As Apple's iPad is poised to become a future mainstay and fixture at colleges and universities, the one monkey on Apple's back has been its own labor policies and practices.

United States colleges and universities have long been a driving force for fair labor around the world.

Apparel and merchandise licensed for sale by universities are almost all required to be a member of the Fair Labor Association (FLA) or otherwise commit to and insure certain labor conditions for workers.

While Google boasted most of 2011 that Android outpaced Apple's iPhone in phone activations, my beyond-the-bubble observations reveal something more telling and ultimately more important.

The average person does not like Android phones.

Most of my Facebook Friends are not techie types but have been transitioning over to smartphones, often times their first.

Out of maybe not quite a dozen such transitions, I've observed, not a single one that tried an Android phone liked it AND all those that did go to Android, within a month, went to the iPhone and subsequently loved it.

It was a spectacular fall for driving the Volvos.

“To get the full value of joy you must have someone to divide it with.”

- Mark Twain

I would never consider myself an Apple Fanboy nor would I consider Steve Jobs a saint, however, when one passes from this world there is the full measure of a man or woman and his or her life and there is the measure of their relationship to you and the impact on your life.

My acceptance and use of Apple products has always come with a reluctance born of my innate revulsion to elitism and flash (odd pun and irony not intended). But in the end where Apple product superiority was quantitative and tangible I was forced to acknowledge it and accept it practically.

I've been enjoying the weather
Riding through the Fall with the windows down
The engine humming

Thank you

"Almost everything--all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure--these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart."

- Steve Jobs