Googol Talk is Live!

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Google Talk

Update:
My initial reaction to Google Talk is one of disappointment. I had heard that google was coming out with an IM and I was hoping it would be something really unique. I have two innovative ideas that if implemented would encourage me to add another IM to my desktop:

Innovation 1: An automatic translator that would allow me to communicate across language boundaries.

Innovation 2: Integrate the photo/webpage/video similar to Hello (which google already owns!).

Without one of those two innovations, I'm not seeing how this IM is any better than the three (Hello, AIM, Skype) I'm already running on my computer.

A9 Mapping

Amazon's new mapping service is pretty darn powerful! For a traffic engineer's perspective it is pretty darn useful to have a resource to see what field conditions are like without needing to actually go into the field! Thank you Amazon!

Amazon has a bunch of other cities in addition to Seattle!

Disappointment Travels Fast Across Seattle

It's sad when even the optimistic local politicians are discouraged. The Stranger asks: "When you look at the current political gridlock on transportation, how do you feel?"

And Ed Murray's response:
"I have to say I am extremely disappointed. I thought we had changed transportation as we knew it, to paraphrase Bill Clinton... I am one legislator. I am very much of an activist legislator, but I can only do so much and I am very disappointed."

google maps ad...

For an amusing 30 seconds, check out this spoof ad for google maps.

Abusing Traffic Signals

From Wired News, we get Traffic Hackers Hit Red Light

"The Safe Intersections Act, part of the transit bill signed Wednesday by President Bush, makes it a misdemeanor for unauthorized users to wield a "traffic signal pre-emption transmitter," a special remote control used by police, firefighters and ambulance drivers to change traffic lights to green as they approach an intersection."

Does this seem like overkill to anyone else?

If the cities are going to design a system that gives pre-emption to a device that costs less than $20 for someone to build, then they are the ones who should be getting fined! The easy solution? Design a simple security step into the process so that a generic signal pre-emption transmitters will not work. By the way, I happen to know that many cities have designed security systems into their pre-emption that stops this type of abuse, so my solution is not very far fetched.

Terrorist Scare at the City of Seattle

It is a little disheartening to be in a meeting at the City of Seattle skyscraper and hear over the load speaker:

"Due to heightened security, only the main entrance to the building is open. All other entrances and exits have been closed."

(That was not the exact wording, but that is definitely the gist of what was said). I doubt that I was the only one in the building who had a chill run through them after hearing this message.

Anyway, it turns out the scare was just because some nut left a box and a fire extinguisher at the security desk, but that is not what I imagined as I tried to concentrate through our meeting (up on the 39th floor).

iPod Mini Tips and Tricks

Seeing as how EVERYONE in my company just got an iPod mini, I thought I would pass along some tips and tricks that I've learned (during my first two days of ownership).

For basic how-to type info, check out Apple's ipod site where they will teach you things like:

• The basics
• Transferring your music to your iPod
• Playing songs
• Working with playlists on your iPod

Here are some of my own tips:

1. Download and use iTunes. It's free and you simply need this music player to take full advantage of your iPod.
2. Control the volume by rotating softly cycling around the white sphere. This is an awesome user interface trick, but not necessarily intuitive... Note that you simply MUST figure out this cycle trick because it is also how you cycle through songs and other options. If this still seems mysterious, then ask someone until you figure it out!
   
3. Turn off your iPod by simply pausing the music. After a minute or two the iPod will shut itself off. UPDATE: Thanks to a verbal tip I found out you can also turn off the iPod off by holding down the pause button!
4. You power it up by simply leaving it plugged into your computer.
   
5. Where do you get music? (1) Find someone with a collection of digital music that you like and borrow!!! (2) "Burn" your favorite CDs to your iPod through iTunes. (To do this, simply insert a CD in your computer, open up iTunes and hit the "import" button.) (3) Purchase the music from iTunes at 99 cents a song. (Hint: There is probably someone in your office with a huge stash of mp3 files on their computer. If you don't know who that is, ask me, and I'll hook you up with an appropriate person!)
6. Podcasts are kind of like a radio show you can carry with you and listen at your leisure. Most shows have a pretty amateur feel to them, although some shows are well put together and have a feel closer to NPR. One of the reasons you needs iTunes is that it lets you browse for podcasts that interest you and then lets you subscribe to them. After subscribing, the program will automatically sync the most recent podcasts to your iPod every time you plug your iPod into your computer. It is shockingly simple to keep up-to-date on your favorite programs.
   
7. I hear that the iPods can get scratched up pretty easily, so consider getting a case if you are going to use it a lot

By the way, if you have some other tips you'd like to share (or you have some questions), list them below in the comments.

AND now for the fun part... My first podcast (but don't expect to learn too much because I'm just reiterating what's written above):

• Podcast: iPod Mini Tips and Tricks
  

Main Engines on orbit taken from the International Space Station

Main Engines on orbit iss
Originally uploaded by tyrsdomain.

I just was sent this photo of the shace shuttle from the view of the international space station via email! It such a great photo, I thought I'd share it with the world.

I’m fascinated by the fact that you can see the earth below… (Part of me wishes I was on the space station to take the photo, but for the most part, I'm glad I'm not relying on that shuttle to get me home!)