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Twiistup 7: Women & Entrepreneurship talk with Bambi Francisco and Lisa Stone
February 18, 2010 | Comments (0)
When I was asked to moderate a discussion at Twiistup 7 about women and entrepreneurship I was glad to do it. When I found out that I'd be talking with Lisa Stone of BlogHer and Bambi Francisco of Vator.TV, my joy increased. Both of these women have accomplished great things in their careers, becoming strong role models for how a woman can excel in business - while avoiding playing by the boy's rules.
At least that's what I thought.
During the panel there was a very awkward moment when Bambi revealed that she is not "allowed" to do business dinners with men. Now that's a very simplistic description of the scenario, but the gist is this. She's married and her husband seems to have an issue with her having business dinners with men. Now I can understand if perhaps there's one particular man who seems to always want to meet with her for a dinner meeting, but to put blanket moratorium ... that seems not only extreme but frankly, ridiculous.
In the interest of avoiding more discomfort than was already apparent, we shifted the topic towards business ... but the moment left a strange feeling for me ... and a bit of sadness for Bambi, whose professional acumen is something I quite respect. I hate the thought that her potential is being limited by such a chauvinist mentality.
Here's the video of the session ... the moment I describe is about 1/2 way through.
An (Intel) Inside(r) Look: My digs in Vegas
January 06, 2010 | Comments (0)
This year's trip to CES is in large part due to my role as an Intel Insider and since I (along with Frank Gruber, iJustine, Sarah Austin, JD Lasica, Tom Foremski, Daniel Brusilovsky & Corvida Raven) are here for Intel, they have been kind enough to take care of our accommodations. I'd be lying if I didn't admit I was pretty jazzed about it.
So having just finished up the first night of CES soirees, which included the Intel CORE Kick-Off shin-dig at which I gave a little greeting to the crowd, I'm now hunkering down in my favorite ballerina PJs and thought I'd show you my favorite feature of the rooms here at the Venetian.
An (Intel) Inside(r) Look: My digs in Vegas from Cathy Brooks on Vimeo.
Viva Las Vegas! An Intel Insider's 2nd Trip to CES
December 18, 2009 | Comments (0)
About two years ago I was approached by Intel to see if I'd be interested in being one of the Charter member of their (then new) Intel Insider program. The premise - gather a group of top bloggers, influencers and entrepreneurs to provide ongoing perspectives and insight to Intel products and use of social media. At the time, intel was preparing to move 80 percent of its marketing spend from traditional media to online platforms and they were keen to ensure they had a clear view.
I, along with Frank Gruber, Brian Solis, Irina Slutsky, Sarah Austin, iJustine and several others began participating in an array of activities with Intel. One of the major events was their taking most of us to Vegas for CES 2009. It was a blast - if not exhausting!
At the end of the first year, Intel evolved the program, some of us staying involved, a few shifting to "alum" status and a few new folks joining the ranks including Daniel Brusilovsky and Corvida Raven.
As the holidays approach we're now looking at preparation for the second journey of Intel Insiders to Vegas for CES. The folks at Intel asked some of us to provide a few thoughts as to why we're looking forward to CES 2010 ... I couldn't resist getting a little cheesy. We are, after all, going to Vegas. :)
The thing that is somewhat unique, I think, about my role with the Insiders is that I'm not a product reviewer. Never have been. My focus leans heavily towards the real world implementation of technologies - less about the bits and bytes and more about what one does with them and how our world changes as a result.
Ironically as an Insider I'm registered as Press for CES 2010, which has meant an almost ridiculous flood of pitches from PR folks. When I say ridiculous I'm not talking about the volume (which is to be expected with a show of this size). I'm talking about the sheer ineptitude of the alleged professionals who are sending these missives. I'll put aside the fact that they're almost all cut and paste mass mails. Knowing from my own experience having done PR for myriad clients at a big conference, sometimes the mass mail is necessary. However, the utter lack of any research on the lists is astounding. Nearly every pitch talks about setting up an appointment to learn about a product - not a single one has a trend story, theme or higher level perspective.
Now having been in their shoes, I tend to err on the side of using these notes as a teaching moment. That means I reply to every one letting them know that I don't do product reviews, I don't do company news, but if they have something relevant for the writing I do - which requires doing some homework - I'd be happy to consider.
Okay, so perhaps my tone gets a bit snarky and I'll admit that part of that may be just feeling insulted that there are people who have such little regard for quality of work that they're so sloppy. Perhaps it's because I've been sloppy myself in the past and feel guilty. Probably a bit of both.
In any case, my efforts largely go towards the old adage - no good deed goes unpunished. You wouldn't believe the responses I got.
Some are downright rude, demanding I meet with them anyway. Others just ignore my note and send another request for a meeting without any clarification. A few try to work around it by sending a pitch that's clearly not thought through.
PR people who are this clueless are a disgrace to their industry. For the record, I realize many of those pitching for something like CES are likely the junior-level account folks with little to no experience. In those cases, I say to the agencies employing them - SHAME ON YOU! To set them out into the wild with no guidance or mentoring is reflection that your agency sucks.
However, several of the pitches came from people with titles like "managing director" "senior account executive" "account supervisor" - all of which should theoretically carry enough experience to know better.
Okay ... rant over.
I'm still excited to be going to CES with the Intel Insiders and for those whose pitches are relevant and thoughtful, I'll look forward to meeting them too.
Social Media Hour #35: LeWeb 2009 and La Social Media Club House
December 07, 2009 | Comments (0)
From City by the Bay to the City of Lights! This week Cathy broadcasts live from Paris where she, along with some social media pals, set up camp at La Social Media Club House for LeWeb! Joined by Chris Heuer and Kristie Wells of Social Media Club as well as Dana Oshiro of ReadWriteWeb, and top bloggers Robert Scoble and Stephanie Booth, this Club House will host an array of interviews and salon conversations - many of which can be found on Justin.TV - with myriad social media sorts attending the annual LeWeb event.
