InventHelp’s Invention Girl is online so much that, although it pains me to admit, I’m actually bored with the internet. A world of information is at my fingertips and yet, sometimes I just can’t seem to find an amusing way to pass the time.

Luckily, I’ve just stumbled on to MSN’s Encarta® quiz page. Not only do I get to amusing myself online, but I get to fine-tune my trivia knowledge! Trust me, from working with so many different types of inventions here at InventHelp, I need as much help as I can get to be the “Jane of All Trades.”

Featuring topics from Animals to Sports to Film, the site boasts such a wide variety of subjects that any trivia buff should be able to find an area of expertise. There’s even an inventions quiz (InventHelp’s Invention Girl got a 9/10 on this one, I’m so ashamed!). Who knew that ketchup was derived from a spicy, pickled-fish condiment popular in 17th-century China? I thought it was invented by Pittsburgh condiment pioneer John Heinz – I won’t make that mistake again!

Feed your inner quiz show contestant and learn some offbeat fun facts? That certainly sounds more productive than checking your email for the umpteenth time.

Job hunters: You might want to rethink posting those pictures from this weekend’s keg party on your MySpace page. These days, more and more employers are relying less on your written references and more on your online life.

One in five bosses admits to snooping – ahem! – “searching” about job applicants online. According to CareerBuilder.com, this is up from just 11% of employers in 2006. And, about a third of these employers dismiss applicants based on their discoveries. The managers listed these no-nos among the worst things to post online: bragging about drug use or drinking, provocative or inappropriate photographs, and even an unprofessional screen name!

Of course, your social networking site can also work to your advantage in today’s tech-savvy work force. Listing unique skills, experiences and qualifications can make applicants look more attractive to potential employers.

InventHelp’s Invention Girl isn’t hunting for a job (how could I give up my gadget gig at InventHelp?!), but the rigors of job hunting are still fresh in my mind even after all these years. Given today’s competitive employment environment, even the slightest online infraction could tip the scale in another prospective employee’s direction.

If you are job hunting, InventHelp and Invention Girl hope that this tip will help to land you that dream job you’ve always wanted (I already have mine!).

Just up the road from InventHelp’s headquarters in Pittsburgh sits Carnegie Mellon University, one of the nation’s elite schools and a perpetual hotbed of technological progress. Recently, Carnegie Mellon and the computer science world at large lost an inspirational leader when died of pancreatic cancer. He is survived by his wife, Jai, and three young children.

Pausch shot to fame in September 2007 when he delivered “The Last Lecture” to a packed house at CMU. Faced with the news that he had three to six months of good health left, Pausch resolved to create an upbeat “final pep talk” for his family, students and friends. Titled “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams,” the lecture has been viewed more than 4 million times on YouTube and the story behind the lecture became a best-selling novel.

Like millions around the world, InventHelp’s Invention Girl was inspired by Pausch’s courage. “If I was able to tell my story with the passion I felt,” Pausch says in his book, “my lecture might help others find a path to fulfilling their own dreams.” He said he didn’t want his lecture to revolve around the fact that he was dying; he wanted it to be how about to live.

Pausch’s inventive use of technology and media means that his lessons can be shared for generations. InventHelp and Invention Girl honor the memory of Randy Pausch – innovator, scientist and inspirational example for this InventHelp employee.

Disney-Pixar’s WALL-E, the super-hyped love story about a lovable trash-cleaning robot, is looking cash in on summer movie audiences who are craving a new family-friendly feature.

Disney is banking on a familiar formula: an unusual creature with a heart of gold that’s just different on the outside. It’s worked for new films like the Shrek trilogy, and classic cinema is chock full of King Kongs and hunchbacks. But robots have always held a special place in InventHelp and Invention Girl’s heart. Here are my favorite robots from films (and they’re not all lovable!):

1. R2-D2 and C-3PO — I’ll admit that I’m not the biggest Star Wars fan, but Invention Guy would have a fit if this sci-fi comedy duo didn’t make the top three. R2-D2, in particular, stands out as one of the most endearing robots of all time – even though he doesn’t speak a word.
2. Robby the Robot — This guy is the hardest working robot in show business. His antics, like creating barrels of whiskey at will, first appeared in The Forbidden Planet. His humor and appeal were so ubiquitous that he even appeared in very un-sci-fi TV shows like The Love Boat.
3. Ash — If you’ve never seen the movie Alien, stop here. Fellow Alien fans, however, know that Ash is not a human crew member but a representative of The Company, and he has strict orders to bring back to Earth a deadly alien for research. In famously dry robot lingo, his last words are: “I can’t lie to you about your chances, but – you have my sympathies.”

Sweet, lovable robots pull on this InventHelp employee’s heartstrings just like any one else, but I’ll admit that I do have a soft spot for the bad guy robots!

If you’re like me, InventHelp’s Invention Girl, then you’re also having trouble believing that it’s already time to move those clocks forward an hour. And it’s not your imagination – 2008 is the first year that Daylight Savings Time was extended by two months. That means I’ll have to set my alarm clock ahead one hour this weekend if I don’t want to show up late for my job at InventHelp on Monday!

The reason for the invention of “daylight savings,” which originally began after World War I and gradually became the norm, was to conserve energy. More daylight in the afternoon means that less artificial light is being used. But, given the energy crisis and global warming concerns affecting our planet, the government thought that more could be done.

