I have, at long last, finished reading Eleven Minutes (Paulo Coelho), the  only novel I managed to read all summer. Big shoutout to Marielle who lent me her copy of the book.

Eleven Minutes took on a difficult task: bringing sex, still a taboo topic in many parts of the world, to a better light.  Essentially, the story revolves around the life of Maria, a beautiful Brazilian woman who becomes a prostitute in a foreign land. at a young age, Maria teaches herself to keep away from love, as she thinks it brings a person only pain and despair. As she keps away from love, she becomes inquisitive about sex. Her view of love is challenged when she crosses paths with a talented young painter who she thinks can show her a different kind of sex, a sacred sex, sex in the sense of love. (A good summary of the story can be found here.)

It was a good read. Not exactly page-turning, but interesting. Throughout the book are excerpts from a diary Maria kept which held her insights into love, sex, seduction, and the crazy world of prostitution she entered. The book did a good job at casting a less disgusting light on sexuality, at saying that it isn’t always the dirtiness society and religion make it out to be. For the critical novel reader, it is a wonderful read. For those who seek to find more meaning to sex, this is a gem of a book, as well.

***

I still have quite a to-read list to go through. I had originally planned on finishing Nineteen Eighty Four (George Orwell), but after obtaining and viewing a copy of the movie adaptation of the novel, I didn’t think reading the novel was necessary anymore.

I’m currently reading The Romanov Prophecy (Steve Berry), an action-packed read about Russia’s Romanovs. I might re-read The Templar Legacy (also by Steve Berry), whose story I have completely forgotten.

My iPhone also has the Stanza app with which I downloaded Emma, Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion, Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility—all by Jane Austen. (I blame The Jane Austen Book Club for my sudden interest in Austen’s works.) I also have digital copies of The Divine Comedy (Alighieri Dante) and The Kama Sutra (Vatsyayana) *giggle*.

With school opening soon, I’m not sure I will be able to clear up my to-read list. Jane Austen help me.

***

You’ll never guess who just left the Republican Party.

OK, ready? It’s Joe Wurzelbacher! That’s right, the plumber-who-isn’t-actually-a-plumber and unofficial mascot of John McCain’s presidential campaign has left the Republican Party! This from Time Magazine:

SSamuel Wurzelbacher, better known as Joe the Plumber, tells TIME he’s so outraged by GOP overspending, he’s quitting the party — and he’s the bull’s-eye of its target audience. But he also said he wouldn’t support any cuts in defense, Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid — which, along with debt payments, would put more than two-thirds of the budget off limits. It’s no coincidence that many Republicans who voted against the stimulus have claimed credit for stimulus projects in their district — or that Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal stopped ridiculing volcano-monitoring programs after a volcano erupted in Alaska. “We can’t be the antigovernment party,” Snowe says. “That’s not what people want.”

I just arrived back home last Sunday, spent and tired from a whole week in Naga City to participate in the 2009 National Schools Press Conference. I’ve a draft of a blog post about the escapade right now, but I don’t think it’s ready to be published yet. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, let me share my latest music find. While I was in Naga, I stopped by their local Odyssey store in LCC Mall to purchase, among other things, a copy of Duffy’s album Rockferry (2008). I’d only heard her once before (on either Leno or Letterman, singing “Mercy”), but I liked her style and decided to check out her album.

To put it simply, Rockferry is brilliant. All the songs in the album share a common “vibe”, if you will, but at the same time they run the gamut as well. On the one hand, you have a fierce number like Mercy:

You got me begging you for mercy /Why wont you release me / I said release me

On the other hand, you have Please Stay, a slow song that harkens back to 50s-and-60s-era music:

I loved you before / I even knew your name / I wanted to give you / My heart / But when you came back / After leaving me one time / Oh, I knew, yes I knew / That the heartaches / Would start

And then there’s the soothing, calm, lounge-type song like Stepping Stone, perfect for coffee shops (serving suggestion: pipe this song through your speakers with the volume turned two or three notches down) or just chillaxing out at home:

But I will never be / Your stepping stone / Take it all / Or leave me alone / I will never be / Your stepping stone / I’m standing upright / On my own

Image originally from Amazon.com

It takes a lot for an album to make me an instant, total fan of an artist (it took a while for even Fall Out Boy’s Infinity on High and The Fray’s How To Save a Life to grow on me), but that’s exactly what Duffy did with Rockferry. Her music might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it fits my (eccentric) taste, and so Rockferry—all 17 songs of it—finds comfortable space in my iTunes library.

