I'm starting a new thing called the News Blurb. I'm just listing some of the bigger things that have been in the news the past few weeks, things I don't have time to expound on them or spin my opinions on them (at least, not very much). But it's still stuff you should know, so I'm at least giving you a quick blurb.
1) Bush appoints Condoleeza Rice to replace Colin Powell as secretary of state. Some question her qualifications in that area.
2) Dan Rather steps down as CBS anchor. And of course they say it has NOTHING to do with the Bush memo scandal.
3) ABC incites mass outrage and criticism for their Monday Night Football opening skit involving Terrell Owens and a controversially clothed (or, rather, unclothed) actress from "Desperate Housewives." Did they learn nothing from CBS and the Superbowl?
4) There's some kind of controversy in Wisconsin as a hunter got shot. I don't know if it was deliberate or accidental, if it was over a turkey or whatnot. But it's still in the news.
5) Ron Artest is the Pacers player who asked for some time off because of his busy schedule, which included promoting his new rap CD. Now he has all the time he wants. In a recent brawl that included fans, Artest was suspended for the rest of the season. Ouch!
Edmond the Hun
Saturday, November 27, 2004
Current Events: Ukraine Elections, Cont'd
Apparently the presidential election in Ukraine was more interesting than I first believed. To set the stage again, it was Viktor Yanukovych vs. Viktor Yushchenko. (Forgive me for calling them Yanu and Yush from here on out, but their names are too similar). All I knew was that, in the middle of counting the votes, Yanu was winning even though Yush had won the exit polls. It struck me as funny and ironic, nothing more.
But many more events have transpired in the last few days:
First off, I know a little more about the candidates now. Yanu is supported by the current president, Kuchma or something, as well as Russia. He's more or less the "bad guy," as far as Americans are concerned. Yush, on the other hand, likes Europe and the West. He's more or less the "good guy." (I still have a very shallow understanding about them, but it appears as if we would like Yush to win the Ukrainian presidency, if we care at all.)
Second, the election was surrounded in controversy even greater than Florida in 2000. Fraud, mistakes, intimidation---the whole bit. So when somebody announced that the official results were that Yanu beat Yush 49%-46%, Yush's folks wouldn't buy it. Neither did the U.S. or other western nations. There were huge protests on the streets. Surprisingly, they were all pretty peaceful. Yush tried to stage a huge strike, but that didn't go too well.
At first, leaders were ready to declare Yanu the new president, but then they decided to go to the complicated court system. They have said that there's no clear winner, and the results are invaldi, and now there's the possibility of a whole new election.
I still don't know why we should care who's the president of Ukraine, but I'm sure the people of Ukraine do care. A lot. We're not the only country with election issues. We're not the only country that's "divided." But from what I've heard, Ukraine is a lot less bitter than we are. Both sides believe they have won, but they seem to place the true decision of the people higher than their own political gain. The quotes I've read---they just sound so much nicer than what I'm used to hearing. And it's not just the politicians, too. The reports I read of the "riots" and rallies---everyone was getting along, respecting the policemen, and just being nice to each other. Could that have happened in America? I have my doubts.
Again, I have a shallow understanding of this, and I could be wrong. But perhaps we can learn a lesson from the Ukrainians:
Be nice!
Edmond the Hun
But many more events have transpired in the last few days:
First off, I know a little more about the candidates now. Yanu is supported by the current president, Kuchma or something, as well as Russia. He's more or less the "bad guy," as far as Americans are concerned. Yush, on the other hand, likes Europe and the West. He's more or less the "good guy." (I still have a very shallow understanding about them, but it appears as if we would like Yush to win the Ukrainian presidency, if we care at all.)
Second, the election was surrounded in controversy even greater than Florida in 2000. Fraud, mistakes, intimidation---the whole bit. So when somebody announced that the official results were that Yanu beat Yush 49%-46%, Yush's folks wouldn't buy it. Neither did the U.S. or other western nations. There were huge protests on the streets. Surprisingly, they were all pretty peaceful. Yush tried to stage a huge strike, but that didn't go too well.
At first, leaders were ready to declare Yanu the new president, but then they decided to go to the complicated court system. They have said that there's no clear winner, and the results are invaldi, and now there's the possibility of a whole new election.
I still don't know why we should care who's the president of Ukraine, but I'm sure the people of Ukraine do care. A lot. We're not the only country with election issues. We're not the only country that's "divided." But from what I've heard, Ukraine is a lot less bitter than we are. Both sides believe they have won, but they seem to place the true decision of the people higher than their own political gain. The quotes I've read---they just sound so much nicer than what I'm used to hearing. And it's not just the politicians, too. The reports I read of the "riots" and rallies---everyone was getting along, respecting the policemen, and just being nice to each other. Could that have happened in America? I have my doubts.
Again, I have a shallow understanding of this, and I could be wrong. But perhaps we can learn a lesson from the Ukrainians:
Be nice!
Edmond the Hun
Movie Review: National Treasure (3 of 5)
I found National Treasure to be a typical average action-type movie. The music was very good. The plot-line was at least intriguing. The special effects were awesome. And there are lots of funny moments. Nothing extraordinary or spectacular---just a good ol' average movie.
