Saturday, March 28, 2009

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Arianna Huffington: I'm Guest Hosting CNBC's Squawk Box, and I'd Love Your Suggestions Top
I'm going to be guest hosting CNBC's Squawk Box Tuesday morning. Among my guests will be saw-the-meltdown-coming economist Nouriel Roubini, Black Swan author Nassim Taleb, and chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, Barney Frank. I'd love to hear what questions you'd like me to ask them. Please put your suggestions in the comments section of this post, then tune in to CNBC from 7 to 9 am Tuesday morning. Memo To Obama's Economic Team: Get Some Sleep! Take the Steering Wheel out of Geithner's Hands Larry Summers: Brilliant Mind, Toxic Ideas Watch: Arianna Discusses Obama's Afghanistan Policy, Bank Bailout On Larry King Live Watch: Arianna Discusses Tim Geithner on Larry King Live More on CNBC
 
Presidents Getting Married! A Retrospective (SLIDESHOW) Top
Check out these political power couples on the day they made their unions official. Want more romance? See a slideshow of Presidential PDA . *Follow Huffington Post Style on Twitter and become a fan of Huffington Post Style on Facebook * More on Photo Galleries
 
Britney's Dad Forces Fansite To Shut Down Top
Jordan Miller -- the owner and webmaster of Britney Spears' most popular fan site, BreatheHeavy.com -- has spent the past five years supporting the singer, but he's about to be shut down by the pop star herself. Although Miller asserts that the sole purpose of the site is "to support the icon of our generation, Britney Spears, and to continuously stick by her through the good and bad," Spears' father Jamie has taken legal action over some of the content. More on Britney Spears
 
Bruce Willis Makes His Marriage Legal Top
It's official: Bruce Willis and Emma Heming are husband and wife. After their wedding celebration in the Caribbean last weekend, the actor and the model/actress were wed in a civil ceremony Friday at a friend's house in Beverly Hills, his rep, Paul Bloch, tells PEOPLE. "They could not be happier," Bloch says.
 
Blythe McGarvie: Earth Hour in Beijing Top
After landing in Beijing, I talked with a Gen Y (26 years old) named Wilma who mentioned she would be observing Earth Hour. In less than 12 hours, it will be Earth Hour. No matter where you are in the world, at 8:30pm on March 28th, you are supposed to turn off your lights and reduce your use of electricity. I heard of this in the U.S. as a way to recognize the impact of human life on the environment, but know of no one who will be observing this challenge. It struck me that my Chinese host Wilma was trying to tie in to the interconnected world with me. She assumed that this is a world wide phenomena, perhaps akin to celebrate the New Year's Eve with fireworks or balls dropping all over the world. Is Earth Hour something only Gen Ys care to celebrate? Stay tuned....I will let you know if I see a darkening of the buildings in Beijing tonight. Also, I will let you know what else is on Wilma's mind, a newlywed who has her own apartment.
 
Wire Creator Predicts Surge In Corruption As Newspapers Decline Top
Fictional corrupt politicians are a mainstay of The Wire, David Simon's celebrated television series about life on the Baltimore streets. But the show's creator says he fears a real-life explosion of rampant corruption in American political life if the newspaper industry, in which he worked for more than a decade, is allowed to collapse. In an exclusive interview with the Guardian, the award-winning writer and producer launches a tirade against newspaper owners who, he says, showed "contempt for their product" and are now reaping the whirlwind. But he rejects the idea that newspapers should seek ways to embrace the new world of free information, arguing that they must urgently start charging money for content distributed online. More on Newspapers
 
