Google's corporate venture capital arm is launched. Exciting and interesting to see how they really approach investments and help entrepreneurs. Some information from the corporate blog post:
"At its core, Google Ventures is charged with finding and helping to develop exceptional start-ups. We'll be focusing on early stage investments across a diverse range of industries, including consumer Internet, software, clean-tech, bio-tech, health care and, no doubt, other areas we haven't thought of yet. Central to our effort will be our fellow Googlers, whom we view as a critically important resource to help educate us about potential investments areas and evaluate specific companies."
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
"Red & White" Wine Tasting Event, April 18th@6PM
Christine and I decided to make our board activity for the Central YMCA fun and creative this year, so we have organized a wine tasting event. I'm inviting people in the Bay Area to the "Red & White" wine tasting fundraiser on April 18th from 6:00PM - 10:00PM.
It's not just any YMCA, it's the Central YMCA that is helping many underprivileged youth and seniors living in the Tenderloin District, which is the poorest area in San Francisco. Especially in these tough economic times, they need your help to keep programs going as many members rely on financial assistance from the Y. Please consider attending the wine tasting fundraiser (tickets can be purchased online here).
For $50 ticket, you will get unlimited tastings from various wineries from Napa, Sonoma, and Santa Cruz Mountains. Also, each attendee will get a $15 gift certificate from Bottlenotes.com. We also have exciting items being auctioned/raffled off: art work by Casey O'Connell, custom wine label and bottling services by Winefornia.com, an exclusive Byington Winery touring and tasting for group of 30 and other great prizes.
Even if you cannot attend, consider donating to the Central YMCA by clicking here and please enter "wineevent" in the reference box.
Thanks to your support:
* 250 teens find a healthy, safe refuge with academic support in our youth program here in the Tenderloin, a community struggling with drug use and violence.
* 500 Seniors come into our YMCA and participate in our wide range of programs, including fitness, language, and life skills classes.
* 700 low income individuals from all walks of life gain access to our facility and become socially involved in our YMCA, supported by our Financial Assistance program.
Look forward to seeing you there!
It's not just any YMCA, it's the Central YMCA that is helping many underprivileged youth and seniors living in the Tenderloin District, which is the poorest area in San Francisco. Especially in these tough economic times, they need your help to keep programs going as many members rely on financial assistance from the Y. Please consider attending the wine tasting fundraiser (tickets can be purchased online here).
For $50 ticket, you will get unlimited tastings from various wineries from Napa, Sonoma, and Santa Cruz Mountains. Also, each attendee will get a $15 gift certificate from Bottlenotes.com. We also have exciting items being auctioned/raffled off: art work by Casey O'Connell, custom wine label and bottling services by Winefornia.com, an exclusive Byington Winery touring and tasting for group of 30 and other great prizes.
Even if you cannot attend, consider donating to the Central YMCA by clicking here and please enter "wineevent" in the reference box.
Thanks to your support:
* 250 teens find a healthy, safe refuge with academic support in our youth program here in the Tenderloin, a community struggling with drug use and violence.
* 500 Seniors come into our YMCA and participate in our wide range of programs, including fitness, language, and life skills classes.
* 700 low income individuals from all walks of life gain access to our facility and become socially involved in our YMCA, supported by our Financial Assistance program.
Look forward to seeing you there!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
TodaysMama Launches CONNECT, "Twitter for Moms"
TodaysMama is an online community for you mothers, which includes my wife, and they just launched a Twitter for just moms called CONNECT:
"Welcome to the online spot where moms can gather and Connect. Share what's happening in your world, 140 characters at a time. Join now to post your own messages, follow other moms, and join groups to share ideas, tips and comments on a common theme. Do it all in Connect."
"Welcome to the online spot where moms can gather and Connect. Share what's happening in your world, 140 characters at a time. Join now to post your own messages, follow other moms, and join groups to share ideas, tips and comments on a common theme. Do it all in Connect."
Korean American Association Race in NYC... Embarrassing for This Korean American
HatTip to Adrian. Seriously embarrassing article in the NYTimes, "A Heated Campaign for a Ceremonial Post"
"More than 1,000 Korean associations in the New York region, more than half of them Korean churches..."
This fact might be even more embarrassing, especially since as a Korean American I know many of those churches exist due to splits and conflicts. Also approximately 90% of church lawsuits are in the U.S. are due to Korean American churches. Hopefully the 2nd and 3rd generation of Korean Americans are not following the first waves' mentality and patterns.
"More than 1,000 Korean associations in the New York region, more than half of them Korean churches..."
This fact might be even more embarrassing, especially since as a Korean American I know many of those churches exist due to splits and conflicts. Also approximately 90% of church lawsuits are in the U.S. are due to Korean American churches. Hopefully the 2nd and 3rd generation of Korean Americans are not following the first waves' mentality and patterns.
"The Crisis of Credit Visualized"
An old presentation but an excellence one that deserves to be posted. I received a few emails on this from friends and a random person, so most of you have probably seen this. Anyway, Jonathan Jarvis simply did an excellence job on this visualized story, so here it is again.
The Crisis of Credit Visualized from Jonathan Jarvis on Vimeo.
The Crisis of Credit Visualized from Jonathan Jarvis on Vimeo.
Friday, March 27, 2009
TEDIndia November 2009
TEDIndia will be held November 4th-7th, 2009 at the beautiful Infosys campus in Mysore. I believe registration is open to the public, so if you're interested apply to attend TEDIndia.
I would have loved to attend, but there isn't a strong reason for me to go. There is probably a better fit for Christine, so I wonder if she will go for work.
I would have loved to attend, but there isn't a strong reason for me to go. There is probably a better fit for Christine, so I wonder if she will go for work.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
“Realigning Priorities: The U.S.-Japan Alliance and the Future of Extended Deterrence”
The Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis (IFPA) has a new report out, "Realigning Priorities: The U.S.-Japan Alliance and the Future of Extended Deterrence" which you can download.
North Korea’s pending missile/rocket launch over Japan and recent U.S.-China maritime skirmishes in the South China Sea remind us that the nature of deterrence and extended deterrence in East Asia is changing. Existential threats are perhaps less serious than during the Cold War, but the number and types of threats have multiplied in the region, and the old symbols of deterrence, such as the U.S. nuclear umbrella, are losing their vitality (and perhaps their relevance to the middle rungs of the conflict escalation ladder that are becoming more important). Extended deterrence in the U.S.-Japan alliance is under pressure because it is more complicated than before, and this challenge comes at a time when America’s and Japan’s security priorities are diverging. Careful attention to this issue is required by both partners.
Our just-released report examines the security picture from Japan’s perspective, discusses the evolving deterrence debates in both countries, and looks at why (and how) Japan might consider new approaches to ensuring its security in the future (including the potential for Japan to develop its own nuclear deterrent). We also explore strategies for U.S. policy makers to conduct the deterrence conversation in ways that strengthen and diversify the allies’ security and political relationships (possibly in partnership with other nations), which can promote stability in the region and reassure Japan as the United States seeks a lower nuclear profile.
North Korea’s pending missile/rocket launch over Japan and recent U.S.-China maritime skirmishes in the South China Sea remind us that the nature of deterrence and extended deterrence in East Asia is changing. Existential threats are perhaps less serious than during the Cold War, but the number and types of threats have multiplied in the region, and the old symbols of deterrence, such as the U.S. nuclear umbrella, are losing their vitality (and perhaps their relevance to the middle rungs of the conflict escalation ladder that are becoming more important). Extended deterrence in the U.S.-Japan alliance is under pressure because it is more complicated than before, and this challenge comes at a time when America’s and Japan’s security priorities are diverging. Careful attention to this issue is required by both partners.
Our just-released report examines the security picture from Japan’s perspective, discusses the evolving deterrence debates in both countries, and looks at why (and how) Japan might consider new approaches to ensuring its security in the future (including the potential for Japan to develop its own nuclear deterrent). We also explore strategies for U.S. policy makers to conduct the deterrence conversation in ways that strengthen and diversify the allies’ security and political relationships (possibly in partnership with other nations), which can promote stability in the region and reassure Japan as the United States seeks a lower nuclear profile.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Banking On Life Conference (Cord Blood Stem Cell Research) May 2, 2009
The Center for Bioethics & Culture is hosting a conference that brings the major leaders, thinkers and experts in the field of cord blood stem cell research and regenerative medicine. Definitely a highly academic and engaging event! More from the event website here:
Cutting edge leaders from around the world, in the field of umbilical cord blood stem cell research and regenerative medicine, will join us to promote, inform and educate attendees on up to the minute successes and advances in cord blood research. These key voices will convene to share information that will shape the future direction of progress in cord blood banking and advances in patient treatments.
