Musings of a Circle City Boy

Map My Tracks Embed Test

2010-05-05T17:19:00.008-04:00

A test for Map My Tracks Cycling MapCycling 13.9km @ Marayong, Australiaabout 2 hours, 9 mins Permalink: http://www.mapmytracks.com/explore/track/43575

Filters for Families: Give clean water for Christmas to a family in Zambia

2009-12-10T20:24:00.004-05:00

Sometimes the problem isn't having access to water, but that the water they have is horribly contaminated and causes disease. This issue can be addressed in individual homes through the use of a Biosand filter, which eliminates up to 98% of disease-causing bacteria in the water. This technology allows dirty water to be filtered through a naturally forming biological layer, sand and gravel to

Jijue.org Launches New Site for JIJUE 1 Million Campaign for an HIV Free Generation

2009-02-14T09:15:00.004-05:00

I've been fortunate enough to be part of JIJUE, a project focused on encouraging 1 Million Kenyans to be tested and know their HIV status by 2010. I had the privilege of spending a day with these guys when I was in Kenya in early January.Here's an excerpt from their website:JIJUE 1 Million campaign is a movement of the Kenyan youth by themselves, for themselves, seeking to revolutionalize HIV

Starbucks: Bananas wanted

2008-11-07T11:34:00.003-05:00

Not sure what's up with the Starbucks gang but trying to snag a Vivanno has been rough of late -- 0-for-4 as a matter of fact in recent weeks. The culprit - banana shortage.Guess I didn't realize bananas were is such short supply or hard to come by, especially for a company who can field 5 or 6 kinds of hot chocolate.This is serious.

Liberty Letters Website Launches: American History Resources for Kids, Parents, Home-Schoolers, Teachers

2008-09-19T00:53:00.003-04:00

Many of you may have heard or seen the Liberty Letters books series before but they been reworked and republished into four new paperbacks. They also sport new titles: Adventures in Jamestown, Escape on the Underground Railroad, Secrets of Civil War Spies, and Attack at Pearl Harbor.On the back cover of the book is the address for a companion website for the series: http://www.libertyletters.com

A Culture of Respect Launches in NYC

2008-02-03T22:44:00.000-05:00

New York Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Def Poetry Jam Founder Danny Simmons(and brother of Def Jam/Phat Farm founder Russell Simmons) launched "A Culture of Respect" at an event last week in Brooklyn. The co-chairs of the movement signed an oversized pledge last Wednesday at W.E.B. DuBois High School in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn.Objectives of the school-based movement are

American Press Reacts to Murdoch's Takeover of Wall Street Journal

2007-08-01T21:46:00.000-04:00

The Independent (UK) offers an interesting summary of reactions in the American press to the sale of Wall Street Journal to Rupert Murdoch.In the piece, David Carr of the New York Times sums it up nicely: "...Note to other media moguls keeping track at home: Mr Murdoch just bought the scorecard..."

Diary on Darfur (World Politics Review)

2007-07-28T23:46:00.000-04:00

A firsthand 20-day account of life in and around Darfur is available on foreign policy daily World Politics Review written by Kurt Pelda the Africa Bureau Chief for the Swiss daily Neue Zürcher Zeitung.Here is an excerpt from Day 2's entry entitled "Day 2: The Harmattan and Angelina Jolie: Cinema-Ready Mass Murder?""...Just what a "Goodwill Ambassador" is -- and what purpose the whole media

Large Volume of User-Generated Content Creates Opportunity for New Sites

2007-07-22T00:33:00.000-04:00

The large volume of user-generated content created as the natural result of the Web 2.0 revolution provides a unique set of challenges and opportunities. Specifically, what will be the best model for aggregating large volumes of content - blogs, podcasts, videos, restaurant reviews, Facebook wall-to-walls, etc?Boxxet is one example of such an approach. Though initially launched as a solely

Virgin America May Give Low-Fare Airlines the 'Jet Blues'

2007-07-22T00:00:00.000-04:00

It's admittedly disappointing that I have to wait until fall before Virgin America starts flying out of DC. But if the fares can remain competitive with other coast-to-coast carriers, it may be worth the wait.Richard Branson is king of the customer experience and the new website promises quite the experience indeed:In-flight 110V power/USB/ethernetEntertainment system offering 3,000+ MP3s, TV,

Now you tell me!

