Google Maps

Google has a relatively new feature (still in Beta) called Goolge Maps. You can look up most places like where you live then click the satellite button and see a satellite image of the location. Here is the Effiel Tower. Try it out, it is kind of fun in a tech geek sort of way.

Microsoft and RSS

Big news today from Microsoft. At Gnomedex, a big tech conference in Seattle, they announced that their new operating system, Longhorn, will support RSS. This is huge for the future of RSS. Don't know what RSS is, you will in the near future if Microsoft has anything to say about it. Alex Barnett, a Microsoft employee, has a nice post on his blog that explains RSS and he even has a short screen-cast that shows you how to use FeedDemon, a popular news aggragator for PC users. This is exciting stuff.

Boulder, Colorado is in the news...again

Big shocker, my alma-mater college town, Boulder, Colorado leads the nation in marijuana use. I could have told you that. After living there for a few years while going to the University of Colorado, it was very evident the whole town seemed to be stoned. This does explain the cloud that lingered over the town. That is why I stuck to the Business school where they just drank a lot of martinis. Go BUFFS! or should I say PUFFS? (I couldn't resist)

Thanks Steve for the great advice

Steve Jobs, of Apple, gave a great motivational/inspirational commencement speech. His speech is long but I read the whole thing because it really touched me. Steve Jobs never graduated college but most notably started Apple and Pixar. He says:

"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life."

This struck me because starting my career it is hard to see where I will end up but I need to remember the dots will connect but I won't see that until I look back. I know I will be a part of great things but only God know what that will be. Steve's advice, "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." Good advice.

Post Source: Seth Godin

Paris Hilton's evil twin...an old, hairy, over weight man?

I couldn't resist posting this. Remember the controversial commercial Pari Hilton did for the Carls Jr. a little while back? Ok, some of you don't have any idea who Paris Hilton is (mom) or don't have any idea what commercial I am talking about. Well, then this won't mean much to you. For the rest of you this is a very funny clip making fun of the commercial. This is a great advertising idea for the recruiting company who made it.

Post source: Boing Boing

The new Teddy Ruxpin

It seems that my peers are beginning to have children (my cousin just had a beautiful baby boy on Sunday!) and the marketing people are capitalizing on this. Remember Teddy Ruxpin, the cute talking teddy bear? I do and he was great. Well, the toy maker is coming out with a new Teddy Ruxpin for today's youngsters. I am not surprised to find out "85 percent of adults who owned the toy as kids still recognize the brand." People who owned the toy as a child will likely buy one for their children because of the memories they had with the teddy bear.

In the new Teddy Ruxpin "MP3 cartridges have replaced his original cassette tapes, but Teddy Ruxpin's animatronic eyes and mouth will move in trademark fashion as he narrates a series of stories about the land of Grundo." Oh, the great memories from my childhood.

What a great idea. It seems that a lot of companies have had this same idea of using brands from the past and capitalizing on the brand recognition. Charles Angels, Dukes of Hazard, Brady Bunch the movie... any of those ring a bell from your childhood.

Shark Attack!

Anyone who knows me knows how deathly afraid of sharks I am. I know this is old news but there was a shark attack off the Jersey shore this weekend. Yikes! No swimming at the shore for me when I go visit my in-laws.

Ever heard of podcasting?

Ever heard of podcasting? Kevin (who I work with) explained podcasting this way:

Podcasting means recording an audio and playing it on your blog. Your blog readers, or in this case listeners, can listen at anytime by clicking on a link on your blog or download the file to their IPod or other MP3 player. The sound is usually excellent and as a listener there is not the buffering and re-buffering we experienced with early audio on the net.

Podcasting has been growing over the past few months and is really hitting main stream media. Yesterday Rush Limbaugh began offering a podcast of his radio show. California's Governor Arnold Schwartzenegger is now doing weekly podcasts. His site has a nice explanation of what podcasts are and how you can begin listening to them.

My guess is we will see podcasting continue to grow in main stream media in the coming months. This is fun to watch how technology is reshaping media.

Pictures

I have uploaded pictures from my wonderful birthday weekend. Click here, here, here and here to view my pictures. Enjoy!

Growing America

As American waistlines continue to grow the marketplace is adapting. Furniture companies who sell their tables and chairs to food establishments are making bigger chairs and bigger tables to accommodate the growing amount of growing Americans.

Hmm... let me get this strait. Companies are making bigger tables so we can fit more food on them. I wonder if some crazy person will someday sue the food companies for having bigger tables which in turn made them obese????

Lock your ice cream

Have you ever waited all day to get home and eat your Ben & Jerry's ice cream to find that you roommate/spouse/friend already ate it? Well I guess enough people have so Ben & Jerry's came up with a "Pint Lock" that allows you to lock your ice cream. This idea came from one of their customers. Interesting idea.

Can Darth Vador read your mind?

Some tech geek with too much time on his hands came up with this fun competition, The Sith Sense. This is basically just like 20 questions. I did it and he actually "read my mind". Try it and see if he can read yours.

By the way, this is another great business idea. It looks like Star Wars teamed up with Burger King to bring this game to life. This is a win, win for both companies. There is a very subtle incorporation. Basically, before Darth Vador guesses the "Burger King" whispers something in his ear then walks away and there is a link to BK.com at the bottom of the site. That's it. Cleaver.

Fabulous Weekend!

