Electificate '08

I voted! Well, I haven't turned it in yet, but I filled out an absentee (or vote-by-mail, as they call it now) ballot, so my vote has been inked. I'm not going to be out of town on Nov. 4th. In fact, I don't have much going on that day, and my polling place is literally across the street from my apartment. I chose to go with the vote-by-mail option so that on Nov. 4th I can go to my polling place and turn in a paper ballot that must be counted by hand (I could mail it, but I want to make sure it gets there, and I want the little "I Voted" sticker). After all the crap that's gone on with electronic voting machines (have you seen all the documentaries on how easy it is to hack one of those things???) and voter fraud, I'm not taking any chances. Screw the computer screen, give me a pen and paper. Electronic voting might be monumentally faster to count, but seeing as how there are people who can't be trusted to act with integrity and honesty and who choose to try and mess with the rest of us, I think patience is a small price to pay for accountability and accuracy.

I'm not saying it's all going to go smoothly now that I've chosen against electronic voting machines. In fact, I'm counting (and I'd put money on it, but no one would take the bet) on there being some sort of drama, crisis, uncertainty or suspected fraud surrounding the election results. After what happened in 2000, it's hard to imagine a presidential election, especially one of great importance like this one, to go off without a hitch. So no, my one pink vote-by-mail ballot won't rock the system and eliminate subjugation, but my mommy told me that one person can make a difference, and I love my mom, so don't try to tell me she's wrong.

On a completely different subject, Sierra Nevada's Winter seasonal "Celebration Ale" is officially available. Praise be to BevMo for carrying it in large supply -- what a great beer! Cheers, and happy voting!