public static function lookup($location_string)
 {
     $api = 'http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json';
     $api_call = new CurlRequest($api);
     $api_call->setParams(array('sensor' => 'false', 'address' => $location_string));
     try {
         $result = $api_call->execute();
         $geocode = json_decode($result['body']);
         if ($geocode->status != 'OK') {
             return false;
         }
         return $geocode->results[0]->geometry->location;
     } catch (Exception $e) {
         return false;
     }
 }