Testing the Blackberry Storm

I'm not sure what I think to be honest. I still find touch screen typing to be more difficult than actual buttons. So far, I'm definitely not sold.

Testing the Blackberry Curve

I like this one, possibly better than the Q, though still probably not as good as the Google phone. Blackberry's scroll wheel is really nice though.

Jamie is bored, so we are leaving. My gadget fun is over :). (It's ok, she's better than phones...)

Testing the Moto Q

I'm not as impressed with this as I am with the Google phone, and it's only $20 less. It's Verizon's best Windows-based phone, but I'm going to wait for the Blackberry Storm to settle on anything.

Regardless, the iPhone and AT&T are out.

The difference of 2% (and 192 electoral votes)

After the significance of the electoral vote was belittled by various groups with Al Gore's 2000 loss, this cartoon illustrates just how quick those people are to forget about the popular vote.

In fairness, the cartoonist is rounding up for Bush (he had 50.7% of the popular vote) and down for Obama (he had 52.7% of the popular vote).

Still, it illustrates what we all know: the electoral vote is all that matters. If your election for mayor has a gap of 6.7%, you'd call it a tight race. If your election for U.S. Congress has a gap of 6.7%, you'd call it a tight race. If your election for president has a gap of 6.7%, it means nothing. In electoral terms, Obama won this election by 35.6%. Obama had over twice as many electoral votes as McCain. That's a colossal defeat for McCain and a gigantic victory for Obama.

I support the electoral college. We can't forget that in a federalist government, the states should have the primary authority. We vote to choose which candidate our state will support.

Of course, in an era of big government, we tend to forget our fundamental federalism. But every 4 years, we are reminded.

Testing the Blackberry Curve

Not exactly graphically stimulating, but it gets the job done.

Testing the Google G1

It's pretty sweet

Final tally

Here's the final electoral map.


Technically Missouri (50-49 for McCain) and North Carolina (50-49 for Obama) are still in the "toss-up" categories, but I don't think they'll swing the other way once the last ballots have been tallied.

In the interest of accountability for my prediction, I called four states incorrectly: Indiana, Ohio, North Carolina, and Florida.

Polling was somewhat erratic in those states and made them difficult to predict.

Now, if only the Coleman-Franken race were actually over!!

45 minutes

That's how long voting took me this morning. 4 years ago I was also at the polls before 7:00. 4 years ago I was 1st or 2nd in line. This year I was number 118.

Final electoral prediction

Okay, so my last prediction is looking pretty shaky.  But I'm going to forge ahead one more time.  Four years ago I was able to guess all but one state (Wisconsin) correctly.  I really don't think that will happen this time around, but I'm going to give it a shot.

If you take all of the "toss-up" states and turn them red or blue based on who is currently leading in the polls, here's what the race will look like:

Ouch.  In this map, the traditionally Republican West and South would cede the necessary votes for Obama's victory, as would Ohio.

Here's how I think it will go down:

Admittedly, I'm going out on a bit of a limb with Florida and Ohio.  But then again, Virginia could go Republican too.  Those three states will likely decide the election, though New Mexico, Colorado, and Nevada could be factors as well.

I have a feeling I'll be wrong on Ohio, Florida, or both, but I'm going to stick with my guns.

Now, get out and vote!!

Need a mower?

I was going through some pictures I took throughout the summer and found this one.  I love the random ribbons tied onto the lawn mower handles that are sticking out of the pickup, as if they serve as a an adequate, necessary warning that the load is too big.

Oh, and by my count, there are 13 lawn mowers and one Char-Broil grill.