Earth Hour 2009: Cities Around The World Turning Off The Lights Top
SYDNEY — The floodlit cream shells of the famed Opera House dimmed Saturday as Sydney became the world's first major city to plunge itself into darkness for the second worldwide Earth Hour, a global campaign to highlight the threat of climate change. From the Great Pyramids to the Acropolis, the London Eye to the Las Vegas strip, nearly 4,000 cities and towns in 88 countries planned to join in the World Wildlife Fund-sponsored event, a time zone-by-time zone plan to dim nonessential lights between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Involvement in the effort has exploded since last year's Earth Hour, which drew participation from 400 cities after Sydney held a solo event in 2007. Interest has spiked ahead of planned negotiations on a new global warming treaty in Copenhagen, Denmark, this December. The last global accord, the Kyoto Protocol, is set to expire in 2012. Despite the boost in interest from the Copenhagen negotiations, organizers initially worried enthusiasm for this year's event would wane with the world's attention focused largely on the global economic crisis, Earth Hour executive director Andy Ridley told The Associated Press. Strangely enough, he said, it's seemed to have the opposite effect. "Earth Hour has always been a positive campaign; it's always around street parties, not street protests, it's the idea of hope not despair. And I think that's something that's been incredibly important this year because there is so much despair around," he said. "On the other side of it, there's savings in cutting your power usage and being more sustainable and more efficient." In Australia, people attended candlelit speed-dating events and gathered at outdoor concerts as the hour of darkness rolled through the country. Sydney's glittering harbor was bathed in shadows as lights dimmed on the steel arch of the city's iconic Harbour Bridge and the nearby Opera House. Earlier Saturday, the Chatham Islands, a group of small islands about 500 miles (800 kilometers) east of New Zealand, officially kicked off Earth Hour by switching off its diesel generators. Soon after, the lights of Auckland's Sky Tower, the tallest man-made structure in New Zealand, blinked off. Forty-four New Zealand towns and cities participated in the event, and more than 60,000 people showed up for an Earth Hour-themed hot air ballooning festival in the city of Hamilton. At Scott Base in Antarctica, New Zealand's 26-member winter team resorted to minimum safety lighting and switched off appliances and computers. China was participating in the campaign for the first time, with Beijing turning off the lights at its Bird's Nest Stadium and Water Cube, the most prominent venues for the Olympics, according to WWF. Shanghai was also cutting lights in all government buildings and other structures on its waterfront, while Hong Kong, Baoding, Changchun, Dalian, Nanjing and Guangzhou were also participating, WWF said. However, the official WWF Earth Hour Web site appeared to be blocked in Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin on Saturday afternoon. While China rarely gives reasons for blocking Web sites, the campaign coincided with the 50th anniversary of the suppression of an uprising in Tibet that forced the Dalai Lama to go into exile. In Hong Kong, the government planned to suspend its nightly "Symphony of Lights," which beams lasers and lights into the sky from 44 buildings on the city's famed Victoria Harbor. Landmarks along the harbor also were to switch off nonessential lights for an hour. Later Saturday, Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva planned to press a button to turn off the lights at Khao San Road, a famous haven for budget travelers in Bangkok that is packed with bars and outdoor cafes. Lights were to go down at the Grand Palace and other riverside monuments, and businesses along some of the Thai capital's busiest boulevards were also asked to participate, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration said in a statement. The capital hoped to reduce electricity consumption in the city of more than 8 million people by at least 30 percent _ or 1,400 megawatts _ during the event. Earth Hour organizers say there's no uniform way to measure how much energy is saved worldwide. Earth Hour 2009 has garnered support from global corporations, nonprofit groups, schools, scientists and celebrities _ including Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett and retired Cape Town Archbishop Desmond Tutu. McDonald's Corp. planned to dim its arches at 500 locations around the Midwest in the United States. The Marriott, Ritz-Carlton and Fairmont hotel chains and Coca-Cola Co. also planned to participate. ___ On the Net: Earth Hour: http://www.earthhour.org U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Earth Hour video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v9bm7yR0HcVY
 