The guests joining Cathy on this episode included: PayPal's Osama Bedier, former Googler turned investor Chris Sacca, some of the Club House posse and a few other surprises!
In typical technological gaffe fashion, just after the intro music began for the episode, Robert Scoble kicked out the microphone cable. Thankfully Chris Heuer noticed so we got things, but not until about 10 minutes into the show ... so make your way past the dead air as the rest of the is worth hearing!
Getting Quick-n-Dirty with Aaron Strout: Guest Hosting a Podcast
October 23, 2009 | Comments (0)
When someone asks you to fill in for them on something, it's flattering. When that person is someone for whom you have a pretty sizable load of respect, it's even more so.
Jennifer Leggio is one of those women in the tech industry for whom I hold such a sentiment, and so when she asked if I would fill her co-host spot one day on the podcast she does with Aaron Strout, I was pleased to say yes.
So that's what I did today from 3pm to 4pm.
They use the same production platform that I use for Social Media Hour, which is BlogTalkRadio. It's not the greatest, but it's just about the only comprehensive and reasonably reliable option I've found for doing a talk show.
We talked a bit about some social applications, we talked with Gradon Tripp and Meg Fowler of Social Media for Social Change, he graciously allowed me do to a shameless plug of my quest to be the Panasonic Living in HD Insider, we talked about the featured Tweeter of the week - Ben Foster of Allstate, we debated advertising on social platforms and then Jennifer Leggio actually called in (turned out the trip on which she was *supposed* to go was canceled so she actually *could* have done the show, but was kind enough to let me sit in anyway), and then we wrapped it up.
Whew. I'm exhausted just reading that. No wonder I was so pooped and my already fading voice got even more Debra Winger-like towards the end.
It was a great time, and I'd gladly go back again; and certainly will be asking both Jennifer and Aaron to join me on Social Media Hour soon!
Take a listen:
The 30 Second MBA: My professorial punditry for Fast Company
October 20, 2009 | Comments (0)
Ellen McGirt of Fast Company Magazine rocks.
Period.
For starters, she's a top notch Journalist with thoughtful and insightful reporting skills and a gift for writing with a graceful command of language. More than that though, I have to say that she is among the most wonderfully supportive and professionally generous people with whom I've had the pleasure of crossing paths.
When I left my job at Seesmic at the end of 2008, Ellen was among the first people to contact me. She was going to be in San Francisco and she wanted to meet to chat. What I thought was going to be a purely social hang out turned out to be Ellen turning her sharp mind's laser focus into a brainstorm on what Cathy 3.0 should, could and would be.
I can say that it is in part due to the great insights and encouragement from Ellen that I figured out my new path and am now well on the way to launching that business (more on that another time).
Several months ago, Ellen told me about a fun new project she was launching for Fast Company. Called "The 30-Second MBA" the idea was to gather an array of industry leaders and provide them with a series of business questions. Their videotaped responses - restricted to :30 sound bites - would be posted to the Fast Company site.
Ellen began naming amazing business leaders that were already in the queue to do this, a list that included: Alan Mulally, CEO of Ford Motor Company; Joe Robles, CEO of USAA; Craig Newmark of CraigsList; Jay Adelson, CEO of Digg; Jeff Swartz, CEO of Timberland.
She wanted to add me to the list.
Far be it for me to say no to such a lovely offer ... and so sitting down in my apartment with my trusty Kodak Zi-6, I hammered out a few 30-second ditties ... and the first two have been posted!
I'm also proud to say that every one of my videos clocked in just below the :30 time limit - not the case for all the faculty :)
Judgement vs. Experience - what's more important?
When does a meeting need to be face to face?
President Obama's Speech to HRC: Nice words, time for action
October 20, 2009 | Comments (0)
There is no question that our President is an incredible orator and I mean that as a true compliment. I also appreciate that President Obama is only the second sitting President to address a major LGBT organization. Props on that, but enough already. It's time for action.
To those who would argue that President Obama has had just a few things on his mind that are a bit more pressing - like several wars, a shattered health care system, and the greatest economic disaster in our nation's history since the depression to name a few - and LGBT equal rights can wait, I say hogwash.
I'm clear that there's a lot on his plate, but stepping up and addressing some of the utterly unconscionable treatment suffered by a decent sized portion of his constituency seems a no brainer.
A week or so after the HRC address that I included below, Obama spoke at an event in San Francisco. I had the privilege of attending that event. (It was not the $30K/couple dinner at the Fairmont. It was the far more reasonably priced event at the Westin - for which I got a discounted ticket through a friend.)
He spoke for about 25 minutes. He spoke about many topics. The LGBT community was not one of them. And he was in San Francisco. Not good.
This speech brought tears to my eyes and warmed my heart, but it also began to ring a bit hollow in my ears.
Talk is cheap, Mr. President. It's time to show us you mean it.
Prop 8 - And (finally) the band marches on
May 04, 2009 | Comments (0)
Ever have one of those days where you were moving at what felt like a ground speed of 600 mph, racing hither and yon, a million things to do and all of them urgent?
The day draws to a close, you wash up (making sure to floss, of course) and head for bed. You crawl beneath the blankets, and settle in. For a moment your body resists, and then suddenly it happens. There's that moment when your muscles release and you can almost feel the space between the cells decompressing.
Okay so maybe it's not quite that delicious a feeling but I have to say that in the recent weeks and especially since this past weekend, I find myself breathing again.
For the months since the devastating loss on Proposition 8, the stages of grief have roared, crashing to shore and then sweeping out again. Each time I'd think the community was moving past its anger and shifting into a more productive outlook, I'd have another conversation, hear another new piece of information or see yet another sun-faded No on 8 sign dangling askew in a window. I knew there was a silver lining. I saw the bright glimmer sparkling through in bursts. People were beginning to rise up, but still, the divisiveness remained.
