Archive for May, 2008
links for 2008-05-23
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A new wiki player in the game?
Some Google Tidbits
I use a few of Google’s services for more than just simple searches, and I’m willing to bet you do, too. Here are a few things coming out of Mountain View:
- I’m a day late running this, but they just announced the winner of their k-12 contest to design the Google logo. The one you see pictured here was created by Grace Moon, a 6th grade student from Castro Valley, California. Nice work, Grace!
- Google Sites is now open to everyone. I have to admit, I don’t use Google Sites as I have my own WordPress install, but apparently it teams with Google Gears and comes with some slick features. I may have to give it a test drive later this summer when I have a little free time.
- Print layout is now available in Google Docs. This is probably the most significant story here for me. As much as I’ve really been impressed with Google Docs, the one thing that has me not using it on a consistent basis is the difficulty with viewing what the online document will look like in print form. Web media, in general, looks vastly different on the screen than it does on the printer. I used GDocs to design a flier for an education forum I put together last year, and I got it to look fine, but it took more work than it should have. I look forward to putting this new feature to use on some upcoming projects.
- New GMail features, including the ability to set basic HTML as your default GMail view, rather than the AJAX-based view that tends to hang up on slower connections. I use Thunderbird to sync to my GMail account, so this is less important for me. However, it’s nice to know it’s there for those occasions when I’m on a slower line.
Technorati Tags: Google, GMail, Google Docs,
Top Ten Movie List
Thanks to Rich for tagging me on this one. Here goes:
The rules of this particular meme are: 1. List your top ten favorite films (in no particular order). 2. If you are tagged, you have to post and tag 3-5 people. 3. Link back to the one who tagged you. 4. Tip the hat to Dan.
In no particular order, here are my top ten movies of all time:
- The Shawshank Redemption–Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins at their best.
- Dances With Wolves–The stunning scenery was second only to the spot-on cultural portrayals in this one.
- The Matrix–The technology is starting to look a little dated, and this thing still gets parodied quite a bit, but man this is a mind-boggling flick.
- Akeelah and the Bee–This should be on every educator’s top ten list.
- Lord of the Rings Trilogy–You really can’t mention one here without mentioning all three. I’ve wondered sometimes what it would be like to sit and watch all nine hours of this thing in one setting.
- The Apostle–Not too proud to admit it: I probably wouldn’t have put this movie on here unless I’d seen it first on Rich’s list. Robert Duvall nails the part of the beleaguered, pushed-over-the-edge southern preacher man. Both justice and redemption in the end.
- The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe/Prince Caspian–I read this book series probably 20 times or more when I was growing up. And a few more times as an adult, too. Can’t wait for Dawn Treader in 2010. I believe that comparisons to the LOTR trilogy are unfair, despite the kinship of their respective authors.
- This Is Spinal Tap–There’s an obnoxious, immature 16 year old boy in me that has to see this movie once ever couple of years or so. Completely irreverent and totally off the wall. Just make sure yours is turned all the way to 11.
- A Christmas Carol (George C. Scott version)–Gotta see this one at least a couple of times every Christmas. And maybe once in the in-between season, too.
- Dead Man Walking–Redemption seems to be a theme on this list. Sean Penn and Susan Sarandon in this one.
Ok, now who to tag? How about John, Bryan, Stephen, Joshua, and Marissa.
Get Yourself to Oregon
Gas is closing in on $4 a gallon, so you’d better make each drop count. That means enjoying some scenery along the way. Dark Roasted Blend has listed two roads in Oregon in part 1 of their series, Most Beautiful Roads of the World. One of them, down the Columbia River Gorge, I travel on a fairly regular basis. When I have time, I get out, take some pictures, and just enjoy the place where I live. Even DRB admits:
Oregon is a state that has everything California and Washington states have - ocean, rainforests, mountains and flower displays - but feels somehow cozier and more user-friendly, perhaps due to the more laid-back attitude of those who live there.
Where is it worth $4 a gallon for you to drive to?
Technorati Tags: Oregon, driving, gasoline, Dark Roasted Blend, Columbia River, Pacific Northwest
