What In The Hell Happened in Alaska?
Nov. 6, 2008 , at 2:04 AM
Although Ted Stevens holds a small lead in Alaska and is the favorite to retain his seat, the outcome is not as inevitable as it might appear to be. Stevens currently holds a lead of 3,353 votes, or about 1.5 percent of the votes tallied so far. But, there are quite a large number of ballots yet to count. According to Roll Call, these include “at least 40,000 absentee ballot, 9,000 early voting ballots, and an undetermined number of questionable ballots”.
Indeed, it seems possible that the number of “questionable” ballots could be quite high. So far, about 220 thousand votes have been processed in Alaska. This compares with 313 thousand votes cast in 2004. After adding back in the roughly 50,000 absentee and early ballots that Roll Call accounts for, that would get us to 270 thousand ballots, or about a 14 percent drop from 2004. It seems unlikely that turnout would drop by 14 percent in Alaska given the presence of both a high-profile senate race and Sarah Palin at the top of the ticket.
But even if Begich were to make up ground and win a narrow victory, this would seem to represent a catastrophic failure of polling, as three polls conducted following the guilty verdict in Stevens’ corruption trial had Begich leading by margins of 7, 8 and 22 points, respectively.
The emerging conventional wisdom is that there was some sort of a Bradley Effect in this contest — voters told pollsters that they weren’t about to vote for that rascal Ted Stevens, when in fact they were perfectly happy to. Convicted felons are the new black, it would seem.
The problem with this theory is that the polling failures in Alaska weren’t unique to Stevens. They also applied to the presidential race, as well as Alaska’s at-large House seat. In each case, the Republican outperformed his pre-election polling by margins ranging from 12 to 14 points:
Contest  Projection         Result       Delta
AL-ALL   Berkowitz +6.4 (i) Young +7.7   GOP +14.1
AL-Sen   Begich +12.9 (ii)  Stevens +1.5 GOP +14.4
AL-Pres  McCain +13.9 (iii) McCain +25.3 GOP +12.4
(i) Pollster.com Trend Estimate
(ii) FiveThirtyEight Polling Average
(iii) FiveThirtyEight Trend-Adjusted Estimate
There are three plausible explanations I can think of to explain this discrepancy. The first and most likely is that the Democratic vote became complacent and did not bother to turn out. The outcome of the presidential contest was not going to be close in Alaska, and Barack Obama’s victory in the Electoral College was apparent as of about 4 PM local time. Begich supporters, moreover, may have looked at the polls and concluded that their candidate was far enough ahead that they didn’t have to bother to vote. Meanwhile, the Republican base was going to turn out no matter what because of their enthusiasm for Sarah Palin. There seems to be a sort of danger zone at about 10 points wherein a candidate is far enough ahead that many of his supporters assume the race is in the bag, but not so far ahead that he is immune to poor turnout (a similar dynamic affected then-Governor Jim Blanchard of Michigan in his 1990 race against John Engler).
The second possibility is that a substantial percentage of the Democratic vote is tied up in the early and absentee ballots that have yet to be counted. We know that Barack Obama overperformed among early voters in many states, and Alaska may be no exception. (Although, I would guess that the absentee vote is predominately rural, whereas Begich’s base is in Anchorage).
The third possibility is that a lot of those “questionable” ballots are Democratic ones, and that there have been irregularities in the voting tally. Although this is the least likely possibility, Alaska is a provincial state with some history of corruption, and Democrats ought to be making sure that too many of their ballots haven’t been disqualified.
Senate (275 posts) Alaska (63)


