Africa Continues to Grow Strongly Despite Global Slowdown, Although Significantly Less Poverty Remains Elusive

WASHINGTON, April 15, 2013 – Economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa is likely to reach more than 5 percent on average in 2013-2015 as a result of high commodity prices worldwide and strong consumer spending on the continent, ensuring that the region remains amongst the fastest growing in the world -- according to the World Bank’s latest Africa’s Pulse, a twice-yearly analysis of the issues shaping Africa’s economic prospects.
 
In 2012, about a quarter of African countries grew at 7 percent or higher and a number of African countries, notably Sierra Leone, Niger, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso and Rwanda, are among the fastest growing in the world.

The new World Bank report forecasts that medium-term growth prospects remain strong and will be supported by a gradually improving world economy, consistently high commodity prices, and more investment in regional infrastructure, trade, and business growth.  read entire story

Kobe Bryant: Career ending injury?

Since the retirement of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant has been the closest thing to number 23 in the NBA.

Granted, even Lakers fans confess, Kobe is far from being as endearing as MJ. But no one can argue his dominance. Here's a quick glance of what the Black Mamba has achieved:

So far in his NBA career that started (17) years ago, Kobe Bryant has won 5 championships, earned 14 selections for All-NBA teams and 12 for All-Defensive teams. He has also led the league in scoring twice, won the Slum Dunk challenge and got 4 All-Star Game MVPs in 14 appearances.

He won his Season MVP in 2007-08, won the Finals MVP in the next two years and the list of his achievements.

Greatness aside: Has the Achilles tendon tear ended the Bryant era?

Gun control: A ray of hope

GOP: Fear mongering tactics

In the annals of history, the era of President Obama will certainly be chronicled as a historical period in which the GOP deliberately -- and cynically -- employed a strategy to obstruct our democracy and block the will of the people.

Take an issue: health care, job creation, Main Street stimulus legislation, fair tax codes, immigration reform and now gun control -- on all these issues the overwhelming majority of the people are on one side and the GOP on the other.

Over 90% of Americans want sensible gun control laws

Thatcher/Reagan: Take from the poor and give to the rich

It has been written, never speak ill of the dead.

In the case of Margaret Thatcher, this unofficial 11th commandment has been and needs to be cast aside.

First, here at HGP, we send condolences to the Thatcher family.

But now let's honestly explore the Thatcher legacy.

As prime minister for 11 years (1979 to 1990), Thatcher broke the gender glass ceiling by becoming Britain's first female head of state. In terms of politics and policy, Thatcher legacy is more appropriately the Reagan/Thatcher legacy and it is alive and thriving -- the reverse Robin Hood doctrine:

Take from the poor and give to the rich.

End the March Madness: Pay the Players!

We are in the month of April, but March Madness is still in full effect. I must confess, I'm a casual college basketball fan and a huge NBA fan -- even though my 76er's have not been relevant since Bubba Chuck or the Answer or AI laced up his kicks doing his prime Philly years.

College hoops does move my interest meter during March Madness. But every time I see the NCAA basketball take the center stage during MM, I think, everybody is getting paid big bucks except the main characters -- the players.

The Billion dollar payday.

Chicago Goddamn!

What's going on?

Mother, mother
There's too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There's far too many of you dying
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today - Ya  by Marvin Gaye

This past couple of days, I read the following most disturbing, horrible, sad and tragic stories about Chicago:

Profiteering, racism behind closing of 61 Chicago schools

GOP: Never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity

Abba Eban, Israeli diplomat and author, famously (and many believed unfairly) uttered the quote: Arabs never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. Well, with a slight tweak, this quote can aptly describe the current GOP:

Republicans rarely miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity to make racist, homophobic, anti-immigrant, sexist and hateful remarks.

Enter this week's shameful utterances:

The GOP Conundrum: Entertainment vs Politics

Some folks in the "scary" party -- GOP -- have finally and honestly looked into the mirror -- and what did they see:

First, the voices from the study rose up to describe how the general population views "the Republican Party today." Those voices loudly called out, "Scary", "Narrow minded" and "out of touch," essentially calling it a party of "stuffy old men."

And some folks at the RNC even recognized if they are to survive they must reach-out beyond their current monolithic base:

On Monday a Republican task force released a remarkably hard-headed diagnosis of the party’s many liabilities: its ideological rigidity, its preference for the rich over workers, its alienation of minorities, its reactionary social policies and its institutionalized repression of dissent and innovation.

GOP CPAC: We still want to be the party of stupid!

FINALLY, after weeks of blogger technical issues -- this is the 21st century? -- I am able to post again.

