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.

on the wharf

Cabinet today deferred making a decision about the location of Auckland's new stadium, but we should have some goodies by Friday including, according to 3 News, designs from the architects Warren and Mahoney. It looks likely it'll be the waterfront option.

3 News has a roundup here.

I'm keen to see the designs - partly because I agree that the design in media circulation looks like a bedpan - partly because I want to see what the architects think the surrounds will look like. I want more to see boldness, creativity, detail and justification for the design. But above all, I want to see options. If this is truly to be a national stadium, the best minds all need to be working to think of concepts for the stadium. Some will be uninspiring, some will be over the top, but there'll be gems to find if we let NZ's architects loose on designing our stadium.

We can but hope...