Disqus - Latest Comments for John

Re: Managing "Unproductive" Meetings

John — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:45:01 -0000

Regarding #3, for any meeting, I recommend distributing the agenda, meeting goals and any participant responsibilities (e.g., what materials to review, etc.) prior to the meeting so participants come to the meeting prepared to discuss and, if required, make decisions.
Also, particularly for meetings that will be repeat, ask participants to rate the meeting (communications, agenda, goals achieved, etc.) and solicit suggestions on how to improve.

Re: Losing A Phone - A Social Media Security Breach?

John — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:45:32 -0000

Sounds frustrating, particularly when traveling. Are you sure you dropped it? There are some pretty good pickpockets over there. An apparently pregnant teen once pickpocketed me in Italy. All she got were postcards I had stuffed in my front pocket - but they were already written and ready to mail. Arrrgghhh!

Regarding deauthorizing accounts, good idea. Users should be able to pause or put a lock on their account until resolved. Good luck resolving and enjoy the rest of your trip.

Re: Zakaria Quote Of The Day

John — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 14:21:22 -0000

The biggest challenges we are facing as a nation involve compromise. When it comes to health care, insurance companies, trial lawyers and consumers/unions need to make sacrifices. Same is true of entitlements, tax a little more, spend a little less and later and we'll get there. I think both McCain and Obama have a combination of leadership and ability to compromise to push for progress on these issues. It's the US public (and their representatives in Congress), I'm concerned about.

Re: The Post American World

John — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:42:13 -0000

Regarding the Bush "go it alone" doctrine, this was the case in Iraq (no matter which side you are on) and in some other areas, but I recall in the last election Kerry argued he would negotiate with North Korea bilaterally and strongly criticized Bush for not doing so, while Bush argued for multilateral discussions including South Korea, Japan and China. I personally have always perceived a nuclear armed desperate ("sell anything to anyone") North Korea to have been our largest, thorniest threat. Although there is more work to be done to achieve irreversible, verifiable dismantling of their nuclear program (the goal the administration set), I believe the bilateral talks have resulted in a tangible reduction of the threat. Similar multilateral talks have occurred with Iran as well.

Re: Transitions

John — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:27:20 -0000

What's the market for finding potential replacement CEOs for early stage startups? I'm sure many early stage startups die on the vine when they would have taken off with the right CEO. How do startup companies typically find a replacement CEO? Word of mouth? Recruiters?

Best of luck to Etsy. My sister uses it to sell her crafts and loves it.

Re: Online politics: Obama’s campaign launches site to debunk rumors

John — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:48:11 -0000

Great idea. I hope both sides squash all the distortions out there.

Sen. Obama is not a Muslum (not that it should matter but this distortion appeared to impact him in the West Virginia primary - wonder who pushed that rumor?).

Sen. McCain didn't suggest planning to stay in Iraq for 100 years.

DNC ad: NARRATOR: President Bush has talked about our staying in Iraq for 50 years. MCCAIN: Maybe 100. That would be fine with me.

Real McCain quote: "Maybe 100. We've been in South Korea — we've been in Japan for 60 years. We've been in South Korea for 50 years or so. That would be fine with me, as long as Americans are not being injured, or harmed, or wounded, or killed."

Let's cut the BS and let them debate the issues.

How about each candidate agree to nominate the other as VP if the candidate wins?

Re: Google finds that the web has over 1 trillion unique URLs

John — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 16:01:57 -0000

POP!

Re: Android phone is approved by FCC, Nov. 10 is the apparent release date

John — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 09:53:55 -0000

I recall some talk months ago about one aspect of the android may be phone services paid for or subsidized by ads (e.g., users agree to receive and review ads in exchange for services). Any updates on that aspect of the business model?

Re: Location-based advertising: Place trumps traditional targeting

John — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:46:24 -0000

Anne - Are you referring to targeted ads displayed on devices such as cellphones or those displayed on electronic billboards such as those on sidewalks, in elevators and in cabs? Or both? Thanks, John

Re: News flash: Nobody gives a damn about global warming

John — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 19:20:19 -0000

They should ask the question again in the summer. Also, rather than "global warming", they should use "climate change" since concerned scientists seem to believe its the violent changes (hot and colder swings) in the climate that will cause problems.