Some of the world experts are:
Dr. Colin McGuckin
After finishing his PhD (DPhil) on leukaemia research in 1991 (Biomedical Sciences Research Centre, University of Ulster – a 5* RAE department), Colin completed a postdoctoral position at St George’s Hospital Medical School Dept of Haematology. There he worked on Chronic Anaemia’s & Stem Cell Disorders. In 1996 he became Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences at Kingston University, and ‘Reader’ in 2001. In 1999, he founded and became Director of the Stem Cell Therapy Laboratory specialising in Stem Cell Research, Tissue Engineering and regenerative medicine. His research collaborates internationally and with industry. Colin is also a freelance journalist working with TV, radio and print media and believes in promoting medical and scientific research understanding to the public. He is a UK Millennium Fellow & Media Fellow promoting science and medicine to the public. In 2005 he was appointed the first Professor of Regenerative Medicine at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, leading a clinical research programme to take adult stem cells through to patients. We strongly believe in international cooperation and collaboration
Banking Umbilical Cord Blood: The Future of Regenerative Medicine
Abstract: It is 20 years since the first successful cord blood stem cell transplant, and this field of regenerative medicine, is moving forwards at an incredible pace, as more and more countries realise the potential of the stem cells which are present in umbilical cord blood at birth. World expert, Prof Colin McGuckin, will present his own work and progress to date in this exciting sphere. His team have been successful in discovering a unique group of cells from cord blood called ‘cord-blood-derived embryonic-like stem cells’ or CBEs which can give rise to any tissue type of the body. They combine qualities of the embryonic and the adult stem cell, whilst bypassing the ethical or technical limitations of these two types of stem cells. In his laboratory they use a microgravity technology originally developed for NASA, to grow cells in 3-dimensional free-floating conditions, greatly increasing the number of cells which can be produced, and they have successfully grown liver cells from CBEs
Dr. David T. Harris
Dr. Harris is a graduate of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina where he obtained Bachelor of Science degrees (cum laude) in Biology, Mathematics and Psychology in 1978. He earned a Masters of Medical Sciences (summa cum laude) from Bowman Gray Medical School in 1980 and his Doctorate in Microbiology and Immunology (magna cum laude) from Bowman Gray Medical School in 1982. From 1982-1985 Dr. Harris was a Postdoctorate Fellow at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research in Lausanne, Switzerland. In 1985 he joined the faculty at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill as a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine. In 1989 Dr. Harris joined the faculty at the University of Arizona in Tucson as an Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology. In 1996 Dr. Harris was promoted to Professor of Immunology. Dr. Harris established the first cord blood bank in the USA in 1992. He currently serves as Director of the Cord Blood Stem Cell Bank, is a member of the Arizona Cancer Center, a member of the Children’s Research Center, a member of the Arizona Arthritis Center, and Head of the Gene Therapy Group. Dr. Harris’s research interests include stem cells and regenerative medicine, cancer research/stem cell transplantation and gene therapy. He has published more than 300 articles (papers, book chapters and abstracts), given more than 100 talks on stem cells over the past 7 years, and has served as a consultant to the governments of China, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea. Dr. Harris has also founded 3 companies while at the University of Arizona; Cord Blood Registry, Inc.; ImmuneRegen BioSciences, Inc.; and QuReGen, Inc.
Cord Blood Cells and Regenerative Medicine: Clinical Applications
Abstract: The use of stem cells from umbilical cord blood has grown significantly over the last 10 years. More than 12,000 cord blood transplants have now been performed worldwide for a variety of cancers, blood disorders, and genetic diseases. However, recent discoveries in regenerative medicine suggest that stem cells, like those found in newborn cord blood, can differentiate into bone, brain, nerve, skin, or other cell types. While these areas of research are in their infancy, the value and power of stem cells and the potential they possess for medical treatment and cures is creating a new paradigm for the future.
The objective of this presentation is to provide updated information regarding clinical experience with umbilical cord blood banking and transplantation and a summary of expert opinion concerning the current and potential future applications of cord blood stem cells.
Other speakers here and register here.
Visit the Facebook Event page here.
Cutting edge leaders from around the world, in the field of umbilical cord blood stem cell research and regenerative medicine, will join us to promote, inform and educate attendees on up to the minute successes and advances in cord blood research. These key voices will convene to share information that will shape the future direction of progress in cord blood banking and advances in patient treatments.
Some of the world experts are:
Dr. Colin McGuckin
After finishing his PhD (DPhil) on leukaemia research in 1991 (Biomedical Sciences Research Centre, University of Ulster – a 5* RAE department), Colin completed a postdoctoral position at St George’s Hospital Medical School Dept of Haematology. There he worked on Chronic Anaemia’s & Stem Cell Disorders. In 1996 he became Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences at Kingston University, and ‘Reader’ in 2001. In 1999, he founded and became Director of the Stem Cell Therapy Laboratory specialising in Stem Cell Research, Tissue Engineering and regenerative medicine. His research collaborates internationally and with industry. Colin is also a freelance journalist working with TV, radio and print media and believes in promoting medical and scientific research understanding to the public. He is a UK Millennium Fellow & Media Fellow promoting science and medicine to the public. In 2005 he was appointed the first Professor of Regenerative Medicine at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, leading a clinical research programme to take adult stem cells through to patients. We strongly believe in international cooperation and collaboration
Banking Umbilical Cord Blood: The Future of Regenerative Medicine
Abstract: It is 20 years since the first successful cord blood stem cell transplant, and this field of regenerative medicine, is moving forwards at an incredible pace, as more and more countries realise the potential of the stem cells which are present in umbilical cord blood at birth. World expert, Prof Colin McGuckin, will present his own work and progress to date in this exciting sphere. His team have been successful in discovering a unique group of cells from cord blood called ‘cord-blood-derived embryonic-like stem cells’ or CBEs which can give rise to any tissue type of the body. They combine qualities of the embryonic and the adult stem cell, whilst bypassing the ethical or technical limitations of these two types of stem cells. In his laboratory they use a microgravity technology originally developed for NASA, to grow cells in 3-dimensional free-floating conditions, greatly increasing the number of cells which can be produced, and they have successfully grown liver cells from CBEs
Dr. David T. Harris
Dr. Harris is a graduate of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina where he obtained Bachelor of Science degrees (cum laude) in Biology, Mathematics and Psychology in 1978. He earned a Masters of Medical Sciences (summa cum laude) from Bowman Gray Medical School in 1980 and his Doctorate in Microbiology and Immunology (magna cum laude) from Bowman Gray Medical School in 1982. From 1982-1985 Dr. Harris was a Postdoctorate Fellow at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research in Lausanne, Switzerland. In 1985 he joined the faculty at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill as a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine. In 1989 Dr. Harris joined the faculty at the University of Arizona in Tucson as an Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology. In 1996 Dr. Harris was promoted to Professor of Immunology. Dr. Harris established the first cord blood bank in the USA in 1992. He currently serves as Director of the Cord Blood Stem Cell Bank, is a member of the Arizona Cancer Center, a member of the Children’s Research Center, a member of the Arizona Arthritis Center, and Head of the Gene Therapy Group. Dr. Harris’s research interests include stem cells and regenerative medicine, cancer research/stem cell transplantation and gene therapy. He has published more than 300 articles (papers, book chapters and abstracts), given more than 100 talks on stem cells over the past 7 years, and has served as a consultant to the governments of China, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea. Dr. Harris has also founded 3 companies while at the University of Arizona; Cord Blood Registry, Inc.; ImmuneRegen BioSciences, Inc.; and QuReGen, Inc.
Cord Blood Cells and Regenerative Medicine: Clinical Applications
Abstract: The use of stem cells from umbilical cord blood has grown significantly over the last 10 years. More than 12,000 cord blood transplants have now been performed worldwide for a variety of cancers, blood disorders, and genetic diseases. However, recent discoveries in regenerative medicine suggest that stem cells, like those found in newborn cord blood, can differentiate into bone, brain, nerve, skin, or other cell types. While these areas of research are in their infancy, the value and power of stem cells and the potential they possess for medical treatment and cures is creating a new paradigm for the future.
The objective of this presentation is to provide updated information regarding clinical experience with umbilical cord blood banking and transplantation and a summary of expert opinion concerning the current and potential future applications of cord blood stem cells.
Other speakers here and register here.
Visit the Facebook Event page here.
Microsoft's Productivity Future Vision
HatTip to Sam. The Empire is still strong and lies waiting in the shadows...
"Microsoft’s long-term productivity vision explores how we will create and share content; collaborate across teams, organizations and networks; and how we will gain contextually relevant and anticipative insights based on preferences and intent. All these scenarios are showcasing real, emerging technologies explored with various Microsoft product and research teams as well as at Microsoft partners and across the industry."
Some old concepts, some new, all cool.
"Microsoft’s long-term productivity vision explores how we will create and share content; collaborate across teams, organizations and networks; and how we will gain contextually relevant and anticipative insights based on preferences and intent. All these scenarios are showcasing real, emerging technologies explored with various Microsoft product and research teams as well as at Microsoft partners and across the industry."
Some old concepts, some new, all cool.
