Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Got the election jitterbug?
Much like many Americans across the nation, I've got the jitterbug. Record numbers of people are turning out to vote. It'll be interesting to analyze the percentages of people, particularly young people, who went to the polls. People got up at 6 a.m. to stand in chilly weather and long lines to cast their decision. I sent in my absentee ballot a week ago, and I'm so relieved to know that many young people do care and are exercising their rights.
It's the showdown of the decade.
It's finally coming to an end. The mesmerizing battleground of the debates, campaigns, press appearances, and news commentaries have pointed to this monumental day. And, I'm not ashamed to say, I'm a bit teary.
It's the showdown of the decade.
Swing States
Live Update as of 7:30 p.m. PST:
Breakdown - Are the swing states swinging in the direction predicted by CNN?
Listed below are the states whose polls have closed.
7:45 p.m. Midwest - swung in the right direction
Minnesota - 57% Obama 41% McCain
Wisconsin - 53% Obama 46%
Iowa - 61% Obama 38% McCain
7:33 p.m. New Hampshire - swung the other direction in favor of Obama
Polls are closed = 55% Obama 44% McCain
7:49 p.m. North Carolina - swung the other direction in favor of Obama
Polls are closed = 50% Obama 49% McCain
7:49 p.m. Virginia - swung in the other direction in favor of Obama
Polls are closed = 50% Obama 49% McCain
7:48 p.m. Florida - swung the other direction in favor of Obama
Polls are closed = 51% Obama 49% McCain
7:48 p.m. Colorado - swung the other direction in favor of Obama
Polls are closed = 56% Obama 42% McCain
7:48 p.m. New Mexico - swung the other direction in favor of Obama
Polls are closed = 55% Obama 44% McCain
Click on image for a larger view.
It's not over until it's over and the swing states could determine if Sens. McCain or Obama steps foot into the White House after the Nov. 4 presidential election.
Swing states have been known to "swing" the vote, per say, in one direction from one candidate or another because of overwhelming sentiments regarding a presidential candidates stance on an issue. Thus, these particular states do not have an overwhelming attitude towards one candidate, meaning each has a shot at getting the electoral college votes.
Conversely, "safe states" are the ones where presidential candidates have known support and he has an expected chance of winning the state.
In this election, the swing states are California; Oregon and Washington; Nevada, Colorado, and New Mexico, Wisconsin, Missouri, Iowa, and Minnesota; New Hampshire; Virginia and North Carolina; and Florida.
Below is a video from CNN about the "Battleground States" :
Breakdown - Are the swing states swinging in the direction predicted by CNN?
Listed below are the states whose polls have closed.
7:45 p.m. Midwest - swung in the right direction
Minnesota - 57% Obama 41% McCain
Wisconsin - 53% Obama 46%
Iowa - 61% Obama 38% McCain
7:33 p.m. New Hampshire - swung the other direction in favor of Obama
Polls are closed = 55% Obama 44% McCain
7:49 p.m. North Carolina - swung the other direction in favor of Obama
Polls are closed = 50% Obama 49% McCain
7:49 p.m. Virginia - swung in the other direction in favor of Obama
Polls are closed = 50% Obama 49% McCain
7:48 p.m. Florida - swung the other direction in favor of Obama
Polls are closed = 51% Obama 49% McCain
7:48 p.m. Colorado - swung the other direction in favor of Obama
Polls are closed = 56% Obama 42% McCain
7:48 p.m. New Mexico - swung the other direction in favor of Obama
Polls are closed = 55% Obama 44% McCain
Click on image for a larger view. It's not over until it's over and the swing states could determine if Sens. McCain or Obama steps foot into the White House after the Nov. 4 presidential election.
Swing states have been known to "swing" the vote, per say, in one direction from one candidate or another because of overwhelming sentiments regarding a presidential candidates stance on an issue. Thus, these particular states do not have an overwhelming attitude towards one candidate, meaning each has a shot at getting the electoral college votes.
Conversely, "safe states" are the ones where presidential candidates have known support and he has an expected chance of winning the state.
In this election, the swing states are California; Oregon and Washington; Nevada, Colorado, and New Mexico, Wisconsin, Missouri, Iowa, and Minnesota; New Hampshire; Virginia and North Carolina; and Florida.
Below is a video from CNN about the "Battleground States" :
Monday, November 3, 2008
Perk Up and Vote... And get free coffee
Politicians are known for buying votes, but in this era apparently corporations are buying your business by supporting the election.
We all know that it is our civic duty to vote. It is also a matter of having pride in one's country, as well as having a say in the matters of one's country. These seem like incentives enough to get 100% of the US population to vote, not just the average 54 percent; however, businesses like Starbucks are offering free drinks if you vote.
