Final Election Poll, 2009

At last, what we have all be waiting impatiently for is here. The final poll for the presidential election of 2009. It has changed much from what we were expecting. Technically, it is not even a presidential race any longer. It is a race between a Prime Minister and a Republic. Who will win? We will find out in a week.

The results for the first poll were as follows:

The ISLAS Republic: 16 votes

Geleynse - Bertilson: 14 votes

DenHoed - DenHoed: 2 votes

Altogether, there were 32 voters. We are expecting more to show up for the final poll, since the news spreads quickly and many find it not necessary to vote in the primary poll.

We all await the results with anticipation, to see who our new leader will be. The Scoop will be there to report new events, good or bad.

If you would like to send us an article or have any letters to the editor, email us at theislasscoop@gmail.com. If you want a quick answer, send the article to Miss Blake as well, and we will try to make sure to review it as soon as possible.

First Poll

The voters poured in to cast their votes for their preferred candidates when the polling booths finally opened. Today, a day or so after they were opened, the votes are trickling in slowly. The two top candidates, Geleynse and Hunter, are neck and neck. They each have twelve votes, with the DenHoed campaign far behind, and voters on each side are wondering how the final poll will turn out.

The ISLAS Republic is proving good competition for Mr. Geleynse. Who will gain the top seat of ISLAS this year? Who is most deserving of this seat and who will rule ISLAS wisely? Or perhaps I should say, who will rule ISLAS with the most humor? Humor is one thing we need most of in these hard times. We need someone who can handle the power and not morph into a power hungry maniac. Which of the candidates can slip into this suit of requirements? Who will be able to fit the suit and not pop the seams or get buried under the piles of fabric?

From previous knowledge of the candidates, I am sad to say that I doubt any of them can hold the candle without getting burned, or burning their supporters. Mr. Hunter has been proven to be hungry for power and control. Mr. Geleynse has shown that he likes attention and at times can be as bad and power hungry as the infamous Mr. Ahern. As for Mr. DenHoed, we all know he is a close friend of Mr. Ahern and one cannot be a close friend of someone and not be infiltrated by their habits.

All three have shown clearly their desire for attention. The question is, who will be able to overcome their temptations and take their presidential beatings with humor? Will they be able to survive getting married off multiple times? Will they execute those who fight against them? Will they do everything in good humor and cause much laughter and hilarity throughout ISLAS?

There is also the question of whether these candidates, when elected, will fill their role, or forget about it and only release entertaining speeches every five months.

Ah, yes, the agony of decision. Many of us, though, have already chosen a side. How do you know you have chosen the right side? Is the right side the winning side?

Consul? Republic?

All this new fangled language is leaving me quite giddy with confusion. Why start up a new version of government when we haven't even thoroughly worn the first?

I am curious as to why, all of a sudden, all of these campaigns jumped on a bandwagon together, after fighting each other for voters. Are they so frightened of what may happen that they are willing to do anything to prevent it? If so, what are they so afraid of?

On the other hand, why aren't the other campaigns responding strongly against these actions? Do they feel a sense of doom? Have then given up? Or do they believe, in their heart of hearts, that having Mr. Hunter and Miss Taylor reside over ISLAS would be best for the forums?

These questions are boiling in many voters heads. The strongest opposition of each side is wondering why. They are wondering if they picked the losing side. They are wondering if they should rethink their tactics. Change their battleplan.

It may be all the tightly strung nerves that are twanging and setting new things in motion. Perhaps all this ground-thin tolerance will cause something good in the end. Will there be an ISLAS revolution? Are new things on the way? Is there hope, through all this darkness, for the despairing people of ISLAS?

I believe only time will tell. We all hope and pray for a renewed vigor and comradeship for our beloved forums. We hope that the clouds of a gloomy night that are the ISLAS elections will pass and that the glorious sunshine of a brand new day will come with the morning.

Apology

The Scoop would like to apologize for the lack of interviews (and articles of any kind), and thereby pushing the election further and further away. We are quite busy with non-Scoop related activities (read: school) and will try to get the one remaining interview up as soon as possible.

Interview: Taylor-Jaramillo Campaign

The interview of the Taylor-Jaramillo campaign by Reporter Blake, editing and summary by Vilbert Pear.

EB: What do you intend to do when you're President?

LT: We've been living in minor seconds for too long. I intend to change those minor seconds to major seconds, if not major thirds. If people can't tell the difference, there's always the guillotine.

EB: What are some of your solid objective goals for Islas?

JJ: For Taylor-Jaramillo, one big objective could perhaps be to engage newer ISLASers and ones that don’t talk very much to be more involved and make everything more exciting…. To get more people into the Debate, and other forums, to revive old games like Mafia and encourage the virtual forum, that has gone pretty much dead. Nick was the ideal campaign manager because he could reach out to newcomers better than any of us, being a new comer himself. And to invite new comers!! Big objective! Get a thriving ISLAS! Yay!