[Rockferry Deluxe Edition - Amazon]

“What does it take to find a lost love?”

Slumdog Millionaire (2008) is a compelling story of a young man from the slums of Mumbai who joins India’s most popular game show in the hopes of finding his childhood love. The protagonist, Jamal Malik, lived a youth characteristic of the slums: playing in the streets from sunrise to sundown, speeding through narrow alleyways to escape the police, earning money in any way possible. His mother is killed during a Hindu-Muslim riot, and he and his brother are left to fend for themselves in the city. Jamal meets Latika, another waif, and together the three live in the garbage dumps of the city.

Through the course of the story, Jamal and Latika part ways, although his love for her never fades. That led to him joining the Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire, hoping that his childhood love would be watching and recognize him.

I found the story charming and tear-jerking. Jamal’s youth was portrayed dramatically—the loss of his mother, his having to fend for himself, and perhaps the most painful of all, being separated from his love. The pain that Jamal felt as he grew was etched in my mind; it was, at least for me, an extraordinary journey that punctuated the unfairness of life, but it was also heartwarming to see how the protagonist persevered. Even more heartwarming was his undomitable hope of being reunited with his Latika.

Jamal and Latika reunite once and for all.

Perhaps the bitterest scene in the entire film was when Jamal finally found Latika in a lavish mansion. The sweetness of the moment—”Finally! After all these years!”—was difficult to ignore, but so was the bitterness of finding out that she was already married to a millionaire. Still determined to be with his lost love again, Jamal said that he’d wait for her—”at the train station, five o’clock every day, until you come”.  As Latika led Jamal out of the mansion, he made one final appeal: “Run off with me,” to which she succintly replied, “I can’t.” Before the doors were slammed in his face, the words “I love you” left his lips, only to be returned with a “so what”. What could Jamal do but leave?

All things considered, Slumdog Millionaire is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a while. It was considerably better than The Day the Earth Stood Still (which I found dull and didn’t provoke enough excitement), and would’ve been well worth the money if I’d watched it in a cinema. The improbabilities of the film—Jamal finding his Latika in the chaos of Mumbai and his win in Who Wants to be a Millionaire—played on the everlasting hope we place in the power of miracles. Jamal’s perseverance through the pain and anguish of his youth could be seen as a point of motivation: you can be what you want to be, no matter what. Most importantly, the all-encompassing power of love—the reason why the entire story was what it was, in my opinion—was exhibited masterfully in the eyes of Jamal who never stopped caring even after years of absence and uncertainty.

Glee, sadness, paradise and pain, Slumdog Millionaire had it all. The film receives a super-Deantastic A+.

In November last year, I began the quest for a digital camera to accompany me on my travels and travails. I listed three point-and-shoots and three digital SLRs, pointing out the pros and cons for each one.

Fast forward to two months later, and the quest is over. I finally have a photographic companion and memory storage doohickey.

Introducing the Canon PowerShot A650 IS.

It is interesting to note that the A650 wasn’t among the contenders on the quest for my digicam. I found the camera while on vacation in Cagayan de Oro City. I was looking for the PowerShot A590, but in doing so stumbled upon the A650.

The Canon PowerShot A650 IS’ specs are these: 12.1 megapixel CCD optical sensor, 6x optical zoom, video recording capabilities, the ability to add telephoto lens using adaptors, and manual focus. You can also manually choose shutter speed, f-stop, and ISO, which makes the camera a marriage between the point-and-shoot and DSLR families.

The camera utilizes four double-A batteries. As a result, it needs to be quite bulky and fits better into a bag than into a pocket. It’s worth the size, though—pictures are beautiful, although color is a little off. The 6x optical zoom (plus digital zoom) allows one to get really tight shots from afar. The manual focus—one of the things that makes me prefer DSLRs over point-and-shoots, as most of the latter lack the capability—is very usable, although focusing is definitely slower than with the lenskit of a DSLR. It also has a flip screen so you can easily take portraits of yourself or shoot comfortably from awkward angles, such as when you need to raise the camera over a crowd. The optical viewfinder isn’t bad either, but when peering through the viewfinder, part of the view is obstructed by the protruding lens.

