The Day We Fight Back Against NSA Surveillance: 3 Ways to Take Action

"The SOPA and PIPA protests were successful because we all took part, as a community. As Aaron Swartz put it, everybody "made themselves the hero of their own story." We can set a date, but we need all of you, the users of the Internet, to make it a movement."

-TheDayWeFightBack.org

3 Ways to Get Involved:

A banner should pop up across the bottom of this page with 2 ways to instantly get involved in fighting back against mass government surveillance. you can either

1. call or 
2. email (or both!) your legislator directly from the pop-up banner. 

You can also go to the official coalition website for more info: TheDayWeFightBack.org

     3. Also, here's a petition you can sign on TakePart.com to demand transparency from the NSA.

Fight back, internet. Fight back.

The Dark Knight Rises: Review+Social Commentary

I just went to see The Dark Knight Rises. At a matinee in a large theatre in Downtown Los Angeles. Before I give you my review, I have to address the obvious question: was I scared, in real life, to go see this movie? What happened at the theatre that was different from the norm?

Last Sunday, if i had asked that question, you'd all think i was insane. But today, on this very day, I can't say that there wasn't a slight tinge of worry in me, given this weeks' assault on humanity in Aurora, Colorado at a midnight show of the film. But, appropriately in line with the battle of Good vs. Evil that is present in any comic book or sci-fi based piece of work, life in the spirit of living on world won. Ironically, during the first big scene where Anne Hathaway's Catwoman is involved--the very scene during which the massacre in Colorado happened--it was at that moment that I allowed myself to be released of my real-world fear and escaped into the film.

New Ridiculous Yet Awesome Product Launch Party+My Hot New Blogger

Hey GeekGirlGang!

I know it's been a while, but i have some super-exciting stuff coming up that is just PERFECT for the GeekGirl blog, so i thought I'd get the machine up and running again!

First off, I'm going to the launch party of a SUPER geeky new product tonight at the famed LA social club, SoHo House, and I want to bring y'all all the info. All I'll tell you about the product is that it is COMPLETELY ridiculous, but so cool and ridiculous that I just had to accept the invite to check out the launch to be one of the first people to try it out! (yes, pics to come). Here are 3 clues if you want to try to guess what it is:

1. it just debuted at ComiCon and involves brain wave technology
2. has been written up by Wired Magazine (geek print heaven) as well as the LA Times
3. it will bring a whole new meaning to LOLcats

Post your guesses below or tweet them at me!

Plus, stay tuned, and I will be live Tweeting tonight from the event! Follow me on Twitter: @GeekGirlKnows.

Secondly, I'm also bringing my brand new, saucy minx of a blogette, Yvonne, who has just joined the Twitterverse...help me welcome her and give her a shout! Here's her handle @Yvonks. I've got big plans for her, as she's going to start posting guest blogs and covering all the geeky, Sci-Fi fun stuff that we both share with each other everyday. Plus, she's HOT. Pics to come from the event tonight!

Lastly, I've decided to try something new, and expand my area of service to you guys, who I am passionate about helping, learning from, and sharing information with! I will be announcing that right here on the GeekGirl blog and my SundayLA blog (it's a joint venture!) this Sunday, so check back then!

Cheers,
GeekGirl (aka Daria and I <3 LA :)

GeekGirlKnows on Inside Dish with Ross Mathews-The Video!

Hey Gang!

First of all, to those of you who are new, WELCOME! This is a place where technology meets creativity and I try to help you free yourself from the fear and stereotypes of what it means to be a Geek! Join the fun by scrolling down through the blog posts and checking out my videos (you can click on the archives on the right hand side of this page, OR go to my YOUTUBE CHANNEL to just cut to the chase and see all the videos! For my regular peeps, here's me on Inside Dish yesterday:



Another Link to my YouTube Channel in case you missed the one above :)



Stay tuned-info about our LIVE USTREAM BROADCAST where we will talk all gadgets holiday is coming up in the next few days just in time for those last minute shoppers!

