via Boing Boing:

This map was created by Jeff Culver, who says: "I was thinking today about how the 'red v. blue' states graphic is really misleading considering the slim margins that the candidates won some of those states by, so I sat down and created the map that's attached. In the dozens of hours I've been watching the news I haven't seen one like it, but thought that you and the BoingBoing readers might find it interesting. I think it definitely portrays our fellow states far differently than the extreme way we've been seeing to date."

There is also a county-by-county purple map created by Princeton University Professor Robert J. Vanderbei.

Seeing these makes me feel a little better about the Presidential race results. It was an extremely close race, which, as some of you out there in the blog-o-sphere have mentioned, is nigh-impossible to do during wartime. The fact that almost half this country wanted to get rid of the current administration while in the middle of a war gives me hope for the American people.

I'm starting to get over my extreme disappointment a few days ago, and get on with living. Taking cues from Heather and SarahP, I'm going to get more involved. Though talking and discussion is, in fact, action of a sort, I want to put my efforts behind something more concrete, more than just donating to a cause. (Speaking of, have you donated to your local NPR station yet?) Perhaps something with the local literacy council. After all, people who can read better are more likely to read between the lines. They might not take things at face value. Smarter readers = better-informed voters.

Man, what a week. Janet started her new job on Monday, and seems to be enjoying it so far, though all she's done is training. I got two stories rejected, and one possibly provisionally accepted with some revisions. I finished reading all the submissions for the anthology, and am making final choices on what stays and what goes. I just accepted a story by Toiya Kristen Finley and a recipe by Jamie Bishop, and have three more stories I definitely want to accept if Janet gives the go ahead.

The rest of the weekend will be spent making these agonizing decisions, as well as reading Shakespeare's Coriolanus and studying for my other classes. If we get time tomorrow, we may go to the international festival.

Tonight, we're hoping to attend a reading/speaking thing over in Durham at 7 p.m. Scott Jacobson and Rich Blomquist, two writers for The Daily Show and contributors to America (The Book), are appearing at the NC School of Science and Math to read from the book, answer show-related questions, and "deal with people’s disappointment that we’re not Jon Stewart." It should be fun and funny, if we can figure out how to get there.

Now Reading:
Leviathan 3 edited by Forrest Aguirre and Jeff VanderMeer

Stories Out to Publishers:
8

Books Read This Year:
59

Zines/Graphic Novels/Fiction Mags Read This Year:
30