Jack on the Net 2/11/09

Things I've done on other sites/blogs on the internet in the last few days.

Lucianne
This is my favorite news site on the net. I posted these articles to it.

Bailout May Top $1.5 Trillion - Washington Post

The gravity of the financial crisis confronting the Obama administration will come into stark focus today when officials unveil a three-pronged rescue program that may commit up to $1.5 trillion in public and private funds, and possibly more, lawmakers and other officials said.

Note that figure. This is a whole new world.

Despite Slump Economy Grows 7.1% - Times of India

NEW DELHI: Indian economy is holding its head high amid a global doom. In the current financial year (2008-09), the country's economy is expected to grow at 7.1%, according to data released by the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO)on Monday, the second highest in the world, only next to China.

Obama: Failure to Act = "Catastrophe" - New York Times

WASHINGTON — President Obama took his case for his $800 billion economic recovery package to the American people on Monday, as the Senate cleared the way for passage of the bill and the White House prepared for its next major hurdle: selling Congress and the public on a fresh plan to bail out the nation’s banks.

Russia Forces US Base Closure - The Economist [UK]

The Kyrgyz Republic, having been promised $2.3bn in Russian aid, says it will force the US to close its airbase in the Central Asian republic, which supports US forces in Afghanistan. For the Kyrgyz side, the motivation is primarily financial—although closure of the base will have some popular appeal. Russia, meanwhile, seems set on using the airbase to exert leverage over the new US administration, in the hope of getting concessions elsewhere.

This may grow into Obama's first big foreign policy test.

Israelis Vote in Volatile Contest - International Herald Tribune [FR]

JERUSALEM: Israeli voters went to the polls Tuesday with public opinion polls showing many still wavering until the last minute in deciding whom to support. Benjamin Netanyahu's conservative Likud Party has led in many of the polls, with the centrist Kadima Party, led by Tzipi Livni, the current foreign minister, following close behind.

First Extinct-Animal Clone Created - National Geographic

An extinct animal has been resurrected by cloning for the first time—though the clone died minutes after birth. Findings revealed January 23 in the journal Theriogenology describe the use of frozen skin in 2003 to clone a bucardo, or Pyrenean ibex, a subspecies of Spanish ibex that went extinct in 2000. Scientists had cloned endangered species before, but not one that had officially died out.

Jurassic Park anyone?

Europe Extends Missions to Planets- Space.com

The European Space Agency (ESA) on Tuesday announced mission extensions for three spacecraft currently exploring Mars, Venus and the Earth's magnet field. The extensions will allow Europe's current Mars Express and Venus Express probes to continue their missions at their respective planets through Dec. 31, while ESA's Cluster spacecraft will continue to do the same at Earth.

Amid all the gloom and doom here on Earth, mankind is making progress in Space. Someday we may achieve a true space-faring civilization.

Popular Rage Grows as Global Crisis Worsens - Der Spiegel [GER]

As the global economic crisis deepens, tempers around the world are getting shorter. French and British trade unions are organizing strikes, Putin is sending troops into the streets and Beijing is trying to buy itself calm. [Snip]About 50 million jobs could be lost worldwide in the next 11 months and more than 200 million people could drift into total poverty, warns the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).

Glen Beck on Fox News tonight was warning of impending world revolution. I am skeptical. Can things really get this bad?

Rival Israeli Parties Claim Victory - Al Jazeera [ARAB]

The leaders of the centrist Kadima party and the right-wing Likud party have both declared victory in Israel's general election. {Snip} Saeb Erekat, a senior Palestinian peace negotiator, told Al Jazeera that no matter who formed the next Israeli government, the election results were bad for the Middle East peace process.

This is how the main Arab news reported the election. I was surprised how evenhanded this piece was.