A couple of weeks ago I participated in a Commonwealth Club panel discussion about media coverage of Proposition 8, and what's happened in the months since the election. It was a positive, largely forward looking discussion in which we tackled not only what went wrong in the campaign but how, as media, covering it more effectively would have helped too.
And then this morning I awakened feeling as thought something inside had shifted. Now, granted, I did just spend two days ensconced in an Oakland event space at Camp Courage, so I suppose it's not surprising that I find myself motivated.
But this is different.
We were all in pain. And while I don't discount the fact that some people's bruises haven't yet healed, at long last it feels like the LGBT community may be on its way to go beyond healing and become stronger than ever before. And I think that's because on some level, people finally have answers.
The part of the pain that came from a distinct sense of frustration - unanswered questions, unfulfilled promises - has abated, with answers. Over the last months, a number of the No on 8 Executive Committee members (not all, but some) have spent quite a bit of time doing their best to help the community reach resolution.
There was a list of questions from the Equality Summit that took place at the end of January. Kate Kendell, Geoff Kors and Tawal Panyacosit agreed to sit down with me and spent about 90 minutes addressing as many of the questions as possible. (The two part video of that discussion is below.) But still people wanted more.
Even though more of the questions were addressed at the Town Hall in SF, and then more in Fresno, more in LA, more on blogs and in newsletters, Kate and Geoff had committed to providing a more cohesive set of answers. But time passed, and energy had to be focused on the legal battle at hand.
So when I ran into Kate after the April 13 Town Hall in San Francisco, and she suggested that we tidy up these loose ends, I agreed.
Perched over Cobb salads at an eatery near NCLR's offices, Kate spoke about what might be left to say in a No on 8 post mortem. Here is the raw audio from that discussion.
As Kate mentions in the interview (and as noted above) here is the 90 minute session from February 5, 2009 with Kate, Geoff and Tawal.
Here's part one of the discussion:
Proposition 8: A discussion of what happened - Part 1 from Cathy Brooks on Vimeo.
Here's part two:
Proposition 8: A discussion of what happened - Part 2 from Cathy Brooks on Vimeo.
With that, I'm pledging to look behind no more. Certainly there must be awareness of the past, so as to avoid repeating it. But from here, we must affix our eyes ahead and upward ... we have quite a bit of hill left to climb.
Diet Coke & Mentos: Sure they fizz, but can they walk on water?
April 08, 2009 | Comments (0)
I'm back just a week from my (now) annual trek to Israel. For the last several years I've had the pleasure and honor of participating in a very special two-day confab that takes place along the shores of the Sea of Galilee. It's called KinnerNet, a play on the Hebrew word for this body of water, which is Kinneret
An homage to Tim O'Reilly's FOO Camp, KinnerNet is the brainchild of Israeli investor Yossi Vardi (If you didn't just click the previous link about Yossi, you should. And make sure to watch the "Local Warming" video. I make a cameo at the very very end.) As far as what KinnerNet is all about, that's pretty simple. It's summer camp for grownups. For starters, it takes place at a spot called Ohalo Manor - a collection of rustic, concrete buildings clustered along the southern shore of the Kinneret.
Much like FOO Camp and the off-shoot BarCamp, Kinnernet is wholly user-generated. The 250 or so attendees range from young, first-time entrepreneurs, to seasoned senior executives from some of the world's largest companies. But that doesn't matter because one of the few rules of engagement at Kinnernet is this - you're not allowed to "do business" ... This isn't about Powerpoints or chalk talks, it's not about executive memos and product demos, Kinnernet is about ideas and creativity. It's also a lovely exercise in what happens when you take a bunch of super smart people, release them from some of the usual structures and conventions under which they usually gather, and let 'em loose.
It's an amazing experience and hands-down my favorite "event" of the year that I attend. Imagine going from a morning run through richly scented pastoral scenery to a passionate discussion about the parallels between orchestral conducting and management, then trot off to discuss mobile advertising before taking a break to play Guitar Hero and then perhaps take your chances walking on water - like my friend Dan Dubno does here:
Every year the last afternoon of Kinnernet features a massive water fight, and so it was a bit surprising when we all walked onto the great lawn to find long tables set up with several hundred bottles of Coke ... and Mentos.
Thanks to the folks at Coca Cola (who kindly donated the supply of fizzing fuel for the experiment), the Kinnernet crew orchestrated the largest Coke/Mentos spectacle in Israel.
The first part of the entertainment was a professionally choreographed carbonated beverage spray. While not exactly the Bellagio Fountain in Vegas, the always creative Didi Vardi (Yossi's older brother) set the bar pretty high.
But soon enough it was time for the group activity and, as those of us who stood at a distance had suspected, it was messy.
I mused on the cola-tinged cascades and thought about the opportunity that exists for companies willing to step beyond their usual practices and expectations. After all, at a traditional event, we'd have been hammered with banners and signage blasting Coca Cola's name. More than likely there'd have been a few executives milling about always at the ready for a pitch or a chat.
Not at Kinnernet. Coca Cola was acknowledged and thanked on several occasions for providing the beverages and fodder for entertainment, just as British Telecom was given a hearty huzzah for what has to be the most reliable and beefy Internet at an event I've ever experienced (three cheers to the fabulous Gary Shainberg!!). Granted not all 250 people were hammering on the bandwidth at once, but there was a hefty volume of video and photo upload at any given point in time and never once did the connection falter. Were we subjected to logo hats and pens, presentations and messaging from BT? Never a once.
As more and more brands seek to engage with core constituencies in ways that are qualitatively deeper than before, it will require a certain level of humility and willingness to set aside old school expectations, throw some care to the winds, and perhaps be ready to get a little sticky in the process.
