Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin

This name uses Eastern Slavic naming customs; the patronymic is Vladimirovich and the family name is Putin.

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (Russian: Влади́мир Влади́мирович Пу́тин, IPA: [vlɐˈdʲimʲɪr vlɐˈdʲimʲɪrəvʲɪtɕ ˈputʲɪn] ( listen); born 7 October 1952) served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when president Boris Yeltsin resigned in a surprising move, and then Putin won the 2000 presidential election. In 2004 he was re-elected for a second term lasting until 7 May 2008.

Due to constitutionally mandated term limits, Putin was ineligible to run for a third consecutive Presidential term. After the victory of his successor, Dmitry Medvedev, in the 2008 presidential elections, he was then nominated by the latter to be Russia's Prime Minister; Putin took the post on 8 May 2008.

Putin is credited with bringing political stability and re-establishing the rule of law. During his eight years in office, due to strong macroeconomic management, important fiscal policy reforms, and a confluence of high oil prices, surging capital inflows, and access to low-cost external financing, Russia's economy bounced back from crisis, seeing GDP increase by 72% in PPP (sixfold in nominal), poverty cut more than half, and average monthly salaries increase from $80 to $640, or by 150% in real rates. Analysts have described Putin's economic reforms as impressive.

During his presidency, Putin passed into law a series of fundamental reforms, including a flat income tax of 13%, a reduced profits tax, and new land and legal codes. At the same time, his conduct in office has been questioned by domestic political opposition, foreign governments, and human rights organizations for leading the Second Chechen War, for his record on internal human rights and freedoms, and for his alleged bullying of the former Soviet Republics.

A new group of business magnates controlling significant swathes of Russia's economy—such as Roman Abramovich, Oleg Deripaska, Mikhail Prokhorov, or Yuriy Kovalchuk, all of whom have close personal ties to Putin—emerged according to media reports. Along with Putin's connections to the business world, he has been criticized since the beginning of his first term as developing a cult of personality.

From Wikipedia

President Obama on The Daily Show

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama apparently thinks politics is no laughing matter, even when he's staring down a comedian. Obama barely cracked any jokes during an appearance Wednesday on "The Daily Show" despite host Jon Stewart's attempts to draw out the president's humorous side with a few of his own snarky wisecracks.

Less than a week before the critical Nov. 2 congressional elections, Obama said he hopes Democratic lawmakers who made tough votes will be rewarded with another term in office. He promised more accomplishments in the two years left on his own term in the Oval Office and urged people to vote - early if they can.

Text from: www.huffingtonpost.com

2.8 million viewers tuned in Wednesday night to watch The Daily Show Interview with President Barack Obama and Comedy Central host of the show, Jon Stewart.

The rating is reported to be the third highest viewed episode, with his first appearance in October 2008 as a candidate as highest and the appearance of his wife Michelle Obama’s as second highest. Topics discussed included health care reform, patient’s bill of rights and cutting the deficit, as well as others.

Tag VDO from: http://sickhop.com/tag/obama-daily-show-2010/

It Gets Better

Recently, several young people have taken their own lives after being bullied for being gay – or perceived as being gay – by their peers. Their deaths are shocking and heartbreaking tragedies. No one should have to endure relentless harassment or tormenting. No one should ever feel so alone or desperate that they feel they have nowhere to turn. We each share a responsibility to protect our young people. And we also have an obligation to set an example of respect and kindness, regardless of our differences.

This is personal to me. When I was a young adult, I faced the jokes and taunting that too many of our youth face today, and I considered suicide as a way out. But I was fortunate. One of my co-workers recognized that I was hurting, and I soon confided in her. She cared enough to push me to seek help. She saved my life. I will always be grateful for her compassion and support – the same compassion and support that so many kids need today.

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Aung San Suu Kyi 'could be freed next month'

Myanmar's detained pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, could be released from house arrest next month, Indonesian foreign minister Marty Natalegawa said on Thursday.

Asked if his Myanmar counterpart, Nyan Win, had given any indication of when Suu Kyi would be freed during a regional summit in Hanoi, Natalegawa said: "Once the prison term of her sentence expires, and she has served her sentence, and that notion was not disputed.

"It was our understanding that she would have served her sentence in November," he told reporters.

Text from: www.dnaindia.com

McCain's turn

John McCain Still Pallin' Around with lobbyists,
Arizona Republican is the clear front-runner against challenger J.D. Hayworth. There is an air of both tragedy and farce as the Arizona Republican primary for the United States Senate comes to a conclusion this Tuesday.

Today's news: Wyclef Jean Blocked from Haitian Bid!

Friday night, Wyclef Jean said : “Though I disagree with the ruling,
I respectfully accept the committee’s final decision, and I urge my supporters
to do the same.” (The commission had rejected Jean’s application,
arguing that he dit not meet residency requirements to run.)