Donate Facebook status to honor a fallen veteran
When most kids think that Memorial Day is just the day the pools open, its time to get in touch with reality. The White House Commission on Remembrance has joined forces with Facebook to debut a Memorial Day campaign to remember the more than 2 million American soliders who have died in service.
The app goes live on Memorial Day and users can push a button to pay tribute to a soldier selected randomly from a database or honor a loved one by inserting specific information to create their status.
The status will read: “For Memorial Day, I would like to honor (name) who died for our freedom in the (war name). Join me in remembering all our heroes and let us live honoring our fallen every day. Click below to honor a hero in your status and join me, wherever you are at 3 p.m. to pause for the National Moment of Remembrance in this act of national unity.”
To see all the names visit www.remember.gov
Facebook projects that the app could reach 5 million users, accodring to its developer. I sincerely hope it is more!
Found via MSNBC
Put Your Peeps in Pics
National Geographic Traveler Magazine is holding a fun “Peeps in Places” photo contest in time for Peep season (also known as Easter).
If you are taking a trip far and wide, take along a package of marshmallowy Peep rabbits or chicks. Photograph the candies in creative places along the journey and submit your photos to National Geographic.com
You can view last year’s gallery here.
So what are they looking for?
“We want to know what it felt like to be there,” says Dan Westergren, Senior Photo Editor at National Geographic Traveler. “And we want to be able to tell by looking at the photograph that the Peep had a good time.”
Get snapping!
Found via Geek Dad
Photo via National Geographic: Photo: Peeps peer through the viewfinder at the Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. By John Frazier, contributor to last year’s Peeps in Places favorites gallery.
New Year’s Eve Ball Drop powered by you!
Maybe not you, exactly, but the Times Square New Year’s Eve ball drop will be powered in part by energy generated by individuals and stored in a Duracell battery for the big moment.
Since November 23, Duracell has hosted the Duracell Smart Power Lab in Times Square. Pedalers have been generating 32,000 watt hours to power the numbers 2010 that light up when the traditional large ball is lowered on December 31st each year. There are six Duracell Power Rovers to contribute to almost 1,000 pedalling hours to power the numerals. They have been ridden by tourists, locals and celebrities over the past few weeks to generate the power which is transferred to a battery to store the energy for the big night.
Visitors to the Smart Power Lab can also explore Duracell’s future energy ideas and power up their mobile devices.
My New Year’s Tech Resolution #1
I have a problem. I cannot control my email inbox. It rages out of control. I read every email, but I am horrible about deleting so the number grows and grows and grow (over 1,000). To make matters worse, one of the accounts also updates to my second computer, compounding the issue.
So, here at the start of the new year, I am making a resolution. I am going to delete unnecessary emails and sort those that I do need to keep up with.
To make this easier, I have a few action steps:
1) Review my email newsletters/ auto emails. Perhaps like me you signed up for savings or updates from a company that you have no intention of every buying from again. UNSUBSCRIBE! I did this for 4 senders today. I feel lighter already.
2) Delete. Delete. Delete. Each time you sit down at the email in-box. Spend a few minutes deleting unwanted emails. You don’t have to do it in a marathon session. Just a few at the time.
3) Use rules. Most email programs have a rule function that lets you auto-direct various emails into pre-determined folders, etc. If this is helpful for you, use it.
4) Consolidate emails. At this point I have 4 different emails. I’m seriously considering moving these to one online so I have it wherever I am. I like having a “junk” one though for Internet sign-up purposes so maybe I can whittle down to two.
So what is your new year’s tech resolution? How do you handle your email?
Santa’s sleigh gets a high-tech makeover
The geniuses over at GE have decided to spiff up Santa’s sleigh with a few high-tech improvements.
Building on technology they have developed the scientists and engineers offered up these ideas:
- A new frame for the sleigh made from GE’s specialized carbon fiber composite materials that are lighter and stronger to speed travel from house to house.
- Ultra-light, super durable blades made from ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) instead of metal to enable more efficient flight and cut down on rooftop “clatter.”
- Icephobic coatings sprayed on the exterior of the sleigh to prevent ice buildup while traveling through new fallen snow.
