Google just released a Static Maps API. That means no more grabbing screenshots. This is some great timing as I’m currently working on a project which needs to incorporate static Google Maps. It’s really quite cool how it works. No javascript, just an image. Within your html, you simply place an image with the source pointing to a URL which contains parameters such as location, zoom level, map type etc.

Here’s an example using the following url:

http://maps.google.com/staticmap?markers=29.204019,- 81.049919&zoom=12&size=512×512&maptype=roadmap&key =MAPS_API_KEY

In the example URL above I’ve bolded all of the parameters. There are numerous available parameters, of which I used five; markers, zoom, size, maptype, and key.

You’ll see that I used the markers parameter to define where I wanted the marker placed. In this case it’s at Daytona Beach (Bike Week starts this weekend, after all). If you don’t want a marker, and just a clean map of an area you would use the center parameter rather than the markers parameter. Those numbers that come after the markers parameter are the latitude and longitude. How did I come up with these values? I visited google.com/maps and brought up the location I wished to mark. Then I clicked the “link to this page” button at the top right of the map. The url it spit out contained the latitude and longitude I needed.

The next parameter used was zoom. This value can be set anywhere in the range of 0-19 with 0 being a view of the entire earth. The next two parameters I could have left out, as the values I selected for size and maptype are the default values anyway. But, it is nice to have the option to select a size, horizontal pixels by vertical pixels as well as the option to select a mobile map type using the maptype parameter. The last parameter I used was key. This is required as this is where you place your specific API key. You can obtain this key for free.

This is just a very brief example of what you can do with the Google Static Maps API. For more information check out Google’s documentation.

Ever purchase a shirt.. wash it.. wear it.. then realize that you left one of the little plastic things in the collar?

I did. And, it turned out to be a pleasant surprise. I started bending it.. and soon had an “S” type shape. Rather than throw it away, I kept it sitting on my desk. Back to work I went.

A few hours later I was ready to watch the latest episode of Diggnation. I synced my iPhone, touched the iPod icon, touched “videos”, and then selected Diggnation. As it started playing, I went to prop it up against my mac mini and wedge it in with my dock, like I usually do. At that moment, a little piece of white plastic caught my eye. There it was, shining in the sun florescent light, like a gift from the heavens! I grabbed my iPhone, and as if transfixed by the blessing, slowly and carefully set it in the little white plastic thing. It was a moment of magic, like a kid on Christmas morning, I had the widest grin on my face. I now use it daily, as my little iPhone stand. Have a look:

BONUS: the white matches the Apple supplied dock. hells-yea! Oh, and sorry for the blurry pic, the iPhone doesn’t handle close-ups too well!

Alright folks, first of all I want to apologize for the lack of an entry in quite some time. Secondly, I’d like to warn you to not get too excited yet. This will be a short entry. A very short entry in fact. The reason? It’s near midnight, and I’m tired. Why so tired? Well, I recently registered for the 2007 Kiawah Island Triathlon. It’s an Olympic distance tri, which means 1.5km swim, 45km bike, and a 10km run. Wow!

How might I do this? I’m training fairly rigorously (for what I’m used to anyway). Since it’s my first triathlon and I’m not quite sure what I’m doing, and am quickly learning there is lots to learn, I have taken to none other than… the internet for help. I picked up a training schedule at beginnertriathlete.com and found a rather entertaining podcast and blog at zentriathlon.com.

Hopefully those links will keep you entertained for the next day or so until I update with a more detailed explanation for all of this craziness. Oh yea, I also took a little time to tweak my style sheet and uploaded my about page, which you can access via the navigation at the top of the site.

Ah yes, before I forget.. this one is especially for you Poppie..

You folks that followed my AT journal back in 2005 may remember a fellow hiker by the name of “Daytripper”. Well, she’s back at it again. Except this time she’s on the CT, or for those not in the know, the Colorado Trail. If my memory serves me correctly, that’s around 454 miles or something like that (too tired to use google right now). So, go check out her CT 07 trail journal and cheer her on.

I’m out.. Peace.

There aren’t many, but for those of you who have already managed to find your way here.. this site is very much under construction.

To give a (very) general overview of where the site is at:

I’m happy.. I think.. with the basic layout.. though, I’m not finished working through the navigation.. Originally this design was meant to be for my blog.. whenever that was to come about.. However, this particular site has now taken a larger role.. I now plan to use this site as a central hub for all things Ken Seals.. a blog, a portfolio, a journal, a photo album.. you get the idea. Therefore.. in regards to the site’s navigation.. I think I may have to come up with a better solution. The current navigation is great for a blog setup, but when there are multiple pages that will each have a unique objective requiring independent navigation.. I feel the current navigation just won’t fit the bill. I do think, though.. that I can keep the same feel and still implement the current navigation which will serve as each page’s unique navigation. Yet, for the overall navigation, I haven’t settled on a solution.. but I’m leaning toward some sort of top navigation.. perhaps tabbed.. perhaps something different.. I’ll tinker with it over the next few days and see where I end up. So again, this site is very much a work in progress.. but, within the next week it should be a fully functional “work in progress” so that at least each page that is referred to is actually a page.. enjoy watching the progress.. I’m off to sleep, more later.

I’ve always wanted a weblog.. to share my ideas, keep folks updated, ramble.. you get the idea. Well, I finally have one. I purchased KennethSeals.com from DreamHost a few days ago, and began coding up my site.

Why DreamHost you ask? I’ve noticed “dreamhost” in the footer of quite a few of the sites I regularly frequent and respect.. so right off I figured, “these guys must be good.” After googling them and researching.. only a small amount.. I made my decision and purchased my domain as well as my hosting package with them. If you’re looking to purchase a domain, or hosting package I’ve never experienced an easier set up. Also, if you’re looking to set up a wordpress blog.. you can have DreamHost set it up on your server for you. Pretty much.. awesome!

This is my first attempt at a blog.. and it’s not quite set up yet. However, that is going to be the theme with this site. Basically, it’s going to be ever-changing. A sort-of playground where I can go in.. play ball for a bit.. and check back out with no worries. It should be pretty cool to keep up with, because I like to play quite often.. so it will be exciting from a users point of view to experience the ever-changing design. Word, cousin.