The very long countdown begins

So this is my first newsy blog - I was tempted to write about the horrendous weather at the moment which buggered up my train journey no end today. However, I had already decided upon the American elections.

Although academically me and politics never got along (I did the subject at A level and wasn't fond of the teacher) I always have a nerdish excitement about elections.

I mean my last day at university I got drunk and watched the local election and AV referendum votes.

And I am in luck as the US elections begin in Iowa today and then finish on the 6th November.

Today voters in Iowa start to choose who will be the Republican candidate to run against Barack Obama.

At the moment there are six contenders and after today's results this number will become smaller as candidates start to realise they have no chance.

Most of the time the winner is obvious, but I still find something enjoyable about it.

Even if America does take the best part of a year to come to a conclusion.

Granted I haven't paid too much attention to the candidates so far - although I think everyone is aware of Herman Cain, who suspended his campaign for president in December 2011 after a number of allegations about sexual harassment.

America has also managed to avoid having Sarah Palin for president who decided not to run for the position back in October 2011.

One way to get up to speed is with Google's election trends site. I get annoyed when sites think that the data is enough to give readers the full story - but by integrating the results, trends and daily news articles including the issues important to American voters, it is gives amazing background filling in the gaps.

The results from the first state in this long procession of an election are due in about 1am here, and if I didn't have to start work again after the Christmas holidays tomorrow I would be staying up.

Anyway as it runs almost across the whole year I am bound to bring it up again here sometime.

Photo: Flickr via mrsdkrebs