Developing A Neighborhood Watch For The Internet

Fabian Bustamante David Choffnes

Internet network performance problems are not only annoying to users -- they are costly to businesses and network operators. But since the Internet has no built-in monitoring system, network problems often go unnoticed. To help fix this problem, researchers at the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science at Northwestern University have developed a new way to detect and report such problems in real time through their Network Early Warning System. While choppy playback on streaming video may be irritating to a user, it can drive thousands of potential customers away from the site providing the feed. As the Internet continues to grow, these network problems, or anomalies, become all the more frequent and frustrating. Determining the existence, let alone the impact, of network anomalies is important because the Internet has no overall monitoring system.

Current monitoring systems try to identify network anomalies and can look for issues that could lead to performance problems but cannot tell whether individual users are actually experiencing problems.

Yet every day, millions of Internet users worldwide naturally generate data traffic that inherently provides information about whether the network is working or not. (Think of the million of peer-to-peer users in systems like BitTorrent or Skype.). By sharing high-level information about their experience, these users could very efficiently and accurately detect where problems occur in real time.

So Fabián Bustamante, associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science, and doctoral student David Choffnes are exploiting this observation to build a participatory approach to detecting, isolating and reporting network anomalies: the Network Early Warning System, or NEWS for short.

"You can think of it as crowd sourcing network monitoring," said Bustamante.

While the concept behind NEWS is straightforward, Bustamante and Choffnes overcame a number of design challenges to bring the approach to an Internet-scale deployment. By gathering information about network conditions from natural data traffic, NEWS focuses only on problems that affect end-users and does so without requiring any extra and potentially wasteful network-measurement traffic. NEWS incorporates knowledge of "normal" behavior for network applications to prevent false alarms and confirms suspected problems by checking with other nearby users.

NEWS is currently implemented as an extension to a popular BitTorrent client. By generating warnings about problems in the network, the software allows users to ensure that they get the proper Internet service they pay for. This was incentive enough for more than 12,000 users to install the software during its beta-testing phase. The researchers are also developing a portal for network providers to be notified about the network problems reported by their users.

Bustamante and Choffnes, who previously released the popular Ono extension for BitTorrent (now with more than 300,000 users worldwide), are applying the NEWS approach to build other valuable services, such as enabling comparison shopping for different Internet Service Providers based on the performance seen from subscribers.

For more information, visit the lab's web site at: aqualab.cs.northwestern.edu

Contact: Megan Fellman fellman@northwestern.edu 847-491-3115 Northwestern University

Freedom Calendar 11/28/08 - 12/06/08

November 29, 1935, Death of African-American U.S. Rep. Henry Cheatham (R-NC), who served as delegate to two Republican National Conventions. November 30, 1983, Clarence Pendleton completes first term as first African-American Chairman of U.S. Civil Rights Commission; appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1981.

December 1, 1873, African-American Republican Alonzo Ransier, former South Carolina Republican Party Chairman and Lt. Governor, sworn in as U.S. Representative (R-SC).

December 2, 1863, Phillip Reid, former slave set free by Republicans’ 1862 D.C. Emancipation Act, watches his statue Freedom placed atop U.S. Capitol.

December 3, 2002, Jewish Republican Linda Lingle (R-HI) inaugurated as state’s first woman governor.

December 4, 1886, Death of Republican George Ruffin, first African-American graduate of Harvard Law School and first African-American state judge in the North 5

December 5, 2000, Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) becomes first woman elected to U.S. Senate Leadership.

December 6, 1865, Republican Party’s 13th Amendment, banning slavery, is ratified.

Tags: President Bush and Freedom Calendar or Booker T. Washington and Republicans or African-Americans and Brown v. Board of Education or Ronald Reagan and Michael Steele or Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass or 40 acres and a mule or Martin Luther King and Voting Rights Act of 1965 or Dred Scott

Bush radio address 11/29/08 PODCAST TEXT TRANSCRIPT

DOWNLOAD THE MP3 FILE HERE

bush radio address 11/29/08 full audio, text transcript. President's Radio Address

Subscribe to Our Podcast feed or online podnova Podcast Channel and receive the weekly Presidential Radio Address in English and Spanish with select State Department Briefings. Featuring real audio and full text transcripts, More content Sources added often so stay tuned.

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. This week, Americans gather with loved ones to celebrate Thanksgiving. This holiday season is a time of fellowship and peace. And it is a time to give thanks for our many blessings.

During this holiday season, we give thanks for generations of Americans who overcame hardships to create and sustain a free Nation. When the Pilgrims celebrated their first Thanksgiving nearly four centuries ago, they had already suffered through a harsh and bitter winter. But they were willing to endure that adversity to live in a land where they could worship the Almighty without persecution. When President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863, the United States was in the midst of a terrible civil war. But in that hour of trial he gave thanks -- because he believed America would weather the storm and emerge into a new era of liberty.

During this holiday season, we give thanks for those who defend our freedom. America's men and women in uniform deserve our highest respect -- and so do the families who love and support them. Lately, I have been asked what I will miss about the presidency. And my answer is that I will miss being the Commander-in-Chief of these brave warriors. In this special time of year, when many of them are serving in distant lands, they are in the thoughts and prayers of all Americans.

During this holiday season, we give thanks for the kindness of citizens throughout our Nation. It is a testament to the goodness of our people that on Thanksgiving, millions of Americans reach out to those who have little. The true spirit of the holidays can be seen in the generous volunteers who bring comfort to the poor and the sick and the elderly. These men and women are selfless members of our Nation's armies of compassion -- and they make our country a better place, one heart and one soul at a time.

Finally, I have a special note of thanks to the American people. On this, my last Thanksgiving as your President, I am thankful for the good will, kind words, and heartfelt prayers that so many of you have offered me during the past eight years. I have been blessed to represent such decent, brave, and caring people. For that, I will always be grateful, and I will always be honored. Thank you for listening. # # #

For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary November 26, 2008

Tags: President Bush and White House radio address

Discurso Radial del Presidente a la Nación 11/29/08

Descargar el archivo MP3 aquí

forre el audio de la dirección de radio 11/29/08 por completo, transcripción del texto. (nota de los redactores: ninguna lengua española mp3 lanzó esta semana, apesadumbrada) PODCAST

Suscribir a nuestro canal de Podcast de Odeo o del podnova y recibir la dirección de radio presidencial semanal en inglés y español con informes selectos del departamento del estado. Ofreciendo transcripciones audio y con texto completo verdaderas, más fuentes contentas agregaron a menudo así que la estancia templó.

Buenos Días.

Esta semana los estadounidenses se reúnen con sus seres queridos para celebrar el Día de Acción de Gracias. Esta temporada de fiesta es un momento de fraternidad y de paz. Y es un momento para agradecer todas nuestras bendiciones.

Durante esta temporada de fiesta, damos gracias por las generaciones de estadounidenses que vencieron privaciones para crear y sostener una Nación libre. Cuando los Primeros Colonizadores de Nueva Inglaterra celebraron su primer Día de Acción de Gracias hace casi cuatro siglos, ya habían sufrido un invierno duro y amargo. Pero estaban dispuestos a soportar aquella adversidad a fin de vivir en una tierra donde pudieran adorar al Todopoderoso sin persecución. Cuando el Presidente Abraham Lincoln proclamó al Día de Acción de Gracias un feriado nacional en 1863, los Estados Unidos se encontraba en medio de una terrible guerra civil. Pero en esa hora de tribulación él dio gracias – porque consideraba que Estados Unidos podría capear el temporal y salir adelante a una nueva era de libertad.

