Now that we've got this poll thing working, I thought it might be informative to take the pulse of people's politics here. I'm pretty sure what the results will be, but I'm interested nonetheless.

	14% (6)	Bush
	58% (24)	Kerry
	2% (1)	Nader
	9% (4)	Not sure
	14% (6)	I'm not from the US and frankly I don't care

Nader? Please...the guy only runs because his scrawny body isn't big enough to contain his ego. I want particular members of the current administration out, and they won't go without Bush. But I'm equally scared of Kerry and his populist platform. I'll be seriously considering 3rd party candidates (again).

Kerry is definately the lesser of three evils.

Which is why I really wish Cthulu was running.

I'm curious what is appealing about Bush. I simply don't see it. Is it the tax cuts?

In Response to Oedipa_Maas (#15596):

Huh, this is my first post since the site changes. I'm quite pleased with how well my avatar matches the new color scheme of the site.

In Response to zamphir (#15590):

Which is why I really wish Cthulu was running.

Are you sure he isn't [chaosium.com]?

Cheers,
Graham

I'm not allowed to really vote (being a Brit) but voted here for the person I hope will win. No prizes for guessing...

Cheers,
Graham

In Response to albionsoft (#15599):

Yes. I'm reasonably sure Cthulu isn't running for President of the U.S. in the 2004 Election year.

He's still dreaming, and will be for another 100 years, if my calculations are correct (and I've double-checked them against the Mad Arab's works).

In Response to zamphir (#15602):

Funny you guys should mention Cthulhu.

In Response to zamphir (#15590):

Ahh, the Elder party. Perhaps they will make an appearance later in the year when the contest really gets heated.

<pedant>It's Cthulhu.</pedant>

In Response to Grimicus (#15606):

Hmmm, now I'm not sure if I just didn't read everything or else the posts came while I was typing mine. Now I feel pathetic. whee!

In Response to jon (#15605):

Funny you guys should mention Cthulhu.

Why? What have you heard?

In Response to Dynedain (#15589):

I'll be seriously considering 3rd party candidates (again).

Oh great, yeah. That'll really work to get rid of Bush.

Just look how well voting for third party candidates worked last time around.

Of course, I live in Virginia, so I might as well vote for Bush, for all the effect my vote would have.

In Response to Grimicus (#15606):

<pedant>It's Cthulhu.</pedant>

The second h is silent.

In Response to zamphir (#15590):

i dunno about cthulu's "devower the world" policy, but I admire his good looks

In Response to Deathalicious (#15767):

Just as an aside to when I was a rural scifi geek, learning most of my scifi ways only from the written word and never by ear, I will now present my secret shame:

I used to pronounce Cthulhu as "Cootle-who".

Not really the most menacing name for an Elder God, is it?

In Response to mcgrue (#15775):

I used to pronounce Cthulhu as "Cootle-who".

Sandy Petersen once told me that Lovecraft had claimed that "Cthulhu" was supposed to be pronounced as a single syllable. Making Chaosium's "Ka-Thoo-Loo" as wrong as anything.

Cheers,
Graham

In Response to albionsoft (#15783):

And the spelling on it varies, as well. 'Cthulu' is as valid as 'Cthulhu' and 'Kutulhu' and 'Kthoolu', and other such.

It's very difficult to transliterate from languages originally spoken out of beaks and gaping maws and other things that aren't human throats.

In Response to zamphir (#15789):

And the spelling on it varies

Did Lovecraft ever use an alternate spelling? I'm not aware of anyone using an alternate spelling, apart from those trying to avoid copyright infringement problems...

Cheers,
Graham

In Response to albionsoft (#15792):

Did Lovecraft ever use an alternate spelling?

Why not just ask Sandy Peterson?

I'm not aware of anyone using an alternate spelling,
I have vague memories of Derleth using a different spelling.

In Response to zamphir (#15793):

Why not just ask Sandy Peterson?

Don't know the bloke. But I'll ask Sandy Petersen next time I see him...

I have vague memories of Derleth using a different spelling

Fair enough. Half marks for a Derleth reference.

Cheers,
Graham

In Response to albionsoft (#15797):

You know, I'm pretty sure C'thulhu doesn't care how you say his name. I mean, he doesn't know any of our names...

...he just calls us all 'lunch'.

In Response to mcgrue (#15798):

You know, I'm pretty sure C'thulhu doesn't care how you say his name.

Maybe, but he does care about how we do our geometry [macguff.fr].

Cheers,
Graham

In Response to albionsoft (#15797):

Don't know the bloke. But I'll ask Sandy Petersen next time I see him...

What, he doesn't like alternate spellings either?

Fair enough. Half marks for a Derleth reference.

Oh, we're keeping score now? Are you sure about that?

I also have some vague memories about mention in Lovecraft work of alternate spellings. Something like a brief mention in "A Shadow over Innsmouth" about "degraded" cultists using a different spelling. Or maybe it was from "The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath".

Either way, I can't be arsed to do the research.

In Response to zamphir (#15802):

What, he doesn't like alternate spellings either?

Apparently not.

Oh, we're keeping score now? Are you sure about that?

I'm sure I wanted to make a throwaway joke on the subject. More than that is really up to you.

I also have some vague memories about mention in Lovecraft work of alternate spellings. Something like a brief mention in "A Shadow over Innsmouth" about "degraded" cultists using a different spelling. Or maybe it was from "The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath".

Neither of those stories has much mention of Cthulhu (beyone a few ritual phrases) so I doubt it's either of them. It does sound a bit like Call of Cthulhu - which mentions various degenerate cultists in Lousiana, the Arctic Wastes, Hiati, etc. - but a quick scan of my copy doesn't show up mention of alternate spellings. Just the comment that the only intelligible phrase is that rendered by the letters "Cthulhu Fhtagn".

Not sure how much that really tells us.

Cheers,
Graham

In Response to albionsoft (#15803):

which mentions various degenerate cultists in Lousiana, the Arctic Wastes, Hiati, etc.

I assume that's yet another alternate spelling?