:39.

and an Obama/Biden victory will make us look like a bunch of pansies…I would love for you to explain how a war veteran that went through what McCain did would cause the world to look at us as a laughing stock? Mrs Thatcher was looked at a little off by the owrkd but she did fine? is it you are scared of women or hunting women?

Palin is the only candidate in the race I would vote for president and be happy about it. I will vote McCain just to get Sarah Palin closer to the Big Job.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:35.

The US is going to hell because McCain’s buddy George Bush set us on that course. 4 more years of that?

BTW, the question was if McCain kicks, is Palin qualified? And the answer is no.

Instead of attacking Obama, how about telling why you think Palin is qualified? Is it because even you know she isn’t? Typical Republican.

Submitted by Matt Sanchez (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:35.

All those “economic experts” have great post-grad degrees from high end schools. Hopefully, that will help them as they look for a new job.

Submitted by Gerald (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:34.

Palin makes a big deal about her “six pack joe” ways and seems to be proud of her ignorance. We have had almost eight years of a largely disinterested in the world at large President and see where that has taken us. American is on a slippery downward slope and it will be difficult to avoid a hard crash and burn landing.

I for one don’t want someone as VP, who may well end up being President, who is just another six pack Joe yahoo. America is the laughing stock of the world just to have such a yahoo candidate.

If McCain and Palin are somehow elected American’s standing in the world as a world leader, much less a super power, will be further reduced to the vanishing point. We would be looked upon as a nation of village idiots.

It’s not that I love Obama. Come to think of it with the choice down to Obama or McCain perhaps we American have found the perfect means to self destruct. The support given by McCain and Obama for the $700 billion bailout bill (before another $100 billion or so in pure pork was added) is another giant step in that direction.

Submitted by Robert (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:33.

“You idiots care more about a donkey and an elephant than you do about the stars and stripes. You get what you deserve.” The truest statement since Reagan stated the most scary thing ever was “I’m from the government and I’m here to help”

I wouldnt be so dead set against OBAMA if he were more Country first, rather than Blame everyone else… HIS party has led congress for the last 2 years and we have gone from solvency to bankruptcy and BOTH parties are to blame, ONLY one party is used to responsibility, the other is used to “Tolerance” and forgiveness of their own….

Submitted by chemosapien (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:31.

you mean like the modern day general who doesn’t have a college degree? are we suddenly recruiting presidents from third world countries? because EVERY American General has a college degree……lets not pretend we live in the world of 2 centuries ago

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:28.

Nothing like partisanship. That’s right put the party before the country. No wonder the US is going to hell in a rocketship. You idiots care more about a donkey and an elephant than you do about the stars and stripes. You get what you deserve.

Submitted by Robert (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:28.

Oh and I’m qualified because I am a black community organizer.. Don’t look at the communities I organized or anything, just trust me for CHANGE… BS, it is highway strong arm robbery, ACORN? Rev Wright? Ayers? Phlegar? Farakhan? Ok Palin has what? A couple of LIES perpetrated by the elitist media that have been debunked. Yeah Obama in 08 and the end of our nation in 09….good plan.

Submitted by Karl (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:27.

It’s ironic that if you guys had listened to Carter in the 70′s you would not be as f**cked as you are now and you would probably have energy independence.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:24.

Say what you want about Obama, he’ll make a much better President than either “I’m qualified because I can see Russia from my pooper, yah, you betcha” or “I’m qualified because I was a POW a million years ago, wait, what was the question again?”

Submitted by Matt Sanchez (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:19.

Palin Derangement Syndrome is alive and well as the media blitzkrieg is desperate to discredit the Palin/McCain presidential ticket.

Palin handily beat Biden down last night, and that causes severe swelling in the liberal frontal lobe.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:19.

So you say go back home hockey mom… Wow… your complete lack of what a hockey mom is.. basically a communtity leader…hmmm Let’s see Omaa is just that, he has not been a Governer, worked a state budger.. .his short political careeer shows less tenure that Palin. Fair is Fair , your last paragraph shows your compete ignorance,,, go read a bit yourself!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:19.

You mean like George Washington?

Submitted by Incognito (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:14.

and how about looking at it this way… with all Biden’s asinine gaffes would people be thrilled to have him as president, if Obama were to die? I’d be much happier with a Palin presidency than either an Obama or Biden presidency.

She’s done very well for Alaska…thank you very much.

Submitted by GolfBlogger (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:10.

