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'Pinterest stress' not just for moms?

I don't know exactly when it happened, but I can now say for sure that I live in a Pinterest household. The influence of the digital pinboard has infiltrated numerous aspects of life in the Mack family palace, from our wardrobe to nightly dinners to the bling I've been instructed to install on the door of the oven those dinners are cooked in.

That's right, I'm going to bling out my oven because my wife told me to, because it looked cool to her in a thumbnail on a punnily named social network.

This is not quite the future the Jetsons promised us, but we're living it.

So I was very interested to read the findings of a recent survey about what stresses out American moms. The online survey of more than 7,000 women in the U.S. was conducted by Insight Express/NBC News for TodayMoms.com and revealed one particularly fascinating nugget:

Measuring up to all the cool crafts they see on Pinterest causes stress for 42 percent of moms.

… Read more

Twitter: Don't you dare tweet your mom for Mother's Day

You know how you love tweeting? You know how Twitter is the epicenter of your universe, the medium of your message?

Well, Sunday is Mother's Day and Twitter has a message for you: Don't tweet.

At least, don't even think of tweeting your mom to wish her Happy Mother's Day.

How do I know this? Well, Twitter released a PSA (yes, crises such as this need a PSA) to explain to you (boys) that momma deserves more than a tweeted hug and kiss.

To use Twitter's own words, if you are thinking of tweeting your … Read more

Last-minute Mother's Day deal: Roku + Hulu Plus for $79.99

Here's the good news: Roku and Hulu have teamed up for another sweet deal.

The "special offer for Mother's Day" includes a Roku HD box, a six-month Hulu Plus subscription, a 6-foot HDMI cable, and shipping, all for $79.99 (plus sales tax where applicable -- though I'm not sure why).

Here's the bad news: Unless you spend an extra $14.99 to upgrade to 2-day shipping, there's no guarantee the bundle will arrive by Sunday (meaning this Sunday, May 12, in case you haven't checked your calendar lately). The free-ground-shipping option … Read more

Google's beautiful 'thank you' to mothers

For a company that is desperate to have you behave like a nonhuman with a peculiar penchant for spying and bad taste in glasses, Google still has a level of humanity buried deep within what's left of its soul.

One of the very best ads of last year was a Google Chrome ad called "Jess Time," in which a father and daughter try to come to terms with the death of Jess' mother.

Now, just in time for Mother's Day, Google has released a quite beautiful homage to the woman who always held it all together … Read more

Impossible-to-kill plant and other Mother's Day gifts

The trouble with holidays that fall on a different day every year is they sneak up on you. At least that's how I rationalize my lack of preparation. So consider yourself warned, fellow slackers. Mother's Day is May 12 this year, and on behalf of moms everywhere, I suggest you start planning.

First, let's get something straight. I appreciate the standard, go-to gifts as much as the next mom, but nothing screams "I bought this 5 minutes ago" than flowers or a box of chocolates. Don't phone it in, people! Mother's Day may … Read more

This May the Fourth, look back at amazing 'Return of the Jedi' art

Spark your sabers, feed your Rancor, and fire up the X-Wing. It's May 4, a fabulous makeshift holiday that plays off the saying "May the Force be with you" and gives fans of the sci-fi saga yet another reason to openly celebrate "Star Wars" films and culture.

To commemorate the occasion, check out an incredible collection of conceptual drawings for "Return of the Jedi" by legendary artist Ralph McQuarrie.

The illustrations, which hugely influenced the aesthetics of the sets, characters, and vehicles in the movie -- astounds due to McQuarrie's sensational use … Read more

Facebook's 'lie' button and other fun from Shorty Awards

Like the medium they honor -- social media -- the Shorty Awards are whimsical, fun, and irreverent, with a pinch of seriousness, activism, and social good thrown into the mix.

I've been a judge for the Shorty Awards for several years (with such folks as David Pogue (@Pogue), Esther Dyson (@edyson), Craig Newmark (@CraigNewmark), and Steve Wozniak (@stevewoz).

Along with the judging, I've also played the Shorty version of Joan Rivers. Earlier this month, at the ceremony in New York's Times Center, instead of asking about their clothes or nuggets of gossip, I used interviews to probe … Read more

Coolest Earth Day ride: The Sora electric superbike

If you wanted to impress on Earth Day, you could do worse than this all-electric motorcycle from Canada.

The Sora superbike from Quebec-based Lito Green Motion is finally hitting the streets after years of development and promos. The Canadian Ministry of Transport recently certified the firm as a motorcycle manufacturer, and the $41,000 bike is getting lots of attention.

The Sora, which means "sky" in Japanese, has a 12 kWh lithium polymer battery and a range of 185 miles on a single charge, which takes 8 hours, or 90 minutes with a quick charger. It can be recharged anywhere using a conventional plug. … Read more

Google's Earth Day doodle reflects planet's complexity

Google is marking Earth Day 2013 on Monday with what might be its busiest animated doodle yet. In fact, its level of involvement led Google to create a checklist to ensure you don't miss anything.

Highlighting the Earth's complexity on the 43rd Earth Day, the doodle offers a snapshot of the four seasons our fragile planet experiences, as well as some of its flora and fauna.

"Today we are celebrating Earth Day with an interactive doodle that captures a slice of nature's subtle wonders," doodler Leon Hong wrote. "We hope you enjoy discovering animals, … Read more