Nicholas Cage stars as a guy named Ben Gates, whose family has for generations believed that the founding fathers (i.e. Washington, Franklin, etc) left us clues to find a huge buried treasure, consisting of valuable items dating back to Roman times and all that good stuff. A guy looking for treasure---not exactly a plot-line that's never been done before, and it's a little far-fetched. But it is pretty neat how they go from one clue to the next, and how they deduce and infer and figure out and solve things.
Of course, it's not as simple as that. Half of Ben's crew turns on him early on, led by Ian something (Sean Bean). They continually try to thwart the efforts of Ben, his electronics-whiz-but-otherwise-dumb comic-relief guy Riley, and Dr. Angela Chase, who's in charge at the National Archives Museum but soon gets caught up in the events, besides the developing romance between her and Ben. The bad guys usually don't figure out the clues, but try to take advantage of it when the good guys do. Nice and intriguing and sort of a plot "twist." There's also some nice character development between Ben and his father, who didn't believe in the legend and thought it was a waste of time.
It's pretty clean, too. Chase's clothing is annoying for a few minutes after she leaves the formal party, but then she changes (and that event in itself is borderline---Chase and Ben change behind those door-stall-things in clothing department stores. You don't really see anything, of course, but still...) But come on, who cares about modesty these days, right? There's little violence and practically no blood, and, suprisingly, only one guy dies! (Although I did wonder how many times the bad guys were gonna miss everytime they shot at Ben) And despite the romance, there's a suprising absence of sexual jokes or innuendoes or the like. In other words, it's pretty clean.
Unfortunately, it's also predictable. When Ben lets Ian get the Declaration of Independence, you just know that it's not the real one. You just know that---well, I won't give too much away. But it's not too hard to figure out what's gonna happen next. And of course the whole things is just kinda far-fetched. Come on, another treasure? Like there's really a map on the back of the Declaration of Independence! Like the clock on the back of the $100 bill really means something! However, it'll probably inspire interest in Washington D.C.'s history and all that. You know, people wondering, so how much of that is actually true?
So, here's the final verdict: It's a good typical action movie, with nice music and special effects and humor. It's also far-fetched and predictable, and there's nothing specactular about it. But if you're willing to suspend a little disbelief, it's an enjoyable movie.
Edmond the Hun
Nicholas Cage stars as a guy named Ben Gates, whose family has for generations believed that the founding fathers (i.e. Washington, Franklin, etc) left us clues to find a huge buried treasure, consisting of valuable items dating back to Roman times and all that good stuff. A guy looking for treasure---not exactly a plot-line that's never been done before, and it's a little far-fetched. But it is pretty neat how they go from one clue to the next, and how they deduce and infer and figure out and solve things.
Of course, it's not as simple as that. Half of Ben's crew turns on him early on, led by Ian something (Sean Bean). They continually try to thwart the efforts of Ben, his electronics-whiz-but-otherwise-dumb comic-relief guy Riley, and Dr. Angela Chase, who's in charge at the National Archives Museum but soon gets caught up in the events, besides the developing romance between her and Ben. The bad guys usually don't figure out the clues, but try to take advantage of it when the good guys do. Nice and intriguing and sort of a plot "twist." There's also some nice character development between Ben and his father, who didn't believe in the legend and thought it was a waste of time.
It's pretty clean, too. Chase's clothing is annoying for a few minutes after she leaves the formal party, but then she changes (and that event in itself is borderline---Chase and Ben change behind those door-stall-things in clothing department stores. You don't really see anything, of course, but still...) But come on, who cares about modesty these days, right? There's little violence and practically no blood, and, suprisingly, only one guy dies! (Although I did wonder how many times the bad guys were gonna miss everytime they shot at Ben) And despite the romance, there's a suprising absence of sexual jokes or innuendoes or the like. In other words, it's pretty clean.
Unfortunately, it's also predictable. When Ben lets Ian get the Declaration of Independence, you just know that it's not the real one. You just know that---well, I won't give too much away. But it's not too hard to figure out what's gonna happen next. And of course the whole things is just kinda far-fetched. Come on, another treasure? Like there's really a map on the back of the Declaration of Independence! Like the clock on the back of the $100 bill really means something! However, it'll probably inspire interest in Washington D.C.'s history and all that. You know, people wondering, so how much of that is actually true?
So, here's the final verdict: It's a good typical action movie, with nice music and special effects and humor. It's also far-fetched and predictable, and there's nothing specactular about it. But if you're willing to suspend a little disbelief, it's an enjoyable movie.
Edmond the Hun
Wednesday, November 24, 2004
Decay of Society 2 & 3
And the hope therein which has not yet perished
Decay 2: Video Games & JFK
On the 41st anniversary of President Kennedy's death, a new Internet game was released on JFKreloaded.com, in which the player pretends to be Lee Harvey Oswald and assassinate the president. As if that wasn't enough, it costs money to play and they're offering $100,000 for whoever can shoot JFK at the exact time and angle that Oswald did. The creators say it's educational, that this "new form of interactive entertainment brings history to life and will stimulate a younger generation of players to take an interest in this fascinating episode of American history."
This is getting a lot of response and criticism. A spokesmen for a family member of Kennedy's said it's "despicable." It's evoking outrage from many other sources too. Video games have been getting more graphic and violent for years, but at least you're usually a good guy. This is not more grisly graphics; this is a repulsive twist of morals and ethics.