Julia Moulden: What Does the Future Look Like? Top
Crooked into the arm of one of the world's oldest universities, a group of compassionate human beings met this week to talk not about history, not about the body of knowledge one usually hears in an academic environment, but what's going on right this minute and what the future might just look like. The phrase on everyone's lips? Social entrepreneurship. Oxford University's Said Business School was home to the sixth annual Skoll World Forum on social entrepreneurship. I've been writing about Skoll and social entrepreneurs for the last few weeks. This was my first forum, and everyone who'd been before told me to expect a mad whirl where every single person I met - of some 800 attendees - would be doing something world-changing. How to tell all of their stories? Or whose particular tale, whose mission, whose wild-eyed look and heart-racing commentary would be enough to capture a sense of this time and place? Of course, one story isn't enough (what was that advertising line, 'bet you can't eat just one'?)... Instead, sitting in the Sheldonian Theatre last night, where England's first Queen Elizabeth once bestowed awards on subjects who pleased her, I watched this year's Skoll Foundation Award recipients graciously accept the recognition bestowed on them and realized that my work had been done for me. So, yes, in the weeks to come, I will tell the individual stories of the extraordinary men and women I met in the last few days. But for now, from my room at Exeter College, where Tolkien once wrote a new world into being, I will share some stories about the people the experts in this field have chosen as being exemplary. Specifically, this year's Skoll Award winners have this in common - that their work has the potential for large-scale impact on the critical challenges of our time. And I invite you to visit http://www.socialedge.org to read more about the forum and this year's winners. Bart Weetjens - Apopo: As a boy, Bart loved rodents. In the early 1990s, he read about African communities relying on foreign expertise to help them address their landmine problems. A classic New Radical (that is, people who've leveraged the expertise of their first career and put it to work on the world's greatest challenges, for more, please see archived articles), Bart merged his passion for and knowledge of rats with his training as a product design engineer and launched Apopos. The organization trains giant African rats to run detection missions - an idea that has proven so successful that these rats are now the preferred method. Today, Apopo's rats are learning how to detect a new danger - - tuberculosis. Munqeth Mehyar, Nader Khateeb, and Gidon Bromberg - EcoPeace: Such a simple idea: the notion that environmental issues don't recognize political borders. These three founded an organization the promotes co-operation in the Middle East through protection of the region's shared water resources and environmental heritage. They are, for instance, rehabilitating the Lower Jordan River, as a way to foster collaboration and increase awareness of common interests. Wendy Kopp - Teach for All: I've written about Wendy before, and she's one of the people I profiled in my book, We Are The New Radicals. Wendy founded Teach for America as a way to address educational inequity in the U.S. - recruiting students straight out of university to work for two years as teachers in inner city and rural schools across the nation. Teach for America is now one of the largest recruiters in the States, on par with Microsoft, Procter and Gamble, and General Electric. Now, with the help of the Skoll Foundation, Wendy is taking the model to the world. Teach for All will work with independent, locally-governed organizations, enlisting bright young people who want to help throw open the doors of education to others. William Foote - Root Capital: William is a recovering investment banker. He saw first-hand the effects the devaluation of the peso had on the Latin American poor, and soon founded an organization that would provide funding to help people start small businesses. It was a powerful idea when he began, and it's even more relevant today, as Root funds what's known as the missing middle - that is, the gap in funding between micro-finance (with the Grameen Bank being the best-known example) and the kinds of investments that venture capital funds and traditional financial institutions make. Root has made 550 loans to rural producers in Latin America, Africa, and South Asia - for those who like metrics, they've lent more than $120 million to date, and the repayment rate is 99 percent. Jenny Bowen - Half the Sky: Jenny Bowen learned the devastating effects of institutionalization when she and her husband adopted a toddler from a Chinese orphanage. Almost two, their child could not walk or talk. In time, she blossomed, and this gave the Bowens the idea to launch an organization whose mission would be to provide family-style nurturing to thousands of children who haven't found homes, and who remain in orphanages around the country. They started small, and, in 2007, the Chinese government invited them to expand the program. They hope ultimately that the Chinese will operate this life-saving program themselves. This, dear readers, is just a whiff, a mere sampling of the people who want to share their stories with you. Who want to encourage you to re-imagine your work, too. To know that, despite the headlines, good is happening in our world. And that each of us can make a difference. I invite you to visit their websites, to read more about the forum any of the Skoll sites, and to share with us what you are doing, or where your dreams take you. Please comment below, or email me directly at Julia@wearethenewradicals.com. Julia Moulden writes speeches for people who want to change the world. Please visit http://www.wearethenewradicals.com and http://www.juliamoulden.com for more. More on The Giving Life
 
