Vote!

So the big day has come. 2 years in the making, it's Election Day 2008!

We're pretty lucky to live in a country where we have the right to vote and freedom to do so, so don't waste it!

So get out there, people! It's VOTING TIME!

One Nation

If you've followed politics lately (or watched the Daily Show), you'd know that some flat-out strange comments have been floating out of the McCain campaign. Be it a desperate attempt to win over "rural working class" voters or just a desperate attempt to appeal to far-right conservatives, the candidate's supporters (and even that incorrigible Palin) have been throwing around this notion of a "Real America."

You know the one; those great barbecuing, burger-eating Joe Six-Packs who live in those small towns that "make good people." Those hockey-moms and factory workers who can smell an elite coming a mile away.

You remember that one? No? That's probably because it doesn't exist. There is no Real America just like there is no Fake America. There is just America!

The country folk are just as American as the city-slickers. The factory worker is just as American as the urban schoolteacher. The accountant is just as American as the priest. North Virginia is just as real as South Virginia, just as real as West Virginia.

There's this thought that being spread by the dying far-right, that small towns are real, and big cities are fake. That only in the rural areas, patriotism is seen. And those urban folk, how can they be patriotic?

This is the politics of yesterday. The one that slices us up into nice little fragments that can then be played against each other. Divide and conquer is the old maxim. So as our economy sinks deeper, and our standing among nations spirals downward, these people want to show us that the real threat is ourselves. That there is a true America and a false one, and that the fakes want to destroy our great nation.

Call me crazy, but this brand of politics is not going to stick. Not this year. Not this time. After 8 years of these divisive games, Americans are going to realize that we're all Americans. That now is the time to come together, not push apart. That all opinions must be valued, whether they be from liberals, or conservatives.

This election, people will remember that little saying on the dollar bill still holds meaning: E pluribus unum.

Out of many, one.

Colin Powell...

Ex-Secretary of State Colin Powell recently endorsed Obama for prez. While this is newsworthy in and of itself, I found the little speach he gave on Sunday's Meet the Press to explain why he was voting Democrat to be incredibly well done.

I've been debating for a while as to whether I should try to weigh in on these candidates at ASG! But, thankfully, Mr. Powell says it better than I ever could. Give it a watch:

The Second Coming!...

...of our Messiah: Shark Jesus!

A blacktip shark in a Virginia Aquarium was confirmed to have a "virgin birth." The single shark pup inside the female was genetically tested after an necropsy of the mother and had no genes from a male shark. It is the second documented case of a female shark reproducing asexually.

Unfortunately the pup never actually was born. The mother, 'Tidbit' (personally I think 'Mary' would have been more catchy), died from complications of her sudden and unknown pregnancy.

The first shark Messiah, a hammerhead born just a year ago, was quickly gobbled up by his fellow sharks shortly after his birth.

Quote: "By the time they could realize what they were looking at, something munched the baby..."

But really, what does this all mean? Seems clear to me. It's got to be Shark Jesus! Personally, I welcome back our savior with open arms....er.....fins.

So the real question is not 'what does this tell us about the reproductive cycles of one of the Earth's oldest creatures.' Much much simpler than that.

WWSJD?

ASG! Article: This is NOT Sparta!

Another article! This time I got to cover Cambridge History Professor Paul Cartledge lecture here at SU about the accuracy of "300."

He's a well known and well respected ancient historian, so it was a pretty big deal to get to hear him speak. One of the more interesting events, in terms of topic, I've gotten to cover, and I think the article came out really nicely as well. Also, this was the first story I actually suggested on covering and then got to cover.

Give it a read.

ASG! Article: Large Hadron Collider and Black Holes?

So no excuses this time. No black hole or anything, I've just been busy.
And how do I return after a multi-week haitus? By redirecting you to a different article...
I'll end up doing this every time I get an article posted. It's from the Daily Orange, my campus' school paper.
I got to write about the Large Hadron Collider that was fired up last week. Some people are under the impression that it may create a black hole that will destroy the world, the universe and all existence (hi Dad). So it's pretty cool to get to write about the possible end of the world. It was a fun article, so give it a read.

Also just in case you were wondering if the Large Hadron Collider has destroyed the Earth yet, you can check here.

UPDATE: Well, it appears we'll have to wait a while for the end of the world... the LHC broke down. It'll be out of commission for about 2 months, so use this time wisely. You know, go skydiving or write a novel or something...

Did a Bit of Pre-Ordering

So on my latest trip to the mall, I put down a few deposits on a couple of games that I will definitely be picking up: Spore and Fallout 3.

Which reminds me... I never did give my impressions of the Spore Creature Creator. This is because, after about a week of enjoyment, the game broke on me. Now, I cannot run the application without it crashing. Most frustrating.

If this experience taught me anything though, it's that EA needs to get a better tech support. Right now, they basically have you put in a question, and then if they feel like it, they might answer you. The bigger problem is that when I go to submit the question, the button refreshes the page and doesn't add your question. Again, most frustrating.

Still, I'll be picking up the game. Hopefully it'll work for me.


Also, I have previously mentioned my near-unhealthy excitement for Bethesda's latest creation. The free Nuka-Cola bottle opener I got with my pre-order certainly didn't help. Can this game just come out already?