OBAMA DECLARED WINNER

That’s right folks, Barack Obama has achieved enough electoral votes, 338 to be exact, to claim victory in this historic election.  Will Obama’s promised change give our Great Nation the new direction it so desperately deserves?  Let us hope so.

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In a historic campaign dominated by economic concerns, Obama defeated Senator John McCain in key battleground states including New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia while holding on to Democratic-leaning states. And once the polls closed at 11 p.m. in California and other West Coast states, Obama reached the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency, according to the Associated Press tally.

A giant crowd gathered to hear Obama in Chicago’s Grant Park, growing more animated as each state was called by television networks for their candidate. The audience erupted when he won Pennsylvania, and exploded not long after when the networks projected he would carry Ohio. Supporters waved giant American flags, rang cowbells, and pumped their fists in the air.

- By Michael Kranish and Scott Helman, Globe Staff, November 4, 2008 11:00 PM

The end of this election season has been a long time coming, and I am glad it is finally over.  Both campaigns have been divisive, and it will take some time to heal the rift between parties.  Things are definitely not going to be the same as they have been these 8 years past, so I hope you have your seatbelts buckled ladies and gentlemen.  We are in unknown territory now.

Election 2008 : Voters and Early Exit Poll Results

Election 2008

Image by traviscrawford via Flickr

The time has finally come.  The day when Americans of legal voting age head out in the world to cast their vote for the next President of the United States.  The day of new days.  Regardless of what you think of eithercandidate, regardless of who wins this election, there will be change.  John McCain or Barack Obama, either way things will be different than they have been these 8 years past.  The People are not happy.  Whether through political action, or the Will of the People,  One way or another we shall see a new path cut before us.

The road to this day has been tedious, drawn out, and divisive… but it is finally over.  It is no longer about the campaigning, the yard signs, the television commercials, the bumper stickers.  Today it is about you and I.  This is OUR day.

Early election poll results.

As the day unfolds, news agencies around the world will be tracking the exit polls and presenting their findings.  While this makes for good ratings, this process can effect people’s decision to get out and vote.  Unfortunately, there are people who don’t see the point in voting if it looks like their candidate is too far ahead or too far behind to worry.  The truth of it is that exit polls, especially early exit polls, are snapshots of a moment in time.  A look at how the vote might stand at that moment in time.  They are by no means an accurate guage of election standings.  Do not let early exit poll results deter you from voting!

Huliq News has an interesting article about this, check it out!

You are voting for more than the next President!

Regardless of whether or not you support a particular candidate, the Presidential election is only one part of today’s ballot casting extravaganza.  Each state will have a number of ballot questions, also known as referendum questions or propositions, which may be just as important to you as a citizen of your state as the presidential election is to you as a citizen of this country.

For example, in Massachusetts, we have the following questions:

QUESTION 1: State Personal Income Tax - Law Proposed by Initiative Petition

A YES VOTE would reduce the state personal income tax rate to 2.65% for the tax year beginning on January 1, 2009, and would eliminate the tax for all tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2010.

A NO VOTE would make no change in state income tax laws.

Click Here for more information about Massachusetts Question 1.

QUESTION 2: Possession of Marijuana - Law Proposed by Initiative Petition

A YES VOTE would replace the criminal penalties for possession of one ounce or less of marijuana with a new system of civil penalties.

A NO VOTE would make no change in state criminal laws concerning possession of marijuana.

Click Here for more information about Massachusetts Question 2.

QUESTION 3: Dog Racing - Law Proposed by Initiative Petition

A YES VOTE would prohibit dog races on which betting or wagering occurs, effective January 1, 2010.

A NO VOTE would make no change in the laws governing dog racing.

Click Here for more information about Massachusetts Question 3.

Questions will vary from state to state, but as you can see by my own state’s example, they can be very important to you and your state.

Election Coverage.

If you are like me, and want to follow every waking second of the election process, then check out some of these news/information resources:

• Edward Goodsmith’s Election Tracking Map:  http://www.edwardgoodsmith.com/2008/11/03/real-time-updating-election-map

• Reuters 2008 Election Results:  http://www.reuters.com/news/globalcoverage/2008candidates

• Election 2008 @ NPR:  http://www.npr.org/templates/topics/topic.php?topicId=1102

Back to the Future in a 98-Year-Old Electric Car

I came across an interesting article in the New York Times website dating back about a year ago.  It’s a feature about Jay Leno’s 1909 Baker Electric…  yes, that’s right… an electric car that is almost 100 years old.  It had a range of about 100 miles at approximately 25mph.  Check out the article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/05/automobiles/05BAKER.html?pagewanted=all

Imagine how much better hybrid or electric automobiles would be today if the technology was the focus of automobile development rather than the internal combustion engine.  The batteries used were invented by Thomas Edison, and were reusable INDEFINITELY.  No need to throw them out and buy new batteries…  just rinse them out and replace the alkaline.  Jay Leno stated that he regularly uses the ORIGINAL Edison alkaline batteries regularly.

If you would like to see this thing in action… check out this video from Jay Leno’s Garage:

http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/video/video_player.shtml?vid=187711

George Washington’s Boyhood Home Found

It always amazes me when a discovery such as this comes about.  It gives us a chance to glimpse back into the stories we were taught as children, about the men and women who shaped early America.  Take a look:

The foundations of George Washington’s childhood house have been found at Ferry Farm in Virginia, the setting of the legendary cherry tree story.

Wig curlers, a carnelian bead and a half million other artifacts were also part of the discovery, which will help scholars fill in large gaps in the story of the first U.S. president’s early life.

“When you look at the normal biographies of Washington, they start when he’s 23,” said David Muraca, who oversaw the excavation as director of archaeology at the George Washington Foundation, which owns Ferry Farm.

“This piece of the story is very difficult for historians to get their hands around,” he said. “This dig will let us start our stories much earlier.”

Read the complete article here:  http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/07/080702-gw-house.html