The creators have a lot of nice arguments to "prove" that what they have done is all good and OK. But come on, here! What's next? A game where you have to blow up a building in Oklahoma City? A game where you have to fly in jets to bomb Pearl Harbor? A game where you have to fly a plane into the World Trade Center? I'm sorry, but JFK Reloaded goes too far. If you truly want to mix games and history, don't glorify the ruthless. I hope it gets taken off the 'net, but I don't expect that to happen.
(Sources: www.washingtonpost.com, news.independent.co.uk)
Decay 3: Alexander the Gay
I saw a preview for the movie Alexander, which is about Alexander the Great. It was filled with a combination of intense cool-looking medieval fight scenes and, uh, love scenes. Looked similar to Troy, an ancient war movie that might be great to watch without the unnecessary immoral content. But, wait, it gets worse.
In the movie, not only does Alexander sleep with women, he sleeps with... men. It's so disgusting I can barely bring myself to write it. It has the Greeks in an outrage at this destruction of history. Some are threatening to sue (which won't work---the movie isn't being presented as a documentary. It's a Hollywood movie---they have no obligations to be accurate to anything). Although it is ironic that Yannis Varnakos, the leading threatener, used JFK in an analogy: "We cannot come out and say that President John F. Kennedy was a shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team and so Warner cannot come out and say Alexander was gay."
The movie director insists that Alexander was in fact bisexual, or homosexual, or whatever you want to call it, and this is not a new idea. But, whether it was true or not, you don't have to make a movie about it! At least Alexander is getting terrible reviews. Washington Post didn't even like the special effects or the storyline or practically anything about the movie. I hope it's a box office failure, but I don't expect that to happen, either.
(Sources: courttv.com, www.washingtonpost.com)
-----
So, what do these events have in common? Two things. One, they're both taking history and twisting it and using it in ways it shouldn't be used. Two, it's evoking outrage and criticism from lots of people. Which means our society, as bad and immoral as it has become and is becoming, is not totally hopeless. People are still getting upset about things. But will it make any difference in how many people play the game or see the movie? Probably not.
Edmond the Hun
Decay 2: Video Games & JFK
On the 41st anniversary of President Kennedy's death, a new Internet game was released on JFKreloaded.com, in which the player pretends to be Lee Harvey Oswald and assassinate the president. As if that wasn't enough, it costs money to play and they're offering $100,000 for whoever can shoot JFK at the exact time and angle that Oswald did. The creators say it's educational, that this "new form of interactive entertainment brings history to life and will stimulate a younger generation of players to take an interest in this fascinating episode of American history."
This is getting a lot of response and criticism. A spokesmen for a family member of Kennedy's said it's "despicable." It's evoking outrage from many other sources too. Video games have been getting more graphic and violent for years, but at least you're usually a good guy. This is not more grisly graphics; this is a repulsive twist of morals and ethics.
The creators have a lot of nice arguments to "prove" that what they have done is all good and OK. But come on, here! What's next? A game where you have to blow up a building in Oklahoma City? A game where you have to fly in jets to bomb Pearl Harbor? A game where you have to fly a plane into the World Trade Center? I'm sorry, but JFK Reloaded goes too far. If you truly want to mix games and history, don't glorify the ruthless. I hope it gets taken off the 'net, but I don't expect that to happen.
(Sources: www.washingtonpost.com, news.independent.co.uk)
Decay 3: Alexander the Gay
I saw a preview for the movie Alexander, which is about Alexander the Great. It was filled with a combination of intense cool-looking medieval fight scenes and, uh, love scenes. Looked similar to Troy, an ancient war movie that might be great to watch without the unnecessary immoral content. But, wait, it gets worse.
In the movie, not only does Alexander sleep with women, he sleeps with... men. It's so disgusting I can barely bring myself to write it. It has the Greeks in an outrage at this destruction of history. Some are threatening to sue (which won't work---the movie isn't being presented as a documentary. It's a Hollywood movie---they have no obligations to be accurate to anything). Although it is ironic that Yannis Varnakos, the leading threatener, used JFK in an analogy: "We cannot come out and say that President John F. Kennedy was a shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team and so Warner cannot come out and say Alexander was gay."
The movie director insists that Alexander was in fact bisexual, or homosexual, or whatever you want to call it, and this is not a new idea. But, whether it was true or not, you don't have to make a movie about it! At least Alexander is getting terrible reviews. Washington Post didn't even like the special effects or the storyline or practically anything about the movie. I hope it's a box office failure, but I don't expect that to happen, either.
(Sources: courttv.com, www.washingtonpost.com)
-----
So, what do these events have in common? Two things. One, they're both taking history and twisting it and using it in ways it shouldn't be used. Two, it's evoking outrage and criticism from lots of people. Which means our society, as bad and immoral as it has become and is becoming, is not totally hopeless. People are still getting upset about things. But will it make any difference in how many people play the game or see the movie? Probably not.
Edmond the Hun
Sunday, November 21, 2004
Exit Polls ~ Will They Never Learn?
The first exit polls that were leaked during our presidential election on Nov 2 said that Kerry was ahead in Ohio and Florida. He lost both states. The exit polls were wrong. This anamoly may not be confined to the United States.
There's a presidential election going on in Ukraine: Viktor Yanukovich vs. Viktor Yushchenko. I have no idea who these people are, and I don't really care. Ukraine doesn't have enough power in the world to make me care. So why am I telling you this?
