Jen X

I’ve added an RSS feed in the right sidebar with (easy!) daily actions for reducing one’s carbon footprint during Lent. And here are four little 30-second (silent) films, all form the Carbon Fast’s originators, England’s Tearfund.

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VP Joe Biden to chair new Middle Class Task Force

2009-01-30T13:02:00.007-06:00

The Obamarama love fest continues! Today, Pres. Obama announced that Vice President Joe Biden will chair a new Middle Class Task Force, dedicated to “get[ting] the middle class — the backbone of America — up and running again.”

There’s more on the new dedicated web site, including a form for your suggestions, here.

And now, heeeere’s Joe!

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Obamarama - First 100 Days

2009-01-29T19:47:00.007-06:00

It’s an Obama–Biden love fest here on Jengaworld. What a relief to finally have Democratic administration back in office.

I’m going to post periodically with cool things happening in the new President’s first 100 days. Let’s start today with the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Named after an Arkansas woman whose blatant pay discrimination case was rejected by the Supreme Court, the new act re-sets the 180-day filing limit each time a discriminatory paycheck is received. This is especially important since many women aren’t aware they’re being paid less than their male coworkers — a fact employers of course try to hide.

This was a wonderful first piece of legislation. Yea, Ms. Ledbetter for fighting the good fight! And, yea to our new President for signing!

Your First Good Deed of the New Year!

2008-12-31T12:27:00.003-06:00

Play this fun (and addictive!) word game, and sponsors make small contributions to the UN World Food Programme for every word you get right. Everybody wins!

Happy New Year 2009!

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Dec. 10: World Day for Human Rights

2008-12-10T09:04:00.002-06:00

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Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-26T09:00:00.004-06:00

Remember those who don’t have enough to eat this year. The Hunger Site offers an easy way to help, at no cost to you (sponsors make a small donation for every click).

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Erie Canal

2008-10-10T00:29:00.002-05:00

Tracking Gustav

2008-08-31T12:30:00.015-05:00

Here’s a live radar loop, and below that, the National Hurricane Center widget. I’ve also added a hurricane newsfeed in the right sidebar.

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How creative are you?

2008-08-03T00:08:00.001-05:00

I saw this on Unique Charm’s blog and I thought the abstract oil painting on her results was so cool, I ran right over to try the quiz! Me, I get colored pencils, which has an internal logic all its own even though I’m actually not a colored pencil fan and was sort of hoping for something more painterly, sigh.

You Are 66% Creative

You are beyond creative. You are a true artist - even if it's not in the conventional sense of the word.

You love creating for its own sake, and you find yourself quite inspired at times.

How Creative Are You?

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What Flower Are you?

2008-07-27T23:42:00.002-05:00

It’s a bit long, but with intriguing results! Apparently I am an Iris: “You are a very sensual person. You like to experience all the sights, smells, tastes and textures the world has to offer. Ordinary be damned, because you want to do it all.” What about you?

I am an
Iris

What Flower
Are You?

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1-2-3-4 . . . with Monsters! (Nice Ones)

2008-07-19T11:42:00.011-05:00

BoingBoing Gadgets posted recently about the Feist song that people either love, or love to hate, due to its repetition on the iPod Nano commercials. (I actually like it, but that’s me.) Sesame Street has revived — or “rescued” according to BoingBoing — it in a version celebrating counting to 4, with monsters, penguins, and chickens on vacation. Enjoy!

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July is Here: Time for the Flip Flops Quiz!

2008-07-06T11:08:00.003-05:00

What Your Flip Flops Say About You

You are hopeful and romantic. You love many people and many things.

You aren't unrealistic, but you do imagine things in the most ideal way possible.

You are a dreamer. If something exists, you've probably thought about it.

You don't think about what is, you think about what could be.

Your ideal warm weather place: Fiji

The Flip Flop Test

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Easy! Help A Person Having a Heart Attack. Katie Couric Demonstrates Public Defibrillator.

2008-06-28T11:39:00.009-05:00

You may have seen these public defibrillators hanging on the wall in airports, businesses, other public places. It turns out they are SUPER easy to use: push a button and an audio voice walks you through the whole process (pictures too). It could not be simpler — I was impressed. When someone collapses, the first few minutes are so so critical. Check out this video (be patient with the ad that runs first) and you will be prepared to save the day should you encounter this emergency:

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Fab Fun Flickr Meme from Frances

2008-06-01T14:06:00.024-05:00

With a hat-tip to blogjem for the idea for the photo meme — careful, you’ll spend all afternoon on one, too!

