Pete and I finished the first-ever virtual live-streaming broadcast cross-country road trip on August 18th. It took us 9 days and 40+ hours of driving on Google Maps to complete the trek. I got food poisoning from Burger King and Pete almost lost his mind, but we persevered and made it to Richmond, VA from LA.
Fancy us; we were interviewed by NPR Weekend edition for our “vacation.” For the NPR audio interview go to http://bit.ly/GMRTNPRA. And for the NPR article see http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111921898.
You can see some vids over at www.googlemapsroadtrip.com, read a blurb on wiki if your heart so desires, and check out a hand full of screenshots on flickr.
We’ll be back up this Friday, August 21st at 2pm PST to take a tour of Richmond, and we’re slated to take a trip up to Maine soon. Stay tuned.
Posted via web from marc horowitz’s posterous
Filed under intss blog by on Aug 20th, 2009. Comment. 
It has begun! After five hours of intense driving on Google Maps, Pete and I have finally arrived at the famed Bellagio Hotel in Vegas. Got a fancy room and are lying low for the evening. I’m beat. Driving on Google Maps has turned out to be almost as hard as driving IRL.
We’ll be back up tomorrow at 9:30am PST for some Bloody Marys and fun around Vegas. Tune in here or at http://www.googlemapsroadtrip.com .
and we got shout outs from:
Readymade mag – http://www.readymade.com/blogs/readymade/2009/08/10/virtual-summer-break-two-friends-undertake-cross-country-road-trip-without-leaving-home/
The Faster Times – http://thefastertimes.com/travel/2009/08/10/marc-horowitzs-google-maps-road-trip/
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Filed under intss blog by on Aug 10th, 2009. Comment.
Like so many of you, my friend Pete Baldes and I wanted to take a road trip together this summer, but he lives in Richmond, VA and I live in LA. We tried and tried to make our dreams of the classic American cross-country journey come true, but because of finances, schedule conflicts, and time constraints, we just couldn’t make it work. You know how it is. But then we had an idea: What about a virtual road trip that exploits the wonderful technologies of Google Maps and ustream. We could definitely make that happen.
So on August 10th, 2009, at 3pm PST, we’ll leave my house in LA and drive together to Pete’s place in Richmond. We’ll “virtual drive” across the country by continuously pressing the Google Maps arrow keys eastward, and we’ll broadcast the entire experience live on http://www.googlemapsroadtrip.com . This means you’ll be able to not only see and hear us as we travel, but also join us in a real-time chat room. Just think of it as an invitation to hop in the backseat and ride along with us for any part of our adventure that you like. We’ll take your suggestions on what to see and where to go as we trek this great nation, and ideally we’ll all get to know each other a little better.
We’ll stop for a shake at McDonalds in Flagstaff, get dinner at Olive Garden in Roanoke, play mix tapes, get in the inevitable argument, visit historical sites and old friends, stop at crummy motels for the night, etc… Just remember: This is real-time, so when we stop to eat, we’ll actually eat, and when we stop to sleep, we’ll actually go to bed, and if you’d like us to visit you, we’ll actually call you as we near your house, and you can virtually take us around your hood.
This is everything that we’d do on a real road trip, except we don’t have to leave the house, pay for gas, or worry about getting speeding tickets.
If you have suggestions on what we should see along the way — or if you would like us to stop and visit you — please e-mail me at marc@ineedtostopsoon.com
Looking forward to spending some quality time with YOU on our road trip! Can’t wait!
Marc & Pete
p.s. The chronicles of this epic road trip will also be available at http://www.thefastertimes.com/travel
Posted via web from marc horowitz’s posterous
Filed under intss blog by on Aug 7th, 2009. Comment.
You can see the photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/marchorowitz/sets/72157621030659709/
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Filed under intss blog by on Jul 9th, 2009. Comment.
I went online to buy a plane ticket from LAX to Greenville, South Carolina. It was $350 great! However, I went back 12 hours later and the ticket was now $555.99. I had to buy it at that price then. What gives Continental Airlines?
Larry Kellner, CEO of Continental Airlines, please leave a video response as to why you do business this way.
I encourage you to fight the good fight, and next time you fly wear a t-shirt that says how much you paid for your ticket from where to where (I used a sharpie paint marker, it doesnt stink). FIGHT FOR FLAT PRICE PLANE TICKETS!
We must hold companies responsible for what they do to their customers. Fight the small injustices!!!