On Wednesday, Nov. 5, if you go to any Starbucks and say, "I voted!," you will be rewarded a free tall cup of Joe. Starbucks wants to promote that giving you a cup of coffee is so insignificant in comparison to exercising your right to vote that they will give you a free cup.
Click below to see the minute-long promotion video.
Krispy Kreme is giving away a free star-shaped doughut with red, white and blue sprinkles (while supplies last) if you wear your "I Voted" sticker.
Ben & Jerry's is giving away a free scoop of ice cream, you pick the flavor, from 5 to 8 p.m. if you say you voted.
Rock the Vote is giving away free song downloads if you pledge to vote.
Although, in our failing economy, one has to take a step back. These freebies and rewards for voting are fine, but Starbucks of all businesses, whose margins have dropped significantly, may also be using the election to drive sales up. For the past couple of months, Starbucks has created an incentives program that is meant to do just that - increase profits.
We all know that it is our civic duty to vote. It is also a matter of having pride in one's country, as well as having a say in the matters of one's country. These seem like incentives enough to get 100% of the US population to vote, not just the average 54 percent; however, businesses like Starbucks are offering free drinks if you vote.
On Wednesday, Nov. 5, if you go to any Starbucks and say, "I voted!," you will be rewarded a free tall cup of Joe. Starbucks wants to promote that giving you a cup of coffee is so insignificant in comparison to exercising your right to vote that they will give you a free cup.
Click below to see the minute-long promotion video.
Krispy Kreme is giving away a free star-shaped doughut with red, white and blue sprinkles (while supplies last) if you wear your "I Voted" sticker.
Ben & Jerry's is giving away a free scoop of ice cream, you pick the flavor, from 5 to 8 p.m. if you say you voted.
Rock the Vote is giving away free song downloads if you pledge to vote.
Although, in our failing economy, one has to take a step back. These freebies and rewards for voting are fine, but Starbucks of all businesses, whose margins have dropped significantly, may also be using the election to drive sales up. For the past couple of months, Starbucks has created an incentives program that is meant to do just that - increase profits.
Was media coverage too liberal?
In a New York Times column, Douglas MacKinnon argues that the news media swung too far to the left in the coverage of the 2008 presidential campaign. MacKinnon, a self-described "independent conservative" and former press secretary to Senator Bob Dole, states that liberal ideas and issues are honored at the expense of the conservative right.
By rule, journalism is expected to be as unbiased and objective as possible while adhering to high standards of ethics and news gathering professionalism. Have we lost that integrity in an age where business leaks into the editorial environment and decisions are based on entertainment rather than serious news value? Are we slowly giving up our duty to the American public to ask the tough questions, keep the government accountable, and be a forum for the voiceless? The fact of a liberal news media seems to contradict journalistic ethics.
More importantly, are conservatives dangerously remaining silent at the expense of thoughtful debate? Today in my entrepreneurship class, we polled the class on Proposition 8 and the presidential nominees. The score was 20 for McCain and 24 for Obama. You would think that in liberal California, Obama would win by a landslide. But when liberals are crying to be heard, where are the conservative voices? Both liberal and conservative voices must join the discussion in order to uphold our deliberative democracy. One cannot dominate the other, as it appears to be doing now.
According to the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism, McCain has received far more negative coverage than Obama.
Is this fair? It seems to be a byproduct of the cynicism generated by the Bush administration's failed policies? Although both candidates have received nearly the same press attention, there is an undeniable tip in Obama's favor. This kind of media coverage opens debate on the role of journalism in this society. The media aligned themselves with Bush's administration and his campaign for terror after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The overwhelming imbalance in the Pew research suggests a backlash against this former no-questions-asked alliance.
There are some conservative voices, but not many rationally defend their standpoints without seeming like bigots. Has the conservative voice been overshadowed by liberal mainstream media? Perhaps. The blame goes both ways. Liberals label conservatives as right-wing fundamentalists, and conservatives label their opponents as free-for-all hippie tree huggers. The truth is, we need both extremes and all the diverse in-betweens to improve our country. And based upon the reader responses to MacKinnon's article, people are forgetting the validity of points made by conservative pundits.
One reader wrote, "There’s an alternative reality that conservatives can slip into and pity themselves. If anything the MSM has been so far to the right that when it moves toward objectivity conservatives react as if it is on the left."
The mainstream media has always been traditionally a little to the left because of the inherent skepticism needed in keeping politicans, corporations and government accountable. But this is an interesting point. Social perceptions of mainstream media changes with the swearing in of a new president. Conservatives
Another reader wrote, "The problem isn’t so much media bias — it’s the way the media had to overcompensate for the perception of bias."
So every time an unfair call is made, the opposing side cries to be heard? With each new president, his ideology is attacked more often than the opposite ideology. Or, is there really a change in media biases? My guess is that biases seesaw up and down depending on the social and economic climate of the nation.