EB: How will these goals affect us as Islasers?

LT: Change the forum for the better!

EB: Why does having a good sense of music and imposing it upon others make you the best Islasian president?

LT: We never transpose, dispose, or anything of the sort. We have the esteemed recommendation of the Ahern administration for our musical tastes.

EB: Why should we vote for you?

LT & JJ: Taylor and Jaramillo both have come from a prestigious line of family members that have taken online school thus having the best experience to handle foreign policies, unpleasant diplomacy, and executions - with tact. The Taylor and Jaramillo families (as well as the Adams family) are of the finest, and some of the oldest families from the early days of ISLAS.

Justin Jaramillo has been hailed as, "The Sarah Palin of ISLAS" (Hunter Regetin). The infamous bandit, Rubby Ducky, is supporting us, unlike TBoD, Ringo, or Rufus - it's actually worth a real vote!

We're the athetic ticket! Taylor is a great horse-rider, figure skate, whilst Jaramillo is the world's best soccer-baseball player!

Taylor-Jaramillo has strong beliefs - they are consistently on the debte thread (when do you ever see the G-B campaign on the debate thread?).

Taylor can weave through many hard times - she's plenty short, while Jaramillo can go over the heads over all oppenents (he's over six feet tall!).

We’re combining new ISLASers (Our campaign manager is super new) and with old ISLASers thus combing every element of ISLAS there is to offer and bringing greater unity and blah blah blah!

We also like to set new records. We have set the newest record with having a campaign manager with one post!

Well, we have the niceness of the Hilton campaign, the craziness of the Hunter campaign, the salsiness of the MP3-Bertilson campaign, the nerdiness of the Mark campaign, and the insanity of the Geleysne campaign! We have it all! And we’re willing to distribute some of it to our constituents.

Overall, Taylor-Jaramillo is right ticket.

Vote Taylor-Jaramillo 09. Creepy, evil, goatie, and PROKOFIEV!

Are these numerous points enough to convince the ISLAS populace? Does a good taste in music, announced by our former president, make them worth voting for? It is up to you, my readers, to decide, and to vote. We have one more interview to edit and post and then the polls will be up. Mr. DenHoed refused to be interviewed by an anonymous person, which severely hinders any chance of a DenHoed-DenHoed campaign interview being posted. If you want an interview from him, write emails to him and complain.

Scandal in Samantha's Suicide?

An article from an anonymous author:

This morning, ISLASers woke to see the hideous spectacle of Samantha Jordan impaled on a 40' long spike. While other reporters ran hither and thither searching for someone to interview, we went to the core of the matter. We found Death not far from the scene of death. But when asked about the incident, all he said was NO COMMENT. So we went to the next best source.

'The Department of Undead Welfare is very interested in Samantha's death," said department head Nathaniel Spear as we sat in his office. "We're hoping she comes back to help the cause of ghost's rights. The undead population of ISLAS seems to be suffering of bodily reanimation, making us a minority once more.'

'How bad is the undead situation?' I asked.

'Oh, terrible. The living are prejudiced, some ghosts want their bodies back in working order, and others just want to kill everyone else. It's all the department can do to stop them.'

'Do you think that the death of Samantha Jordan was in this last category?'

Mr. Spear looked uncomfortable as I asked this question. 'Investigations are continuing,' he said shortly.

When asked if he would want to change the minority status of the undead population, he glared at me and made no comment.

The interview ended soon afterward, and we made our way back to headquarters, our heads full of what we had just heard. Was this really only a suicide, or is there something worse involved? Could this have been undead terrorist action, or perhaps a small glimpse of a dark political move to give undead majority? Will we all be murdered in our beds? Who can tell? We can't, but there is definitely more here than meets the eye.

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Please email theislasscoop@gmail.com to send articles of all sorts. If we deem them respectable and worthy, they will be posted. You have the option of being published anonymously, or with your name attached to the article. Alternately, you may email your article to Reporter Blake and she will send it on to headquarters.

Also, we are working on the last campaign interviews, though certain candidates are being unhelpful. We will, with cooperation, have posted all the interviews by this weekend. We apologize for any impatience we have caused. It being the school year has not helped our efforts to give every candidate and equal chance to dazzle the world of ISLAS.

Interview: de Salsa-Bertilson Campaign

Using the questions of the esteemed Miss Blake, Tortillia Sentitude interviewed the de Salsa – Bertilson campaign.

TS: Why exactly, do you want to be president?