An historic day: Thank you President Obama - I'm proud again
January 20, 2009 | Comments (0)
It's finally here.
The day for which I and millions of my fellow Americans have been waiting for eight long years ... a new administration that will hopefully be able to rectify the many monumental errors inflicted both upon this country and the world by the 43rd President of the US (I'm opting to never utter his name again).
Today is the inauguration not only of change, but also of hope and history. Whether or not one voted for Barack Obama, there is no way to deny the palpable energy radiating across our nation today.
And this energy and interest seeps across our borders and around the globe as an entire world watches, hopeful.
When I was in Paris in December for LeWeb, I cannot tell you how many conversations I had with people about the recent election and the incoming President. I cannot tell you the pride I felt, finally, again in my nation.
Today my heart swells in my chest and hot tears of joy well lay as a persistent filter in my eyes, blurring the edges of a glorious sunrise breaking over the San Francisco skyline.
I shared my perspectives with friends at the BBC, who continue to use Seesmic to connect with audiences around the world and engage in conversation.
If you are so inclined, share your thoughts too!
Sorry Kermit, it IS easy being green - at least at CES09
January 11, 2009 | Comments (0)
The tech industry hasn't historically been the most environmentally conscious. From the tons of toxic waste generated from making computers to the stuffing of landfills with cast off bits and bobs (many of which contained chemicals that leached into the ground over time), it's been a long time coming for the industry to get a clue.
But get a clue it has, and at this year's CES I was pleased to see that there was not only a specially identified section of companies focused on bringing environmentally conscious products to market, but almost every booth (at least of big companies) that I passed had some green-related focus.
To be clear, though, CES 2009 has miles of exhibit floor space and I cruised through the Sustainable Planet section in about 40 minutes. That may sound like a long time, but considering the sheer magnitude of the convention (even in this year's reduced size), it's clear we still have quite a way to go.
Here's a short list of companies I checked out here at CES09 that trotted out an array of products and programs to address everything from carbon offsetting to recycling to renewable energy:
LGE Electronics featured reduced power consumption products that also had lower CO2 emission.
Green Goods Technology showed products that are great for travel and camping, from hand-cranked to solar powered. I particularly liked the hand cranked massager.
Eco-button offers a rapid off switch for your computer that saves energy, money and C02.
HP, which was one of the original participants of Energy Star when that kicked off showed new products.
Samsung has a pretty extensive program and at CES09 were highlighting their cell phone recycling program.
I'm also putting together a mash-up video that features some of the products. I'll get that edited and amend this post when that's done.
But in the spirit of getting this out today, I wanted to share a conversation that I had with Dave Conrad of Nokia. He heads up the company's environmental activities in North America.
In this interview - which I'm posting in its raw form start to finish - Dave talks about his company's attention to the topic. Starting with their booth, Nokia was walking the walk and talking the talk. They used carpet made from recycled PET, repurposed furniture that was used in last year's show. (Nokia wasn't alone in this, Intel and some other companies did the same.) They also ratched down the lighting for their booth so they would consume less energy and put the kabosh on plastic water bottles at their booth, giving out steel water canteens instead.
They also extended their environmental effort to folks who stopped by the booth, asking people from where they'd flown so that Nokia could offset the carbon emissions of their travel - something that the company does as a matter-of-course for its employees.
From minding the materials they use with which to build their products to ways they help their customers and even employees be mindful of being green, Nokia is one of many major companies at CES09 proving that Kermit the Frog may have been wrong. It *can be* easy to be green.
EqualityCampSF: Some images from the day
January 04, 2009 | Comments (0)
NOTE: This is a re-posted item from the EqualityCamp blog
What an incredible day.
Yesterday's EqualityCamp gathering here in San Francisco proved that the BarCamp model can work for social change, and more importantly it resulted in some solid discussions with actionable ideas - including the immediate plan to spawn additional EqualityCamp gatherings! Of course the Twitter stream from the day's proceedings were ample, and among the many cameras (video and otherwise) at the gathering, you'll find a solid collection of imagery across the web as well.
I have at least a half dozen blog posts percolating this morning from the various and sundry conversations at EqualityCampSF and will put finger to keyboard on that today, but in the mean time, wanted to post this Flickr stream from the fabulous Chris Heuer, who graciously gave up several hours of his Saturday to serve as a kind of official shutterbug for EqualityCampSF.
Thanks Chris! And thanks to all who came out yesterday and helped make our inaugural EqualityCamp gathering such a huge success!
Marriage Equality: What *is* the biggest challenge?
January 03, 2009 | Comments (0)
Since the mission of EqualityCamp is about making a people-powered marriage equality movement work, on the eve of our inaugural gathering I thought it fitting to kick off a conversation that we can carry through the day's proceedings.
I pulled out a broad brushstroke for this first query: What is the biggest challenge facing the marriage equality movement?
To be honest, my personal take on it is simple. And as a far wiser person than I said something far more eloquent than I might proffer, I'll set it up this way.
On June 16, 1858 Abraham Lincoln launched his campaign for the US Senate at the Republican Convention in Springfield, IL . This became known as the "house divided" speech. It has already been proposed in the video conversation below that perhaps the biggest challenge facing the marriage equality movement doesn't come from people who reject the very concept of homosexuality (let alone the idea of gay people getting married). What if the biggest challenge actually comes from within our community?
What do *you* think?
Whether you're coming to EqualityCamp or watching from afar, chime in. If you'd like to do it the old-fashioned way, post a comment below. But I am hoping you will opt to speak out - literally - by responding in video below. If you've never used Seesmic before, it's simple. Just start the player to listen to some of the posts. When you're ready, click on the red "reply" button in the upper right corner. You'll get a log-in screen. You'll be prompted to fill in a few fields - but don't worry - it's super simple, and you won't have to leave the site to go authenticate an email or anything of that sort. Just pick a username, password, enter an email and hit save, then it will immediately launch the recorder! Using it is as simple as clicking the red button to start and then click it again to stop.
