Friday, December 22, 2000

Bits & Bytes -and- Shakers & Stirrers 12/22/00

SHAKERS & STIRRERS
"Check out the site for the latest in who's movin' and shakin'!
For the whole scoop, go to: http://www.thecyberscene.com/newyork/
index.shtml"

Evan Katz Joins 1GlobalPlace

BITS & BYTES
Send your news to: news@TheCyberScene.com
For the whole story, go to http://www.thecyberscene.com

Chicago Online
Agency.com Gets Flexible
Collecting Gizmo
Razorfish Teams with Coca-Cola
Razorfish Drives with Ford
Reuters Building Turns Green
Proxicom Relaunches Toyota.com and Lexus.com

CYBER SCENE SOCIAL NOTES ~ 12/22/00


In an attempt to help facilitate better networking for
new media professionals and "Scenesters,"
here are some points that will be added during the weeks.
They will be archived.

* Err on the conservative side when indulging at business-related holiday parties. Rudeness or slovenliness at this time of the year can influence opinions about yourself throughout the rest of next year.

TCS Intro ~ 12/22/00


WELCOME
Holiday cards have been lining our walls, and all the festive
decorations around New York City are just some of the elements
that make December and the holiday season one of the most magical
in town. Tourism numbers are up higher than they've ever been, and
shows on Broadway, Bryant Park (Kaleidescape), Grand Central (laser show), Radio City Music Hall, and various parks and attractions add excitement to the season's festivities. Garlands, wreaths, Christmas trees and Menorahs are dressing up window displays, doors, transoms and buildings for dressed-up people on the inside. With shop windows brimming with glittery gifts tempting you, the city is replete with holiday cheer that can lift even the most dour dot-com sourpuss face.

This year was a wild one with a phenomenal start that continued until
the fateful month of April and stock market downturn. Now in December,
the industry is still shocked by the reality check its gotten and continues to get. Yet most people also are quite cognizant of the healthy cleansing the industry is getting. I believe 2001 will be another year of successes. January will bring the usual sense of renewal and hope, and by March things should be marching along again. We're planning on starting the year right with our Black Tie benefit on January 25th at the new W Hotel on Union Square. Working with the NYC Office for Corporate Partnerships and benefiting the East Harlem Tech

Junior High School, we aim to involve with the schools as many
companies in Silicon Alley as we can. And from there we've got
cocktail parties, Morning Circles, conferences and more fun things
for you to sink your teeth into. Just remember, we're aiming to offer
you events of a higher caliber, events focusing on high-end
networking with people that are the leaders, movers, shakers
and real thinkers in an organization. Please drop us a line with
any suggestions, comments or questions! (courtney@pulitzer.com)

Thursday, December 21, 2000

Holy Holiday

Befittingly, Redwood Partners hosted their holiday party on the
first night of Hannukah in the Angel Orensanz Center on Norfolk
Street. Redwood's first employee and party planner extraordinaire
Kailah Rovin greeted me in a festive red cashmere halter top.
She quickly introduced me to one of her great friends - GiantBear's
Allison Bank. VentureSurf's Justin Model introduced me to Alan Rosenberg and Ilene Marcus, e-procurement officers at the Mayor's Office of Operations. Not soon after, I saw Mark Matias and Applied Theory's Matthew Gershner. Jumpcut's Marc Scarpa and Atlas Venture's Claudio Bertuccioli were chatting with Redwood CEO Mike Flannery when
Redwood's VP Marcelo Wainberg and Managing Director Randy Schoenfeld
joined us. The speakers pumped out loud music, which encouraged some
of the more energetic partiers to get out and boogie. Sharespan's Joe
Rubin introduced me to Cara Robino. Everyone's chests glowed red or
green from dangly little lights on elastic cords, and as the music
got louder I bid my adieus. I bundled up for a brisk walk home and
chatted with Louis Cattaruzza B2Bnetwork.com. The first day of Winter was brisk and chilly, and the first day of Hannukah was warm and cheery - and it all happened on December 21st.

3D Holiday

In a simple but elegant office in midtown, Kizna.com
and InfiniteFace.com held their office holiday party for
friends, colleagues and clients, and showcased their 3D technology.
Kizna's VP Feisal Afzal introduced me to Adia Global Managing
Partner Matthew Keddy, Mathieu Thomasser and Djamila Keloua.
In his office, InfiniteFace.com CEO Hima Furuta demonstrated his
company's 3D product. From just two pictures, a 3D rendering
could occur. He showcased the e-commerce capabilities by showing
four photos of an SUV to create a fully modeled 3D version of the
car. Fashion designers could showcase designs, and beauty companies
could show actual faces without having to worry about features not on
an axis. With no downloads necessary, the whole program works in java.
Excite@Home's Schott Keddy and Netsearchers Howard Rosenberg were among
the guests who came to see friends and meet new ones. Isn't that part
of what the holidays are all about?

Smoke & Mirrors

Are you single, in your early twenties and a smoker? Then
head on over to iLounge's parties! I stopped by Thursday, December
21st, at the Limelight for their bash, and was greeted by clouds of
cigarette smoke. Heavy oak doors revealed hundreds of youngsters
smoking and sipping drinks from plastic cups in the glow of
flashing lights. Even if I wanted to enter into conversation
with anyone, my efforts would've been hindered by the booming
music and furtive glances of those hoping to meet dates. I
approached two older gentlemen, hoping to find out
why they chose this wild party. Discovering that I was talking to
"Biff" and "Chuck" who "deal E," I realized these losers
were souring an already bad experience. Turning on my heels,
I made an effort to march out, but ran into the very sweet
Bob Separ from NYNMA and his friend, PRcompanion.com's CEO
Paul Timpa. I also met iLounge's co-founders Claudia Chan
and Dylan DeSantis, and chatted for a bit with Economist.com
Marketing Manager Marc Seago and Alexandra MacWade. Despite the
craziness, I met the recipients of the evening's charitable efforts
-Interfaith Neighbors, which has after-school programs for children
in East Harlem. I chatted with Robert Osborne and Sudhey Tavares.
Look for more information on this worthy cause at the Cocktails
with Courtney Black Tie Benefit on January 25th.