News & Links List
"Is California setup for a brain drain?" Scobleizer
"Spark Capital To Offer Seed Funding For Digital-Media Companies" paidContent.org
"Life After Google: Entrepreneurs and venture capitalists are looking for the next ''small hit'' in search." Forbes
"Mashable poised to overtake TechCrunch as leading 2.0 blog by traffic"
"Twitter Versus Facebook, A Comparison Of The Top Users" AllFacebook
"Vindicating McCain" WSJ
"Kroft to Obama: Are you punch-drunk?" Politico
"Spark Capital To Offer Seed Funding For Digital-Media Companies" paidContent.org
"Life After Google: Entrepreneurs and venture capitalists are looking for the next ''small hit'' in search." Forbes
"Mashable poised to overtake TechCrunch as leading 2.0 blog by traffic"
"Twitter Versus Facebook, A Comparison Of The Top Users" AllFacebook
"Vindicating McCain" WSJ
"Kroft to Obama: Are you punch-drunk?" Politico
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
140: The Twitter Conference
Parnassus Group is hosting 140: The Twitter Conference on May 26th - 27th, 2009.
"140 is the place where developers, business people, and enthusiasts converge to find innovative ways to tap into the Real-Time Web."
"140 is the place where developers, business people, and enthusiasts converge to find innovative ways to tap into the Real-Time Web."
Winners of 2nd Annual Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Awards
(press release)
The Aspen Institute proudly announces the winners of the second annual Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Awards, which will be presented at a special ceremony on March 27, 2009, during the Aspen Environment Forum.
Created by the Aspen Institute Global Leadership Network*, the Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Awards recognize and reward excellence for those making a real contribution to innovation, implementation, and communication of energy and environmental solutions.
The six awards, presented at this annual event, are designed to draw attention to the organizations and people who are making the biggest strides, acting as leaders, catalysts, and educators, particularly at the critical nexus between energy and environmental problems and solutions from around the world. The object is to celebrate success and provoke intellectually stimulating and productive thinking and conversations about ways to emulate and expand upon the success stories honored.
The 2009 Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Awards winners are:
* Corporate Energy Generation – A123Systems
* Corporate Energy Efficiency – Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
* Government – Province of Alberta's Carbon Capture and Storage Initiative
* Non-governmental Organization – Confederation of Indian Industry – Sohrabji Green Business Center
* Visual Art and Design – The Extreme Ice Survey
* Individual Thought Leadership – Van Jones
"In these challenging economic times it is more important than ever to recognize and support those who inspire us with their imagination, foresight and creativity, and give us all something to aspire to and replicate," said Lucy P. Marcus, CEO of Marcus Venture Consulting and Co-founder and Board Chair of the Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Awards.
The Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Awards are sponsored by CH2M Hill and Leaf Clean Energy Company and will be presented during the Aspen Environment Forum, March 25-28, 2009, at the Institute's Aspen Meadows campus in Aspen, Colorado. The 2009 Aspen Environment Forum, themed "Powering the Planet: Energy for the Long Run," is a public gathering, presented by the Aspen Institute and National Geographic, of more than 300 thought leaders, scientists, journalists, academics, policy makers, and citizens.
* – The Aspen Global Leadership Network is comprised of 950 entrepreneurial leaders from 43 countries, all of whom have participated in the Henry Crown Fellowship or one of the 12 leadership initiatives whose creation it has inspired. All of the initiatives seek to foster values-based leadership, encourage Fellows to move from "success to significance" in their lives and leadership, and ultimately, to make a difference in the world.
The Aspen Institute proudly announces the winners of the second annual Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Awards, which will be presented at a special ceremony on March 27, 2009, during the Aspen Environment Forum.
Created by the Aspen Institute Global Leadership Network*, the Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Awards recognize and reward excellence for those making a real contribution to innovation, implementation, and communication of energy and environmental solutions.
The six awards, presented at this annual event, are designed to draw attention to the organizations and people who are making the biggest strides, acting as leaders, catalysts, and educators, particularly at the critical nexus between energy and environmental problems and solutions from around the world. The object is to celebrate success and provoke intellectually stimulating and productive thinking and conversations about ways to emulate and expand upon the success stories honored.
The 2009 Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Awards winners are:
* Corporate Energy Generation – A123Systems
* Corporate Energy Efficiency – Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
* Government – Province of Alberta's Carbon Capture and Storage Initiative
* Non-governmental Organization – Confederation of Indian Industry – Sohrabji Green Business Center
* Visual Art and Design – The Extreme Ice Survey
* Individual Thought Leadership – Van Jones
"In these challenging economic times it is more important than ever to recognize and support those who inspire us with their imagination, foresight and creativity, and give us all something to aspire to and replicate," said Lucy P. Marcus, CEO of Marcus Venture Consulting and Co-founder and Board Chair of the Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Awards.
The Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Awards are sponsored by CH2M Hill and Leaf Clean Energy Company and will be presented during the Aspen Environment Forum, March 25-28, 2009, at the Institute's Aspen Meadows campus in Aspen, Colorado. The 2009 Aspen Environment Forum, themed "Powering the Planet: Energy for the Long Run," is a public gathering, presented by the Aspen Institute and National Geographic, of more than 300 thought leaders, scientists, journalists, academics, policy makers, and citizens.
* – The Aspen Global Leadership Network is comprised of 950 entrepreneurial leaders from 43 countries, all of whom have participated in the Henry Crown Fellowship or one of the 12 leadership initiatives whose creation it has inspired. All of the initiatives seek to foster values-based leadership, encourage Fellows to move from "success to significance" in their lives and leadership, and ultimately, to make a difference in the world.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Web 2.0 Expo... The Power of Less
Web 2.0 Expo is coming up, March 31 - April 3rd. I seriously must be getting old because it seems like it was a few months ago that I attended last year's conference.
Anyway, the Strategy & Business Models track looks good right now along with the Web Operations track. I'll write down more details later...
Anyway, the Strategy & Business Models track looks good right now along with the Web Operations track. I'll write down more details later...
Joe Biden, The Enforcer of the Stimulus Package... Are You Serious?
This might be old news for some of you, but do people realize how idiotic the language of the stimulus package must be? And how poorly the execution and checks on the allocation of funding must have been established to have Vice President Joe Biden warning local officials not to spend on stupid ideas?
"So guys, no swimming pools, no tennis courts, no golf courses, no Frisbee parks," Biden said, even if officials can document that the project will create jobs quickly, generate revenue and keep people working over the longer term.
“The answer is: No. No. No,” he said. “It’s got to pass the smell test folks.”
Then he gave the warning some teeth.
“Because of the rules, the president and I can’t stop you from doing some things. But I’ll show up in your city and say, ‘This is a stupid idea,’” Biden warned, drawing laughs.
Yes, the idea of Biden ridiculing local government officials as a primary barrier to corruption, waste and "stupid" ideas gives me a lot of confidence in the leadership and execution abilities of Congress and the Obama Administration.
"So guys, no swimming pools, no tennis courts, no golf courses, no Frisbee parks," Biden said, even if officials can document that the project will create jobs quickly, generate revenue and keep people working over the longer term.
“The answer is: No. No. No,” he said. “It’s got to pass the smell test folks.”
Then he gave the warning some teeth.
“Because of the rules, the president and I can’t stop you from doing some things. But I’ll show up in your city and say, ‘This is a stupid idea,’” Biden warned, drawing laughs.
Yes, the idea of Biden ridiculing local government officials as a primary barrier to corruption, waste and "stupid" ideas gives me a lot of confidence in the leadership and execution abilities of Congress and the Obama Administration.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
News & Links List
"March Madness: CBSSports.com Draws 4.8 Million Uniques During First Three Days"
Yes, I was one of these uniques and it was damn good.
"Why Advertising Is Failing On The Internet" by Eric Clemon @TechCrunch
"For Your Sunday Bullshit Reading: Search Ads Are 'Misdirection' Advertising" Search Land Engine
Danny Sullivan's response to Eric Clemon's piece.
"CNET Axes Blogger Who Exposed Whitehouse.gov Privacy Issue" EFF
"Google Earth reveals fish trap made from rocks 1,000 years ago off British coast"
"46% of the Digg Front Page is Controlled by 50 Websites"
"The Top 10 States for Mortgage Fraud" Trulia
"Too Busy To Pray? Don’t Worry - Indulgences Are Back!" TechCrunch
"Cisco acquiring Flip Video-maker Pure Digital for $590 million in stock" Engadget
"Twitter applications and extensions: a list" by Adrian Chan
"American Innovation In Crisis" by Pascal Levensohn
"Outraged by Executive Compensation? Put Entrepreneurs In Charge" by Jeff Bussgang
"Hong Kong's political future: 50 Years without change … And then what?"
"Analysis: White House, Dems backpedaling on AIG" AP
"Obama In St Patrick's Day Teleprompt Blunder" Sky News
"Schwarzenegger defends Obama after TV gaffe" San Francisco Chronicle
"The AIG Outrage: The government shouldn’t run anything, because it cannot run anything." by Larry Kudlow
"Entrepreneurs vs. VCs" by Brad Feld
"Obama's AIG Panic" WSJ
"The Prime of Mr. Nouriel Roubini" Portfolio.com
"Adam Savage: My quest for the dodo bird, and other obsessions"
At EG'08, Adam Savage talks about his fascination with the dodo bird, and how it led him on a strange and surprising double quest. It's an entertaining adventure through the mind of a creative obsessive.