So ... let your voice be heard!
LeWeb 2008 - What would YOU ask Paulo Coelho
December 08, 2008 | Comments (0)
It isn't every day that one gets a chance to sit down with one of their heroes. Tomorrow at LeWeb 2008 I get that chance! Conference founder and host Loic Le Meur is graciously sharing the stage with me for this interview and giving me the chance to sit down for an in-depth discussion with Paulo Coelho!
In advance of our stage chat, I had the even greater honor of dining this past Friday night with Paulo. He introduced me to one of the best sushi spots in Paris. I must admit, I was nervous. I mean, here I was about to sit down with someone whose work has been an incredibly powerful influence for me, ever since I first cracked the binding of The Alchemist 17 years ago.
The nerves were a bit of a sensation for me. For starters, I don't generally get starstruck. And secondly, Paulo and I had spoken before, via Seesmic. But to be sitting down with him, one-on-one, and in person ... well, I had butterflies.
The moment he walked into the restaurant, the fluttering in my stomach ceased, as he greeted me with the hug and warm smile of someone I'd known for years.
But I digress ... because this isn't a post about my wonderful evening ... this is a post to solicit your help! While no doubt Paulo and I could easily talk for hours, we agreed during our dinner discussion that our stage time would be best served with the involvement of as many people as possible!
Of course we'll take questions from the people in the room, but I would love to have YOU there too!
So, watch the video below ... and if you have a question for Paulo, just record it in the player below! We will be going through the video questions and playing at least some of them on the big screen at LeWeb!
After you start to play the video below you'll see a red "reply" button appear in the upper right corner. Click on that and you will be prompted to sign in to your Seesmic account or, if you don't have one, you can easily sign up within this player window.
NOTE: Signing up is SUPER simple and requires merely that you pick a username, a password and enter an email address. You will NOT have to then go to your email to authenticate. Upon filling out the fields on this page, it will immediately activate your camera and the red record button. Click it, and you're set! You'll later get an email confirming your account (and hopefully you'll decide to come play on Seesmic too!).
With that ... here's my video asking for your help ... please chime in! And hopefully we'll then "see" you at LeWeb 2008!
Every Human Has Rights - The 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
December 06, 2008 | Comments (0)
Sixty years is a long time.
And it's strange to think that while in some ways we have come so far, in others we still have so far to go. But this coming week marks the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Signed in Paris six decades ago, this document is intended to foster, promote and spread a simple but crucial practice -- that every human, regardless of race, creed, religion should be granted the right to live in peace and dignity.
I've come to Paris this week to participate in Loic Le Meur's LeWeb 2008 conference, and tonight have the honor of attending an event to celebrate the anniversary of this important document.
At a time when the world is in such a battered and bruised state, efforts such as this, which are designed to help mend the fractures plaguing society, are all the more important.
Keith Olbermann on Proposition 8
November 11, 2008 | Comments (0)
I have a blog post of my own pending about the silver lining I've managed to find (after digging through a considerable pile of crap it's beginning to glimmer through) ... but am compelled to share this commentary from Keith Olbermann as he represents one of the *real* folks out there. He's not gay. He doesn't have family who is. It's not about his friends being hurt by it.
He just sees this for what it is - a complete and utter degradation of the foundation on which our nation is built.
Seesmic leaps the pond: BBC embracing video conversation!
October 28, 2008 | Comments (0)
I'm a news junkie. Always have been. And so as an American it's always been a bit of a rough go. After all, as a rule our media outlets aren't precisely the most worldly when it comes to providing a balanced and international perspective on events.
I was lucky to grow up in a news junkie household so the BBC was always a bit of a hallowed name. And as I grew older, with the proliferation of cable and online access, I've kept a steady stream of "real" content from that organization.
So you can imagine the whoop and holler of excitement when I began talking with them about how Seesmic could potentially be used as part of their social media integration (both to the web and their broadcast content).
And last week, they dove in headfirst!
Here's their first conversation. They were intending to do a full day of coverage about the global credit crunch and solicited input from the Seesmic community.
And today our BBC friends showed up with the best of all possible "thank you" notes - a video that shows the highlight reel of Seesmic videos that they used on air!
The Washington Post: Seesmic Powering Political Punditry!
October 09, 2008 | Comments (0)
Okay, so the gestation period wasn't quite as long as that of an elephant, but it sure felt like it. Since February 2008 I've been working with The Washington Post to figure out the best way to integrate Seesmic to their web site.
And today it went live!
The partnership begins with their using Seesmic to power political discussion with one of their most widely read political columnists - Chris Cilizza. For this integration we worked with The Washington Post team to develop a customized version of the Seesmic threaded player.
Here's the inaugural conversation: JOIN IN!!! Click on play to hear Chris' post and question. As the video is playing you'll see the "reply" button appear in the upper right corner. Click on that and you'll be prompted either to log-in to your Seesmic account (if you have one) OR you can sign up right there! Super simple - just pick username, password and enter your email address - and you're off!
Wall Street Chaos Clarified: Strong words from U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio (9th District)
September 23, 2008 | Comments (0)
I'm no economist.
I'm no Wall Street guru.
Heck, the last math class I took at Northwestern University was fondly nicknamed - math for trees.
But you'd have to be quite a few sandwiches short of a picnic to not have a clue that our country has skidded rapidly down the slippery slope of financial woes into a painful morass for pretty much anything related to its financial health.
And you know what? I'm scared.
It's actually less about the financial crisis itself and more about the fact that there don't seem to be any clear-headed leaders doing anything about it.
