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Ach, opinion polls are the narcotic of choice for the politically active part of the American electorate. Like all narcotics, polls have their uses: they sometimes allow us to function better as political practitioners or even as dreamers, and don't forget that fabulous rush of exhilaration when our candidate shows dramatic gains. But polls are an addiction that also distort our political feelings and actions even as they trivialize political campaigns -- and they allow our political and media suppliers to manipulate us ruthlessly.
The negatives, as pollsters might say, outweigh the positives.

Eye on Politics & Law Lords: How Others Saw Howard Claiming Historic Victory
PM's win creates mixed world reaction
Prime Minister John Howard has thanked the Australian people for his historic fourth federal election victory. Federal Labor leader Mark Latham conceded defeat after the Howard Government won an increased majority in the federal Parliament.
By 8pm the word massacre was heard (Miranda Devine, October 10, 2004, The Sun-Herald)
• ABC: New era dawns for an Australia in Howard's image; [New Facesin Parliament; Maimon Schwarzschild: Advance, Australia Fair — John Howard won an unexpectedly strong re-election victory in Australia yesterday; FrancoAlemán: CONGRATULATIONS, AUSTRALIA, for, er, not pulling a Spain.; Orrin Judd: THE WILLING ARE ABLE; Pejman Yousefzadeh: AUSTRALIA DOES NOT EQUAL SPAIN — As Will Collier notes, Australian Prime Minister John Howard not only won a fourth term in office, but also increased his parliamentary majority; Bill @INDCJournal: Yahoo A key ally in the war on terror wins re-election; Charles Austin: Today's Favorite Omen/Precursor/Touchstone; Will Collier; Ginny @ChicagoBoyz; Glenn Reynolds; David Cohen; Mrs Greyhawk; Tim Blair: I WAS WRONG — Never again will I doubt the wisdom of Australians; Andrew Sullivan: HOWARD'S LANDSLIDE: A big and unexpected fillip for the Bush campaign from down under. Tim Blair is in heaven.]
• Gore Lawsuit Challenges Australian Election Results [Rosa Maria Pegueros The Election Campaign and the Internet]
• · ALP blames interest rates as Tampa of 2004; [Brogden uses win against Carr ; Old foes join new Labor force ; Campaign insiders give final anaylsis, predictions]
• · · JOHN ALLEN PAULOS: Commentary: How to Prevent Nuclear Terror With some enriched uranium, a little knowledge of physics, and Internet surfing, a crude nuclear weapon can be made in about a year...
• · · · This is a 3+ meg .pdf file A Military Guide to Terrorism in the Twenty-First Century
• · · · · Vladimir Putin has mourned the death of the Soviet Union as a national tragedy He’s on the way to turning Russia into a dictatorship
• · · · · · Afghani people have displayed a strong will for Democracy - the ball is rolling downhill