If you have any questions you want to ask me, email me at geek.girl@earthlink.net OR post a comment below. Oh, and of course you can always Tweet at me here: twitter.com/GeekGirlKnows

Cheers,

GeekGirl

PS-Because I mentioned it in the Inside Dish video, Here's a great free e-Book, free-standing App that you can download RIGHT NOW for your iPhone or iPod Touch (it's a great book too, I have read it a few times!) Admit One: My Life in Film Here are a few screen-shots of the application itself, it's pretty awesome:


Also, you can pre-order the actual book here, for those of you who are like me who love real books and still buy them. LOL: Admit One: My Life in Film

GeekGirl Comic (Not Related to me but what a coincidence!)

Hey GeekGirl Gang!

So I got an email from comic book guru Sam Johnson the other day informing me of - wait for it - a comic strip based on a Geek Girl super-hero! Now, mind you, it has absolutely NOTHING to do with this blog or me or any of my videos, but I just thought it was really cool and something that you guys should definitely check out!

Click HERE (or on the image above) to read an interview with Sam Johnson about the genesis of his Geek Girl and the concept behind it. There are also links in that article to how you can check out the comic itself.

From the real-deal GeekGirl to the comic one, I have to give Sam Johnson a tip of the GeekGirl Glasses. :)

Cheers!

GeekGirl (the real-deal. LOL.)

Keep checking back for more great news and brand spankin' new videos, sponsored by Roddenberry.com!

You can email me at geek.girl@earthlink.net

To follow me on Twitter, click here: http://twitter.com/GeekGirlKnows
To check out my YouTube Channel, click HERE.
To check out my MySpace and become my friend, click HERE.

Hey GeekGirl Gang!

I'm working on the next podcast RIGHT NOW and I need your help! Anyone out there use a Wacom or other graphic pen/tablet instead of a mouse?



If so, I want to know what you use it for! Do you like it? Prefer a mouse? I want to hear about that too! Have no idea what I'm talking about? I want to hear what you've heard about graphic pens & your thoughts in general. & to all of the above: stay tuned! LOL.

Tweet @ me via my Twitter feed OR email me at geek.girl@earthlink.net RIGHT NOW so that I can include your thoughts in the podcast!

Don't forget you can always email me at geek.girl@earthlink.net

To follow me on Twitter, click here: http://twitter.com/GeekGirlKnows
To check out my YouTube Channel, click HERE.
To check out my MySpace and become my friend, click HERE.

Cheers,

GeekGirl

WE HAVE LIFT-OFF! Roddenberry.com Official GeekGirl Channel!

Hey GeekGirl Gang!

So, after a long period of anticipation and some technical snafoos, GeekGirl's channel on the incredible SciFi website Roddenberry.com is officially live! Click HERE to go to their homepage and click on the screen grab below to go to MY official channel there!


web design and programming is never easy, even for the simplest of projects, and I'm so happy that the fine folks at Roddenberry.com created such a slick and cool channel for me! The videos you will see there will be exclusive to Roddenberry.com and some will be videos you can also see here, so make sure you check both places!

The actual 1st episode (which you guys saw part of in my episode 10.1) will be up on June 28th and then every other week from that point on there will be a brand spanking-new episode up for your viewing pleasure!

And keep checking here for new blogs about all things tech-related (oh, and the resolution to my Time Warner vs. High Def TiVo battle! Yes, it's FINALLY over and I have TV now!). OH, and 1 last thing...we are going to have our very first official GeekGirl TweetTalk session where I give you a time where I will be live on Twitter and you can ask me questions about tech things you want to know about and get LIVE answers from me! Stay tuned for the Call to Action on that coming up very, very soon!

Don't forget you can always email me at geek.girl@earthlink.net

To follow me on Twitter, click here: http://twitter.com/GeekGirlKnows
To check out my YouTube Channel, click HERE.
To check out my MySpace and become my friend, click HERE.

Cheers,

GeekGirl

GeekGirl Episode 10.1: Allow me to introduce myself...

Hey GeekGirl Gang and Newbies!

So, I'm re-introducing myself and this blog/podcast for a very special reason. Watch the video to check out why!





Exciting, right?? Comments, questions and thoughts please!

Keep checking back for more great news and brand spankin' new videos, sponsored by Roddenberry.com!

email me at geek.girl@earthlink.net

To follow me on Twitter, click here: http://twitter.com/GeekGirlKnows
To check out my YouTube Channel, click HERE.
To check out my MySpace and become my friend, click HERE.