Here’s the meme:
a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.

b. Using only the first page, pick an image.

c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd’s mosaic maker.

1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name.

With thanks to Flickr Folks: 1. Jennifer, 2. Meant to be dinner 3. garden at Armour House, 4. Aquamarine Leaf Ballet Collage, 5. Colin Firth revisited, 6. Chinotto - Mummums, 7. Nice, France, 8. Key Lime Pie, 9. journal pages2, 10. Life!, 11. inquisitive, 12. day 303: deconstructing jenga ( or learning to make stuff fall over )!.

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Even More Dance Party Friday

2008-05-30T16:07:00.004-05:00

I can’t get enough of these. If it’s a slow day for the 5:30 a.m. traffic report, Cincinnati's Channel 12 anchors bring you . . . Dance Party Friday! In this episode, even vacation can’t keep Dancin’ Bob out of the studio. Enjoy!

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2008-05-27T17:02:00.008-05:00

It takes 90 years to grow one box of Kleenex, which Kimberly-Clark manufactures by clear-cutting ancient Boreal Canadian forests. Greenpeace’s “Kleercut” campaign offers a variety of actions you can take to stop this practice of wiping away ancient forests. Click logo for more info:

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Yogurt: The Official Food of Women!

2008-05-16T02:43:00.007-05:00

In the midst of cyclones and earthquakes, we definitely need a study break and some humor.

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Bloggers Unite: Happy Video

2008-05-12T12:53:00.005-05:00

You may have noticed the Bloggers Unite badge at right. I hope you’ll post on the 15th. Why? Here’s some inspiration. (Yep, it actually starts with a voice over from Ronald Reagan — not what one would expect from me, but in this context it works.)

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Help Burma

2008-05-06T01:13:00.014-05:00

More than 28,000 people were killed in the weekend cyclone that swept Burma (also known as Myanmar by its military dictatorship). I’m supporting Mercy Corps, which has local partners on the ground and is skilled in working in difficult political situations. Click here to learn more:

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May 3: World Press Freedom Day

2008-05-03T00:22:00.004-05:00

From the World Association of Newspapers, to support World Press Freedom Day:

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The Secret Language of Flip Flops

2008-05-02T01:02:00.003-05:00

What Your Flip Flops Say About You

The Flip Flop Test

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"No More" Music Video

2008-04-28T00:25:00.006-05:00

This gets me every time. Eddie Vedder singing, from the new Phil Donahue documentary “Body of War” about young vet Thomas Young.

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Bed Nets for World Malaria Day

2008-04-25T23:21:00.004-05:00

Got 5 bucks? That’s all it takes to contribute a malaria-fighting bed net for a person in a vulnerable country. April 25 is World Malaria Day — a perfect day to head over to MyBednet.com, cough up $5, and add oneself to their Honor Roll. Check it out!

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Dr. Pepper, Say it Ain't So!

2008-04-18T17:11:00.011-05:00

While Robert Reich today endorsed Barack Obama, that can’t remove the sting of an old friend going over to the other side. According to the New York Times: Dr. Pepper is a Republican. I’m not sure if this means I should change my soda of choice, or if the good doctor simply needs a pep talk.

Sure, I understand the siren song of bourbon and stuffed crust pizza, which the Times also outed as card-carrying members of the GOP. They may seem sexier than white wine and Absolut and organic risotto. Yet can stretchy cheese and dark liquor offer the left-leaning quirkiness, the irony, that certain je ne sais quoi that is, after all, also your special appeal?

Dr. Pepper, come back to us!

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The Rice Game, Redux

2008-04-13T11:52:00.016-05:00

“What if just knowing what a word meant could help feed hungry people around the world? Well, at FreeRice it does . . . the totals have grown exponentially.” - The Washington Post

I saw a sobering BBC News report earlier this week about the global rice shortage. Prices for this staple crop have risen 70% in the past year, many countries face extreme shortages and have called out the military to supervise sales, and the world’s poorest populations are especially at risk. All the more reason to help out even in a small way, with The Rice Game. This web site takes “click to give” to new levels. The lure is a vocabulary game: choose the correct definition for a word, “win” 20 grains of rice for the United Nations World Food Programme. Does 20 grains per word really amount to much? Yesterday’s total: 156,133,700 grains of rice donated (March’s total = 4,109,191,320 grains.) Happy procrastination, word games, and giving to a good cause. What could be better?