Because with 26% of the ballots counted, Yanu is ahead, even though Yush won the exit polls by a considerable margin. Based on the precincts they are from, it's possible that Yush will still end up winning. But ignore that possibility for the moment. The point is - the exit polls are wrong. Again.
And why am I not surprised?
Edmond the Hun
There's a presidential election going on in Ukraine: Viktor Yanukovich vs. Viktor Yushchenko. I have no idea who these people are, and I don't really care. Ukraine doesn't have enough power in the world to make me care. So why am I telling you this?
Because with 26% of the ballots counted, Yanu is ahead, even though Yush won the exit polls by a considerable margin. Based on the precincts they are from, it's possible that Yush will still end up winning. But ignore that possibility for the moment. The point is - the exit polls are wrong. Again.
And why am I not surprised?
Edmond the Hun
Thursday, November 11, 2004
Movie Review: The Incredibles (5 of 5)
Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Monster's Inc, Finding Nemo... Pixar has yet to fail. The Incredibles is no exception. It's awesome and hilarious. And it's not a silly kiddie superhero movie, either. If anything, it's more intense than anything Pixar has done yet. There's gunfire, explosions, and a lot of implied death, some of which would be rather gruesome. But this is the cleanest movie I have seen all year ('course, it's not worth much when you're comparing it to The Passion or I, Robot, but still...)
The plot is excellent. Admittedly, there are some instances that feel like superhero stereotypes, but for the most part, it is original, amusing, and even realistic. For example, the reason the superheroes have to retire is because they get sued by people who didn't want to be saved. Is that not something that would happen in today's society? It's brilliant! The fast-paced action and the wide array of superpowers keep the movie interesting, and the dialogue ("Where is ma Supa Suit?", eccentric characters (Edna, Bob's boss), and random situations (Elastigirl getting stuck between three sliding doors) keep it hilarious. I laughed pretty much the whole way through.
The moral lessons are good too. Brother and sister don't fight too much, which is good, but they still fight, which is realistic. The dad hides his coming-out-of-retirement from his wife, and this causes bad results and is presented as a bad thing. Bob's boss gets mad at him for trying to help a client, and the boss is portrayed as the bad guy in that situation, like he should be. In more than one bad-guy-fighting scene, they superheroes all work together to defeat the bad guys, advocating teamwork. The one rought spot: the baby's superpower (revealed at the end---I won't give it away here) was just a tad disturbing and potentially non-kid-friendly, and they probably could have come up with something better, but it's not that bad---in other words, most people will overlook it.
Anyway, I give The Incredibles a 5 out of 5 rating. You should all go see it. Now.
Edmond the Hun
The plot is excellent. Admittedly, there are some instances that feel like superhero stereotypes, but for the most part, it is original, amusing, and even realistic. For example, the reason the superheroes have to retire is because they get sued by people who didn't want to be saved. Is that not something that would happen in today's society? It's brilliant! The fast-paced action and the wide array of superpowers keep the movie interesting, and the dialogue ("Where is ma Supa Suit?", eccentric characters (Edna, Bob's boss), and random situations (Elastigirl getting stuck between three sliding doors) keep it hilarious. I laughed pretty much the whole way through.
The moral lessons are good too. Brother and sister don't fight too much, which is good, but they still fight, which is realistic. The dad hides his coming-out-of-retirement from his wife, and this causes bad results and is presented as a bad thing. Bob's boss gets mad at him for trying to help a client, and the boss is portrayed as the bad guy in that situation, like he should be. In more than one bad-guy-fighting scene, they superheroes all work together to defeat the bad guys, advocating teamwork. The one rought spot: the baby's superpower (revealed at the end---I won't give it away here) was just a tad disturbing and potentially non-kid-friendly, and they probably could have come up with something better, but it's not that bad---in other words, most people will overlook it.
Anyway, I give The Incredibles a 5 out of 5 rating. You should all go see it. Now.
Edmond the Hun
Current Events: Yasser Arafat's Death
So now it's official. The Palestinian leader who had been in a coma for the last few days is now dead. The Palestinians want a homeland for themselves, and they want to steal it from Israel. Actually, they want to wipe Jews off the face of the earth, but they tend to leave that part out. They claim to have legitimate causes, and they try to make it sound like they used to have land but Israel took it away from them, and all they want is to have it back. Israel's been conceding to the Palestinians for years, but they'll never get peace out of it.
Bush doesn't have the best policy here, either. He is for giving the Palestinians a homeland. This will not make things better. It's tempting to think that if we give them what they want, they'll stop attacking Israel, and everyone will be happy. Not a chance. They'll find some other excuse to continue wiping Jews off the face of the earth, except now they'll have a legitimate base for their operations.
So what does Arafat's death mean for Israel? I don't know. Their best chance is that the remaining PLO leaders will fight each other for control and give Israel a break for a little bit. I'm not sure if anyone's next in line for power and/or if there will be a struggle. But two things are certain: The Palestinians will keep trying to get their own land, and they will keep attacking Israel.
Edmond the Hun
Tuesday, November 09, 2004
Sad News: Michael Phelps, Drunk Driver
Remember Michael Phelps, the amazing six-gold-medal-winning nineteen-year-old swimmer in the Olympics? Yeah, he's been charged with driving under the influence in Maryland. He did apologize and all that, but that means nothing.
