Election Zenith, Paleolithic Park & A Word Of Sympathy

It's here. D-day has arrived, and I am not two feet from the TV, tapping my feet, sweating buckets and chewing on my fingernails, praying that nothing goes wrong, and that my candidate actually wins (for those who still don't know who I am supporting, here are some keywords - hope, change, African-American, Illinois).

It doesn't help that I am sitting alone in a hotel room in Raleigh, in the battleground state of North Carolina. But it is encouraging that everyone in the little restaurant in the hotel, the receptionist and the concierge folk have voted or are planning to head out to vote soon. I can't seem to say it often enough - it is very gratifying to see the process of democracy actually working.

What worries me most is not the prospect of my candidate losing - I may be disappointed, but I do believe McCain wouldn't be a bad choice at all. I am more worried that after 21 months of watching primaries, debates, analyses, and listening to talk about battleground states, red states, blue states and all other aspects of the United states, tomorrow, when a new president is announced, my brain will resemble a dried mushroom thrown into a vaccuum. What am I supposed to do starting tomorrow? And what in the world is CNN's Best Political Team on television going to do? Look for new jobs?

I thought I'd try and get a head start on preventing any withdrawal symptoms by a) trying not to stare too hard at the Google elections coverage map and b) reading up on other news online. 

So here's something interesting - scientists in Japan have successfully cloned mice whose bodies were frozen 16 years ago, and stated that it might be possible to use the technique to resurrect extinct species such as the woolly mammoth, provided some live cells are not irreparably damaged. At the very least, the method can be used to preserve endangered mammals like the polar bear, whose population may reduce by as much as two-thirds by 2050 (according to the U.S. Geological survey). 

Just as long as it's not T-Rex, I'm fine with it.

Finally, my deepest sympathy goes out to Barack Obama, who lost his grandmother yesterday, one day before the crucial, historic election that could put him in the White House. She did not live to see the results, but I am sure she is watching, and has given him her blessing. Obama wiped away a few tears at a rally in North Carolina yesterday, remembering her as a "quiet hero:"

Best wishes for all success, Senator. See you at 1600, Pennsylvania Ave.