Play the Rice Game today — you’ll be hooked! And hungry people will benefit from our fun.

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"I Have A Dream"

2008-04-03T23:19:00.003-05:00

On the 40th anniversary of Dr. King’s death, I wanted to sit down with this landmark speech . . .

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Your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

2008-03-31T23:53:00.004-05:00

I am nothing if not a target market for a gimmick . . .

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is:
Honourable Lady Jennifer the Antediluvian of Lesser Wobbleton
Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

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Lights Out: March 29, 2008 at 8 pm

2008-03-28T20:16:00.004-05:00

One evening in March 2007, Sydney Australia went dark for one hour. This wasn’t a blackout: the city wanted to make a statement and ease the pressure on the earth, and 2.2 million people turned off their lights.

This year cities around the world are participating in Earth Hour 2008, including Atlanta, Bogota, Chicago, Copenhagen, Ottawa, Phoenix, Tel Aviv, Vancouver, and more. You can too: on Saturday, March 29, at 8 pm (your local time), turn off your lights for one hour. Urge friends and neighbors to do the same.

Here’s a video:

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Say No to Telecom Immunity (but yes to this video)

2008-02-26T20:46:00.007-06:00

I’ve had a banner link posted at the bottom of the blog for a while, but I was pleased to see this terrific video from People for the American Way. Good music, good visuals, good message. Thanks to Truth & Beauty for the link!

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On, Wisconsin!

2008-02-19T20:25:00.005-06:00

Woo-hoo!

We did it!!

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Listen to the Wombat

2008-02-11T13:34:00.003-06:00

One world. Not two, not three. Just one. Listen to the Wombat.
A shout-out to Green Lent for the link.

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More Dog or Cat?

2008-02-10T13:31:00.002-06:00

I saw a link to this on the lovely blog, The Proper of the Day. Like I could resist this . . . I thought my results might be more 50/50, but apparently I am a tad more feline, Meow!

You Are: 30% Dog, 70% Cat

You and cats have a lot in common.
You're both smart and in charge - with a good amount of attitude.
However, you do have a very playful side that occasionally comes out!

Are You More Cat or Dog?

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Yes We Can

2008-02-03T21:52:00.002-06:00

I only add posts when I feel inspired. As noted by Geri on Good News Network:

“A group of friends in the entertainment industry inspired by Sen. Barack Obama's speech following the New Hampshire primary have produced a powerful music video urging Americans to vote. The filmmaker is Jesse Dylan, son of activist musician, Bob Dylan. The new song, written by Black Eyed Peas' frontman and songwriter, will.i.am, was released Friday after being filmed and performed entirely in the two days prior.”

The Yes We Can web site is here. And here’s the video:

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People 1 to 100 Playing a Drum

2008-01-11T15:01:00.002-06:00

I LOVE this video, which I found on Boing Boing. It’s a video of people 1 to 100, in age order, beating once on a drum. Very sweet and creative. Enjoy!

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Authentic Happiness Quiz

2008-01-07T11:28:00.000-06:00

Dr. Martin Seligman, drector of Penn’s Positive Psychology Center, has devoted his life to exploring the benefits of positive thinking on personal psychological health. His web site now offers several Authentic Happiness quizzes, to self-asses one’s mental state and aim toward a more positive state of mind. They’re longer than a Cosmo quiz — but why not?!

Here’s the link: Authentic Happiness web site.

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What Will the New Year Bring?

