Kudos for Obama on India, Africa Policies

President Obama deserves some credit for a couple of foreign policy efforts that are continuations of Bush policies.

In India, while Bill Clinton was saving Korean journalists, and despite Hillary getting a lecture from the Indian PM on global warming, the United States was continuing to make India a larger strategic partner.

In Africa, Obama himself took to lecturing the African nations on the need to stop blaming the West, and instead practice a little good government themselves. While President Bush started the focus on Africa, let's hope Obama, with his background, can convince African nations to lift themselves out of the poverty and despair that grips the continent.

Both these areas of the world are of vital importance and of strategic interest to the U.S. India can serve as a vital counterweight to the growing Chinese military and economic threat. In Africa, despite the hopes of AGW alarmists, we are beginning to find oil in abundance, particularly in the waters of Western Africa. Additionally, the continent is ripe for militant Islamists and we must tame that beast if we are to ever "win" the War on Terror. The Chinese are also our competitors here, and are making inroads in China. But, unlike the Chinese, we need to prove to Africa that we intend to stay, not rape them and take their resources.

Anyway, while there is much to dislike about Obama's policies, and his generally statist bent, these are areas where we can applaud his administration's (at least for now) direction.

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DVR Blogging the Idol Results Show

My daughter had softball practice tonight, so we're watching Idol via DVR (as usual). The opening medley of '70's hits was uneven at best. I don't know what's up with the producers on these, but the last 2 shows, they have been awful, as our favorite Brit would say.


After we review the guys, here's the meat of the matter. Remember that dialidol.com has Luke and Danny in last, with little separation from 2nd to 10th. Only David Archuleta is safe.

Ryan goes into the back row, and immediately sits down Chikezie and Michael Johns. Jason Castro is now safe, leaving Jason Yaeger and Danny Noriega...Jason Yaeger is gone and Danny is safe. I'm not surprised. Jason was 9th on my list, so this is not a surprise. Of course, Danny was 10th, but mostly because I don't like him. I can see he has a following, though.

Jason sings us out, and he's actually better than Tuesday, IMHO. I still think there is something screwy going on in the theater tonight.

Now, for the girls. In review, it's just as painful the second time. Back row again...Kristy, Amanda, Alexandrea, Brooke, Asia'h. It won't be Kristy as Ryan sits her down. Asia'h is safe. Brooke is safe. Alexandrea is going home, leaving Amanda for another week. Reandy is right, she needs to work hard every time. She was a LOT better tonight than last night. Had she given this performance last night, she might still be here.

Bottom row girls, includes all the good ones, except Kady, so who will it be? Not Carly, not Ramiele, not Syesha, so it's either Alaina or Kady. Alaina is gone, surprising everyone in America, not least of all Kady, who was certain it was her. She doesn't want to sing, but Ryan and Paula convince her otherwise. She pulls it together and sings pretty good.

After the break, Ryan tells us they're going to pimp the set and Ruben is going to record a special exit song, and, of course, Idol will give back again. Need I also point out that no less an authority than Bob Geldof also thinks George Bush has done more to help Africa than anyone else.

Now, we have to give another guy the boot. Doesn't really matter since David Archuleta is going to be wiping his butt with them all anyway. So, after Seacrest name drops for the Idol Gives Back event. The last guy is either Luke or Robbie. I am NOT surprised by this. Luke was last on dialidol after the West coast, and the guy that goews home is Robbie. Since he's wearing a wig, he has to go anyway.

So, dialidol was way off on the guys (these two were 2 & 3 there), closer on the girls, Alaina was last there, Alexandrea was 6th.

I had the guys 7/8 and the girls were mid-pack for me. But, no surprises, honestly.