Re: Facebook and Twitter: There’s blood everywhere, but no one is dying

John — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 13:21:17 -0000

Is that Brett Petersel's pic from mashable? Great pic.

Re: Hulu channels Michael Corleone. Boxee support also whacked

John — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 22:03:16 -0000

CBS is having a rough week:

CBS said today that its 4th-quarter profit plunged 52% on huge advertising declines at its television, radio and outdoor display units. So it's slashing its quarterly dividend by 81% in reaction. It earned $136.1 million, or $.20 a share, compared with a profit of $286.2 million, or $.42, in the 4th-quarter of 2007. Revenue fell 6% to $3.53 billion.

http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/toldja-cb...

Re: DEMObeat debuts at DEMO ‘09: Contest for free tickets!

John — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 22:35:51 -0000

Productivity 2.0: MeetingWave helps members arrange face-to-face meetings with new people for business or social purposes. By focusing on offline networking, MeetingWave provides rich and targeted opportunities for businesses and individuals looking to drive online and offline sales and business development. We think the site is particularly useful for anyone looking for targeted opportunities for business networking including new clients or new job opportunities. Never drink or dine alone again (unless you want to).

Re: OSLO alliance wants to share location across networks

John — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 09:19:30 -0000

Isn't this what Yahoo's Fire Eagle is doing?

Re: Yahoo CEO Bartz declares management reorg

John — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 16:37:09 -0000

I think she brings a whole new perspective to Yahoo and is all ears (listening to employees at all levels, users, partners, etc.). I recall raising an eyebrow when Lou Gerstner arrived at IBM from RJR Nabisco, but he ended up doing a pretty good job.

Re: Google launches incredible, expandable…ads

John — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 21:50:18 -0000

In addition to cost-per-click (CPC) and cost-per-impression (CPM), will they also charge for click to expand? There should be a value associated with the impression, the click to expand, and if applicable, click through to any link.

I think cool since the ads will only expand when the user clicks to interact with the ad. Will also be cool if they roll out an easy way to use via adsense.

Re: Sunlight Foundation gets another $4M from Omidyar

John — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:37:41 -0000

Great news. If we can fix DC, we'll all be better off.

Re: Ripple TV raises $4 more for in-store television

John — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:43:44 -0000

Any idea how they are targeting the ads? Is it merely based on the location, cell phone emissions or something else?

Re: Peanut butter manifesto scribe seeking to raise $150M venture fund

John — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 09:42:10 -0000

To the extent they can raise the money, I think today's a great time to start a VC firm since will have no existing portfolio companies to maintain until the IPO or M&A windows open and there are likely a lot of opportunities to make investments at ground floor valuations compared to investments made just two years ago. I don't know whether these guys can execute, but if they can raise the money and place it wisely, the firm's timing couldn't be better.

Re: IBM says nows the time to invest in innovation in Vietnam

John — Fri, 22 May 2009 14:29:29 -0000

Smart move. Labor costs still low (while China and India have become more expensive), well educated population, and great food (just ask Anothony Bourdain).

Vietnam has come a long way in the past 10 years. I think the late Sec. Ron Brown heading over there in the 90s on one of his dev trips, if I recall. As an aside, it reminds me of a funny story my father-in-law (who's from Vietnam) once told me when he was visiting and driving with a Vietnamese air force colonel past an airfield full of MiG fighter jets lined up in a row "ready to go":

Father-in-Law: Wow, I'd really like to see one of those MiGs fly.

Colonel: So would I.

They've come a long way after a difficult history. Good for them.

Re: Alley Insider’s Startup2009 competition: Article One and Expensify shine

John — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 23:53:03 -0000

Matt -

There used to be a company like Article One called BountyQuest.

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20081118/00341...

I was always surprised they shut down and happy to see another startup took its place.

Regarding "Cheryl Milone getting dinged by one of the judges for not having a very 'passionate' presentation, patent attorneys (and I'm one) are often compared to accountants when it comes to who to avoid at cocktail parties. Analyzing and interpreting patent claims can be tedious so you usually want someone who's comfortable wearing a green eyeshade.

Re: What’s next: a Mint for your physical location?

John — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:53:19 -0000

Walk by an electronic billboard that targets an ad based on profile info emitted from your handheld a la Minority Report?

Any predictions on when that will happen as there are now electronic billboards in elevators, in the back of taxis, on sidewalks, etc.?

Re: Want to get funding? It’s all about research

John — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:12:25 -0000

Great interview. I thought her comments about how her changing views about how woman should view their roles and manage was interesting. Might be because consumers have so many options now you need to fine tune your understanding of their needs so you can optimize your product or service - otherwise known as listening, which some aren't always good at.

BTW: The volume seemed a little low.

Re: Adobe Wave: Lets publishers “wave” hi to users directly from the desktop

John — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:26:30 -0000

Lot's of Waves now. Google Wave, Adobe Wave, and, yours truly, MeetingWave.

Re: Roblox raises $2.3M to help kids build casual games

John — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:56:57 -0000

Congratulations. Looks like a great site for kids since appears to have an educational/creativity slant vs the shoot-em up games we often see.

Re: Greylock Partners invests $4 in Indian healthcare

John — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:59:14 -0000

Great investment. The attached article outlines the problem from the doctor's
perspective:

http://www.easthamptonstar.com/dnn/Home/News/DI......

Electronic med records still a "must have" high priority item for a
variety of reasons (less mistakes, cost savings, portability,
accessibility, etc.) but huge tech hurdles particularly relating to
interoperability and compatibility.

Re: Power Alley

John — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:14:22 -0000

Nate - Have you ever reviewed the research by Michael Porter relating to "Clusters and Cluster Development"? I think relevant to (and supports) your post. Regards, John

http://www.isc.hbs.edu/econ-clusters.htm
Clusters are geographic concentrations of interconnected companies, specialized suppliers, service providers, and associated institutions in a particular field that are present in a nation or region. Clusters arise because they increase the productivity with which companies can compete. The development and upgrading of clusters is an important agenda for governments, companies, and other institutions. Cluster development initiatives are an important new direction in economic policy, building on earlier efforts in macroeconomic stabilization, privatization, market opening, and reducing the costs of doing business.

Re: This Volvo Spins Right Round Baby Right Round

John — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 22:41:35 -0000

I recall an audi dealer being interviewed on the radio after a horrendous accident involving his audi TT on the LIE where he walked away with only minor injuries. Another powerful ad for car. Check out the picture!

http://www.autoblog.com/2006/03/19/video-audi-d...

Of course, if the TT was a little larger, the truck driver might have seen it.

Re: Not inviting a kid to an 8 year old’s party becomes a national scandal in Sweden.

John — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 20:27:36 -0000

Thanks. Makes me feel a little better about us here in the US. I still have a pile of thank you notes to write for gifts from my daughter's birthday party that have been burning a hole through my desk but am comforted that I'm not likely to get sued if they never go out.

Re: In a polarized society, will moderate viewpoints die?

John — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:25:46 -0000

I don't think moderates are a dying breed, we're just quieter then the extremists to our left and right.

Re: In a polarized society, will moderate viewpoints die?

John — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 20:57:57 -0000

Thanks Kirasha. I knew there were some of us out there.

Here's one of my loud squeaks from moderatedom- Eliminate "slippery slope" arguments in political debates. It's the hollow argument both extremes make against what is otherwise an acceptable compromise.

Re: Fact Check: Laura Bush killed a guy

John — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 00:25:59 -0000

Charged with what? Might have been a simple, but tragic accident. Without more info, I wouldn't make any assumptions that she got off. I found this on wiki:

In 1963 she was involved in a fatal car accident. Accounts indicate that Laura ran a stop sign and hit another car, killing its driver (classmate Michael Dutton Douglas). According to the accident report released by the city of Midland, neither driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and no charges were filed.[7] According to Bush's spokesperson, "It was a very tragic accident that deeply affected the families and was very painful for all involved, including the community at large. To this day, Mrs. Bush remains unable to talk about it."[7]

I recently had dinner with someone who's brother killed two friends in a car accident. I would imagine its a horrible event to live with.

