NorthStarNerd.Org

Google and Microsoft Translate

Toward the top of this blogs right hand column you'll now find my latest addition, the Google Translate Gadget. Thus, you may now more easily read NorthstarNerd.Org in any language.

It is interesting to note that on the same day Google announced this new service, I also received my invite and code to the new Microsoft translation service. Hmmm ... coincidence??

Nobel Prize Winners Video Lecture Search Engine

The Nobel Prize is the top honor one may be awarded for scientific research or humanitarian work. Recent years have seen a significant number of Nobel Prize Winner Lectures become available via web based video. Given these lectures are found upon many diverse web sites, the Northstar Nerd decided such an important knowledge domain should have it's own search engine. Thus, I am happy to roll out a new search engine dedicated to these lectures. You will also find a new section of my Engineering Learning Wiki dedicated to Nobel Knowledge.

Use the search box found below to try my new Nobel Knowledge Search Engine.

Nobel Prize Winner Search Engines Sites:
(index contains 359 web pages ... last updated: 10/02/2009)

• Gustavus Adolphus College Nobel Conference
• Honeywell Nobel Interactive Studio
• Mahidol University Nobel Lectures (Bangkok)
• MIT World Nobel Lectures
• Nobel Prize
• Vega Science Trust
  
• YouTube: Honeywell Nobel Initiative
• YouTube: NobelPrize.Org Channel

If you know of other Nobel Lecture Video Series, please contact me. I will be happy to add those lectures. Finally, you may wish to see my other search engines and Google Custom Search tutorial.

Managing Benchmarking Groups via LinkedIn

It has been said ... imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I discovered via Susan Scrupski and the Adoption 2.0 Council that one of LinkedIn's greatest uses is its ability to help a person manage groups where a particular focus is desired on the part of all members. Here is my recipe for group recruitment management:

1. Form a group with a professional focus
2. Promote your group via one's blog, Twitter, etc.
3. Create a LinkedIn Group with the same focus

Now here is the key point ... require everyone who seeks membership to seek membership in your LinkedIn Group. Given that most people maintain good LinkedIn profiles on their current job role and employer, you can determine if candidate members are a good fit for your group.

In my case ... we have a Corporate Collaboration Benchmarking Council; and we want to insure that potential members fit our desired profile. LinkedIn makes it very easy to obtain this information.

Mapping the Route to Your Next Big Mac

I have some friends who work for McDonalds and they will like this map, but I find it distressing (from the Map Scroll Blog). The map shows the distance wherever you are in the continental United States to reach the next McDonalds ... link to the Map Scroll for full details. The greatest distance between two McDonalds ... Between the tiny Dakotan hamlets of Meadow and Glad Valley lies the McFarthest Spot: 107 miles distant from the nearest McDonald’s, as the crow flies, and 145 miles by car! (Click upon the image to view full sized.)

Build Your Own Cosmic Star

It's been a while since I've seen a really good new site (at least new to me) that I wanted to add to my Engineering for Children section in the Engineering Learning Wiki, but SEED (Schlumberger Excellence in Educational Development) excites me. Here are just a few links:

• Build Your Own Star
• Math Puzzles
• Virtual Science Labs
• Science Festures

I've yet to explore the entire site; the amount of good content is impressive. I'm still learning how to build a good cosmic star!