7 November 2008

Workout notes 4000 yards; 1000 easy (17:5x) to warm up, 10 x 100 on the 1:45 (a couple of 1:41s; mostly 1:38-39), 10 x (25 fly, 75 free) on 2 (mostly 1:45-46; a couple of 1:41s), 5 x 100 (alt 3g/swim, fins) on 2, then paddle/free/paddle/free/paddle cool-down.

Tons of dog paddlers today.

Academics: it is the start of the “whiny” season as the snowflakes are starting to get in full panic mode. I have exam 3 in my faux calculus class tomorrow and one snow flake shows up for office hours; says she understands nothing. She was astonished when I suggested that, when she studies, that she actually read the examples in the book!

Of course, there are the usual requests for “extra credit”; they don’t seem to get that we are really testing them on what they know about the course material.

But next semester I am getting a break from this class.

Speaking of whining:

Sandwalk notes that Dobson’s “prayer program” didn’t quite work.

Regardless of your political views, I want to urge Christians everywhere to be in prayer about this election. There are many scriptural references wherein King David “inquired of God” when he was faced by troubling circumstances (1 Samuel 23:2,4; 30:8; 2 Samuel 2:1; 5:19,23). It is time for Christians everywhere to turn to Him for guidance and wisdom. Find some time to be still and listen to what He wants to tell you. The National Day of Prayer Task Force, led by my wonderful wife, Shirley, has embarked on a national campaign entitled “Pray for Election Day.” All around the country, individuals and groups are being encouraged to gather every Thursday leading up to Nov. 4 between 12 noon and 12:30 p.m. Spend time with the Lord, asking Him to guide and direct those privileged to cast a ballot. If you are able, I would also encourage you to fast and pray immed”ately before the election. After all, it was the Reverend Billy Graham who once said that “To get nations back on their feet, we must first get down on our knees.”20 Amen, Dr. Graham.

There is more there; it reads a bit like a parody from The Onion.

Of course, the Hannity crowd is screaming foul; evidently they are blaming Obama’s election on people voting using fraudulent voter registration. Sure…I wonder how many ballots “Donald Duck” cast?

And if you’ve eaten, you can see Lindsey Grahamm swimming the butterfly. Why?

Senator Lindsey Graham, warming up a North Carolina audience for McCain, assured them that McCain would win: “He fits North Carolina like a glove…I’ll beat Michael Phelps in swimming before Barack Obama wins North Carolina.”

What elections haven’t been called? Find out here. Five Thirty Eight lists some congressional races, along with Missouri (President) and Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional Presidential election. If both of these flip (the latter is likely to) we’ll get to 376 EVs and I called 378. But realistically, we are more likely to get to 365.

Also, Alaska and Minnesota Senate races are being counted, and Georgia has to have a run-off in its Senate race.

Reactions, Circular Firing Squads, Trash Talking and Political Junkie Stuff

Election results: North Carolina has been called for Obama. Now there remains the 2nd Congressional district of Nebraska; Obama seems set to claim that electoral vote as well.

In other news, Jeff Merkley beat Gordon Smith to add a Democrat to the Senate. The Republicans are stuck at 40 seats in the moment with the races in Alaska and Minnesota to be called; the latter is undergoing a recount as the margin was only 437 votes. Then in Georgia, Saxby Chambliss didn’t get to 50 percent; hence he has a December run-off with Jim Martin.

Various Reactions to the election

Jesse Jackson was in tears while attending the Obama victory rally; one can probably guess why.

Here he is with M. L. King in 1969 just before Dr. King got shot

Now at the Obama victory celebration.

It is enough to make a heart of stone melt. Here, he talks about his feelings.

After the election trash talking, circular firing squads and all that.

Watertiger reminds Lindsey Gram of what he said.

“John McCain’s going to win North Carolina,” Graham said as he introduced McCain here today. “I’ll beat Michael Phelps in swimming before Barack Obama wins North Carolina. “

The Edge of the American West revels in the Right Wing circular firing squad. Some are tying to target Republicans who “smeared” Sarah Palin.

Uh, Republicans, Sarah Palin only served to remind people that your party has catered to the Limbaugh/Hannity/Coulter wing for too long.

Some McCain supporters speak post election.

The guy is ok but the woman is a moron.

Political Junkie Stuff

Election poll stuff: FiveThirtyEight.com analyzes some of the demographic data. Obama outperformed Kerry in just about every demographic, save Gays and Lesbians, (77 to 70 percent), over 65 years old (47 to 45 percent) and in “other religions” category (74 to 73 percent).

By the way, the blog FiveThirtyEight.com was widely praised.

Political Junkies: stay away from these links!

CNN exit poll information and county by county maps.

New York Times interactive maps: compare county/state maps to the 2008 map; see which counties got more blue and more red and much more.

Swing State Project posts: here is 2000 and 2004 data as far as how each Congressional district went in the Presidential Elections, and here is a 2008 map of the congressional districts themselves.

Here is a website with tons of free political data: the USA Election Atlas.