With the rigours of election taking its toll on Barack Obama, and the world weatching hopefully as he stepped up to deliver his winning speech as president elect and the first ever black president, Senator Obama could be forgiven for forgetting for a moment the little island of Cyprus, nestled away in the mediterrenean sea

Less than intelligent politicians in Washington, DC are plentiful and to some extent acceptable. When they do something smart however, it's time to acknowledge that feat. CEO's of multibillion dollar companies on the other hand, are generally considered to be a step up from normal intelligence, if for no other reason than they are given huge salaries.

Not even First Class is good enough for the CEOs of the biggest three automakers, Rick Wagoner of General Motors Corp, Alan Mulally of Ford Motor Co

Dear President Elect Obama: As you have hopefully inspired many Afro Americans to aspire to greater goals; I have been inspired by George Bush and Sarah Palin I now believe that I am smart enough to be President

A tobacco tax that has its origins in the rivalry between a king and his courtier? Increased sales due to war? And plague?

It's all part of the story of tobacco. Smoking has always been bound up in the history of European politics. After all, it's likely that no one of European origin would ever have smoked a cigar if Columbus's sailors hadn't discovered natives of present-day Cuba smoking tubes of dried tobacco in 1493.

Although I did not vote for President Barack Obama, I wish him well and I hope that he is as successful as President Bill Clinton If Obama governs as a centrist as Bill Clinton did, he should not have any problem getting a second term

Hawaii is especially proud of our new president, Barack Obama. He was born here and spent many of his formative years living in Honolulu. We believe this time spent in Hawaii had an indelible effect on the formation of his character, because the history of Hawaii makes this place unique.

Of course, his other international experiences, such as living in Indonesia with his mother and stepfather, must also have had a big effect.

2008 has been a year of change For one, Cyprus reunification is now back on the agenda after the appointment of Dimitris Christofias to the presidency of the Republic of Cyprus, joining Mehmet Ali Talat to solve the disputes over Cyprus reunification