] The map gives the superficial impression that the "red
] states" dominate the country, since they cover far more
] area than the blue ones. However, as pointed out by many
] others, this is misleading because it fails to take into
] account the fact that most of the red states have small
] populations, whereas most of the blue states have large
] ones. The blue may be small in area, but they are large
] in terms of numbers of people, which is what matters in
] an election.
]
] We can correct for this by making use of a cartogram, a
] map in which the sizes of states have been rescaled
] according to their population.

... Election result maps continue to be all the rage.

The cartograms do help to get perspective.

Election result maps (cartograms)

] Microsoft is recasting ambitions for its .Net Passport
] identification system, saying the service now will be
] limited to its own online offerings and those of close
] partners. Microsoft no longer sees Passport as a
] single sign-on system for the Web at large, a
] spokeswoman said.

Put this one on the shelf next to Hailstorm.

InfoWorld: Microsoft scales back Passport ambitions

I'm not sure what to say about this. This is very strange. Slightly erotic. Work safe, to the degree you don't mind coworkers thinking you are strange.. Very strange.

Woman on Blender Action

] "Their army is how much bigger than mine? Three percent?
] Well shucks, Bubba. Now is the time to establish a
] network and an attitude," he said. "You make friends in
] moments of defeat. People in defeat tend to bond because
] they need each other. We can't take the attitude that
] it's over and we give up. We're still here."

Aspen Daily News | Election with Hunter

The only state with a three digit average IQ that voted for Bush was Virginia.

Update: Hoax

2004 Election Breakdown by Average State IQ

County by county 3d breakdown with Y axis showing margins.

Best Election Data visualization yet

] But when the heavy gun in the left wing of an Air
] National Guard F-16 fighter jet fired Wednesday night, it
] sent 25 rounds of 20mm ammunition smashing through the
] roof and zinging off the asphalt parking lot of the
] Little Egg Harbor Intermediate School 3 1/2 miles from
] the range.

I love my state, I really do.

CNN.com - Fighter jet strafes New Jersey school - Nov 5, 2004

Nixon has been dead for 10 years as of the day after my last birthday. Due to his position and place in history, his name can now be used as a verb. Gary Trudeau can drop the apostrophe. Someone can be found to argue this point better then I can. This may be a job for Jon Stewart.

Doonesbury@Slate - Nixon's It - 11/4/2004

First off, I'm not one of those "not my president" people. He won. Game over. Time to get on with it. Put in the second coin, hit continue, let the man go through.

The Republicans now have the Senate, the House, and the White House with mandate. The Bush White House no longer has to worry about election year politics. The gloves can come off. There are a number of questions about what they will do now that they do not have to worry about the electorate.

Will he pander to the fundamentalist right, now that they have nothing more to offer him? I can see that one go either way. I hold hopes that Bush/Rove drop their interest in issues such as prayer in schools and amendments on the court house walls. They no longer need it to inspire the christian right to transform their group fanaticism into a demographic with a strong supporting vote. Join me in my blind optimism for a minute, it will help slow your heart rate and bring on some of that hope for the future many are lacking this November 3rd.

The Republicans do have full control of the government by a wide margin. This is either their time to shine, or their last time to hold this much power. There are a number of issues that they must make ground on, or their power will sunset in less time it took to rise. Now is the time to start making some of these issues clear, so there is a full four years to make it sink in the big collective head of the 2008 electorate. All I can think of are double edged swords.. Energy policy, and its other edge, making the various energy and vehicle companies bind to it. Health care policy, and its other edge, making the various health care and insurance companies bind to it. Isn't this the type of stuff that the Republicans should be able to triumph at? I mean its all policy wonk bullshit and dealing with big corporations, and who does that better?

The Wars. I'm not entirely sold that Iraq is going to become a complete disaster. I still see much hope there. Its necessary to look at Iraq with the decade eyes, not the election cycle eyes. It will start off looking like a fundamentalist state. This is a culture war, and it will be a properly fought culture war. If as our first strike, we replace the authoritarian structures in place with courts, laws, and an electorate, we have already won most of the battle. Let there be no mistake, our goal is to bring the working parts of Western culture to the Middle East, and I'm not talking about pop culture, McDonalds, and Mickey Mouse. The authoritative structure of Iraq started with a vicious dictator and wound its way down to the goon squads that took people who disagreed with actions of the state to places where they "disappeared". In Afghanistan the authoritarian structures in place consisted mainly of Mullas dressed in black who immediately punished people for any action they did not like, trivial or otherwise. The trivial often wound up resolved in public executions, as ... [ Read More (0.2k in body) ]

Decius wrote:
] You are about to be punched in the stomach. That sinking
] feeling is your heart wondering which direction the swing is
] going to come from.

I choose to paraphrase. "That sinking feeling in your stomach is your heart deciding which direction the swing is coming from."

I've been playing games of pool all night deciding which way the election will go. Stripes have been the Democrats, Solids have been the Republicans. You will hear the results tomorrow.

RE: Fear