Why I Oughta...

After the devastating storm that destroyed our pear tree, I figured the tree would just die.  After all, it snapped in half .   I took a peek at the tree yesterday and was pretty surprised by the growth that had taken over - right where the trunk snapped. The bamboo pole in the middle of the shot is where the snap happened.  You can see the trunk (dark brown) right next to it.  Perhaps we'll have pears next year after all!

Pretty great video demonstrating the power of Google Instant.  As told by (at least one co-worker) the connection to Bob Dylan "going electric" wasn't lost on our creative folks.  Nice! Pretty great to have a place like Google continuing to push what the world is doing in tech and culture.

With all the buzz going around about what Google Translate thinks "Lady Ga Ga" translates from Malay to any other language , I thought it was time to unveil the new Google Search secret.   No...it isn't Google Instant.   That's soooo this morning's news.  This is way more important - and pretty stinkin' cute. Thanks to one of Nat's friends, the Babe is sporting some new threads!  (note the "I'm Feeling Silly" button!)

For the second straight year, I missed my Fantasy draft.  Thankfully, Equation Boy/Man was there to draft my squad alongside his own.  Unlike last year, I provided some guidelines/recommendations based on a cursory search of the internets and a few IM's with two guys who I believe are die-hard fantasy guys. Hard to tell at this point what I have team-wise, but at least I'll have something to keep me interested in the NFL- what with the Bears probably going 5-11 this fall. QB - Drew Brees RB - Cedric Benson RB/WR - Santana Moss RB/WR - Ronnie Brown WR- Jeremy Maclin WR- Chad Ochocinco TE - Jermichale Finley D - Colts K- Robbie Gould Bench RB - Marion Barber WR - Jacoby Jones WR - Dexter McCluster WR - Eddie Royal QB - Sam Bradford WR - Brandon Tate TE - Tony Scheffler

I placed my first story in the New York Times over the weekend and it ran in this morning's print edition.  B4, to be precise.  The story covered the online frenzy of bed bugs and how a few advertisers have been able to capitalize on the trend and convert an interested audience into customers. I have helped on stories that ran there before and contributed to pieces, but this was the first time at work where I ran with a story from concept to pitch to interview to fact-check all the way to print.  Hopefully it won't be my last.

I play the "Little Piggie" game with the Babe.  You know the one.  Our's goes: This little piggie went to the market, This little piggie stayed home. This little piggie had roast beef, This little piggie had none. And....this little piggie went wah-wah-wah-wah-wah all the way home. Turns out...I was saying it wrong.  As pointed out to me by Nat, in Geico's hilarious new commercial, the company points out that the piggie says "weeeee", not "wah".  Still not sure I'm going to change my version.

We've been back from our vacation in Charleston for a few weeks.  We did a bit of sight-seeing along with plenty of time at the pool/beach.  We ended up doing a short tour of the city and a tour of a plantation.  Came away with at least three new pieces of info that I thought I should share. 1.  Pirates wear one gold earring because that was the cost of a funeral.  Apparently, pirates feared NOT being buried, so if they were wearing the earring and someone found them dead, the hope was that they'd sell the gold and stick them in the ground. 2.  The reason streets are paved with cobblestones?  They came over on ships from England as ballast.  Ships came over empty - but for the cobbles - and the british dumped them here when they arrived.  Filling up on cotton and other American goods for the their return trip. 3.  The roots of the Virginia Live Oak grow "together", when there is at least two of them standing next to each other.  This makes them just about hurrican

This morning I was at our local Starbucks picking Nat up a beverage when I spotted this record at the check-out counter. I really had to think hard to convince myself not to buy it.  I haven't bought a record in a long time, so this thing must have really spoken to me.  It is just a silly compilation they've titled " Let's Go ", but is packaged really cute and the point-of-purchase location was tempting.  I know some of you guys have bought this.  What do you think?  I really can't remember the last time I bought a record, so I'm not sure I can be convinced to go get it.

Please don't embarrass me, Illini.  I'm saying 6 wins and a ratty bowl game.  Optimistic?  Sure is, but how else would you expect a fan to enter the season? Big Ten football kicks off tonight with Indiana facing Towson tonight on the Big Ten Network.  I'm giddy to welcome the college football season to our lives.

Still neck and neck with Governor Pat Quinn and Senator Bill Brady in the Google Insights for Search unscientific poll.  Based purely on "interest" of searches on Google.com across the state, the race is a dead heat.  Other, official polls show Brady with as much as a 10 point lead.  I'll keep track of this right up until election day.  If you are looking for the inside scoop and not this drivel, might I suggest reading CapFax ?