But at least now I've heard a voice that speaks with reason. My friend Heather Gold posted this clip on her blog and so with a curtsy in Heather's direction for bringing this clip to my attention, I'll share with you.
Republican hypocrisy - oh gosh there's a surprise
September 02, 2008 | Comments (0)
No colossal shocker here. The Republican party tries desperately to explain themselves when it comes to the sheer and utter hypocrisy they have shown in putting Governor Palin up as the VP candidate.
I'm not suggesting she's not smart (even if I disagree with her politics).
I'm not suggesting she's not brazen and sassy (a quality I admire, though I find her morally reprehensible).
What I am suggesting is that the Republican spin machine is trying desperately to frame this candidate ... and in this rather superb interview by Campbell Brown, she holds them to task. And in my opinion shows them for the pathetic, weak and otherwise bullshit laden party that they have proven themselves to be.
Oh dear. There I go, parading around in my politics again.
Regardless of your political bent, you have to admit that Campbell's tenacious questioning here is a solid example of a good journalist focused on getting a straight answer.
McCain vs. Obama - Who deserves the tech vote?
August 24, 2008 | Comments (0)
John McCain recently proclaimed himself "illiterate" with regards to technology.
Nice.
But as Sonia Arrison explains in her column this week at TechNewsWorld, the jury is still out with regards to which candidates "gets it" on the tech front.
Candidly, I think that any policy McCain may put forward is nothing more than window dressing and a whole lot of bullshit.
After all, he is illiterate on tech so how the hell does he know if the policy is sound? I know. I know. It's about the people with whom he surrounds himself ... but frankly since the buck stops with the person living at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, I'd feel a heck of a lot better with someone who at least knows where the power switch is on their computer.
The thing that excites me most about this discussion, however, is that Sonia is testing out Seesmic to talk about it and give people an opportunity to discuss the topic further.
With that ... here's the conversation ... Hope you'll join in.
NOTE: You don't need to do anything to listen in on the conversation. Just click play. If you want to chime in yourself, when you click the "reply" button you will be prompted to sign in to Seesmic if you have an account. If you don't, it's no more difficult than entering your name and email address and you're off to the races. And that also means any time you see a Seesmic conversation player on any site, you can take part there too!
Domesticity ...
August 09, 2008 | Comments (0)
This post originally lived on my MySpace profile. But this morning as I'm happy ensconced in Glen Ellen at my friend Shirin & Lisa Christine's, sitting in the kitchen, making pancakes, I was reminded of this.
And figured that I would bring it here ...
So with that, here's the deal - I love to cook.
More to the point, I love to bake.
It's a passion and skill inherited from my father's mother ... my Mommom Frieda.
She was a feisty, salty, sarcastic woman who tried to hide the fact that she smoked by opening all the windows of her apartment before we came over. Some of my fondest memories are of standing in her kitchen, hearing stories of her immigration to the US at the age of 9, and watching her create the most delectable confections ... Most of which I've carried on.
About two weeks ago a colleague of mine came in with a shopping bag filled with bananas. Apparently his wife had been ... well ... a bit overeager when she saw that bananas were on sale. And her being from Europe the whole pounds/kilos thing wasn't clear.
As a result he brought in a bag of them to hand out.
At the moment I was HUGELY hungry so the banana helped. Out of gratitude (and my own love of baking), I snared a pile of bananas and decided to bring him a little treat.
I took the liberty of chronicling the baking ... and I share the recipe - including the super secret ingredient.
So check it out ... and if you have any questions about the recipe feel free to ask!
LinkTV - Giving the world a voice
August 02, 2008 | Comments (1)
Before you read any further, please know this.
On the left to right political spectrum I admit fully, wholly and down to the very marrow of my bones to an inclination leaning more to the left than not. But I'm a pragmatist above all. And given a compelling set of facts and convincing argument I'm more than willing to alter my view.
That said, in my opinion, one would have to have lived the last eight years with their head inserted firmly and deeply up their own posterior to not have at least some acceptance of the following:
Our nation has behaved poorly - on a good day - for years. And it's time to grow up, take some accountability and be responsible ... not only for ourselves but for those whose lives upon which we have had, are having and will continue to have such tectonic impact.
Disclaimer (of sorts) aside, I hope you'll read on...
Several months ago I had the pleasure of crossing paths with a fascinating and inspirational group of people. They call themselves "refugees from Broadcast television news."
To be honest, I don't recall if they gave themselves this descriptor or if I created it after our first meeting at their offices over near the old Barbary Coast. But now, having had the pleasure of working with them a bit, I have to say that it fits.
The organization is LinkTV. And the team there is comprised by seasoned veterans whose collective experience ranges from newsroom and programming to management and distribution ... and they add to the mix a deep passion for social media, social change and an understanding of technology.
With their network, this group brought together the best of all worlds. They truly approach news and story-telling from as global a perspective as possible. And more so than almost any media organization I've experienced (at least in TV), the LinkTV crew truly embraces what they clearly feel is a moral imperative ... Television without borders.
Imagine the joy it gives me to be able to say that not only do I respect their work, but that I have a chance to work with them!
In partnership with Seesmic, LinkTV seeks to expand the conversation about truly global issues ... literally. Using Seesmic's video conversation technology, LinkTV expanded its Dear American Voter project -- a campaign to engage the world in a truly international discourse about key issues here that have ripple effects around the globe.
The following conversation tackles a topic that makes me alternately angry and sick-to-my-stomach -- the impact that the faltering US economy has internationally.
These are strong voices - and they're voices you won't hear on every single newscast (sick of sound bites anyone?) ... And thanks to the Seesmic platform - you can actually engage and join the discussion.
If you're already using Seesmic, clicking "reply" will prompt you to login. If you don't have a Seesmic account, don't sweat it. The window will prompt you to create one - but it's only your name, email and a username ... you won't leave this site, and you won't get spammed.