It’s not saying much, but I think Palin’s more qualified than Obama. The problem is that if you vote Republican, an unqualified person MIGHT become president. If you vote Democrat, an unqualified person WILL become president.

The only logical ticket is Biden-McCain — one which, during the primaries, Joe Biden said he wouldn’t mind.

Submitted by chemosapien (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:09.

you would not make a good president nor would anyone who doesn’t have an University Degree…..watch that sassy little Katie Couric if you want to know why Sara Palin is completely incompetent

Submitted by CJ Grisham (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:07.

If Palin isn’t competent enough to be President, then Obama is even LESS competent to hold the position!!

Submitted by Margaret (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:03.

Why won’t Sara Palin be a competent President? Is there anything about Obama that makes him more intelligent than Palin? It offends me as a person to think differently. I believe she would do as well, if not better, than any other of the men or women who have made a run during this election.

I didn’t go to an ivy league college. I haven’t served as a PTO chairperson or any other office but I think I would make a darn good president. I’m excited to think that maybe we might have something fresh in the office. From Hillary to McCain it is the same old same old.

Margaret

Submitted by James (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 15:57.

While one could argue all day long about the experience factor between Obama and Palin, one can’t argue much about the difference in education. I would rather have someone educated in the highest office of the land.

Thanks, but no thanks for that sweet talkin’, well read gal from Alaska.

Don’t YA know?

Submitted by Robert (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 15:55.

I am voting for McCain/Palin for precisely that reason, I would be WAY more happy with Palin as President than I will be with McCain.
If Obama wins we ALL lose….Oh and a preemptive dismiss to those that say it’s because he is black…Its not because he is black its because he is a communist/socialist libtard baby killing gun taking no leadership other than “ACORN” type skills…. but vote how you want, I cant wait till you liberal idiots get what you want, just like after Carter, you came crying to the Conservatives to save you, Obama is a black Carter maybe worse.

Submitted by rebaaron (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 15:54.

Sarah Palin is a poser. She’s so enamored with Ronald Reagan I believe, in part, because she’s just like him – an actor. Reagan wasn’t a president as much as he was able to act like a president. The VP debates last night showed this – Palin is all show and no substance. What’s really scary is she believes that she’s capable. I think she really has no idea and is not capable of getting it. I think some call this sociopathic tendencies?!

Submitted by The Atheist Jew (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 15:53.

She proved to me that she doesn’t have an IQ of 75. It is more like 90 or 95.

Submitted by chemosapien (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 15:53.

Palin is an order of magnitude more Podunk than any national political figure in modern times. Case in point, 6 months ago, Palin said, flat out, she is not INTERESTED in national policy, as in she doesn’t have the time or will to keep up with what is going on in this country…when you use NLE as the measure Obama is far ahead of Palin, exemplified by the fact that the very first thing he did in the Senate was get a law passed to help secure “loose nukes” in the former USSR….compare that to Palin who apparently could not even pass a seventh grade civics test (doesn’t know any supreme court cases besides Roe v. Wade?)

All the PAlin supporters are the same , pardon my french, IDIOTS who supported GW because he’s a guy they can drink a beer with…..Palin sure is a regular joe…Joe Retard that is

Submitted by brad (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 15:53.

If something happened to McCain on day one would Palin be ready? No, BUT what makes you think Obama is? Lets talk about the TOP of the ticket. Give me a break!!!

Submitted by J (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 14:33.

I love how people point out how Palin’s not qualified SHOULD something happen to McCain. And what makes Barack qualified? He’s been in the Senate for 2 years? And if he is elected, he’s it. At least with McCain, we’re electing a very seasoned and proven person who has a pretty good track record for change. Obama can talk about change but he hasn’t walked it at all.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 13:32.

Source please. Media previously said superficial Basal cell.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 13:15.

He has had MELANOMA. The deadliest form of skin cancer

Submitted by rusmayse on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 00:48.

Poor Palin. I commend her on the acceptance of such a difficult position in such a tough time. It takes a really strong person to take on the role she has. And I do agree with the fact that she may “catch on quickly”. I’m just particularly concerned and unsure she has any idea what she is doing. Period.
Go back home hockey mom. Gain experience over the next 8 years. Become more involved on a national level. Listen to the cries of us people. And then please, come back again :) Until then, keep reading all the world’s magazines and Newspapers. They actually can teach you a lot.

Submitted by TomCollins2100 on Thu, 10/02/2008 – 23:33.

