Thursday Meanderings

Want to help NPR fact-check the VP debate tonight, using Twitter? Sounds like a cool project. Yet another fascinating use for Twitter--this application is not only addictive, but surprisingly useful. It's become my first web-based source for news, since I can glance at my page at any time of day and see headlines from CNN, NPR, stock analysis, NASA, State Dept., etc. etc.

My guest-blogging month is complete now at FGI; here are all the posts:

starr's blog

• Missed Econ 101?
• September BOTM Wrap-Up
• Core Reference Tools Survey
• VP Records to be Preserved
• Hurricane Resources
• "To Form a More Perfect Union..." (Constitution Day)
• New WMD Report Card Released
• We Want YOU... To Help With the Dot Gov Harvest!

Now I've got to get on two PowerPoints for DC, plus finish getting an OPAL ready for next week. Oh, and there's that matter of getting the new nodes published on the ALA GODORT website. And and and... yeah. Deep breaths, one item at a time, eh?

And don't forget, fellow Texans, Monday Oct. 6th is the deadline for voter registration!

Presidential Elections Display

My ever-amazing student assistant just finished a big display on presidential elections for our floor. It features related items available on our floor (with call numbers!), including related CRS reports, lists good web resources for more info on election, politics, and government (of course, FGI's on there), and has a section about our department including a group photo, floor map, and how to contact us. This is in the display case that's visible as you exit the elevators on our floor.

It's lovely to give someone the barest formation of an idea and see them go happily run with it! Particularly when the results are so great.

I love this part of the display--the thought of the candidates actually duking it out makes me laugh...

...And the Results are In!

Check out yesterday's election results for the US and for Texas.
...And stay tuned for the outcome in the Senate race!

Participate!

Yes, I'm back! I'll give updates on the conference later on this week; for the moment I have a lot of work to catch up on, and conference notes to type and post to my wiki. Ah, how I've missed the internet!

Regular Voting is a week from tomorrow, November 7th!

Texas Voters' Information

• Texas Secretary of State Elections Info Page
• League of Women Voters of Texas
• LWVT Voter's Guide (see the issues and candidates here!)
• Voting Records

Collin County Info (can also look up your precinct number here)

• Election Day Polling Locations & Sample Ballots
• Early Voting Information & Locations

Be forewarned about absentee, early, and mail-in voting. There was a debate this morning on the Diane Rehm Show (NPR) in which several guests said that these forms of voting are typically more error-prone than regular voting.

Exercise Your Freedom

Don't forget to register to vote--tomorrow's your last chance!