Neat! Have you guys played with this?

[Jr_Bullit]

NY Times Election Graph (http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/politics/2004_ELECTIONGUIDE_GRAPHIC/)

You can click on various states to see how the electoral votes would look if the state voted one way or the other. Very cool. You can also view the US Map through an electoral vote filter - i.e. the states with more pull appear bigger than those with less.

[golgiaparatus]

Yeah, its neat alright. Still, I hate the way our gov runs elections. Basically, I am in Oklahoma... hence my vote against Bush doesn't mean Sh!t, someone tell me what the point of me even going to the polls that day is!?

:mumble:

[BurlyShirley]

Yeah, its neat alright. Still, I hate the way our gov runs elections. Basically, I am oin Oklahoma... hence my vote doesn't mean Sh!t, someone tell me what the point of me even going to the polls that day is!?

:mumble:
I think they set it up that way because, well, who in their right mind would want people from Oklahoma involved with anything important? ;)

[golgiaparatus]

I think they set it up that way because, well, who in their right mind would want people from Oklahoma involved with anything important? ;)

Same goes for any of the other "bible belt" states. They are all going to go Bush... whats the point of even voting in those states?

Seriously someone explain it to me.

[Westy]

Interesting. I have heard critics say that the Electoral College gives disproportionate power to small conservative states which usually give the Republican candidate a 10 point advantage. Right now the popular polls have things 50/50 and Bush right now has an 11 electoral vote advantage.

[Westy]

Same goes for any of the other "bible belt" states. They are all going to go Bush... whats the point of even voting in those states?

Seriously someone explain it to me.

Well if you vote against the popular vote in your state you still effect the popular vote. The poular vot means nothing but if the unpopular candidate keeps winning the electoral vote maybe it will piss enough people off that something will be changed. But seeing as though the small state advantage is even bigger in the senate it will probably never happen.

[Jr_Bullit]

I was accosted by a vehement democratic nazi in my office yesterday afternoon. And yes, I think folks of the republic an genre who do the same damn thing would also contain the adjectives "vehement, and nazi" as well as their method of pushing described as accosting.

Anyone else more turned off by "pushers"?

My knee-jerk reaction to her pushiness "vote democrati" was to do anything I could to piss her off and push back. And yes, I did give a finger to the dressed up cowboy holding the offensive sign on my street corner trying to push votes to bush.

[Jr_Bullit]

Sorry - that was a bit of a scattered post. Basically - WA is going democrat, it always goes democrat. It's just how this state is. They call it a swing state, but we really don't do much swinging except up on capital hill. While I might influence the popular vote, I know that it has nothing to do with who my state votes for.

I see no reason to put up with, deal, or tolerate pushy people who want you to vote a certain way because they have some kind of agenda or something. It pisses me off and makes me want to take my registration card and tear it up in their faces.

[Ciaran]

I am fuzzy on the Electoral College... Can anyone answer this one? Doesn't the electors have the right to vote for whoever they choose regardless of what the popular vote says? Meaning that if all of California votes for Kerry, the California electors can still vote for Bush or Nader or Gay Penguin if they want to. Is this true?

[Jr_Bullit]

http://www.fec.gov/pages/ecworks.htm
Whichever party slate wins the most popular votes in the State becomes that State's Electors-so that, in effect, whichever presidential ticket gets the most popular votes in a State wins all the Electors of that State. (The two exceptions to this are Maine and Nebraska where two Electors are chosen by statewide popular vote and the remainder by the popular vote within each Congressional district).

[Skookum]

Sorry - that was a bit of a scattered post. Basically - WA is going democrat, it always goes democrat. It's just how this state is. They call it a swing state, but we really don't do much swinging except up on capital hill. While I might influence the popular vote, I know that it has nothing to do with who my state votes for.

I see no reason to put up with, deal, or tolerate pushy people who want you to vote a certain way because they have some kind of agenda or something. It pisses me off and makes me want to take my registration card and tear it up in their faces.
so you're voting for Kerry right? RIGHT?RIGHT!!?RIGHT!!!!!?