- Self-powered OLED lighting in the front of the sleigh color tuned to red to supplement Rudolph’s red nose and increase visibility for Santa on a foggy Christmas Eve.
- GE sodium batteries on board that store energy to provide supplemental power for the sleigh and offer Santa’s reindeer well-deserved breaks on their long journey around the world.
- GE’s Trip Optimizer technology on the sleigh’s dashboard to optimize Santa’s travel around the globe.
- GE’s Asset Intelligence tracking technology for Santa’s elves at the North Pole to track Santa’s whereabouts and the condition of his inventory (the gifts) at all times.
- 500 GB holographic disc to replace the miles-long list filled with the children’s Christmas wishes.
- A wireless medical sensor to monitor Santa’s breathing and make sure he is his jolly old self.
- Wearable RFID sensor worn on his red suit to check that those last glasses of milk left out all evening haven’t spoiled.
Black Friday ads leaking out
The much-hyped “biggest shopping day” of the year is just around the corner. I’m not usually a go-out-at-midnight shopper, but I might find something to tempt me this year.
The ads for big retailers are starting to leak out and tech deals are at the top of the list. If you are shopping for some new gear this year (like HDTVs, cameras, netbooks, computers, and more) check out these deals and plot your plan of attack.
And of course, don’t forget Cyber Monday.
Pinx! to track prices for online gifts
Christmas is coming, and I have started my kids’ wish lists over at Kaboodle.
This year I am taking it one step further with registering the prices for items I want with PricePinx!, an online price-watching service.
It’s free, and they do all the time-consuming work. No need to keep checking multiple web sites daily to see if prices have dropped. Just Pinx! them and then you get an email when the price drops or when it reaches a pre-determined price.
You just have to sign-up for a free account and then add the Pinx! tool to your bookmarks. When you find an item you want to watch, simply highlight the item’s price from the product description page and then click the Pinx bookmark. The site will track your item and send you email updates with price notifications.
A penny saved is a penny earned. Let PricePinx! help you save them!
A Virtual Birthday Party
A new Wii game gives parents a “birthday party in a box” with the Birthday Party Bash from 2K. The program includes themed games, invitation and special offers from Duncan Hines Party City and Evite.
According to the company’s release:”In Birthday Party Bash, up to 12 party goers can whack, roll, splash, pop, scribble, climb, jump, and shimmy their way through more than 20 birthday games, including Piñata Blast, Duncan Hines Cake Stacker, Pin the Tail, Hot Potato and Birthday Blowout. The birthday boy or girl can also choose from ten party theme rooms to set the scene for an unforgettable bash, from “Pirates,” complete with sword and treasure chest, to “Princess,” with a royal castle, a fancy crown, and unicorn. When it’s time to break for cake, a lively rendition of the traditional “Happy Birthday” song will play for everyone to sing along in karaoke-style, with a virtual cake on screen.”
OK–I know birthday parties can be hard to plan, but I’m not sure about taking them virtual. What’s next? You can just hold them in SecondLife and no one actually has to leave their houses to attend.
At least with the Wii format, the kids may actually be physically active with more than just their thumbs, but at least chip in for some actual decorations and a cake, mom.
The program retails for $39.99 and includes 12 ready-to-mail invites, customized Evites, a guide to party planning, and coupons for Duncan Hines mixes and Party City.
Just be sure to have several Wii remotes or the party’s over.
Just in time for Memorial Day weekend
GeekSugar has a rundown on some interesting gadgets for the beach like waterproof cameras, flash drives and speakers. There is also a set of sunglasses from Oakley with built in mp3 player.
I think my favorite thought is this cooler bag from Pottery Barn with built-in speakers. Perfect for some poolside tunes or beachfront book reading. The bag runs $79 and runs on 4 AA batteries.
Deck the Halls
It’s almost Christmas and the holiday season is in full swing. Gingerbread houses are a winter holiday tradition. But just as toy fads and fashion change, so too has the art of gingerbread architecture changed.
This year it’s not just about gum drops and snow covered roofs, but motherboards and Star Wars. In this new age of gingerbread anything’s possible, even a gingerbread man with LED eyes. From star destroyers, to laptops, to mansions with working lights, gingerbread isn’t just a kids activity anymore.
