The 411 on Google
Monday, November 26, 2007
This is pretty cool.
Google will look up business phone numbers -- like 411 (but for free). Simply call in and speak your request. The number is 1-800-GOOG-411.
Of course, Google doesn’t stop at the basics. It will connect you to the number you request. Or, you can request more information be sent via text message. It will even send you a map showing the business' location.
www.google.com/goog411/index.html
Labels: biz, cool stuff, helpful, lifestyle, places, tech, video, web, web 2.0
posted by Michael Tavani @ 11:27 AM |
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Shift happens due to globalization
Thursday, October 04, 2007
These awesome facts on globalization were originally compiled by a high school teacher in Lilttleton, CO for a presentation that he was making to other teachers on teaching students for the 21st century. [via RW]
Want a sign that globalization is something we're not prepared for? The word "globalization" has a red squiggly line underneath it as I type this into Blogger, indicating it's misspelled. It's the only word on this page with one of those lines underneath it.
Read the back stories on the two videos (links above videos) before watching them.
Labels: cool stuff, helpful, lifestyle, lists, misc., places, trends, video, viral, web
posted by Michael Tavani @ 8:35 AM |
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Pizza by the slice, car style
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Walking around downtown Atlanta last weekend, I noticed Flexcar signs everywhere. I've seen the cars on the streets for a while, but didn't really understand the concept. It's actually a brilliant one.Flexcar is a Seattle-based company which has successfully introduced "car sharing" to L.A., Chicago, San Franciso, Atlanta and San Diego, winning numerous awards for reducing traffic and air pollution in those cities. [Wikipedia - Flexcar]
It works like this: You reserve a car using the phone or online, which displays car locations and availability, then simply walk to the vehicle, swipe a smartcard, and the car is yours. The whole thing costs $9/hour (plus a $40 annual membership fee), which covers insurance, unlimited mileage, 24/7 roadside assistance and gas. The company has charts of how much money you could save by using their service over a year. [Flexcar offers commuters an alternative]
Great concept and I honestly think that I'll think about doing it as it gets bigger in future years.
Labels: cool stuff, creative biz., green, lifestyle, places, trends, urban life
posted by Michael Tavani @ 11:57 AM |
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New York City's IAC building
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
The IAC (InteractiveActiveCorp - ask.com, TicketMaster, and match.com) Building, a 10-story twisted glass structure, in New York City's trendy Chelsea neighborhood is one of the coolest I've seen recently. It opened in March 2007 and was designed by famed architect Frank Gehry.As neat as the building is, the website for the building is equally as cool. It's one of the better websites I've browsed. I've spent a good 30 minutes checking out the different pictures, views, features and behind-the-scenes info on the building. And on top of that it has a pretty boss urban beat playing in the background. It's an all around pleasant and entertaining experience. [The IAC Building]
Labels: cool stuff, news, places
posted by Michael Tavani @ 8:25 PM |
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What city is best for you?
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
This is a pretty interesting and short questionnaire that locates the 5 best cities for you. [via RW]
Kiplinger's top 5 cities for you
posted by Michael Tavani @ 11:41 AM |
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Viva Las....
Thursday, June 21, 2007
I'm heading west to Vegas for the first time ever and instead of coming up with something witty and cliche-filled at 2:20 AM with my flight only 7 hours away, I'll leave it to ESPN Page 2 columnist Bill Simmons, who writes in his entertaining article We'll Always Have Vegas:
In many ways, Vegas has become the ultimate cliche, a swollen self-parody of itself, as exemplified by the "Whatever happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" campaign and all the overcrowded weekends. But it's still a Hall of Fame male bonding place. That's why we'll go next year, and the year after that, and the year after that ... and maybe we'll be sitting at the Saturday dinner in a few years talking about colonoscopies, mortgages and braces, but at least we'll be laughing and busting each other's chops like always.
Vegas, baby.
Vegas.
Labels: misc., personal, places
posted by Michael Tavani @ 2:18 AM |
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Google street view
Saturday, June 02, 2007
This is pretty awesome. Google's street view "allows you to quickly and easily view and navigate high-resolution, 360 degree street level images of various cities in the US." Very cool. [via RW]Labels: cool stuff, places, web 2.0
posted by Michael Tavani @ 11:30 AM |
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Google Earth
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
If you're like me and dig new technologies, urban areas and maps, you've got to download Google Earth 4. Read this review via the Orlando Sentinel downtown blog."Like many other satellite viewing programs, Google earth gives you stunning satellite pictures of virtually anywhere on earth. It's easy to type in an address and watch Google Earth instantly transport you there. But here's a great feature - using the sliding bar at the top, you can change the angle of the terrain so that you can view the surface at an angle.
3-D virtual tours
"Well, what good does that do? Aren't the satellite photos flat? Very true... but you can download 3-D images of buildings downtown - giving you a virtual 3-D tour of the city. After downloading Google Earth 4, go to the Google 3-D warehouse. Here you'll find many of the buildings modeled for downtown areas. Select one, and click on "View in Google Earth 4". You'll then be transported to that building's location."
Driving directions like nothing you've seen
I've always thought Google Maps is th best site to get driving directions. Well, Google Earth blows it away. When you type in a beginning and ending location, Google Earth actually flies you over a 3-D map of exactly what turns you're supposed to make. It's pretty badass. You should never get lost again. This software is totally addictive... be prepared to spend hours on this checking out different cities.