;)

[MikeD]

http://people.howstuffworks.com/question472.htm

"Most of the time, electors cast their votes for the candidate who has received the most votes in that particular state. However, there have been times when electors have voted contrary to the people's decision, which is entirely legal"

Best I understood the EC is that it's a states' rights issue, especially for the smaller states. Gotta take it in the context of early America when the states were more distinct political units than they are now...the federal government wasn't yet so securely in control of the day-to-day. It's not, as some think, simply an artifact of a less-technological age.

Where I'm fuzzy is if/how the states' individual laws and constitutions govern how the electors are selected/made to vote a certain way.

[Westy]

Anyone else more turned off by "pushers"?


I had a friend who tried being pushy the other day. He told me that if I did not for for X I should stay home on election day. My political aptitude is much higher than his and I returned a full broadside. I was able to prove his points on why X was so great was baseless spin. He got mad and left. Two days later he brought it up again and I changed his mind about X. I have the poli forumn to thank for this. :thumb:

[ohio]

Colorado has an initiative on ballot to break up electoral votes proportionate to popular vote. If it passes (voted on the same time as everything else) the states votes could be split 5-bush and 4-kerry, rather than going 9-bush.

It won't pass though.

[Jesus]

I was accosted by a vehement democratic nazi in my office yesterday afternoon. And yes, I think folks of the republic an genre who do the same damn thing would also contain the adjectives "vehement, and nazi" as well as their method of pushing described as accosting.

Anyone else more turned off by "pushers"?

My knee-jerk reaction to her pushiness "vote democrati" was to do anything I could to piss her off and push back. And yes, I did give a finger to the dressed up cowboy holding the offensive sign on my street corner trying to push votes to bush.

I get that sometimes also. But now that I think about it...it is always from a Lib/Dem.

Iregardless of who's right or wrong, the Lib/Dems always seem to come off as a little loco to me. Something to ponder...

[Westy]

I get that sometimes also. But now that I think about it...it is always from a Lib/Dem.

Iregardless of who's right or wrong, the Lib/Dems always seem to come off as a little loco to me. Something to ponder...

Probably because you would agree with a conservative and they wouldn't have to get wacko on you.

I've seen them all. Charlottesville is a College town for rich trustafarian types so I get nutty hippies all in my face. When I lived in Cincinnati I almost had to buy a shotgun to keep the right wing abortion/school prayer wackos at bay.

[Skookum]

i always play devils advocate with my Rebublican and Democrat friend. i almost had my Republican freind voting for Kerry, but when i told him why he is recieving all of his pel grant for going back to school from Bush's plan he converted back. But i did turn him on to Nader, so there's still hope i can distort his mind to go for him. And yah i think i got my Democrat freind sold on Nader for sure. haha.
Other than that i never talk politics except for on here. I usually don't talk much about stuff i really have no clue about..... :D

[Transcend]

I cannot wait until representative house voting takes place..woooo

[Damn True]

A Vote for Kerry is a vote for.........gimme a minute.
A Vote for Kerry is a vote for..........Hang on, it'll come to me.


I may write in Guy LaDouche

[Ciaran]

I get that sometimes also. But now that I think about it...it is always from a Lib/Dem.

Iregardless of who's right or wrong, the Lib/Dems always seem to come off as a little loco to me. Something to ponder...

THERE IS NO SUCH WORD AS IRREGARDLES!!!!!! :mumble:

Ahhhh.. feel much better now.

[golgiaparatus]

THERE IS NO SUCH WORD AS IRREGARDLES!!!!!! :mumble:

Ahhhh.. feel much better now.

IRREGARDLESS would be the opposite of regardless.

Like if you said, un-useless.

Still its not a word.

[MikeD]

Charlottesville is a College town for rich trustafarian types so I get nutty hippies all in my face.

