--THIS IS THE PART WHERE I SAY WHERE I STAND

…Good morning, Monday. 

The sun is shining, almost too brightly, so much so that I’m wearing a Syracuse baseball cap to shield my eyes from the glare.

…I read stories this morning for my editing gig at Metazen.  Stories and poems.  They were all a little average.  Usually 1 out of 10, or 1 out of 12 is what I end up accepting.  It’s fun to find a great piece and to be able to tell the writer you’re publishing them.  I know what a boost that can be.

 ...I had these two stories published today in Silent Stories: http://silentthings.com/fiction/len-kuntz-2-flash-fiction-pieces/

 …Tomorrow’s the election.  I’m excited.  I’ll be one of those few people staying up all night as the results trickle in.

…Here are some things I discovered that might interest you:

…Where Americans say they are in achieving the American Dream:

40% Have a ways to go
24% Have achieved it
21% Don't think about it
15% Unlikely to achieve it

…$3,000 -Cost to air the very first Super Bowl

$3.8 Million –Cost to place a 30 second advertisement in the upcoming Super Bowl

States with the lowest beer consumption per person:

#1 -Utah
#2 -Connecticut
#3 -New York
#4 -New Jersey
#5 -Maryland

States with the highest beer consumption per person:

#1 -New Hampshire
#2 -North Dakota
#3 -Montana
#4 -South Dakota
#5 -Nevada

Which one of the following families would you most want your children to marry into?

37% -The Obama family
22% -Kennedy's
20% -British Royal Family
2% -Kardashian Family

Which of the following awards would you most want on your mantel?

40% -Olympic Gold
36 -Pulitzer
7% -Oscar
6% -Grammy
2% -Tony

Do you consider Scientology to be a true religion?"

70% -No
13% -Yes

What would you rather lose-your smartphone or your wallet?

20% -Wallet
74% -Smartphone

62 -Percentage who voted in the 2008 election

90 -Percentage who say they intend to vote this time
85 -Percentage who watch election results unfold on TV
20 -Percentage who say a political argument with their partner is a turn-on
44 -Percent who get into political arguments at work
32 -Percent who say their political views are veering closer to their parents
32 -Percent who say they change the channel when a political ad comes on TV
9 -Percent who say the First Lady factors into their voting decision
1 in 5 -Number of men who say they wouldn't date a woman whose politics opposed theirs

Due to drought, the apple crop has dropped by 79% this year in the Midwest, 36% in the South

…A recent headline in the newspaper said this:
"Artic Sea Levels Hit Record Lows: Scientists Say We're Running Out Of Time"
It quoted scientists as saying we're headed for disaster.  One scientist said, "I'm shit scared."