It's sad that an American hero has been revealed to be unworthy of role-modeling, but on the other hand, it's not much of a surprise. Phelps never seemed to want to be a role-model. During the Olympics we heard reports about his car that was ridiculously vamped up with all sorts of musical and electronical accesories. We heard that he gets pumped up by listening to Eminem, who's not much of a role model himself.
I don't mean to demean Phelps. I almost feel sorry for him. How many other nineteen year olds get charged for drunk driving but never have it plastered all over the news? He does, simply because he happened to win six gold medals a few months back. Now this incident will be forever an asterisk on his career. A simple but stark result of not considering the consequences.
He would do good to get Relient K's new CD and listen to "I So Hate Consequences." (And I will be reviewing that CD in the near future.)
Edmond the Hun
Cultural Icon: Halo 2
OK, folks, this is insane. The creators of Halo did something right, because everyone seems to love that game, or at least, just about every male teenager, as well as large numbers of other demographs and genders. Anyway, the release of the sequel to the first-person shooter game, Halo 2, came out at midnight today. There were already 1.5 million pre-orders for it (1.5 MILLION!), and tons of people went to buy it at midnight as well. Two kids (at least) in my class stayed up all night and beat the one-player storyline, then went to school. Halo 2 is expected to make $100 million today alone.
What is it about this game that makes it so popular? This is not the only first-person shooter game on the market, but it is the best loved and most played, by far. Is it the intricate multi-player settings, that allow for unlimited hours of fun and increasing your skill? I've played it a few times at friends' houses. It's alright. I have minimal skill. But there is nothing obviously innovative about it, nothing that stands out that you can point to and say, "Ah ha, this is why everyone loves it! This is why kids will lose sleep to play it!" Why is it such an icon? Why?
Edmond the Hun
What is it about this game that makes it so popular? This is not the only first-person shooter game on the market, but it is the best loved and most played, by far. Is it the intricate multi-player settings, that allow for unlimited hours of fun and increasing your skill? I've played it a few times at friends' houses. It's alright. I have minimal skill. But there is nothing obviously innovative about it, nothing that stands out that you can point to and say, "Ah ha, this is why everyone loves it! This is why kids will lose sleep to play it!" Why is it such an icon? Why?
Edmond the Hun
Thursday, November 04, 2004
Random Post-Election Thoughts
1. Gay marriage bans passed by overwhelming margins in all 11 states that it was on the ballot. This is interesting, especially because of the apparent decay of morality in our country. Those issues also helped Bush win, I think, because some Christians (who otherwise might not have voted) went out and voted to vote against gay marriage, also voting for Bush in the process.
It's surprising that Kerry and the Democrats support gay marriage despite the obvious national sentiment against it. Will they change, or will the nation change?
2. More proof that the media is liberal (as if we needed any). USATODAY.com called California as soon as the polls closed, before any numbers were in, because pre-election polls showed that Kerry had a huge margin in that state, and exit polls confirmed that.
In Alaska, however, pre-election polls gave Bush a huge lead, but it was not immediately called. Even with 28% precincts in and Bush with a 65%-35% lead, they still did not call it for Bush. Only after over half the precincts were in did they call it for Bush, yet they called California for Kerry right away, and he won that state by a smaller margin than Bush won Alaska.
Also, the Post-Dispatch buried a single sentence about all the gay marriage bans inside an entire article about California's passing of the stem cell research and other ballot measures across the nation.
3. I did not know this: Kerry's senate term is not up, and since he did not win the Presidency, he returns to being a Senator for Massachusetts. I just though that was interesting.
Edmond the Hun
It's surprising that Kerry and the Democrats support gay marriage despite the obvious national sentiment against it. Will they change, or will the nation change?
2. More proof that the media is liberal (as if we needed any). USATODAY.com called California as soon as the polls closed, before any numbers were in, because pre-election polls showed that Kerry had a huge margin in that state, and exit polls confirmed that.
In Alaska, however, pre-election polls gave Bush a huge lead, but it was not immediately called. Even with 28% precincts in and Bush with a 65%-35% lead, they still did not call it for Bush. Only after over half the precincts were in did they call it for Bush, yet they called California for Kerry right away, and he won that state by a smaller margin than Bush won Alaska.
Also, the Post-Dispatch buried a single sentence about all the gay marriage bans inside an entire article about California's passing of the stem cell research and other ballot measures across the nation.
3. I did not know this: Kerry's senate term is not up, and since he did not win the Presidency, he returns to being a Senator for Massachusetts. I just though that was interesting.
Edmond the Hun
Tuesday, November 02, 2004
Election Live Update 12
I'm about ready to go to bed here. Kerry's pulled ahead in some more swing states. Even if he gets all the upper midwest swing states (except Ohio) Bush will still win with 274 to Kerry's 260, and Hawaii still pending but basically irrelevant. That's a worst case scenario---Bush could still pull back ahead in Wisconsin or Iowa.
I'm calling New Hampshire for Kerry---he's up by 8K with 81%. I'm also calling for Kerry Michigan (80K at 43%) and Minnesota (130K at 46%). He's got a slight margin in Nevada and a pretty good margin in Wisconsin but I can't call them.
For Bush, I'm calling Colorado (110K at 70%) and New Mexico (12K at70%). That puts our new status at BUSH 260 ; Kerry 245. If the rest of the swing states don't change and Kerry gets Hawaii, then the final result (and my prediction---although Bush could get more, but I don't see how Kerry could) will be:
BUSH 274 ; Kerry 264
Bush wins the presidency. Goodnight.