Are you kidding? The notion that she’s being unfairly judged as unqualified because she’s a woman is absurd. If she were a man, McCain would have been laughed out of the country for picking a first-term governor with no other applicable experience and zero national – let alone foreign policy – qualifications.

Women with any brains at all should be insulted that McCain and the Republicans think that they will vote for any woman they offer, or belive this particular woman is remotely qualified to run any country, forget about the United States.

Submitted by chemosapien (not verified) on Wed, 10/01/2008 – 16:02.

what you say is partially true, superficial skin cancers are not fatal, especially with decent healthcare, but WE DON’T KNOW THE EXTENT OF MCCAIN”S CANCER because he won’t release ALL of his medical records……don’t sit here and defend him against this criticism, when his campaign could put this completely to bed with a single phone call to his doctor.

Submitted by pat baker (not verified) on Wed, 10/01/2008 – 15:41.

I’m sick of McCain calling Obama a on the job learner, community action worker. Palin is is a affrimative action herself. Mrs Bush said she was a “quick learner” Do I need a vp who is a quick learner? She’s just a Gov for a few years, no national experience. She can’t answer straight question. These photo opts with people from the MiddleEast aren’t getting on my nerves, they are making me sick Who cares if she’s cute while my 401 K might go down the tubes!. Hillary Clinton would run rings around her. I don’t need a ” on the job VP during these troubled times..

Submitted by Omar Hamada (not verified) on Wed, 10/01/2008 – 15:33.

Enough of the cancer stuff!!! Talk about spin and/or ignorance! When’s the last time someone actually died from superficial squamous or basal cell skin cancer? Answer: NEVER. Now if it were actually melanoma or other types of invasive squamous cell cancer, then it would be a different story – BUT IT’S NOT!!!!!!

Submitted by Dave (not verified) on Wed, 10/01/2008 – 00:55.

Check out her interview with Katie Couric. She shares that she reads ALL the newspapers in the world. She must be really freakin smart. She also graduated from the University of Idaho. I mean it doesnt get much more prestigious than that. And besides, who is Biden to talk.

Submitted by Chris A (not verified) on Wed, 10/01/2008 – 00:48.

Don’t worry about Palin. If you saw her interviews, you would know that the… War in Iraq and reforms to our economy and importance in the field of green energy under the umbrella of job creation and then health care.
She knows what everyone needs…

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 10/01/2008 – 00:45.

uh hu …..uh hu !!!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 09/30/2008 – 22:59.

come on, hes only had cancer 3 times. plus, its not like hes old or anything

And, here’s an embed of the poll, if I’ve piqued your interest by now:

]]> http://chrisabraham.com/2008/10/10/sarah-palin-comment-thread-par-excellence/feed/ 1 Help International Medical Corps Save the Lives of Malnourished Childrenhttp://chrisabraham.com/2008/10/08/help-international-medical-corps-save-the-lives-of-malnourished-children/ http://chrisabraham.com/2008/10/08/help-international-medical-corps-save-the-lives-of-malnourished-children/#comments Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:28:15 +0000 Chris Abraham http://chrisabraham.com/2008/10/08/help-international-medical-corps-save-the-lives-of-malnourished-children/ Firstly, please vote now for the Saving the Lives of Malnourished Children. Secondly, I really want International Medical Corps to do as well as possible in the American Express Members Project. IMC has an amazing worldwide mission, “dedicated to saving lives and relieving suffering through health care training and relief and development programs.” My team [...]


Help International Medical Corps Save the Lives of Malnourished Children

Firstly, please vote now for the Saving the Lives of Malnourished Children. Secondly, I really want International Medical Corps to do as well as possible in the American Express Members Project. IMC has an amazing worldwide mission, “dedicated to saving lives and relieving suffering through health care training and relief and development programs.”

bT*xJmx*PTEyMjM*NTExNTk2NjAmcHQ9MTIyMzQ1MTE2NDkyNiZwPTEyMDc*MSZkPW13QVZLaXA2REJtNEpmYzImbj*mZz*yJnQ9Jm89MGIzYTRlMjFmNWYzNGVkMmJlODQwNDhmMmYxNGM4Zjg= Help International Medical Corps Save the Lives of Malnourished Children

My team and I have been working with the IMC team for the last three weeks. After the first two weeks, we all were were able to collectively get IMC into the top-5, which was an amazing feat since there were quite a few organizations who were really hot on our heels!