Yes, I was one of these uniques and it was damn good.
"Why Advertising Is Failing On The Internet" by Eric Clemon @TechCrunch
"For Your Sunday Bullshit Reading: Search Ads Are 'Misdirection' Advertising" Search Land Engine
Danny Sullivan's response to Eric Clemon's piece.
"CNET Axes Blogger Who Exposed Whitehouse.gov Privacy Issue" EFF
"Google Earth reveals fish trap made from rocks 1,000 years ago off British coast"
"46% of the Digg Front Page is Controlled by 50 Websites"
"The Top 10 States for Mortgage Fraud" Trulia
"Too Busy To Pray? Don’t Worry - Indulgences Are Back!" TechCrunch
"Cisco acquiring Flip Video-maker Pure Digital for $590 million in stock" Engadget
"Twitter applications and extensions: a list" by Adrian Chan
"American Innovation In Crisis" by Pascal Levensohn
"Outraged by Executive Compensation? Put Entrepreneurs In Charge" by Jeff Bussgang
"Hong Kong's political future: 50 Years without change … And then what?"
"Analysis: White House, Dems backpedaling on AIG" AP
"Obama In St Patrick's Day Teleprompt Blunder" Sky News
"Schwarzenegger defends Obama after TV gaffe" San Francisco Chronicle
"The AIG Outrage: The government shouldn’t run anything, because it cannot run anything." by Larry Kudlow
"Entrepreneurs vs. VCs" by Brad Feld
"Obama's AIG Panic" WSJ
"The Prime of Mr. Nouriel Roubini" Portfolio.com
"Adam Savage: My quest for the dodo bird, and other obsessions"
At EG'08, Adam Savage talks about his fascination with the dodo bird, and how it led him on a strange and surprising double quest. It's an entertaining adventure through the mind of a creative obsessive.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Broke Baller (Props to Kanye West)
March Madness inspires many to random acts. My quick (3 mins) and lazy (complete rip from Kanye West's Gold Digger) lyric writing.
To all my friends that went to Michigan, especially those that experienced the highs of Glen Rice and the Fab Five and then suffered until this year...
(She steal me tourney!)
Now I ain't sayin she a ball hogger (When I'm in need)
But she ain't messin' wit no broke baller (she steal me tourney)
Now I ain't sayin she a ball hogger (When I'm in need)
But she ain't messin' wit no broke baller (she steal me tourney)
Get down Dickie, go 'head get down (I gotta win)
Get down Dickie, go 'head get down (I gotta win)
Get down Dickie, go 'head get down (I gotta win)
Get down Dickie, go 'head...
11 years! 11 years!
She got one of Bo's kids, got U for 11 years
I know somebody payin' AA fines for one of his kids
His baby momma's dome is bigger than his
(She steal me tourney!)
Now I ain't sayin she a ball hogger (When I'm in need)
But she ain't messin' wit no broke baller (she steal me tourney)
Now I ain't sayin she a ball hogger (When I'm in need)
But she ain't messin' wit no broke baller (she steal me tourney)
Get down Dickie, go 'head get down (I gotta win)
Get down Dickie, go 'head get down (I gotta win)
Get down Dickie, go 'head get down (I gotta win)
Get down Dickie, go 'head...
To all my friends that went to Michigan, especially those that experienced the highs of Glen Rice and the Fab Five and then suffered until this year...
(She steal me tourney!)
Now I ain't sayin she a ball hogger (When I'm in need)
But she ain't messin' wit no broke baller (she steal me tourney)
Now I ain't sayin she a ball hogger (When I'm in need)
But she ain't messin' wit no broke baller (she steal me tourney)
Get down Dickie, go 'head get down (I gotta win)
Get down Dickie, go 'head get down (I gotta win)
Get down Dickie, go 'head get down (I gotta win)
Get down Dickie, go 'head...
11 years! 11 years!
She got one of Bo's kids, got U for 11 years
I know somebody payin' AA fines for one of his kids
His baby momma's dome is bigger than his
(She steal me tourney!)
Now I ain't sayin she a ball hogger (When I'm in need)
But she ain't messin' wit no broke baller (she steal me tourney)
Now I ain't sayin she a ball hogger (When I'm in need)
But she ain't messin' wit no broke baller (she steal me tourney)
Get down Dickie, go 'head get down (I gotta win)
Get down Dickie, go 'head get down (I gotta win)
Get down Dickie, go 'head get down (I gotta win)
Get down Dickie, go 'head...
John Legend & Ambassador Stephens Charity Event in Seoul on March 28th
Our NetKAL colleague, Kevin Kim, is organizing a charity event in Seoul. Our friends Sonny, Roy and Esther are helping out too.
"John Legend in Seoul for a Night of Charity for Children" will be held at Bamboo House (www.bamboohouse.or.kr) in Yeoksam-dong.
It will be on Saturday, March 28, 2009. The event starts at 6:00pm and it is limited to 75 tickets at W1,000,000 (US$700) each. Please RSVP to seoulfoundation@yahoo.com if you are interested in attending.
"John Legend in Seoul for a Night of Charity for Children" will be held at Bamboo House (www.bamboohouse.or.kr) in Yeoksam-dong.
It will be on Saturday, March 28, 2009. The event starts at 6:00pm and it is limited to 75 tickets at W1,000,000 (US$700) each. Please RSVP to seoulfoundation@yahoo.com if you are interested in attending.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
"The Places We Live"
Eye-opening site, photos and book by Jonas Bendiksen:
In 2008 more people live in cities than in rural areas. One third of city dwellers, more than a billion people, live in slums. In The Places We Live, Magnum photographer Jonas Bendiksen presents sixteen homes in four different slum areas: Caracas, Venezuela; Mumbai, India; Nairobi, Kenya; and Jakarta, Indonesia...
"In 2008, for the first time in history, more people will live in cities than in rural areas.
One-third of these urban dwellers - More than 1 billion people - live in slums.
The United Nations forecasts that the number of slum dwellers will double within the next 25 years. Urban slums are the world's fastest-growing human habitat."
More at the Aperture Foundation website here and buy the book here.
In 2008 more people live in cities than in rural areas. One third of city dwellers, more than a billion people, live in slums. In The Places We Live, Magnum photographer Jonas Bendiksen presents sixteen homes in four different slum areas: Caracas, Venezuela; Mumbai, India; Nairobi, Kenya; and Jakarta, Indonesia...
"In 2008, for the first time in history, more people will live in cities than in rural areas.
One-third of these urban dwellers - More than 1 billion people - live in slums.
The United Nations forecasts that the number of slum dwellers will double within the next 25 years. Urban slums are the world's fastest-growing human habitat."
More at the Aperture Foundation website here and buy the book here.
MyAlltop Launch
Guy Kawasaki's Alltop is launching a new feature today, MyAlltop. Not good news for a news junkie like me. Another time suck and loss of at least 30 minutes in an ever decreasing 24 hours. Part of Guy's email that is not relevant to me:
"One ramification of this is that people will grab "vanity" accounts like their names, companies, and products. We wanted to let you get the first shot at doing this before we open the floodgates."
Not many people named "Bernard" so there wasn't a huge land grab for it. If I was named "John" or "Peter" this early notice would have been great.
Anyway, here is my MyAlltop.
A review from Mashable here.
"One ramification of this is that people will grab "vanity" accounts like their names, companies, and products. We wanted to let you get the first shot at doing this before we open the floodgates."
Not many people named "Bernard" so there wasn't a huge land grab for it. If I was named "John" or "Peter" this early notice would have been great.
Anyway, here is my MyAlltop.
A review from Mashable here.
Monday, March 16, 2009
At $347,000 Per Baptism Maybe It’s Time To Rethink Church
(heads up since this is a religious post... a snarky religious post)
The absence of trust today is palpable. We don’t need to hear leaders, pundits and ordinary Joes talking about the breakdown of trust as the reality of the financial meltdown touches our lives—so many stories, of credit denied, of honest families victimized in financial scandals, of hardworking people losing their nest eggs in the stock market, of faithful employees laid off by companies they devoted themselves to for years… We can feel the distrust growing—in our banking system, government, corporations, even religious organizations.
How do we stop this? What treatment can heal these deep wounds? Wide sweeping federal policy? Complete reform of our banking system? State and local initiatives? Independent corporate reform through industry associations? Spiritual reformation?
There is also denial in the air. Last week in a board meeting of a nonprofit I am committed to the executive director stated that their umbrella association told them that even during downturns giving remains consistent. I silently shook my head but didn’t get a chance to remind them this isn’t just any downturn. When some of their wealthiest donors lose 50% of their wealth and 18% of overall American wealth disappears, it will affect their giving.