Cheers,

GeekGirl

HUGE News! Houston, we have a Sponsor!

Hey GeekGirl Gang!

Guess what...? After a few months of discussions and lots and lots of planning, I'm proud to tell all of you that the GeekGirl blog has just gotten an official sponsor! I present to all of you Roddenberry.com:




One of the reasons that posts have been few and far between lately is because I've been working with the fine peeps over at Roddenberry to iron out all of the details! We are going to try this out for a few months and see how it works out! So I would LOVE it if all of YOU would click on the Roddenberry logo above and go check out their website-they have TONS of cool SciFi stuff on there!

And if the name sounds familiar to you, it should! That's because Gene Roddenberry is the creator of one of my favorite things on this planet (aside from gadgets and technology, of course!)...STAR TREK!!! Yes, that's right. STAR TREK. And Roddenberry.com continues the great tradition of SciFi that was born when Star Trek was created.

I will update the blog a little later to let you all know what great new things you can expect now that we have a sponsor! But in the meantime, please check out Roddenberry.com and then come back here and post a comment with your thoughts and questions! Trust me, this is a REALLY good thing that will allow us to grow this blog together!

Keep checking back for more great news and brand spankin' new videos, sponsored by Roddenberry.com!

To follow me on Twitter, click here: http://twitter.com/GeekGirlKnows
To check out my YouTube Channel, click HERE.
To check out my MySpace and become my friend, click HERE.

And make sure to subscribe to my videos on iTunes (click HERE for my iTunes Podcast Home Page, and then click "subscribe")...they are FREE and you can take me with you on your iPod. :)

Cheers,

GeekGirl

Digital Book on Your iPhone! (and a FREE one for a limited time!)

Hey GeekGirl Gang:

If you have an iPhone, you MUST check out this really great new app just added! Independently published author Emmett James partnered with an open-source software writer for iPhone apps and converted his whole memoir into HTML code AND it's own, self-contained software app! All of the text and images and chapters are formatted for your iPhone, with digital bookmarks, page breaks, page-turners...the works! Is this the future of books?? I'm not quite sure that I can say that I would like it to be, because if you watched my last video you'd know that I LOVE printed books, however I think this free application and way to read a book is SUPER cool.

All you have to do is use your iPhone and go to the App store. Search "Admit One A Journey" and it will come up with this cover art as the icon:


Click on it to download/install, and the whole book with all of its custom formatting will download to your phone in like 3 minutes and you can start reading! There are even active links within the book (at the end) that will let you link to Amazon and purchase a printed version of the book!

I really am amazed by this technology. It's especially important for independent authors like Mr. James who aren't signed with a big publisher and are forced to fight "The Man" and the discriminatory cycle of publishing via grass-roots marketing efforts like this one. And the best part of it all? It's a very GREEN way to consume media! No trees were harmed in the making of this book! And you all know how much I love eco-friendly technology!

I think this type of self-promotion and ease of application creation for the App Store are a sign of the times and speak loudly to the direction our country and technology are moving in general. I also think it's an incredible way for people to be able to create their works of art, be it books, software, or art proper (in all forms of media, of course!) and get it out to the rest of the world without a middleman. All in all, I really think it's awesome! But what do YOU think?

I'm really curious to hear your thoughts on the subject! Please post them in the COMMENT section below. I might even do another GeekGirl poll to see what you all think so we can compare!

Your mission, GeekGirl Gang, is to
1) go to the app store on your iPhone, download the book, and then rate/review it in the app store.
2) come back here and post in the COMMENTS section below about your thoughts on digital books in this format in general!

Got general questions? Thoughts? Comments? Gripes? COMMENT below or email me @ geek.girl@earthlink.net.

Have you signed up for the new GeekGirl Twitter feed yet? Come join the fun!

To check out my YouTube Channel, click HERE.
To check out my MySpace and become my friend, click HERE.

And make sure to subscribe to my videos on iTunes (click HERE for my iTunes Podcast Home Page, and then click "subscribe")...they are FREE and the quality on iTunes is way better than on YouTube. Plus, you can take me with you on your iPod. :)

Until next time, Cheers!

GeekGirl :)

iPhone 3.0!

Hey Gang!

