Push: An interesting looking new conference
I met Cecily Sommers at the Pop!Tech conference earlier this year. She heads up a new conference that I had read about previously, called Push. According to what I'd read, it was what Ted was 10 years ago or Pop!Tech was 2 years ago. Here's a pretty strong endorsement:
"PUSH jumped onto our schedule this year because of the enthusiasm of past attendees. Our sources were correct…(it was like) a "mini-Davos " located in Minnesota's Twin Cities, with a relentlessly diverse audience came from all over the world[…] We'll be back next year." (from Sam Perry, Conferenza Premium Reports)
And here's Shel Israel:
"PUSH is a brainfood conference. It gathers top-notched movers and thinkers like TED or PopTech. There are a few differences that I like. It has a smaller attendance and a lower price tag (which is lower still with a special offer)." (fromItSeemsToMe)
I haven't been myself but the web site looks quite intriguing. Cecily is cool. So, if you are thinking of going, you can use this discount code:
IMTHERE_PS
to save an additional $300 over the price on the site. Check it out. See you there! Technorati Tags: conference
Blogging 101: Speaking Notes
Over on the BlogBridge blog, I posted information about the panel that I will be participating on, plus a copy of my presentation and a bunch of relevant links. Link. Technorati Tags: blog, blogbridge, bloglines
Hello Google AdWords with FeedBurner
Interesting: I write in two blogs: this one and the BlogBridge blog. In this one, I have a much higher number of subscribers according to FeedBurner, but a much lower number of unique visitors. In the BlogBridge blog, it's just the opposite. So, just for the hell of it, I've enabled FeedBurner in-line ads for this blog. Let's see how it goes! Technorati Tags: feedburner, adwords
Tylenol meme
Amusingly, several posts on the wonders of Tylenol. Here's when we really run out of things to write about… Still, it's an opening for a little tidbit that I've had floating around my head, because, I too, am a Tylenol fan (actually not Tylenol itself but its generic version - Acetaminophen - available in various pharmacy store brands.) So, Tylenol fans, did you know that Tylenol overdose is a serious problem, and can actually cause death? It can literally kill you. And it's more common than you would think? Why? Because so many other over the counter medicines that you take for flu and colds already have a strong shot of Acetaminophen and so people lose track of the daily dose that they are actually taking. Check it out. Technorati Tags: acetaminophen, tylenol
[GEEK] What every Java programmer should know about Ruby
Heard a lot about Ruby? Ruby on Rails? Wonder what the heck it is? Here's a good intro.
"This is not yet another "Ruby is better than Java" article. Nor is it intended to bash Java or Java programmers. Rather, it is an attempt to aid Java programmers who are investigating Ruby by helping them quickly get over the "Writing Java in Ruby" syndrome and to discover the Ruby Way." (from "10 Things Every Java Programmer Should Know about Ruby")
Technorati Tags: ruby
I am becoming a headhunter
No, just kidding, I am not. Some of my best friends are headhunters and I wouldn't want to compete with them. But I do often find out about people in my network who are looking for new positions and I try to connect them to those I know who are looking for new people. Recently another person emailed me saying they were looking for someone, and I realized that I might have lost track of what openings I know about. So - to those of you who know me personally - if you are hiring, feel free to send me an email so I can keep an eye out and connect you to candidates. No, I don 't charge a fee 🙂 Technorati Tags: jobs
Did Google Pack leave out Java?
A little while ago there was a lot of press about how Google and Sun were forming a partnership. In Sun's blurb about this they said: "As part of the agreement, Sun now includes the Google Toolbar as an option in downloads of the Java Runtime Environment from Java.com, Sun's showcase and portal for Java technology enthusiasts and developers" Ok, great. But what would Google do in return? My search through press releases didn't produce anything. The natural quid-pro-quo would be if Google in turn distributed the Java Runtime as part of something… Well the very natural "something" would be the newly announced "Google Pack", which many people are saying heralds the coming Google OS. Given all the stuff already in the Google Pack, it's gotta be a pretty big download. But looks as I can I don't see any mention of a Java Runtime as part of it. Pitty. That would have been a great opportunity! Technorati Tags: google, java
Gaia Gold and Taxes?
I recently had occasion to learn all about a really cool MMORPG ("massively multi player online role playing game") called Gaia Online. Yes, I am not in its demographic, but it was fascinating to learn about how the world of gaming has developed a whole economic model in the form of "XP" or "Experience Points". Different worlds use different terms but generically, these are points earned within the game and then spent on game artifacts or items or abilities. Things get interesting when players decide to cross over between the gaming world and the 'real' world and use real money to buy or trade artifacts. Here's a fascinating and amusing article on that very topic:
"IF YOU HAVEN'T MISSPENT HOURS battling an Arctic Ogre Lord near an Ice Dungeon or been equally profligate spending time reading the published works of the Internal Revenue Service, you probably haven't wondered whether the United States government will someday tax your virtual winnings from games played over the Internet. The real question is, Why hasn't it happened already? " (from "Dragon Slayers or Tax Evaders?")
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What Venture Capitalists say
Guy Kawasaki writes a nice little bit about VCs (some of my best friends are VCs) and about entrepreneurs. It rings very true to me. Here's some of what he says:
"Venture capitalists are simple people: we've either decided to invest, and we are convincing ourselves that our gut is right (aka, "due diligence") or there's not a chance in hell. While we may be simple, we're not necessarily forthcoming, so if you think it's hard to get a "yes" out of venture capitalist, you should try to get a conclusive "no."" "Alas, entrepreneurs are also simple people: If they don't hear a conclusive "no," they assume the answer is yes." (From "Let the good times roll by Guy Kawasaki"
Read the whole thing. It's well written, humorous and contains some really good advice! Technorati Tags: vc
Did the NSA “break the law”?
I know that this blog (Power Line) is pretty hard-core conservative, but I found their analysis of the legal questions around the NSA electronic intercept program fairly convincing.
"The only constitutional limitation on the President's power to intercept communications by Americans for national security purposes is that such intercepts be "reasonable." Is it reasonable for the administration to do all it can to identify the people who are communicating with known terrorists overseas, via the terrorists' cell phones and computers, and to learn what terrorist plots are being hatched by those persons? Is it reasonable to do so even when--rather, especially when-some portion of those communications come from people inside the United States? I don't find it difficult to answer those questions; nor, if called upon to do so, would the Supreme Court." (from Powerline)
This in contrast with a highly speculative article in the Boston Phoenix that purposely confuses some facts with lots of more or less random prediction and speculation:
"Fearful that his presidency could be swept into the same historical dustbin as Richard Nixon's, an unrepentant President George W. Bush seems intent on prosecuting the sources who leaked to the New York Times the details of his administration's warrantless domestic spying. But does Bush have the chutzpah to go after the Times itself?" (from the Boston Phoenix)
Did you notice that? "Bush seems intent on … " _and "… does Bush have the chtuzpah to …_" Stating some speculative questions and then writing a whole article assuming that the answer is "yes" but with no evidence other than, "that's the kind of thing he would do." But the more direct connection between the Phoenix bit and the Powerline bit is this:
"Many believe that the Times performed an incalculably valuable service when it reported last month on a top-secret National Security Agency program -- almost certainly unlawful -- involving presidentially (but not court-) approved electronic surveillance of message traffic between people in this country and locations abroad." (from Boston Phoenix again.)
Notice the "almost certainly unlawful" - I don't think it's anything like that clear. Anyway, I am no Bush apologist, by a long shot, but both these articles were very thought provoking, for different reasons. Technorati Tags: puppy