Whoever you vote for, please exercise your democratic right. Voting is compulsory for us in Australia and frankly, I like it that way. It also reduces electoral fraud because every voter gets checked off after the event, and multiple polling places means that someone committing fraud will have doubled up. It's mostly computerised now. We voted in a Federal election 18 months ago, while we were on holidays. They had an electronic gizmo that found our names and addresses and ticked us off the list. Not sure if you guys do this, but in Australia on election day (we have separate elections for state, for federal, for local) we turn them into a social and charity occasion. Cake stalls, fundraising barbecues, etc. People hang around and chat. Even people handing out the how to vote cars for different political groups all chat together and help each other.
We're not allowed to leave the how to vote stuff in the polling booth. Some places won't let you take it into the polling booth. The current leader of the opposition, Tony Abbott, last election was wearing his "Vote for Tony Abbott, Liberal" t-shirt. Some idiot official made him take his shirt off!
Not only is it election day for the US, it is Melbourne Cup Day here in Australia. Okay, it's midnight now, it's just ticked over to Wednesday. But the day just past was quite exciting. I took mother in law to the local club where they had big TV screens, everyone had dressed up for the occasion. Not us though. And not the road workers, who were absolutely filthy after a heavy day on our roadworks. But it didn't matter, we had fun. This is the race that stops the nation - no work happens anywhere after about 2.30. The race runs at 3 pm. Even in exams, they often write the names of the winning horses up on the board. The race used to be run at 2.40 pm but the time was changed a few years ago. At 2.40, it is still during school hours. Maybe 3 pm is less disruptive for schools.
husband had four horses in various sweeps, one of the horses came in second so he made a profit. Sweeps are fun - you pay a fee, when it's fully subscribed the horses' names are drawn out of a hat and assigned at random. You win amounts on a sliding scale for 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Some sweeps also have a "hairy goat" refund if your horse comes last.
The brushtail possum is making weird noises right outside our bedroom window. It's mating season - what with the possums fighting and the deer bellowing, it's noisy here in the bush!
Enjoy your Tuesday.
Marg
Good Morning All!