I promise.
And if video commenting just isn't your thing, you can leave a text comment below too.
Either way, I hope you'll get involved!
The Truth is Coming - X-Files Film Conversation
July 02, 2008 | Comments (3)
Okay. I admit it. I am a huge X-Files fan.
A ridiculously huge X-Files fan.
As in, I own the first five seasons on DVD, a copy of the first movie, along with a rather embarrassing array of merchandising products.
So when we were approached (we being the gang at Seesmic) about working with 20th Century Fox to participate in a very exciting project for the new X-Files movie, I just about fell out of my chair.
The connection came through one of Seesmic's core community members, Gia Milinovich. She's a blogger, producer and recently worked on the Indiana Jones 4 press junket - a project which also included Seesmic!
Long story short - I went to LA, met with the superb team at 20th Century Fox, and then we started talking about integrating Seesmic into a chat widget they were already developing. As these things go, it turned out that a better option was to build them a branded, standalone version of our threaded conversation player.
So we did.
The idea is simple. The first post of this thread is a trailer for the film. The rest is all conversation among fans!
In addition to this player being available standalone on their site, there will also be a link to it from the text chat widget that they developed - a widget that's now embedded on 2,300 sites!
The truth is out there ... and now so is the conversation...
Gay Marriage - A Monumental Time in California
June 24, 2008 | Comments (1)
As a rule I'm quite the optimist. Well, perhaps more of a pragmatic realist, but in the end I'll always view the glass half full. Even with that I have to admit I wasn't entirely sure that I would see this in my lifetime.
I'm damn glad I was wrong.
On May 15, 2008 the California Supreme Court struck down a previous ruling that had rendered gay marriage against the law. In doing so, the gates were opened for what then took place on June 17, 2008 - the first LEGAL marriages in California.
The superb content crew at Seesmic tackled this topic by sitting down with someone who I describe as being a combination of a cyclone and a warm hug - Kate Kendell - Executive Director of NCLR.
This conversation thread starts with the promo for Rachael Joy's Newspop episode in which she interviews Kate. While the "live" session with Kate is done, you can still join the conversation. Click on reply - if you don't have a Seesmic account it will prompt you to register (don't worry it's easy). You can join the discussion. I'm going to see what I can do about getting some folks at NCLR and EQCA to join up on Seesmic and perhaps dip into this conversation on occasion to answer questions.
So sit back, take a listen, then lean forward and get involved!
A video to watch and to please forward
May 28, 2008 | Comments (1)
I'm sitting in the lobby at D: All Things Digital with the fabulous Yossi Vardi. He pointed me to a video on YouTube of Canadian Prime Minister Steven Harper speaking on the 60th Anniversary of Israel.
It's a very moving, very powerful speech.
Harper is going to Israel at the end of June. Yossi has a call to action - to have this video reach 100,000 views before Harper gets to Ben Gurion airport.
So ... how about we help him out?
You can watch the video right here ... and for your ease of forwarding, here's the link to send out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRwWMJ1NLbM
Poetry on Seesmic
May 26, 2008 | Comments (0)
Something has shifted.
For months now as Seesmic's user base has grown, it's been a slow creep to find faces in the timeline who I knew from the real world.
Yesterday I logged in to find someone who I'd met in a business meeting days before. In that meeting, we talked about various ways people were using the platform. He specifically asked me about performance art, even more specifically he asked about poetry and spoken word.
And there he was - sharing a very cool poem called "Chinatown."
Here's his post:
Watching his post made me think there's a market for some sort of computer teleprompter into which you can feed text so that you can look directly into your computer camera while you recite something like this. Or maybe some sort of clip or rack that holds the copy just above your monitor.
In any case, I felt compelled to share a poem of my own. Well not something I wrote, but something that I love. It's a piece by Pablo Neruda entitled "Leaning into the Afternoons".
What New Media Means ...
March 31, 2008 | Comments (0)
This evening I have the pleasure of taking part in a panel discussion about the role of new media in today's ever-crowded content landscape.
It's sponsored by WISE, and the objective is to help propagate the already rapidly expanding world of blogs and new media - specifically among a female audience.
My fellow panelists include some people whose work I respect quite a bit ... and some others I'll have the pleasure of meeting for the first time.
The panel moderator, Zennie Abraham, asked each of us to give a little overview - by video - on our definition of new media as a "warm-up" of sorts for our panel.
Here's what he posted this morning:
Speak and ye shall be heard - Oklahoma Legislator caught gay bashing
March 15, 2008 | Comments (0)
To be a public person in this day and age - hell to be anyone in this day and age - and not be aware that anything and everything you say outside of the comfort of your home may be subject to capture by photo, video or audio and then splattered on the Internet ... well ... you're just being naive.
I'm not suggesting it's always a good thing. Nor am I suggesting people's privacy shouldn't be respected. But in the spirit of erring on the side of transparency, openness and freedom of speech, I have to say I think that the upside of the Internet as monster megaphone is more accountability for those who choose to behave badly.
Just ask George Allen. His "Macaca" incident derailed any chance he had at running for President, and torpedoed his ability to hold office for anything other than a white supremacist organization in the future.
Yes, cameras and microphones are everywhere, and while those who live in the entertainment world fall prey to prying lenses all the time, I personally believe that for those in political office that magnifying glass becomes all the more powerful. And why not. After all - they're supposed to be representing others.
One state legislator in Oklahoma apparently didn't get the memo.
Interviewed on PodTech about Seesmic at SXSW
March 10, 2008 | Comments (0)
Today was a crazy busy day at SXSW. Meetings seemingly non-stop, I got to see a few sessions and then there were the interviews.
This one was done by Stephanie Agresta for PodTech.
Seesmic featured on G4 TV
March 03, 2008 | Comments (0)
The headline says it all.
