NIC voters give slight margin to McCain

You may know that Demo Barack Obama edged Repub John McCain 47.8 percent to 45.6 percent in that statewide vote that involved 54 high schools and 4,704 online ballots cast last Thursday and Friday. But did you know that McCain turned the tables on Obama at North Idaho College? Sorta. In a mock vote of 527 students representing 24 states, McCain edged Obama by a single percentage point. McCain outpolled Obama among females, 49 percent to 45 percent, while Obama won the spread among males, 50 percent to 40 percent. However, Obama won the overall vote by 13 ballots, or 2.1 percent, when the votes of 63 faculty and staffers were factored in. Which some local uberconservatives would say underscores their theory that NIC is a “pus pocket of liberalism.” Other items of interest in the NIC mock vote include: 100 percent of the diesel technology students voted for McCain. Obama received his top percentage of the vote – 75 percent each – from medical transcription and environmental science students. Ron Paul attracted the most write-in votes with 15. Ralph Nader, Chuck Norris and Jesus Christ also received write-in votes. Finally, Connecticut was the only state represented where the majority of votes were “undecided.” Only four more days, and it will be over. Finally.

Remember Me?

A lot has been made of the lack of splash that Repub veep candidate Sarah Palin made during her years at North Idaho College and the University of Idaho. Few remember the college years of the Sandpoint native. However, that might not be as unusual as it seems. Blogger Silver Valley Girl was a senior in the communications department when Palin arrived in Moscow. “If a reporter had investigated my tenure at the university,’ she writes, “there would be some tangible evidence I existed. But I’m not sure anyone would really remember working with me.” If someone dug hard enough, Silver Valley Girl sez, he might find that she: reported for the Argonaut, sang with the Jazz Choir; won second place in a UI talent contest, joined the Tri Delta sorority, and was involved in Campus Crusade for Christ. Silver Valley Girl sez she didn’t do much at college because she was unsure of herself. Mebbe Palin was the same way. However, at 45 and back home in the Silver Valley for eight years, she said she’s more confident and willing to take risks. “It doesn’t surprise me that Sarah Palin emerged as a dynamic personality in her home state of Alaska, where she probably gained her confidence in her hometown of Wasilla,” Silver Valley Girl concludes. “And, like me, she was probably helped by having a loving relationship with her husband, family, and her church family.” Me? I attended college in the ’60s, near UCBerkeley. I’m lucky to recall anything let alone be remembered.

Huckleberries

Poetry Corner: Only You, oh Lord,/can make them—/I just wish You’d help/me rake them – The Bard of Sherman Avenue (“Meditation on Autumn Leaves”) … You’d better belief that Judge Gene Marano is serious about retiring Dec. 31. In an order written for one of his final cases, set for trial on Dec. 26, Marano wrote: “It is hereby ordered that if the parties are not ready to proceed for any reason short of death or dying, the matter will proceed to trial on the date specified.” (Read: Unless you’re dead, I’m retiring on time) … The UIdaho Argonaut reports that 9 percent of the student body suffers SADness from early winter onto spring – that’s SAD as in Seasonal Affective Disorder (or depression caused by dwindling sunshine). The Argonaut didn’t say whether students suffer a spike in their SAD malady around finals time.

Parting Shot

I didn’t know Kootenai County had a county-wife problem until a colleague pointed it out on Commish Todd Tondee’s Web site. Sure enough, the headline was there along the lower left rail: “County-Wife Facilities Plan.” The text continues: “The count (sic) is at a crucial crossroad. Our jail is over-capacity and many departments are out of space. A plan to meet today’s, as well as future, needs has been developed.” If the facilities plan to take care of our wives is as expensive as the one to handle our prisoners, we won’t need a market crash to send us to the poorhouse.