Just in case you haven't heard, the preview for the iPhone 3.0 software came out today! If you haven't checked it out yet, click on the image below:


Questions? Thoughts? Comments about this great announcement? Gripes? COMMENT below or email me @ geek.girl@earthlink.net.

Have you signed up for the new GeekGirl Twitter feed? Come join the fun!

To check out my YouTube Channel, click HERE.
To check out my MySpace and become my friend, click HERE.

And make sure to subscribe to my videos on iTunes (click HERE for my iTunes Podcast Home Page, and then click "subscribe")...they are FREE and the quality on iTunes is way better than on YouTube. Plus, you can take me with you on your iPod. :)

YOU GUESS: GeekGirl Quickie Coming Up Later Today!

Hey Gang! I'm working on a GeekGirl Quickie RIGHT NOW that will post later today! What's it about, you ask? Well, I heard some tech news last week that excited me and I just had to share with all of you! But, you will have to keep checking back here today for the video to find out! In the meantime, if you think you are in the know with Tech news and you want to guess what I'm excited about, take a stab at it in the COMMENTS section below! Tell me what you think it is and if you guess correctly before I click "export" on the video, I will give you a shout-out in it! It doesn't get more interactive than that. :)

To check out my YouTube Channel, click HERE.
To check out my MySpace and become my friend, click HERE.

And make sure to subscribe to my videos on iTunes (click HERE for my iTunes Podcast Home Page, and then click "subscribe")...they are FREE and you can take me with you on your iPod. :)

Cheers,

GeekGirl

Cheers, GeekGirl

GeekGirl Episode 8.1: CES is fun!

Finally! Here's Part 1 of my 2-part GeekGirl, behind-the-scenes, CES (Consumer Electronics Show) extravaganza from Las Vegas! I had a coveted all-access pass to the industry-only show floor and brought back LOTS of video and pictures for all of my beloved GeekGirl followers! Get in on the action here (and if you are at a computer with a good internet connection, make sure to watch the video in High Quality by clicking the "HQ" in the bottom right-hand corner!) Remember this is just Part 1-in Part 2, I show you lots more including the MyVu booth, the new Blackberry Storm and all sorts of awesome new technology (including big companies taking exciting GREEN initiatives that mix technology and help our environment at the same time) from the show floor!



To check out my YouTube Channel, click HERE.
To check out my MySpace and become my friend, click HERE.

And make sure to subscribe to my videos on iTunes (click HERE for my iTunes Podcast Home Page, and then click "subscribe")...they are FREE and the quality on iTunes is way better than on YouTube. Plus, you can take me with you on your iPod. :)

Last but not least, keep those emails coming to geek.girl@earthlink.net!

Cheers,

GeekGirl

GEEK GIRL GOES GREEN!

Hey Blog Buddies!

The wait is over! Geek Girl has officially gone GREEN. I'm ga-ga for green ways to either dispose of electronic equipment, and even more ga-ga for inventive and creative ways to re-use and re-purpose your electronic peripherals and innards. :)

So, for those of you who have been following along, I've been putting a call out to YOU out there for your ideas on how to be GREEN. And you answered with flying colors! Here's Part 1 of a 2-part episode (I had so much good stuff it had to be split into two episodes!):

What did you think? I hope you are excited to see Part 2 and even more excited to go out and implement some of the ideas I mentioned so far. Stay tuned this week--Part 2 will be posting by the end of the week, along with a whole slew of links to all of the products and websites that I mention in both episodes. For now, click HERE to visit EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) website and educate yourself and those around you about ways to be GREEN as well as tech-savvy.

To check out my YouTube Channel, click HERE.
To check out my MySpace and become my friend, click HERE.
And make sure to subscribe to my videos on iTunes...they are FREE and the quality on iTunes is way better than on YouTube. Plus, you can take me with you on your iPod. :)

Cheers,

Geek Girl

Geek Girl's Day Job

Hey Blog Buddies!

This is just a quickie, but I wanted you to all to check out this great behind-the-scenes featurette that I just produced for the show I produce over on NBC.com/TonightShow. It features John Melendez "aka "Stuttering John", Ross "the Intern" Mathews, and Geek Girl doing what we do best--goofing off while "working." This was just a really fun peek behind the scenes of the show that we do, so I wanted you all to see it too! Click on the image below to check it out--you have to watch a 30 second commercial first, and then the video will play in the main window:



Hope you guys like it! And while you're there, click on the "videos" tab at the top to see all of the cool, behind the scenes stuff we have been doing giving people a never-before-seen peek behind the scenes at the Tonight Show with Jay Leno!