While contemplating on these larger scale issues, I narrowed my thinking to Christendom because I wanted to revisit a number that kept bothering me after reading Al Lunsford’s piece, Business is Our Mission. Al referred to research that indicated a global cost of $347,000 per baptism. What?? I had to do a double take. Of course you cannot put price a soul, and no one knows what the Spirt of God is doing or how long that work will take in a person’s life (or how long it has gone on already), but that’s not what this is about. When Nike states their customer acquisition costs are $100 per person against a lifetime customer value of x, are they placing a value on human life? Of course not. They are using financial tools to pursue efficiency and improve their understanding and intelligently utilize resources. And that, we have to assume, is what that $347,000 per baptism number is all about as well.
As I’ve been thinking about this, it was interesting to learn from a friend that a large parachurch organization ran a similar analysis and found their cost of conversion to be approximately $300,000. Whether cost per baptism or cost per conversion, these financial exercises bring important questions to the forefront.
“$347,000” bothered me so much that I contacted the International Bulletin of Missionary Research who put together the insightful study that produced this number. I haven’t heard back after my initial inquiry, so I decided to do my own back-of-the-envelope calculations.
The International Bulletin of Missionary Research estimated $410 billion/year in giving to “Christian” causes worldwide over the recent years. This was broken down to $160 billion to churches and $250 billion to parachurch organizations every year. Let’s assume that $347,000 per baptism is simply the total giving of $410 billion divided by the number of baptisms tracked. If this simple method was used, then the cost per baptism is tremendously overstated since we would have to assume a large portion is allocated to the operations of those churches and parachurch organizations.
I am assuming the primary mission of these organizations has something to do with making followers of Christ. The question is how much is being spent on the core mission of these organizations and how effective are they? A comparable question in the business world is asking how much do we spend on marketing and how effective is our program? For many companies, the benchmark is approximately ten percent of budget. Ten percent of $410 billion is $41 billion, which would make the figure $34,700 per baptism.
I would assume though that a church and parachurch organizations should be more focused to their mission than a companies, and, one could argue, their core mission should be their only focus. If a church were a business, would it really only devote 10% of the budget to getting out their message? Eyeballing, 30% or higher seems more appropriate. If this really is the case, I think $104,000 per baptism—or higher—is flabbergasting. And I suppose if one went with the argument that the only mission of a church or parachurch is making new Christians—a premise I don’t think stands up to biblical scrutiny—then the simple arithmetic of total expenditures ÷ number of new converts = cost/baptism, more or less. $347,000.
$347,000, $104,000, even $34,700…all seem ridiculously high. It screams waste to me. How much is being spent on non-core programs or questionable activities? There are easy targets like some mega-church pastors who have private jets and chauffeur-driven limousines. I wonder if some of them have Ferris wheels in their backyards, rent out Disneyland for their children, or bought gold plated driveway gates with God’s money…
Most systemic problems are hidden and not so overt as that, so I don’t believe the bling bling pastors should carry the whole burden of waste. Over the past decades I’ve heard or read about pastors of small and medium size churches retaining secret slush funds or making questionable purchases for their families. But does this add up to billions in waste? Probably not.
I’m guessing most of these non-core expenditures are for ethical but non-essential purposes, so how do you make a judgment call on such things and who is held accountable? There is pressure to grow, to buy bigger buildings, build bigger parking lots, or to have a summer retreat lodge. Nowadays churches have to provide social services as much as delivering God’s word. Golf groups, open gym, counseling and so on. Nothing is wrong with these services but what do they have to do with extending the kingdom of God—especially if they pull followers of Christ out of the world to the supposed safety of Christian ghettos?
If churches were to model themselves after a business organization, I would say an ideal example is the advertising firm. Think Crispin Porter + Bogusky—a lean and mean organization with a team obsessed on their client’s ad campaign. Their creatives are up day and night sweating to develop the best methods of reaching into their client’s customer base. As in any great firm, they are conscience of their client’s dollar and how best to spend it.
Reality is different. Most churches wouldn’t be compared to an advertising firm. Maybe an auto manufacturer? Steel company? I’m thinking country club. High operational costs, high touch, and high service. Also they might be characterized as insular, having rigid semantic biases, and of course a snotty attitude towards non-members.
Maybe today’s financial crisis is a blessing for “Christian” organizations across the globe, but especially in the most developed nations. The larger scale issues point to systemic deficiencies across a our society that is crying for change. What are some of these changes?
Openness!
There needs to be a willingness to open up and reassess where these organizations stand. Leaders needs to ask hard questions and then to create change. This process takes wisdom, courage and humility. I was encouraged when I saw Bill Hybels’ 2008 leadership presentation on “the wake-up call of his life” when he and the Willow Creek Community Church staff discovered their programs were not effective in creating sustainable growth for believers. He asked the hard question: “Do you ever wonder if we’re using God’s money and God’s resources in ways that are really achieving the mission of our church?” Every church and parachurch organization should ask this question every month.
Transparency!
There should be transparency of organizational budgets. Technology allows for this, so why not put up detailed budgets on Google docs or a wiki for everyone to see? This transparency creates accountability beyond the pastor or executive director and maybe a board made up of long-time friends.
Focus!
It’s time to rethink the assumption that, if we build it—church campuses, religious non-profits, alternative communities within communities—they will come. Does God dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands? Do we really expect religious professionals, who are outsiders in the places we work, to communicate the good news of the kingdom of God to our colleagues, while we—the insiders—stand passively by, wishing we could contribute more?
Action!
It’s easy to criticize organizations in their inefficiencies, but I believe at least half of the problem rests in the people who fill up pews and fellowship meetings. Believers have become old country club members who love to lounge on the greens and talk shop with their buddies. Maybe some of us have had too many manicures and hate to dirty our fingers. Believers need to step out of the comfort zone and engage the world —not be afraid, not separate from the world, not arrogantly defying, but engaging the world as it is, not as it is supposed to be.
The tail is wagging the dog. Proclaiming the year of the Lord’s favor does not require a 501(C)(3) corporation. The kingdom of God is not infrastructure dependent. New converts shouldn’t cost a nickel as they have already been paid for. At $347,000 per baptism, maybe it’s time to rethink Church.
Originally posted at InsideWork.
(HatTip to Al, Sam, Hamon, and Jim for insights, info and edits)
The absence of trust today is palpable. We don’t need to hear leaders, pundits and ordinary Joes talking about the breakdown of trust as the reality of the financial meltdown touches our lives—so many stories, of credit denied, of honest families victimized in financial scandals, of hardworking people losing their nest eggs in the stock market, of faithful employees laid off by companies they devoted themselves to for years… We can feel the distrust growing—in our banking system, government, corporations, even religious organizations.
How do we stop this? What treatment can heal these deep wounds? Wide sweeping federal policy? Complete reform of our banking system? State and local initiatives? Independent corporate reform through industry associations? Spiritual reformation?
There is also denial in the air. Last week in a board meeting of a nonprofit I am committed to the executive director stated that their umbrella association told them that even during downturns giving remains consistent. I silently shook my head but didn’t get a chance to remind them this isn’t just any downturn. When some of their wealthiest donors lose 50% of their wealth and 18% of overall American wealth disappears, it will affect their giving.
While contemplating on these larger scale issues, I narrowed my thinking to Christendom because I wanted to revisit a number that kept bothering me after reading Al Lunsford’s piece, Business is Our Mission. Al referred to research that indicated a global cost of $347,000 per baptism. What?? I had to do a double take. Of course you cannot put price a soul, and no one knows what the Spirt of God is doing or how long that work will take in a person’s life (or how long it has gone on already), but that’s not what this is about. When Nike states their customer acquisition costs are $100 per person against a lifetime customer value of x, are they placing a value on human life? Of course not. They are using financial tools to pursue efficiency and improve their understanding and intelligently utilize resources. And that, we have to assume, is what that $347,000 per baptism number is all about as well.
As I’ve been thinking about this, it was interesting to learn from a friend that a large parachurch organization ran a similar analysis and found their cost of conversion to be approximately $300,000. Whether cost per baptism or cost per conversion, these financial exercises bring important questions to the forefront.
“$347,000” bothered me so much that I contacted the International Bulletin of Missionary Research who put together the insightful study that produced this number. I haven’t heard back after my initial inquiry, so I decided to do my own back-of-the-envelope calculations.
The International Bulletin of Missionary Research estimated $410 billion/year in giving to “Christian” causes worldwide over the recent years. This was broken down to $160 billion to churches and $250 billion to parachurch organizations every year. Let’s assume that $347,000 per baptism is simply the total giving of $410 billion divided by the number of baptisms tracked. If this simple method was used, then the cost per baptism is tremendously overstated since we would have to assume a large portion is allocated to the operations of those churches and parachurch organizations.
I am assuming the primary mission of these organizations has something to do with making followers of Christ. The question is how much is being spent on the core mission of these organizations and how effective are they? A comparable question in the business world is asking how much do we spend on marketing and how effective is our program? For many companies, the benchmark is approximately ten percent of budget. Ten percent of $410 billion is $41 billion, which would make the figure $34,700 per baptism.