The project? Saving the Lives of Malnourished Children. Now that the Saving the Lives of Malnourished Children project has made the top-5, we’re all pushing for the last 5 days and we need your vote! We’re currently in 4th place, which guarantees $100,000; however, if we are able to secure number 3, International Medical Corps would receive $300,000; then, if we could make it to second, IMC would receive $1,000,000. Making first would mean $1,5 million dollars to help feed hungry and malnourished children worldwide, saving the lives of malnourished children.

If you want to learn more about the project, Saving the Lives of Malnourished Children, feel free to check out the Social Media News Release we created for this campaign. If you wan to learn more about the International Medical Corps, please check out the IMC web site and their about page:

About International Medical Corps

International Medical Corps (IMC) is a global, humanitarian, nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives and relieving suffering through health care training and relief and development programs.

Established in 1984 by volunteer doctors and nurses, IMC is a private, voluntary, nonpolitical, nonsectarian organization. Its mission is to improve the quality of life through health interventions and related activities that build local capacity in underserved communities worldwide.

By offering training and health care to local populations and medical assistance to people at highest risk, and with the flexibility to respond rapidly to emergency situations, IMC rehabilitates devastated health care systems and helps bring them back to self-reliance.

]]> http://chrisabraham.com/2008/10/08/help-international-medical-corps-save-the-lives-of-malnourished-children/feed/ 0 Should Your Business Tap Social Networks?http://chrisabraham.com/2008/07/06/should-your-business-tap-social-networks/ http://chrisabraham.com/2008/07/06/should-your-business-tap-social-networks/#comments Sun, 06 Jul 2008 02:15:08 +0000 Chris Abraham http://chrisabraham.com/2008/07/06/should-your-business-tap-social-networks/ Jennifer Mattern just wrote a great post answering some of your questions regarding the important question, Should You Jump Into Social Networks to Promote Your Business? over at RedFly Marketing: There’s a lot of buzz in the online PR world about social networking, whether that be traditional social networks like MySpace and Facebook or social [...]


Should Your Business Tap Social Networks?

Jennifer Mattern just wrote a great post answering some of your questions regarding the important question, Should You Jump Into Social Networks to Promote Your Business? over at RedFly Marketing:

There’s a lot of buzz in the online PR world about social networking, whether that be traditional social networks like MySpace and Facebook or social networking through microblogging services such as Twitter.

Should you jump into social networking to promote your business? And if so, with so many options available, how do you choose which social networks to participate in?

Benefits of Social Networking

I’m not much of a supporter of diving into every new or large social networking environment or fad to promote a business. However, social networks do have some benefits that make them worth considering as an addition to your online PR efforts:

1. Social networks and microblogging services can serve multiple roles with a single tool. For example, you can network with colleagues, while also promoting offers or information to clients and potential clients of your company.

2. Social networking is cost-effective. Most networks are free to join.

3. Social networks and microblogging services can help you get news or a message out very quickly to a targeted audience.

Problems with Social Networking

Despite its benefits, there are also some drawbacks to social networking for promoting a business.

1. Social networking can be a productivity killer. Many businesses simply try to do too much – Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Myspace, etc. The multiple updates aren’t always reaching different audiences, and it’s a waste of time that could be spent elsewhere if you’re simply targeting the same groups with the same messages, but in different locations.

2. It’s easy to get too personal, or too off-topic, when social networking, Twittering, etc. You may divulge more information than you wanted to (or than you should), and once you’ve said it, you can’t take it back. The instant gratification factor also makes it easier to communicate without thinking things through; contributing to negative “Web wars” at times.

3. The bulk of the population still hasn’t embraced these technologies, meaning your target audiences may not yet be well-represented there.

Choosing Social Networking Services for Your Needs

There are good things about social networking for PR. There are negative things as well. So how can you strike a happy balance? How do you choose the best social media communication tools for your business, without over-extending your resources to reach only a small portion of your audience?

1. Target, target, target! It doesn’t matter what the largest social network is if your specific audience isn’t represented there. Niche social networking tools may be a far better option than simply going with networks that always seem to be getting the buzz. For example, no network yet beats Myspace for promoting to musicians. If you’re trying to reach an adult audience as opposed to teens, you may be better off using a service like Gather.com. If you want to network with other professionals in your industry, LinkedIn might serve your needs more effectively. There are also smaller social networks targeted to very specific niches (webmasters, photographers, etc.). There’s no reason to try to “do it all.”

