I wonder how high this number rises once we can vote online.

In the presidential election of 2008, approximately 39.7 million or 30% of all votes were cast prior to Election Day, November 4, 2008. This is a significant increase from 20% in 2004 and part of the upward trend experienced since 1992, when 7% of all votes were cast early. These numbers are likely to increase in subsequent presidential elections as more states adopt early voting and more voters become comfortable with the practice. A summary of these early voting laws can be found at Paul Gronke’s excellent Early Voting Center. I discuss the bright future of early voting – among other trends – in this article available at the on-line political science journal, The Forum.

via C&L

• Online video viewers better informed voters
• I endorse McCain for President, of Halloween

It was an honor to talk about President Obama (sounds nice) on TV. Nice meeting Han and Naz and Dr. Azmi – cool guys. Also thanks to KevinC, Jessica and Sariah for having me on. I managed to get in a quick plug for Democrats Abroad Malaysia and votefromabroad.org.
Slept well last night =)

Part one above. I come on around 7 minutes into the segment.

Part two

• Americans in Malaysia – Americans Abroad for Obama
• Social Media Optimization project: Democrats Abroad

via reddit – unknown photographer

• Spy Horse
• Stimulous package

• Facebook is watching, even when you are logged out
• WordPress 2.6 is out

photo by AgentOdd

This is interesting for me because living overseas almost all of my election news is online. I’m curious how the news is being absorbed back home. Most of what I watch is from Huffington Post, Crooks & Liars, DailyKos, YouTube. The vicious loops of stateside political coverage from CNN International (and mind numbing cross promotional ads on Astro Sat TV) leaves me thinking why have TV at all.

Cisco’s Visual Networking Index Pulse Survey, which includes data from Compete and responses from about 1,800 registered U.S. voters, found that the internet is second only to television as a significant source of political information this election cycle, and online video users tend to follow the race more closely than those who don’t watch online video.

Key findings include:

• 62% of respondents said that they regularly access information about the presidential election online through their PCs
• About 30% of registered voters said they watched video related to the presidential election online, and 75% of them felt it helped them follow events more closely
• Online video watchers seem to be more engaged in the election than other respondents; 62% of online video users say they follow the presidential election closely, while only 37% of non-online video users do

via Compete Blog

• 30% voted before election day
• comScore: India has fastest growing net population

I’m being kind giving McCain Arizona. It’s now looking like he might lose his home state.

• New Zealand in recession
• I endorse McCain for President, of Halloween

art by Aidenag

• Barack O Blend

This is NOT photoshopped. The man actually made this zombie face in the final moments of the most important televised appearance of his political life. He is a Maverick! What if he’d performed the thriller routine? John McCain, you won’t get my vote but you’re invited to any future BBQ I have. Just leave Keating at home, he’s creepy. And tell Sarah, no moose. It’s hell to clean up the grill afterwards.

US Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain (R-AZ) reacts to almost heading the wrong way off the stage after shaking hands with Democratic presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) at the conclusion of the final presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, October 15, 2008. REUTERS/Jim Bourg (UNITED STATES) US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN 2008 (USA)

• Fox, fair and balanced from day one
• Obama: “I can take 4 more weeks of attacks, but America can’t take 4 years of McCain”

Protest, Art, or just wrong? I don’t know who is more stupid, McCain’s people for not doing background check on political leanings of photo journalists or Jill for putting herself in a position to possibly get sued or worse.

via BuzzFeed

• Google tests speech recognition for video
• Anaconda bite howto video

A billboard in West Plains, Missouri suggests that Obama is a Muslim out to tax abortions for same sex married gun owners..

I’d probably knock it down if I drove by, but it’s (still) a free country. Say what you like. I’m free to blog about what an idiot you are though.

via CurrentTV

• Tracking brands and bulk news with rss
• Malaysians are horny buggers