Tara Stiles: 10 Simple Steps To Find Success Top
I've always found autobiographies interesting. They are stories we already know, but we crave each little detail and event. How did they do it? What is the formula? How did they pull off the success that we admire and aspire to make our own? Maybe Woody Allen wakes up at 5am every morning and writes down the first thing that comes to mind. Maybe Michael Pollan does 8 shots of wheat grass every day. Maybe Elizabeth Gilbert has a lucky dime she keeps in her pocket when she's writing. What is it? We think if we found out what it is exactly that makes people successful, we can copy it and turn the same results for ourselves. Interestingly enough in my research of success I haven't found a short cut - yet. There is no secret code, no chalice of success passed down. Aside from having a relative in your industry of choice or a big bag of money handed to you, success stories are all unique. Even what appears as a head-start, a financial or a family member hook up, is not a guarantee and often acts tragically as a hindrance. There is no formula, no 5 step process, and no tricks. Apparently it takes hard work, dedication, blood, sweat, and tears. Surprise, surprise! However, I have a discovery we all know, but often forget, to share as a reminder. Success in any form begins with bringing out your own uniqueness. Each individual I've admired and been inspired by is so completely themselves. In the slacker movie "You, Me, and Dupree" (a Netflix must), Owen Wilson corners his best bud Carl (Matt Dillon) and reminds him of his Carl-ness. He doesn't want his pal to loose his Carl-ness because he knows that is what makes him special. He also tells him it's the key to his success. I'm down with that. We all need to find our own Carl-ness and stick with it. I am a firm believer, corny as it may be, that everyone has something unique to offer the world, something that no one else can quite do the same. It's up to each person to manifest that and turn it into something useful, whether it's discovering a cure for HIV, being a parent, or running a company. The trap is copying others instead of trusting your instincts while cultivating your skill. What if Woody Allen tried to make movies like Steven Spielberg. It probably wouldn't turn out so good as "Annie Hall." It would lack Woody-ness. It takes a great deal of confidence simply to find and be yourself, rather than a collection of things you like about other people. It also takes a willingness to accept the possibility of actually being happy. We hear all the time: oh, they are afraid of success. I think we're also afraid to be happy. What would happen if we were actually happy? I don't mean happy like after you've seen a really great movie or finished a really good meal. I mean truly happy, no complaints with life, smiling at strangers for no apparent reason, happy. Are we ready to be happy? People are going to wonder about you and look at you strange if you are happy. Are you ready for that? I think accepting that possibility is a huge step toward success. Here are some tips for success I have found in my research. Go down the list and if you are really ready to be happy, then I challenge you to go for it. Throw the deferred life plan out the window. Be happy now. 10 tips for success. 1. Find Yourself It's so hippie dippy but practical. The hippies were on to something good with this one. Stop trying to be someone else. You have useful things to offer. Own it. 2. Work Hard Don't be lazy. Hard work pays off. OMG I sound like someone's Mom! 3. Be Nice to People There's no need to be mean, in words or thoughts. Reason 1: Karma, duh. Reason 2: Regression. When mean thoughts occupy your brain and not-so-nice speech pours out of your mouth, you slip a few notches on the psychological development chart. 4. Get Sleep Your brain and body need sleep to perform at the level you want so give it to them. 5. Eat Healthy Same thing with sleep. Give your body good food, not junk. 6. Do Yoga A yoga practice helps you "stay you." Following your breath in meditation and moving with your breath in yoga class helps you notice what you are. Which (surprise) feels pretty good, leads to happiness, and allows you to succeed at being you. 7. Be Conscious Practice paying attention to what goes on from the little things to the big stuff. This will streamline your actions into effectiveness. 8. Smile Smiling is an action of happiness, fake it until you make it and pass the smiles along to friends, co-workers, and strangers. People will wonder what is wrong with you. It's fun to keep them guessing. 9. Don't Worry What Anyone Thinks Your dream is your own. If you waste your time worrying what everyone thinks you will be busy worrying instead of being successful. However, don't forget #3. 10. Drink Water Water keeps your system clean and a clean system operates better. Besides, all those extra trips to the bathroom provides a few minutes of opportunity for fantastic ideas to pop into your brain. More on The Balanced Life
 
