Obama turns focus to McCain, starts VP search

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrat Barack Obama turned his focus to the five-month general-election fight for the White House against Republican John McCain on Wednesday and announced a three-member team to head his search for a running mate.

The Inheritance (Chapter Five To, "The Last Plantation")

Amos, and Josh are sitting with Minnie Mae, out by her shanty, in back of the barn on the Wallace Plantation, Amos playing the banjo, and Josh drinking a large glass of something, it looks like beer, but he usually drinks beer with moonshine in it, so I'd bet that is what is in that large wooden cup of his. Burgundy, she is dancing wildly around the bonfire trying to catch the sparks as they drift off the burning wood and into the air, as if she's possessed with a voodoo demon; her family does have an ounce or two of Haitian blood in them, and therefore, she has something on that order likewise in her blood, and so it has been said, but not on these three plantations, the Wallace's, Stanley's and Abernathy's.

U.S. Business on Collision Course With Internet Gridlock

The U.S. Department of Labor reports that for the fifth consecutive year the most common disruption to business was the loss of broadband internet connection, with 39 per cent of businesses reporting some kind of failure. The current perception is there is a significant excess capacity in carrier networks. This has led to a reduction in investment in optical fiber installation. But according to TIA, this is incorrect. Utilizing data on historical bandwidth drivers, past fiber and equipment usage trends, and an understanding of networks, the system is near its capacity limit. Carriers in the United States are rapidly running out of bandwidth and may face capacity shortages as soon as this year. If the bean-counters react in time and significantly increase funding of fiber projects, none of the worst case scenarios is necessary.