No Hablo Espanol? - LiveMocha Offers Free Lessons

Had to spread the word about a new Web 2.0 community interested in helping people learn languages: LiveMocha.com. I've signed up to freshen up my Spanish skills.

Web 2.0 site for Bibliophiles

There really is a social media site for everyone. Here's one where you can create a profile, and share the books you read with your friends. I'm assuming that this appeared before the Facebook online bookshelf application was developed.

But if you want to meet people over your favorite book....

Everybody Touch the Dinosaur - PopTech 2007

"Open the door, get on the floor, everybody touch the dinosaur".

That was the scene after Caleb Chung's session about Pleo was finished. Caleb is the toy inventor who brought the world Furby, and his newest is a toy robotic dinosaur which can reach out to the world and learn new behavior.

Quite a few people approached the stage to touch the toy robotic dinosaur. It was fascinating to see people (myself included) interact with the robotic dinosaur as if it was a cat. It has 38 sensors, and nuzzles your hand as your petting it - many people where making "cute" faces and murmering to the toy as if it could emotionally connect with you (it could hear). It has microphones, two speakers, a camera and multiple sensors. It's also going to be released with open source software so that people can enhance the software platform it runs on to create infinite growth for the toy.

Here's a video to give you a sense.

I found it fascinating when Caleb picked up the toy - curious to see if one of its legs wasn't working- and pulled the leg back. It caused a sound like all toys make when there gears are forcefully moved, but we all grimaced like he was breaking our beloved toy's legs.

I've never been more excited about a toy. I left wanting a Pleo myself - now all I need to do is find $350 and wait in line well after the Christmas rush to get one.

Feelings Nothing more than Feelings

Has to share Jonathan Harris' We Feel Fine site. A tracking of people's feelings who are blogging on the Web. Truly worth playing around and experiencing the site.

The Female Brain - PopTech 2007

Louanne Brizendine has now taken the stage and is talking about how female hormones affect and change the women's brain throughout life. I loved her book, The Female Brain. It was a great look into why being a woman does really feel like a changing mental perspective throughout your life - because it is! Once menstruation happens, our brains change, at pregnancy, and during menopause - the brain changes each time. I got a chance to meet her, and she's a fabulous woman. She asked if I had encouraged my male friends to read the book, and I have spread the word. In fact, her next book is focused on the Male Brain.

What I find amazing is that every two weeks the estrogen and progesteron level in a woman actually changes up to 25% of the synapses in the hypothamus - the brain actually shrinks and grows every month based on the hormone load.

Fascinating to exist on this planet as a human being who has a truly ever changing brain.

PopTech: Day One

Ok. It's officially day two. PopTech started last night with a cocktail hour at the Waterfront. It was a great way to catch up with old friends, and have some great new conversations about how to support non-profit capacity by more effectively engaging volunteers.

The show has started off with Chris Jordan talking about his photographs of our trash, his "Intolerable Beauty" series - his photos of how much materials we discard are awe inspiring. I has just seen him on the Colbert report last week.

So You Think You can Dance Tour

Yes, I'm so addicted to the show that I caught the tour last weekend in Baltimore. The dancing was amazing. It was great to see some of the new choreography - the breaking piece was great. It was also fun to see some of the pieces from the show in real time - clearly the dancers are enjoying performing those pieces now that they know them so well.

I haven't been to a previous SYTYCD tour, so I'm not sure if they normally keep it a show of all the dancers, but there wasn't any unique highlighting of Sabra (the winner) except for the solo that she performed. Though all of the top ten got to perform a solo. Watching her dance is amazing - she makes it look effortless and gives 200% of herself to her dancing every time. Pure talent.

I should have realized that the crowd would be like seeing a New Kids on the Block concert, the audience for the show is largely teenage girls, but the high pitched screaming was shocking. It was a great show to see with my friend Nick, who has taken dance classes and could chat with me about the outstanding technique.

Ultimately, it made me want to get back into more classes now that my knees are able to handle more volume. And I'll definitely get tickets for next year's show.

Left or Right Brain Dominant? Watch the Dancer

Had to lift this from another blog...how cool!


Look at the dancer and decide which way she's spinning.

Got it?

If you think she's going clockwise, you're apparently right-brain dominant (imaginative, philosophical, touchy-feely, impetuous); if you see her going counter-clockwise, you're left-brain dominant (logical, practical, detail-oriented, safe).

If, like us, you are able to alternate views to see her going in both directions, then you're just a plain old genius.

Source: Australia Herald Sun

Btw... I can see her move both ways.