Anne Naylor: 3 Keys To Higher Love And Restoring Happiness Top
"Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead. The consciousness of loving and being loved brings a warmth and a richness to life that nothing else can bring." - Oscar Wilde Last weekend, talking with the pilot of a private jet, I learned that he flies at 45,000 to 50,000 feet, higher than commercial aircraft which fly at around 38,000 feet. Apparently at the higher altitude there is less air. He can fly faster and more economically on fuel. The closer to ground you get, the more air and the "stickier" it is. When we get high enough above any situation, with altitude we can shift our attitude and perceive the larger picture, a greater truth, than we can at ground floor level. At altitude, we touch into more of our joy and freedom. From there we can direct our lives into greater fulfillment even, and perhaps especially, during these difficult times. "The supply of loving goes beyond anything or anyone that uses it, no matter how much is required." - John Morton The blessing in periods of profound change is that we can re-choose our life purpose and direction, making decisions about what we really want in the future; a purpose that matches our values, and sense of value. It is a good time to dream big. If you have not already been reading Dr Judith Rich's Impossible Dream blogs, I highly recommend them. In my experience, whenever I have had a big goal or vision, all the reasons why it can not happen flood into me. Self-doubt city moves in and all the voices of discouragement drown my tender shoots of enthusiasm. Self-doubt is very sticky stuff. So how do I get above the din to fly high with what is important for me? Here are ways I have found for releasing the drag factors that hold us back. 1. Clear Out Deadwood Deadwood is all of those things from the past which are incomplete and hold you back there. Clearing deadwood not only will create the space for a better future but can improve your health and well-being at the same time. Do you have things you have been meaning to do for ages, and have been putting off doing them? Changing a light bulb? Fixing a cupboard door? Taking clothes to the goodwill store? Try listing 10 incomplete activities. Choose 3 of them and complete them in the next 24 hours. See how you feel as a result. Russell Bishop has written an excellent post on the subject of getting complete . "It's a matter of loving yourself enough to clarify and clear the channel so that your success can manifest in reality, in this lifetime, for you to have, enjoy, and share." - John-Roger 2. Release Limiting Comfort Zones If you want more of something, you need to be prepared to let go of what is less for you. Limiting habit patterns for example. Mine has been tv. I could spend hours watching mindless tv which would eventually send me to sleep. Are there any ways you look for comfort, and deaden yourself in the process? How could you change a habit and be enjoying more of your vitality? Russell says more about Comfort Zones in this post: "Focus on love, the divine love. It can increase circulation, increase oxygen supply, increase vitality. You can feel great. Dis-ease disappears." - John-Roger 3. Build Self-Image In my last two posts, I have been talking about the loving it takes to forgive , especially self-forgiving . The self-doubt that shows up with an expanded vision for the future sometimes has a sense of shame woven into it. Shame is something we bury. It says we must be a bad person. Shame will prevent us from reaching out and asking for what we need, whether those are fundamental needs like food and shelter or the support we need to achieve a lifetime aspiration. If your sense of value has been dependent upon having a good job and certain material comforts, you may have lost sight of your intrinsic value as a human being. "Having been poor is no shame, but being ashamed of it, is." - Benjamin Franklin You were born with a human spirit that is loving. The loving that you are is way beyond any value that has a number attached to it. The quality of loving I discovered through forgiving is fine, pure, gentle and heals the hardest places within us, including shame. It is that higher love to which we all have access and with which we connect with each other. Whether you are now undergoing hardship, or working towards a large Dream, build your Self-Image on the strength of the magnificent spirit that you are. Reach up to the higher love within you. Ask for what you need. Please know that the spirit you truly are is much greater than any challenges, fear or doubt you may be meeting. "The risk it takes to remain tight inside the bud is more painful than the risk it takes to blossom." - Anais Nin Are you aware of any limiting habits that might be holding you back? What have you learnt for getting through these days? How do you see the spirit in you showing up to meet challenges, or realize your Dream? I would love to hear from you, either as a comment here or contact me at: ClearResults@mac.com More on The Inner Life
 