Wednesday, December 20, 2000

The Cyber Scene in San Diego ~ by Maria Stanley

There must have been at least 50 ladies there, dressed for the season with plaids, reds, bells and of course, a glittery St. John or two dotting its way throughout the crowd.  The University Club high atop Symphony Towers in sparkling San Diego was the site of the annual Athena gathering and it couldn't have been lovelier.  Athena is the name given to an organization of a select group of lady executives, all of whom work in technology and have achieved the title director or above.  Established in 1998, Athena now boasts a membership of over 200. Their primary purpose: to provide leadership, support and education to their members while addressing business issues and challenges unique to their fields of interest. Last night's gathering included such notable women in the field as Charleen Boyl (she's Athena's Executive Director); Martha Dennis, President of Athena; Berit Durler of UCSD Extended Studies; Sue Ebner of Marsh Risk and Insurance Services; Susan Gonick of Heller, Ehrman, White and McAuliffe; Wendy Johnson; Karen Klause; Patti Lazard; Lynne Friedmann; Jeanine Jacobson;
and Vickie Marion, CEO and President of JABRA Corporation. Still others in attendance were Sandy Calesa, Maria Stanley, Diane West and Connie Baher of YouWorkIt. In addition to the festivities, members of the Athena Wine Special Interest Group donated some of their favorite wines for a raffle, the proceeds of which will be turned over to the San Diego YWCA's Passages Program (www.ywcasandiego.org/passages.html), a program that assists disadvantaged women as they transition from abuse, homelessness and poverty into employment, permanent housing and eventual economic independence.

Elegant Sophistication

The elegantly inscribed printed invitation belied the modern,
hip reputation Jumpcut has built, but the company's sit-down
dinner party was a modern version of that very traditional event.
With grand, round tables and seating charts, Jumpcuts guests -
managers, investors, clients and other higher-ups - feasted on a
three-course, organic meal prepared by Herban Kitchen.
Jumpcut's Carryl Pierre(who planned the event), Peter Cirello and I chatted for a long time about all sorts of trivial and non-trivial topics, good ol' classic, dinner-party chatter. CEO Marc Scarpa entertained guests at his table, including investor Atlas Ventures' Claudio Bertuccioli. The spacious, high-ceiling'd room was their studio for production, with smaller studios off in the back for photo shoots, editing and more. The coat-check for the evening was the green room,
painted in a lovely green and complete with a showered bathroom.
Upstairs their offices have the modern warehouse look - hard,
plastic shades as walls, and aluminum and steel girders as structural
elements. You can get to the management offices through maize-yellow
doors, and that classic, Silicon Alley orange adorns the reception area wall. Look out for more news from Jumpcut as they begin their full-service offerings with immersive and digital media.

Pink Slips, Cotton Candy and .Commiserating

Just when things seem most sour during the downturn, a bit
of absurd frivolity can change one's perspective. Take
those Pink Slip parties. They've been occurring for quite a
few months now, but their holiday version took the meaning
to a new level. Upon arriving at the steps of Rebar on Wednesday,
December 20th, our names were checked off by glow-in-the-dark,
earring-clad Hired Gun employees. Knowledge Strategies'
Eileen Shulock sprinkled me with sparkly-dust, and I was
on my way! Resume.com's John Waller just handed his credit
card over to the bartender to buy drinks for the crowd for the next
half hour. After I escaped from the rush to the bar, I made my
way through and chatted with Karen Auerbach, who's now with Little,
Brown and Company and Netslaves.com's Steve Baldwin and Bill Lessard,
who created the Carousel of E-Failure for the party. There certainly
was a carousel of items to view - printouts of sites gone bad or
just plain gone; nik naks from companies now defunct, and stories and
challenges of worst job experiences. B2Bstreet.com Richard
Stephan was wearing an Urban Fetch T-shirt and pink feather boa for
Solidarity, and Rogers & Cowan Director Gwynne Beatty was meeting up with those recently let go. Beatrice.com's Ron Hogan introduced me to Emily Gertz, who was laid off (along with quite a few others) from Scient. Sendresume.com's Bonnie Halper was hanging out with more folks donning pink feather boas and glow-in-the-dark necklaces (a sign you are looking for work). New York Post Reporter Michelle Gotthelf, ABC News Producer Catherine Upin, Vault.com Reporter Hans Chen, German TV ZDF Bureau Chief Udo van Kampen and Columbia Journalism student Caryn Meyers were all trolling the scene too, in hopes of snagging a unique story. As I made my way back towards the entrance, I caught up with Jeremy Kagan (formerly ofEZCD.com) and Erica Schiff and Sam Chudnoff, formerly of Opus360/Freeagent. Marc Kolin was let go, too, but from the clothing store Structure. His friend Esther Willard had been let go from Scient. As I bundled up, met Sothebys.com's Liza Shevitz, who was curious about this whole event. Curiouser and curiouser, this industry gets!

Tuesday, December 19, 2000

NYSMA Holiday Party and Food Feast

Midtown New York is brimming with oversized, festive ornaments;
trees; lights; and toy soldiers. It was amidst all that cheer that
I found the New York Streaming Media holiday party at alliance
member agency7's office. The evening featured Glittering city views
from the rooftop. Fantastically yummy treats were provided
by alliance member Chef Ashbell, who has wholly immersed himself in
streaming media. The offices were packed with streaming-interested
folks, and I started off chatting with Healthology's Jonathan
Foster and Syncro Services' David Hodgson, who told me that SYF.com
really meant "Single YoungFemale." Interesting translation. Gold
sponsor of the event, SpireKnowledge's Steve Jones, came over to
say hello and introduce me to Parabasis' Jeffrey Pill, who is the
former editor-in-chief of the National Lampoon. BrainPixel's Jenson
Ko and International Internet Strategies' Barney Lehrer were
chatting it up. When I met Agency7's co-founder Robin Campbell, she
told me about her firm's post-production company, Refinery, and
their product, NetCandy. The other gold sponsor, iNEXTV,
also had representation at the soiree, and I met Christy Ashley as
the evening was winding down. Digsville.com President and Founder
Helen Bergstein told me about her apartment/home-swapping service
for travelers. I also chatted briefly with KarmaCom's Karma
Martell, who was instrumental in planning the event. Chef Ashbell
told me of his streaming shows in France and London, and other
guests like iStreamTV's Chip Ruhnke were networking amidst all the
cosmopolitan drinking. Before leaving, I chatted with TechTV's
Andrew Simon. The Christmas tree twinkled, and holiday
cards covered the walls, cookies were passed around, and guests
were savoring the final moments of holiday cheer before heading out
into the chilly night.
http://www.agency7.net
http://www.foodstop.com
http://www.streamingmediaalliance.org

