Colin Powell on Team Obama?

What a crazy road it's been with these VP picks. It was only two months ago that Colin Powell was being floated as a potential VP candidate.
Now a scant two months later, the rumor mill suggests that Colin Powell is ready to endorse Barack Steve Obama. He's got a big day tomorrow on Meet The Press, possibly capturing at least two or three news cycles.
I can't help but think that this is would really be a huge pull for independent voters. Personally, I think that if Colin Powell wasn't too smart to be President, he could give Obama a run for his money in a race. How would the McCain camp downplay the endorsement of a loved (centrist Republican) figure?

Is Android really a winner?

So I knew from the get-go that I was going to be one of the targeted folks for Android, which basically is a cellphone operating system backed by Google. The take-home message of what they're trying to do is mostly allowing people and companies to write and install their own applications on the phone, which is nerdy music to my ears. (Even the cute robot mascot is perfect.)
Apple's been doing similar work with their iPhone App store, but some of the restrictions have been ridiculous, especially the way that they won't let people have a turn-by-turn navigation program even though it's more than possible with the device.
I think it's this freedom that's attracting a ton of people to want to try out the phone. So far, T-Mobile has had 1.5 million preorders, and if AT&T had a similar option I'd be all over it this February.
Let's hope it actually takes off and Google builds up enough of a following so that we can get a application ready smartphone not caught in the grips of MSFT or Apple.

Bloomington's turned cold. Days ago I was strolling through the campus with minmal clothing, but the past couple of days has been a string of freezing. Walks to class seem to be getting longer, as does the time it takes for me to get out of bed.

But, it's all worth it. Snow is coming, and I can feel it. I'm glad that I stayed in a region with snow, because if I didn't have it I would probably go insane, which is a bad state to be in for a psychologist.

Now there are plenty of people in the No-Snow camp, but they're missing out on the most beautiful thing around. Sure, fall is pretty, but winter is the season where thing become peaceful and serene. It's the season for a big white guy like me. Come to think of it, I've got the perfect camo for that situation.

I've also got a new armoury of snow gear, including impressive boots, big socks, sweaters, and a giant coat made from both Thinsulate and goose down. Yes!

The saddest part about all of this is that I really don't participate in winter sports. Snowboarding eludes me. It's a simple concept, stand on a board going down a hill, yet in practice it falls apart. For some reason I can't balance and I fall, inevitibly hurting myself in some almost-impossible manner. Skiing too, is distant. It's just standing on 2 boards going down a hill. Why can't I do this?

Now I can do cross-country skiing, but it's just jogging with boards on your feet.

I prefer some of the more classical winter activities, like bundling up for 10 minutes to walk 1 minute to get your mail. (See, this is going to be an issue in Ashton, where we dont' live in integrated housing units with everything needed to sustain life inside them. I think that Ramen Noodles are going to become more and more important staples in my routine.)

I also prefer winter drinks. Hot Chocolate is one of the best things known to man, and at most places around campus it is made in MACHINES! Yes, ladies and gentelman, we have Hot Chocolate that is stirred for you, by Indiana University. I personally don't understand why they University doesn't use stuff like that to rope in unsuspecting High School Seniors.

Anyway, I'm going to shut the window that's been open for months and go to bed again because in college, consciousness is your enemy.

Jordan