Re: The business of Social Media and the new old boy’s network

John — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:00:07 -0000

With the collapse of old media (e.g., newspapers, magazines, etc.), I think its important that new media (e.g., blogs) be more transparent and either behave more like journalists or make clear not pretending to be journalists. That is, either disclose any real or potential conflicts (as journalists try to do) or make clear you have chosen not to make such disclosures (not striving to be impartial). Doesn't look like mashable needed to disclose anything since I agree a "Facebook friend" is not real connection without more. Looks like TechCrunch can do a better job being more transparent.

Re: Foremski gets it right – Foremski gets it wrong

John — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:46:05 -0000

In addition to the issues raised by skeptic about the work involved in researching and reporting the new news, "citizen journalism" will also need to improve its quality and transparency. Do "citizen journalism" outlets disclose all conflicts (real or potential) in their reporting, issue corrections, perform fact checking, and follow other ethical guidelines followed by traditional media?

Not surprising that we eliminate or reduce the amount of news printed on paper in view of the Internet. What is surprising (and somewhat scary) is we no longer distinguish between opinion blogs and journalism.

Re: Foremski gets it right – Foremski gets it wrong

John — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 18:06:57 -0000

Steven/Ed - Thanks for your response. I better understand the problem. I just hope we don't see a downward spiral in quality and further encourage the bad habits of ADD readers. Regarding new media not having access to corporations like NYT and WSJ, that's just because today's security guard or other screener might not be aware of you. That will change over time. Good luck.

Re: How solar is your roof?

John — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 12:15:21 -0000

Great idea. I remember seeing a map of the entire US indicating which regions get a lot of solar energy. It's clear a solar panel doesn't belong on every roof so we need to be smart with our resources. For example, a subsidy program in my state for residential solar panels ran out of money. I think the CH2M map should be used by states in deciding which locations to subsidize.

Re: Don’t plan on boarding a plane dressed as a clown

John — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 00:08:52 -0000

I used to work with a guy who received a bowling ball from a client (the guy almost became a pro bowler before getting a PhD from Harvard). When he tried to get through airport security on the way home they stopped him:

"What's this?" asked the security agent.

"It's a bowling ball" answered the guy.

"Where are the holes?"

"Not drilled yet. I just got it."

After a while talking with other "officers" they decided to let him pass. Apparently the first guy thought looked too close to those black bombs you see in cartoons. No shit.

Re: Puppy falling asleep video: get your daily dose of cute

John — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 17:06:12 -0000

Ummm...wrong video link. Shows a crab being sucked through a hole in a pipe. Traumatized everyone at this end...

Re: Mickey Rourke Says Actors Should Shut Up About Politics, Then Appears in a PETA Ad

John — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 10:57:17 -0000

Although PETA is often political, an ad encouraging owners to fix their dogs is not a political ad. If it was a "seat belts save lives" ad, would you think political?

Re: That trip to Alcatraz is going hybrid

John — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 01:41:43 -0000

I highly recommend getting the audio tour if you go. The narration is done by former inmates who tell stories about their time there with thick accents ( Lot's of "so I seez ta the guy....").

Nice boat.

Re: I shit you not – a golfer pee club

John — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 12:00:47 -0000

Brilliant! Adding it to next year's holiday shopping list.

Re: Facebook proves how lame it is – steals from Twitter and FriendFeed

John — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:23:41 -0000

Here you're complaining about Facebook "stealing" Twitter's and FriendFeeds "ideas" yet I'm sure you'd complain if either received a patent on their innovative ideas. Without proprietary rights, the big guys can squash the little guys with ease. Didn't Gmail recently add a "to do" list feature identical to some startup's concept?

The one thing that sets the U.S. apart is our ability to innovate. It has provided us with a competitive advantage that has helped sustain our economy for decades and create jobs and opportunities. Invalid patents are a problem (the changes in obviousness standard should reduce such invalid patents as should the patent office being better equipped), but valid patents properly reward innovation – the lifeblood of our economy.

Re: Facebook proves how lame it is – steals from Twitter and FriendFeed

John — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 22:27:30 -0000

Not sure you're correct Geoffrey. I think you are mixing up Copyrights and Patents.

