vybes_souljah

I was just thinking about something.

With Microsoft taking an interest in building-up its own search tool I was thinking- shouldn't Apple try to bulk up online too? Microsoft has its own ISP, (e.g. MSN and so-on) I was thinking it'd be nice if Apple too had its own widely used/large scale online community too that would make Microsoft sweat a little? Would Yahoo be a good buy for Apple computer?

Benefits I thought of.

* Yahoo IM could be merged with iChat

* Yahoo's Altavista/Babelfish etc. would become owned by Apple.

* Apple would be the 2nd most popular search engine on the Internet.

It would piss Microsoft off...

* Widgets on Yahoo would be in Apples hands.

* Yahoo Mail would be to Apple what Hotmail is to Microsoft.

* Yahoo already has an Internet service around the world... ( e.g. www.rogers.yahoo.com or www.verizon.yahoo.com or www.att.yahoo.com or www.bt.yahoo.com etc. )

* Apple basically would gain a huge online empire overnight.

* Apple could have its apps-store and ITunes etc. integrated in Yahoo.

* MobileMe could be integrated in Yahoo.

* Apple could use Yahoo to push Safari more.

A Russian diplomat says the USA is on the verge of breaking up. Citing that many Americans are no longer trustful of the U.S. government's actions or it seeing the need to operate in their best interests. So to play the devil's advocate:

If the USA broke-up and dissolved as a country tomorrow? What would be the first thing that you would do?

Citation:

--

Article: US will collapse and break up, Russian analyst predicts - By Tom Leonard in New York

Date: Last Updated: 10:58PM GMT 25 Nov 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk - The Telegraph Newspaper of the UK

Link: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northame...

-- The United States will collapse under the burden of its financial crisis and fracture into six parts, a Russian political analyst has predicted. --

[SNIP]

Igor Panarin, a professor at the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian foreign affairs ministry, said the economic turmoil in the US had confirmed his long-held belief that the country was heading for extinction in its present form.

In an interview with the Russian newspaper Izvestia, he outlined how the US would divide along ethnic and cultural lines.

They are: the Pacific coast with its growing Chinese population; the increasingly Hispanic South; independence-minded Texas; the Atlantic Coast; a central state with a large Native American population; and the northern states where – he maintains – Canadian influence is strong.

Alaska could be claimed by Russia, he said, claiming that the region was "only granted on lease, after all".

He said the country's break-up would be accelerated by rising unemployment and Americans losing their savings.

"The dollar isn't secured by anything. The country's foreign debt has grown like an avalanche; this is a pyramid, which has to collapse," said Prof Panarin.

Public dissatisfaction was growing and was held back only by the election and the hope that Barack Obama "can work miracles", he said. "But when spring comes, it will be clear that there are no miracles."

Prof Panarin, who has written several books about "information warfare", also forecast that America would no longer be "the world's financial regulator", instead replaced by China and Russia.

[END SNIP]

With the global economy heading down the tubes, would now be the right time for Barbados to consider eking out a deal to form a political union with the other provinces of Canada and join the Canadian Federation???

This was proposed before. In 1884 by the Barbados Agricultural Society. And again surrounding the West Indies Federation in the 1950s where several Barbadian diplomats considered a deal involving Barbados joining Canada.

Currently Barbados and Canada are pretty firmly economically attached at the hip. Barbados annually hovers around 3rd-5th in terms of being Canada's highest target of Direct Foreign Investment (FDI) in the world. The economy of Barbados and Canada tend to lend well to one another as well. They are both tied to the "services" industry. Tourism, call centers, offshore sector, outsourcing etc.)

A very mutually beneficial deal could actually be reached. Currently CARICOM nations are ranting about the EPA deal with the EU and how it threatens to undermine the entire Caribbean Single Market and Economy. Canada is also planning deeper negotiations with the EU on a deeper trade deal. So, if Canada and the Caribbean teamed up on a trans-Atlantic trade deal, this side of the Atlantic would have a far larger bargaining chip. (CARICOM makes up 14 of the 35 countries in the Americas.) So there's a very real chance that Canada and the Caribbean might more easily be able to accord or secure a better deal between both regions and Europe. Canadian banks already control Barbados' banking sector, and in forming a tie-up with Canada, Barbados would no longer see money actually leaving Barbados' economy and going to Canada. (Instead it would be one big shared economic space.) Canada already offers a lot of jobs to Caribbean nationals similar to how the Caribbean Single Market and Economy is supposed to work- so literally Canada already has a programme in place with the Caribbean region that the Caribbean can't even seem to firmly get off the ground fully.

Additionally, beyond the EU the Caribbean is looking at having to do something with the United States in the future too concerning a Free Trade deal. The Caribbean Basin Initiative is going to run out at some time. However, if you look at the benefits of the deal that Canada already has with the US. The Federal Government of Canada is already a member of NAFTA. Should Barbados enter a political deal with Canada, Barbados could make use the Canadian Federal Government's provisions within NAFTA for access to the U.S. market. However, with Barbados not actually signing NAFTA itself the Caribbean economy would be in a slightly more sheltered position than trying to take-on the U.S. economy alone and Canada taking it on alone. The Caribbean would help to diminish some of Canada's overall trade imbalance with the U.S.A.