Filed under Everything Else, intss blog by on Oct 13th, 2008. Comment.
Filed under 004 The Center For Improved Living, intss blog by on Sep 17th, 2008. Comment.
LOS ANGELES, Wednesday – After years and years of Research & Development in an underground Stanford laboratory, scientists have finally unveiled what has been hailed as “the best” solution for the ever-growing Los Angeles traffic problem: “The Not-So-Invisible Giant Hand,” or simply, “Big Hand.”
Over 200 years after Adam Smith’s economic theory of an “Invisible Hand,” Governor Schwarzenegger’s traffic theory of a “Not-So-Invisible Hand” is finally realized, bringing past and present together once again.
“The time was right,” Schwarzenegger proclaimed. “After all, these hands have something we want – a firm grip on traffic control. And we also as well have also something that they want – cars. Who are we to keep these big hands from their desires?”
Scientists describe the Big Hand propulsion system as “A combination of an advanced sub-atomic jet and good ol’ fashioned black magic.” This supernatural speed allows the Big Hands to arrive at the scene of an accident up to 3,501 times faster than law enforcement, tow trucks, or emergency services. The Big Hands are also equipped with a 360-degree digital camera and were given temporary CPR licenses.
When asked if the Big Hands would be given the ability to administer mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, one scientist replied, “That’d just be weird.”
Seventy-five “Not-So-Invisible Giant Hands” were deployed today in Los Angeles. Witnesses on I-5 describe the Big Hands as “really Goddamn scary giant hands.” This morning, one car’s highway collision with a guardrail served as the first Big Hands traffic assistance.
The driver, 75-year-old Max Melmo, describes the scene:
“I was just resting my head on the airbag when a Big Hand peeled back my roof and carried me away in its fist. Once I arrived at the impound lot, several hours had passed and there was snow on the ground. When I asked where I was, the Big Hand stuck out its middle finger and flew away. It turns out this was definitely not the right impound lot and, to make matters worse, I believe the Big Hand stole my wallet. I have the strange feeling that soon these Big Hands will put us under their thumbs and will destroy the human race.”
The Los Angeles Police Department is looking into these accusations.
Posted by email from marc horowitz’s posterous
Filed under 001 Imagination, intss blog by on Sep 16th, 2008. Comment.
This is one of the first social projects I documented. I’ve never dragged it out until now.
For this project, “How Bout a Burrito at My Favorite Place?,” I posted an ad on craigslist.org asking people to join me for a burrito at my favorite taco truck in Oakland, CA. We met up at a specified time and ordered together. After ordering, I took a picture of my meal date with their food. We then ate together, discussing whatever. When we finished, I took a photo of their “burrito sculpture,” (a.k.a their trash).
It’s nice to see a person, take into account what they do and who they are, and then see how they fidget with thier leftover food and trash eventually completing a sculpture.
Peter Leonard – Collage Artist and Graphic Designer
Bruce Bortin – Activist
Joe Guzman- Photographer
Rene & Chris – Students
I had to put this project to an end because I received over 900 requests and I ate burritos 2-3 times a day which made me really fat.
Posted by email from marc horowitz’s posterous
Filed under 001 Imagination, intss blog by on Sep 16th, 2008. Comment.
Live the dream and make yourself a ship in a bottle!
1) get two plastic bottles and cut them in half (arrowhead 1 liter are the best)
2) draw and color your ship on both sides
3) tape or glue your ship horizontally on one of the cut bottle bottoms
4) merge the other bottle bottom with the one you just adhered the ship to
5) glue or tape the bottle bottoms together
6) take a bottle top and make a stand for your ship in a bottle by placing the wide side down and adhering the drinking hole part to the bottom of your ship in a bottle.
You probably don’t need instructions to do this, but I can’t imagine a craft project without instructions. Make a ship in a bottle and post it to the flickr group “Ship in a Bottle” – www.flickr.com/groups/shipinabottle/
By doing this, you’ll most likely win someone over.
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Filed under 001 Imagination, intss blog by on Sep 16th, 2008. Comment.
My Trip across America is Complete!!! Tune in for the last episode! A game show involving a 9 foot tall ice pyramid with a briefcase frozen inside, a water chugging competition between two 9 year olds, and a crazed girl throwing mayonnaise. This is not to be missed!
From Crackle:
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Filed under 040 Signature Series, intss blog by on Sep 12th, 2008. 1 Comment.
