Getting Around in L.A. with the TomTom GO 930

I don't usually don't write any kind of product endorsement, but I have fallen in love with GPS. For Father's Day, my wife and son gave me the new TomTom GO 930. Which has already proven incredibly useful, and of all things, relaxing.

For one, the Bluetooth phone hands-free feature is great, given that California has a no-talking-while-holding-phone law that went into effect on July 1st. I can't figure out how to get the Blackberry Curve voice-dial to work through the TomTom, though, so I'm trying to dial on the TomTom's touch-screen while driving, which has already left me drifting wildly across lanes.

It was especially useful on my recent trip home to Raleigh, when I drove in the city I'm not too familiar with, and back and forth to New Bern, and I have used it to figure out where to find specific businesses, like a Starbucks. Those, I suppose, are the sort of things you should take for granted in a GPS navigation unit, but I'll just add that the user interface is pretty good, too.

I think my favorite thing about the unit, in Los Angeles where I already know my way around, is that the TomTom calculates the arrival time. And the result of that isn't so much time management for me, as it is the realization that speeding, aggravation and stress while driving in L.A. are all pointless, because the TomTom does not lie. You can lane change, speed, honk, run red lights; whatever. After only a few trips, you'll notice that at the most, the TomTom grants you a minute or two in time shaved off the trip. Road rage is stress, and stress kills. So, I consider the biggest value of the GO 930 to be its zen-like technology, constantly reassuring me of my arrival time, and the stress-free, laid back listening to tunes on the radio driving experience I get, knowing that I don't have to freak out in traffic to try to get where I'm going. I'll get there safer.

If I'm not trying to dial the phone, that is.

Little Debbie is Very Very Naughty. But Good.

Where's My Jetpack has a funny post about one of my favorite food brands, Little Debbie, along with the above hilarious photo of Debbie having a drag off a cancer stick. I was recently having a discussion with a work colleague, who's from Florida by way of North Carolina, about our mutual love for Little Debbie snacks, including, but not limited to: Star Crunch, Nutty Bars, Fancy Cakes and Oatmeal Creme Pies.

There was, however, a recent recall of Little Debbie Nutty Bars. But it goes to show you how something seemingly negative like a food industry news alert can generate nostalgic blog posts celebrating sugary snacks!

And just in case you were wondering, the Little Debbie site lists their top selling items:

1. Swiss Cake Rolls
2. Nutty Bars® Wafer Bars
3. Oatmeal Creme Pies
4. Fudge Brownies
5. Honey Buns
6. Zebra Cakes
7. Devil Squares®
8. Fudge Rounds
9. Star Crunch® Cosmic Snacks
10. Chocolate Cupcakes