See below for some sample shots taken with the A650 IS:

EXIF data: f-stop - f/3.2; exposure time - 1/50 sec.; ISO speed - 400; focal length: 15mm;

EXIF data: f-stop - f/3.2; exposure time - 1/2sec; ISO speed - 80; focal length - 11mm

EXIF data: f-stop - f/2.8; exposure time: 1/20sec; ISO speed: 400; focal length: 7mm

So far, I’m rather pleased with the camera. Its bulkiness is fine by me, as I know I’m getting something in return. Finally, I have someone to accompany me on my travails. All I need now is to give him a name. (Suggestions are appreciated. )

(Now, there’s another five words I have never imagined myself saying.)

I admit—back when Twilight rose to fame among teenage girls, I was quick to shrug it off. Back then, I was convinced that vampires and teeny-bopper love stories just didn’t mix. Add to that the fact that most of the addicts of the novel were girls (who are wont to be overly jumpy when talking about cheesy love stories), and you can imagine my aggressive indifference (if not distaste) for it.

Apparently, the capitalists of the movie industry, spotting the sizable demographic Twilight appealed to, decided to go ahead and convert the book into a movie for the silver screen. Oh boy, were these capitalists ever any happier—despite a fledgling global economy, Twilight the movie raked in something like $20 Million 20 minutes after it hit the Box Office. The movie aficionado in me finally caved into all the hype surrounding this (oh, clever marketing and teenage girls!), so this afternoon, a few friends and I headed down to the local cinema and caught a screening of Twilight.

Twilight is the story of Isabella (“Bella”, she insists) Swan and her romance with Edward Cullen, a cunning vampire, which occurs in the damp town of Forks, Washington. Edward’s family’s enemies take a bloodlusty liking to his girlfriend, jeopardizing her life. Edward goes through every hell on Earth to ensure the safety of Bella’s life. Soon, Bella’s mother is implicated into the situation, and she goes to save her—even if it means having to die.

The cast of Twilight. Credit: http://www.filmonic.com/

The movie was made to appeal mainly to the teenage female demographic, and it did so very well. The uniqueness of the love story sets it apart from other teenage love dramas, although the vampire aspect of the movie may (and has) turned off some film buffs who have labeled it the “worst vampire movie ever”. Don’t be mistaken, though—although the story wouldn’t be what it is without the vampire element to it, it shouldn’t disqualify the movie for those of us out there who don’t like Nosferatu-type flicks. (It has been noted that the “vampire-resisting-human-blood” element of the movie may be a sort of metaphor for something more real, which I will discuss later.) My friend Marielle (who, like me, has not read the book and dissed the novel instantly) may have a point when she said that the movie was a bit too teeny-bopper, but then again, as I said, that’s the demographic it appeals to. Certain scenes in the movie can stir both women and men (well, at least me), and if you know how to listen, you can learn a pickup line or two from Edward to use in your dating misadventures.

(Okay, about the whole “I’m a vampire, and I could very well bite you in the neck” thing, I came across something on the Innarnetz (link forgotten; sorry) that said that Edward’s lust for Bella’s blood could be likened to a man’s sexual lust. As easy as it would be for Edward to simply suck Bella bone-dry, he kept himself back from temptation because of his love for her—something guys undoubtedly have difficulty doing (with some people *cough*classmateofmine*cough* failing to keep their pants on).)

For those of us who have not yet read the novel, the movie can ignite your interest in its novel version, and even the whole Twilight series in general. It’s the quintessential love story—something we all once liked, but have grown tired of, thanks to Hollywood—reengineered.

For its beautiful storyline and interesting uniqueness, but for its just-a-bit-too-cheesy teeny-bopper-ness, Twilight (2008) receives a Deantastic A-.

(Now, if you will be so kind as to give me a full set of the novels in the Twilight series, you may kindly ask for my shipping address by reaching me through my contact form. [Hey, it's worth a try!])

I’ve always wanted a digital camera with at least slightly better quality than my camera phone. The best my family has ever had, I think, was an Olympus C-350, with 3.2 megapixels, 3x optical zoom, and 3.3x digital zoom. It shot OK-quality pictures, but video was audio-less and therefore sucky. It was the only digicam I ever had.