2007-12-31T10:19:00.001-06:00

You can count down to watch the ball drop — or count down with oracles and fortunes for a peek at the New Year! Here are my picks for the top 10 online prediction sites:

Bella Ball: a twist on the copyrighted Magic Less-than-nine, More-than-seven ball
Buddha Oracle: concentrate then pick a dot, whic will transform into a lotus with a cryptic reading
Dragon Predictions: toss a real coin and let Dragon interpret the results
Fortune Cookies: a calorie-free cookie and fortune!
Magical Smoking Head of Bob: also a variation on the magic you-know-what ball. Ask a Yes or No answer and receive answers in the familiar format
Oracle of Apollo: modeled on the classic Delphic oracle
Tarot Card reading from “What’s the Deal?” A fun flash-animated reading. It needs more graphics, but I like the upbeat orientation
Whack on the Side of the Head: click on Roger Van Oech’s head and paradigm-shifting card appears
Wishing Well: make a wish and toss a cyber coin, with a satisfying “plunk!”
Your 2008 Horoscope, from the always insightful Cafe Astrology

Happy New Year!

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Track Santas Journey with NORAD

2007-12-23T21:10:00.001-06:00

This is one of my favorite Christmas Eve activities. Each year NORAD (the North American Aerospace Defense Command) allows visitors to log on to their web site as they track Santa on his journey to deliver gifts to girls and boys around the world. This is fun for kids and grown-ups alike, and NORAD is careful not to break the mystery and wonder that is Santa.

The tracking begins at 2 a.m. (Mountain Time) on December 24. Click here to check Santa’s progress!

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Time for Toons

2007-12-20T12:18:00.002-06:00

The skies are gray, weeks of piled-up snow has begin to turn black and gritty. We need a happy infusion. It’s definitely time for cartoons! I thought of posting a cartoon Thursday Thirteen Things, but that was going to be a LOT of video! Herewith, then, just two of my favorites (but worth at LEAST 13 laughs): the Dali-esque “Porky in Wackyland” (Dir.: Robert Clampett, 1938, 7:22 min). And Bugs Bunny and Hoboken Penguin in “8 Ball Bunny” (Dir.: Chuck Jones, 1950, 7:08 min.). and Enjoy!

Porky In Wackyland

8 Ball Bunny

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CNN Everyday Heroes: Wow

2007-12-09T00:09:00.003-06:00

I’ve been down on CNN ever since they fired Aaron Brown. But a special that’s re-airing frequently this weekend has brought the network back into my good graces. CNN Heroes brings together an awe-inspiring group of “everyday superheroes.” Here’s a link to the companion web site, which profiles these amazing (and I don’t use that adjective lightly) men and women — most of whom view themselves as just average folks — who have done stunning things for their fellow humans over the past year. I can’t recommend this program enough.

And to make a good night even better: Sheryl Crow’s gripping rendition of Shine Babylon. I also like the music video version of the song, featured on her web site, which I’m including below.

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13 Things: Free Ways to Give Back on the Web

2007-12-06T10:57:00.001-06:00

In the spirit of Thirteen Thursdays, and the holiday month, here are 13 terrific ways to give back, for free, on the web. (For a 14th, check out Free Rice in an earlier post.):

Kiehls’ Click for Greenland (global warming)
The Hunger Site
The Child Health Site
The Breast Cancer Site
The Literacy Site
The Rainforest Site
The Animal Rescue Site
Care2’s Race to Stop Global Warming: Carbon Offset
Care 2’s Race to Save the Oceans
Sign a Petition at Care2
Send an email message for Human Rights at Amnesty International
Place a prayer in the Wailing Wall in Jerusalm, via email
Donate to charity with each web search at GoodSearch

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Smart Cars

2007-12-01T01:14:00.001-06:00

Nineteen years and counting. That’s how long I’ve been car-free. Living in New York City — no need. And now in grad school — no afford! With excellent public transportation and our favorite community car-sharing service, a car is an easy expense to do without. And yet . . . the new Smart Car piques my interest, just because it’s so darn cute. Probably not practical, and I worry it would cry when confronted by a big bully of a SUV. But you’'ve gotta give it style points.

Equally intriguing, Time magazine’s Best Inventions of 2007 article, which includes a CitiCar prototype from MIT. Intended to work like bike sharing in European countries: pick up one of these space-saving “stackable cards” at an airport or train station, drop it off at an approved location in town. Will this change the face of car ownership in the U.S.? Will manufacturers of the cute SmartCars realize that a lower price tag might be even cuter?

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Is Burger King Penny Foolish?

