This is an interesting article from USA Today discussing the first astronaut to vote for president from space.
An interesting point was brought up on a different blog that I read regularly: if you can vote electronically from space why is it so difficult for us to get it right on Earth?
After the last presidential election a blogger named Annie posted some rather harsh criticisms of our beloved president. Because of the things she said she was recently visited by the secret service. Luckily after talking with them for a few minutes they realized that she wasn't a threat to national security and they went on their way. Unfortunately for her she now has a file with the FBI. Sucks to be her.
Check out her Blog Post for details.
I recently got on the "team" that is helping to test [Blizzard's[http://www.blizzard.com/() new MMORPG World of Warcraft. I must say that I'm pleasantly impressed. Not only is it colorful and easy to get into. There is a deceptive amount of depth to the game. The fact that it's also a part of the Warcraft Universe is a definite plus as well.
I've been beta-testing EverQuest 2 for the past few weeks and have enjoyed myself but I found it a little difficult to get into (though less so than the original). The environments were big and beautiful, the quests were plentiful and there were always plenty of monsters to kill to build your characters up. One of the things that I really don't like about it is the fact that when you die you lose some experience that was, most likely, quite difficult to earn in the first place. When you're trying to complete what is supposed to be a simple quest and you keep getting killed because you're being forced into an area that you, as a low-level character, just shouldn't have to go into it gets a little frustrating. World of Warcraft, on the other hand, does not penalize you for taking risks. If you die you become a ghost and have to find your body. Other than that you can pretty much go anywhere without fear of losing some of your hard work.
For months we've been battling with commercials, telephone calls, flyers, and weekly visits from some political party or another. I've never felt so harassed during an election year in my life. Though not as happy with the outcome as I'd like to be I am happy to be moving on.
Since I've been promising everybody for the last several years that I would have my personal web site set up but still have yet to finish I finally decided to start a Blogger account so I can share my daily thoughts and discoveries with all of you.
Thanks for stopping by. I will post an announcement here when my personal website is ready (some time before the new millenium).