The Caribbean diplomats also keep saying they want NAFTA parity with the USA. However that is unlikely based on the economic conditions of the USA. They may not want to expand anything more than what is already on the table for a while. Again, the NAFTA provisions that the Canadian Government (already) signed with the USA could come into use again for Barbados. The appealing thing about the Canadian Government is it is a Confederation/Federation. It is a series of provincial governments that all have a stake in the shared central government. Each Province has their own flag, can partly set their own immigration policy concerning outsiders of the Federation. And provinces in Canada can have their own cultural identity protected (Quebec is a good example.) So Barbados is not likely to just suddenly be overrun and be Canadian overnight. Barbados can keep it's same flag make it the Provincial flag. The Prime Minister would become a Provincial Premier (which mind you could still go on trade missions to other countries around the world) However Barbados would become part of a G-8 government with the rest of the Canadian provinces. Tourism would be bolstered too since Barbados would be the first tropical province in Canada. Health Care in Barbados and Canada are also similar, they both have government supported health care. This could work out to both side's betterment too. Currently Canadians find it a annoyance that when they travel to warmer countries during the winter, their Canadian health care doesn't carry-over with them and they have to buy *another* health care policy in that foreign destination. Every Canadian that comes to Barbados isn't going to need tons of medical attention, and we should be able to handle a few more visits at the QEH or polyclinics. Additionally, in Barbados being aligned with Canada any surgeries that can't be carried out in Barbados would mean that Barbadians would be able to goto elsewhere in Canada to get it done. And the Barbadian health care could cover the hospital bill too... It is a win-win deal for both regions.

Beyond that, in Barbados aligning the Canadian he

Wait tell me what allyuh think about this idea.

The state of how some things in T&T heading been getting me real sad over the last few years... As a nation I think we should be looking at where we want to be. I talking even beyond Vision 2020 (reaching first world/developed world status.) And beyond de oil and so-on. I mean it will run out one day eventually. I'm of the opinion we need to start putting down new infrastructure and forming a strategic plan for the future to pay us dividends then as a nation.

I noticing this plan of uniting South America in an ambitious union. Shouldn't T&T be getting on board this now? So that when South America begins to come together in a few years we can begin to tap those ties? I mean T&T is blessed by its location (only 7 miles from Venezuela) next-to one of the largest (soon-to be) economic unions in the world. This is a huge oportunity also to get S. America to back T&T has the HQ for the Free Trade Area of the Americas.

Anybody else catch de news story today? Saying that the United States at one time had a plan that if they went to war with Britain they would take over Britain's Carib'n islands and turn them into US States and territories???

Anyone else see it?

----

"Red" = Britain

"Crimson" = Canada

[ . . . ]

The planners anticipated a war "of long duration" because "the RED race" is "more or less phlegmatic" but "noted for its ability to fight to a finish." Also, the Brits could be reinforced by "colored" troops from their colonies.

The stakes were high: If the British and Canadians won the war, the planners predicted, "CRIMSON will demand that Alaska be awarded to her."

Imagine that! Canada demanding a huge chunk of U.S. territory! Them's fightin' words! And so the American strategists planned to fight England by seizing Canada. (Also Jamaica, Barbados and Bermuda.) And they didn't plan to give them back.

[ . . . ]

See link below.

I have a serious question for allyuh. Now I was having an interesting debate/discussion with a good friend of mine. They just returned from Jamaica (To New York.) and I asked them how everything went on their trip?

They said things went good and said it was good to return home etc. But they stated something else... They were upset that Jamaica hasn't been progressing at a quicker pace than it has esp... Considering that the English-speaking Caribbean told Britain 40+ years ago that we've lost confidence in their approach to governing us, and we feel as a region we can progress as nations faster without them...

The problem remains, we're still dependent on aid, and some nations are getting passed by other countries that were way behind us in development at the time of independence. So we started debating on if independence (at the time it came) was the correct path, or should it have been put off? So I'm expanding de debate. Do you feel your country became Indep. at the right time?

Why has Bush and the GOP lied to the American public again?

By once again overstating the facts of US intelligence, in an attempt to rush to war with Iran?????

Does anyone know of a mobile phone that will play like online streaming radio/audio?

I'm talking either the Microsoft's (.asx) or (.asf) audio formats.... Specifically, I'd like to stream several of the radio stations from the Caribbean over my mobile phone....

Examples:

* I95.5 fm (Trinidad and Tobago) -

http://www.i955fm.com/playlist.asx

* Radio Masala 101.1 fm (Trinidad and Tobago)

http://masala.gnxnetwork.com/masala

In addition, there's also a protocal I see used sometimes namely mms:// any mobile phones also allow this too???

Example:

Soca 91.9fm (Trinidad and Tobago) -

mms://jamar-media.net/soca919

I have an investing Question. Regarding like stocks. I'm new to stocks. But I'm wondering something, if you own shares in a company, and say it faces a buyout?

Can I refuse to sell and remain a shareholder (even if the majority of shareholders accept the deal) and the acquiring company is asking to acquire 100% of shares? Or can they force you out at some point basically sending you a check and telling you you're no longer a shareholder?

Example. Say I had shares in Earthlink and suppose Verizon or AT&T etc. decide to buy out Earthlink. Now suppose the majority of shareholders agree they will sell their shares but I don't agree. If I keep my shares even if the company wants 100% ownership can I remain a shareholder indefinitely until I'm *ready* to sell? Or even asking for more $$$ down the road for my shares? Or can the buyer say "All you will get is this much per share, here's your check which you must accept, or we will tally you as uninterested shareholder" or something?

Well it is just days away now........

Who do you real-feel gon' clinch this year's general government elections??????

The PNM

The COP

The UNC

Other?

P.S. No matter who win, Doh' beat up!

We is all one!

Peace and unity to all for the election.

I was just thinking the oceans get more and more salty all the time by the constant deposits by rivers and streams depositing their sodium chloride (and other minierals) in the ocean and then evaporating away --- leaving the salt behind in the oceans. So... Will there ever come a day that Earth's oceans become soo salty for example that fish, whales and other animals would no longer be able to live in them?