That’s the main reason why Congress, in the 2005 Energy Policy Act, extended daylight savings time to begin the second Sunday in March and end the first Sunday in November. Now, “standard time” covers less than 1/3 of the calendar!

Although the evidence supporting the extension of Daylight Savings Time is still sketchy, I’m still a big fan. Plus, the best thing about modern electronics is that many of them will update the time automatically. Call me newfangled, but InventHelp’s Invention Girl certainly does not enjoy manually resetting every clock in the house!

As InventHelp’s Invention Girl, I spent plenty of time online. When my connection is slow (or God forbid, unavailable), that brings my gadget-researching duties to a screeching halt.

We all know about cable and DSL internet service, but Japan recently launched what could be the next big choice in service options: high-speed internet satellite.

The rocket carrying the technology launched from Japan’s Yoshinobu Launch Complex at the Tanegashima Space Center without a hitch this week, and the satellite it’s carrying promises to deliver super-speed internet to homes and businesses around the world.

The satellite will enable data transmission of 1.2 gigabytes per second, allowing subscribers with small dishes to connect to the Internet at speeds many times faster than what is now available over residential cable or DSL services.

The service initially would focus on the Asia-Pacific region close to Japan, a JAXA news release said. It could eventually be expanded to other regions, allowing for greater opportunities in long-distance education and “telemedicine,” among other possibilities.

If this service is really as fast as it claims to be, then I can’t wait until it comes stateside! I may even lobby my bosses at InventHelp to get in on the action!

Update: You may recall my InventHelp blog post a few weeks ago about an uncontrollable U.S. spy satellite that had scientists concerned that it would plummet to Earth, causing damage or injury to anyone in the vicinity.

InventHelp’s Invention Girl is pleased to report that according to Pentagon reports, there is now no danger from debris or potential hazard from the satellite’s fuel tank.

Last Wednesday, a Navy cruiser in the Pacific launched a missile at the satellite, and military video of the event indicated that it pulverized the spacecraft. Post-strike analysis still continuing, but officials say that any remaining debris would likely be no larger than a football, and that some of it has already entered Earth’s atmosphere and burnt up harmlessly.

The U.S. Navy’s plan to strike the secret satellite, which malfunctioned just after launch and had a full tank of fuel, was projected to cost between $40 million and $60 million.

Pentagon officials argue the effort is worth the expense because of the chance that the satellite’s unused fuel, 1,000 pounds of toxic hydrazine, could land in a populated area. Even though this scenario was unlikely, InventHelp’s Invention Girl tends to agree!

If you’ve read the news lately (as InventHelp’s Invention Girl, I’m addicted to CNN, MSNBC and any other site that keeps me up on the newest technology), you may have heard that you’ll be getting a check in the mail.

No, I’m not talking about your tax refund check. Congress’ big stimulus bill, now signed by the President, is meant to be a $168 billion economic rescue package.

The bill will provide rebates of $600 to $1,200 for most taxpayers in the hopes that they will spend the money and boost ailing the ailing business forecast.

The forecast for the technology industry, in particular, looks gloomy. U.S. companies and government agencies are expected to increase their spending on information technology by just 2.8 percent this year.

According to recent polls, most of the public already believes that we’re in a recession. Foreclosure signs in the neighborhood and increased layoffs in the news aren’t helping matters, either.

You heard it from InventHelp’s Invention Girl: go out and spend those rebate checks on iPods, digital cameras or whatever high-tech item Santa forgot to bring you for Christmas. Not only will you end up with a cool new toy to play with, you’ll be helping spur along our economy!

You might want to keep your head up in the next few weeks – and, if you see something the size of a small bus hurtling toward your head, by all means, run!

A large U.S. spy satellite, which is now no longer in NASA’s control, could hit Earth’s surface in late February or March.

As “far out” as this sounds, it’s not an unusual occurrence.

The National Security Council states that numerous satellites have fallen harmlessly over the years. But under ideal circumstances, an unusable satellite would be directed to fall into a remote part of the ocean, preventing injury while ensuring that data contained in the satellite remains secret.

According to government officials (who spoke on condition of anonymity because the information is classified as secret), the satellite could contain harmful materials. And, it’s unknown where it may land.

InventHelp’s Invention Girl will keep you updated on this story as it develops.

The holidays are one of my favorite times of the year because of all the news stories in the media about popular new gadgets.

This year, anything that starts with a lowercase “i” seems to be the hot topic. We just can’t seem to get away from hearing about the iPhone, the iPod Nano and the new iPod Touch. Love it or hate it – these are the gadgets that are getting the most attention this holiday season.

Games that encourage exercise rather than inhibit it are also proving to be a hit with young and older generations alike. Let’s not forget other winners this year, like GPS systems, digital cameras and high-def televisions.

The best thing about technology is that it’s constantly changing. Every time a new version of a cell phone, computer or camera comes out, it’s better designed and more powerful than the last version.

And that’s why I love my job as InventHelp’s Invention Girl, because I’m never bored! I’d love to hear what you think about your Christmas gadgets this year, so don’t be afraid to share your comments.

Happy Holidays from Invention Girl and InventHelp!