Edmond the Hun
I'm calling New Hampshire for Kerry---he's up by 8K with 81%. I'm also calling for Kerry Michigan (80K at 43%) and Minnesota (130K at 46%). He's got a slight margin in Nevada and a pretty good margin in Wisconsin but I can't call them.
For Bush, I'm calling Colorado (110K at 70%) and New Mexico (12K at70%). That puts our new status at BUSH 260 ; Kerry 245. If the rest of the swing states don't change and Kerry gets Hawaii, then the final result (and my prediction---although Bush could get more, but I don't see how Kerry could) will be:
BUSH 274 ; Kerry 264
Bush wins the presidency. Goodnight.
Edmond the Hun
Election Live Update 11
New Hampshire: Bush up by 9 (yes, that's 9) with 49% reporting
Michigan: Bush up by 50K with 10%
Minnesota: Kerry up by 40K with 12%
Wisconsin: Bush up by 60K with 16%
Iowa: Kerry up by 11K with 7%
Colorado: Bush up by 60K with 11%
New Mexico: Bush up by 15K with 13%
Nevada: No results yet.
Bush has pulled NH back to a tie; Kerry's now leading in Minnesota and Iowa. In all the rest, Bush still has a very good lead --- and he now only needs one or two of the states above to get over 270.
There have been 0 surprises with all of my non-swing states. So, the original projection holds, plus Florida and Ohio for Bush, and plus Pennsylvania for Kerry:
Projection: BUSH 260 ; KERRY 207
Michigan: Bush up by 50K with 10%
Minnesota: Kerry up by 40K with 12%
Wisconsin: Bush up by 60K with 16%
Iowa: Kerry up by 11K with 7%
Colorado: Bush up by 60K with 11%
New Mexico: Bush up by 15K with 13%
Nevada: No results yet.
Bush has pulled NH back to a tie; Kerry's now leading in Minnesota and Iowa. In all the rest, Bush still has a very good lead --- and he now only needs one or two of the states above to get over 270.
There have been 0 surprises with all of my non-swing states. So, the original projection holds, plus Florida and Ohio for Bush, and plus Pennsylvania for Kerry:
Projection: BUSH 260 ; KERRY 207
Election Live Update 10 (10 to go)
I'm calling Ohio and Pennsylvania. That gives Bush only 10 to go.
Ohio: Bush up by 92K with 30%
Pennsylvania: Kerry up by 260K with 45%
New Hampshire: Kerry up by 5K with 43% - still too close to call
Michigan: Bush up by 40K with 8%
Minnesota: Kerry up by 30K with 10%
Wisconsin: Bush up by 42K with 22%
New Mexico: Bush up by 12K with 8%
Colorado: Bush up 52K with 7%
Iowa: Bush up by 1K with less than 1%
Election Live Update 9
Bush is up in every single swing state but Pennsylvania and New Hampshire, which wasn't much of a swing state anyway.
Ohio: Bush up by 80K with 25%
Pennsylvania: Kerry up by 350K with 36%
New Hampshire: Kerry up by 7K with 38%
Michigan: Bush up by 30K with 6%
Minnesota: Bush up by 8K with 2%
Wisconsin: Bush up by 44K with 9%
New Mexico: Bush up by 9K with 5%
Colorado: Bush up by 50K with 6%
Iowa: Bush up by 400 with less than 1%
Ohio: Bush up by 80K with 25%
Pennsylvania: Kerry up by 350K with 36%
New Hampshire: Kerry up by 7K with 38%
Michigan: Bush up by 30K with 6%
Minnesota: Bush up by 8K with 2%
Wisconsin: Bush up by 44K with 9%
New Mexico: Bush up by 9K with 5%
Colorado: Bush up by 50K with 6%
Iowa: Bush up by 400 with less than 1%
Election Live Update 8
Ohio: Bush up by 45K (increasing slightly) at 15%
New Hampshire: Kerry up by 4K (low movement) at 28% --- will be too close to call at 30%
Pennsylvania: Kerry up by 200K (increasing steadily) at 18%
Michigan: Bush up 7K with 3%
Minnesota: Bush up 3K with 1%
Wisconsin: Bush up 15K with 3%
New Mexico: Kerry up 2K with 1%
Colorado: Kerry up 9K with less than 1%
What that means: If Bush gets Ohio, he only needs 10 more. If he gets ANY ONE of these: Michigan, Minnesota, or Wisconsin (and he is currently up in ALL of them) he will be guaranteed a win. In that event, NM and CO wouldn't even matter, nor Iowa, Nevada, or Hawaii, where polls have not yet closed.
New Hampshire: Kerry up by 4K (low movement) at 28% --- will be too close to call at 30%
Pennsylvania: Kerry up by 200K (increasing steadily) at 18%
Michigan: Bush up 7K with 3%
Minnesota: Bush up 3K with 1%
Wisconsin: Bush up 15K with 3%
New Mexico: Kerry up 2K with 1%
Colorado: Kerry up 9K with less than 1%
What that means: If Bush gets Ohio, he only needs 10 more. If he gets ANY ONE of these: Michigan, Minnesota, or Wisconsin (and he is currently up in ALL of them) he will be guaranteed a win. In that event, NM and CO wouldn't even matter, nor Iowa, Nevada, or Hawaii, where polls have not yet closed.