Is that the same Charlottesville where I went to school? I only recall being accosted by that wacko and his family who'd carry crosses around the Lawn, screaming at women to go home before they burned in hell...

Then again, my uniform probably satiated the rest of the rightwing wackos and scared off the hippies...mostly. I still got one of them occasionally...esp. living in the dorm for the Echols scholars...

MD

[Velocity Girl]

THERE IS NO SUCH WORD AS IRREGARDLES!!!!!! :mumble:

Ahhhh.. feel much better now.

We have this debate at work quite often, and unfortunately it is a word in Webster's Dictionary!

Main Entry: ir·re·gard·less
Pronunciation: "ir-i-'gärd-l&s
Function: adverb
Etymology: probably blend of irrespective and regardless
nonstandard : REGARDLESS
usage Irregardless originated in dialectal American speech in the early 20th century. Its fairly widespread use in speech called it to the attention of usage commentators as early as 1927. The most frequently repeated remark about it is that "there is no such word." There is such a word, however. It is still used primarily in speech, although it can be found from time to time in edited prose. Its reputation has not risen over the years, and it is still a long way from general acceptance. Use regardless instead.

[golgiaparatus]

We have this debate at work quite often, and unfortunately it is a word in Webster's Dictionary!

Main Entry: ir·re·gard·less
Pronunciation: "ir-i-'gärd-l&s
Function: adverb
Etymology: probably blend of irrespective and regardless
nonstandard : REGARDLESS
usage Irregardless originated in dialectal American speech in the early 20th century. Its fairly widespread use in speech called it to the attention of usage commentators as early as 1927. The most frequently repeated remark about it is that "there is no such word." There is such a word, however. It is still used primarily in speech, although it can be found from time to time in edited prose. Its reputation has not risen over the years, and it is still a long way from general acceptance. Use regardless instead.

If it is a word thats rediculous... it is a 1 word double negative.

[Jr_Bullit]

Amazing how verbal slang eventually makes its way into "acceptable" if not necessarily proper English ;). One of my favorite reference books was a gift from an old friend - "The Dictionary of Modern American Slang". It has all the slang words used in spoken English throughout the 19th and 20th centuries through 1999. :thumb:

[fluff]

English? You guys wouldn't know English from Double-Dutch.

[Damn True]

English? You guys wouldn't know English from Double-Dutch.

Sod off ya bloody wank.

Hows that for English? ;)

[Ciaran]

We have this debate at work quite often, and unfortunately it is a word in Webster's Dictionary!

Main Entry: ir·re·gard·less
Pronunciation: "ir-i-'gärd-l&s
Function: adverb
Etymology: probably blend of irrespective and regardless
nonstandard : REGARDLESS
usage Irregardless originated in dialectal American speech in the early 20th century. Its fairly widespread use in speech called it to the attention of usage commentators as early as 1927. The most frequently repeated remark about it is that "there is no such word." There is such a word, however. It is still used primarily in speech, although it can be found from time to time in edited prose. Its reputation has not risen over the years, and it is still a long way from general acceptance. Use regardless instead.

Makes me cry I tell ya. It just ain't right! Makes me wonder how a double negative like that got in there. :(

[Archslater]

Same goes for any of the other "bible belt" states. They are all going to go Bush... whats the point of even voting in those states?

Seriously someone explain it to me.

I live in a state that almost always goes Republican in the presidential election, but I am voting Democratic. If myself and many other democrats decided to not vote because it "there is no point", than republicans will win by an artificially large margin, causing Democrats to be even more discouraged in the next election.... it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. Besides, there are other positions on the ballot besides President. Strangely, conservative Indiana has had a Democratic Governor for awhile? Explain to me how that works?

[MikeD]

English? You guys wouldn't know English from Double-Dutch.

Heh. Read "Mother Tongue" and/or "Made in America" by Bill Bryson and get back to us...apparently, American English is closer to what British people spoke in the 17th and 18th centuries than modern British English is. We're just old-fashioned, apparently.

