Open Loops

Google Earth: A New Productivity Tool

Google has released Google Earth!  You've seen maps in Yahoo and Google.  Then, Google took it one step further and made it possible to switch between maps and satellite imagery.  Now, Google Earth blows all that away!  The implications for productivity are significant.  Best of all, the basic program, which is unbelievable, is free.

Cheap Gas

I always appreciate it when someone shows or tells me something that makes my life a little easier, improves something that I'm doing, or helps me save money.  I just found this site, which is powered by gasbuddy and Google Maps.  It tracks the cheapest gasoline in many cities across the U.S.

Go forth and save money!

Via - The Unofficial Google Weblog

Life's a Beach

Due to the vacation, today’s post will be more of a travelogue.

We left home yesterday, and boarded the dog in a new kennel.  He’s getting so old that we were feeling guilty about putting him in a kennel.  When we found Lucky’s, it made kenneling him a little easier emotionally.  He’s got his own room with a bed, mattress, pillow, and sheets.  He has a television, which is tuned to the Animal Planet, and stereo music is played softly throughout the facility.  Heck, the whole place looks like a small town.  The price is extremely reasonable, too, for what you get.

We’ve been here about a day and a half.  It’s still the off-season here at Myrtle Beach, so there are no huge crowds like there are in the summer.  The temperature has been in the 70’s so it’s been pretty nice.

The hotel is pretty nice as well.  It's sixteen floors with a nice pool, jacuzzi, outdoor beach bar area, access to a waterpark, and it's right on the beach.  Shopping and sight-seeing is on my wife's mind so she's kept me pretty busy.  She's already accused me of going through Internet withdrawl.  I think she's right.  I'm already wondering what's happening in all my favorite blogs that I read.  This is even the first time I've been able to even use the hotel's Wi-Fi.