Durante esta temporada de fiesta, damos gracias por aquellos que defienden nuestra libertad. Los hombres y mujeres de Estados Unidos en uniforme merecen nuestro respeto más alto – al igual que sus familias que los quieren y los apoyan. Últimamente me han preguntado qué es lo que más extrañaré al dejar la Presidencia. Y mi respuesta es que extrañaré ser el Comandante-en jefe de estos valientes guerreros. En esta época especial del año – cuando muchos de ellos están sirviendo en tierras lejanas – están en los pensamientos y las oraciones de todos los estadounidenses.

Durante esta temporada de fiesta, damos gracias por la bondad de ciudadanos en toda nuestra Nación. Es un testamento a la bondad de nuestro pueblo que en el Día de Acción de Gracias millones de estadounidenses dan una mano a aquellos que tienen poco. El verdadero espíritu de las fiestas se puede ver en los generosos voluntarios que traen confort a los pobres y a los enfermos y a las personas de mayor edad. Estos hombres y mujeres son miembros desinteresados de los ejércitos de compasión de nuestra Nación – y hacen de nuestro país un mejor lugar, un corazón y un alma a la vez.

Por último, tengo una nota especial de agradecimiento al pueblo estadounidense. En éste, mi último Día de Acción de Gracias como su Presidente, agradezco la buena voluntad, las palabras bondadosas y las oraciones sinceras que tantos de ustedes me han ofrecido durante los últimos ocho años. Siento que he sido bendecido de representar a personas tan decentes, valiosas y cariñosas. Por eso siempre estaré agradecido… y siempre me sentiré honrado. Gracias por escuchar.

Para su publicación inmediata Oficina del Secretario de Prensa 26 de noviembre de 2008

Etiquetas De Technorati: Discurso Radial del Presidente a la Nación, y Presidente Bush

PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH GRANTS PARDONS AND COMMUTATIONS

WASHINGTON - On Nov. 24, 2008, President George W. Bush granted pardons to 14 individuals and commutation of sentence to two individuals:

PARDONS:
* Leslie Owen Collier - Charleston, Mo.
Offense: Unauthorized use of a registered pesticide, 7 U.S.C. §§ 136j(a)(2)(F) and 136l(b); violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, 16 U.S.C. § 668(a).
Sentence: Feb. 2, 1996; Eastern District of Missouri; two years’ probation and $10,000 in restitution.

* Milton Kirk Cordes - Rapid City, S.D.
Offense: Conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act; 18 U.S.C. § 371, 16 U.S.C. §§ 3372(a)(2)(A), 3373(d)(1)(B).
Sentence: Dec. 14, 1998; District of South Dakota; 18 months’ probation conditioned on loss of hunting privileges for one year, performance of 100 hours of community service and payment of a $2,000 fine.

* Richard Micheal Culpepper - Mahomet, Ill.
Offense: False statements to the United States; 18 U.S.C. § 287.
Sentence: Jan. 15, 1988; Central District of Illinois; five years' probation conditioned on payment of a $1,000 fine and $4,351.90 in restitution.

* Brenda Jean Dolenz-Helmer - Fort Worth, Texas
Offense: Misprision of a felony; 18 U.S.C. § 4.
Sentence: Dec. 31, 1998; Northern District of Texas; four years' probation, with the special condition of 600 hours of community service and a $10,000
fine.

* Andrew Foster Harley - Falls Church, Va.
Offense: Wrongful use and distribution of marijuana and cocaine; Article 112a, Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Sentence: April 17, 1985, as approved June 13, 1985; U.S. Air Force general court martial convened at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.; 90 days' confinement, forfeiture of all pay and allowances and dismissal from the Air Force.

* Obie Gene Helton- Rossville, Ga.
Offense: Unauthorized acquisition of food stamps; 7 U.S.C. § 2024(b), 18 U.S.C. § 2.
Sentence: April 1, 1983; Eastern District of Tennessee; two years’ probation, $500 fine and $875 in restitution.

* Carey C. Hice Sr.- Travelers Rest, S.C.
Offense: Income tax evasion; 26 U.S.C. § 7201 and 18 U.S.C. § 2.
Sentence: March 5, 1996; District of South Carolina; three years’ probation condition on 180 days' home confinement and a $13,000 fine.

* Geneva Yvonne Hogg - Chamblee, Ga.
Offense: Bank embezzlement; 18 U.S.C. § 657.
Sentence: June 19, 1980; District of South Carolina; five years’ probation and a $500 fine.

* William Hoyle McCright Jr.- Midland, Texas
Offense: Making false entries, books, reports or statements of bank; 18 U.S.C. § 1005.
Sentence: Oct. 20, 1986, as amended September 23, 1987; Western District of Texas; two years’ imprisonment and a $10,000 fine.

* Paul Julian McCurdy - Sulphur, Okla.
Offense: Misapplication of bank funds by a bank officer; 18 U.S.C. § 656.
Sentence: Feb. 12, 1988; Eastern District of Oklahoma; five years’ probation and $5,000 in restitution.

* Robert Earl Mohon Jr.- Grant, Ala.
Offense: Conspiracy to distribute marijuana; 21 U.S.C. §§ 841 and 846.
Sentence: Oct. 22, 1987; Northern District of Alabama; three years in prison.

* Ronald Alan Mohrhoff - Los Angeles
Offense: Unlawful use of a telephone in furtherance of a narcotics felony, 21 U.S.C. § 843(b); possession of cocaine, 21 U.S.C. § 844(a).
Sentence: Oct. 9, 1984; Central District of California; one year of in prison followed by five years’ probation with the special condition of 2,500 hours of community service.

* Daniel Figh Pue III - Conroe, Texas
Offense: Illegal treatment, storage and disposal of a hazardous waste without a permit, 42 U.S.C. § 6928(d)(2)(A); illegal transportation of a hazardous waste to an unpermitted facility for storage or disposal, 42 U.S.C. § 6928(d)(1).
Sentence: Oct. 25, 1996; Southern District of Texas; three years' probation conditioned on six months' home confinement and a $1,000 fine.

* Orion Lynn Vick - White Hall, Ark.
Offense: Aiding and abetting the theft of government property; 18 U.S.C. §§ 641 and 2.
Sentence: June 17, 1975; District of Arizona; payment of a $250 fine within 90 days.

COMMUTATIONS:

* John Edward Forte - North Brunswick, N.J.
Offense: Aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine; 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A)(ii), 18 U.S.C. § 2.
Sentence: Nov. 20, 2001; Southern District of Texas; 168 months in prison, five years’ supervised release and a $5,000 fine.
Terms of commutation: Sentence of imprisonment to expire on Dec. 22, 2008, leaving intact and in effect the five year term of supervised release with all its conditions.

* James Russell Harris - Detroit, Mich.
Offense: Conspiracy to aid and abet the distribution of cocaine, 21 U.S.C. § 846; attempted money laundering, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1956(a)(3) and 2; aiding and abetting the attempted distribution of cocaine, 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1); conspiracy to affect interstate commerce by obtaining property under color of official right, 18 U.S.C. § 1951; attempt to affect interstate commerce by obtaining property under color of official right, 18 U.S.C. § 1951.
Sentence: May 10, 1993; Eastern District of Michigan; 360 months in prison, five years’ supervised release and a $50,000 fine.
Terms of clemency grant: Unpaid balance of fine remitted; sentence of imprisonment commuted to expire on Dec. 22, 2008, leaving intact and in effect the five year term of supervised release with all its conditions save the obligation to satisfy the unpaid balance of the fine. ###

Tags: President Bush and White House

Attacks in Mumbai, India

Opened in 1903, the Taj Mahal Hotel, Bombay was born out of Jamsetji N. Tata’s dream. Mr. Tata believed that Bombay (now Mumbai), the commercial capital of India, required a grand hotel, one that would enhance its reputation amongst the great cities of the world. Jamsetji N. Tata was the founder of India’s premier business house – the Tata Group.