Obama Monitoring Midwest Flooding, Pledges Government Help Top
WASHINGTON — Seeking to avoid a Hurricane Katrina-like leadership failure, President Barack Obama assured the nation Saturday he was keeping close watch on the Midwest floods and putting the government's full weight behind efforts to prevent disaster. "Even as we face an economic crisis which demands our constant focus, forces of nature can also intervene in ways that create other crises to which we must respond _ and respond urgently," the president said in his weekly radio and Internet address. "I will continue to monitor the situation carefully," he pledged. "We will do what must be done to help." Obama also implored residents of North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota to be vigilant in reading flood-condition reports and to follow instructions from federal, state and local officials should evacuation be necessary. He repeatedly praised volunteers stockpiling sandbags and building levees, saying "their service isn't just inspirational _ it's integral to our response." Obama was spending the weekend at Camp David before leaving Monday for a weeklong overseas trip to address the global economic crisis with leaders of other world powers. But aides stressed that he was being kept abreast of the Midwest flooding despite being away from the White House. In office just two months, Obama and his team no doubt are mindful of the Bush administration's bungled response in August 2005 to Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the Gulf Coast and highlighted the country's racial and economic divisions. George W. Bush's popularity took a beating in Katrina's aftermath, and the hurricane has been held up ever since as a symbol of the federal government's incompetence. Obama used his weekly address to go to great lengths to describe all that the federal government has been doing as bulging rivers and streams threatened Midwest communities over the past few days. Aides said federal, state and local officials have been coordinating for more than a week. Over the past few days, Obama signed emergency and disaster declarations for North Dakota and Minnesota, triggering federal support to help state and local officials who already had efforts under way. On Saturday, he indicated that help for South Dakota could come soon, saying his aides were "keeping close watch on the situation" there. He also outlined the scope of his administration's involvement, saying the Homeland Security Department and the Federal Emergency Management Agency were coordinating the federal response. He said Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano was in close contact with state officials. FEMA's acting administrator, Nancy Ward, went to Fargo, N.D., where the surging Red River threatened to unleash an enormous flood. Obama said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Coast Guard, the Defense Department, the National Guard and the Health and Human Services Department, as well as the American Red Cross, were involved in response efforts on the ground. He said his administration was working closely with North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven, South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, and that he has met with lawmakers from the region to pledge his support. Obama promised that the federal government would do everything it could to help state officials, local agencies, nonprofit organizations and legions of volunteers. "At moments like these, we are reminded of the power of nature to disrupt lives and endanger communities," Obama said. "But we are also reminded of the power of individuals to make a difference." On that note, he reiterated his support for legislation Congress is expected to send to him in the week ahead that would give tens of thousands of people more opportunities to mentor children, clean parks and help the poor, a sweeping call to national service in a time of need. "In facing sudden crises or more stubborn challenges, the truth is we are all in this together _ as neighbors and fellow citizens," Obama said. ___ On the Net: Video of president's address: http://www.whitehouse.gov/ More on Barack Obama
 