2. Understand the numbers. Don’t join a social network simply because they say they have X number of members. Those numbers mean absolutely nothing. What you should care about is not the total membership, but instead the “active” membership (and those specifically within your target audience – it goes back to targeting).

3. Get to know a network’s policies on promotion, as it applies to your plans. The last thing you want is to be labeled a spammer. Understand that these tools are more about networking, building relationships, and communicating than blatant promotion, as in marketing and sales.

No matter how deep you decide to delve into social networking and / or microblogging, always make sure you’re making the best use of your time, and reaching your intended targets.

Here are her other suggested articles:

]]> http://chrisabraham.com/2008/07/06/should-your-business-tap-social-networks/feed/ 2 No Matter What They Say College is Not for Everyonehttp://chrisabraham.com/2008/06/21/no-matter-what-they-say-college-is-not-for-everyone/ http://chrisabraham.com/2008/06/21/no-matter-what-they-say-college-is-not-for-everyone/#comments Sat, 21 Jun 2008 18:11:53 +0000 Chris Abraham http://chrisabraham.com/2008/06/21/no-matter-what-they-say-college-is-not-for-everyone/ I have finally gotten around to catching up on all the Atlantics that have piled up in my absence in Berlin. One very compelling article is an anonymous essay written by “Professor X,” In the Basement of the Ivory Tower. I am still trying to sort out my thoughts on this — please excuse the [...]


No Matter What They Say College is Not for Everyone

I have finally gotten around to catching up on all the Atlantics that have piled up in my absence in Berlin. One very compelling article is an anonymous essay written by “Professor X,” In the Basement of the Ivory Tower.

I am still trying to sort out my thoughts on this — please excuse the disjointed nature of this post. Would you be so kind as to comment?  Maybe a conversation is just what I need to sort this out.

The premise is that many of the colleges and universities that populate the United States are are not actually members of the Ivory Tower.

And, if they are part of the Ivory Tower, they are in the basement. As a professor at one of these “basement” schools, Professor X suggests that the majority of the students who come through his English class should not be there — that America’s obsession with college educations, graduate schooling, and professional degrees as de rigeur is seriously messed up.

Why?  Because not everyone is capable of becoming collegiate.

America is a land of opportunity where everyone is equal and all it takes is hard work and focus to do whatever  and become whatever one desires. According to In the Basement of the Ivory Tower, however, this is not so.  From his vast experience teaching remedial high school-level English classes in the guise of Introduction to College Writing (English 101) and Introduction to College Literature (English 102), Professor X believes that the vast investment of time, money, debt, and academic shame associated with going to college if you’re neither prepared or intellectually capable of doing so can be ruinous to the finances, ego, pride, and self-esteem of all of the folks who fail out, still saddled with relatively enormous loans and a send of abject failure associated — all for naught!

I never believed this, myself — all of my friends are bloody brilliant — but I have started to begin to believe, especially in light of the sort of comments I have been receiving in response to my series of incendiary posts about Whales:

I know. I can’t stop making fun — and that I am in fact an Awful Awful Man but I am actually starting to wonder what I can do to encourage these kids that actually saving whales requires a rigorous education and lots of training and support. Saving whales requires amazing copy writing skills and the ability to network, fundraise, and communicate.

Are these commenters “just young” or are they just “communicating casually?” I was pretty literate and intellectually curious when I was in 6-12th grade!

I was writing and researching and participating in my school’s newspaper from 7th grade (my high school spanned 7-12th grade).  So where all of my geeky, nerdy, intellectual friends, too.  I was a book worm. I preferred to spend my time in Hawaii at the library than I did the beach.

I think the problem lies in the incestuous nature of intellectualism, of the academy, of the Ivory Tower, and of the social network associated with urban centers, university towns, and professional and corporate communities.

I was at BlogPotomac the other week and everyone there said that they suffered from Social Network Burnout — but outside of the Social Network Maven world, most people may have a MySpace or Facebook profile, but that’s it — no digg, del.icio.us, reddit, Plurk, Pownce, or anything else!

The same thing happens with regards liberal Democrats in the USA — everyone in NY, DC, Atlanta, Austin, San Francisco, Connecticut, New Jersey, Los Angeles, Chicago, only know Democrats, activists, and people who voted for Gore, Kerry, and who support Choice and evolution in schools — but that’s not America proper!