Consular Calls: Attacks in Mumbai, India U.S. Department of State

We strongly condemn the terrorist attacks that have taken place in Mumbai, India. Our sympathies go out to the families and friends of those killed and injured, and to the people of Mumbai.

We are monitoring the situation very closely and stand ready to support the Indian authorities as they deal with this horrific series of attacks. At this point, we are unaware of any American casualties.

Americans who have reason to believe that a relative or friend has been affected by the attacks in Mumbai, India should call: 1-888-407-4747.

This information is current as of today, Thu Nov 27 2008 17:57:40 GMT-0500 (Eastern Standard Time).

The Department of State warns U.S. citizens about heightened security concerns in India, and advises U.S. citizens traveling to or already in India to maintain a high level of vigilance and to take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness. This Travel Alert expires on December 31, 2008.

There are heightened security concerns in India following the November 26 terrorist attacks on hotels, a railway station, restaurant, hospital, and other locations in Mumbai frequented by Westerners. Over 100 persons are believed to have been killed, and hundreds injured. Casualties include both Indian and foreign nationals. Americans appear to have been among those specifically targeted. U.S. citizens should exercise caution and take prudent security measures, including maintaining a high level of vigilance, avoiding crowds and demonstrations, keeping a low profile, varying times and routes for all travel, and ensuring travel documents are current.

In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks, the Department of State urged Americans to defer travel to Mumbai for at least 48-72 hours. American citizens in need of assistance related to the terrorist attacks should call the Department of State or the U.S. Consulate in Mumbai.

Americans throughout India should be vigilant about security at all times. The Embassy and Consulates are actively assessing the countrywide security environment. Americans are advised to monitor local news reports, vary their routes and times in carrying out daily activities, and consider the level of security present when visiting public places, including religious sites, or hotels, restaurants, entertainment and recreation venues. If unattended packages are spotted, American citizens should immediately exit the area and report the packages to authorities.

For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department's Internet web site at http://travel.state.gov where the current Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, and Travel Alerts can be found. Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the United States and Canada or, for callers outside the United States and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). Americans are also encouraged to read the Country Specific Information for India, available on the Embassy's website at http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov, and also at http://travel.state.gov.

U.S. citizens living or traveling abroad are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department's travel registration web site at https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui/ so that they can obtain updated information on travel and security. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency. For additional information, please refer to "A Safe Trip Abroad" found at http://travel.state.gov.

U.S. citizens may contact the American Citizens Services Unit of the Embassy or the Consulates General for further information:

-- The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi is located at Shanti Path, Chanakya Puri 110021; telephone +91-11-2419-8000; fax +91-11-2419-8407. The Embassy's Internet home page address is http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov.
-- The U.S. Consulate General in Mumbai (Bombay) is located at Lincoln House, 78 Bhulabhai Desai Road, 400026, telephone +91-22-2363-3611; fax +91-22-2363-0350. The Internet home page address is http://mumbai.usconsulate.gov.
-- The U.S. Consulate General in Chennai (Madras) is at 220 Anna Salai, Gemini Circle, 600006, telephone +91-44-2857-4000; fax +91-44-2811-2027. The Internet home page address is http://chennai.usconsulate.gov.
-- The U.S. Consulate General in Kolkata (Calcutta) is at 5/1 Ho Chi Minh Sarani, 700071; telephone +91-33-3984-2400; fax +91-33-2282-2335. The Internet home page address is http://kolkata.usconsulate.gov

I, (QuartierLatin1968) the copyright holder of this work, hereby publish it under the following licenses:

Inage Permission: Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".

President Bush Pardons "Pumpkin and Pecan" in National Thanksgiving Turkey Ceremony VIDEO PODCAST

Young members of the Rose Garden audience gather around Pumpkin, the National Thanksgiving Turkey, after it was officially pardoned by President George W. Bush during festivities Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2008, at the White House. White House photo by Joyce N. Boghosian

President Bush Pardons "Pumpkin and Pecan" in National Thanksgiving Turkey Ceremony. FULL STREAMING VIDEO Rose Garden Thanksgiving 2008 11:20 A.M. EST. PODCAST OF THIS ARTICLE THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, all. Please be seated. Welcome to the Rose Garden for the pardoning of the National Thanksgiving Turkey.

This is a tradition that dates back to the presidency of Harry Truman. Just to be safe, I will be pardoning a second bird -- (laughter) -- in the unlikely event the main act chickens out. (Laughter.) Turkeys are not only the ones on edge this morning -- you see, it turns out the Rose Garden is Barney's turf. (Laughter.) So the press corps is a little nervous, as well. (Laughter.)

I appreciate the representatives of the National Turkey Federation who have joined us: President Joel Brandenberger; Chairman Paul Hill; Paul's wife, Mary June. Today's birds were hatched on the Hill family farm in Ellsworth, Iowa. Paul's son, Nathan, and daughter-in-law, Betsy, along with grandsons Collin and Connor, did a fabulous job of raising the guests of honor.

I also welcome the children here from Cloverly Elementary School. And after I make my brief remarks, you will be welcome to come up and pet our feathered friends.

This is an election year, so it is fitting that the names of these two birds were chosen through the democratic process. After a long, drawn out election season, when the people finally spoke, the name of the ticket sent here to the White House was Pumpkin and Pecan. (Laughter and applause.) Pumpkin is right there. (Laughter.) Pecan is in an undisclosed location. (Laughter.)

Pumpkin and Pecan have an exciting trip ahead of them: Later today, they will fly to Disneyland aboard "Turkey One." (Laughter.) Pumpkin will be the honorary Grand Marshal of Disneyland's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Together these birds will gobble the rest of their days in "The Happiest Place on Earth." I just hope they stay humble there. (Laughter.)

This is my final Thanksgiving as the President. Over the past eight years, I have been given many reasons to be thankful. I'm thankful to our men and women in uniform and I am incredibly proud to have been their Commander-in-Chief. (Applause.) I am thankful for the armies of compassion volunteers who feed the hungry and shelter the poor. I am thankful for the teachers and nurses and pastors police officers and firefighters, and others who serve their neighbors and better their communities.

I'm thankful for the wonderful and supporting family that I have been blessed with. I'm grateful to Laura for her love. I'm grateful for two Thanksgiving miracles who were blessed -- who we were blessed with 27 years ago: Barbara and Jenna. I'm thankful for the fact that my mother is doing well. (Applause.) And this year we're looking forward to having another place at our Thanksgiving table with a son-in-law, and I'm thankful for Henry.

Most of all, I thank the American people for the tremendous privilege of serving as the President. In recent weeks, I've talked a lot about sprinting to the finish. Yet I've assured these turkeys they will not be trotting to their finish. (Laughter.) That's because in keeping with a longstanding tradition, Pumpkin and Pecan are hereby granted a full and unconditional -- unconditional presidential pardon.

I wish all Americans a happy Thanksgiving, and may God bless you. (Applause.)