You can't copyright an idea, but you can patent it.

http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ31.html

Re: When in Borneo, be sure to check out the 100ft Borneo Snake Monster

John — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 23:31:39 -0000

I was at a bar once on the Island of Mull (the town of Devaig) and watched a heated debate about the existence of Loch Ness. This one is just the Nessy on holiday.

Re: That chair you are sitting on … it could kill you

John — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 17:00:40 -0000

HFS!

Re: Peter Tork, Former Member of The Monkees, Fighting Rare Cancer

John — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 11:18:04 -0000

Sorry to hear that. We wish him well. Cancer still causing so much suffering.

There are things we can do to help:

P.S 41 hosting marrow drive for Jasmina (5yrs) on Mar. 7 from 10 am– 2 pm @ 116 West 11th St & 6th in NYC

Or, order a swap kit (costs about $50) from http://www.marrow.org/HELP/Join_the_Donor_Regis...

Re: Jon Stewart vs Jim Cramer: the full video

John — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 09:09:15 -0000

Agreed. Stewart is a tough interviewer. I think that 2006 video really blindsided Kramer - any idea what it was? Looks like a seminar. I'd like to see Stewart guest host NBC's Sunday morning show Meet the Press when David Gregory is not available.

Re: Farting on a school bus: that’s a suspension

John — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:01:33 -0000

A well deserved suspension. Those emissions cause hair loss, weight gain, sinusitis, migraines, memory loss and more. Trust me. No joking matter. Should make the kid "wear" ass mints.

Re: Sarah L. Tolzien, Teacher, Accused of Sex with 16-Year-Old

John — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 12:21:21 -0000

I think its strange that an 18 year old can be sent to war, yet this is deemed a felony. I remember being sixteen and didn't feel vulnerable one bit. I think there's a difference whether the younger party is male or female. Moreover, the age difference should also be a factor. JMHO

Re: All About National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day

John — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 11:38:22 -0000

A song for the celebration (I hear my daughter sing all the time):

A peanut sat on a railroad track, it's heart was all a flutter.

Around the bend came a choo-choo train. SMASH! Peanut Butter.

I often have that, the Wiggles, Hannah Montana and others rattling around in my head.

Re: Discover your hidden traits with this amazing Russian Army Test

John — Sun, 03 May 2009 11:49:16 -0000

Holy shit, I don't see anything in Circle 5. Better tell the wife.

Re: Wolverine, Star Trek and how piracy destroyed them both

John — Tue, 12 May 2009 21:33:31 -0000

"Someone care to tell me exactly how piracy is hurting the movie industry?"

First, the Wolverine leak was of partially made film rather than the final product. A lot of piracy involves final products which do diminish the sales of the product. If you obtain a quality pirated copy of a DVD (not all are quality), you're not likely to purchase the real deal.

Second, different weekends. Star Trek competed with Mother's Day.

Third, Wolverine had more positive buzz compared to Star Trek (which was allegedly panned in early reviews).

That said, I saw Wolverine and liked it and also heard Star Trek was very good and will likely lead to the rebirth of that franchise.

Piracy sucks and your analysis doesn't prove otherwise.

Re: Google Experiencing Widespread Outage?

John — Thu, 14 May 2009 15:02:01 -0000

I've been noticing some issues with gmail the past month or so. Duplicate emails sent, difficulty in attaching docs to emails, etc. It's a free service and I love it so not complaining but somethings up.

Re: Sean Penn Robin Wright-Penn back together again

John — Fri, 22 May 2009 10:37:50 -0000

Good for them. Hollywood marriages are often so fleeting its nice to seem them sticking with it despite the ups and down. Don't know much about her personality, but he seems to be pretty intense so not surprised there are wild swings.

Re: Freedom of the press? Not when your boss is the police

John — Sat, 23 May 2009 16:10:10 -0000

In fairness to Weber, it's not the "police union" doing the pressuring, but instead a big investor of the paper that happens to be the union's fund.

If Weber was asking them not to report a story, I'd agree a problem.

But, if their editorial opinions are offensive or unfair to either them or any other investor, investors are always free to say change or we'll walk.

I'm not suggesting Weber is right, but not as much a threat to journalism as suggested in this post.

Re: Ferris Bueller’s House For Sale - Price: $2.3 mil.

John — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:40:48 -0000

Here's another Duncan might be interested in:

http://thehamptons.wordpress.com/2009/05/27/5-2...

Re: 2012 Movie Trailer

John — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:29:07 -0000

I told you it would be asteroids in the end.

The pic looks great. Cusack looks like a good pick for that role.

Re: Chunk of Frozen Urine Crashes Through Roof of House

John — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:39:36 -0000

Errr, I was upset when heard about cruise liners dumping waste into oceans. Airplanes are actually allowed to air bomb locals with frozen urine if someone on board believes its a "remote area"? Sounds like an unnecessary risk.

Re: FDA: Nestle Toll House Cookie Dough Recall - Tainted by E. Coli O157:H7

John — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 22:00:10 -0000

I was chomping on some sushi style Nestle choc chip nuggets last week - no problems (yet). Taste pretty good.

Re: First trailer released for HBO’s The Pacific

John — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 09:06:58 -0000

Looks very well done. I was just re-watching part of Band of Brothers again over the weekend on History Channel. Looking forward to this one as we often forget about this front when thinking of WWII.

Re: Iranian authorities try to silence Neda’s voice

John — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:56:22 -0000

Can they find and publish the id of the shooter?

Re: Mysterious UFO Crashes Into the Ottawa River Monday Night

John — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:37:35 -0000

I love that shit. Keep us posted.

Any guesses?

Re: Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 advertised in Japan with boobs

John — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:32:26 -0000

Very clever. There are also two sets of fingers at the upper corners of the "door". Funny reactions from people walking by.

Re: 10 Great ways to fry your heart and arteries

John — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 21:57:07 -0000

Are the pictures from Scotland? I heard they deep fry everything there. I had deep fried oreo cookies once at the 9th Ave Fair in NYC a few years ago.

Re: What's The Safest Seat On An Airplane?

John — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 20:44:39 -0000

Contradicts what I read or heard in the past that said the front is the safest since pilots instinctively try to protect themselves when crashing, although in many instances this is likely not possible.

Re: Art Of Raising Venture Capital

John — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:13:19 -0000

Thanks for posting. I found very useful. Motivated me to generate my first draft Powerpoint stack using Guy's 10 slide framework. Nearly complete.

Re: Startup Failures On The Rise

John — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:24:49 -0000

I'm not sure it makes sense to put acquired companies in DeadPool since it depends on the terms. I otherwise agree that 2009 will likely be a tough year.

Re: Washington Out Of Control

John — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 01:22:13 -0000

Agreed. Either let them fail or provide at least some transparency.

Re: Be Glad You Are An Entrepreneur!

John — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 15:13:49 -0000

Yes, great post. Also, maybe a reason for VCs to rethink their initial primary focus on "teams". Great teams for execution are still very important, but it's now a talent rich environment. See a great idea, grab it and build a great team around it with all the talent out there. I've seen some amazing resumes floating around recently, some with severance agreements so they want equity instead of income to keep the severance payments flowing.

Re: Sell Snowblowers in the Winter, Not Lawn Mowers

John — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 21:27:04 -0000

Pretty sure ours is a snowblower. No one had time or needed when the bulls were loose on both wall and main streets.

Re: Scientists Find Positive Correlation Between Wealth and Rudeness

John — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:59:51 -0000

Spend a weekend in East Hampton in August/July and their finding will be as clear as day. Don't need no stinkin Stanford scientists to figure that one out. As an aside, I've met several VCs they appeared pretty nice.

Re: The Collapse of the VC Ecosystem & What It Will Look Like Post Recovery

John — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 20:32:04 -0000

Thanks. Any thoughts on the impact of the Economic Recovery Plan, particularly the investor incentives?

A nice final piece of great news is that incentives for investing in small businesses are also part of the recovery package. It used to be that an individual could exclude 50% of capital gains, under certain conditions, on profits from the sale of stock after owning for 5 years. Under the stimulus package, this exclusion is increased to 75% and so those of you who are family members, angel investors or venture capitalists with monies to invest would find it more advantageous to locate promising ventures to put your money into and reap the rewards!

http://www.buzgate.org/8.0/ny/press_recover.html (thank to Peter Chislett for the link)

Seems like would encourage investors with 5 year horizon.