Looking ahead to my trip to Naga City in February of 2009, I know it’s high time for another (hopefully better quality) digital camera. I mean, come on! It’s the Visayas, where scenic spots are just waiting to be visited and memorable moments captured. I’m waiting to propose a purchase to my dad (and hoping that he won’t turn it down).

The question now, of course, is which camera to purchase.

The first debate that popped up in my mind was whether I should get a regular Point and Shoot, or one of them fancier DSLRs.

On one hand, point-and-shoots are much cheaper than DSLRs, although in recent years the price gap has closed. They require less technical know-how to operate, and are in general much less of a pain in the hiney. However, the photos they take are often grainy and noisy, and you can fiddle with your shot less with a P&S than with a DSLR.

On the other hand, DSLRs take wicked photos. You have more control over your picture, and with the proper photography knowledge, your images come out looking more professional. Sadly, DSLRs often burn bigger holes in your pocket and require more TLC than point-and-shoot cameras.

Okay, so I can’t exactly say that I can work an SLR like a pro. I have already tried using a classmate’s film SLR, and basic operation seems fairly simple—you just turn the lens one way or the other to adjust zoom and focus. I’ll have to try to learn the technicals, like ISO and other settings, through online resources, but it’s not like I’ll be taking pictures for a living, so whatever.

If I get a point-and-shoot, things get even easier. I just, uhm, point… and shoot. But then again, issues of image quality and lack of control come to mind… and so does the fact that I’ve been drooling over DSLRs forever.

While I try to figure out which one would give me more bang for my buck (I hope you’ll help me out by sharing your thoughts in the comments), let me show you some of the cameras I’m looking at (both DSLRs and P&Ss).

Canon Rebel XS

Meet the XS, baby brother and cheaper alternative to the EOS Rebel XSi. Sporting 10.1 megapixels, a CMOS sensor, optical stabilization, minimum shutter speed of 30 seconds, and ISO settings from 100 to 1600 as well as auto, CNET says it’s “a good entry-level dSLR, but only its photo quality stands out among the competition”. It costs less than Php30,000 on Amazon (shipping’s free, w00t), but there are only five left in stock.

Pentax K200D

Pentax isn’t exactly the most popular brand when it comes to cameras (it used to be in a much earlier time, I reckon), but when you’re a panhandling, amateur photographer like me, you’ll take anything that’s just a bit more than OK. Enter the K200D. 10.2 megapixels, CCD, same ISO as the Rebel XS sans auto, an entire slew of shooting programs to choose from, and much more. The downside? CNET editors seem disappointed in the K200D’s inaccurate colors and tendency to underexpose images. While it does cost around $29,000—Shake Reduction 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens included, shipping free—the lack of vividness in its photos makes me wonder whether or not it’ll leave out the natural color of the Visayas.

Nikon D40x

I realized I couldn’t do away with a Nikon on this list. CNET touts this as a “very nice first dSLR”, despite further admonishing more experienced photographers to get the D80 instead. Its 10.2 megapixel CCD sensor, ISO 100-1600, ISO auto, and more-than-OK 1/4,000 sec. maximum shutter speed sound mighty delicious, although its lack of automatic sensor cleaning is a bit of a turn-off. With a Zoom-Nikkor lens and $14.95 shipping fee, the D40x costs Php33,000—slightly more expensive than my first two options, but still relatively cheap compared to the more packed models out there.

Sony Cybershot DSC-T700

Now, onto the P&S cameras. The CNET Holiday Gift Guide 2008 is chock-full of ‘em, although I’m looking only in the $100-$500 range. First up, the Cybershot DSC-T700, which got a four-star rating from CNET editors. With an ISO of up to 3200, 10.1 megapixel Super HAD CCD optical sensor, shooting programs and special effects aplenty, and the renowned Super Steady Shot, this touch-screen camera sounds like the perfect point and shoot. The only downsides CNET sees in the cam are the touch screen (“not for everyone”, they allege) and “soft images” (whatever that means). Average users seem to be less satisfied with it, giving it three stars out of a possible maximum of five. Sony.com.ph tells me that the DSC-T700′s SRP is Php31,000—just a few thousand pesos below a decent DSLR’s.