END 11:24 A.M. EST For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary November 26, 2008

Peter R. Orszag Biography

Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag discusses the value of blogs and plans for his own blog at www.OMB.gov. February 26, 2009

On November 25th, 2008, then President-elect Barack Obama announced Orszag as his nominee for director of the Office of Management and Budget. At 40, he is the youngest member of the Obama Cabinet, as the president upgraded the Director of OMB to cabinet-level priority.

Peter R. Orszag (born December 16, 1968 Boston, Massachusetts) was the seventh Director of the U.S. Congressional Budget Office. His four-year term began on January 18, 2007. The Director of CBO is responsible for ensuring that all duties of the organization, as specified by law, are performed effectively, appropriately, and in a timely manner. The Director regularly consults with the budget committees to ensure that the agency's work and capacities meet and keep pace with Congressional demands.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Before joining CBO, Dr. Orszag was the Joseph A. Pechman Senior Fellow and Deputy Director of Economic Studies at the Brookings Institution. While at Brookings, he also served as Director of The Hamilton Project; Director of the Retirement Security Project; and Codirector of the Tax Policy Center, a joint venture with the Urban Institute.

Director, Retirement Security Project, January 2004–January 2007; Research Professor,
Georgetown University, January 2005–January 2007. Relying on independent research and
evidence-based results, the Retirement Security Project promotes retirement security among moderate- and lower- income families. A joint venture between Georgetown University and the Brookings Institution, it is funded by a multimillion, multiyear grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Director, Competition Policy Associates, Inc. (Washington, DC); May 2003–January 2007; Senior Director, Sebago Associates, Inc. (Washington, DC), March 2002–January 2007; President, August 1998–February 2002. Clients included the World Bank, Nordic Council of Ministers, Governor of California, Central Bank of Iceland, Government of Trinidad and Tobago, National Collegiate Athletic Association, and businesses ranging from small companies to the Fortune 500 corporations.

Consultant, McKinsey & Company (San Francisco, CA), June 1998–August 1998. Advised one of the nation’s largest HMOs on developing its 1999 budget and redesigning its budget process.

Professional Research Staff, Centre for Economic Performance (London School of
Economics), October 1994–June 1995. Member of International Finance, Capital Markets,
and Macroeconomic research groups.

Staff Economist, Council of Economic Advisers, August 1993–July 1994. Areas of
concentration included international macroeconomics, international trade, and the reform process in the former Soviet Union.

Economic Adviser, Macroeconomic and Fiscal Unit (Ministry of Finance, Russian
Government), January 1993–August 1993. Assisted the Russian Government in its
negotiations with the International Monetary Fund.

Research Officer, Centre for Economic Performance, September 1992–August 1993. Wrote Russian Economic Trends, the quarterly report of the Russian Government. In previous government service, he served as Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy (1997–1998), and as Senior Economist and Senior Adviser on the Council of Economic Advisers (1995–1996) during the Clinton administration..

Rep. John Campbell asks a few questions of Dr. Peter Orszag, Director of the Congressional Budget Office.

EDUCATION

Phillips Exeter Academy, graduate with High Honors, June 1987.

Dr. Orszag graduated summa cum laude in economics from Princeton University, June 1991. Inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, June 1991. Awarded John Glover Wilson Memorial Prize in Economics, June 1991.

London School of Economics, M.Sc. in economics with distinction, June 1992. Awarded
M.Sc. Economics Prize, June 1992. Awarded Marshall Scholarship, 1991–1992, Ph.D. in economics, March 1997. Thesis: Dynamic Analysis of Regime Shifts Under Uncertainty: Applications to Hyperinflation and Privatization.

He has coauthored or coedited a number of books, including Protecting the Homeland 2006/7 (2006), Aging Gracefully: Ideas to Improve Retirement Security in America (2006), Saving Social Security: A Balanced Approach (2004), and American Economic Policy in the 1990s (2002).

PERSONAL

Dr. Orszag is of hungarian ancestry an avid runner who has participated in a number of marathons and half marathons. He enjoys Country music, reading history and biographies.

In 1997, he married Cameron Hamill, step-daughter of Donald Kennedy, former President of Stanford University, with whom he had two children, Leila Madeleine and Joshua Nathaniel, They have since been divorced and they share joint custody.

He recently had a daughter Tatiana Zoe Milonas delivered on Nov. 17. with ex-girlfriend, Claire Milonas 39-year-old venture capitalist and a Greek shipping heiress. Ms. Milonas, is the Harvard and Yale educated daughter of a prominent Greek businessman. “We were in a committed relationship until the spring of 2009. In November, Claire gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Although we are no longer together, we are both thrilled she is happy and healthy, and we would hope that everyone would respect her privacy.” Mr. Orszag and Ms. Milonas said in a joint statement

As of January 2010, he is engaged to ABC News reporter Bianna Golodryga 31 with a planned wedding in October. They met at the White House Correspondents' dinner in May.

Dr. Orszag lives in Chevy Chase, Washington, D.C. His parents are Dr Steven Alan Orzag, Hamrick Professor of Engineering and Applied and Computational Mathematics at Princeton and Reba (Karp) Orszag who is the president and owner of Cambridge Hydrodynamics Inc., a research and development company.

SOURCES:

• YouTube - whitehouse's Channel
• Director’s Blog, Life is a series of hellos and goodbyes
• Congressional Budget Office - Division Information
• Peter R. Orszag From Wikipedia
• Peter Orszag Bio CBO
• 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Peter Orszag
• Cameron Hamill and Peter Orszag
• If Peter Orszag Is So Smart, What Will He Do Now?
• Peter Orszag, just engaged, acknowledges new baby with ex-girlfriend Claire Milonas

"Thank You Sarah Palin" Thanksgiving TV ad

More than 100 Californians are appearing in a new television ad campaign this week that will be directed to Governor Sarah Palin. Because of what this group is calling bashing from the media, they’ve decided to instead thank Palin for her work in the 2008 Presidential campaign. The ad is being produced by a conservative group called Our Country Deserves Better and people from all over the country are heading to Rancho Cordova to take part.

The Republican vice president candidate received a lot of media attention during her run for office. Everything from her hairstyle, glasses and manner of speech was critiqued. Others argue that is true for any one running for public office and she shouldn’t be singled out. Our Country Deserves Better disagrees and plans on showing America another side of Sarah Palin over Thanksgiving weekend, when the advertisement will air on cable television stations across the country. Rancho Cordova Post

Tags: Our Country Deserves Better and Sarah Palin

President Bush Meets with Prime Minister Olmert of Israel VIDEO

President Bush Meets with Prime Minister Olmert of Israel Oval Office FULL STREAMING VIDEO In Focus: Global Diplomacy Oval Office 5:40 P.M. EST.

PRESIDENT BUSH: I am pleased to welcome my friend, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, back to the Oval Office. And I thank you for bringing your wife to have dinner tonight with Laura and me. I'm looking forward to it.

We've been through a lot together during our time in office. We strongly believe that Israel will benefit by having a Palestinian state, a democracy on her border that works for peace. And, Prime Minister, that vision is alive because of you. And I thank you for your steadfast support for peace.

And it's not easy. It's not easy to try to change the paradigm, and I understand that. But one thing is for certain -- you've kept your word. And in international politics, that's important. And I want to thank you for the friendship, and thank you for your vision. And I just want you to know that I believe that vision is alive and needs to be worked on.

And again, I welcome you. Appreciate you coming.