Monday, December 18, 2000

Digital Resource Launch/Celebration

Holiday parties lined up like children waiting for pictures with
Santa Claus. Monday, December 18th, was a night of new media
celebrations. The Manhattan Theater Source on MacDougal Street is
traditionally a place where artists can go for support, supplies
and help producing independent pieces. After producer Jennifer
Gibbs and co-producer Robyn Hussa got together and produced the
Digital Source Cinema, however, this collective also became a place
where artists who are experimenting and creating with digital media
can garner support and showcase their creations. Among the artists
involved were Wayne Ashley, who is also the first director of new
media at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Todd Stewart told me about
his pieces - one an experiment in lighting and focus. It uses a
digital video camera and a "cinema roman," in which a series of still
photos were taken through Photoshop to Imovie to Final Cut Pro. John
Sullivan of Naked Emperor Productions told me about his
PSA for Big Brother Big Sister, his "Spreading the News" piece on
the Dialo Rally in NYC and his first short film on homelessness
called "The Buddha Hood," which one the Foil Film Festival two
years ago and is up for an Academy Award nomination this year.
Upoc's Luis Castro came by with some monitors (to help with one of
the pieces), and I also chatted with AtNewYork's Paul Zakrzewski
and Boston-bound Carol Peters. ThousandWordProductions.com was
filming the entire evening. The crew captured some of the
theatrical antics and other installations - like a spray-painted,
white motherboard cube with psychedelic colors swirling inside and
trippy sounds coming over a headset. Before leaving, Jennifer
pointed out a lo-fi video showcase of Belgrade, Yugoslavia,
filmmakers being held upstairs. This was the first
time these pieces, showing Serbia during the bombings, were being
shown outside their country. Such poignant work and so many deeper,
thoughtful elements to think about during the typical flash-and
dash of the holiday season!
Theatersource.org
Thousandwordpictures.com

Sunday, December 17, 2000

A brief look at the London Cyber Scene (business and social)


While Silicon Alley was racing to catch up to Silicon Valley, folks in the UK were quietly working away on developing the foundation for a dynamic Internet industry in their country. Not many really thought of London having a Silicon-based nick-name, but many agreed that there definitely was a lot of activity going on lately that could warrant one soon.

Most people I spoke with considered the London cyber scene a bit more digestible and gracious than the flurry of activity in the States. Even Americans here said new hires in their companies desperately plead to come to the UK offices. Because the scene here is very much like New York in the mid-to-late 90s, there is an incredible sense of excitement in the air with possibilities. In addition to people new to the industry, seasoned veterans in the US see the opportunity in London as one where they could renew their interest and regain a fresh perspective.

It wasn't really until a company called Freeserve launched the UK's first fully-featured free ISP in late September of 1999 that the industry began snowballing. Soon there were "dot-com" ads cropping up everywhere--on cabs, Double Decker buses, in magazines and on the telly. Some complain there's too many; they haven't seen anything yet! After Freeserve got everyone's attention, a few VCs I met over the week, Carol Weatherall, eVentures and Anne Farlow, Electra Partners, said now almost anyone you meet has a business plan they want to tell you about. Harpal Randhawa, chairman of AntFactory.com, an "opervesting" (operating and investing incubator) agreed and added that there are just as many VCs cropping up to do business too. With momentum like this from the entrepreneur and VC side and with incredible technologies like WAP and interactive TV primed for harnessing, this market will explode even more very soon.

Companies from the US, like Excite, JFax, Razorfish, Agency and Amazon all have significant shops over here. And some of the uniquely UK web design firms like Demon Interactive, Realdesign, Zinc and SohoLondon are designing sites for firms like Nike, London Transport, Vodaphone, MyWapWorld and other brick-and-mortar and e-tailers alike. Lastminute.com has also been attributed as a Internet company that's propelled consumers to consider the Net as a medium to use.

And while PC saturation isn't as high in private homes as it is in the States, the Internet cafes have taken over the coffee shops. Because London is the first and last stop for travelers East or West, this city has always been a hub for international passers-by. As a result, many Europeans with free email accounts have begun to increase the demand for Internet access in convenient places. Some traditional pubs have tried to accommodate by adding little "Coffee Sh@ck" franchises inside and there has also been a burst of purely Internet-salons. EasyEverthing.com is one business that the EasyGroup is developing. With the goal of trying to give Virgin a run for their money, they have several "Easy(fill-in-the-blank)" businesses. EasyJet, the popular European-based airline, was the first and the easyEverything Internet shops are gaining popularity as the cheapest and most convenient franchises around. Their first five shops boast an average of 500 PCs available 24/7 for surfers. There are others that also offer Internet access--like O24 (Office 24), which acts like a Kinkos and Simply Internet, which gears itself more upscale and Soccer-Mom friendly.

Portals for sports (sport.com, sportal.com), shopping (handbag.com, boo.com), events and tickets (lastminute.com) and auctions (FiredUp.com, QXL.com) are leading the pack of consumer sites. In a few months time, there'll be much more "noise." Even grocery delivery sites are in development (foodferry.com) and I'm sure Kozmo has some plans to be offering porridge or fish and chips after 10:00pm, which will be a great service since all dining establishments pretty much stop serving food by 9:30 or 10:00.

Of course there wouldn't be such developments in the industry independent of a strong social structure and I've done some research on this end too. Most everyone in the US has heard of FirstTuesday.com, a national phenomenon in Europe. These social gatherings started small, like most groups, and have taken off like wildfire. Now in over 30 cities throughout Europe and the Americas, this networking event draws over 400 people regularly in London. Some may complain they're too big, but others fairly balk if you don't go. There are more than a handful of other significant, if less populated events, to choose from too. For instance E-academy, TheChemistry, Boob Night, Net Night, e-Women and other targeted niche groups meet up to exchange ideas and business cards.

So, as I learn more about the scope of the scene here, and as I type this from my stark-white calming room with selective "mood lighting" in the ultra-swanky new Ian Schrager hotel, St. Martin's Lane, I have a sense that my next trip to London will have me encounter even more new leaders, movers and shakers. Our week was well spent after the cocktail party with filming and interviewing for the next installment of CyberScene TV. With the experienced production work of Chip Lewis, now in his own venture, Continuous Media, you will get a further glimpse at the London Cyber Scene in this show too!