Tintin on the Moon Download (1989 Arcade action Game)
Download full Tintin on the Moon:
Manual (4 KB)
Tintin on the Moon screenshots:
Hergé's famous cartoon character is brought to life in this multi-stage action game, specifically based around the episode of the same name. In many details the story was similar to the real moon landings, then many years off. A more accurate title for the game would be 'Tintin Gets to the Moon', as reaching it is your challenge. The game is split into two distinct types of sections; the first of these involves guiding the rocket through space. Steer it to avoid contact with asteroids, and to collect eight red spheres. Yellow spheres boost energy, and so should be collected.
This is followed by a platform-based battle, as the evil Captain Jurgen has tied up several crew members, planted time bombs, and started several fires. Use your extinguisher on Jurgen and the fires, and touch the bombs and crew members to solve those problems. Turn gravity off to reach the more troublesome bombs.
Tintin is in my opinion one of the best comic book series ever made (along with Asterix and Lucky Luke). There have also been cartoons made after this famous character and naturally the gaming industry could not ignore Tintin either. Several games staring Tintin have been made for various systems already, but the first computerized adventure of Tintin is the one I'm presenting to you at this time. It's Tintin on the Moon. I'm afraid though that Tintin fans will be slightly disappointed at the plot of the game. Although it features the red and white rocket and the crew of the Explores of the Moon series, the game has no real plot (unfortunately). The more appropriate title would be "Tintin's Flight to the Moon", for all you really do is try to get there.
First off I guess I should mention the game offers the language selection. This doesn't really effect anything - except the language of the title on the screen following the take off.
After the take off you take control of the rocket and guide it through 5 stages of the flight to the Moon. At the bottom of the screen there's a line indicating how far along the way are you. To the left of it there's a box showing energy and to the right of it there's a box showing your score. Once you run out of energy, the game is over. To keep going it is therefore of vital importance to keep collecting energy boosts (the red squares flying at you). I suggest you try to collect as many in the early levels, so you'll carry enough energy over for the tougher parts of the flight. The blue round things flying toward you increase your score. You should, however, try to avoid the meteors (the big rocks flying towards you).
Upon completing each stage you'll have to stop the sabotage aboard your rocket. Evil Boris is planting bombs and setting fires all over the place. So you'll need to get the fire extinguisher, put all the fires out, disable all the bombs and capture Boris in order to continue. On the left of the screen you'll see if you're carrying the fire extinguisher (if it starts blinking it means it's empty), you'll see if any of your friends are tied up and you'll see if there's a flame burning somewhere on the ship (you won't see where). At the bottom of the screen you'll see how many bombs are active.
Your companions can help you on the way. If they collide with Boris they'll tie him up (but he does the same to them). To save your friend you simply need to touch them (it's the same with disabling bombs). Just be careful not to touch Boris, he'll knock you out for a while (and he even shoots at you). You can however spray him with the foam from the extinguisher (pressing fire), just like putting out the flames all over the ship. You will find some bomb placed in locations you can't get to (like under the ceiling). That's when you need to shut the gravity off and float toward the bomb (you toggle gravity by pressing F1). Try and be quick about it, because the longer the fires burn the more energy you loose and if a bomb explodes, you'll really loose a significant amount of energy. I should also warn you, that you can not restore energy while in the rocket.
And finally if you get that far, you will have to land on the moon, by controlling the auxiliary drive (you do that by pressing fire).
Although this is not a great classic, it's a very representative 80's computer game (although it came out at the end of the decade). The premise is simple, the gameplay basically consists of two different arcade type minigames. You will need to replay it over and over in order to get better at it, so you will be able to finally complete it and after you've completed it, the only thing that might make you come back is setting the new highest score. It's slightly frustrating, since no mater how close you get to the end, if you loose you'll have to start over and do a better job at it the next time around (there's no save option). It's one of those things that kept you glued to the screen until your eyes became all bloody from the lack of blinking, while trying to collect objects flying towards you.
I have to warn you though that this game although made in 1989 (a time where 16 color EGA graphics were not unusual in a computer game) still features CGA 4 color graphics and only the PC speaker blip-blips, which certainly make the DOS port of the game one of the least pleasurable. Still I'm quite sure that if you're not bothered too much by eye burning CGA graphics, you will enjoy the game for at least a while.
People who downloaded Tintin on the Moon have also downloaded:
Tintin in Tibet, Tintin: Prisoners of The Sun, Tomb Raider Gold, Tom & Jerry: Yankee Doodle's CAT-astrophe, Tarzan Action Game (a.k.a. Disney's Tarzan), Asterix and Obelix Take on Caesar, Tom and Jerry in Fists of Furry, Prince of Persia


This entry was posted on Monday, December 26th, 2011 at 2:28 pm and is filed under Commission report, Congressional Budget Office, Department of Health & Human Services, Emergency Response, Federal Budget, Iraq, Military History, NASA, Nuclear, Polls, Terrorism, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), U.S. Army, U.S. Economy.	You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Some genuinely good stuff on this internet site, I like it.
Thanks, Peg. So sorry you’re encountering difficulties. Unfortunately, that is a function of the WordPress software platform that is affecting many blogs. We’ll send them some more comments and hope it can be corrected.
The end date was established by the Bush administration and brought into fruition by the Obama administration.
The reduction of armed forces facilities in the US that cost at least twice what was touted, has been one of the causes of the state of the economy we’re in now. Let us stop being the world’s savior. Remember what has happened to Portugal, Spain, England, Rome. Nations rise and fall it appears that the present make up of our Congress is in the process of putting us on that downward tumble.
Nice article, for me it would have to be the end of the War in Iraq..and possibly the end of the Space Shuttle flights….hopefully they’ll get something better !
Along with the last flight, an era of exploration may have an end, – temporary curtain though. But mankind’s effort of knowing can’t be brought to an end in such way. Mankind will find out its own course of way in eternal search of knowledge. Space! – The inevitable horizon is still yet unexplored to a great extent. Still yet many important things have to be known.
I chose the Space Shuttles last flight.. wars, earthquakes, budgets, terrorism will probably continue to one degree or the other, will be next years news, the next and so on.. but the final flight of the shuttle brings a era of space exploration to a end and perhaps the omen that the last flight may bring about the end of mans desire and ability to explore and gather knowledge about himself and the universe he lives in….
Thanks for your thought-provoking comments, Larry. You are so right… It was very hard to put together the list this year since there were so many significant stories. Does anyone out there know of any topics we may have left out?
The end of the war in Iraq, it’s time to end the war in Afghanistan. and appease Iran.
Happy New Year 2012 World !
Gracias, Samuel. Sus opiniones siempre nos importa.
This is not at the same level of importance as the stories listed above, but the decision not to publish the U.S.Statistical Abstract anymore (in print or online) is shameful.
This was certainly an important story to GPO’s customers. Thanks for your comments!
The most important federal story is the total collapse of the two party system of government. The inability to get just about anything done is a shame that the congress will have to work hard to erase.
i have added my vote…..9/11 tenth anniversary.
9/11 have changed our lives forever as it touches us in so many ways.
Well I must say all of these are huge stories. I would have to vote for the war in Iraq as well. Goodbye 2011 and hello 2012.
-Hello-Dear—This is The Cmment–From-this site-Wibe-I think-Dear….it is—the-Government-Book-Talk.
End of the war in Iraq !!!
This is the important momentum of the changes of the world for the future! An exact calculation and brings the people to change their perspective mind to struggle against our paranoid civilization….!