Where do I begin?

CPAC 2013 (Conservative Political Action Conference): Last summer, I called the Tampa GOP convention the Loony Tune Convention -- well this conference, featuring conservative political activist, is even Loonier (how can that be possible?).

For one, Governor Chris Christie along with other GOP leaders who are not coo coo for cocoa puffs have been exiled for crimes of showing bipartisan support. These charges include: His steadfast refusal to drink the Rush Limbaugh/FOX News kool-Aid.

Bob McDonnell and Chris Christie are two of the Republican Party’s big success stories: popular East Coast governors who have enacted conservative policies in states that President Barack Obama won twice. Elected together in 2009, the pair formed an advance guard for the 2010 Republican revolution.

And during the Conservative Political Action Conference this week, both governors find themselves on the political ash heap.

Neither McDonnell nor Christie was invited to speak at CPAC, one of the premier showcase events for national Republicans. The snub of Christie was more heavily covered —perceived as punishment for his post-Hurricane Sandy embrace of Obama — but both governors have run afoul of CPAC organizers in related ways. source

To be a VIP guest, one needs to have a visceral disregard and hatred for Obama. Enter the Queen of Bloviators, Sarah P. Yes, the hockey mutha -- I mean mother -- from Alaska was on stage sharing her political insight:

Former GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin mocked President Obama, GOP consultant Karl Rove and the mainstream media in a folksy speech to a gathering of conservative activists outside Washington Saturday.


During her address to the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, Palin accused Obama of failing to lead, instead maintaining a permanent campaign approach of demonizing the opposition.

True leadership, she said, means "ending the poisonous practice of treating members of different social, ethnic and religious groups as different electorates, pandered to with different promises." If all men are created equal, as the Declaration of Independence states, Palin said, then there are "no Hispanic issues or African-American issues or women's issues — there are only American issues."

The former Alaska governor also mocked Obama's proposals for stricter gun rules, tying the issue to conspiracy theories about the president's own citizenship. "More background checks? Dandy idea, Mr. President — should have started with yours." source

Once again, the party of no -- no outsiders, no immigrants, no gays, no compromise and look folks we have no sense -- can not resist the temptation of being the Party of Stupid.

Rush Limbaugh: 'I Am Ashamed Of My Country' For The First Time In My Life

Rush Limbaugh is officially ashamed of America for "the first time," he announced Thursday.


The reason? The so-called budget sequestration, which President Obama and Democrats say could do serious danger to the economy if Congress can't do a deal before March 1st. Limbaugh wasn't buying it.

The radio host said that "to have our common sense and intelligence insulted the way it's being, it just makes me ashamed."

"Here they come -- sucking us in, roping us in, panic here, fear there, crisis, destruction, no meat inspection, no cops, no teachers, no firefighters, no air traffic control," he said. "I'm sorry, my days of getting roped into all of this are over. We have the media play along with all of this, the ruling class of both parties play along all of this -- it's insulting. I don't know how else to describe it!" source

Really Rush...I mean really???

You are ashamed about us?

Rush Limbaugh -- a man who has become obscenely rich by peddling racism, fear, sexism, hatred and flat-out ignorance for a living (just google Limbaugh's top 10 racist or sexist quotes) -- obviously has no clue or care about his divisive presence in America society.

Rush Limbaugh -- married four times, ex-addict, fired from ESPN because of hateful comments, called a young woman a slut on live radio -- together with FOX have done more to divide our country than any other figure or organization.

Rush Limbaugh, while our country was in a economic free fall after 8 disastrous years of Bush/Cheney policies, famously quoted to the incoming President Obama: "I hope you fail"

Mr. Limbaugh, you are,arguably, the biggest American embarrassment. Shoot, even former GOP congressman Joe Scarborough has called you and FOX out:

Joe Scarborough lashed out at conservative "media culture" on Tuesday's "Morning Joe," telling viewers that Rush Limbaugh and Fox News have not been good for the Republican party.


Scarborough urged Republicans to look beyond those two outlets. "Just for conservatives that think they have to stay in their own little media world, since Rush Limbaugh went on the air and became a national figure, Republicans have lost five out of the last six presidential elections in the popular vote," he said. "Since Fox News went on the air in 1996, Republicans have lost four out of the five last —"

"Please keep doing what you're doing," co-host Mika Brzezinski joked.

"When Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon had to go up against a media culture that absolutely hated them... and there were no conservative outlets, they won 49 states," Scarborough continued. He said that he turns to conservative outlets as well as mainstream media, but added, "for people who think they have to stay in the little box, I got bad news for you: it's not working." source