I would assume though that a church and parachurch organizations should be more focused to their mission than a companies, and, one could argue, their core mission should be their only focus. If a church were a business, would it really only devote 10% of the budget to getting out their message? Eyeballing, 30% or higher seems more appropriate. If this really is the case, I think $104,000 per baptism—or higher—is flabbergasting. And I suppose if one went with the argument that the only mission of a church or parachurch is making new Christians—a premise I don’t think stands up to biblical scrutiny—then the simple arithmetic of total expenditures ÷ number of new converts = cost/baptism, more or less. $347,000.
$347,000, $104,000, even $34,700…all seem ridiculously high. It screams waste to me. How much is being spent on non-core programs or questionable activities? There are easy targets like some mega-church pastors who have private jets and chauffeur-driven limousines. I wonder if some of them have Ferris wheels in their backyards, rent out Disneyland for their children, or bought gold plated driveway gates with God’s money…
Most systemic problems are hidden and not so overt as that, so I don’t believe the bling bling pastors should carry the whole burden of waste. Over the past decades I’ve heard or read about pastors of small and medium size churches retaining secret slush funds or making questionable purchases for their families. But does this add up to billions in waste? Probably not.
I’m guessing most of these non-core expenditures are for ethical but non-essential purposes, so how do you make a judgment call on such things and who is held accountable? There is pressure to grow, to buy bigger buildings, build bigger parking lots, or to have a summer retreat lodge. Nowadays churches have to provide social services as much as delivering God’s word. Golf groups, open gym, counseling and so on. Nothing is wrong with these services but what do they have to do with extending the kingdom of God—especially if they pull followers of Christ out of the world to the supposed safety of Christian ghettos?
If churches were to model themselves after a business organization, I would say an ideal example is the advertising firm. Think Crispin Porter + Bogusky—a lean and mean organization with a team obsessed on their client’s ad campaign. Their creatives are up day and night sweating to develop the best methods of reaching into their client’s customer base. As in any great firm, they are conscience of their client’s dollar and how best to spend it.
Reality is different. Most churches wouldn’t be compared to an advertising firm. Maybe an auto manufacturer? Steel company? I’m thinking country club. High operational costs, high touch, and high service. Also they might be characterized as insular, having rigid semantic biases, and of course a snotty attitude towards non-members.
Maybe today’s financial crisis is a blessing for “Christian” organizations across the globe, but especially in the most developed nations. The larger scale issues point to systemic deficiencies across a our society that is crying for change. What are some of these changes?
Openness!
There needs to be a willingness to open up and reassess where these organizations stand. Leaders needs to ask hard questions and then to create change. This process takes wisdom, courage and humility. I was encouraged when I saw Bill Hybels’ 2008 leadership presentation on “the wake-up call of his life” when he and the Willow Creek Community Church staff discovered their programs were not effective in creating sustainable growth for believers. He asked the hard question: “Do you ever wonder if we’re using God’s money and God’s resources in ways that are really achieving the mission of our church?” Every church and parachurch organization should ask this question every month.
Transparency!
There should be transparency of organizational budgets. Technology allows for this, so why not put up detailed budgets on Google docs or a wiki for everyone to see? This transparency creates accountability beyond the pastor or executive director and maybe a board made up of long-time friends.
Focus!
It’s time to rethink the assumption that, if we build it—church campuses, religious non-profits, alternative communities within communities—they will come. Does God dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands? Do we really expect religious professionals, who are outsiders in the places we work, to communicate the good news of the kingdom of God to our colleagues, while we—the insiders—stand passively by, wishing we could contribute more?
Action!
It’s easy to criticize organizations in their inefficiencies, but I believe at least half of the problem rests in the people who fill up pews and fellowship meetings. Believers have become old country club members who love to lounge on the greens and talk shop with their buddies. Maybe some of us have had too many manicures and hate to dirty our fingers. Believers need to step out of the comfort zone and engage the world —not be afraid, not separate from the world, not arrogantly defying, but engaging the world as it is, not as it is supposed to be.
The tail is wagging the dog. Proclaiming the year of the Lord’s favor does not require a 501(C)(3) corporation. The kingdom of God is not infrastructure dependent. New converts shouldn’t cost a nickel as they have already been paid for. At $347,000 per baptism, maybe it’s time to rethink Church.
Originally posted at InsideWork.
(HatTip to Al, Sam, Hamon, and Jim for insights, info and edits)
News & Links List
"Digg Founder Launches WeFollow, A User-Generated Twitter Directory" Mashable
"At SXSW, attendees confront Twitter saturation" CNET
"15 Hot New Technologies That Will Change Everything" CIO
"Newspapers and Thinking the Unthinkable" by Clay Shirky
Excellent piece.
"Google Voice: Flawed but still awesome" CNET
"Google Reaches Out to Crush Someone" TheStreet.com
"Google Reprices 7.6 Million Employee Stock Options" NYTimes DealBook
Good for us and Google :) Well, didn't affect us much, but definitely the hires that joined when the stock was at 700+.
"New AOL Chairman and CEO–and About-To-Be-Ex-Googler–Tim Armstrong Speaks!" BoomTown
"The Dwindling Digital Divide" eMarketer
"Tech Investing In The Downturn" Forbes
"Two-Front War Against Obamanomics" by Rich Karlgaard
"The Man Obama Double-Crossed" The Daily Beast
"Cramer Takes on the White House, Frank Rich and Jon Stewart" by Jim Cramer
"Obama too sunny?" The Atlantic's Megan McArdle
"REVEALED: PELOSI'S 'AIR RAGE'" New York Post
"Obama's Stem Cell Disgrace" by Guy Benson
"Dishonesty Piled Upon Dishonesty by Obama Administration on Stem Cells" Wesley Smith
"Gérson’s Law: Brazil’s Corruption Catch-22" by InsideWork's Glenn McMahan
"A Taste of Failure Fuels an Appetite for Success at South Korea’s Cram Schools" NYTimes
"Former Accused Iraqi Agent - Susan Lindauer, Secret Charges and The Patriot Act in Action" Atlantic Free Press
HatTip to Dave, my friend from the far-left :)
"Suburbia R.I.P." Fast Company
"At SXSW, attendees confront Twitter saturation" CNET
"15 Hot New Technologies That Will Change Everything" CIO
"Newspapers and Thinking the Unthinkable" by Clay Shirky
Excellent piece.
"Google Voice: Flawed but still awesome" CNET
"Google Reaches Out to Crush Someone" TheStreet.com
"Google Reprices 7.6 Million Employee Stock Options" NYTimes DealBook
Good for us and Google :) Well, didn't affect us much, but definitely the hires that joined when the stock was at 700+.
"New AOL Chairman and CEO–and About-To-Be-Ex-Googler–Tim Armstrong Speaks!" BoomTown
"The Dwindling Digital Divide" eMarketer
"Tech Investing In The Downturn" Forbes
"Two-Front War Against Obamanomics" by Rich Karlgaard
"The Man Obama Double-Crossed" The Daily Beast
"Cramer Takes on the White House, Frank Rich and Jon Stewart" by Jim Cramer
"Obama too sunny?" The Atlantic's Megan McArdle
"REVEALED: PELOSI'S 'AIR RAGE'" New York Post
"Obama's Stem Cell Disgrace" by Guy Benson
"Dishonesty Piled Upon Dishonesty by Obama Administration on Stem Cells" Wesley Smith
"Gérson’s Law: Brazil’s Corruption Catch-22" by InsideWork's Glenn McMahan
"A Taste of Failure Fuels an Appetite for Success at South Korea’s Cram Schools" NYTimes
"Former Accused Iraqi Agent - Susan Lindauer, Secret Charges and The Patriot Act in Action" Atlantic Free Press
HatTip to Dave, my friend from the far-left :)
"Suburbia R.I.P." Fast Company
Sunday, March 15, 2009
StatCounter GlobalStats
This is pretty cool. StatCounter recently launched GlobalStats:
Stats are based on aggregate data collected by StatCounter on a sample exceeding 4 billion pageviews per month collected from across the StatCounter network of more than 3 million websites. Stats are updated and made available every 4 hours, however are subject to quality assurance testing and revision for 7 days from publication.
Stats are based on aggregate data collected by StatCounter on a sample exceeding 4 billion pageviews per month collected from across the StatCounter network of more than 3 million websites. Stats are updated and made available every 4 hours, however are subject to quality assurance testing and revision for 7 days from publication.
Source: StatCounter Global Stats
Thursday, March 12, 2009
"Future of Capitalism: 50 people who will frame the debate"
HatTip to Jim. The Financial Times has produced a top 50 list, "Future of Capitalism: 50 people who will frame the debate"
It seems they were stretching to find fifty, which shouldn't have been the case. Arianna Huffington? Rush Limbaugh? Please. And what's Steven Chu doing there?
It seems they were stretching to find fifty, which shouldn't have been the case. Arianna Huffington? Rush Limbaugh? Please. And what's Steven Chu doing there?