PRIME MINISTER OLMERT: Thank you very much, Mr. President. I'm delighted to have this opportunity to express again the deep gratitude we all have to you, personally, as a human being, as a friend, as a courageous leader who has helped Israel so much over the period since you were President of the United States of America.

I will never forget that you have removed one of the most threatening strategic dangers from Israel on the east side, in Iraq. And this is a great achievement that makes life much better for many people in our part of the world, particularly for us and for our neighbors, as well.

You have set forth in motion the Annapolis process, which I was very proud to take part in.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Yes, sir.

PRIME MINISTER OLMERT: It continues with your guidance and support and inspiration. And this is very important, because as you say, a two-state solution is the only possible way to resolve the conflict in the Middle East.

So, Mr. President, on behalf of the people of Israel, I want to thank you. The importance of your leadership is greatly appreciated in our country. And I'm sure that when the history books will be written, the contributions that you made to the safety and security of many people will be greatly appreciated.

Personally, I want to thank you for your friendship on behalf of my wife, Aliza, and myself. And I'm so happy and proud that I had an opportunity to speak of it to you before you leave this great place and before I leave my office. And I'm sure that we will continue our friendship for many years to come.

Thank you very much.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, sir. Thank you.

END 5:45 P.M. EST For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary November 24, 2008

Pinning down the fleeting Internet: Web crawler archives historical data for easy searching VIDEO

VIDEO: Zoetrope searches the historical Web, This demonstration shows the different ways that a user can plumb Internet archives using Zoetrope, including searching past news headlines, traffic patterns, movie ratings and book prices.

The Internet contains vast amounts of information, much of it unorganized. But what you see online at any given moment is just a snapshot of the Web as a whole – many pages change rapidly or disappear completely, and the old data gets lost forever.

"Your browser is really just a window into the Web as it exists today," said Eytan Adar, University of Washington computer science and engineering doctoral student. "When you search for something online you're only getting today's results."

Now, Adar and his colleagues at UW and Adobe Systems Inc. are grabbing hold of the fleeting Web and storing historical sites that users can easily search using an intuitive application called Zoetrope.

"There are so many ways of finding and manipulating and visualizing data on what we call 'the today Web' that it's kind of amazing that there's no way to do anything similar to the ephemeral Web," said Dan Weld, a UW computer science and engineering professor who also worked on the application. One service, the Internet Archive, has been capturing old versions of Web sites for years, but the records for the stored sites are inconsistent, Weld said. More importantly, there's no easy way to search the archive.

With Zoetrope, anyone will be able to use easy keyword searches to find archived Web information or look for patterns over time. The research was presented Oct. 22 by Mira Dontcheva, the system's co-creator and a recently graduated UW computer science and engineering doctoral student now at Adobe Systems Inc., at the ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology in Monterey, Calif.

There are a variety of ways people might want to search the historical Internet. For example, to find a history of traffic patterns in the Seattle area, you'd have to sort through lengthy PDF files from the state Department of Transportation, Adar said. With Zoetrope, you could easily view past versions of any traffic Web site, and getting more specific, search for drive-times on Interstate 90 at 6 p.m. on rainy Fridays. Zoetrope can also capture and help analyze information that might otherwise not be available anywhere.

Sports fanatics could use the program to check historical rankings of their favorite teams or players, information that currently may not be easy to find. The application can do more than just simple keyword searches, Adar said. It also can be used to analyze historical data or link information from different sites. For example, Adar wondered whether air pollution conditions could affect the performance of Olympic athletes, so he used Zoetrope to find daily records of pollution levels in Beijing and the number of world records broken in the 2008 Olympics on each day, and looked to see whether fewer records were broken on days with high pollution levels.

"Zoetrope is aimed at the casual researcher," Weld said. "It's really for anyone who has a question."

Zoetrope could eventually be built in to any other Web browser, Adar said. If you just want to browse the past versions of a given site, you drag a slider backwards to see older and older versions. Alternatively, you can draw a box around just one part of the site, if you're interested in, say, the lead story on CNN.com but don't care about the rest of the page. These boxes can be filtered by keyword searches or date, so you could look only for lead stories featuring Hollywood actors or stories that ran on Fridays.

Users can view historical data by moving the slider, but more sophisticated analyses are available as well. If you're looking at something numerical, such as gas prices over time, the program can draw graphs for you. Or you can pull out images from specific times, such as traffic pictures, and compare them all side by side. These kinds of visualizations can be further organized in a timeline or by clustering – Zoetrope can make an image comparing traffic patterns on sunny days versus cloudy days, for example.

Right now, Zoetrope saves a new version of approximately 1,000 different sites every hour, Adar said. It's been running for four months, so records go no further than that, but Adar hopes to eventually incorporate information from the Internet Archive's nearly 14 years of records into the program.

He wants to figure out how to scale the program up from 1,000 Web pages to all pages in existence, and has run studies to figure how often each page would need to be captured. For example, a traffic site or stock-watching page would need versions saved much more often than every hour, but there are many unchanging pages that could be archived less frequently. Eventually, Zoetrope could automatically figure out how often to capture a page based on how frequently it changes, Adar said.

"This is really a new way to think about storing information on the Web," he said. The researchers hope to release Zoetrope free, and say it may be available as early as next summer. ###

The National Science Foundation, the Achievement Rewards for College Scientists Foundation and the Washington Research Foundation provided funding for Zoetrope. James Fogarty, UW computer science and engineering assistant professor, also worked on the application.

For more information, contact Eytan Adar at eadar@cs.washington.edu or (650) 799-8823, or Weld at weld@cs.washington.edu or (206) 543-9196.

Contact: Rachel Tompa rtompa@u.washington.edu 206-532-2580 University of Washington

Freedom Calendar 11/22/08 - 11/29/08

November 22, 1865, Republicans denounce Democrat legislature of Mississippi for enacting “black codes,” which institutionalized racial discrimination. November 23, 1860, Birth into slavery of Republican Edward Johnson, historian and first African-American New York state legislator (1917-18); helped outlaw racial discrimination in public accommodations.

November 24, 1929, Death of U.S. Senator Francis Warren (R-WY), last Senator to have fought for Union in Civil War; hired first woman in U.S. Senate, Republican Leona Wells.

November 25, 1955, Eisenhower administration bans racial segregation of interstate bus travel.

November 26, 2002, Republican Judy Baar Topinka becomes first woman to chair either major party in Illinois.

November 27, 1857, Birth of Republican Robert Terrell, women’s suffrage advocate; appointed as first African-American judge in District of Columbia by PresidentTheodore Roosevelt.

November 28, 1989, President George H. W. Bush establishes National Museum of the American Indian.

November 29, 1935, Death of African-American U.S. Rep. Henry Cheatham (R-NC), who served as delegate to two Republican National Conventions.

"With courage, born of success achieved in the past, with a keen sense of the responsibility which we shall continue to assume, we look forward to a future large with promise and hope. Seeking no favors because of our color, nor patronage because of our needs, we knock at the bar of justice, asking an equal chance.”

Mary Terrell, African-American Republican and co-founder of the NAACP

Tags: President Bush and Freedom Calendar or Booker T. Washington and Republicans or African-Americans and Brown v. Board of Education or Ronald Reagan and Michael Steele or Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass or 40 acres and a mule or Martin Luther King and Voting Rights Act of 1965 or Dred Scott

Bush radio address 11/22/08 PODCAST TEXT TRANSCRIPT

DOWNLOAD THE MP3 FILE HERE

bush radio address 11/22/08 full audio, text transcript. President's Radio Address In Focus: APEC 2008

Subscribe to Our Podcast feed or online podnova Podcast Channel and receive the weekly Presidential Radio Address in English and Spanish with select State Department Briefings. Featuring real audio and full text transcripts, More content Sources added often so stay tuned.