Election Live Update 7
New Hampshire: Kerry up by 3K (lead decreasing slightly) with 18%
Ohio: Bush up by 34K (lead increasing heavily) with 8%
Pennsylvania: Kerry up 60K with 6%
Michigan: Bush up by 4K with 4%
Numbers are coming from Wisconsin and Minnesota, but well under 0%. Still nothing from Iowa.
PROJECTION STILL AT: BUSH 240 ; KERRY 186
If the NH and OH don't change, it will be: BUSH 260 ; KERRY 190
Ohio: Bush up by 34K (lead increasing heavily) with 8%
Pennsylvania: Kerry up 60K with 6%
Michigan: Bush up by 4K with 4%
Numbers are coming from Wisconsin and Minnesota, but well under 0%. Still nothing from Iowa.
PROJECTION STILL AT: BUSH 240 ; KERRY 186
If the NH and OH don't change, it will be: BUSH 260 ; KERRY 190
Election Live Update 6
In Florida with 36% Bush is up by 370K. He definitely won it. No more updates needed here.
In Ohio, Kerry's 18K lead kept getting chopped into. With 4%, Bush is now ahead by 5K. If he gts Ohio, he'll only need 10 more swing state votes to guarnantee the Presidency.
In New Hampshire, Kerry's up by 8K with 12%.
Numbers are starting to come in from Michigan and Pennsylvania. With Less than 1% from Michigan, Bush is up by 5K. But Kerry is up by 40K in Pennsylvania with 3%.
No numbers yet from Minnesota, Iowa, or Wisconsin.
In Ohio, Kerry's 18K lead kept getting chopped into. With 4%, Bush is now ahead by 5K. If he gts Ohio, he'll only need 10 more swing state votes to guarnantee the Presidency.
In New Hampshire, Kerry's up by 8K with 12%.
Numbers are starting to come in from Michigan and Pennsylvania. With Less than 1% from Michigan, Bush is up by 5K. But Kerry is up by 40K in Pennsylvania with 3%.
No numbers yet from Minnesota, Iowa, or Wisconsin.
Election Live Update 5 (30 TO GO)
I'm calling Florida. With 30% in, Bush has maintained his lead and is up by almost 300K, a margin that has literally increased every minute.
In Ohio, Kerry is up by 10K with 2% in. Still impossible to tell there.
In New Hampshire, Kerry is about by 5K with 7%.
In New Jersey, which I did not have as a swing state (instead, for Kerry), although some did, Bush is actually ahead by less than a hundred 4%. That would be a major upset.
As it stands now, with Florida, the projection is:
BUSH 240 ; KERRY 186
30 to go for Bush
In Ohio, Kerry is up by 10K with 2% in. Still impossible to tell there.
In New Hampshire, Kerry is about by 5K with 7%.
In New Jersey, which I did not have as a swing state (instead, for Kerry), although some did, Bush is actually ahead by less than a hundred 4%. That would be a major upset.
As it stands now, with Florida, the projection is:
BUSH 240 ; KERRY 186
30 to go for Bush
Election Live Update 4
With 22% reporting, Bush has a 180K lead in Florida. Once it gets to 30% I'm calling it for Bush.
In Ohio Kerry's up by 20K but still with less than 1% reporting.
In New Hampshire Kerry has a 3K lead with 3% reporting. Again, at 30% I'll call it for Kerry.
They're saying BUSH 66 ; KERRY 77 but it's really still BUSH 213 ; KERRY 186
In Ohio Kerry's up by 20K but still with less than 1% reporting.
In New Hampshire Kerry has a 3K lead with 3% reporting. Again, at 30% I'll call it for Kerry.
They're saying BUSH 66 ; KERRY 77 but it's really still BUSH 213 ; KERRY 186
Election Live Update 3
Florida (27) still has not stats at MSNBC, but at www.usatoday.com, Bush was up by 40K votes with 3%, then 80K with 6%. Now 85K with 9%. Bush is looking to get this important swing state.
In Ohio (20) Bush is up 8,800 to 8,500, or practically nothing.
In New Hampshire (4), Kerry is up 7K to 4K. He'll probably get that swing state.
Still Bush 283 to Kerry 186
In Ohio (20) Bush is up 8,800 to 8,500, or practically nothing.
In New Hampshire (4), Kerry is up 7K to 4K. He'll probably get that swing state.
Still Bush 283 to Kerry 186
Election Live Update 2
Bush was up in Florida by 35,000 and increasing, and polls in the heavily Republican Panhandle in the central time zone haven't even closed yet. Then MSNBC retracted the numbers and put them back at 0. Don't know what's up there.
Virginia's close, with Bush up by 4,000 with 2% precincts reporting. Then up by 9,000 with 3%. Looking good.
Ohio just closed, making it the first of the three big swing states (PA, FL) to officially close everywhere. The numbers are awaited with anticipation.
All the major news networks have coverage, but www.msnbc.com has actual voting numbers for everything.
Virginia's close, with Bush up by 4,000 with 2% precincts reporting. Then up by 9,000 with 3%. Looking good.
Ohio just closed, making it the first of the three big swing states (PA, FL) to officially close everywhere. The numbers are awaited with anticipation.
