The L Prize

I think everyone has probably heard of the X Prize (or, more specifically, the Ansari X Prize) which awarded $10 million to the first group which could build and launch a reusable manned spacecraft twice within two weeks. That led to the SpaceShipOne and Virgin Intergalactic, whose main base, I am proud to note, is in my home state of Nuevo Mexico! After its success, many more X Prizes were announced, including the Google Lunar X Prize for the first private group to send a robot to the moon and have it send back images.

Now, in the spirit of building a better mousetrap, the government has jumped on the prize bandwagon with the "L Prize" to make a more efficient lightbulb! Check it out... I think it's a fantastic idea (dare I say, a bright idea??) Think of the energy and money savings! It's awesome. Phillips has an entry, I wonder who will be next?

'Tis the Season

...to give away free WiFi, if you're Google! Check out this article today about Google's intentions to give away free WiFi to travelers in airports across the country this Christmas season.

"How kind!", you may be saying. Maybe Santa Claus joined their board!

Call me cynical, but I think they've got some legitimate business interest in the free WiFi offer. I'm wondering if they're testing to see to what extent the money gained through increased use of Google by travelers (and therefore more advertisement revenues) will offset the outlay for providing the free connectivity. Perhaps they'd just like to analyze the Internet usage patterns of road warriors as well.

I'm hoping that (1) this is Google's purpose, or something like unto it, and (2) that it is a wild success for traveler and Google alike. Suppose it was actually profitable for Google to offer the free WiFi! Maybe they'd roll it out on a wider, more permanent basis. That'd be a win for everyone.

Hey, I can dream, right?

A Duty of the Body Politick

I am reporting for jury duty today at the New York Supreme Court here
in Manhattan. Below you can see the shot I snapped of the courthouse.
Quite an impressive structure! The quote on the facade reads, "True
administration of justice is the firmest pillar of good government."
As of yet all I've had to do is fill out a questionnaire and wait.
Supposedly there's free WiFi in here so if I can I'll update this post
throughout the day!

The Greatest Gainer

It's been slow in the making, but it's arrived: Russell and I have launched our blog about our friendly contest to see who can gain 10 lbs. of muscle first! The game is ON! Check it out:

The Greatest Gainer blog

Props to Russ for the awesome logo... Maybe this will be the next reality TV show craze!

Found at the Bookstore

I thought it funny that these two books were next to each other at
Borders...

Your Tax Dollars At Work

A light burned out--literally--here at work and some wires got singed.
This being Greenwich, CT, there was an overkill response. It's just
kind of funny to me because our office is just off Putnam, a busy
street in Greenwich and I must hear fire trucks go by a half dozen
times a day. I guess that gives me a pretty good idea of how many cats
get stuck in trees around this town!