The world at his thumbs.

OK, everybody talks about it. The world's first citizen can keep his Blackberry. Here it is my take on this.

President Obama is credited with using and leveraging the technology in order to win the US Presidential Election. Blackberry was one of his indispensable tool. After the election there were questions if he can break a White House tradition and keep his tool.

It looks like Blackberry addiction is so strong that it cannot stay outside of the walls of the Oval Office. Now the entire world is reachable at his thumbs.

A stormy technology in the hands of a stormy leader during stormy times.

No magic. Just hard, determined and responsible work.

There were lots of big ideas in the Barack Obama's inaugural speech but his message in my opinion is that there is no magic solution to the problems that face America and the world, just hard, determined and responsible work.

I highlighted below in the end of his speech the ideas that I found quite inspiring:

"America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words.

With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come.

Let it be said by our children's children that
when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that
we did not turn back nor did we falter;

and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us,
we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations."

Now is the time!

Happy New Year and best wishes in 2009!

Motivations and hope is what most of us need during the traditional gloomsday of the year.

This year though the hope is higher than ever in the whole free world.

The 46 year old great dream of Martin Luther King, Jr. will become reality.

What a difference a day makes... from today celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to tomorow celebration of his dream fulfillment, the inauguration of the first African American US president, Barack Obama. It is the dimension of the one day now, dilated over 46 years.

The fate of the present and future generations will be decided during these troubling times and true leaders that raise to the occasion are needed.

The Martin Luther King's 4 times invocations of "Now is the time" happens these days and the whole free world seizes the moment and awaits for the magic words of hope.

Past generations during troubling times were inspired by inspirational words like Kennedy's "ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country" or Roosevelt's Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself.

What will be the inspiring words for today's generation?

We'll find out tomorrow!

(No change) = (potential for change).

Even contradictory, the above equation characterize in my opinion the historical political choice, voting Ontarians made last Wednesday.

It is historical since on one hand Dalton McGuinty's victory matches a 70 years old achievement of back to back majority Liberal reelection.

On another hand the victory is contradictory since right after elections a family man grants Ontarians an extra holiday, the Family Day. Some are thinking that the decision was gratuitous and unnecessary since in their old way political thinking, the government party should get votes by "offering things" during their campaign.

For me, the Family Day fulfilled promise is a sign of things to come. A responsible leader cares not only before elections but from his first day on the job. As for those whiners that worry of lost profits caused by the extra holiday... first of all they don't know what they are worring about since the families could spend the Family day by going shopping :)

Then, maybe we should remind them that the status of the current exhausted workforce doesn't reflect the predictions and promises made 40-50 years ago by the technological revolutions pundits that were forecasting an excess of free time given by people replacement with machines. Well, it didn't work that way...

McGuinty move sends a clear message for change. So, Ontarians choice for no change is actually a choice for potential change as he already promised to fix the healthcare and education systems.

As for the referendum, the above equation holds also true. The choice of not changing the current electoral system was made by the voting Ontarians that reached a record low of around 52%. If this trend continues then something needs to be changed. And if more people vote it is hard to predict the results of the next referendum. So the potential for change is there.

Some of the people that wanted to vote complained of not having time. It is a lame excuse that could suggest the idea of elections held when people have free time. How about during Family Day? :)

Provincial elections and referendum.

Tomorrow is big day in Ontario's political life. Besides the provincial elections, Ontarians will be given a chance to change the provincial electoral system.

Make sure you understand the question otherwise you'll vote for a random electoral system and you couldn't complain that you were not given a chance to be more involved in the political decisions.

Click here to watch the debate on the Referendum.