All the major news networks have coverage, but www.msnbc.com has actual voting numbers for everything.
Election Live Update 1
I was wrong: all the eastern time zone polls do not close at 6. The only ones that have currently closed are: Indiana, Kentucky, Georgia, and Vermont. None are swing states; the first 3 were going to Bush and the last to Kerry. The results so far indicate no surprises.
As it stands with those states: BUSH 34, KERRY 3. (Projection is still BUSH 213, Kerry, 186)
Also of note is a defense of marriage amendment in Kentucky that is being voted yes at a landslide of 65%-35% with over a fifth of precincts reporting.
Edmond the Hun
As it stands with those states: BUSH 34, KERRY 3. (Projection is still BUSH 213, Kerry, 186)
Also of note is a defense of marriage amendment in Kentucky that is being voted yes at a landslide of 65%-35% with over a fifth of precincts reporting.
Edmond the Hun
2 HOURS ; 57 ELECTORAL VOTES
At 7:30 last night, there was breaking news that Ohio's Court had ruled that the Republicans could indeed station people at the polls to check for faulty ID's. Kudos to the Court for following what's written in their state's constituion. This is a major break for Bush, especially with him barely up in the latest polls in Ohio.
By comparing several electoral maps/polls/projections, it appears that 38 of the 50 states are already decided, unless something incredibly drastic happens. From those 38, Bush has 213 electoral votes and Kerry has 186. 270 is needed to win.
The countdown begins. Bush only needs 57 votes out of 139 that are up for grabs. The three biggest states are Florida (27), Pennsylvanis (21), and Florida (20). All three are in the eastern time zone, along with New Hampshire, which means the first polls will close at seven (their time), in two hours.
I expect Bush to get Ohio, Kerry to get Pennsylvania, and either one to Florida, but most likely Bush. If Bush gets any one of these three, he'll only need 37 or less of the remaining swing states, and he's barely up in most of the latest polls in Wisconsin (10), Iowa (7), and Michigan (17), which takes care of 34 of the 37 or less. He should also get Colorado (9).
I plan to update periodically as results come in.
Four more years!!
Edmond the Hun
By comparing several electoral maps/polls/projections, it appears that 38 of the 50 states are already decided, unless something incredibly drastic happens. From those 38, Bush has 213 electoral votes and Kerry has 186. 270 is needed to win.
The countdown begins. Bush only needs 57 votes out of 139 that are up for grabs. The three biggest states are Florida (27), Pennsylvanis (21), and Florida (20). All three are in the eastern time zone, along with New Hampshire, which means the first polls will close at seven (their time), in two hours.
I expect Bush to get Ohio, Kerry to get Pennsylvania, and either one to Florida, but most likely Bush. If Bush gets any one of these three, he'll only need 37 or less of the remaining swing states, and he's barely up in most of the latest polls in Wisconsin (10), Iowa (7), and Michigan (17), which takes care of 34 of the 37 or less. He should also get Colorado (9).
I plan to update periodically as results come in.
Four more years!!
Edmond the Hun
Monday, November 01, 2004
T minus 1
Alright, folks, we only have one more day til the election, and then I can get back to normal stuff, like the discovery of skeletons of a new hobbit-sized species of humans, or the Relient K CD that comes out tomorrow, etc, etc. Until then...
The military votes are in a quandry. We currently have over 160,000 people serving overseas, and it's expected that for various reasons, including shipping problems and deadlines and whatnot, 20 to 40 percent of the military may not get to vote or may not get their vote counted. This is important---because the military is expected to vote 70% Bush. Pray that these votes will get counted!
The polls are basically in a dead heat, so what's gonna make the difference is which side gets the most people to come to the polls and vote. Don't think your vote won't count! And if you're not old enough to vote, make sure your parents get out and vote, unless they're voting for Kerry, in which case you should convince them to stay home. Seriously, though, pray that Christians will realize it is their duty as a Christian and a citizen to vote and be involved in the government!
Ironic Quote of the Day: John Kerry, speaking at a black church, "There is a standard by which we have to live. Coming to church on Sundays and talking about faith isn't the whole deal." John Kerry is the one talking about hypocrisy? Don't even get me started...
My only regret is that my blogging voice has not become loud enough to persuade voters to my position. However, there's always '08. And prayer is a potent voice.
Edmond the Hun
The military votes are in a quandry. We currently have over 160,000 people serving overseas, and it's expected that for various reasons, including shipping problems and deadlines and whatnot, 20 to 40 percent of the military may not get to vote or may not get their vote counted. This is important---because the military is expected to vote 70% Bush. Pray that these votes will get counted!
The polls are basically in a dead heat, so what's gonna make the difference is which side gets the most people to come to the polls and vote. Don't think your vote won't count! And if you're not old enough to vote, make sure your parents get out and vote, unless they're voting for Kerry, in which case you should convince them to stay home. Seriously, though, pray that Christians will realize it is their duty as a Christian and a citizen to vote and be involved in the government!
Ironic Quote of the Day: John Kerry, speaking at a black church, "There is a standard by which we have to live. Coming to church on Sundays and talking about faith isn't the whole deal." John Kerry is the one talking about hypocrisy? Don't even get me started...
My only regret is that my blogging voice has not become loud enough to persuade voters to my position. However, there's always '08. And prayer is a potent voice.
Edmond the Hun
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