I'm going to have some exciting Geek Girl news coming up in the next few weeks, and of course, more video podcasts, so stay tuned and keep your questions coming!

To check out my YouTube Channel, click HERE.
To check out my MySpace and become my friend, click HERE.
And make sure to subscribe to my videos on iTunes...they are FREE and the quality on iTunes is way better than on YouTube. Plus, you can take me with you on your iPod. :)

Cheers, Geek Girl

A Few Good Gads

Greetings!

So, I am in production RIGHT NOW on Episode 4 of the video podcast. It will be completed tomorrow (Monday 11/12) night, and should be live on Tuesday morning. I am going to give you a bit of a sneak-peek here by giving away the topic because I need to hear from YOU about something that I will then reveal in the new podcast. Here's what I need to know:

What is your favorite gadget?

I am going to talk about 5 gadgets that I love, and expect the unexpected here. I'm sure lots of people will say their iPhones, iPods, etc., which is great, but I want to also hear about other things that you all love. Then, I want to reveal to you all if there is one response that is overwhelmingly universal, or if I get any wacky responses, I might share those as well!

Email me your answer to geek.girl@earthlink.net. Put the word "GADGET" in the subject line. OR, post it in the COMMENTS section below. Hope to hear from you!

Otherwise, come back for the new podcast tomorrow night/Tuesday morning!

To check out my YouTube Channel, click HERE.
To check out my MySpace and become my friend, click HERE.
And make sure to subscribe to my videos on iTunes...they are FREE and the quality on iTunes is way better than on YouTube. Plus, you can take me with you on your iPod. :)

Cheers!

Geek Girl

Wow, is it really November? Oh yeah, and STRIKE!

WOW. I can't believe it's November. I haven't blogged in so long, but have no fear, a new GEEK GIRL production schedule is here!

I have been getting so many emails from all of you with questions and comments...I hope that the advice I've given has worked out! Make sure to send me follow up emails. Quite a few new episodes are in progress...and now that I got a nifty new laptop with the iSight built-in, I can change locations and shoot the episodes outside of my office! We're mobile, people...it's official.

On a separate note...as some of you may or may not know, I happen to work at a late night show that has been directly impacted by this week's WGA (Writers Guild of America) strike. They said that late night shows would be hit first, since our writers write fresh new content every day, and boy, were they right. Nothing is for certain now, and the issues (from what I hear) on both sides are difficult. Sometimes I just like to escape with my gadgets and computers and get away from it all (ok, more than sometimes), so that's why I'm going to focus on filming the next few podcasts for you all! But in the meantime, please keep all of us directly and indirectly affected by the strike in your thoughts. And for those people involved in the negotiations, GIVE PEACE A CHANCE! :)

If you have any feedback or just want to say hi, please feel free to post below in the COMMENTS section! Or, email me your thoughts, questions or even videos, at geek.girl@earthlink.net.

To check out my YouTube Channel, click HERE.
To check out my MySpace and become my friend, click HERE.
And make sure to subscribe to my videos on iTunes...they are FREE and the quality on iTunes is way better than on YouTube. Plus, you can take me with you on your iPod. :)

Cheers!

Geek Girl

OCD Quickie and 1st Official Geek Girl Poll: Circus Ponies Notebook 2.1

Hi Blog Buds!

I was feeling lazy tonight and just HAD to tell you/ask you about this software I read about today, so I decided to do a quick video blog about it instead (I was sitting on my couch with my laptop in front of me, so forgive the background of my living room!) Check out the video here:





And then give me your feedback below in the COMMENTS section. Or, email me your feedback, or even video feedback, at geek.girl@earthlink.net.

To check out my YouTube Channel, click HERE.
To check out my MySpace and become my friend, click HERE.
And make sure to subscribe to my videos on iTunes...they are FREE and the quality on iTunes is way better than on YouTube. Plus, you can take me with you on your iPod. :)

Cheers!