Labels: cool stuff, places
posted by Michael Tavani @ 10:24 AM |
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Best places for business & careers
Friday, April 06, 2007
"Best cities" lists come out all the time. I've posted them here before (top 10 wireless cities, alternative city rankings, best sports cities, best urban running trails, top 10 housing markets, top 10 city museums). Forbes just posted a new one - best places for business and careers. These cities tend to be on the smaller side, but nonetheless an interesting list. Personally, I'd put Charleston, SC on the list.Best Metros (for business & careers)
- Raleigh NC
- Provo UT
- Boise ID
- Des Moines IA
- Knoxville TN
- Albuquerque NM
- Durham NC
- Fayetteville AR
- Nashville TN
- Olympia WA
posted by Michael Tavani @ 12:25 AM |
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Holy Australia
Thursday, February 22, 2007
posted by Michael Tavani @ 10:30 PM |
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Swimmin' the Amazon
Saturday, January 27, 2007
I thought running 50 miles in 50 days in 50 states and pulling a Forrest Gump and running from New York to San Francisco was an amazing physical challenge.Well, here's an equally amazing physical challenge. On February 1, Martin Strel, a Guinness Book world record marathon swimmer, is attempting to swim the Amazon River - 3,375 miles in 70 days. This freakin ballsy. First off, he's 52 years old - by no means a young whipper snapper. In the MSNBC article, Daredevil plans Amazon swim, Strel acknowledges [the Amazon is] "home to some of the most poisonous and dangerous and ferocious animals, fish and insects... I’m going to swim that river or die trying. But dying is not my intention.”
The best part about it is that we'll be able to watch the expedition in real-time via live video streaming on Amazonswim.com. [via JB]
posted by Michael Tavani @ 5:07 PM |
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The nicest hotel in the world
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
The Burj al-Arab (in Arabic - "Tower of the Arabs") in Dubai is, in my opinion the coolest-looking hotel in the world. Type "Burj Al Arab" in Google Images to see some other amazing photos.
- It is the tallest building used exclusively as a hotel in the world.
- It has been marketed as the world's ony 7-star hotel.
- It stands on an artificial island out from Jumeirah beach, and is connected to the mainland by a private curving bridge.
- Suites range from $1,000 - $15,000/ night.
- Was featured in the Tom Clancy book, Splinter Cell: Checkmate.
- Even tours of the hotel are not free. It costs $50 "just to look inside" the hotel.
- Andre Agassi and Roger Federer have played a famous game of tennis on the hotel's helipad. Check the pictures here and below (I love the one of Agassi peeking over the edge). Tiger Woods has also teed up off the hotel's helipad.
- If you were wondering Dubai is the second largest city in the United Arab Emirates. [via ZH]
Labels: lifestyle, photos, places
posted by Michael Tavani @ 8:04 AM |
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Alternative city rankings
Monday, January 15, 2007
Lists are constantly coming out ranking cities as the best to live, best for singles, best for business, and the best for guys. However, I suggest two alternatives for ranking the best cities in the U.S.1) Uni Watch's most livable Uni cities // ranking the best cities in terms of athletic unis
2) Best towns/cities of the SEC (regarding co-eds) // this list was sent in by loyal reader RW with these comments:
It appears the SEC not only dominates other conferences in SPEED, but they also dominate them in the amount of hot bitches on campus. This man had the enviable task of going around to all campuses last season and rating them in regards to their hotties. My two favorite comments:
1) When discussing the amount of hotness at Ole Miss (a campus which should face sanctions from the UN for hoarding huge amounts of the world's hottie count in one area) he describes his wife's reaction as a "Massive eyeroll" which makes me wonder if he was hanging out with my wife that weekend UGA played Ole Miss in Oxford last year.
2) When describing fake breast the author writes: "if it's inside the skin then it isn't fake. I mean, you don't run around pointing to people with new hearts or new hips or new knees and talk about how those are fake hearts or fake knees or fake hips. They're just breasts, glorious, under-the-skin breasts."
My thoughts exactly - glorious, under-the-skin breasts.
posted by Michael Tavani @ 4:47 PM |
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12 Meals. 2 Hours. Simple.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
The Dinner A'Fare is a pretty creative concept. It's a studio kitchen where you have a two-hour session to assemble 12 family-sized entrees to take home and place in your freezer. They prepare all the food for you (slicing, dicing, shopping). You simply compile the ingredients the way you want.I like their concept of charging a lump sum for their service. By emphasizing that 12 meals can be made, people are willing to pay the $140 price. It's similar to the monthly membership barber shops that I've seen. Both ideas are also franchise concepts.
I've heard some people suggest that Starbucks would be more profitable if it charged a monthly membership fee for regular customers. Maybe it's just wishful thinking, because it'd definitely be a great deal for those daily customers shelling out $4/ day. [via MR]
Labels: creative biz., places
posted by Michael Tavani @ 1:03 PM |
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The best loft in San Francisco
Thursday, December 28, 2006
I'm a huge fan of loft living. Lofts are urban, creative, and usually a great re-use of existing, authentic buildings. This $1.2 million loft in San Francisco is 1,815 sq. ft. of freshly designed, urban living - located within the shadows of the Golden Gate Bridge. Check out these other Bay Area loft listings.Read this interetsing lofts fact sheet.
Labels: places, urban life
posted by Michael Tavani @ 1:37 AM |
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