(ourkidsname)blundell.com

Yahoo News reports that a growing number of parents are already buying domains for their kids to protect their online identity in the future.
Sounds like something I’d want to do and then get laughed at for ;-).

“One of the criteria was, if we liked the name, the domain had to be available,” Pankow said. It was, and Pankow quickly grabbed Bennett’s online identity.
A small but growing number of parents are getting domain names for their young kids, long before they can do more than peck aimlessly at a keyboard.
It’s not known exactly how many, but the practice is no longer limited to parents in Web design or information technology.
They worry that the name of choice might not be available by the time their babies become teens or adults, just as someone claimed the “.com” for Britney Spears’ 11-month-old son before she could.
The trend hints at the potential importance of domain names in establishing one’s future digital identity.
Think of how much a typical teen’s online life now revolves around Facebook or News Corp.’s MySpace. Imagine if one day the domain could take you directly to those social-networking profiles, blogs, photo albums and more.

Thanks to Lifehacker for the heads-up

Get your books Netflix style

Here’s a great idea, BookSwim.com, allows you to borrow books similar to Netflix. You pay a monthly fee and they mail you the next book or books in your cue. Once you finish reading them, put the books back in the shipping package, mail it back and you’ll get the next book in the mail.

BookSwim is the first online BOOK RENTAL LIBRARY CLUB lending you paperbacks and hardcovers directly to your house WITHOUT THE NEED TO PURCHASE! Whether it’s New Releases, Bestsellers, or Classics, we’ve got 150,000 titles to choose from, with FREE SHIPPING BOTH WAYS! Read your books as long as you want. — no late fees! Even choose to purchase and keep the titles you love!

I tried the site the other day and it was pretty much down due to the huge surge in traffic they’ve been getting from the media publicity – they were also looking for investors – probably to increase their server capacity.
I hope to take a look at it and see if it’s worth the investment for the books I normally read – because as I’ve mentioned before, the Waxahachie Library never has anything I’m looking for.
Of course the downside is, you’re borrowing the books and not keeping them so my habit of underlining and making notes may have to end – I always have trouble with that anytime I borrow a book from someone else.

Does it get any cooler than this?

googleearth.jpg
Google Earth has released a new beta version, 4.2, that gives you the power to search the stars from your desktop.
Seriously very cool. Simply change your view to stars and you have the galaxy at your fingertips.
From the Google Earth blog…

You’re viewing the stars as if you were using a powerful telescope from earth.
I think I’ve found a new time waster… I’m sure Brian will have trouble focusing on work now.

RightNow

I just found an article from Rightnow Campaign founder Brian Mosely, who I think sums up some of my overall feelings right now…

Unsure of what step to take next, I contacted 40 mission organizations to see if there were any openings for a producer.
Instead of responses that were personal and specific to my inquiry, I received 39 packets of “Dear Friend” letters and brochures. Meanwhile, I watched as an accountant friend of mine was heavily recruited by the biggest accounting firms in the country. He was taken to dinner, golf, bowling … whatever it took to communicate his worth and importance.
Those experiences in 1998 and 1999 opened my eyes to a harsh reality. If you are interested in working in corporate America there is a good chance the companies will come to find you. If you are interested in using your passions to serve others, you will have to be extremely proactive. Instead of seeing my personal experience as a dead end, I formed the Rightnow Campaign in 2000.

The Rightnow Campaign looks very interesting… I’m looking more into their site right now.
You should too: www.rightnow.org