Off topic. Can we please move on? -- IV
Mark Sires wrote:
> We obviously disagree politically, which is (in my opinion) our greatest
> strength - we can disagree without fear of retribution (except for flame
> mail perhaps :-) ).
>
> That aside, as a Florida resident, who is actually capable of following a
> large black arrow from the name of the candidate I want to vote for to the
> hole I am supposed to punch, I was absolutely appalled with the 'recount
> them until I win' philosophy that was so readily accepted by both the
> (extremely biased and partisan) media and much of the public. And let's not
> forget to 'count every vote', unless of course they are probably for my
> opponent (overseas absentee votes). The 'determining of voter intent'
> greatly resembled the tea leaf reader at the traveling carnival (most of
> which winter here in Florida, so perhaps they had a ready pool of qualified
> individuals available).
>
> And let's not forget the 'Florida goes to Gore' announcement by our unbiased
> media. How many voters didn't go to the polls (which was announced before
> the polls in Florida had closed) will never be known. This doesn't generate
> a lot of sympathy from me I'll admit. Voting is important, and if you let
> the media decide for you whether to vote or not, then you probably wouldn't
> have been able to follow the large black arrow to the correct hole anyway.
>
> I will say that the unsuccessful party did manage exceed the hypocrisy
> standard they had set when Sen. Ted Kennedy sat in judgement during the
> Clarence Thomas sexual harassment hearings. William Daley, son of Richard
> Daley, complaining of 'voting irregularities' certainly amazed this former
> Illinois resident! The 'Mr. Technology' candidate declaring that manual
> recounts performed by personnel working 16-18 hour days were far superior to
> machine counts was also a high point of the process.
>
> >From my perspective, the court that showed its bias and partisanship was
> without question the Florida Supreme Court, which attempted to set aside its
> own ruling that extended the recount deadline to Sunday at 5:00pm to further
> extend the deadline.
>
> It was not widely reported in the national press (surprise), but local and
> regional reports of the results from those counties that were recounting
> until halted by the U.S. Supreme Court were improving W's lead, which
> undoubtedly played some role in the final decision by G to surrender
> gracefully.
>
> The only good thing to come from the whole mess (including the final
> outcome) is that it appears we will spend some time and $$ here in Florida
> to modernize and improve our election process. So in 4 years it can be some
> other State that didn't in the news for 5 weeks!
>
> And the rest of you should be thankful - you only have to deal with the
> voters of Floriduh once every 4 years. I get to drive on the roads with
> them every day of every year!
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: John S. Gage <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2000 4:04 PM
> Subject: Re: medical informatics and "clinical trials"
>
> > You see, I have been tormented by the thought of an upstanding Yugoslav
> > citizen saying, "Ah, the Americans aren't that different from us after
> > all. Slobodan used to throw away votes all the time." It will be a long
> > time before the United States can tell anyone how to run their country
> ever
> > again.
> >
> > John
> >
> > At 07:03 PM 12/19/00, you wrote:
> >
> >
> > >"John S. Gage" wrote:
> > >
> > > > I will confess that having just witnessed a coup d'etat by the
> Republican
> > > > party engineered by its clients in the Supreme Court, the world must
> have a
> > > > pretty dismal view of the U.S. Nevertheless, the tradition of science
> is
> > >
> > >I have to admit, it was disheartening to see this (the worst aspect: the
> > >partisan bias of every official in the country, including the supreme
> court
> > >judges). The international press I read went from disbelief that W was
> even
> > >running to dismay at the election to a well-practiced shaking of the head
> > >at the
> > >final result. But I have many American friends who I know are shaking
> their
> > >heads in the same way. I think they are successful and do good almost in
> > >reaction to such corruption. America has had some of the best dissidents
> > >in the
> > >world.
> > >
> > >Open source is a good example: it is a kind of controlled anarchy which
> lets
> > >people software control their own work outside of large organisations.
> The
> > >energy is there; the trick is to a) shape the energy and b) avoid
> extremism.
> > >
> > >- thomas beale
> > >
> > >(Alright. I admit I would have voted for Nader. I thought I might be able
> to
> > >have a bit of a vote when in Florida in January, seeing the election was
> still
> > >going, but it looks like I've missed out. Just. Perhaps a final
> recount?!)
> >