Here's the clip:
A day late, but still important - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
January 22, 2008 | Comments (0)
Yesterday was Martin Luther King, Jr. Day here in the United States. Until somewhat recently it was merely a day on the calendar and not really acknowledged as a serious holiday in this country.
Something I always found to be rather insulting considering the incredible role that Dr. King played in helping this country make serious strides on the issue of civil rights.
Though he was assassinated just before I was born, his words and speeches have always played an important role in my life.
So what is Seesmic, anyway?
January 12, 2008 | Comments (0)
For the last several years I've been cruising around Silicon Valley as a hired gun ... I mean, consultant. Though the lion's share of my time between late 2005 and mid 2007 was spent producing conference content and podcasts for Chris Shipley's Guidewire Group, I did so as a free agent.
And the truth is that while the independence is nice, at my core I'm really a nesting, hang my hat, join a team and build something kind of gal.
Last spring Loic Le Meur approached me and asked if I would produce the content for the 2007 LeWeb3 conference. After about a nanosecond I said yes, and it was in a conversation soon thereafter that Loic gave me a bit of news.
In the aftermath ... a reminder of hope
December 28, 2007 | Comments (0)
I awoke yesterday morning as many others did - to the news of the brutal assassination (are assassinations ever not brutal?) of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
Several years ago I made the decision to change my clock radio alarm setting from the news station to one that plays classical music. I was finding that awakening to news jarred my brain into reality a bit too cruelly. But this is the second time that the first words I heard were those of bad news. (The last time being the morning that John F. Kennedy Jr. died in a plane crash.)
In any case ...
Voices and views from LeWeb3 2007
December 11, 2007 | Comments (0)
The work began last July and I can hardly believe that it's finally here, but today we kicked off the proceedings for the Fourth Edition of LeWeb3.
Started by French entrepreneur Loic Le Meur as a gathering for Europe's bloggers, the conference has expanded exponentially since its inception from the modest 200 person audience in year one to nearly 2,000 attendees this year!
Last year Loic connected with me through my work with Guidewire Group, about two weeks before the conference. The job was to organize and manage the start-up competition.
It was a daunting challenge.
The Richter Scales - Here Comes Another Bubble
December 05, 2007 | Comments (0)
I think this video speaks for itself.
So I'm going to let it.
Shifting the I of Innovation
September 28, 2007 | Comments (0)
The lags in posting here might not be a good gauge, but the truth is that I've been pretty prolific content-wise in the last 18 months. During that time, I churned out close to 200 audio interviews. The series was called I of Innovation, and I launched it in March 2006 for Guidewire Group.
Sadly all good things must come to an end, and this series came to a close in July 2006. The reason was simple. Guidewire Group is a market intelligence firm that focuses wholly on early stage markets, companies and products. It is also a start-up itself, and when some stellar opportunities arose for focusing their business and bringing some kick ass research products to market, it meant just that ... focus.
So anything not directly related to their bringing a solid set of hard-core research products and services to market slipped to the back burner for the time being. Thus I of Innovation shifted into hibernation ... for now.
So in the mean time, here's a link to the feed so you can subscribe.
I hope you will!
Haircuts and Story-Telling
February 07, 2007 | Comments (0)
Funny how no matter where I go, no matter what I do, I can never get my mother's voice out of my head ... At least when it comes to my hair.
For years I've made a point of heading for the salon within days of any trip to Southern Florida so as to avoid the inevitable commentary on my shaggy locks.
So when I checked out the interview that the folks from bub.blicio.us TV did with me at SF Beta, I cringed.
Once past that, though, I was pleased to see that I was able to get in such a great plug for Guidewire Group as well as a bit of an explanation about our relationship to the DEMO conference.
As seems to be the case with so many relationships in my life, the one between Guidewire and the DEMO conference parent company, Network World needs a bit of clarification.
So here's the story ...
Crossing Arizona
April 20, 2006 | Comments (0)
When I was at this year's Sundance film festival I spent alot of time seeing documentaries. One of them, "Crossing Arizona", caught my eye in the program but unfortunately I missed all the showings. I did, however, meet the filmmakers one night while grabbing a much needed late night latte.
Their passion for their work was infectious even in our brief encounter, so when I heard their film had secured a theatrical premiere in San Francisco I was thrilled. I was even more so when I discovered they were still in town and had the time to sit down and talk with me.
Intel-igent design ... definitely!
January 09, 2006 | Comments (0)
After talking with Eric Kim, I was curious about what all this platform stuff really meant.
So I asked.
Hear what some of Intel's top executives had to say about the changes and what it means for consumers.
This isn't your father's Intel
January 08, 2006 | Comments (0)
The annual International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) never fails to amaze, and this year's was no exception. One of the biggest noisemakers was Intel. Long seen as one of the technology industry's more geek-focused players, Intel has been making its way towards a consumer focus. At the 2006 CES, Intel unveiled a whole new image including a fresh logo, new tagline, fresh products and a new platform-based approach to its technology.
I was lucky enough to sit down with one of the masterminds behind this effort, Intel Chief Marketing Officer Eric Kim. Here's a link to the interview I did for PodTech.
Interview the interviewer
October 26, 2005 | Comments (0)
Since I'm technologically handicapped at this moment, I'm opting to share with you an interview that I did for my friend John Furrier's podcast - Infotalk.
We were at the BlogOn 2005 conference in New York. I had just finished chairing a panel on "Pitching to Social Media", and so spoke with John on the subject.
I know, I know ...
October 02, 2005 | Comments (0)
Where's the audio, right?
Besides being more crazed than a one-armed-paper-hanger trying to scratch my head and wind a watch, there are some technical hurdles I'm working on ...
But there's a light at the end of the tunnel ... and it's the spotlight on my microphone so sit tight and stay tuned.
About Cathy Brooks