Geek Girl

TRENDING: Apple TV and Absence Makes the Heart...

...grow fonder.

A part of my job at the TV show I work on is to keep ahead of the proverbial digital curve. I read all sorts of geek magazines, newsletters, and websites, and a few times a year I attend national conferences on digital entertainment technology and gadgetry. (I know, it sounds totally dorky, but hey, what do you expect?) Basically, I have to keep an eye out for the future. This is what I call TRENDING, and it will be a recurring feature here on this blog. Whenever I have something to tell you all that I think is going to be the next big thing, the wave of the future, the next hot new type of gadget, etc., I will post a blog alerting you to the fad so that you can be as up-to-date as I am (or at least try to be!). And now, I present to you, the first installment of:




Today I want to talk about something that I've known about for a while, and now it is really hitting the mainstream, though I think that it will take a while for people to actually start using it and having a use for it. The TREND that I am talking about is watching content from your computer on your television set, and vice-versa.

This type of entertainment takes on all sorts of forms, such as Internet Television, or IPTV, Slingboxing and AppleTV. The most common type of content on the web seems to be User-Generated content, or sites such as YouTube or MySpace, where people can upload videos and share, comment on them and search them. My theory, from observing the evolution of entertainment in the last few years that began with Reality Television, is that people like to see candid, real moments from normal people, and thus User-Generated content has recently been king. (a close second are original web-exclusive, bite-sized bits of entertainment, but we'll save that for another entry because it deserves one all it's own).

With the growth of people viewing video on the internet, and the demand to share it, mobile phone video providers and portable media-players such as iPods have grown much more robust in their ability to view and share content.

And then, a funny thing happened. People started wanting, naturally, to be able to have the content that they have recorded on their TiVo's or DVR's somehow transferred onto such mobile devices. Since they were already paying for their cable and TiVo subscriptions, they had already payed for that episode of Lost that they just payed for AGAIN on iTunes or Amazon or Google Video in order to be able to watch it on their laptops and media players.

Enter Slingboxing.



Sling Media is a company that created a trapezoid-shaped box that could virtually transmit the content you recorded from your TV to any wireless-enabled device (including your computer). Now, not only could people download their fave TV shows from iTunes if they missed them, they could record them at home and bypass having to pay for them again at all. Though this is somewhat of a band-aid for the problem for the time being, it works.

And then, another funny thing happened. Content from the internet became REALLY popular. People still watch their network dramas and comedies, but they value short-form entertainment almost, if not equally, as much. So now, not only do people want to watch their TV content on-the-go, they wanted to bring the content they found on-the-go (whether it be movies, music, or pictures) back into their living rooms and onto their TV's.

Enter AppleTV, which just released today. AppleTV takes everything from your computer in terms of media, and it beams it back to your TV. And it's wireless. The best of both worlds.


Ok, so maybe you are not running out to buy one. I'm not either. That's why we're talking stuff that's AHEAD OF THE CURVE. I personally think (and I don't think that I am in the minority) that the future will consist of one box in your living rooms that is going to control everything - your TV, Internet, lighting, phone, doorbell, alarm, etc. A fully-integrated system and only one, neat little box with only a few cables. Say goodbye to the jungle of wires behind your entertainment center and computer station. Well, not quite yet, but it's coming.

Cheers!

Geek Girl


Thanks for all of your questions!! If you have questions, email me at geek.girl@earthlink.net
Check out my podcast on iTunes - GeekGirl
Season Premiere Episode coming up!

It's HERE!

FINALLY...the introductory podcast is up! It should also be in the iTunes directory shortly as well, so right now you will have to view it via switchpod. I am still working on the permanent background, so i just did this one in my office at home. Bear with me as this thing evolves. :) To get the feed, click on the still below:




You might have to let the whole video load first depending how fast/slow your computer is. Also, here is the link where you can subscribe to the feed via iTunes (you have to click on the "Subscribe in iTunes" link on the right-hand side of the page, and the video will download automatically into your iTunes): FEED

(You can also get the video there if for any reason the photo link above doesn't work).

Ok, bloggers, NOW I need your feedback! Let me know your thoughts, ideas, questions, suggestions, etc. by posting a COMMENT below, or by emailing me at geek.girl@earthlink.net

Cheers!

Geek Girl