Friday, December 15, 2000

Courtney Pulitzer's Cyber Scene Calendar of Events

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**VOJO TGIF Brew
Date: Friday, December 15, 2000
Time: 5:30 PM-9:00 PM
Place: @ Point Moorea, Downtown Los Angeles, CA 


**Holiday Party: The New York Chapter of the Streaming Media Alliance
Date:  Monday, December 18, 2000
Time:  6:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Place: 16 West 46th Street, Suite 1200, NYC
RSVP: nysma@bigfoot.com .


**Digital Source Cinema Benefit Launch Party
Date: Monday, December 18, 2000
Time: 7:00 PM -11:00 PM
Place: manhattantheatresource, 177 MacDougal St.
RSVP: http://www.theatresource.org/dsc.htm
$25 discount if you say you are on Courtney's email newsletter


**Main Street Ventures Food Drive
Date: Tuesday, December 19, 2000
Time: 5:30 PM
Place: Westminster's Billiard Club, 1140 Main Street, Third Floor, NYC


**CEO Roundtable Guest Event
Date: Tuesday, December 19, 2000
Time: 8:30 AM-10:30 AM
Place:  TBA
RSVP: Michael Ringel - miker@LTBN.com


**NY Java SIG  Event
Date: Tuesday, December 19, 2000
Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Place: Sun Microsystems Office, 2 World Trade Center, 25th floor





**Line56Live! New York B2B e-Commerce Event
Date: Tuesday, December 19 –Thursday, December 21
Place: New York Hilton Hotel, 1335 Ave of the Americas
RSVP: www.line56.com/line56live/ny <http://www.line56.com/line56live/ny


**3 Wise Men of the Internet
Date: Wednesday, December 20, 2000
Time: 7:30 AM-10:00AM
Place: NY Marriott Marquis, NYC
RSVP: http://www.ibreakfsat.com 


**silicoindia’s High-Tech Christmas Party
Date: Wednesday, December 20, 2000
Time: 6:00 PM – till ?
 Place: Palo Alto Hills Golf & Country Club, Palo Alto, California
RSVP:https://www.siliconindia.com/eventregistration/eventlogin.asp?eventid=TFW122000


**New York Venture Group: "Angel Investors: Packed Their Wings & Gone Home?
Or Still A Force To Be Reckoned With?” Speaker:Robert J. Robinson, Co-Author "Angel Investing:Matching Startup Funds with Startup Companies,"& Associate Professor, Harvard Business School
Date: Thursday, December 21, 2000
Time: 7:15 AM-10:30 AM
Place: New York Athletic Club, 180 Central Park South, 9th floor, 59th St. at Seventh Avenue, NYC

**VOJO Pool & Brew TGIF
Date: Friday, December 29, 2000
Time: 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Place: Gotham Hall on 3rd St. Promenade, Santa Monica, CA


**Evolution Box presents....HOVEK OLAM 2001
Date: December 31, 2000 – January 1, 2001
Time: 10:00 PM – 8:00 AM
Place: 45 Washington Street DUMBO, Brooklyn, NYC
RSVP: www.evolutionbox.com
                       


**Web Sites That Work: Designing With Your Eyes Open
Date: January 8 and 9, 2001
Place: Cambridge, MA
RSVP: e-mail to COURSES@UIE.COM


**Product Usability: Survival Techniques
Date: Wednesday, January 10, 2001
Place: Cambridge, MA
RSVP: e-mail to COURSES@UIE.COM


**AIM: "From Russia with Love": An Evening of Charity for Interactive Executives
Date:  Wednesday, January 10, 2001
Time:  6:30 PM-11:30 PM
Place:  Russian Tea Room, NYC, NY
RSVP:  https://www.interactivehq.org/html/eveningcharity.htm


**Jared Spool’s Brain Sparks
Date: Thursday, January 11, 2001
Place: Cambridge, MA
RSVP: e-mail to COURSES@UIE.COM


**The First Annual AlleyCat HR Summit
Date: Thursday, January 11, 2001
Place: Bridgewaters, South Street Seaport
RSVP: www.alleycatnews.com


**Anthology Film Archives: Silicon Alley Documentary: StartupNYC.com
Date: January 17, 2000


**internetDM Breakfast Circle: Marketing Trends for 2001
Date: Wednesday, January 24, 2001

**Cocktails with Courtney Black Tie Benefit
For the East Harlem Technical School (in conjunction with the NYC Partnership for Schools)
Silent Auction, Special performances
Date: Thursday, January 25, 2001


**iStartup Fever
Date:  January 29-30, 2001
Time:  8:00 AM-7:00 PM
Place:  Baruch College Conference Center; 151 E. 25th Street, NYC, NY


**iStartup Fever: "Secrets to Driving & Retaining Traffic on Your Web site"
Date:  January 29, 2001
Time: 5:00 PM
Place:  Baruch College Conference Center; 151 E. 25th Street, NYC, NY
Moderated by Courtney Pulitzer, founder, Courtney Pulitzer Creations


**iStartup Fever: "Networking Primer Secrets of Success"
Date:  January 30, 2001
Time: 5:00 PM
Place:  Baruch College Conference Center; 151 E. 25th Street, NYC, NY
Panel with Courtney Pulitzer, founder, Courtney Pulitzer Creations


**Internet Media Dynamics: 2-Day Seminar
Date: January 29 –30, 2001
Place: Miami - The Hyatt Regency Miami Hotel
RSVP: http://www.adweek.com/adweekconf/imd_jan29.asp


**internetDM Breakfast Circle:  Media Planning
Date: February 22, 2001


**Corporate Venture Capital Investing Conference
Date: February 26-28, 2001
Place: The Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage, Palm Springs, CA
RSVP: cathyf@ibforum.com


**internetDM Breakfast Circle
Date: March 29, 2001

Bits & Bytes -and- Shakers & Stirrers 12/15/00

SHAKERS & STIRRERS
Check out the site for the latest in who's movin' and who's shakin'! For the whole scoop, go to: http://www.thecyberscene.com/ss/newyork/index.shtml

Grove Joins Interactive Resource
Turtledove Joins InfoRocket
NYNMA Names Board

BITS & BYTES
Send your news to: news@TheCyberScene.com
* For the whole story, go to: http://www.thecyberscene.com

Catching Song
MovingStation Relocating Hewitt
Back to Poetry
Verano Launches Click2Biz Platform
Let the Games Begin
Earthnoise Packs Some Video

CYBER SCENE SOCIAL NOTES ~ 12/15/00


In an attempt to help facilitate better networking for new media professionals and "Scenesters," here are some points that will be added during the weeks. They will be archived.

