geek holiday

Being huge fans of Star Trek (and with Captain Picard being one of our favorite TV characters of all time), we couldn't pass up the chance to celebrate the birth of Jean-Luc Picard, which just so happens to be today in the year 2305. Sure, he's not technically "born" yet (details, details!), but the good news is, Picard shares the same birth day as Sir Patrick Stewart, who of course, played Picard on the big and small screens. It's a double birthday celebration!

Be sure to check back with us as we honor our captain throughout the day, but first — watch the endearing video below to see Patrick Stewart wish Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry a happy birthday of his own.

While the brains behind Twitter have been celebrating all week, it was five years ago today that Twitter cofounder Jack Dorsey sent the first tweet ever:

In honor of Twitter's big birthday, Twitter asked users to post their favorite tweets of all time, with the hashtag #5yrs. With users around the world now sending 140 million tweets per day, Twitter's success is clear. Amidst the billions of tweets, there are plenty that stand out, giving us a look into history and at the vast power Twitter has to mobilize and give its users a platform and a voice.

Twitter has played a role in almost every major event in recent years, from the US presidential election to recent Egyptian protests. Twitter has even broken free from the confines of our atmosphere, allowing astronauts to tweet from space. With noted celebs and everyday people alike using the service to speak out, Twitter has come a long way in the past five years — here's to more sweet success!

We're closing out 2010 with a bang, but as we all take this time to connect with friends and family near and far, we'd like to extend happy holiday wishes to you and yours!

My friend PetSugar was lucky enough to stay at the Klapsons Boutique Hotel in Singapore recently. Currently on Condé Nast's Hot List, it was a designer's dream — filled with sleek and modern furnishings where no two rooms are the same — but friendly to tech-toting geeks, offering free in-room WiFi, LCD TVs, DVD players and PlayStations upon request. Besides the fun tech amenities, each room is equipped with a smart power hub, like the one pictured here. This hub requires the entry of your room key in order to control lighting, heat, air conditioning. even the shower, to help reduce power and stop waste.

Let's face it — vacations are where we pamper ourselves with treats we wouldn't normally get at home. But this tiny addition in a luxury boutique hotel proves that you shouldn't toss all of your green efforts out the window just because you're on holiday. Keeping your water and power usage top of mind while at a hotel can really help the business keep costs down (which translates to lower rates for you), while easing the pressure off mother earth as well.

I've got a few geeky tips of my own to eco-fy your vacation travels. Find out what they are when you read more.