Global climate change, local weather changes and the quest for the perfect portable gaming device

Was that a long enough title? Probably the longest you'll see. A couple of notes for you today. As the battle for the hearts and minds of the citizens of the world goes on, the latest salvo has been fired by Bob Ryan, on-air meteorologist at WRC in Washington DC.

Bob did a series of online reports that are outstanding. He's a scientist himself (he doesn't just play one on TV), and he walks you through the process of how to evaluate the information that's available, the difference between a "fact" and a "theory" (and the way that scientists, as opposed to the general public perceive those terms), and more. I was very impressed.

If you'd like to look for yourself, you can start your journey with a visit to http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitalweathergang/2009/03/bob_ryan_weighs_in_on_climate.html
an article by Washington Post blogger Andrew Freedman. You'll find links inside the article that will direct you to Bob's material. Definitely worth a look.

Thought #2...The changing weather in southern Colorado for the weekend of March 6,7 and 8, 2009. With moist air approaching from the southwest, and cold air racing in from the north, changes are definitely moving in. Colder? YES, Windy at times? YES, Heavy snow at times over the mountains (where your summer drinking water comes from)? YES, Snow on your yard? MAYBE. Many of us from El Paso county northward will see some rain and snow, but the best chance for being able to say "hey look, it's snowing" will reach from northern El Paso county to Wyoming (and, of course, over the mountains and foothills). Looks like it will be over by Sunday, though.

Now, on to that search for my own personal portable gaming device. I'm a researcher at heart, so I analyze all factors to the nth degree before laying down any cash. The contenders are...
1) Sony PSP
2) Nintendo DS Lite
3) ipod Touch

Besides hands-on testing, I'm able to solicit input from current owners of each device, hard-core techno geeks in all walks of life and my students at a local community college and a full University.

Here's where I am so far.

1) Sony PSP - superior graphics (and price), nice library of "shooters" (which is the genre I prefer for those few spare moments of leisure time), multimedia options, including movies, etc.
Analysis: A few great games, GREAT looking screen, unimpressive battery life, unprotected screen and pricy...fading in the running

2) Nintendo DS Lite. I know there's a new DS coming out in April (The DSi), but it seems that the real draw for this one is the enhanced multimedia suite, and that's not what I'm buying a portable for...I already have devices that will do that, so I continue to focus on the Lite, whose price will hopefully drop.
Analysis: Interesting touch-screen interface. Nice, bright colors, though not up to the standards of the PSP. HUGE library of games, some of which fill the bill for my leisure moments. (I was almost insulted when most of my students who suggested it as my best option did so because of all of the "train your brain" software, obviously worried that I'm racing toward total mental shutdown, and they just want me functional until final grades are in ). Reasonable price and wide availability. This one is in the lead right now.

But, wait...there's also...

3) The ipod touch. Suggested by one of my electronically aware co-workers at the TV station. Great screen, super music playback, fun interface, but not many games yet.
Analysis. I guess in the final analysis, I'm not ready to surrender to the Apple empire yet. I want those games NOW, and can always shift to whatever the current ipod is in a few years.

Looks like the odds-on favorite at the moment is the Nintendo.....now if the price drops dramatically when the new model comes out.........
I'll keep you posted.