Ellen's Blog: Living in the Golden State

Playing with Poppa

2011-07-02T11:11:00.001-07:00

What I've been working on at Google

2009-08-02T08:31:00.000-07:00

The Google Research blog posted information about App Inventor for Android, the project I've been working on and will teach with this fall. I'm very excited about the project and have been having a great time working on it.

The Return of the Electric Car

2009-05-21T07:06:00.000-07:00

I was quoted in a Salon article, Electric Cars are Coming! As most of you know, Keith and I leased two electric cars, both of which were taken away and crushed.

After Kozmo's bankruptcy after incurring my wrath and GM's near-bankruptcy, when are companies going to learn to listen to me?

Holidays

2009-01-04T17:19:00.001-08:00

Keith and I had a great time in Southern California celebrating Christmas and New Year's with all of our close family on Keith's side (and squeezing in more family by spending a night in Monterey). The above is a picture of an impressive present we received. A drawing (left) by our 7-year-old nephew was converted into a huge stuffed animal (left) larger than the nephew by Create Your Own Critter. Other presents were smaller but just as appreciated.

Jean Bartik visit to Google

2008-12-18T20:59:00.001-08:00

I had the honor of co-hosting one of the world's first programmers, Jean Bartik, at a visit to Google, written up in the Google blog. The above photo shows us at Google with my co-workers Jill Huchital and Robin Jeffries.

New York Times

2008-11-15T22:06:00.000-08:00

I was mentioned in an article in Sunday's New York Times: What Has Driven Women Out of Computer Science?

Ellen meets the mayor

2008-11-01T15:56:00.000-07:00

When I was volunteering at the No on Proposition 8 office today, San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom made an unannounced visit and gave an inspirational speech. For those of you who don't know, back in 2004, Gavin Newsom instructed City Hall to grant marriage permits to same-sex couples, based on his reading of the California Constitution, which the courts confirmed this year. On Election Day, California voters will decide whether to amend the Constitution. Keith and I have opposed such a change with our time and money.

I'd like to remind any readers who think civil marriage should mimic religious marriage that neither the Catholic Church nor Orthodox Judaism would permit me and Keith to marry. I am glad that religions have the freedom to discriminate but do not think that government should.

Keith on local news segment on solar panels

2008-07-26T20:29:00.000-07:00

Roving TV reporters saw our solar panels and interviewed Keith about them, showing the segment on tonight's KTVU local news. You can watch the video online. Let us know if you have trouble viewing it.

Looking good enough to eat

2008-06-24T20:56:00.000-07:00

My sister Debby and her assistant Paula created this fantastic facade for the Illinois Nut & Candy store. You can see more of their work at Signature Mural and Finish.

Andrea got boingdotted!

2008-06-08T18:20:00.001-07:00

A happy spoof of Google News that my sister Andrea created got deservedly featured at boingboing, one of the world's most popular blogs. Take a look!

I'm in Newsweek

2008-06-07T19:06:00.000-07:00

I'm mentioned and quoted in an article Revenge of the Nerdette in the June 16, 2008, issue of Newsweek.

More solar in the family

2008-05-29T21:50:00.000-07:00

Keith's sister Kathy had solar panels installed. I bet they'll get better relative energy production in sunny Southern California than we do in San Francisco!

I've seen a great t-shirt: "My energy comes from 93 million miles away. Where does yours come from?"

My new niece and nephew

2008-05-26T16:25:00.001-07:00

Our extended family recently grew by a purebred Havanese named Calvin, and a part-Labrador pound puppy, Molly.

Video about the difference Keith's work makes

2008-05-25T10:41:00.000-07:00

As you may know, Keith is the tech (engineering) lead of My Maps, the feature being highlighted. I am very proud of him. He worked very hard during the fires (and many other times).

Another blog post by Keith

2008-05-17T22:41:00.000-07:00

Keith's latest blog post: Love My Maps? Use its Line and Shape Editing in your API Apps!

Keith will be speaking about Google Maps at the upcoming Google I/O event in San Francisco.

Want more Ellen?

2008-04-26T22:21:00.001-07:00

Here are some feeds for information I post:

Beyond Satire
This blog
Interesting items I found and shared through Google Reader
My (brief) reviews of books I read through LibraryThing

Let me know if you have any questions.

Update: I created a single feed for all of the above.

Keith's latest Google LatLong blog post

2008-04-24T22:31:00.000-07:00

Google Maps in the news

Expanding Your Horizons workshop

2008-03-30T21:40:00.001-07:00

Ellen once again led a "Build a Computer" workshop at the annual Mills Expanding Your Horizons conference, with the help of a dozen volunteers from Google and Mills, including Keith.

See media coverage, including a picture of Ellen's arm.

Jeremy Golden's art show

2008-03-18T23:05:00.001-07:00

Keith and I are so proud of cousin Jeremy, whose art show is getting great reviews:

We just wish we could be there to see it (although we own one of the largest collection of Jeremy Golden originals).

I'm a cartoon character too!

2008-03-16T22:57:00.001-07:00

Following Keith, I'm in Monday's PCWeenies cartoon.

Keith's a cartoon character!

2008-03-15T18:49:00.001-07:00

For Keith's birthday (Pi day), he appeared in a a PC Weenies cartoon. Be sure to take a look.

Inspirational talk I gave

2008-03-05T23:27:00.001-08:00

I gave an unusual 5-minute introduction to a Google event. See my other blog for details and the video.

Google's Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day

2008-02-22T18:17:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I got to be part of Google's observation of Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, part of Engineers Week. There was some nice video coverage by:

MarketWatch

CNET

I particularly like near the end of the MarketWatch video when one enthusiastic girl says: "I think it's going to be a sudden change when we all start working in the workforces," and her friend adds: "Yeah, we're going to change the way people think."

Disneyland trip with Google

2008-02-10T18:07:00.001-08:00

Google takes its employees on an annual trip, and this year's trip was to the Disneyland resort. The parks (Disneyland and California Adventure) weren't crowded during the day (an off-season Tuesday), and Googlers had them to ourselves at night. One of Keith and my favorite rides was California Screamin'. Being able to enjoy Disneyland with Keith at Google expense with no lines made it one of the best days of my life.

The above picture was taken by Mike Wiacek and is posted with his permission. I don't know the name of the kind person who took the below pictures of me and Keith. I had just told Winnie the Pooh about one of my favorite cartoons.

Never one to pass up a straight line, when I saw a man getting a Mickey Mouse ice cream sandwich for his date, I warned her that he was trying to slip her a mickey.

There are more pictures of me and Keith on flickr, although they're restricted to friends and family. If you are in either (or both) of those groups but not a flickr contact and would like to be, send me your flickr username or let me know to invite you.

Okay

2007-10-30T20:19:00.000-07:00

In case you're concerned, Keith and I are fine after the earthquake that just occurred.