Glen Korstrom
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Dec 01/99) - For the first time in a territorial election, Internet bulletin boards have emerged as a popular forum to comment on candidates' merits and chances of winning.

Two main boards include the one at the Northern News Services site and the NWT Chamber of Commerce site.

One persistent odds-giver has given himself the nickname "Jimmy the Geek."

He has given odds on all Yellowknife ridings in his latest posting dubbed the afternoon line.

"Secretariat might just be pulling up lame," the Geek notes referring to Charles Dent in his synopsis of the Frame Lake riding.

He gives Dent even odds with a slightly better chance of winning the riding than David Wind (hey, this horse has legs), who he also gives even odds to.

Suspect of the NDP's chances, the Geek gives Frame Lake's Bill Schram 10 to 1 odds.

The most likely NDPer to win, according to the unscientific Geek, is Mary Beth Levan in Yellowknife South with 2 to 1 odds, the same as Brendan Bell with both of them slightly behind Pat McMahon with 3 to 2 odds.

To give the Geek feedback he left his e-mail as Jimmy_the_Geek@hotmail. com.

The Geek's punditry has even spurred copy cats.

A recent post to the chamber of commerce site came from someone with the moniker PST with the e-mail rainbowdcan@netscape.net

PST focused on the Weledeh race.

"Roy E. stumbled on icy track conditions, Joe H. wandered off track, tried to regain footing but had rocks thrown at him. Mark H. very smooth but slow paced, has anchor tied to saddle, but can finish respectfully. Blake R. found some extra H.P. got a slight kick from race fans, seemed to recover and taken lead," PST writes.

Another cyber-pundit calls himself Mac Intosh with the e-mail misterpolitico@yahoo.com.

"Jimmy, where have you been? Me thinks you've been in the sauce again," Mac Intosh starts before offering his own slant on the election.

He then goes on to affirm that "Dent will pass Wind," and that Bell will win in Yellowknife South "despite the lack of creativity in that horrible Dell rip-off."

What to make of these predictions?

They are about as scientific as judging the favourite by counting campaign signs.

Still, they spice up the election even in ridings such as Range Lake, which Mac Intosh calls, "booooooorinnnng."