I feared as much ...

Texas, where Obama was 20 percent behind a few weeks back, is too close to call. Ohio, as I expected, went to Hillary. Obama is still ahead in the delegates count. But, if you look at the media, he is down and Hillary up. You get the impression that somehow, Hillary has scored a great surprise, a real break through. Just like all the hype about how Obama was likely to win everything last night, this is rubbish. The reality is, that this race is damn close - and Democrats have two candidates they like. Things could be worse. But it is still not good, that Hillary and Obama will now keep concentrating on each other rather than on beating McCain. Who, incidentally, is pretty good on climate change. Unlike on Iraq (and a million other issues), McCain has not been a Bushite on climate. To the contrary. All through the Bush years, he has stood up to the sceptics and argued forcefully for action on climate change. That he, not an active climate-trasher, is the Repbublican candidates, is at least a small mercy.

Nervously awaiting Texas and Ohio ...

I am always nervous when the media declares contests over before the votes are counted. That may work in Russia or Zimbabwe. But in slightly less overtly authoritarian regimes, voters are - thank god - always ready to surprise. - I am therefore nail-bitingly nervous about Texas and Ohio today. While the media pretends that it's all a shoe-in for Obama, I worry that this will backfire. It may, for example, result in Hillary narrowly winning Ohio being interpreted as a big win. But, to be clear: Hillary should win Ohio. The demographics and the support of the popular Governor should make Ohio a shoe in for her. But now, with all that talk of "Obama's momentum", even a 'natural' event such as Hillary winning in Ohio could turn into real poison for Obama's campaign. It could weaken him against McCain (should he nonetheless clinch the nomination.) - I therefore also do not want to engage in speculation about what Obama might do when he is President, as many already do. Let's get the man elected first! But, still, I do find it remarkable, that 'even' an old saint of the Left, like Immanuel Wallerstein, believes in Obama's power of "Yes, we can." Read his interesting commentary on 'President Obama to be' here and become involved in the change America needs. A change, that Obama may make possible - if the progressive pressure builds!

Exciting green computers in boring Hannover?

Some of my favourite Greenpeace colleagues will be in boring Hannover this week. I pity them. But I am proud of their campaign. Next to flying, using mobiles and computers is the other inevitable hypocrisy professional greenies like myself engage in. The least we can do, therefore, is to work hard to make computers and mobiles as undamaging as possible. Which is what my colleagues are doing - right at CeBIT, one of the IT industry's leading fairs. They will be busy pushing the industry to go green - and exposing corporations that just pretend to be green. Follow the exciting stuff they get up to at CeBIT here und auf Deutsch hier.

Steuerschock

Ach, die Titanic. Hier gibts mehr zu den Steueroasen. Schluss damit!

Obama, when will you spend a day in my shoes? ;-)

My very good friend Gabe, as regular readers will know, works for SEIU, probably the most progressive of America's trade unions. So, I notice SEIU-related things more than others, I admit. That's how I came across this cool video showing Barack Obama spending a day with a SEIU member, Pauline. It's advertisement, sure. But it's good!

"Goldfish have no memory ...

... so their lives are much like mine ..." I was thinking about that quote today, somehow. Over lunch. When I couldn't remember what I clearly remember I told myself earlier I needed to remember .... Anyway, it's a good line. So here is the full song that my brain lifted it from (at least I remembered that!).

Poor Wikileaks?

Leaking can be fun. To reveal what really goes on behind the all too often closed doors of governments and businesses that affect our future is, in my mind, a vital service to democracy. For example, the White House keeps saying that they care about the climate. But if you want to know what the Bush administration really thinks about taking action (or not) on climate change, you need to look no further than their edits of last year's G8 summit agreement. Leaking is tricky, because it can be dangerous - or at the very least embarassing - for the source. At last year's World Social Forum I was thus excited to meet the people behind Wikileaks.org . They struck me as geeks with a conscience. They were techno-optimists and had some weird ideas about how spreading information via technology alone will end totalitarianism and make the world a better place. My theory of social change is more complicated, I confess. But I was still impressed at their spirit. And their service. Their website allows people to upload documents they want to leak anonymously. That does make it attractive for sources that do not want to leave a paper trail, or who may simply not know someone like me happy to provide the public service of leaking for them. - Yes, true, the anonymity of the source also means that anyone can upload anything - including rubbish. But, the Wikileakers argued, peer review - i.e. people looking for and at the stuff uploaded - will select the real stuff from the invented. This may not always be true. But, as they pointed out, leaking lies is always possible. You do not need wikileaks for that. The history of forged leaks makes that argument plausible. - That wikileaks had subversive potential is certainly suggested by all the trouble wikileaks.org has had. Last week, a court ordered their internet provider to remove the wikileak address records from their servers after a subsidiary of a Swiss bank had taken issue with some documents on the site. The internet being the internet - and the wikileakers being smart geeks - the site can still be accessed here .... In fact, the whole story may have increased interest in wikileaks. If so, I think it's for the better. I wish wikileaks well. Even though they will not save the world. And even though I personally will always prefer leaking the traditional style. - "Hey you, seen this?" ... ;-)