2007-07-18T15:49:00.001-04:00

Back Blogging again once I sorted out the Blogger- no, wait Google -- I mean Blogger powered by Google account thing all squared away.

Ask for "Savage sauce" at Elevation Burger

2006-09-07T00:47:00.000-04:00

Much better than ketchup with fries...yet another great "secret menu" item at Elevation Burger.

Elevation Burger: Best Burgers in DC (REVIEW)

2006-08-17T00:40:00.000-04:00

ELEVATION BURGERMove over Five Guys, there's a better burger in the Washington DC area.Located in Falls Church on South Washington Street, Elevation Burger offers a tasty burger, good fries cooked in olive oil and thick milkshakes with yummy mix-ins like fresh strawberries and bananas. All served in a very non-burger joint atmosphere, think warm-colored walls with crisp white wainscoting.You can

Just when you thought things couldn't get sillier in commercial aviation

2006-07-17T23:07:00.000-04:00

Boeing says plastic 737s not far off"...Forget big metal birds of steel, the aircraft of the future will be constructed out of plastic...(composites). They are already used in items such as tennis rackets and bicycle spokes..."Makes sense to me -- not much of a leap from tennis rackets to a winged vehicle crammed with hundreds of people and flammable liquids...

Great colorful art by Christel Minotti

2006-07-17T22:52:00.000-04:00

Recently finished working with Finnish-born artist Christel Minotti to build a new website and online gallery. As a result of going through that process, I have to admit I am now a fan of her work. Her work ranges from still-life to landscape...I really like her Lemons with OrchidVisit Christel's online gallery or learn more here

Art inspired by those four colored sphere Google thingies...

2006-05-10T09:52:00.000-04:00

No joke. Those brightly colored four sphere gizmos are the inspiration for an art exhibition -- entitled G.Art -- which opens in Hamburg Germany on May 19. Are you feeling lucky?

International Fast Day for Malaria Press Release

2006-05-09T09:09:00.000-04:00

International Fast Day Against Malaria to be held on May 11, 2006.(PRLEAP.COM) New York – Today, with a great sense of urgency and desperation, the world leaders in the fight against malaria including, but not limited to, The Malaria Foundation, Africa Fighting Malaria, Dunk Malaria, The Free Africa Foundation, Hedge Funds vs. Malaria, The World Swim Against Malaria, the UN Foundation and Be the

Buy End Malaria Fast T-Shirts and Help Spread the Word

2006-05-03T23:50:00.000-04:00

Show your support by wearing the End Malaria FAST Black T!Get yours now!!!

Malaria Fast (IFAM) in Just Seven Days

2006-05-03T23:41:00.000-04:00

Thanks to the generosity of many family, friends and colleagues, I have exceeded my personal pledge goal for the International Fast Day Against Malaria (IFAM) on May 11, 2006.100% of the proceeds will go for protective mosquito bednets. Statistically, 20 long-lasting insecticide treated nets installed = one child’s life saved. (Source: World Swim for Malaria)Clearly, more must be done to improve

What is a Circle City Boy anyway?

2006-05-03T22:51:00.000-04:00

I spent my formative years in the "Circle City" of Dothan, Alabama and still happily consider it home though I haven't lived there for many years.Dothan is home to the National Peanut Festival, the World's Smallest City Block (according to the Guinness Book of World Records), Movie Gallery (the 2nd largest video rental chain) and of course Ross Clark Circle, one of the major highways in the