Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Fun Stuff

Three quick thoughts:

  • The headline in the print version of today's local paper about the conviction of Alaska Senator Ted Stevens on corruption charges reads: "Sen. Stevens Found Guilty of Corruption: Conviction May Risk Re-Election Bid." May?! You can't make up this stuff.
  • On Saturday, both presidential candidates visited ABQ. McCain rallied at the state fairgrounds in the morning, drawing around 2,000 supporters. Obama's event at UNM that evening drew over 40,000. And we're a tight congressional district in a swing state. My argument about cool seems relevant here. Anytime you draw 20 times the supporters (there were estimates that put Obama's attendance closer to 50,000, by the way), you win the cool contest.
  • I stopped by the early voting site on campus the other day and was dismayed that a) it didn't open until noon and b) the line was a good 50 people deep. I despise waiting in lines for anything. I'll try again today.

3 comments:

pinky said...

I voted last week...and waited for nearly an hour in a line. But since I had nothing pressing and there were friendly people as well as friends in line with me, it went by quickly. I was in a good mood because I knew who I was voting for and and felt good about it.

dastew said...

I hate the idea of early voting. i love the idea of moving the election to Sunday or making tuesday (election day) a federal holiday. Also we need to make our voting machines standard touch screen machines WITH a paper receipt (if you can do it with ATMS...). The companies that make these machines must have some accountability.

Roy said...

Stew,
My kids have election day off school so the teachers et al can vote, so I like that idea. And the ATM-style electronic voting machine is a great idea; it should have a little camera too so as to twart fraud. But your 19th-century nostalgia for this communal rite of voting on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in the 11th month of the year rings hollow. Ride ye in a horse and carriage?