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
The Fast Company 50: The World's Most Innovative Companies... Silicon Valley's Engine Still Roars
Fast Company is out with there "Fast Company 50," a list of the world's most innovative companies. Out of the top ten, 6 are Silicon Valley companies, Hulu is made up of Silicon Valley veterans, one Chinese company (WuXi PharmaTech), and Amazon. In the top twenty are 9 Silicon Valley companies. Roar!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Sramana Mitra Online Strategy Sessions
Sramana Mitra will be hosting the next in her series of free online Strategy Roundtables on Wednesday, March 11, from 9AM PST to 10AM PST:
FREE ONLINE STRATEGY ROUNDTABLE FOR ENTREPRENEURS
To help early stage entrepreneurs solve problems on product strategy, channel options, positioning, financing, etc., serial entrepreneur and strategy consultant Sramana Mitra will be hosting some free online Strategy Roundtables with Dimdim--the open source web conferencing platform:
Wednesday, March 11, 9-10am PST
Wednesday, March 25, 10-11am PST
During each 60-minute session, entrepreneurs are invited to pitch Sramana their ideas in a 3-minute presentation. She will review the material in real-time and provide feedback on each pitch, as well as address specific strategy questions from the entrepreneur. Afterwards, she will take questions about strategy from other participants. The session is open to 1,000 people, but only the first five to sign up for each session will have the opportunity to pitch Sramana and discuss their business. The rest of the attendees can listen, and learn from the interaction. More often than not, the same questions are on many minds, so listening to the roundtable discussions is always a good learning experience. For more information and to register, click here.
Sramana Mitra is the author of Entrepreneur Journeys, now available on Amazon. She is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur who has founded three companies and provided strategy consulting to over 80 organizations, large and small. She is a weekly columnist for Forbes and writes a widely syndicated business blog, “Sramana Mitra on Strategy” (www.sramanamitra.com).
FREE ONLINE STRATEGY ROUNDTABLE FOR ENTREPRENEURS
To help early stage entrepreneurs solve problems on product strategy, channel options, positioning, financing, etc., serial entrepreneur and strategy consultant Sramana Mitra will be hosting some free online Strategy Roundtables with Dimdim--the open source web conferencing platform:
Wednesday, March 11, 9-10am PST
Wednesday, March 25, 10-11am PST
During each 60-minute session, entrepreneurs are invited to pitch Sramana their ideas in a 3-minute presentation. She will review the material in real-time and provide feedback on each pitch, as well as address specific strategy questions from the entrepreneur. Afterwards, she will take questions about strategy from other participants. The session is open to 1,000 people, but only the first five to sign up for each session will have the opportunity to pitch Sramana and discuss their business. The rest of the attendees can listen, and learn from the interaction. More often than not, the same questions are on many minds, so listening to the roundtable discussions is always a good learning experience. For more information and to register, click here.
Sramana Mitra is the author of Entrepreneur Journeys, now available on Amazon. She is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur who has founded three companies and provided strategy consulting to over 80 organizations, large and small. She is a weekly columnist for Forbes and writes a widely syndicated business blog, “Sramana Mitra on Strategy” (www.sramanamitra.com).
President Obama's Executive Order Is Not Hope And Change But Smoke And Mirrors
Press release from the Center of Bioethics & Culture:
President Obama's executive order permitting funding of embryonic stem cell research is not hope and change but smoke and mirrors
Today President Obama fulfilled another campaign promise and overturned the Bush policy which restricted federal funding on destructive embryonic stem cell research. Surrounded by those who had long rejected the Bush policy as “anti-science”, the President stated his order would lift that restriction and allow the U.S. to lead the world in scientific discovery, which he hoped would possibly, someday, maybe not in our lifetime, lead to cures for sick people.
Sadly, advances in adult stem cell research, including umbilical cord blood stem cells along with new advances in iPSC research remained unmentioned in the President's speech today. And given even in today's news, the story of the little girls who's blindness was treated using her own cord blood stem cells, this executive order continues to obscure the facts and realities of where the real cures and promise are happening now.
Jennifer Lahl, national director of the Center for Bioethics and Culture Network said, “The President missed a huge opportunity today, to send a message to the world, that he really is serious about changing the politics in Washington . While he acknowledged the ethical and moral difference dividing people in these stem cell debates, he could have pointed to the mounting evidence that embryonic stem cell research has not only moral problems but is not necessary if we are serious about cures and treatments for sick patients.”
The Center for Bioethics and Culture Network rejects the President's decision and will continue in our efforts toward advancing ethical research which provides cures for people but never at the demise of early human life.
President Obama's executive order permitting funding of embryonic stem cell research is not hope and change but smoke and mirrors
Today President Obama fulfilled another campaign promise and overturned the Bush policy which restricted federal funding on destructive embryonic stem cell research. Surrounded by those who had long rejected the Bush policy as “anti-science”, the President stated his order would lift that restriction and allow the U.S. to lead the world in scientific discovery, which he hoped would possibly, someday, maybe not in our lifetime, lead to cures for sick people.
Sadly, advances in adult stem cell research, including umbilical cord blood stem cells along with new advances in iPSC research remained unmentioned in the President's speech today. And given even in today's news, the story of the little girls who's blindness was treated using her own cord blood stem cells, this executive order continues to obscure the facts and realities of where the real cures and promise are happening now.
Jennifer Lahl, national director of the Center for Bioethics and Culture Network said, “The President missed a huge opportunity today, to send a message to the world, that he really is serious about changing the politics in Washington . While he acknowledged the ethical and moral difference dividing people in these stem cell debates, he could have pointed to the mounting evidence that embryonic stem cell research has not only moral problems but is not necessary if we are serious about cures and treatments for sick patients.”
The Center for Bioethics and Culture Network rejects the President's decision and will continue in our efforts toward advancing ethical research which provides cures for people but never at the demise of early human life.
News & Links List
"Translating 'The Economist' Behind China's Great Firewall"
"A conversation with Reid Hoffman of LinkedIn" Charlie Rose
"Marissa Mayer On Charlie Rose: The Future Of Google, Future Of Search" TechCrunch
"BernsteinResearch: Global Online Ad Growth Scaled Back To 5.9 Percent—And That’s The Good News" paidContent.org
"Skittles: Tweet the rainbow (or racial slurs)" VentureBeat
"A better way to fix the banks" McKinsey Quarterly
"Cramer: My Response To The White House" by Jim Cramer
"48 Heroes Of Philanthropy" Forbes Asia
"The Great Non Sequitur: The Sleight of Hand Behind Obama's Agenda" by Charles Krauthammer
"Obama links scientific research to protecting 'free thinking'" USAToday
"America Is Becoming Less Christian, Less Religious" ABC News
"A conversation with Reid Hoffman of LinkedIn" Charlie Rose
"Marissa Mayer On Charlie Rose: The Future Of Google, Future Of Search" TechCrunch
"BernsteinResearch: Global Online Ad Growth Scaled Back To 5.9 Percent—And That’s The Good News" paidContent.org
"Skittles: Tweet the rainbow (or racial slurs)" VentureBeat
"A better way to fix the banks" McKinsey Quarterly
"Cramer: My Response To The White House" by Jim Cramer
"48 Heroes Of Philanthropy" Forbes Asia
"The Great Non Sequitur: The Sleight of Hand Behind Obama's Agenda" by Charles Krauthammer
"Obama links scientific research to protecting 'free thinking'" USAToday
"America Is Becoming Less Christian, Less Religious" ABC News
Friday, March 6, 2009
Pathway Program, A Korean American Mentorship Program
A couple years ago during a Mirae Foundation board meeting, which Christine and I both serve on, our colleague John Suh came up with the idea to provide an online mentoring service for young Korean Americans. Through our planning, a NetKAL group project, and my recent efforts over the past few months with Joyce, an excellent graphic designer, and Tekriti Software, our software developers, it is ready to launch.
The Pathway Program will be launching into its beta stage tomorrow at this year's KASCON 23 in Philadelphia. If you're a college student or recent graduate and seeking advice or guidance in your career path, sign up! If you're a thirty-something Korean American professional and interested in mentoring the next generation, email me. More on the program:
The Mirae Foundation, NetKAL, and Korean American Scholarship Foundation are excited to present a new way for Korean American college students and recent graduates to find and connect with mentors from various professions. Whether you are interested in becoming an artist, attorney, teacher, or nonprofit professional, we want to provide you with mentors who have a commitment towards helping the next generation in their career paths and professional development.