I mean, of course there is great diversity of belief, politics, and passion, but extrapolating personal beliefs and political, professional, and academic expectations can result in the sort of myopia that can not just leave children behind but might just well leave most Americans behind as well.

What is the current state of vocational training in America?  Why are our public universities, colleges, and community colleges so limited in their scope?  Should these publicly-funded places offer training and services for everyone, where everyone includes opportunity for lives wearing other collars than white!

I see this all the time in technology and the Internet — people just aren’t interested in being geeky. There is no interest there, even when I get into conversations with doctors and lawyers. I always took to being a geek. I always took to being a book worm. Mind you, my parents were both bookish and in the art world, so I guess my vector was partially chosen for me.

Much of the time, it all comes down to just not being interested. Not caring at all. The “I don’t have time for this shit” theory when you’re sitting in class wondering why you’re there instead of at your desk or in the store or at you job, making money for today, tomorrow, and for your family.

Life is messy and there is no need to make it any harder.  Yes, I understand that there is a lot of incentive for these college and universities to broaden their appeal to just about everyone, but my friends like to speak of “opportunity costs” — will going to business school and spending two years in school add to your marketability and brand more than staying in your current job?  What is the opportunity cost of attending a college, spending money you don’t have, and then fail out?  What is the opportunity when you try your hardest and can’t handle the stress or have too many things going on in your life to actually spend the time and attention required to thrive in academia.

I think one of the issue here has to do with our K-12 education. There are quite a few high school graduates who need to basically redo high school — especially if they are returning to college after years away as mature students.

Back in the day, there were all sorts of public services and night schools that were virtually free — they allowed people to take remedial course, to bone up before moving on, and to learn English as a second language.  Are these sorts of services still serving Americans or have they all become privatized into the sundry schools soliciting me late at night?

Please join me in the comments — I would love to continue the conversation and sort out my thoughts along with you.  Thanks in advance.

]]> http://chrisabraham.com/2008/06/21/no-matter-what-they-say-college-is-not-for-everyone/feed/ 1 Doctors Are the Perfect Marks for Spycrafthttp://chrisabraham.com/2008/06/08/doctors-are-the-perfect-marks-for-spycraft/ http://chrisabraham.com/2008/06/08/doctors-are-the-perfect-marks-for-spycraft/#comments Sun, 08 Jun 2008 15:48:20 +0000 Chris Abraham http://chrisabraham.com/2008/06/08/doctors-are-the-perfect-marks-for-spycraft/ An excerpt from my never-to-be-completed and never-to-be-published self-amusement novel, Hill Mole, about how perfect being a doc is for both getting away with affairs and spycraft — and how worthwhile they are as recruits as spies. From the chapter Doctors Have Been Known to Lose Patients: In spycraft, there is no better recruit than a [...]


Doctors Are the Perfect Marks for Spycraft

An excerpt from my never-to-be-completed and never-to-be-published self-amusement novel, Hill Mole, about how perfect being a doc is for both getting away with affairs and spycraft — and how worthwhile they are as recruits as spies. From the chapter Doctors Have Been Known to Lose Patients:

hillmole Doctors Are the Perfect Marks for Spycraft

In spycraft, there is no better recruit than a doctor. Since he has plenty of money and no time, the only way to secure a doc is through extortion. A doctor’s discretion belies quite a lot of indiscretion. Even when there’s so much to lose. Reputations are very fragile. Just blame hubris and a god complex.

Why do doctors make such brilliant spies? Doctors can compartmentalize their lives better than anyone. What a doctor does in a fit of passion away from his family has nothing at all to do with his wife (although it is more commonly a fit of boredom, opportunity, desperation, or frustration). A total disconnect.

Along with this impenetrable bifurcation, you have a spy who can make himself scarce at a whim and then blame the hospital. Good for both illicit affairs and covert ops. It would never be suspicious to anyone — friends, family, even neighbors — for a doctor to noisily open his garage at one AM and drive off, gone until morning.

I met an old married couple. Ira, the husband, was a retired surgeon. After chatting for a while, Ruth, his wife, looked seriously at me and said, “if you ever consider marrying a doctor, remember this: you will never know whether that phone call is the hospital or a mistress.” The usefulness of docs never ceases to amaze me.