Re: Designing the Obvious

John — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:54:10 -0000

Thanks for the tip. "Currently unavailable" on Amazon but put on my "wish list".

Re: These Robots Are Getting Pretty Good

John — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:05:56 -0000

How it easily recovered after being pushed so hard was both impressive and spooky.

Re: URDB - Most Staples In A Stomach

John — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:32:37 -0000

Go Tim!

Re: How can MeetingWave help you reach your goals?

John — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 22:58:29 -0000

Hi Jade49 - Hopefully we're just overshooting on the downside as we did on the upside. I'm hoping to see a floor in the spring. I understand there are a lot of buyers on the sidelines either waiting to see a floor or for the credit market to unfreeze. For realtors, I recommend posting a recurring invite on MeetingWave to meet for coffee with potential buyers or sellers. You can offer to buy the coffee and request that they provide some info when they accept. You can approve or decline any acceptance so you decide whether the meeting occurs and who can attend. Be sure to create a Profile to highlight your background and knowledge of the local RE market. Let us know if you have any comments or feedback. Thanks.

Re: MeetingWave Blog: Have a great idea? What about a Patent?

John — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 15:03:52 -0000

Hi Faraz - Yes. I recommend filing a prov app before telling the world for a few reasons. First, although the US provides a 1 years grace period, most countries don't so once publicly disclosed you can't get a patent in those other countries. Second, the provisional application starts the 1 year time line for your foreign filing deadline. The filing fees for provisional applications are less expensive compared to nonprovisionals allowing you to filing "updated" provisionals throughout the year as you continue to innovate. At the one year mark you file you updated application as your provisional application.

Word of caution: You provisional application should be as complete as possible since any patent claims that ultimately issue need support in the provisional in order to be able to be entitled to its priority filing date.

Re: MeetingWave Welcomes Recruiters

John — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 09:46:22 -0000

Hi Eric -

Currently, MeetingWave members can export their pubic invites to another site (such as a Ning page or your blog). Your public invites are displayed on the left of your profile page. Under that is a note "Put this list of invites on your site" - Click and you can design a widget used to export your invites.

Our next major focus will be a private label version of MeetingWave to license to third parties and we'll also have widgets in the pipeline. I'll discuss with the team whether a downloadable desktop appl will be included.

Thanks for the feedback. Regards, John

Re: 2009/01/09/setup-your-own-job-interview-with-meetingwave/

John — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 14:19:00 -0000

Adam -

Thanks for the writeup and feedback. We believe making new real world contacts can help our members whether they are looking for a new job, new clients, potential customers or team members or just interested in meeting new people for business or social purposes. Even today, it's typically not what you know but who you know so real world contacts matter (my last two jobs were obtained through contacts rather than recruiters or ads). MeetingWave's goal is to provide a free versatile, flexible tool that allows our members to make new real world contacts anyplace, anytime.

Regarding member profiles and integrating data from other sites, our members can add a link to an external site to their profile pages such as a link to their LinkedIn, Facebook, Flickr or MySpace profiles. We agree profile information is important since it helps the decision making at both ends of the meeting invite - whether a member is considering accepting another's invite or deciding whether to approve the acceptance of their posted invite by another. So we encourage members to provide some background information in their profiles.

Also, we recently launched Meeting Alerts which allow members to save Advanced Searches (e.g., search by zip code or keyword) and MeetingWave will notify them by email when an invite gets posted meeting their search criteria.

We have many improvements in the pipeline and appreciate any feedback to help us prioritize our efforts and keep improving the site.

Thanks again and happy new year.

John Boyd, founder
www.meetingwave.com/blog

Re: This Week, Tweet to Beat Leukemia!

John — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 22:40:22 -0000

You can purchase a Marrow Donor kit from the Marrow Donor Program at http://bit.ly/ryzXu (just need to swab inner cheek and send back). Also keep an eye out for Marrow Donor drives (they swab you for free). They had one recently in NYC. There's no reason a kid's got to suffer when there's likely a match around the corner or down the street. It's one of the easiest ways to help someone in a really big way.

Re: College Rivalry Spills Over Into Battle of Who Has the Biggest … Facebook Page

John — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 19:51:45 -0000

We've got spirit yes we do, we've got spirit how about you.

