Mr. Lloyd’s website

Despite my efforts to put Peppero over the top by voting for him at least five times, Bruce Lloyd’s first online gubernatorial poll ended up in a dead heat. Republican candidates Juan Nekai Babauta and Jesus R. Sablan ended up in a draw.

Of course, while the poll is clearly unscientific, visiting www.blloydmedia.saipan.com can still be a worthwhile experience. It can provide considerable amusement.

Consider the fact that anyone can post anonymous messages and say anything about anybody (or anything for that matter). Indeed, Bruce Lloyd might be opening himself up for a serious libel action, since the website appears to be completely unrestricted.

Meanwhile, until some controls are imposed, we could have a whole lot of fun with this site. Think of the possibilities for all sorts of practical jokes. Think of all the wonderful, fantastic accusations that could be made on behalf of anybody, real or imagined.

On the other hand, the site does have the potential to serve as a real open, democratic forum–a place to say the things you could not say anywhere else (without suffering ostracism or reprisals).

To be sure, the current postings appear sincere enough. Most are strongly pro-Froilan.
The current gubernatorial poll asks us to choose between Froilan Cruz Tenorio (Reform Party) and Jesus C. Borja (Al Gore Democrat?).
So far–the last time I checked at least–Froilan is ahead, beating Mr. Borja sixty percent to forty percent.

Then again, the whole thing could be an orchestrated campaign by a whole bunch of Froilan supporters. I voted for Lang several times, for example. So we could say that the whole poll is immaterial.

But I do plan to visit Mr. Lloyd’s site again and again in the next few weeks, if only to read the news summaries; and when I do, you can bet that, while I am at it, I will surely click in a few extra votes for old Lang.

Some of Mr. Borja’s supporters will no doubt click in as well, if only so as not to look so bad vis-à-vis Froilan, which means the poll does retain some significance after all, however unscientific and uncontrolled.

And don’t forget the comment section as well, which can be interesting. This afternoon, for instance, someone posted: “If you like Ken Govendo, you will love Jesse Borja.” Gee, I wonder what he or she meant by that.