[Westy]

Is that the same Charlottesville where I went to school? I only recall being accosted by that wacko and his family who'd carry crosses around the Lawn, screaming at women to go home before they burned in hell...

Then again, my uniform probably satiated the rest of the rightwing wackos and scared off the hippies...mostly. I still got one of them occasionally...esp. living in the dorm for the Echols scholars...


MD

Admittedly I don't spend much time downtown or near UVA. The trustafarians are more likely the children of the local throngs of Volvo Wagon drivers. Most UVA students I have met are too busy driving daddies BMW around to care about any issues. Really I am just amusing myself with broad sweeping generalizations.

Did you ride when you were out here?

[MikeD]

Ride? Yeah, lol, I rode my rigid Schwinn Sierra MOS all over the fvcking place, because I didn't have a car (no Bimmers for me, dammit) for all 4 years. Bought my first car when I graduated.

I just wish someone would have shown me what I could have ridden that bike on besides asphalt! I missed SOO much good riding. Didn't understand or get into mountain biking until I was out in California. And I think I lubed my chain once while I was in college...with gun lube. No wonder the bike didn't shift right, no matter what the guy at Blue Wheel did to it... I ended up having him hack off the push-push rapidfires and put on friction thumbshifters so I could trim the shifting as I rode.

Good times...I've actually been looking at real estate back that way. Amazed at the prices compared to CA. Heck, I've even begun missing winter just a bit. Shennandoah autumn would be great to see again.

MD

[Westy]

Ride? Yeah, lol, I rode my rigid Schwinn Sierra MOS all over the fvcking place, because I didn't have a car (no Bimmers for me, dammit) for all 4 years. Bought my first car when I graduated.

I just wish someone would have shown me what I could have ridden that bike on besides asphalt! I missed SOO much good riding. Didn't understand or get into mountain biking until I was out in California. And I think I lubed my chain once while I was in college...with gun lube. No wonder the bike didn't shift right, no matter what the guy at Blue Wheel did to it... I ended up having him hack off the push-push rapidfires and put on friction thumbshifters so I could trim the shifting as I rode.

Good times...I've actually been looking at real estate back that way. Amazed at the prices compared to CA. Heck, I've even begun missing winter just a bit. Shennandoah autumn would be great to see again.


You really missed out. Rides in the George Washington NF are perfect this time of year. Great trails, great views and great weather. You just have to keep an eye out for the hunters.

[MikeD]

Yeah, I hiked in the GW forest. Awesome. Stop rubbing it in. Funny thing was, our Marine instructor biked, and I think he was interested to show me how to ride on trails, but it never happened. I dated a roadie chick, too, who was fed up with the road and got a mountain bike. She was supposed to take me on a ride until things stopped going so well...

Now I still know a chick in the area. Rode Walnut creek (almost...my hanger busted off in the parking lot!) with her 2 years ago; she wants to show me Sherando, too. But I don't think my GF would like me to go to C-Ville on my own for some, um, riding...

[Westy]

Yeah, I hiked in the GW forest. Awesome. Stop rubbing it in. Funny thing was, our Marine instructor biked, and I think he was interested to show me how to ride on trails, but it never happened. I dated a roadie chick, too, who was fed up with the road and got a mountain bike. She was supposed to take me on a ride until things stopped going so well...

Now I still know a chick in the area. Rode Walnut creek (almost...my hanger busted off in the parking lot!) with her 2 years ago; she wants to show me Sherando, too. But I don't think my GF would like me to go to C-Ville on my own for some, um, riding...

Walnut Creek = :love:
Sherando= :love:

But there are sooo many more places to ride out here. There are hundreds of miles of trails west of the Shenandoah NP, I have not even come close to hitting half of them. My job has been stagnant for the past few years and there are few other employment opportunities for me here but I stay for the riding. If it makes you feel better it rains way too frickin' much out here. Last year we had over 70" of the stuff.