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. This weekend I am in Lima, Peru, meeting with leaders from nations in the Asia Pacific region at our annual summit.

This summit comes at a time of serious turmoil in the global economy. It also comes at a time of unprecedented cooperation. A week ago in Washington, I hosted the first in what will be a series of international meetings to address the financial crisis. We reviewed the actions we have taken to manage the crisis. And we agreed on principles and specific actions to modernize our financial structures for the 21st century and help prevent another crisis.

As we work to rebuild confidence in our financial systems in the short term, we must also work to promote long-term economic growth. Together, our nations must focus our efforts on three great forces that drive this growth -- free markets, free trade, and free people.

No region of the world demonstrates the power of these forces more vividly than the Asia Pacific. Free markets have helped millions lift themselves out of poverty. Free trade has helped small nations turn themselves into global economic powers. And as more people in the Asia Pacific are free to develop their talents and pursue their ambitions, the whole region has grown in prosperity. We're facing a difficult challenge and there will be tough days ahead. But by relying on these principles, we can be confident in the future of our Nation and the world.

Back at home, one of the most serious economic challenges we face is the situation in our auto industry. America's auto manufacturers are facing severe and urgent financial shortfalls. Earlier this fall, I signed a bill that authorized up to $25 billion in loans to help these automakers make more fuel-efficient vehicles. Under the law, this money is not available to help auto companies with their immediate funding challenges. So this past week, Senators Bond, Levin, and Voinovich came forward with a new proposal that would allow auto companies to access the loans they need -- as long as they're willing to restructure to become financially viable.

This proposal earned support from both sides of the aisle on Capitol Hill. Unfortunately, the leadership in Congress adjourned without even allowing this measure to come up for a vote.

My position is clear: If the automakers are willing to make the hard decisions needed to become viable, they should be able to receive the funds Congress already allotted to them for other purposes. This is a critical issue for our economy and our country. The American people expect their elected leaders to do what it takes to solve it.

Thank you for listening. # # #

For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary November 21, 2008

Tags: President Bush and White House radio address

Discurso Radial del Presidente a la Nación 11/22/08

Descargar el archivo MP3 aquí

forre el audio de la dirección de radio 11/22/08 por completo, transcripción del texto. (nota de los redactores: ninguna lengua española mp3 lanzó esta semana, apesadumbrada) PODCAST

Suscribir a nuestro canal de Podcast de Odeo o del podnova y recibir la dirección de radio presidencial semanal en inglés y español con informes selectos del departamento del estado. Ofreciendo transcripciones audio y con texto completo verdaderas, más fuentes contentas agregaron a menudo así que la estancia templó.

Buenos Días.

Este fin de semana estoy en Lima, Perú, reuniéndome con líderes de países de la región de Asia y el Pacífico en nuestra cumbre anual.

Esta cumbre tiene lugar en un momento de mucha conmoción en la economía mundial. También tiene lugar en un momento de cooperación sin precedente. Hace una semana en Washington, fui anfitrión de la primera en una serie de reuniones internacionales para hacerle frente a la crisis financiera. Examinamos las medidas que hemos tomado para controlar la crisis. Y nos pusimos de acuerdo sobre principios y medidas específicas a fin de modernizar nuestras estructuras financieras para el siglo XXI y tratar de evitar otra crisis.

A la vez que nos esforzamos para que vuelva a haber confianza en nuestros sistemas financieros a corto plazo, también debemos dedicarnos a promover el crecimiento económico a largo plazo. Juntos, nuestros países deben concentrar esfuerzos en tres grandes fuerzas que impulsan ese crecimiento: la libertad del mercado, la libertad del comercio y la libertad de los pueblos.

Ninguna región del mundo demuestra más claramente el poder de dichas fuerzas que la región de Asia y el Pacífico. El libre mercado ha ayudado a millones a salir de la pobreza por sí solos. El libre comercio ha ayudado a países pequeños a convertirse en potencias económicas a nivel mundial. Cuanto más personas hay en la región de Asia y el Pacífico libres de desarrollar su talento e ir en pos de sus sueños, más ha aumentado la prosperidad en toda la región. Enfrentamos un gran desafío, y se vienen días difíciles. Pero en base a estos principios, podemos sentirnos seguros sobre el futuro de nuestro país y el mundo.

En Estados Unidos, uno de los desafíos económicos más serios que enfrentamos es la situación del sector automotor. Los fabricantes de automóviles del país están pasando por un severo y urgente déficit económico. A principios del otoño, promulgué un proyecto de ley que autorizó préstamos por hasta $25,000 millones para ayudarlos a producir vehículos que usen combustible más eficientemente. Conforme a la ley, este dinero no está a disposición de las empresas automotrices para ayudarlas a solucionar dificultades financieras inminentes. Por lo tanto, la semana pasada, los senadores Bond, Levin y Voinovich presentaron una nueva propuesta que permitiría que las empresas automotrices obtengan los préstamos que necesitan, siempre y cuando estén dispuestas a reestructurarse para ser económicamente viables.

Esta propuesta fue respaldada por miembros de ambos partidos en el Capitolio. Desafortunadamente, los líderes del Congreso levantaron sesión sin siquiera permitir que esta medida fuera sometida a votación.

Mi posición es clara: Si los fabricantes de autos están dispuestos a tomar las difíciles decisiones que son necesarias para su viabilidad, deben poder recibir los fondos que el Congreso ya les ha asignado para otros propósitos. Éste es un asunto crucial para nuestra economía y para el país. El pueblo estadounidense espera que sus líderes electos hagan lo necesario para resolverlo.

Gracias por escuchar.

Para su publicación inmediata Oficina del Secretario de Prensa 21 de noviembre de 2008

Etiquetas De Technorati: Discurso Radial del Presidente a la Nación, y Presidente Bush

Timothy F. Geithner Biography

(Born August 18 1961) Timothy Franz Geithner became the ninth president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on November 17, 2003.. In that capacity, he serves as the vice chairman and a permanent member of the Federal Open Market Committee, the group responsible for formulating the nation's monetary policy.

Geithner was born in Brooklyn, New York City, to Mr. and Mrs. Peter F. Geithner of Larchmont, New York. Mr. Geithner graduated from Dartmouth College with a bachelor’s degree in government and Asian studies in 1983 and from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies with a master’s in International Economics and East Asian Studies in 1985. He has studied Japanese and Chinese and has lived in East Africa, India, Thailand, China, and Japan.

After completing his studies, Geithner worked for Kissinger and Associates in Washington, DC, for three years and then joined the International Affairs division of the US Treasury Department in 1988.

Mr. Geithner joined the Department of Treasury in 1988 and worked in three administrations for five Secretaries of the Treasury in a variety of positions.

1997, As Assistant Secretary for International Affairs, Mr. Geithner advised the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, and Under Secretary for International Affairs in the formulation and execution of U.S. International economic policy. Specifically, Mr. Geithner was responsible for developing and executing U.S. Policy in the areas of international ecomny and financial diplomacy; international monetary policy issues, including exchange rate policy; economic policy cooperation among industrial nations (G-7); U.S. Participation in the international financial institutiuons; financial services negociations and policy issues affecting international financial markets; and international trade and investment policy.

