Big Celebrations...and New Maps To Get There

Happy Mardis Gras, happy Chinese New Year...and how about a Google map to get you where you're going to celebrate? Check out the new Google map interface (today's top link), and see if you do what I did: click on a U.S. state to see maps from that particular state? Didn't work. But once you figure out the search and direction capabilities, it's pretty awesome.

If it's snowflakes you want to visit, check out the today's No. 8 link to the Snow Crystals web site by Kenneth Libbrecht of CalTech. Mother Nature's pretty incredible, eh?

Seems hard to believe, but baseball's spring training is just around the corner, and former MVP Jose Canseco is stirring the pot with a new book about steroid use in the sport that claims to be the great Amreican pasttime. The Baseball Savant blogger and Functional Ambivalent blogger both offer commentary on the messy issue.

From the "do you think he gets it?" department comes the story of single-mom Mary Mornin, (today's second-bursty person) who works three jobs to take care of her three children. She discussed her plight with President George Bush during his Social Security tour. Is it "fantastic" (his words) that someone has to work three jobs in this economy to provide basic benefits for her kids?

For the latest on gay penguins, you'll have to go to Germany. For news about a pseudo-journalist who's been accused of attending White House press conferences to ask softball questions of the President and his staff comes news of Jeff Gannon's (pseudonym) resignation from the Talon News Service, allegedy because he was also linked to gay/porn web sites. (Hint to public figures: there's ALWAYS an easy-to-follow trail of information leading directly to you!)

BLOGPULSE TREND GRAPH OF THE DAY: Will this week's news from the Middle East, of Israel's and Palestine's promises to cease attacks on each other, make a difference? Will the Middle East leaders bring about what others haven't been able to accomplish?