h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Despite the title the article restricts itself to the facts and (for the most part) steers clear of speculation. This makes it a good guide article.

However sometimes unfounded speculation is just more interesting these "facts" were originally collected by gene gainer:

1. Some months ago, Microsoft's Melinda and Bill Gates foundation gave ~ $5 million to the state of Florida.

2. The state official who announced and publicized that gift was the state official now with the authority to oversee the election recount and is the referee, or sole judge, of decisions relating to the election.

3. Microsoft and the state of Florida were conducting a small, operation which amounted to an online voting experiment. It recieved little publicity.

4. The votes cast through that online voting experiment were greater than the number of votes required to decide the Florida presidential election, thus the votes of the Florida electoral college members, thus who became president of the United States.

5. Of the two candidates -- Gore and Bush.
- One had a policy and a track record supporting the DOJ and antitrust work, such as the Microsoft case.
- The other had announced, several times, and confirmed through his staff, that he would not permit the DOJ case to go forward.

interesting? i think so
plausible? i think not