Google to Introduce Streetview Advertising.

Most people loathe advertising, and generally with good reason. It's annoying, time-consuming, distracting and frankly a major deterrent to most forms of media. However, you have to admit Google's recent patent to advertise using streetview is just damn brilliant.

According to a new patent that was just granted to Google, the company could soon extend the reach of its advertising program in Google Maps to Street View. This patent, which was originally filed on July 7, 2008, describes a new system for promoting ads in online mapping applications. In this patent, Google describes how it plans to identify buildings, posters, signs and billboards in these images and give advertisers the ability to replace these images with more up-to-date ads. In addition, Google also seems to plan an advertising auction for unclaimed properties.

In Google's example, the software could identify the marquis and individual window posters on a theater property and replace them with new information. Through this, a theater could promote a new play in Street View, even if the actual Street View image is completely out of date.The patent describes a two-step process for identifying potential advertising real estate in these images. Google's software first identifies interest points in the image (e.g. the edges or corners of an object) and then generates features around these interest points. Google can then augment this region of the image with a link or replace a part of the current Street View image with a new image.

It's genius. Sure, advertising is still annoying, but if done correctly this could be a milestone in how marketers convey products to their customers. Think about the future generations of this--will movies that show Coke cans or other subtle branding be able to manipulate this as the years go by? Will TV shows be able to change their characters clothing to reflect current trends? Whatever the outcome, Google continues to lead the forefront in technology and innovation, and its a trend that seems to have no end in sight.

I Broke Down...

...and finally gave into technology. Say hello to my new cell phone, Sylvia, the Google Phone Nexus One.



I just hope I don't lose this...I have a bad habit of losing EVERYTHING....

Oh, and it arrives tomorrow. One more day of using a retro cell phone!

Scary Mary--Trailer.

It's like 3 years old, but I still love it.

"Unnecessary" Quotations.

I "love" the "blog" of "unnecessary" quotations. It just makes me laugh. It also makes me realize how huge of a dork I am!



Yeah, that one girl...the one who slipped and broke her face...yeah, she doesn't count. "ZERO" Accidents!

I've Finally Figured it Out.

Yes, it's 3:33 am. No, I haven't been drinking. Sorry. No drunk blog posts today! :-P

It's no secret that I want to leave Ohio. One visit to this site and you'll know that I am indubitably obsessed with Minneapolis. To friends I have lamented that in lieu of my disdain towards Ohio I wish I could make myself enjoy it here. I've even asked for suggestions from many different people on how to like Ohio better, all whom had no idea how to help. However, I think I've figured it out.

I was reading an article today about a successful marketer. When asked what his greatest mistake was, he said that he wished he had fully experienced some of his earlier jobs instead of focusing all of his efforts towards a promotion. He said that many of the mistakes he made as a manager could have been avoided if he had spent more time learning as a regular associate, instead of making that big promotion his every yearning goal and purpose.

Here in Columbus, I am working towards that promotion. Every day I slash a number off my countdown to the day I leave Ohio, which has been going since it was in the 700-days number. I focus hard on school, but I'm only doing it so that I can prepare myself for Minnesota and for grad school. Essentially I am doing exactly what this marketer did; instead of maximizing my time here in Ohio, I only have the end in mind. It's like a race and I'm focused solely on mile 25, not caring about the first 24 that I need to go through to get there.

Clearly this isn't a revelation; I think anyone with a brain knows that focusing on the end goal while forgoing the steps to get there isn't a winning strategy. But, that's how I have been operating for basically the past two years. Reading this article made me realize that Minneapolis is the promotion I want, but I currently do not have the skills to maintain that job. I need one more year (385 days) to get those skills. So instead of whining and complaining that "Oh, I wish I lived in a real city", my new outlook is that I am simply not ready for that real city. I am not good enough. I do not have the skills, but I'm on my way there. And when March 21st, 2010 comes along, I'll finally the get the promotion I've worked for (then) 4 years for.

It's funny how perspective really changes everything. Someone I admire once said to me, "Perception is reality", and I've always liked that. (Philosophically speaking this is entirely wrong, but it's true to a certain degree of one's outlook on things). By this new perspective, the "I'm not ready" perspective, I really think I can do the next year.

Finally.

Welcome, Columbus Commons.

Take a guess what this is...



The final phase of Columbus Commons, the plan that replaces the currently dead City Center! Downtown Columbus has all the news you need. The following image is of the first phase, scheduled to be finished in 2010 and cost between $15 -$20 million.

A Note On the Weather.

To all you sissies complaining about how cold 10 below is (-25 this morning with the wind chill), I have one thing to tell you, an old Scandinavian saying: "There is no such thing as bad winter weather, just bad winter clothing."

Now quit your whining and learn how to bundle up. Layering is not a difficult skill. Boo-hoo and get over it. It'll be warm soon enough.

*snap snap*

Bike Sharing Program in The US.

Remember when I lamented that bike sharing programs could never come to America? Well, I was wrong. And take a guess where it's coming...?