WOW! What a weekend. I don't even know where to start. The bad news from the weekend is I turned 24 on Saturday, sigh, getting older kinda sucks. It was a surprise what was planned for this three day weekend, but I found out.

It started Saturday morning, my birthday. I woke up and got a manicure and pedicure, which was awesome. Then I was taken on the Spirit of Washington dinner/lunch train. We took a beautiful train ride and ate lunch on the train. Then the train dropped us off at the Columbia Winery. We took a tour of the winery and did some wine tasting before we boarded the train to head back to the city. It was so beautiful and sunny in Seattle and a great day to take a train ride.

After the train ride we went to my aunt and uncle's house for a birthday bar-b-cue. I ate the famous Red Cake (I call it American Pretty Cake) and opened my birthday presents. I GOT AN IPOD and a Louie! along with many other great presents. I just couldn't believe it.

As I was getting ready to go home after my busy day I was told to "Pack your bags we are headed to Victoria, BC for the rest of the weekend." NO WAY! I just couldn't believe it. My mom and Jon conspired against me to plan out this awesome trip.

In Victoria we had afternoon tea at The Fairmont Empress, which was super fancy, went to Butchart Gardens, ate lots of great food and toured the city. We had such a great time in Victoria, but I am so tired from the busy weekend. Thanks to everyone who helped make my weekend awesome, especially my wonderful husband.

Any ideas for his upcoming birthday would be appreciated. :)

Happy Anniversary for Jon & I

How do you know someone loves you:

• When you run outside together he runs on the outside to protect you from cars
• He carries all the groceries in the house
• Voluntarily rubs your back every night before you go to bed
• Prays with you each night
• Will fight to protect you (a few times)
• Washes the dishes
• Goes shopping with you and helps
• Forgives you (a lot)
• Watches Desperate Housewives with you every Sunday
• Always scoops the cat poop

Thanks Jon for being the best husband in the whole world. It is an honor to be your wife. I wish I was as good of a writer as him so I could adequately express who much I love him. Here's to many more anniversaries.

Wedding Pictures

Since it is our wedding anniversary I figured I would publish a few awesome pictures from our wedding.

Another Wedding Picture

This picture was taken outside the church we got married in.

Words from a soldier

My friend is fighting in Afghanistan with the military. Here is the most recent letter he sent out. Enjoy!

Just some information that I would like to put out about what is really
going on over here. Just FYI, this information is coming from a
reliable source....Me, who actually see what is really happening

The Headlines the media didn't report but should have:

1) $10,000 in medical books donated to Afghanistan University in local
province by United States Army soldiers and Doctors

2) Two Mosques rebuilt with donated supplies, equipment,with the
help of American Soldiers and local nationals.

3) Over one-hundred Koreans donated to local mosques by American Soldiers

4) 8-year old Afghan girl MEDEVAC to US Army Hospital to repair foot
that was blown up after stepping on mine left by Taliban/Al Quaida (She
is recovering nicely and will be up on her feet within the next month,
because a United States Physician Assistant and a SF Medicgot to her
quickly, and got her to the hospital by Helo in record time)

5) Over 250 books, pens, paper and pencils given to Local Afghan boys
and girls for school that was built by American Soldiers and Local
Nationals (Kind of a thrill when they come running to the side of road,
both boys and girls waving their Text books as the go walk to school)

6) Over 750 Afghan Nationals treated at Special Forces Medical Clinic

7) Another Platoon of Afghan Security Force (ASF)graduated from
Special Forces trainingcamp and joins their company at their Border
Control Point (BCP) to protect their country against terroists.

8) Classes by American Soldier taught 3-days a week to Afghan soldiers
to improve reading and writing skills

9) 12 Terroist stopped by ASF as they try to infiltrate into
Afghanistan.

Not bad headlines that the media neglects to print...and oh by the way
this was a slow WEEK for accomplishments that your soldiers do on a
regular basis.

Just thought it was some information that you would want to read that
the media doesn't think is news worthy.

Thanks for fighting for out freedom. My thoughts and prayers are with the soldiers.

Star Wars was great

No surprise to anyone, Star Wars broke records at the box office this weekend. I was one of the millions who packed into a crowded movie theater to watch the final episode, actually the third episode of six if you want to be technical about it. I really enjoyed it. I think it did a great job of tying the six movies together. I actually felt bad for Darth Vador because he did what he did for love. It is crazy the things we do for those we love.

Blogs are coming from a galaxy far far away

StarWars.com now offers free blogs to its fan club members. Welcome to the blog world Star Wars. To learn move about Star Wars blogs click here.

Thanks to Steve Rubel for the post.

I love 24!

24 is the BEST show on TV. If you haven't watched it before go buy the first season on DVD, but be careful because it is as very addictive. We got the first two season on DVD for a wedding present (thank you cousin Eric) and seriously we didn't sleep for a week because we couldn't leave the TV. Sad, I know.

The premise of the show is that each episode is shot in real time, so an hour long show is actually an hour on the show. A full season is 24 episodes i.e. 24 hours or 1 day. The strange thing is you never see anyone go to the bathroom. Hmmm....

Jack Bauer (Keifer Sutherland, the main character) is my hero. Jon and I religiously watch it every Monday. We are way to busy to usually to watch TV but we work our schedule so we are home in time to watch it. I need to get TiVo.