The federal election has been run and won.

For the second time in our nations history the sitting Prime Minister appears to have lost his seat. Certainly a considerable distance from where John Howard would like to have been when progressing to retirement.

Interestingly the first sitting Prime Minister was way back in 1929 by the twelfth PM, Stanley Bruce. Somewhat ironically Bruce was one of the youngest to have held the top job.

The economy is in an excellent position. The budget is even in surplus to the tune of almost $20 million. A point the Mr Howard rammed home on more than one occasion during his concession speech. One wonders if he did so to allow the media additional time to capture the words. Words that may be played back in years to come.

Whatever the case though there is no reason for Labour panacea now. Labor is in at all levels of government in Australia. Promises have been made and Rudd apparenently was in the office early to get a head start.

Hospitals will soon be fixed. Water crisis, a distant memory. All roads repaired, affordable housing for all, cheaper fuel, low interest rates, higher productivity in the work place. Kyoto means cleaner air and there will be smarter kids from the Education Revolution.

On the revolution, have been checking to see when the kids can order their new laptops as promised. Will it be before the next school term starts. Even though this year is still to conclude, school term 1, 2008 is only 11 weeks away.

Today 13.8 million Australians line-up to have their say on who is to represent them in federal government.

Its down to the wire. Use your vote wisely.

Latest news polls all election showing a clear Labour victory have become closer. The Liberal party is back in the race, maybe even a chance.

Somehow this all seems familar. Last election Latham was a landslide change option until it all came undone. Well maybe its not all that familiar but the media beat-up of the contents appears the same.

Will he, wont he, how much will things change remain questions for all of us.

John Howard rightly pointed out last night that if a Labour government is formed it will be the first time in Austrlian political hostory the same party is in power across all levels of government. The concern is the then missing checks and balances. Somewhat similar to a majority Liberal lower house and Senate as currently exists.

It all comes down to the results tomorrow. Just like a horse race the non gambling Labour leader continually referrs to in the election trail, nobody can really predict the outcome.

With election advertising effectively over its down to roadside sandwich board displays, political umbrellas at traffic lights of major roads and of cause the Chasers team to attempt to sway the undecided.

Chasers presented the pollies in their usual unique manner, even including a ticker across the bottom of the screen. Needed to have recorded the episode and watch it again as its hard to keep up with the ticker and watch the “interviews” at the same time.

Luckily Aunty is up to the task, probably in front of commercial television, offering podcasts and vodcast of many shows including Chasers War on Everything.

It’s now down to what really matters, or what we have been told to us what really matters; national broad band, rollback of Work Choices legislation, retirement of the party leader, construction of nuclear reactors, and an education revolution. Not that we know what an education revolution actually involves.

Still cannot decide? If all else fails just vote the way your parents always have. It worked for decades before.

Has the Kevin 07 team really done their homework?

Rudd, despite criticism of the incumbent government for irresponsible electioneering, make that spending to win votes, maybe has not really considered the cost of some promises.

The Labour team has made commitments to drastically reduce bureaucracy in Canberra. This means an Al Dunlap, well maybe not that severe, cut to the public sector. The plan includes a slew of ministry changes. The changes include some new, all of which though are anticipated to require additional real estate.

Reforms include Department of Homeland Security. Does that seem awfully American, or is it just me. Office of Children and Young People, not sure yet how those groups are actually linked.

There are also an Office of Work and Family. Strange combination, unless its in an advertisement for Google or some other “employer of choice”.

At the end of the day though, and certainly much more importantly, does anyone actually care.

Guess we will see sometime Saturday evening.

The Coca-Cola Company has recently launched a new website exploring the facts and figures related to consumption of their products.

Coke it appears has become not only family, but child focused too.

While it all seems very McDonalds, the site offers quite a considerable volume of information including QA related to artificial sweeteners, the level of caffeine in products and even the addictive nature of caffeine itself.

The website, ironically titled Make Every Drop Matter, offers a subscription newsletter that promises “health, wellbeing and nutrition information to help you and your family make sensible choices for a balanced lifestyle”.

Corporate responsibilities. Seems times are a changing.