USA: a look at the other votes taking place on November 6th

USA: a look at the other votes taking place on November 6th

On the 6th November, Americans will go to the polls to elect their new president, but this won’t be the only voting taking place that day. All the seats in the House of Representatives are up for election, the US Senate elections will run concurrently, with 33 of the 100 seats being contested, and a number of states will also be holding referendums on a wide range of issues.

Voters from Maine, Maryland and Washington for example will be voting on a bill to legalize same sex marriage. It’s been a great source of debate for months, not just in these states but across the country.

Citizens from three states, including Colorado, will also be voting on the legalization of cannabis. Supporters say it will allow the state to generate substantial tax revenues, but critics feel it will be problematic for public health.

The state of California will be deciding on the abolition of the death penalty. Again, measures that have sparked lively debate. If approved, over 700 offenders on death row will have their sentences changed to life in prison, without parole.

And there will also be a series of referendums in Florida, one of the swing states in the upcoming presidential election. Citizens will be voting on, amongst other things, measures to prohibit the use of public funds for abortions. An initiative launched in the hope it would mobilize Republican voters, in fact some of these referendums have been organized with the specific aim of encouraging Americans to go the polls on Tuesday. 

"Movember": fighting prostate cancer with moustaches

Grow a moustache for a good cause … « Movember » a combination of the words Moustache and November was created back in 2003, it’s an annual month long event during the month of November to raise awareness of prostate cancer and other men’s health issues.

The Movember movement began in Australia, has since spread to a number of countries across the globe and is enjoying growing success. The Movember Facebook page for America has over 42,000 fans, the British one around 60,000 and a little under 40,000 members for the Canadian page… 

The instigators of « Movember » make great use of all the online tools available to reach the widest audience possible. A Twitter account has been set up, along with a specific YouTube channel, hosting dozens of videos about the movement and also more offbeat video clips, often pretty funny, aimed at making men aware of the importance of looking after their health.

An annual event, focusing on men’s health, but women are of course welcome to take part, by wearing a false moustache for example, or by quite simply putting up with their partners one for an entire month … in this tongue in cheek video for example, we see how being kissed by a mustached man can leave some unsightly and somewhat sore rashes.

Orchestra plays symphony composed of tweets

Last week Amsterdam’s Metropole Orchestra asked Twitter users to use a digital piano interface to compose their music and listen to others. The initiative “Tweetphonie” was organized to raise awareness that the orchestra’s subsidy and existence is under threat. A jury then picked the best entries which were then played at a special concert aired live on the Internet last Friday.

Styleblaster, the fashion blog that spies on pedestrians

"Styleblaster" is a fashion blog that spies on pedestrians. It broadcasts in real time, photos taken from a webcam pointed towards a street in a trendy Brooklyn neighbourhood in New York City. Web users can then pass their judgment. It’s one way of showcasing fashion that doesn’t necessarily make it in to the magazines, but passersby do not know they are being photographed, and so it has raised questions on respecting an individual’s right to privacy.

Video of the day

A merciless Kung Fu showdown between a baby and his cuddly dragon toy… this video, entitled “Dragon Baby” has been doing the rounds on sharing sites over the past few days. It was made by Canadian film maker Patrick Boivin who has dedicated it to the martial arts master Bruce Lee…