They never sleep, they’re self-disciplined, self-motivated, they are discrete, and their entire community trusts — and confides — in them. Whats more, docs are generally disgruntled and bored even with their spicy other woman. Many doctors are exceptionally flattered when you offer intrigue into their sad, boring, bourgeois princehoods. If you land one, he will never get caught. He will never be made. He will be forever loyal (he won’t know how not to). It won’t occur to him to blab his mouth. All the different lives lack any semblence of integration.

Even today, the general population trusts their doctor as god. Actually, the best thing about recruiting doctors is that they can make mortal errors. If a doctor loses a patient… well, its been known to happen.

]]> http://chrisabraham.com/2008/06/08/doctors-are-the-perfect-marks-for-spycraft/feed/ 0 Will an Expansion Dilute or Expand the Yale Brand?http://chrisabraham.com/2008/06/07/will-an-expansion-dolute-or-expand-the-yale-brand/ http://chrisabraham.com/2008/06/07/will-an-expansion-dolute-or-expand-the-yale-brand/#comments Sat, 07 Jun 2008 23:00:23 +0000 Chris Abraham http://chrisabraham.com/2008/06/07/will-an-expansion-dolute-or-expand-the-yale-brand/ Richard C. Levin, the President of Yale, just popped its alumni an email announcing the expansion of Yale College — growing the hallowed university by two residential colleges: I am pleased to announce that the Yale Corporation has authorized increasing the enrollment of Yale College through the creation of two new residential colleges. This expansion [...]


Will an Expansion Dilute or Expand the Yale Brand?

Richard C. Levin, the President of Yale, just popped its alumni an email announcing the expansion of Yale College — growing the hallowed university by two residential colleges:

I am pleased to announce that the Yale Corporation has authorized increasing the enrollment of Yale College through the creation of two new residential colleges. This expansion will allow us to make an even greater contribution to society by preparing a larger number of talented and promising students of all backgrounds for leadership and service.

This is an excellent time for Yale to expand. Harvard and Yale had to reject most of all the applicants who applied to matriculate this Fall — many of whom were exceptional and some of whom were the sons and daughters of Harvard and Yale graduates — legacy applicants. The questions remains: will the increase of placement supply affect the brand integrity of this exclusive — and arguably finest — undergraduate education? What do you think?

You may not have heard but we’re entering what is called the “echo boom:”

The Echo Boom generation is an expansive term for children born between roughly 1988 and 1992 (though sources disagree on the exact years). In 1989 the number of live births exceeded four million for the first time since 1964, and the Echo Boom peaked in 1990 (33 years after the peak of the Baby Boom) with 4.16 million live births, the greatest number since 1962 in the United States.[1] Children of this generation are called Echo Boomers, a reference to the fact that the generation falls between about 30 and 36 years after the Baby Boomer generation, and thus many Echo Boomers are the children of Baby Boomers.

While the lure of a larger incoming class of elite and monied incoming Freshmen into their undergraduate programs may be too attractive to resist, there is always the possibility that the quality and exclusiveness of Yale — its brand reputation — could well be eroded by this expansion. Also, since one of Yale College’s appeal is the tradition behind each of its residential college, I wonder how incoming Freshmen will take to becoming part of starting a new tradition?

There is a serious deficit of elite university inventory. We are going through a renaissance of academia and a national passion to be truly rewarded with a spot at a top-five undergraduate education where a second tier college won’t do. Many universities are desperately trying to expand not just their capacity but also their services, their resources. And, why not generate more income and also expand the ranks of a very devoted, generally well-healed alumni who will generally do whatever they can to give back on the investment that Yale made in them — and that devotion is palpable.

So, what to do, what to do?

What’s more, many of the children of baby boomer Yalies can’t get their children into Yale. So, many of these expansion are being made to be able to accept more legacy student as well as the growing tide of superboys and supergirls who have their hearts set on the Harvards, Yales, Princetons, Berkeleys, Stanfords, and the lesser Ivies.

Anyway, for you amusement, here’s the letter that President Richard C. Levin sent its alumni (also viewable via the web):

Dear Yale Alumni and Parents:

I am pleased to announce that the Yale Corporation has authorized increasing the enrollment of Yale College through the creation of two new residential colleges. This expansion will allow us to make an even greater contribution to society by preparing a larger number of talented and promising students of all backgrounds for leadership and service.

We will achieve this goal while ensuring that the quality of the Yale College educational and social experience will be as extraordinary as ever.