He was at Treasury during the emerging-markets crisis in 1997 and was under secretary of the Treasury for international affairs from 1998 to 2001. He played a significant role in the negotiation of assistance packages for South Korea and Brazil. He served as Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs from 1999 to 2001 under Secretaries Robert Rubin and Lawrence Summers.

He was director of the Policy Development and Review Department at the International Monetary Fund from 2001 until 2003.

Mr. Geithner serves as chairman of the G-10’s Committee on Payment and Settlement Systems of the Bank for International Settlements. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Group of Thirty.

He and his wife, Carole Sonnenfeld (Carole Marie Sonnenfeld ) were married June 8, 1985 at his parents' summer home in East Orleans, Mass. The Rev. Thomas Keehn, a United Church of Christ minister, officiated. both are graduates of Dartmouth College they have two children.

Mrs. Geithner, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Sonnenfeld of Princeton, N.J., was a research associate for Common Cause, a public-affairs lobbying group in Washington. Her father was a professor of French and comparative literature at Princeton University. Her mother, Portia Sonnenfeld, was conductor of the Chamber Symphony of Princeton.

SOURCES

• Timothy F. Geithner, President of the New York Fed
• Wikipedia Timothy F. Geithner
• TIMOTHY F. GEITHNER CONFIRMED AS ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS:
• I.M.F. Official Is Named President of New York Fed
• CAROLE M. SONNENFELD WED TO T. F. GEITHNER

Department of State Working To Address Piracy VIDEO

Daily Press Briefing Sean McCormack, Spokesman Washington, DC November 20, 200810:42 a.m. EST.

MR. MCCORMACK: Good morning, everybody. I don’t have anything to start off with, so I can --

QUESTION: Can you tell us what the discussions are like on the Somalia piracy issue, what’s going on now? There seems to be some movement at the UN or --

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, there’s --

QUESTION: The Secretary General’s report yesterday --

MR. MCCORMACK: Right, there’s a – there’s a renewal of a Security Council resolution, and I can get the exact number for you – 1816, which was passed specifically to deal with Somali piracy. I guess we passed two of these up at the UN, 1816 and 1838. So – and that’s coming up for renewal. We’re working on the text of the renewal internally. As I’ve said over the past couple days, we’ve – the Secretary got together a little group led by Eliot Cohen to try to take a look at what might be done. Once you start digging into this issue, it’s very complex and it’s a very complicated issue in terms of finding the right solutions.

Just to review, we are participating in a NATO task force that is escorting humanitarian shipments into Somalia. We do have ships in the air, as do other countries. You’re still dealing with a million square miles of ocean to cover, and it’s still a very difficult problem. When ships encounter, you know, piracy and the pirates are firing on those ships, then they’re free to fire, as we saw with the Indian Government yesterday.

So we’re trying to, as a government, working with other governments, get a handle on this. It’s a serious issue. It’s not going to be something the United States solves alone. And it’s something that the international community truly has to grapple with, and we’re – we’re trying to. We’re trying to via the Security Council as well as other mechanisms.

QUESTION: The Secretary General is talking about a UN peacekeeping force to replace the --

MR. MCCORMACK: In Somalia?

QUESTION: Yeah.

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, clearly --

QUESTION: -- to replace the current UN-authorized --

MR. MCCORMACK: Right.

QUESTION: It’s an African Union force.

MR. MCCORMACK: Right. We have – we’ve been supportive of that and --

QUESTION: Supportive of his --

MR. MCCORMACK: Of – we --

QUESTION: -- desire to make it a UN force?

MR. MCCORMACK: Of having a peacekeeping force in there. I have to admit I have not seen the proposal to make them blue-helmeted, and I’ll look into that particular question for you. But you raise an important point, and that is that the chaos in Somalia certainly has an effect on what’s happening out in the Gulf of Aden. And we want to try to address both issues. You could say that the piracy is a symptom of what’s going on in Somalia, so there are no easy answers to either of those.

One step in the right direction is getting some peacekeeping forces in there. I know the Ethiopians are still there and they want to leave, so to try to help stabilize the situation in Somalia, which we think over time will have some effect – positive effect on what’s going on in the Gulf of Aden. So we’re working – as you point out, we’re working on a number of different fronts here. And I’ll check for you on the blue helmet question.

QUESTION: What’s the current condition under which U.S. forces, U.S. Naval forces, can fire? I mean, can they go seek out --

MR. MCCORMACK: You have to talk --

QUESTION: -- these small vessels?

MR. MCCORMACK: Talk to DOD about the rules of engagement. You know, I – really, I am not well versed in maritime law, and DOD probably will want to talk about their own rules of engagement.

Okay. Gollust, there you go.

QUESTION: There has been kind of a surge of reports in recent days about political unrest in Nicaragua following an election that is disputed.

MR. MCCORMACK: Right.

QUESTION: And now, there are reports that forces loyal to Ortega are using strong-arm tactics against opponents. I’m just wondering whether that’s a matter of concern for --

MR. MCCORMACK: Yeah, it is, and it’s clearly – that’s clearly a negative development. There are real concerns about the integrity of the vote. I think we’ve talked about that, and others have talked about that as well. And the solution – the solution is not to try to rally pro-government forces to suppress peaceful dissent, people who are merely trying to raise legitimate questions about how the vote proceeded and the counting, the post-election activities.

So that’s not the answer. The answer is to consider seriously what might be done to address the legit – these legitimate concerns, whether or not that involves a recount with international observers, that kind of thing. So that is the proper pathway to go down, not to try to encourage nongovernmental forces sympathetic to the government to try to suppress peaceful dissent.

Nina.

QUESTION: Sean, on Iran, The New York Times is reporting today that they have this – enough --

MR. MCCORMACK: Right.

QUESTION: -- fissile material for one – potentially one nuclear bomb.

MR. MCCORMACK: Right.

QUESTION: Any reaction to that?

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, it’s concerning, and this is a matter that will be taken up next week at the IAEA Board of Governors meeting. And we would urge the Board of Governors to send a very strong message to Iran that they must comply with the demands of the international community. Certainly, we will be working within the Security Council to determine what else might be done. And of course, we will continue to look at ourselves - what further steps might be taken in the financial sanctions area to try to prevent – cut off that pathway for Iran to develop a nuclear weapon, and work with other countries to do that as well.

You know, in terms of the estimates, how much LEU, low enriched uranium, do you need potentially for a – one nuclear weapon, I’m going to leave that to the experts. I think there are varying estimates just in that news article that you cited. You know, some said it was enough, others said it was not enough but close. In any case, you don’t want Iran to get close, and that’s why we’ve been pursuing the policy that we have been.

QUESTION: Where are we with the P5+1? Can we expect a ministerial level meeting anytime soon?

MR. MCCORMACK: Nothing scheduled at this point. You know, we continue to consult and to urge action. But you know, at this point, I don’t have anything to report in that regard.

Sue.

QUESTION: Ukrainian President Yushchenko today said that they still want a Membership Action Plan --

MR. MCCORMACK: Right.

QUESTION: -- for NATO. Have you decided what approach you’re going to take on that at the foreign ministers meeting coming up?

MR. MCCORMACK: I don’t think we’ve changed our approach. Let me see if there’s anything more we’ll want to say about that. Obviously, we’re going to have the NATO ministerial coming up in the first week of December.

QUESTION: Do you support a Membership Action Plan for Ukraine?

