Electionerd: Intro

This mint, collectible first edition of ELECTIONERD is brought to you by caffeine! Caffeine: it might be why you're bloated!

As background, I was perusing the BBC during my tea and crumpets break when I happened upon this pretty little interactive graphic about the upcoming US presidential election. I was adding up the numbers whilst clicking on my mouse with my pinky finger daintily raised, when suddenly I exceeded "10" and as you know, the next number is "lots." So I laboriously transferred the information to that old standby, Excel. Excel: it's how people know you don't mess around.

So, to review: you need 270 votes to become President of Google Apple Facebook the US. The Republicans can rely on 185 votes, the Democrats have 186, and there are 161 votes floating around that pledge allegiance to neither party. Those battleground states will be fought over like they're the roast beef sandwiches at the company picnic, while the rest of us are the grapes: you can come back for us later after all the roast beef sammiches are gone, or wrathfully eat us if you didn't get as much beef as you needed.

I'm looking forward to when The Daily Show and Colbert Report ramp up their election coverage. Indecision 2008 was spectacular! And who can forget Tina Fey's turn as Sarah Palin?

Next on Electionerd: We poll ordinary citizens for their choices of Romney's running mate!