Canon PowerShot A590 IS

Canon makes some awesome cameras, and this one is apparently no exception. The A590 gives you an 8-megapixel CCD optical sensor, 4x digital zoom, minimum shutter speed of 15 seconds, and much more. It’s got some neat shooting programs too. Sounds like something that’s right up my alley… if only I could find price listings on the Canon Philippines website.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5

I was skimming through the CNET page for this, and my eyes stopped when I read: “Optical zoom: 10 x”… oh, snap. That’s more than that of the DSLRs I listed! While the megazoom might be tempting, I know it’s not everything. (If I really wanted to take a picture of something up close, I’d walk right up to it.) It’s got a 9.1 megapixel, CCD optical sensor, an additional 4 x digital zoom, a plethora of shooting programs, and a minimum of one minute shutter speed, too. Apparently this thing isn’t out yet, as CNET has no price listings. Let’s hope it’s available in stores by year’s end.

I’m also looking at one or two video recorders, but I don’t think the folks will get me one if I asked.

Help me choose!

I know there are more than a few digital photography buffs out there willing to spend some time churning out specs and stats and giving their opinions as to which camera I should get. Help me choose a digital camera by giving your say in the comments below. I’d really appreciate it. I’ll also probably be posting updates, additions, and subtractions to the Hitlist above as time goes on. As that really lanky German model says, one day you’re in, the next day you’re out. Let the search for my next top digicam begin.

It’s never too late to start reading a classic, so while I struggle to finish Nineteen Eighty Four, I read “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret“, a short, 25-chapter novel by Judy Blume that revolves around Margaret Ann Simon, a 12-year-old who grew up with no religion.

Having one Jewish and one Catholic parent, Margaret grows up without a religion, although she does talk to God all the time (most of her conversations with Him begin with the title’s words). In addition, it features the young Margaret transitioning into puberty and all the hullabaloo associated with it, such as purchasing her first bra and having her menarche. At the same time, Margaret’s paternal grandmother tries to convince her to choose Judaism while her maternal grandparents insist that she was born into the Catholic faith.

Cover of the book's 1970 edition; Image source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:AreYouThereGod.jpg

The novel is written in the first person, from Margaret’s point of view. Blume’s style of writing in the book is very characteristic of a young pre-teen. The protagonist’s thoughts are so similar to those of tweens all over America that the first page of the book boasts that “She (Blume) gets many letters from young people asking how she knows all their secrets”.

I would guess that tweens and teens the world over would love this book, if only because they can relate to it. Even I, a full-blooded dude, found the book interesting and almost unputdownable. From a tween’s first brassiere purchase, to her flipping through her father’s Playboy magazines, to the timeless chant of “I must, I must, I must increase my bust”, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret is a book to have, a true classic in every aspect.

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret gets four out of five thumbs-ups, one thumbs-up being omitted due to the unexpectedly abrupt ending of the story.

P.S. This was the first novel I was able to finish reading in one day.

In only seven short days, the American people will storm the polls to cast their ballot for their next president, the next leader of the Free World.

There’s been all this mudslinging between the Republican and Democratic campaigns. Nasty namecalling, adamant arguing about one another’s policies’ incompetence—all the stuff you’d expect to see on the campaign trail.

You can argue all you want about whose policies are better for the country.

But come November 4, it doesn’t matter whether you vote for Obama, McCain, Nader, Barr, or whoever you may be voting for.

What matters is you make your voice heard on November 4. What matters is you vote.

Please vote.

I’m not an American, but I know enough to know that whatever happens there will affect what happens here.

Which is why I’m asking you to vote, for your sake, for mine and for the world’s.

Let’s stop arguing who to vote for. What matters is that we vote. Suffrage is a right, but far more than that, it’s a responsibility. Rock ‘n’ roll.

[BTW, Dean Lozarie endorses Barack Obama for President of the United States. Obama, for a Deantastic America and a Deantastic world.]

Meet Manuel. He’s six years of age, although if you look at his tiny, lanky frame, you’d swear he was four. He, his four siblings, and his mother live in a cardboard house on a sidewalk in Metro Manila. None of his siblings (who are eight, nine, and twelve years old) go to school; instead, everyday they ply the streets, barefoot and with grimy faces, looking for plastic to sell to Manong Pete’s junk shop, asking for alms from passersby as they search.

Manuel is not a real person. He is the embodiment of countless of homeless children stuck in the same predicament, scattered all over Manila, all over the country, and all over the world. He is the embodiment of the poverty which, for so many people around the world, has become the norm for daily life.

