Too Many Ads

I love the Boston Globe. I've been reading it for years now. I've even followed it regularly since it began as an online publication. However, in looking at the overall design of the site, I must say there are too many ads scattered everywhere.

Yes, I know newspaper sites need ads to make money, but I believe too many can turn off visitors/readers. It's good to have ads, I guess, in case you may be looking for some kind of service. But most people don't want to be inundated by them. That's not why they go to a newspaper's online site. They want to see news, videos, and images. Not countless ads.

The Boston Globe's RAW

Are you an amateur photographer living in the Boston and New England area? Want to publish your work, have others critique it, and possibly win a money prize? Then check out RAW at the Boston Globe.

RAW is the Globe's interactive photography section where visitors can upload photos, nominate photographers for awards, and discuss topics related to photography. I really like this feature because it allows online users to interact in their community and possibly play an integral role in what cmakes the news. After all, who doesn't like photographs?

The Boston Globe's Halloween Guide

Say you live in Boston or are visiting the area around Halloween. Don't know what's going on and want to find out? Check out the Halloween Guide at the Boston Globe. You will find plenty of information regarding special events, such as costume parties and contests.

However, there are other features that appear on the Halloween Guide. You can check out the Globe's list of interesting places to visit, such as haunted inns. You can get costume ideas from the costume photo gallery and even upload images of a pet's costume to share with others. You can also skim through the Globe's recommendations of the scariest movies, songs, and books to get in the Halloween spirit.

I think people in the Boston and New England area can really appreciate this Halloween Guide. For one, the available information is pretty extensive. Secondly, it is constantly being updated. Yet again, these are (interactive) features that could only really appear online. So hooray for online journalism.

Election Polls

Polling services are an integral part of an election race since people constantly want to how their preferred candidate is doing as time passes.

If you check the Election 08 Political Dashboard at Yahoo.com, you can see how Barack Obama and John McCain are doing in every state. It also lets you create your own scenario for how the election may play out on November 4th.

I find this interactive feature interesting and fun. It not only informs people, it also lets them get creative. And again, it's a feature that can only be presented online.

Early Voting Map for South Florida

Early voting in south Florida began several days ago. A lot of people hoped this would cut down on the amount of time they would have to wait in line on Election Day. Apparently it hasn't. According to south Florida newspapers and news stations, early voting lines are ridiculously long.

Still, those who would like to cast their vote early instead of waiting till November 4th, but don't know where to go, should check out this interactive map featured on the Miami Herald. It lists all the different places one can go to vote early.

I find this tremendously useful and it's a feature that could only really appear online.

ESPN's College Football Gamecast

Want to follow a college football game that's not being televised? Say, for instance Oklahoma State against Texas? Then click on this link to access the College Football Gamecast at ESPN.com to see what's going on.

Third Party Candidates

Less than two weeks remain till Election Day and restlessness is already in the air. Americans, both Democrats and Republicans, are getting anxious to cast their vote and elect the next president of the United States. You can feel this anywhere you go.

The way this election race has turned out, it would seem as if only Barack Obama and John McCain were running for president. After all, the two mainstream candidates are the only ones that ever get mentioned by the media.

If you were to ask the average citizen about Bob Barr, Chuck Baldwin or Cynthia McKinney, they would probably respond to you with a blank stare. That's because the press rarely mentions these third party candidates in their own bids for the presidency. And since these candidates are never mentioned, the public doesn't even know they exist. That's unfortunate because these candidates, along with Ralph Nader, often run on a platform that benefits Americans more than those of Obama and McCain.

I find it amusing and yet, terrifying, that the majority of people voting for Obama or McCain have no idea what each stand for. They know they want someone to implement change. What they don't know is that casting their vote for either of the establishment parties will only bring about more of the same from the last eight years.

That's why I was happy to come across an article by Alain Jean-Robert that mentioned the third party candidates and discussed how they may affect the race for the presidency. If more people in the news talked about these candidates, Americans would be better informed and better able to make an intelligent decision on Election Day. Sadly, they don't, so when we swear in our next president in January 2009, prepare yourselves for more of the same.