Holiday Party etiquette - for the new employee

1.  Watch out for that egg nog.  Everyone wants to have a good time at a
holiday party, but if you're not sure what is appropriate, err on the
conversative side until you have a better feeling for your co-worker's party
behavior.  You don't want to be forced to call in sick the morning after the
bash.

2.  Perhaps you are a new manager and haven't worked with your staff very
long.  While you weren't there to observe this, your colleagues worked hard
all year - they deserve to at least be recognized for their efforts, if not
rewarded.

3.  If office morale is low, come up with ways to gear everyone up for a more
prosperous new year.

4.  Don't let the dot-com downturns spoil your holiday spirit. Tis the season to thank those important to us, who've helped us and who we care about. Whether a card, special words of thanks, Flooz, cash or a gift, take the time to let others know how they're valued. And--more importantly--remember the non-commerical aspects and reasons of why we celebrate as you carry on with holiday festivities.

Thursday, December 14, 2000

Thursday's Cheer and Bigstar/Advaya

From the Bowery to the Bronx, West Side to East Side, there were more holiday parties to keep networkers busy. From office parties to social balls, the festivities wouldn't stop and on the biggest night out of the week I chose to luxuriously attend just one soiree (I know, "how devilish!") First let me tell you about the others - the party for all the youngsters feeling hip (iLounge) was at the Limelight and boasted booming music and bevies of beauties and buffsters boozin' it up for good... NYSIA held yet another holiday SIG party - this time the Sales and Marketing SIG at Recess on Spring Street and called out to all the marketers and sales hipsters. The WWWAC group held their monthly gathering in the Canadian Consulate and began it's process of getting WWWACsters and interested parties alike who want to make a difference. They're getting ready to have board member elections again, so if you're interested, stop by wwwac.org.

Breaking from tradition, Bigstar/Advaya held their 3rd annual holiday party at the charming French bistro Pierrot in the Lower East Side. CEO David Friedensohn was looking buff and tanned and in good spirits, placing Veuve Cliquots in guests hands if they were empty. He introduced me to some Advayans as I kiss-kissed folks I knew like Michael Palazzolo and Joli Halper.

Dan Kelemen, Jordan Orlando, Brendan Kennedy and Bill Johnston made a good set for a picture and I chatted with Lise McDermott and met attorney John Johnson of Donaldson & Johnson. Mike Cohen told me some news of his new venture (ready for publication in a few weeks). He introduced me to Textrade.com's president William Claps and Woffex's Cathleen Rittereiser. PumPum's Ofer Cohen and Aqua Creations' Limor Goren stopped in for a holiday drink or two, as did Nicoletta and Andy Pickup (Wall Street Transcript). Polyverse's president Kamuti Kiteme and Joanne Weiss were equally enjoying the free-flowing beverages, waiting till midnight when they'd be at Matt E. Silver's Rabbi dance at his Polyverse party. More employees and guests continue to toast and enjoy each other's company despite market downturns. It was a fine holiday party and everyone even got a luxurious long-sleeved Advaya branded shirt!

Wednesday, December 13, 2000

Other Alley Goings-On

The night was full of panels and parties, and NYNMA held its
"Connecting the dot-coms in Silicon Alley" at their BizDev Network
SIG meeting at the Columbia Club of New York. I-Hatch's Chip Austin
moderated the panel, which included CMGi Strategic Partnership
Group VP David Luff, Microsoft VC Relations Manager Bob Savage,
Navisite President and CEO Joel Rosen and CMGi Alliance's Steve
Kirchoff. Downtown Atlantic Television hosted a screening with the
Discovery Health Channel for a film "Breaking the Code: The Race to
Uncover the Secret of Life" at the Tribeca Film Center. In Soho,
Koko Interactive had its holiday party at Bar D'o, where I popped
in to give holiday greetings to Katie Peters and Glen Lipka. In the
charming restaurant Provence, Upoc hosted its holiday gathering for
friends, investors and colleagues. Guests gathered for rounds of
champagne and other holiday cheer, and I had a chance to catch up
with Gurl.com's Laurel Wells, WitSoundview's Zoe Adlersburg and
meet Christine Courtney. UPOC's CEO Gordon Gould, looking sexy in
his black leather pants, received many kisses from the ladies. The
Wilsons (Fred of Flatiron and Joanne of MOUSE) were chatting it up
with guests, Michael Beckner considered the delicious dinner on the
back buffet or leaving with Susan Soloman. Launch 39's Cherry
Arnold was cheery, and UPOC's Greg Clayman introduced me to
DailyCandy's Dany Levy and folks from Envirionments.com. Silicon
Alley Reporter's Jason Calacanis told me about his upcoming
conference in LA, and when Mail.com's Lynn Maloney arrived I took
my cue and let them sit together.

Webgrrls schmooze during e-business

As another day dawned in the city that never sleeps, the e-business
conference kicked up another day of exhibits and seminars at the
Javits Center. The 2nd day, Wednesday, December 13th, ended with a
Webgrrl's interactive panel discussion on networking. Webgrrls NYC
Director Eileen Shulock kicked off the panel with some pointers and
words of encouragement on networking. DF Consulting's Dawn
Fotopulos spoke and mentioned some of her pointers for good
networking. Networker to the Silicon Alley stars, Lori Schwab, told
guests that if you start feeling stress about going to a networking
event, just think of it as a party where you will see your friends
and meet new ones. AIM's Alexis Bonnell had lots to say on the
topic, considering her card says she's the DIVA of Marketing. My
Red Shoe's Randi Epstein took Lori and some attendees through her
"30-second Elevator Pitch" exercise. Discussion, questions and
dialogue spilled over from the panelists to the audience, and
before we knew it - the evening turned into a full-blown networking
event itself!