QdS: Well, it's quite simple, really. There are people out there who are incapable of serious, abstract, or otherwise interesting thought or speech. We need to ensure these people don't disappear off Islas merely because they're afraid to say something. In a sentence, we need to ensure the morons don't overcome the geniuses, and vice versa.

TS: Why do you think you'll be a good leader?

QdS: Because I'm honest. Look. I may be a machine, but machines are made to do things. And, if used correctly, we always do what we're made for. That said, an MP3 player as a president might still not seem a very good idea. I, however, am aptly programmed to the molecule to do the best for everyone...even the little man!

TS: What do you intend to do when you're President? What are some solid objective goals for Islas?

QdS: Well, look. First, Islas needs a good bunch of entertaining videos at a respectable frequency. To obtain this, it would probably be best to elect Miss Hunter or Mr. Denhoed, but Noah's not doing so bad either. It may have taken him more than twenty takes to capture his first campaign video, but it wouldn't have happened if I hadn't been on his back with a couple dozen wet noodles. He'll learn.

Second, Islas needs to have more intellectual conversation. This is a call more to the stuttering, unvoiced masses than to the eloquent and the talkative. This goal could obviously be achieved by another administration, but I'm asking for your vote.

TS: How will these goals affect us as Islasers?

QdS: On the first one, hopefully, you'll laugh. Laughing is good medicine, and colds are going around with you humans; in fact, Mr. Bertilson has one right now. He's actually had it for quite a while.

On the second, I hope we will have more people spewing nonsense, in hopes that we, united in both stupidity and genius, fearful and brave, joyous and downcast. That way, perhaps, Islas will become greater, like iron sharpening iron. We need not be silent.

TS: How do you answer to Mr. John Ahern's accusation that you're appealing to the baser instincts of Islasers?

QdS: First, I'd like to point out this was an accusation against Mr. Geleynse, not me or Mr. Bertilson. Still, this point could be made. Given my previous statements, I have little doubt that question does not need to be answered here.

TS: Mr. Bertilson, Mr. John Ahern has suggested that you might assassinate your MP3 after the election - Do you intend to take this suggestion seriously?

NB: In truth, assassination has only passed my mind as a dark thought, quickly to be tossed into the black mental abyss. On the other hand, in recent days, Quivie and I have discussed the possibility of breaking our current ticket in half and having myself as either one or the other part of another ticket. This seems nearly impossible, as there are few active Islasers who are not either running for President, vice president, prime minister, vice minister, or already supporting a candidate. Miss Russell, who we previously queried on the possibility of her becoming our campaign manager, but, as I recall, she considered herself much too busy for such a venture. Also, I'd like to remind Mr. Ahern that Quivie has not merely Coldplay, though it does occupy a fairly good portion of her music. Also are the Dark Knight and Batman Begins, by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard, at least the latter of which might be credited as something of a classical composer. Also included are several singles from various bands, Klaus Badelt's Pirates of the Carribean, Hans Zimmer's Crimson Tide, and Harry Gregson-Williams' The Chronicles of Narnia, the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. As you could easily deduce, I think, Quivie is not by any means only occupied by Coldplay's songs, but also by numerous other bands and composers.

TS: What do you have to say to those who believe an MP3 player is not a fit president for ISLAS?

QdS: Well, if I'm not to be included on the ticket, vote for me anyway, but yet make it known you'd rather not have a two-ounce brick of metal, plastic and silicon, and, perhaps, we'll consider other options after the primaries.

TS: Why should we vote for you?

Both: Well, if you're a moron, or even an overexposed genius, who's better for you? We mean to attempt to reclaim the balance between the two, and hopefully set in place measures to ensure that continues. Islas should not be only a place for the intellectual, but for the blockhead who looks up to the aforesaid. Islas shouldn't have to turn down newbies, because the smart ones will not only tolerate them, but attempt to impart their knowledge and intelligence to those who ask. Islas, remember, it was words, two thousand years ago, which made the lame leap. Today, it need be no different.

Quivie de Salsa promises much for the population of ISLAS, such as uniting everyone in their lack of intelligence and overabundance of intelligence. Does this promise a strong campaign, or will those ISLAS-ers who are easily insulted take offense at the implication that there are 'morons' on ISLAS? De Salsa gives hope of a strong ISLAS with laughter and insanity, but will these be able to overcome the fact that she is but a small machine, running for office? Will ISLAS be able to look past her shiny metal exterior to the beautiful being within?

The weight of the election lies upon our shoulders, here at the Scoop, and we will try to finish off the interviews as speedily as possible. We know many of you are impatient for the election to begin.

Please contact the Scoop at theislasscoop@gmail.com to send in articles, interviews, suggestions, etc. Also, you may contact Miss Blake for information, if that is easier.