Actually, likely something to brag about since the bigger the better for alumni fundraising efforts. Harris Connect and other alumni focused networks should be a little concerned as Facebook starts building out functionality for alumni associations for schools to tap into.

Re: BREAKING: Google CEO Eric Schmidt Resigns From Apple’s Board of Directors

John — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 09:27:48 -0000

Surprised it didn't happen sooner in view of the Android/iPhone competition. The FCC investigation likely prompted.

Re: Twitter is a Twademark. Tweet: Not Yet, Maybe Never

John — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 09:42:06 -0000

Just to clarify, the PTO records merely indicate "A non-final action has been mailed. This is a letter from the examining attorney requesting additional information and/or making an initial refusal. However, no final determination as to the registrability of the mark has been made" It's not unusual for a trademark application to initially get refused, although they still may face problems. So they still may get a registered trademark.

Also, tweet was previously known word (as was Apple and many other powerful trademarks). In fact, there are several registered trademarks for "tweet", but for different products/services. Twitter also filed for "retweet". You can take a known word and brand it for a particular product or service. You are not removing that word from public use. Instead, you are excluding others from using that mark on confusing similar products/services (e.g., Apple can exclude other electronics manufacturers from using "Apple", but not the farmer or pie maker or shampoo manufacturer, etc.).

Also, Google has several registered trademarks.

Finally, a trademark owner can try to revive a trademark that has gone "generic". I think "Jeep" spent a lot of money the past decade trying to rebrand and recapture Jeep as a trademark.

Re: Google Patents Search Box With Two Buttons

John — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 09:41:59 -0000

(sorry if duplicate comment; don't see first one I posted)

Folks, Google was granted a design patent, not a utility patent. Big difference.

"A design patent protects only the ornamental appearance of an invention, not its utilitarian features. A utility patent would protect the way an article is used and works. It can be very confusing to understand the difference between a design patent and other types of intellectual property. " about.com

So the Google Design patent would only cover designs that look like the design shown in the drawing, not any simple design with two buttons. Design patents are narrower vs utility patents. As a result, sort of a non-event.

Re: Bit.ly Launches J.mp to Save You Two Characters

John — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 12:14:10 -0000

I'll take 2 characters. Why not? It kind of reminds me of the spinal tap scene where Nigel proudly points out how his amp's volume goes to 11. Jm.p allows you to go "2 characters shorter". Smart move since every character counts on twitter and other sites (e.g., LinkedIn Updates, Facebook, etc.)

Re: STATS: Flat Month for Social Media, With Some Surprises

John — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 10:10:07 -0000

At least in the Northeast, August had the best weather by far (June was completely rained out). A good sign people got outside a bit for some fresh air.

Re: Twitter Confirms It: Ellen DeGeneres a Good Choice for Idol

John — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 12:43:16 -0000

I don't watch the show, but have seen clips here and there. I agree with Ryan. The show, like others, needs to constantly reinvent and refresh itself and this is a smart move. She'll add another dimension - good natured humor - that will play well against the other judges.

Re: Health care: It’s time for technology

John — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:30:26 -0000

Agreed. A massive technology upgrade is a must have for any health care reform.

The attached article outlines the problem from the doctor's perspective:

http://www.easthamptonstar.com/dnn/Home/News/DI......

However, electronic medical records still a "must have" high priority item for a variety of reasons (less mistakes, cost savings, portability, accessibility, etc.) but huge tech hurdles particularly relating to interoperability and compatibility.

I think this should be a high priority for the gov't, along with insurance reform, tort reform, improved safety net and proper incentives for healthcare consumers.

Re: The idea’s great, but the leadership team stinks…

John — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 17:51:50 -0000

Without question, say it bluntly and, if possible, figure out a solution. There is amazing talent out there. Match that up with a great idea, rather than pass. The past ten years, VC firms/angels invested in too many copycat companies. If they come across a great idea, they should grab it and build a team around it.

Re: The idea’s great, but the leadership team stinks…

John — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:27:01 -0000

Peter - Understood, but how have VC firms as a whole performed the past decade? I'd take a "great idea" (preferably proprietary) + "great team" over just a "great team" any day.