Will it be the same thing all over again, only exactly the opposite? If Zogby's exit polls hold true (always use caution with exit polls, as we learned 4 years ago), Kerry wins the election, and Bush wins the popular vote. Now that would be ironic. It would be interesting to see what impact that would have on the pre-election polls done by Time Magazine that showed the majority of Americans are in favor of abolishing the electoral college. Do you think that opinion would change, as well?

CAUTION: Early 2000 exit polls showed Gore +3 in Florida [and we know what happened there]; showed Gore-Bush even in CO [Bush won by 9], 2000 exits showed Gore +4 in AZ [Bush won by 6]

Zogby International's 2004 Predictions
(as of Nov. 2, 2004 5:00pm)

Zogby International Finds: Bush at 49.4%, Kerry at 49.1%

The nationwide telephone poll of 955 likely voters was conducted (November 1-2, 2004). The MOE is +/- 3.2

Well, after what I can honestly say was one of the best weeks of my life, I am back home again, quite tired but feeling great.

I got to spend time with a good friend, and made a new one, too. I saw the dedication, hard work, fun and shenanigans of the young people that make the USS John C. Stennis work. If you ever have a chance to sail on a US Navy ship for a cruise, take the opportunity, no matter what. You'll be glad you did.

Being home again feels both great and terrible. I could have spent another few weeks, easily - Mostly because of the people I had the opportunity and privilege to meet and spend time with.

From this cruise I take home a number of important things:

• Spending only a day and a half in Hawaii is as close as you can get to committing a sin without paying for it by going to hell. So, I have to go back. The north shore is awesome.
• Good friends just happen.
• Getting old sucks.
• Being old is a state of mind.
• The modern aircraft carrier is an incredibly amazing system, and a terrific example of the integration of people, process and technology.
• People make the world go round, and it takes all kinds.
• If you spend a week sleeping on a big ship on the ocean, don't be surprised if you wake up on land to the feeling of swaying. Woah.
• The F-14 Tomcat is FREAKING LOUD. It's also being retired, which is a sad thing. And end of an era.

People are emailing, IM'ing and calling me asking for pictures and how it went. Coming soon - I'm pretty wiped and still need to unpack my crap. Plenty of pictures and stories to come. Probably 20 of you will be interested in my trip, and hundreds of others will wonder what happened to the random technology posts. Oh well, it's my blog, and heck, I'm still trying to figure out why anyone pays attention anyhow! ;)

I have to say, as someone who was just searched under a special screening procedure at the PDX airport, I'm glad the TSA is doing things the way it's doing them.

I'm a single passenger, with a one-way ticket to the middle of the Pacific Ocean, who changed his flight at the very last minute yesterday. So I got flagged.

Good.

I feel safer knowing that I was searched and singled out. Not because of who I am, but because of the situaion I created by choice.

After the special screening, not knowing why I had been singled out (and being the curious person that I am), I asked one of the TSA employees if the decision to search me was just random (at that point I assumed it was). She told me that no, it's not really random, and that's when I realized the profile/pattern I fit into.

And the Hawaiian Airlines gate person just called my name and inspected my paperwork to verify I had been properly screened.

I'm glad someone's paying attention.


--------------------
Greg Hughes

Your future will be decided on November 2. Be part of the decision, no matter what sides of any fences you fall on...

Ballots have been sent to all Oregon voters. Fill yours out. Return it. It's important.

You can't afford not to. We're not just checking boxes. We're deciding issues, left and right, conservative and liberal, change or stay put. Suit up and show up. Make your statement, make it yours, and make it well.

People far better than you or me have died for your right to cast your ballot. There's no reason that you shouldn't be able to make the effort to do so.

I voted. I did my part. Now you go.

And I thought I was pretty geeky with a Tablet PC sitting on the seat and a radio transmitter for audio on the radio... My PC-in-the-car setup 's got nothin' on what J.P. Stewart's doing...

A bunch of Microsoft employees have started a club to pursue their common hobby, as car enthusiasts, where they're building computer equipment into their automobiles. Channel 9's Robert Scoble interviewed one of those employees, J.P. Stewart, on video, and took a close look at what he's done with his ride:

Link: Channel 9 - J.P. Stewart - A new hobby: putting Windows XP in your car

Low-power computers (Mini-ITX style) in the trunk and mini touch-screens in the cab, all built in and custom fit, make for a really cool setup.

DVD, Windows XP, WiFi, GPS, sound system integration through the CD changer control, USB digital sound, and lots of cool stuff. A portable USB 2.0 hard drive moves from car to home or office and allows you to copy files like music and stuff. Or use the WiFi to copy/sync music from the driveway while you're at your home.

Some of J.P.'s goals, now and future: GPS with Streets and Trips (done), Media Player for music (done), Internet always on everywhere (will be using TMobile Motorola phone with Bluetooth, and the computer will use it as its network connection).

And he says he has less than $1000 into the computer equipment, and some uncounted number of hours of his time. Wow. Very cool stuff.

It looks as if the Cingular/AT&T Wireless merger will be approved on Monday. This means big changes for AT&T Wireless customers, so be sure to do your research. Already many medium-size business accounts have been bounced around as this thing starts to happen.

From Engadget: "...the big question is whether or not the shrinking of the cellular market from six major players to five will lead to significantly cheaper prices for calling plans and cellphones."

Yeah, and then there's the concern that ATTWS customers already suffering from lackluster service will be even worse off.

We'll see.