The mayor of Minneapolis is looking to join [European] cities' ranks and embrace [Minneapolis'] rising status as a bike-commuting town by dropping 1,000 bicycles into Downtown, Uptown and the University of Minnesota campus next spring.

Industry experts say technological advances have paved the way to make bike-sharing programs a reality. In Minneapolis, bikes would be secured in solar-powered docks, and bikes would be unlocked by a subscriber's key card.

The bikes Minneapolis would use were designed by Stationnement de Montréal, which, oddly enough, is Montreal's parking authority. The agency manages Montreal's paid on-street parking and public parking lots, and the company designed a bike-sharing program inspired by European programs already in place. Time magazine ranked Montreal's "Bixi" bike one of the 50 best inventions of 2008, and Montreal's program will also roll out next spring.

The Minneapolis bikes would have covered chains and gears internal to the hubs, so it's less easy for bikers to damage the three-speed mechanics. The broad frame is designed to be easy to clean and it has a large adjustable seat, a basket and a unisex design. Electric generation powered by movement of the front wheel would automatically light up rear lights on the bike.

Riders could take out the bikes for a half-hour at no extra charge. Annual subscriptions would cost $50–$75. The bike program is designed for quick one-way trips that are about one to three miles. Riders could check online to make sure bikes are available at the nearest dock, and when they arrive at their destinations, 1,500 more dock points than bikes should ensure there is space for bike returns. (In Barcelona, trucks redistribute bikes throughout the day to ensure adequate supplies.) Stations would be positioned about 400–500 meters apart so people theoretically wouldn't walk too far to reach their destinations.

The cost to install 1,000 bikes at 75 docks is estimated to be $3 million, and city officials have applied for a series of grants to pay startup costs. The City of Lakes Nordic Ski Foundation, the organization that runs the annual Loppet skiing event around the Minneapolis lakes, developed a nonprofit model that Minneapolis could use for its bike-sharing program.

Exact locations for bike docks aren't yet determined, but they would be movable. Consultants on the project say that will make our bike-sharing system a lot less expensive than the one in Paris, which has bike stations permanently entrenched in the ground. Minneapolis' bike stations would be removed during the winter.

I don't think I've ever been so happy to have been wrong.

Capitalism Wins Again!

Remember that thing called "The Space Race"? Although not everyone believes we won it, in the minds of the sane we did. And what a feat that was! Our country made it to the moon first. Americans were the triumphant innovators of the day! We sure showed those nasty Communists that Capitalism always wins! Only problem is Russia might beat us at something else, something far more important--transportation here on Earth.

Spain to help build Russian railways.
Russian Railways is seeking Spanish expertise in a multi-billion dollar investment project. Spain is ready to help build high-speed railways in mountainous areas and supply trains with an automatic gauge changing system.

Welcomed by the King of Spain and the country’s top officials, the head of Russian Railways, Vladimir Yakunin, went to Madrid as an old friend and a trusted partner.

Russian Railways has a multi-billion dollar investment plan for rail infrastructure - a vital project in times of economic turmoil, according to Yakunin.

“The problem is not only the liquidity of banks, but also the support of the demand – the market, the real economy. So, because of that, we consider it is absolutely essential to keep the infrastructural investment programmes in tact,” he says. Russian authorities are considering co-operation with Spain’s INECO to build a high speed railway that will carry passengers from Moscow to Sochi in less than 24 hours.

As for international cargo, even high-speed trains have to cope with a variation of track gauge among different countries. Spain has a solution - Talgo carriages that can alter the gauge on the go.Mario Oria, Talgo’s export and marketing manager says: “We are hoping that the Russian market becomes the biggest in that share. Ideally, we’d be talking about 20-30 % of overall sales.”

Talgo’s trains can boost cargo volumes from Russia to the EU countries and significantly cut delivery times. Russia has already finished testing the Talgo system and is likely to buy the first ten trains, worth 15 million euros each, as soon as 2011.

Wow, if Moscow gets High-Speed Rail before Los Angeles or San Francisco, I think Ronald Reagan will dig himself out of his grave and begin writing an apology to the American people. (As if he shouldn't already do that, but that's another story...)

(Via Trains for America)

Tuesday Night Prediction.

How To Deal With Stolen Lawn Signs.

Why Google Owns Teh World.

Google is amazing. If I could, I'd start a Google church. Every Sunday we would sing songs to Google's glory, hand over 10% of our earnings so others can hear the good news and then learn we'd new wonders about what Google can do for us.

Ok, maybe that's a bad idea. But Google does have plenty of good ideas, including the "define" option! Did you know about this? If you're ever confused about the correct use of a word (affect/effect) or its actual definition (anfracturous/perennial), just load up Google and type "define:affect". Suddenly, the definition of the word will come up, and in many cases a sentence using the word will accompany it. It's amazing!

To make it just over the top, it even does it for Spanish. Just type "define:cumpleanos" and you'll see! (Quotation marks not necessary in either language).

Let's just go ahead and crown Google King of Teh World.