Webgrrls Women Series ~ The (Women's) Art of Networking
Wednesday, December 13th
Featuring:Alexis Bonnell, Diva of Marketing, Association for Interactive Media; Courtney Pulitzer, Founder, The Cyber Scene; Lori Schwab, former Director of NYNMA, creator of Silicon Alley's CyberSuds, and networker extraordinaire; Randy Epstein, My Red Shoes, and queen of the "30 Second Elevator Pitch;" Eileen Shulock, Director of Webgrrls New York City
Learn how to be a success at networking. Learn the 1 minute elevator pitch! Place: The Jacob Javits Center, Room 1E02, during the eBusiness Expo
You don't have to be registered for the conference to attend this special Webgrrls event! RSVP: Required. Go to http://www.acteva.com/go/nycgrrls to RSVP. Cost: Free for members, $5 for nonmembers; Time: 6:15 PM to 9:00PM

Tuesday, December 12, 2000

Glamourous Women in New Media

The Helena Rubenstein's SoHo store was keeping the Women in New
Media warm and toasty for their holiday party on Tuesday, December
12th. WINM coordinator Trudy Elins was one of the charming hostesses
with the mostess, as guests came and I met Gromco.com's Miranda
Berner. WebMorter's Barbara Frerichs was looking sparkly after her
makeover, and I saw more women line up for theirs as I went over to
chat with Marion Novak, who told me she just launched her new
company -Leapfroggers. Orb's Laura Berland and IBM's Pauline Ores
were holding out till the end before they sat down. I chatted with
Enjewel's Mary Katherine Rafferty, Manchester's Linda Smith and
American Express' Hitomi Iba. TMP Worldwide's Mai Keklak, Christine
Lutrario and Karen McCabe were chatting up front, and ProAct's
Miriam Eaves and WINM's Yvette DeBow and I discussed their
internship program. We also talked about getting Silicon Alley
companies more involved with educational and charitable activities.
Before leaving, I said hello to a few renewed and glamourous
ladies: Abridge's Susan Hunt Stevens and AllWomenInvest.com's Clara
Lipson.

Buzzing Bees Bristle in a Bus

The weather outside was frightful, but the spirits inside were
delightful. Tuesday, December 12th, was a night of more wild winds
in Silicon Alley, making the party goers bustle more to get to
their rounds. In Chinatown, the third-floor elevator opened up to
reveal a large school bus, complete with computers and reference
books perched on counters where the seats used to be. Buzz PR found
an office space with two architectural firms, one of which
dismantled this bus and carted it into the building via skylight.
After Advaya's Joli Halper introduced me to Buzz PR's partners'
Rick Smotkin, Robin Goetz and Carrie Brenner, I wandered throughout
the hoppin' joint. The DJ was spinning the vinyl, and Chinese food
was piping as guests lined up to sample the treats. Creative Good's
Matthew Mahoney told me how their firm is faring (quite well!) in
these times, and Macedon Mediature's Shaun Nanavati came over to
say hello and to speak about his role as a board member on
Philadelphia's Port of Technology. Inside one of the other shared
offices was the Interactive Internet Studios team, mingling around
their newspaper clippings of Gore and Bush. Christian Schwab showed
me the videos they produced for Der Spiegel and introduced me to
Catja Prykop, Norbert Koenig and Time Knoche. As guests kept
filling in from the frosty night, Buzz clients like Nick Cogan,
Josh and Mike Kimberg were enjoying the fine spirits, like the
spiked egg nog, and Carrie Brenner told me about their exciting
start and growth since August.

Monday, December 11, 2000

NYSIA's Election-ary Holiday

The election results were finally in, but on Monday night NYSIA
hosted a panel discussion on "Democracy in the Information Age."
NYSIA board member Larry Aronson, who worked on programming exit
polls in past years, moderated the lively discussion with
Democrats.com's CEO Bob Fertik, Elections.com's VP Mark Strama and
JCL/APL Inc.'s Chris Lincoln, who also was a technical freelancer
with the Voter News Service and wrote a lot of the code for the
exit polls. Questions ensued, and afterwards the holiday party
picked up where it left off before the panel. NYSIA executive
director Bruce Bernstein introduced me to Miles Matthews, who told
me about his wildly popular Multi-Cultural Sig. And as the winter
winds continued to blow, the business card swapping took on an
increased frenzy.

NYNMA's Toy-Delight Holiday Party

Holiday parties are in full swing now, and this week started off on
Monday at the New York New Media Association's annual holiday party
at the Toy Center. As I was arriving, NYNMA Executive Director
Alice O'Rourke was greeting guests, while inside NYNMA's Dawn
Barber and Ellen Auwarter welcomed festive partiers. DeltaThree's
Sharon Tolpin and ChannelSeven.com's Pamela Parker were well heeled
in pointy and square-toed boots, respectively. Abridge's President
Susan Hunt Stevens came over to chat as Raphi Salem handed me a
purse of gold chocolate coins. Walking into the old oak bar room
decked with festive garlands, I said hello to Echo Network's James
Propp and OnCom's Heide Lee Alexander. AllTrue's Matt Heindl was
festive in his burgundy shirt and Tonic Studio's Eddie Scannell.
Writer Mary Jo Fahey, RealSparks.com Founder and CEO Margo Crespin,
TechExpo's Bradford Rand and Tatiana Byron, and I were all catching
up when Catherine Hipp came over to chat. I-Hatch's Chip Austin
Mimeo's Jeff Stewart and WebCinema's Jon Sarno spoke about the
change in the industry and the season's upcoming parties.
Mofo.com's Jon Perkel and Morgan Communications Dan Hall joined us,
and we met Dialpad's Christopher Graff. The Shooting Gallery's
Colin Weil came over to say hello before Crossover Technologies's
Eric Goldberg introduced me to AtNewYork's Erin Joyce. Virtual
Growth's Ron Kustal and Etensity's Michael Keating were in high
spirits as the evening neared its end. I couldn't leave without
admiring the Gingerbread House -- a fun twist on Bricks & Mortar!

Friday, December 08, 2000

Courtney Pulitzer's Cyber Scene Calendar of Events


**Art Directors Club: America Illustrata Opens: December 7
Date: December 7- December 22, 2000
Place: The Art Directors Club,106 W. 29th Street (between 6th & 7th Avenue), NYC
RSVP: Sidney Cooper, 212.643.1440

**NYBC Fall Dance Benefit
Date: Saturday, December 9, 2000
Time: 8:30 PM- 2:00 AM
Place: Metronome, 915 Broadway, Manhattan, NY

**Do-it-Yourself Mediamaking
Date: Sunday, December 10, 2000
Time: 3:00 PM – 1:00 AM
Place: The Wetlands Preserve, NYC, NY
**NYSIA December Monthly Meeting :Democracy in The Information Age
Date: Monday, December 11, 2000
Time: 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Place: IBM, 590 Madison Avenue, Room 950, NYC
RSVP: mailto:info@nysia.org