Al Kyder: Virgin on the ridiculous

By Jano Gibson

August 18, 2006 — 11.04pm

It's a prank Bart Simpson would be proud of. After several controversial stunts, including trying to flog knuckle-dusters outside a Bulldogs rugby league game and approaching the Prime Minister, John Howard, with an over-sized axe, ABC TV's Chaser boys have struck again.

The pranksters pulled off a stunt at Sydney Airport on Wednesday which saw Virgin Blue staff make a "final boarding call" announcement for five late passengers, including one which sounded suspiciously like Mr Al Qaeda and another which sounded like Mr Terrorist.

Less than a week since UK and US authorities foiled a plot to blow-up mid-air trans-Atlantic flights, The Chaser's War on Everything decided to test domestic airport security in the most "puerile" way possible.

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The satirical show's executive producer, Julian Morrow, said two tickets were booked online under the names "Mr Al Kyder" and "Mr Terry Wrist" for an 8.30am Virgin Blue flight from Sydney to Melbourne.

He picked up the boarding passes using the airline's self-serve computers, which do not require proof of photo identification.

Then, after deliberately failing to board the plane, an announcement was made over the airport's loud speaker system.

Mr Morrow said: "We've been following the media coverage about airline security and, in particular, whether domestic security is lighter, and we thought we would test that in the most puerile way that we could."

"We are giving Bart Simpson a writer's credit on the show," he said, referring to the cartoon character's penchant for prank calls.

Virgin Blue described The Chaser's stunt as "childish humour" but said security was never at risk.

"The Chaser guys could do well with using spell check. Using names that could be genuine such as Al Kyder and Terry Wrist is hardly going to spark a global security alert, especially considering everyone goes through the same stringent security procedures," the airline's spokeswoman, Amanda Bolger, said.

"They obviously have Bart Simpson as a consultant and while we are happy to take the $282 taxpayer dollars they spent on the bookings, we don't think in the current climate, their childish humour is appreciated by anyone."

Mr Morrow said the prank was approved by ABC management and was obviously meant in jest.

"I also assume that using a joke name is not really high up there in the list of serious terrorist strategies."

Earlier this month, The Chaser's Craig Reucassel approached John Howard during his morning walk with an over-sized axe - a reference to an incident in which a school boy hugged the Prime Minister while holding a screwdriver.

Mr Howard saw the funny side of the situation and accepted a hug from Mr Reucassel.

In July, The Chaser's Chas Licciardello was charged with offensive behaviour after a stunt in which he tried to give away fake knuckle-dusters, an imitation knife and flares to fans outside a Bulldogs versus St George Illawarra NRL game.


BDS-Plasma Matrix Tabletop Plasma Systems : Manitou Systems Inc.
The Plasma Matrix & Super Plasma Matrix tabletop plasma reactors are designed to provide R&D and industrial plasma cleaning, etching and surface activation processes. This low cost system includes many features for your developmental or pilot production applications.
The easy to use LCD touch screen display is friendly and the controller is optimized to oversee all system functions as well as keeping the plasma process stable and repeatable. The Plasma Matrix vacuum chamber is manufactured from 304 stainless steel for easy cleaning and long life.
Vacuum pump notes: The typical rotary vane pump is designed for use with a hydrocarbon based fluid which will accommodate plasma process that have an oxygen (O2) gas content of less than 20%. If the oxygen gas percentage is 20% or higher, the corrosive type pump is required. This pump type is designed for use with an inert fluid.


Most of the brands use chemicals like Sulfate, Paraben, SLS etc. in their products to reduce the cost and increase the shelf life of the beauty products. In shampoos SLS is used as a surfacant to increase the amount of lather, while a foaming shampoo may appear convenient to use and it gives an impression that it is cleaning the hair very effectively the truth is not at all appealing. These surfacants in the shampoo strips your scalp off the natural oils and cause allergies.
Parabens are used as preservatives in most of the beauty products that we use on day to day basis. Parabens are infamous as a cancer causing chemical. These harmful chemical takes a toll on your hair and skin in a longer run. It is high time that we take refuge in our granny’s good old home remedies. If you find it difficult to make and use homemade beauty products you still have a hope. Many brands today are making chemical free, organic and herbal beauty products.


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