how to vote

A good night for the Democrats. California Democrat Nancy Pelosi, set to become the first female Speaker of the House, laid down a challenge to the White House - "Mr. President, we need a new direction in Iraq." - and to Washington D.C in general, promising to clean up the 109th Congress, which Rolling Stone dubbed the worst ever. Video of Pelosi's victory speech is here.

Meanwhile, we don't yet know who the next Senate Pro Tem will be, but current results have the Democrats+Independents in the lead by a small sliver. With Senate seats from Montana and Virginia still 'too close to call', it's hard to say if we'll have a result soon, or we'll be forced to wait through recounts and legal battles. According to Fox News (!!)

There are no automatic recounts in Virginia, but state law allows a candidate who finishes a half-percentage point or less behind to request a recount paid for by state and local governments

and with less than a percentage point in the race, it wouldn't be advisable to hold ones breath. Scoop, however, was much more confident.

On the ticket in some states were referenda to pass laws, including:
- Arizona: YES on English as the official language.
- Colorado: NO on Legalise Marijuana
- Idaho: YES on Ban Same Sex Marriage
- Michigan: YES on Restrict Affirmative Action
- Missouri: Yes on Stem Cell Research
- Nevada: NO on Legalise Marijuana
- Ohio: No on Allow Slot Machines
- South Dakota: NO on Ban Abortion
- Arizona: TOO CLOSE TO CALL on Ban on Same Sex Marriage
- Colorado: YES on Ban on Same Sex Marriage
- South Carolina: YES on Ban Same Sex Marriage
- South Dakota: YES on Ban Same Sex Marriage
- Tennessee: YES on Ban Same Sex Marriage
- Virginia: YES on Ban Same Sex Marriage
- Wisconsin: YES on Ban Same Sex Marriage

Thankfully the ultra hard-line, dumbass and patronising abortion laws were rejected by the voters, but shame on those states banning Same Sex Marriage. In a lot of ways, America really needs to just grow up.

how not to vote

A few days ago HBO screened a doco in the leadup to today's US midterm elections, covering the controversy surrounding electronic voting machines in the US. Makes me quite glad of our cardboard booths and funky orange markers.

Well worth the watch if you're interested in such things.

gale force fraud

The US Federal Emergency Management Agency has paid over $US1 billion in fraudulent claims. It's unbelievable how low some people will sink, and little wonder New Orleans hasn't got back on its feet at a faster pace. Shame on the fraudsters, shame on FEMA.

Smile: It's Wal-Mart

So USA giant retailer Wal-Mart is seeking to gain copyright control over the smiley face, claiming it's (over) use of the symbol in the American retail market since the 90's gives it trademark rights for the symbol in the retail scene. This has to be one of the worst PR gaffs a corporate can make, trying to appropriate a symbol that feels to many to be unpatentable. Slightly misrepresented in the above artice (and in the NZHerald - can't see a link in the online edition) is that they were forced into it. From the LA times

[Wal-Mart] didn't move to register the trademark until someone else threatened to do so first, [forcing] the world's largest retailer is fighting a French native who has earned millions in licensing fees on smiley's back since the early 1970s, when he began securing trademarks for the happy face around the world.

But in protecting it's branding, and in turn it's profits, Wal-Mart is showing itself to be comepletely out of touch with the real world. American's, not to mention nationals of other markets Wal-Mart is/will be operating in won't take kindly to the stealing of the symbol.

Briscoe group (Briscoes and Rebel Sport) posted good results for the lastest quater, citing less discounting as the key to its success. Interesting to note NZ's most notirous Hi-Lo discounter might be working towards an EDLP strategy.