As I stated in February, when we shared the report of the Study Group to Consider New Residential Colleges, the last significant increase in the size of the Yale College student body came with the admission of women in 1969. By 1978, undergraduate enrollment first reached 5,200, and it has remained between 5,150 and 5,350 ever since. When women were first allowed to apply to Yale College, the number of applications soared immediately from 6,781 to 10,039, and the number fluctuated between 9,000 and 13,000 until 2001, when it began a steady rise to its current level of 22,500, spurred by dramatic improvements in financial aid, wider awareness of Yale’s accessibility, the extension of full need-based aid to international students, and a growing appreciation of the quality of a Yale College education. Along with the rise in applications has come an equally dramatic increase in the percentage of those admitted who accept Yale’s offer, from 53 percent when I became president, to over 70 percent in recent years.

The principal result of these changes in the admissions picture is that Yale College has become significantly more selective. From 1969 to 2000, the percentage of applicants admitted to Yale College ranged from 18 to 27 percent. It was above 20 percent as recently as 1999. Today, Yale College admits fewer than 10 percent of its applicants. Admissions officers agree that in each of the past several years we have denied admission to hundreds of applicants who would have been admitted ten years ago.

The mission of Yale College is to seek exceptionally promising students of all backgrounds from across the nation and around the world and to educate them, through mental discipline and social experience, to develop their intellectual, moral, civic and creative capacities. The aim of this education is the cultivation of citizens with a rich awareness of our heritage to lead and serve in every sphere of human activity. For three centuries, we have made this aspiration a reality, to the great benefit of the nation and, increasingly, the world. Today, we have a long queue of highly qualified applicants who collectively would allow Yale to make an even greater contribution to society if more could be educated here. In addition, since the late-1970s, when the undergraduate population ceased to grow, Yale is larger in virtually every dimension: faculty, staff, library and museum resources, and physical presence. We are well poised, therefore, to expand.

Our 12 existing residential colleges are admired because they create intimate communities and a superb environment for learning. The new colleges will emulate Yale’s proven model with a master, dean, fellows, and students forming a close-knit family, supported by the highest caliber public and private spaces for living and study. With an anticipated opening in 2013, these colleges will allow us not only to increase the undergraduate student body by about 15 percent, but also to alleviate crowding throughout the residential college system. We expect to reduce the population of the existing colleges by approximately 140 students and largely eliminate the need for annex housing.

Our goal is that students in every residential college, old and new, will have an even more robust and enlivening experience as a result of this expansion. Thus, we are adding facilities in the vicinity of the new colleges that support academics and student life, including classroom space, a student café, exercise facilities, a theater, and more. We are also expanding the faculty to sustain our favorable ratio of students to teachers, particularly in highly subscribed majors, and we are growing our system of academic advising. New resources will augment curricular development, student research, study abroad, and the whole range of extracurricular activities so important to a Yale education.

The new colleges will be built in a triangle just north of the Grove Street Cemetery bounded by Prospect, Canal, and Sachem Streets, creating a new sense of the geography of our campus by enlarging the footprint of Yale College. I believe that the presence of undergraduate residences north of Grove Street will alter the perception that Science Hill is “too far away” from the “center” of campus. In fact, the site proposed for the new colleges is only three blocks north of Elm Street, which divides the Old Campus and the Cross Campus. As the Study Group Report indicates, the new colleges have the potential of making the whole campus seem smaller, more effectively linking Science Hill with the historic “center” through the proper treatment of Prospect Street, the creation of appropriate “stepping stones” along the way, and the development of facilities for student activities at, near, and beyond the site of the new colleges.

To support the expansion of Yale College, the Corporation has authorized an increase in the goal of the Yale Tomorrow fundraising campaign from $3 billion to $3.5 billion. I am delighted to announce that, thanks to generous commitments from a handful of leadership donors, we have already secured $140 million in gifts and pledges for this purpose.

Almost 80 years ago, Edward H. Harkness, B.A. 1897, gave the funds to create Yale’s residential college system. He saw the residential colleges as a way to sustain the collegiate spirit in a school that was fast becoming a university. Since then, Yale College has grown in ways that Harkness never predicted. The student body has doubled, women have been enrolled, and young people have been welcomed from more than 100 nations. Remarkably, the members of this vast and vibrant enterprise still consider themselves part of a family. This is Harkness’s great legacy, and one that we will preserve in a new era of expansion. I am grateful for the outstanding work of the Study Group for providing us with wise counsel on how to achieve this objective.

Sincerely yours,

Richard C. Levin

So, what do you think?

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