By rule, journalism is expected to be as unbiased and objective as possible while adhering to high standards of ethics and news gathering professionalism. Have we lost that integrity in an age where business leaks into the editorial environment and decisions are based on entertainment rather than serious news value? Are we slowly giving up our duty to the American public to ask the tough questions, keep the government accountable, and be a forum for the voiceless? The fact of a liberal news media seems to contradict journalistic ethics.
More importantly, are conservatives dangerously remaining silent at the expense of thoughtful debate? Today in my entrepreneurship class, we polled the class on Proposition 8 and the presidential nominees. The score was 20 for McCain and 24 for Obama. You would think that in liberal California, Obama would win by a landslide. But when liberals are crying to be heard, where are the conservative voices? Both liberal and conservative voices must join the discussion in order to uphold our deliberative democracy. One cannot dominate the other, as it appears to be doing now.
According to the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism, McCain has received far more negative coverage than Obama.
Is this fair? It seems to be a byproduct of the cynicism generated by the Bush administration's failed policies? Although both candidates have received nearly the same press attention, there is an undeniable tip in Obama's favor. This kind of media coverage opens debate on the role of journalism in this society. The media aligned themselves with Bush's administration and his campaign for terror after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The overwhelming imbalance in the Pew research suggests a backlash against this former no-questions-asked alliance.
There are some conservative voices, but not many rationally defend their standpoints without seeming like bigots. Has the conservative voice been overshadowed by liberal mainstream media? Perhaps. The blame goes both ways. Liberals label conservatives as right-wing fundamentalists, and conservatives label their opponents as free-for-all hippie tree huggers. The truth is, we need both extremes and all the diverse in-betweens to improve our country. And based upon the reader responses to MacKinnon's article, people are forgetting the validity of points made by conservative pundits.
One reader wrote, "There’s an alternative reality that conservatives can slip into and pity themselves. If anything the MSM has been so far to the right that when it moves toward objectivity conservatives react as if it is on the left."
The mainstream media has always been traditionally a little to the left because of the inherent skepticism needed in keeping politicans, corporations and government accountable. But this is an interesting point. Social perceptions of mainstream media changes with the swearing in of a new president. Conservatives
Another reader wrote, "The problem isn’t so much media bias — it’s the way the media had to overcompensate for the perception of bias."
So every time an unfair call is made, the opposing side cries to be heard? With each new president, his ideology is attacked more often than the opposite ideology. Or, is there really a change in media biases? My guess is that biases seesaw up and down depending on the social and economic climate of the nation.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Satisfy the state and your stomach: free food and drink voter promotions
Ben and Jerry's, Groundwork Organic Coffee and Tea and Press Panini are offering free food and drinks to patrons who have voted.
Ben and Jerry's offers a free scoop of the ice cream of the voter's choice on a cup or cone from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. the night of the election. Voters must prove that they've voted; proof of voting includes an “I voted” sticker, a photo of you at the polling location or you doing an “I voted” dance. Kooky B&J, what's an "I voted" dance? If you're shameless enough to improvise a dance of this sort, you surely deserve the free treat.
Groundwork Organic Coffee and Tea offers a free 12-ounce cup of joe from Nov. 4 to 5 to those voters who can present their ballot stubs. To prove its non-partisan stance, Groundwork will take $1 off of any tea product if you're not pro-coffee. Groundwork owner Richard Karno hopes the promotion will inspire people to engage in the democratic process and talk about national issues. Head to one of Groundwork's six locations for some post-poll stimulation.
Come to Press Panini in Studio City for a free panini slider on the big day. All you need is an "I Voted" sticker. You can then choose from their six mini panini flavors: salami (with provolone and swiss cheeses); pastrami (swiss, kraut and pepperoncini); cuban (bacon, turkey, ham and swiss); turkey Pesto (with brie and artichoke pesto); caprese (mozzarella, tomato and basil); bacon and Egg (with swiss cheese).
So, while you're waiting in line at the polls, think about the goodies that await you.
View Larger Map
Ben and Jerry's offers a free scoop of the ice cream of the voter's choice on a cup or cone from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. the night of the election. Voters must prove that they've voted; proof of voting includes an “I voted” sticker, a photo of you at the polling location or you doing an “I voted” dance. Kooky B&J, what's an "I voted" dance? If you're shameless enough to improvise a dance of this sort, you surely deserve the free treat.
Groundwork Organic Coffee and Tea offers a free 12-ounce cup of joe from Nov. 4 to 5 to those voters who can present their ballot stubs. To prove its non-partisan stance, Groundwork will take $1 off of any tea product if you're not pro-coffee. Groundwork owner Richard Karno hopes the promotion will inspire people to engage in the democratic process and talk about national issues. Head to one of Groundwork's six locations for some post-poll stimulation.