**VIC@The Holidays, Los Angeles
Date: Monday, December 11, 2000
Time: 6:30 PM
Place: REATA, Beverly Hills, CA
RSVP: http://www.theVIC.org/events/

**NYNMA's Annual Holiday Party
Date: Monday, December 11, 2000
Time: 7:00 PM- 10:00 PM
Place: The Toy Building, 200 Fifth Avenue, NYC

**NYSIA: Computers, the Internet, and Elections
Date: Monday, December 11, 2000
Time:  6:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Place: IBM, 590 Madison Avenue, Room 610, NYC
RSVP: mailto:info@nysia.org

**MEDIAPORT Luxembourg Breakfast Seminar and Panel Discussion Trends and Opportunities in the European New Media Market
Date: Tuesday,  December 12, 2000
Time: 8:30 AM –10:30 AM
Place: The New York Athletic Club, 180 Central Park South,  Olympic Suites 1 & 2
RSVP:  212.247.5100

**NYNMA - "Project Management For New Media Professionals"
Date: Tuesday, December 12, 2000
Time:  9:00 AM-5:00 PM
Place:  Globix, 139 Centre Street, NYC
RSVP: http://www.nynma.org

**NYSIA Active Server Pages SIG: ASP.NET Basics and Migration
Date: Tuesday, December 12, 2000
Time: 6:00 PM- 8:30 PM
Place: Chase, 55 Water Street, Rm. 13-A/B, (Use Old Slip St. Entrance after 6:00PM)
RSVP: mailto:info@nysia.org

**VIC@The Holidays
Date: Tuesday, December 12, 2000
Time: 6:00 PM
Place:  The Atrium, Orange County and Irvine, CA
RSVP: http://www.theVIC.org/events/

**eBusiness Expo's Educational Conference
Date: December 12-14, 2000
Place: Jacob Javits Center, NY, 11th Ave and 36th Street, NYC

**NYNMA's Bizdev Network: "Building Value and Competitive Advantage Through Strategic Alliances"
Date: Wednesday, December 13, 2000
Time:  6:15 PM-9:00 PM
Place: The Columbia Club 15 West 43rd Street, NYC
RSVP: http://www.ersvp.com/reply/bizdevdec.

**landI's Sixth Speaker Event: Mr. Shigehiko Suzuki, President and CEO of Daijob.com Date: Wednesday, December 13, 2000
Time: 7:00 PM 
Place: SunBridge Venture Habitat ,17F, Shibuya Mark City,1-12-1, Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
RSVP: http://www.iandiasia.com/event1.html#333

**Knowledge Management Conference: Lessons Learned Conference
Date: Thursday, December 14, 2000
Time: 12:00 PM- 5:00 PM
Place: Newark Airport Marriott Hotel, Newark, New Jersey

**Digital Coast Holiday Reception
Date: Thursday, December 14, 2000
Time: 6:30 PM - 10:30 PM
Place: California Science Center, Exposition Park, 700 State Drive Los Angeles, 
RSVP: http://www.digitalcoast.org/

**Pervasive Computing:Why the Smart Money is BettingThat It’s Technology’s Next Big Thing
Date:  Thursday, December 14, 2000
Time: 7:15 AM – 10:30 AM    
Place: 200 Fifth Club, 200 Fifth Avenue (lobby) at 23rd Street, NYC
RSVP: Laurie Miller, 212.832.0800, ext. 306

** internetDM Breakfast Circle:Differentiate or Die- Survival in Our Era of Killer Competition
Date:Thursday, December 14, 2000
Time: 7:45 AM- 10:30 AM
Place: The 9th Floor of the Marriott Marquis,1535 Broadway at 45th Street, NYC
**Breakfast Forum: Enhancing Your Competitive Advantage
Date:Friday, December 15, 2000
Time: 7:30 AM - 9:00 AM.
Place: The Bankers Club, Fifth Third Center, Downtown Cincinnati, OH
RSVP:  bclark@gcsa.org

**VOJO TGIF Brew
Date: Friday, December 15, 2000
Time: 5:30 PM-9:00 PM.
Place: @ Point Moorea, Downtown Los Angeles, CA 

**Holiday Party: The New York Chapter of the Streaming Media Alliance
Date:  Monday, December 18, 2000
Time:  6:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Place: 16 West 46th Street, Suite 1200, NYC
RSVP: nysma@bigfoot.com

**Main Street Ventures
Date: Tuesday, December 19, 2000
Time: 5:30 PM
Place: Westminster's Billiard Club,1140 Main Street, Third Floor, NYC

** CEO Roundtable - Guest Event
Date: Tuesday, December 19, 2000
Time: 8:30 AM-10:30 AM
Place:  TBA
RSVP: Michael Ringel - miker@LTBN.com

**3 Wise Men of the  Internet
Date: Wednesday, December 20, 2000
Time: 7:30 AM-10:00AM
Place: NY Marriott Marquis, NYC
RSVP: http://www.ibreakfsat.com 

**VOJO Pool & Brew TGIF
Date: Friday, December 29, 2000
Time: 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Place: Gotham Hall on 3rd St. Promenade,Santa Monica, CA
**Web Sites That Work: Designing With Your Eyes Open
Date: January 8 and 9, 2001
Place: Cambridge, MA
RSVP: e-mail to COURSES@UIE.COM

**Product Usability: Survival Techniques
Date: Wednesday, January 10, 2001
Place: Cambridge, MA
RSVP: e-mail to COURSES@UIE.COM

**AIM: "From Russia with Love": An Evening of Charity for Interactive Executives
Date:  Wednesday, January 10, 2001
Time:  6:30 PM-11:30 PM
Place:  Russian Tea Room, NYC, NY
RSVP:  https://www.interactivehq.org/html/eveningcharity.htm

**Jared Spool’s Brain Sparks
Date: Thursday, January 11, 2001
Place: Cambridge, MA
RSVP: e-mail to COURSES@UIE.COM

**Anthology Film Archives: Silicon Alley Documentary: StartupNYC.com
Date: January 17, 2000

**internetDM Breakfast Circle: Marketing Trends for 2001
Date: Wednesday, January 24
**iStartup Fever
Date:  January 29-30, 2001
Time:  8:00 AM-7:00 PM
Place:  Baruch College Conference Center; 151 E. 25th Street, NYC, NY

**iStartup Fever: "Secrets to Driving & Retaining Traffic on Your Web site"
Date:  January 29, 2001
Time: 5:00 PM
Place:  Baruch College Conference Center; 151 E. 25th Street, NYC, NY
Moderated by Courtney Pulitzer, founder, Courtney Pulitzer Creations