Manuel lives in the children you see on your daily commute—the children who, with somber faces, stick their palms out in the hopes of your one peso making their day. He lives in the children who would swim the Pacific Ocean or walk slowly across a bed of coal for food. He lives in the men and women who, long after everyone has gone to sleep, ply the streets, collecting the garbage people consider unimportant and useless. He lives in the homeless, the broken, and the uncared for, who would, with genuine gladness, eat the food you tossed in the trash because you thought it “tasted bad”.

Manuel is that part of society which we have come to neglect and not care for. He is the demographic whose plight has been eclipsed by our statesmen’s endless, nonsensical politicking, our own personal greed, and the entire laundry list of superficial problems we bother ourselves with everyday. Manuel is the people whose cry for help we’ve so easily turned a deaf ear to.

The simple fact that Manuel has to live his life in such a sad way—without schooling, without steady income, without proper clothing, with hardly a proper home—should be enough to alert us to the urgency of poverty. It should be enough for us to turn our attention away from ourselves, if only for one day, and ponder the predicament. It should be enough for us to, even in our own little way, take action. It should be enough for us to come together to help alleviate his situation. It should be enough for us to unite not as one community, region, religion or country, but as one human race concerned with one universal cause—a cause so fulfilling, something greater than ourselves, something worth spending time on.

Manuel is the future of the world. He will one day become a teacher, a doctor, a lawyer. He could become your jeepney driver, your gardener, the security guard at your office. In him lies the future of the world. In him rests the fate of society. In us lies his fate.

Manuel needs you. He needs you now. Take action, for his future, and for the world’s.

This is my contribution to Blog Action Day 2008. The focus this year is poverty. If you have a blog, it’s not too late to take part. If you don’t have a blog, simply commenting on this blog post with your thoughts is participation enough.[Header image source]

iPhone 3G box

As an early birthday gift, my folks got me the iPhone 3G this week. Woot! It’s an amazing cell phone—a computer in your palm, really—and I was literally jumping for joy when I first coddled the device in my hands.

I won’t write a review. We’ve read enough of those. I’ll praise the iPhone instead. With the 2.1 update, reception’s pretty alright, push email is beautiful (although imperfect), and the variety of apps you can get in the App Store—many of them for free!—is amazing! I’m having fun lightsabering and lightering on the phone right now.

The fact that it’s also a pretty awesome iPod doesn’t hurt, either. With 8 gigabytes of storage—as much as my now neglected iPod nano—I now have enough space to stuff the phone with my music, videos, podcasts and whatnot.

Its 2-megapixel camera is not as bad as you think. It can’t take a lot of money shots, that’s for sure, but it’s perfect for capturing the everyday memories you want to preserve. What boggles me, though, is why Apple never bothered to include video capability on the iPhone, a supposedly ridiculously easy task for a tech company that has innovation plastered all over it.

All things considered, I’m a happy camper. (No unboxing video; my mom purchased the phone for me at 5 PM, while I was having Statistics at school.)

Math Jingle

Classmates during practice session

The section I belong to bagged Second Place for the Math Jingle competition during today’s Math Festival. Not bad, in my opinion, considering the fact that we only began practicing seriously at the end of last week. No video coverage (at least, not yet; my classmate took videos and will probably upload them to Multiply, like, soon), no pics of me emceeing at the program. Sad fez.

DSPC

Once every year, the Department of Education holds school press conferences in the division, region and national levels as a way for campus journalists such as myself to showcase their talents and potential. The Division Schools Press Conference for the division to which my school belongs will begin next Wednesday, and being my school’s representative for the Feature Writing competition, I’ve got a lot of preparation to do. This is probably going to spell a busy day ahead for me. Fushazzle. The things you do for [the] love [of writing].

Obama inches ever closer to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

It was thought to be an improbable campaign, but Barack Obama’s grassroots movement for change is now on the verge of winning the White House. After mopping the debate floor with McCain twice, he has a six-point advantage according to CNN’s latest polls. The Electoral College map shows that he has 264 electors on his side—just six shy of the 270 needed to clinch the presidency. I remember checking the map a couple of weeks ago, and back then Barack only had 250 electors. If 14 electors could be gained in a few weeks, then think of what could happen between now and November 4! With swing states trending towards the Democratic nominee, we can probably see where this race is going.