"What, me worry?" Alfred E. Neuman

OK the year was 1984 and a young would be computer teacher was introduced to his first Mad Magazine by his father. It was the summer 84 super extra violence issue and I was absolutely delighted. My mother was happy I was reading anything. One of the best and most enigmatic parts of the magazine was the back inside cover. Al Jaffee's fold-ins for Mad Magazine are little artistic puzzle pieces. For those not in the know there would be an unusual page of art with some strange riddle. Then you have the pleasure of folding the page so that two sets of arrows would meet. The picture would suddenly stand changed and the little dialogue at the bottom would spell out what you were looking at. Sometimes they were political and sometimes just cuttingly funny. Ok you must be wondering what the tech angle is. Well a while back the NY Times did a retrospective of these back covers. They show the original and then with a click of the mouse button it will fold it for you. Also they give you some history and context. I was fascinated to find out that every single one was hand painted and no computer was ever used to help the process. Seriously this is awesomely wonderful. I always had the hardest time getting those things to line up. I am bad at origami too. So if you want to walk back in time from the 1960s to the present give this one a try.

“Practical politics consists in ignoring facts.” Henry Brooks Adams

I have been a bit obsessed with the current long drawn out political campaign. I try to watch every debate and primary and they say. In my opinion it has everything that these reality TV shows have but with one shining difference. This one counts. Anyway I was having trouble keeping track of what the candidates were saying and whether it was a legitimate claim. So I have been heading to Fact Check. This is a great website created and supported by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. They are Non-partisan and non-profit and just fantastic. There are plenty of articles written and easily searchable but my personal favorite is the Just the Facts Show. A short video every week of the candidate’s goings on. It is nicely written and put on. If you are into the election or just need more of a political fix then give this one a try.

“In politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way.” Franklin D. Roosevelt

OK New Hampshire and Iowa are behind us and we are onto the next primary states but how to compare all the candidates is the question. I came across this site the other day and was impressed by its simpleness. It is by WLWT.com a news channel. Now I am sure there are bigger glitzier sites that have all sorts of political info but this one has one feature that is just so straightforward and user friendly. There is a place for you to choose two candidates and it puts a list with all of their info side by side so comparison is very easy. It has most of the major issues. I could think of more they should add but still a good list. Also they have all of the candidates and not just the front runners like I have seen on other sites. I also enjoyed the countdown day timer till the election. I appreciate something, even if it is simple, when it is well done and effective. For a comparison of the candidates give this one a try.

"Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.'" Galadriel - J.R.R. Tolkien

Happy Caucus Day! I have been waiting for this holiday for what seems like an eternity. Now if you are not a political junkie by now it is time for you to catch up. This is the one time of year a really tiny group begins to decide something for a gigantic nation, as in who will be president. Around 100,000 people will give a big old push to a couple of candidates tonight and influence the rest of the race. Now, how do you catch up? I recommend heading to our friend Wikipedia for the basics. . Second I love the Podcast It’s all politics from NPR. It is a comical look at the goings on brought to you by two well known political pundits. They should have a new episode tomorrow with any luck. Finally something from out of nowhere a musical about the Iowa Caucus. How could you go wrong? Also I should mention Youtube’s Caucus time videos. They are videos with people who will be doing be a discussin’ and a votin’. So get some pizza, get excited, and give these sites a try.

Can't Vote, Won't Vote

I will be working for my local election so this post is a day early.

Today is the day for you to vote. Now I know people are saying it does not count but this is wrong. On Tuesday night we will it comes down to a handful of votes that wins it for a candidate. Many people say that voting is privilege and not a right. I believe both of these words are wrong. It is a duty. You must vote! If you want a say on something then you must vote. If you dislike something that is going on then you must vote. If you believe a politician has done well, then doesn’t make sense to reward him/her. You vote changes what happens. Think of the history that has been altered because of voting for both the good and bad.

In other countries the voting turnout is huge. Here, even when we are angry, it is lower than most countries. This is one of the few days that your voice is heard. Now, I am not going to tell what to vote but I can tell you to back up concerns with action. You must vote! This is a link to a decent slideshow that is entitled “Can’t Vote, Won’t Vote” by the Boston Globe. Watch it and tell me if you agree. Please leave a comment. Give it a try.

Ballot Dancing

Alright you know what is going on out there but you need a sample ballot so you can check off what you are voting on. This is an easy site. Just fill in your address and they give up your sample ballot. Vote-USA says that they connect voters with their candidates. Now since I am blogging in Rhode Island I wanted to make it easier for those here to find their polling place. Click here to get all your polital “Rhody” information.

The addiction is in full swing

The rest of the remaining time before the election I would like to devote to stuff for the political junkies out there. Also I want to show you where, how and what you are voting on. No I am not telling you which issues to back or my personal views but how to get the information you need to be an informed voter.

To start with is a great site by NPR. Some people think they can be biased but they do a great job of putting together information. This is a map showing all the races around the country. You can get breakdowns of Governor, Senate and House races. This next one is similar in that it is a map but it has quick and easily viewed current statistics of the races. Just point to any state and it shows you. Just one more map, this one is a bit boring but it gives more info about the races and facts about everything from voting machines to ID Requirements. The site is put on by the league of women voters. There will be more tomorrow. In the meantime give these a try!