2007-11-30T13:32:00.000-06:00

Today’s New York Times ran a terrific Op-Ed piece, “Penny Foolish.” (Thank you to our friend the World Traveler for the heads-up!) Turns out the King isn’t so generous when it comes to treating farm workers fairly. Here’s an excerpt:

“In 2005, Florida tomato pickers gained their first significant pay raise since the late 1970s when Taco Bell ended a consumer boycott by agreeing to pay an extra penny per pound for its tomatoes, with the extra cent going directly to the farm workers. Last April, McDonald’s agreed to a similar arrangement, increasing the wages of its tomato pickers to about 77 cents per bucket. But Burger King, whose headquarters are in Florida, has adamantly refused to pay the extra penny — and its refusal has encouraged tomato growers to cancel the deals already struck with Taco Bell and McDonald’s... ”

A penny? C’mon. How cheap can one get? The Coalition of Immokalee Workers is marching on Burger King’s corporate headquarters tomorrow in Miami, to protest this silliness. Not in Florida? Our friends at Sojourners have posted a link that allows you to send an email message directly to Burger King executives urging them to treat farm workers fairly.

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The Rice Game

2007-11-29T02:24:00.000-06:00

I’ve been busy lately at my public blog, Daily Mitzvah, and neglecting my personal blog over here. But I just discovered something worth blogging about: The Rice Game! This web site takes “click to give” to new levels. The fascination is a vocabulary game: choose the correct definition for a word, “win” 20 grains of rice for the United Nations World Food Program. (Beginning today, the site has raised its correct-word donation from 10 to 20 grains of rice. So an auspicious day to blog about them!) Does 20 grains per word really amount to much? Yesterday’s total: 187,906,380 grains of rice donated. Killing time, word play, games, and giving to a good cause. What could be better?

Play the Rice Game today — you’ll be hooked!

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Welcome to jengaworld!

2007-11-17T00:57:00.000-06:00

Hello and welcome to my first blog post! If you have found your way here, you are quite the explorer!

Today I am all about Kiva, the terrific organization that allows individuals to help fund microloans to low-income entrepreneurs around the world. You'll see a changing photo of a Kiva entrepreneur on the right side of the blog each day. For as little as US $25, anyone can help fund a Kiva microloan. I am currently participating in microloans to two terrific female entrenreneurs: Mabel in Benin City, Nigeria, who sells soft drinks and pepper soup to neighbors and travelers; and Eang in rural Cambodia (above), who runs a small outdoor grocery in front of her home.

I first became interested in microcredit when Muhammad Yunus and the Grameen Bank won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. And now thanks to Kiva, anyone can get involved as a mirocredit lender.

Today's mitzvah: check out Kiva.

What’s new in jengaworld?

Jen X

Haiti Earthquake: Text Message Donations

Huricane Season

Bloggers Unite against Hunger

Earth Hour: Saturday 28 March

Can You Hear It?

Carbon Fast for Lent: 2009

VP Joe Biden to chair new Middle Class Task Force

Obamarama - First 100 Days

Your First Good Deed of the New Year!

Dec. 10: World Day for Human Rights

Happy Thanksgiving!

Erie Canal

Tracking Gustav

How creative are you?

What Flower Are you?

1-2-3-4 . . . with Monsters! (Nice Ones)

July is Here: Time for the Flip Flops Quiz!

Easy! Help A Person Having a Heart Attack. Katie Couric Demonstrates Public Defibrillator.

Fab Fun Flickr Meme from Frances

Even More Dance Party Friday

Yogurt: The Official Food of Women!

Bloggers Unite: Happy Video

Help Burma

May 3: World Press Freedom Day

The Secret Language of Flip Flops

"No More" Music Video

Bed Nets for World Malaria Day

Dr. Pepper, Say it Ain't So!

The Rice Game, Redux

"I Have A Dream"

Your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

Lights Out: March 29, 2008 at 8 pm

Say No to Telecom Immunity (but yes to this video)

On, Wisconsin!

Listen to the Wombat

More Dog or Cat?

Yes We Can

People 1 to 100 Playing a Drum

Authentic Happiness Quiz

What Will the New Year Bring?

Track Santas Journey with NORAD

Time for Toons

CNN Everyday Heroes: Wow

13 Things: Free Ways to Give Back on the Web

Smart Cars

Is Burger King Penny Foolish?

The Rice Game

Welcome to jengaworld!

Track Santas Journey with NORAD

Is Burger King Penny Foolish?