The Null Device

Before we let ourself feel too triumphant about the recent Iraqi election, we should keep in mind another past electoral success: (via Conrad)

WASHINGTON, Sept. 3 (1967) -- United States officials were surprised and heartened today at the size of turnout in South Vietnam's presidential election despite a Vietcong terrorist campaign to disrupt the voting.

The size of the popular vote and the inability of the Vietcong to destroy the election machinery were the two salient facts in a preliminary assessment of the nation election based on the incomplete returns reaching here.

¶ democracy history iraq politics usa vietnam 1

Something I didn't know until a few days ago: the keyboard player from the Scissor Sisters is apparently the son of Graeme Garden from The Goodies. (via trayce, who found it on the ILX forums)

¶ graeme garden scissor sisters the goodies 1