Come to Press Panini in Studio City for a free panini slider on the big day. All you need is an "I Voted" sticker. You can then choose from their six mini panini flavors: salami (with provolone and swiss cheeses); pastrami (swiss, kraut and pepperoncini); cuban (bacon, turkey, ham and swiss); turkey Pesto (with brie and artichoke pesto); caprese (mozzarella, tomato and basil); bacon and Egg (with swiss cheese).
So, while you're waiting in line at the polls, think about the goodies that await you.
View Larger Map
Your Guide to Election Night
Well, ladies and gentlemen, it all comes down to this. Tuesday night it all goes down. The polls will close at night, and then the fun begins - analysts and pundits on every single television station in mankind will be projecting which candidate wins each state, talking about the scenarios for victory, and discussing the news as it happens.
But after you have voted (and you must vote - please), you have another choice to make: Who to watch when the sun goes down.
There are a lot of options on television for Tuesday night viewing, but which should you watch? Here is a guide to election night television viewing.
They refer to themselves as "the best political team on television," and that may just be the case. Just as they have all throughout the election cycle, Wolf Blitzer and Anderson Cooper will anchor the wall-to-wall coverage. They will have at their disposal the likes of Donna Brazille, John King, Alex Castellanos, James Carville, Paul Begala - the list goes on.
CNN will likely provide the most centrist analysis of the election night results. That is, the balance of Democratic and Republican commentators balances out the analysis, and both Blitzer and Cooper will make sure the network does not appear biased in its coverage. One thing CNN has done particularly well throughout the election cycle is that is has been able to give an air of unbiasedness. If you don't want to hear any ugly partisan banter, CNN is probably your channel.
Oh, and you can rest assured: John King and his magical telestrator will be there. Everyone who is in awe every time you look at the voting results in the third largest county of southern Mississippi will get that opportunity to "ooh" and "aah" yet again.
Are you a right-leaning fellow? Then this is your station. There's no denying FOX's coverage has a little bit of slant in it, but if you don't mind, then tune in to this channel for your results viewing. Plus, FOX's web site is going to have a live-updated election map that allows you to look at each specific county in each state. So if you want to be John King and impress your friends with county-level knowledge, check out FOX's site.
Or, if you're a left-leaning kind of person, Keith Olberman and Co. is your ticket to election night fun. They will have a whole host of stars to break down the news, just as FOX will. MSNBC also has a "Decision '08" election night widget, which allows you to follow the results live on your desktop.
But if you really want to get some fun out of your election night coverage, there's only one place to turn: Comedy Central. Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert will host a live one-hour election night special on the network to talk about the results and the prognostications. The show kicks off at 10 pm Eastern Time/7 pm Pacific Time, and promises to be chock full of jokes, jests and funny quips.
But after you have voted (and you must vote - please), you have another choice to make: Who to watch when the sun goes down.
There are a lot of options on television for Tuesday night viewing, but which should you watch? Here is a guide to election night television viewing.
They refer to themselves as "the best political team on television," and that may just be the case. Just as they have all throughout the election cycle, Wolf Blitzer and Anderson Cooper will anchor the wall-to-wall coverage. They will have at their disposal the likes of Donna Brazille, John King, Alex Castellanos, James Carville, Paul Begala - the list goes on.
CNN will likely provide the most centrist analysis of the election night results. That is, the balance of Democratic and Republican commentators balances out the analysis, and both Blitzer and Cooper will make sure the network does not appear biased in its coverage. One thing CNN has done particularly well throughout the election cycle is that is has been able to give an air of unbiasedness. If you don't want to hear any ugly partisan banter, CNN is probably your channel.
Oh, and you can rest assured: John King and his magical telestrator will be there. Everyone who is in awe every time you look at the voting results in the third largest county of southern Mississippi will get that opportunity to "ooh" and "aah" yet again.
Are you a right-leaning fellow? Then this is your station. There's no denying FOX's coverage has a little bit of slant in it, but if you don't mind, then tune in to this channel for your results viewing. Plus, FOX's web site is going to have a live-updated election map that allows you to look at each specific county in each state. So if you want to be John King and impress your friends with county-level knowledge, check out FOX's site.
Or, if you're a left-leaning kind of person, Keith Olberman and Co. is your ticket to election night fun. They will have a whole host of stars to break down the news, just as FOX will. MSNBC also has a "Decision '08" election night widget, which allows you to follow the results live on your desktop.
But if you really want to get some fun out of your election night coverage, there's only one place to turn: Comedy Central. Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert will host a live one-hour election night special on the network to talk about the results and the prognostications. The show kicks off at 10 pm Eastern Time/7 pm Pacific Time, and promises to be chock full of jokes, jests and funny quips.
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