Was there a memo I didn't get?

[piersk]

Just wondered why no one has discussed this voting thing thats going on... erm... just finished across the pond (from where i am at least)...

Not thats it's important or anything...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3976843.stm

[bubblenut]

Because it's all just too depressing? :( Besides, I like the feel of the sand on my ears.

[davidjam]

Just wondered why no one has discussed this voting thing thats going on

Perhaps the topic is "too hot to handle".

Besides, I like the feel of the sand on my ears.

Not that I am any less of an ostrich in this situation, but this is just what the regular working people of Germany were doing as the SS started carting off the jews.

100,000 Iraqis later and we are still whistling a happy tune and voting for the individual who is * more likely * to continue the war.

First things first. I don't even look at the other issues until this one is fixed, which it doesn't look like it will be now for who knows how long :( (Unless a miracle happens in Ohio -- I write this at exactly 7:30 AM Mountain Time on Nov. 3)

God have mercy.

[Elizabeth]

Personally, living in Ohio - I am SO incredibly relieved that it is over. We were absolutely bombarded by propaganda on both sides. From mailings to automated phone calls numerous times a day to the constant barrage of rallies and visits here. I should have written in Nader to voice my own protest. I'm all for letting people know where you stand on issues, obviously that is critical. But by the end what can you say that hasn't already been said over and over ad nauseum?

[vaaaska]

I am incapable of writing anything less than an entire novel on this subject - aside from this note.

[drawmack]

Because I knew that an idiot was going to win no matter how it turned out.

[pohopo]

Personally, living in Ohio - I am SO incredibly relieved that it is over. We were absolutely bombarded by propaganda on both sides.

Living in California we got almost no propaganda on the presidential race. Thinking about it I don't remember seeing one tv ad on the presidency. It is a given that the liberals take this state so we are ignored.

[Weedpacket]

Originally posted by pohopo
Living in California we got almost no propaganda on the presidential race. As someone who was bombarded by way too much of the stuff, I think I can say you didn't miss out on anything of any significance.

[vaaaska]

Originally posted by Weedpacket
As someone who was bombarded by way too much of the stuff, I think I can say you didn't miss out on anything of any significance.

I thought Weedie was up north of mainland Europe? You're in the states?

Over the next four years, I am going to build a website that contains downloadable tools, interactive things and stuff related to the U.S. electoral process, bad policies and foreign issues. If anybody is bummed about four more years of the same (more specifically bad foreign relations policies) and feels the urge, I'll be happy with any help or ideas that people might want to offier. This isn't meant so say that this person is bad, etc...but rather to promote education, in a visual way, about things people should know (young and old alike).

With my angst, it's the best I can do. And I feel that I need to do something...perhaps this is where my career change begins.

[davidjam]

vaaaska, I think that is a wonderful idea, and I for one support you.

Pope John Paul II has been warning of the dangers of what he calls "globalization" for the past 20 years. At first I just wrote him off as too verbose to be effective, but now I see more clearly what he saw. The one thing that the UN speaks of, which I think needs more emphasis is the issue of "sovereignty". Well, that, coupled with nuclear disarmarment, which is a tricky one. This issue of sovereignty, so important to Americans on their own soil, seems completely lost with reference to OTHER PEOPLE'S lands, cultures, religions, etc. The wars on Afghanistan and Iraq were for the purpose of a) gaining strategic allies (by force) and b) control of oil, and nothing else. "War on terror", "Weapons of mass destruction", were merely smokescreens.

I know this is supposed to be a thread on the US election, but Bush has set himself up as not only president of the US but of the World.

One way of helping educate Americans is have them read BBC news as their news source instead of US-based news. The occassional visit to Al-Jazeera wouldn't hurt either.

[piersk]

Originally posted by vaaaska
I thought Weedie was up north of mainland Europe? You're in the states?

He's not even there... He's a kiwi

[vaaaska]

Originally posted by piersk
He's not even there... He's a kiwi

Then how did he get election junk mail?! ;)

[pohopo]

As someone who was bombarded by way too much of the stuff, I think I can say you didn't miss out on anything of any significance.

Though I would not have wanted to be bombarded with presidential election stuff, i would of liked a little more then we got. i felt like my vote meant nothing because the GOP already gave up on California and since the Dems had the state, why spend any money on it.

[Weedpacket]

Originally posted by vaaaska
Then how did he get election junk mail?! ;) When the United States has a presidential election, EVERYONE gets bombarded by campaigning. Or news reports about campaigning. Or news reports about media coverage of campaigning. Or commentary and analyses of campaign strategies.

When I was in a satirical mood early on in the piece I suggested that after the 2000 debacles, the UN should send observers to monitor the 2004 election the way they do in other countries where the democratic process is threatened. So it was kinda eyebrow-raising to see that this year the EU did have observers (some of whom were accidentally not allowed into polling stations).

[Doug G]

Originally posted by piersk
Just wondered why no one has discussed this voting thing thats going on... erm... just finished across the pond (from where i am at least)...

Not thats it's important or anything...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3976843.stm
Why discuss voting, it makes absolutely no difference here in the US if you vote or not. (oops, forgot the emoticon) :)

[vaaaska]

A visual way to see how people voted.

Blue = D; Red = R; Purple = 50/50.

http://www.princeton.edu/~rvdb/JAVA/election2004/purple_america_2004_small.gif

Explain me => http://www.princeton.edu/~rvdb/JAVA/election2004/

[piersk]

Results after everyone else in the world voted:

http://www.ishkur.com/editorials/kerrywins01.jpg

[bubblenut]

hehe, where did you get that from?

[piersk]

Someone posted it on our union bb

[davidjam]

Fellow people: sorry for the raves there.

I actually avoided the whole election until the last minute, then got really "involved". Head was spinning. I feel better now.

[dalecosp]

originally posted by Piersk
Was there a memo I didn't get?

Yes; but I didn't see you on my list of employees. You'll need to move, and you can start at $200.00/month... :evilgrin:

:D

Hmm; the election was really about the question "what do you believe in, and therefore what do you believe is important?"

Probably not something that tends to be discussed at a PHP coding forum ....

[pohopo]

here is the average IQ of each state and how they voted
IQ for each state (http://themaxx.com/offensive/pages/picpile/8410.php)

and here is another map of the states
http://idisk.mac.com/glwebb-public/new_map.jpg

[bubblenut]

You get politically sponsored raves over your way? :eek: WOW! I've got a raher wiert image of Bush behind the decks, bashing out some wicked tunes for all the crazy kids :D I have a funny feeling I may have got the wrong end of the stick here :p