MR. MCCORMACK: We haven’t changed our position.

Yes, sir.

QUESTION: Are there details on the Secretary’s meeting with Seif al-Islam Qadhafi?

MR. MCCORMACK: Yeah, I don’t – I don’t have a whole lot of details. I talked to David Welch just briefly about the meeting. They talked about the broad range of U.S.-Libya relations. They also talked about developments within Libya itself. The Secretary did raise the case of Fathi al-Jahmi, as did David Welch earlier this week. And it’s an issue that we have raised consistently over time, and we will continue to raise it.

QUESTION: Is there any reason behind the timing of the meeting? I guess his visit to Washington was a private visit.

MR. MCCORMACK: Right.

QUESTION: Was there any specific reason behind his visit right now or why the Secretary chose to meet with him?

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, this was his initiative. He decided to come to the U.S. He’s having a variety of meetings. The Libyan Embassy or he can describe those meetings for you, but I think meeting with sort of the spectrum of people you might expect here in Washington in the Executive Branch, up on the Hill, as well as in the NGO community. So the decision to come here was his, his alone, and the Secretary decided to meet – take the opportunity to meet him while he was here.

QUESTION: Can I ask just one more on that?

MR. MCCORMACK: Yeah, sure.

QUESTION: I mean, is the Secretary in the habit of meeting with the sons of leaders who have no official positions in government and raising --

MR. MCCORMACK: It --

QUESTION: -- and raising cases of political prisoners?

MR. MCCORMACK: It happens. You know, it happens from time --

QUESTION: Well, why would she raise a case with someone who has no official role in government?

MR. MCCORMACK: (Laughter.) Right, Matt. Look, he has – he’s the son of the leader of Libya.

QUESTION: And is she running around seeing, you know --

MR. MCCORMACK: Look, I can point to – I can point examples to you where family members who are important figures in their own societies meet with Executive Branch officials. I think there’s a long record of Republican and Democratic doing that. He is head of the Qadhafi Foundation, which is an important institution within Libya. So again, while he may not hold an official government position, clearly, he is a person of influence within Libya. And --

QUESTION: So she asked him to use his influence with his father to get --

MR. MCCORMACK: No, she didn’t. That’s not what we do in these meetings as the Secretary of State. You don’t proscribe something. You say, look, this case is an issue of concern, we urge this person’s release. The Secretary has done – did that today. David Welch has done it this week, and he has – she and others have consistently raised the case, as they do in countries around the world, whether it’s, you know, China or any other country around the world where we have human rights concerns and we have an ongoing bilateral relationship. That’s – you know, that’s how the business of diplomacy works.

And you know, I get asked about this question, and I try to inform you as best I can about what we’re doing. But our attitude isn’t to stand up here and try to make headlines and get headlines while we raise this issue and -- you know, and to beat people over the head in public. Sometimes that’s – sometimes that’s an effective strategy. But our focus is on effective action, actually accomplishing things rather than trying to get up here and grandstand.

QUESTION: No, understood. But I guess my question is: When was the last time the Secretary met with the son of a leader and raised a – raised any case of policy?

MR. MCCORMACK: I can’t – I can’t give you a specific example. I can, you know – I don’t want to single anybody out, but I can think of a couple examples of a time Executive Branch senior officials have met with family members who happen to be influential within their own society.

Yeah.

QUESTION: More on her meetings with Moratinos and Solana, can you give us any details what she will discuss?

MR. MCCORMACK: With both, I think they’ll talk about the transatlantic relationship. With Mr. Solana, there’s a lot on the plate there, and talk about the Balkans, talk about Iran, talk about the Middle East. I think the Middle East will be the topic of conversation with Foreign Minister Moratinos. I know that’s a particular area of interest for him as well. So it will cover – it’s – there’s no shortage of things to talk about in these meetings. But that’s sort of the general palette.

QUESTION: We’ll get a readout afterwards?

MR. MCCORMACK: We’ll try to get you something, sure.

Yeah.

QUESTION: South Africa says it’s going to withhold aid from Zimbabwe until they have a representative government. Do you approve of that sort of punitive measure by a regional government?

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, what we approve of it is countries in the region or around the globe using their leverage to try to bring about some change of behavior in Zimbabwe. And I think you just had Ambassador McGee up here. I wasn’t here for the briefing, but I suspect he probably gave you the same message.

QUESTION: Do you have any readout from the Geneva talks on Georgia?

MR. MCCORMACK: Yeah, Dan Fried – I think there’s a transcript, and I don’t really have anything to add to what he said; that’s the firsthand account. I mean, it’s basically a first step. That’s the bottom line.

Yeah.

QUESTION: Are you aware of any travel plans for Sung Kim to Seoul next week? And is there any prospect for a heads of delegation meeting before the end of the year?

MR. MCCORMACK: Yeah, still working on the timing with the Chinese on the heads of delegation meeting. In terms of Ambassador Kim’s travel, I’ll be happy to check for you.

QUESTION: Is there anything – can I have this last one?

MR. MCCORMACK: There you go.

QUESTION: The daily transition question: Has there been anything new on, you know, meetings, briefings scheduled?

MR. MCCORMACK: Just, you know, the -- continuing, you know, the business of the transition. Look, I’m going – I’ll leave it to the transition folks to describe what they’re doing. You know, things like meeting with the Secretary, I’ll obviously try to keep you informed of those – those kind of high-level interactions by providing material, briefings going on. You know, we’re committed to making sure that they have the information they think they need to do the job.

QUESTION: Have you released the text of the Iraqi SOFA?

MR. MCCORMACK: I don’t believe we have. You can check with the White House.

QUESTION: It has to come from there?

MR. MCCORMACK: Check with the White House.

QUESTION: Didn’t you all negotiate it or --

MR. MCCORMACK: We participated. That was – it was a broad interagency effort.

QUESTION: Thank you.

MR. MCCORMACK: Yep.

(The briefing was concluded at 10:55 a.m.)

dpb # 197

Released on November 20, 2008

Cast your vote for the National Thanksgiving Turkey

Popcorn & Cranberry Yam & Jam Dawn & Early Light Roost & Run Pumpkin & Pecan Apple & Cider

Cast your vote for the National Thanksgiving Turkey which the President will pardon in a Rose Garden Ceremony next week. This year marks the 61st anniversary of the National Thanksgiving Turkey presentation. Though live Thanksgiving turkeys have been presented intermittently to presidents since the Lincoln administration, the current ceremony dates to 1947, when the first National Thanksgiving Turkey was presented to President Harry Truman.

The presentation at times has brushed against broader history. For example, the November 1963 event was one of President Kennedy's last in the Rose Garden. The first President Bush conducted the 1990 ceremony just before leaving for Thanksgiving with the troops in the Persian Gulf region. President Clinton in 1996 returned from an Asian summit and literally went directly to the ceremony.

The 2008 National Thanksgiving Turkey and its alternate are from Ellsworth, Iowa and were raised under the direction of National Turkey Federation Chairman Paul Hill. The 20-week old turkey, weighed about 45 pounds, when he was driven to Washington.

The National Thanksgiving Turkey was raised using normal feeding and other production techniques. The one exception is they were provided increased interaction with people so that they would be prepared for their role at the White House Ceremony.

After the presentation, the turkey will be flown first class to Disneyland Resort in Southern California, where he will be the grand marshal of "Disney's Thanksgiving Day Parade." After the parade, guests will be able to visit the turkey in Frontierland section.

Tags: President Bush and White House