The Pathway Program will be launching into its beta stage tomorrow at this year's KASCON 23 in Philadelphia. If you're a college student or recent graduate and seeking advice or guidance in your career path, sign up! If you're a thirty-something Korean American professional and interested in mentoring the next generation, email me. More on the program:
The Mirae Foundation, NetKAL, and Korean American Scholarship Foundation are excited to present a new way for Korean American college students and recent graduates to find and connect with mentors from various professions. Whether you are interested in becoming an artist, attorney, teacher, or nonprofit professional, we want to provide you with mentors who have a commitment towards helping the next generation in their career paths and professional development.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
News & Links List
"Why the Japanese Hate the iPhone" Wired
"Zimbra tops 40M paid users: More popular than Gmail?" VentureBeat
"VeriVue Picks up $40M For Video On Demand" alarm:clock
"Venture Academics: A new firm thinks it has found a way to turn inventions from the nation's biggest research institutions into cash." Forbes
"Vint Cerf: We Still Have 80 Per Cent of the World to Connect" ReadWriteWeb
"The Twenty Five Most Valuable Blogs" 24/7 Wall Street
"Startups in a Downturn" BusinessWeek
"So, You Want to Be an Entrepreneur
First, answer these questions to see if you have what it takes" WSJ
"Japan's 40 Richest" Forbes
"Members of Congress twitter through Obama's big speech" CNN
"Clinton: U.S. Preparing for Possible Regime Change in North Korea" FOXNews.com
"North Korea human rights a big elephant in the room" Reuters
Adrian Hong mentioned in this article
"HuffPo Writer Alex Leo Used Doctored Video to Attack FNC's John Gibson" NewsBusters
"The Obama Revolution" WSJ
"Obama's Bush Vindication" WSJ
"Two Cheers For The New York Times" by Rich Karlgaard
"Unintentional Whitening of U. of California?"
"Zimbra tops 40M paid users: More popular than Gmail?" VentureBeat
"VeriVue Picks up $40M For Video On Demand" alarm:clock
"Venture Academics: A new firm thinks it has found a way to turn inventions from the nation's biggest research institutions into cash." Forbes
"Vint Cerf: We Still Have 80 Per Cent of the World to Connect" ReadWriteWeb
"The Twenty Five Most Valuable Blogs" 24/7 Wall Street
"Startups in a Downturn" BusinessWeek
"So, You Want to Be an Entrepreneur
First, answer these questions to see if you have what it takes" WSJ
"Japan's 40 Richest" Forbes
"Members of Congress twitter through Obama's big speech" CNN
"Clinton: U.S. Preparing for Possible Regime Change in North Korea" FOXNews.com
"North Korea human rights a big elephant in the room" Reuters
Adrian Hong mentioned in this article
"HuffPo Writer Alex Leo Used Doctored Video to Attack FNC's John Gibson" NewsBusters
"The Obama Revolution" WSJ
"Obama's Bush Vindication" WSJ
"Two Cheers For The New York Times" by Rich Karlgaard
"Unintentional Whitening of U. of California?"
"Olbermann's Plastic Ivy"
Normally not a fan of Ann Coulter's but this is hilarious.
Olbermann's Plastic Ivy
Fortunately, we have Keith Olbermann to point out that Rush Limbaugh did not accurately quote the preamble to the Constitution in his CPAC speech last weekend. I'm not sure what scam Olbermann imagined Rush was trying to put over on the American people by saying conservatives believed in the "preamble to the Constitution" and then quoting words from the Declaration of Independence -- but Olbermann put an end to that cruel deception!
These small-time opportunities to show off by correcting someone else's teeny-tiny mistakes are the lifeblood of Olbermann's MSNBC show, "Countdown." Olbermann is no more capable of not correcting Rep. Charlie Rangel when he said "inferred," but meant "implied," than an obsessive compulsive could pass a sink without washing his hands.
There is utterly no purpose to these lame "gotchas," except that Olbermann is so desperately insecure that he is willing to waste valuable airtime in order to convince other status-conscious idiots that he is, like, scary-smart.
Olbermann relentlessly attacked low-level Bush administration employee Monica Goodling for not going to a name-dropping college, saying -- approximately 1 million times -- that she got her law degree "by sending 100 box tops to Religious Lunatic University."
I would venture to say that the students at Goodling's law school at Regent University are far more impressive than those at the Cornell agriculture school -- the land-grant, non-Ivy League school Keith attended.
I wouldn't mention it, except that Olbermann savages anyone who didn't go to an impressive college. As it happens, he didn't go to an impressive college, either.
If you've ever watched any three nights of his show, you know that Olbermann went to Cornell. But he always forgets to mention that he went to the school that offers classes in milking and bovine management.
Indeed, Keith is constantly lying about his nonexistent "Ivy League" education, boasting to Playboy magazine, for example: "My Ivy League education taught me how to cut corners, skim books and take an idea and write 15 pages on it, and also how to work all day at the Cornell radio station and never actually go to class."
Except Keith didn't go to the Ivy League Cornell; he went to the Old MacDonald Cornell.
The real Cornell, the School of Arts and Sciences (average SAT: 1,325; acceptance rate: 1 in 6 applicants), is the only Ivy League school at Cornell and the only one that grants a Bachelor of Arts degree... (full article)
Olbermann's Plastic Ivy
Fortunately, we have Keith Olbermann to point out that Rush Limbaugh did not accurately quote the preamble to the Constitution in his CPAC speech last weekend. I'm not sure what scam Olbermann imagined Rush was trying to put over on the American people by saying conservatives believed in the "preamble to the Constitution" and then quoting words from the Declaration of Independence -- but Olbermann put an end to that cruel deception!
These small-time opportunities to show off by correcting someone else's teeny-tiny mistakes are the lifeblood of Olbermann's MSNBC show, "Countdown." Olbermann is no more capable of not correcting Rep. Charlie Rangel when he said "inferred," but meant "implied," than an obsessive compulsive could pass a sink without washing his hands.
There is utterly no purpose to these lame "gotchas," except that Olbermann is so desperately insecure that he is willing to waste valuable airtime in order to convince other status-conscious idiots that he is, like, scary-smart.
Olbermann relentlessly attacked low-level Bush administration employee Monica Goodling for not going to a name-dropping college, saying -- approximately 1 million times -- that she got her law degree "by sending 100 box tops to Religious Lunatic University."
I would venture to say that the students at Goodling's law school at Regent University are far more impressive than those at the Cornell agriculture school -- the land-grant, non-Ivy League school Keith attended.
I wouldn't mention it, except that Olbermann savages anyone who didn't go to an impressive college. As it happens, he didn't go to an impressive college, either.
If you've ever watched any three nights of his show, you know that Olbermann went to Cornell. But he always forgets to mention that he went to the school that offers classes in milking and bovine management.
Indeed, Keith is constantly lying about his nonexistent "Ivy League" education, boasting to Playboy magazine, for example: "My Ivy League education taught me how to cut corners, skim books and take an idea and write 15 pages on it, and also how to work all day at the Cornell radio station and never actually go to class."
Except Keith didn't go to the Ivy League Cornell; he went to the Old MacDonald Cornell.
The real Cornell, the School of Arts and Sciences (average SAT: 1,325; acceptance rate: 1 in 6 applicants), is the only Ivy League school at Cornell and the only one that grants a Bachelor of Arts degree... (full article)
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Jim Cramer on Obama: "It’s Amateur Hour at Our Darkest Moment"
CNBC’s Jim Cramer on Obama, "It’s Amateur Hour at Our Darkest Moment... Until the Obama administration starts listening, until they start paying attention to what you’re watching – to the stock market, until they realize that their agenda is destroying the life savings of millions of Americans – then all I can give you is caution."
Ah, the Obama supporter and loyal Democrat is now losing faith?
Ah, the Obama supporter and loyal Democrat is now losing faith?
Monday, March 2, 2009
Jim Yong Kim, New President of Dartmouth College
Jim Yong Kim is the first Asian American to head an Ivy League Institution. Just giving props to a Korean American here :) His background is fascinating:
"... Kim co-founded the non-profit in his second year of medical school after meeting Paul Farmer, later his colleague on the HMS faculty. The two traveled throughout the world in the 1990s to Haiti, Peru, Russia and Malawi, researching global health issues.
As a result of their efforts to develop effective and affordable treatments for drug-resistant tuberculosis, Kim and Farmer were later appointed advisors to the director of the World Health Organization.
Leading Partners in Health provided Kim with fundraising experience that will be important in his role as the College’s president, he said.
In 2004, Kim was chosen to direct the WHO’s initiative to combat HIV/AIDS. Kim spearheaded the “3 by 5” program, which aimed to treat three million people suffering from HIV/AIDS by 2005.
Kim received a “genius grant” from the MacArthur Foundation in 2003, and was listed as one of the 100 most influential people by Time Magazine in 2006 for his work on global epidemics..."
"... Kim co-founded the non-profit in his second year of medical school after meeting Paul Farmer, later his colleague on the HMS faculty. The two traveled throughout the world in the 1990s to Haiti, Peru, Russia and Malawi, researching global health issues.
As a result of their efforts to develop effective and affordable treatments for drug-resistant tuberculosis, Kim and Farmer were later appointed advisors to the director of the World Health Organization.
Leading Partners in Health provided Kim with fundraising experience that will be important in his role as the College’s president, he said.
In 2004, Kim was chosen to direct the WHO’s initiative to combat HIV/AIDS. Kim spearheaded the “3 by 5” program, which aimed to treat three million people suffering from HIV/AIDS by 2005.
Kim received a “genius grant” from the MacArthur Foundation in 2003, and was listed as one of the 100 most influential people by Time Magazine in 2006 for his work on global epidemics..."
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