Afghan President Backs Obama's New War Plan Top
KABUL — The leaders of Afghanistan and Pakistan on Saturday praised the new U.S. strategy for dealing with growing violence in their countries, with the Afghan president saying it was "better than we were expecting" and his Pakistani counterpart calling it a "positive change." Afghan President Hamid Karzai lauded increased civil and military aid to his country and highlighted a plan for reconciliation with moderate elements of the Taliban as the new strategy's most important initiative. He also welcomed President Barack Obama's focus on countering militant sanctuaries in neighboring Pakistan in the plan, announced Friday. "This is better than we were expecting as a matter of fact," Karzai told a news conference. Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari promised his country would not allow its territory to be used for terrorism and said the billions of dollars in additional civilian aid for Pakistan under the new U.S. plan endorsed his strategy of fighting extremism with development. "The U.S. presidency's new approach represents a positive change," Zardari said in a speech to Parliament. Karzai has long championed the idea of reconciliation with the Taliban as a key way to tamp down the growing insurgency in Afghanistan. The Bush administration generally opposed the idea, but Obama stressed reconciliation with more moderate elements of the Taliban on Friday. "In a country with extreme poverty that has been at war for decades, there will also be no peace without reconciliation among former enemies," Obama said. The reconciliation proposal is the most novel part of the new plan, which is focused mostly on increasing the scale of ongoing initiatives _ promising 4,000 additional troops to train the Afghan army, hundreds more civilian specialists to help Afghanistan rebuild and $1.5 billion in annual civilian aid to Pakistan for the next five years. "In this strategy, the most important issue is Taliban reconciliation and peace talks as President Obama mentioned in his speech," Karzai said. Obama focused on reaching out to Taliban militants who have chosen to fight because they need the money or were coerced by others. However, he said there is "an uncompromising core of the Taliban" that must be met with force and defeated. The plan singles out Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar and other top members. The issue of who is targeted for reconciliation could become a source of friction between the U.S. and Afghanistan because Karzai has signaled a greater willingness to talk to hardcore militants _ even extending an offer to the Taliban leader. Karzai praised Obama's focus on countering militant sanctuaries in Pakistan, a key part of the administration's goal of disrupting and defeating al-Qaida and its allies who have made a comeback following the fall of the Taliban in 2001. U.S.-led forces toppled the Taliban government, but many of the militants fled south and east into Pakistan where they have been launching cross-border attacks against Afghan and international forces alongside al-Qaida. The U.S. and Afghanistan have repeatedly urged Pakistan to crack down on militants in its territory. The Pakistani government has pledged to do so, but many Afghan and Western officials suspect officers within the country's spy agency of supporting the Taliban, which Pakistan helped bring to power in Afghanistan in the 1990s. Obama said Friday the U.S. would step up pressure on Pakistan by making aid to the country conditional on its anti-terrorism effort. He has also pledged to send an additional 17,000 combat troops to fight militants in southern and eastern Afghanistan near the Pakistani border. Zardari said Saturday that Pakistan would deal "firmly" with groups defying the state but gave little indication of any new measures against terrorism. Pakistan's respected Dawn newspaper said the country's powerful army may bridle at the conditions attached to the expanded aid. "The more transactional the U.S.-Pak relationship continues to look, the less the security establishment here may be inclined to cooperate," it said in an editorial. Afghan and international forces have stepped up their operations in southern Afghanistan near the Pakistani border, the center of the Taliban insurgency. Troops and police killed 23 militants in several provinces in southern Afghanistan on Friday, officials said. Janet Gul, an Afghan farmer living on the front lines in southern Kandahar province, said he was worried about the increased violence that would follow the deployment of additional U.S. troops to southern Afghanistan. "They should negotiate with the Taliban and find the way for peace," Gul said. ____ Associated Press writers Fisnik Abrashi and Rahim Faiez in Kabul and Stephen Graham in Islamabad, Pakistan, contributed to this report. More on Afghanistan
 
Obama To Bankers: Lend More, Spend Less Top
Lend more. Spend less. That was President Obama's message yesterday during a meeting at the White House with the chief executives of the nation's largest banks. The president told the bankers he understood their critical role in renewed economic growth, and was committed to returning the industry to long-term health. More on Barack Obama
 
Jimmy Fallon And Mr. Belding Make Impassioned Plea For Cast Of "Saved By The Bell" To Reunite (VIDEO) Top
I, and most of my generation, grew up on "Saved By The Bell." Not just the first Saturday-morning iteration, but the TBS repeats, and the college years, and (of course) the "Saved By The Bell" movies in which the gang saves Kelly's Hawaiian uncle's hotel and then Kelly and Zack get married. If I've lost you, you probably won't be interested in the clip below. In it, Jimmy Fallon and Dennis Haskins (aka Mr. Belding aka Mr. Balding) appeal to the cast of the beloved teen sitcom to come on the show and reunite. They also ask fans to sign this petition . So, what is the cast up to these days? Well Mark-Paul Gosselaar is starring in the TBS series "Raising The Bar," Tiffany Amber Thiessen has been cast in an upcoming USA pilot called "White Collar," Mario Lopez is hosting "Extra," Elizabeth Berkley just finished a stint on "The L Word" and is creating a reality show for MTV, Dustin Diamond is on the reality TV circuit being an ass and talking about his sex tape, and I have no idea what happened to Lark Voorhies. WATCH: More on Jimmy Fallon
 

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