**iStartup Fever: "Networking Primer Secrets of Success"
Date:  January 30, 2001
Time: 5:00 PM
Place:  Baruch College Conference Center; 151 E. 25th Street, NYC, NY
Panel with Courtney Pulitzer, founder, Courtney Pulitzer Creations

**internetDM Breakfast Circle:  Media Planning
Date: February 22, 2001

**Corporate Venture Capital Investing Conference
Date: February 26-28, 2001
Place: The Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage, Palm Springs, CA
RSVP: cathyf@ibforum.com

**internetDM Breakfast Circle
Date: March 29, 2001

Bits & Bytes -and- Shakers & Stirrers 12/8/00

SHAKERS & STIRRERS
Check out the site for the latest in who's movin' and who's shakin'! For the whole scoop, go to: http://www.thecyberscene.com/ss/newyork/index.shtml

Jack Kramer Joins CondÈNet
Former NYTimes SVP Joins ORB
McCullagh Joins Tradeout
Expansion Brings Dooley to Razorfish
Zollie Embarks on New Challenges
Sherman Writing Office.com Column
Razorfish Makes Appoints

BITS & BYTES
Send your news to: news@TheCyberScene.com
* For the whole story, go to: http://www.thecyberscene.com

Online News Gets Recognition
GO2 Gets a Coke
Comet Systems' Cursors Hit the Big Time
Razorfish Hits the Gas
Find Some Culture this Holiday
Bully goes Bi-Weekly - New Issue Online...
Uproar Inc. To Acquire TrafficMarketplace.com
Yacking Away at Earthlink
Verano Acquires Agilent's Software

CYBER SCENE SOCIAL NOTES ~ 12/8/00


In an attempt to help facilitate better networking for new media professionals and "Scenesters," here are some points that will be added during the weeks. They will be archived.

In these networking frenzied times, it is a good idea to state your full name when calling business contacts.

The Cyber Scene in San Diego - by Lilia Phleger Benjamin

            Greetings from San Diego...aka Bandwidth Bay, Telecom Alley, Silicon
            Beach (wait, that doesn't sound right). My name is Lilia Phleger
            Benjamin, and I am going to do my best over the next few months to give
            you an idea of what is hip and happening in San Diego's own Cyber Scene.

            A lot has been happening in the geek-scene lately, so let's start with
            the new groups in town. Last month I got an invitation to join a new
            group called the Internet Strategy SIG. Kind of vague, but I figured hey,
            if they want me, who am I to say no? Rob Gordon, who is coming out of a
            Silicon Valley haze and now wants to establish himself in San Diego,
            started the group in October. The meeting was sponsored by Winstar
            (http://www.winstar.com), and the highlight of the evening was the talk
            by Cliff Numark (president and CEO of the San Diego Regional Technology
            Alliance) on effective business strategies. Cliff is really something by
            the way. If you ever want to feel like you have wasted the last twenty
            years of your life, take a look at his bio at the SDRTA website
            (http://www.sdrta.org). And he doesn't look a day over 35...

            On Monday night I went to the second meeting of the SD Chapter of WITI
            (Women in Technology International). The meeting was held at the Silver
            Gate Yacht Club on Shelter Island, and combined a clothing drive for
            underprivileged women with a planning meeting on mentoring programs.
            Carey Storm (SD Chapter Leader) is certainly charismatic (think 6 feet
            tall and bright red hair), and has attracted a lot of baby-boomer,
            established techno-women to join forces to build the chapter. The next
            meeting for the San Diego chapter of WITI (http://www.witi.org) will take
            place in February 2001.

            I also got a chance this week to tour the Technology Resources Center at
            the SAIC (http://www.saic.com/trc/). What a place. Our guide was John
            Brackett, who is working to build strategic training partnerships between
            SAIC, the world's largest employee owned IT company, and the community at
            large. I didn't realize it, but SAIC is a close second in employee
            population to San Diego's leading tech company, Qualcomm. I have to
            admit, from the Starbucks coffee in the employee cyber cafÈ to the
            classrooms filled with the latest equipment (including removable hard
            drives for students)...I was impressed.

            Tuesday night was the Techniquelle (http://www.techniquelle.com) Holiday
            Mixer at the Epicentre (http://www.epicentre2000.com), one of San Diego's
            most hip, happening, and WIRED teen centers. Techniquelle is one of three
            new "women in technology" groups to launch in San Diego in the past three
            months, and it is so far the most active one to date. The best part of
            the evening was talking to the geeks-in-training...9th grade boys leaning
            back in their big shoes and baggy pants and talking code. Ah, but where
            were the girls? That's what Techniquelle hopes to change...

            And finally, the end of the week will see me doing the Sprocket dance at
            an event put on by ddstudio and 911Art at the Sushi Performance and
            Visual Art Gallery. Not only do I get to play technogeek, I also get to
            make ornaments for their virtual Christmas tree, listen to jazz, and
            watch Gerardo Nevarra's performance art. Should be an interesting close
            to an interesting week!

            Disclaimer of the week: The writer is co-founder and managing partner of
            Techniquelle.

TCS Intro: 12/8/00

Welcome!   Without much pause between Thanksgiving and the beginning of December,  Holiday parties have begun and the season of shimmering shirts, sparkly skirts and mistletoe is in full swing. Despite dot-com downturns, the industry is still progressing and intent on keeping a happy face in spite of massive layoffs and war-zone scenarios. Even after another biggie like Scient laid off a significant part of its workforce, there were enough activities to keep a cyber chronicler busy.

Thursday, December 07, 2000

Holiday Office Parties Swing

            Kicking off the round of office parties, I stopped by the offices of
            Boutique Y3K and Connors Communications on Thursday night, December 7.
            Boutique Y3K was festively outfitted with blue and white cards hanging in
            a line on the wall and silvery ornaments dangling from the ceiling. CEO
            and Founder Cecilia Pagkalinawan looked sexy as usual in red leather
            pants, and the rest of the crew was equally trendy looking. I met IT
            Manager Kevin Archer and snacked on a cookie before taking a quick tour
            of their colorful offices. Then it was a quick trip down to Connors
            Communications headquarters on 21st street. Now on two floors with a
            spiral staircase in between, the office looked great with staff, friends
            and clients still partying hard with beverages and holiday cookies. I
            chatted with the witty RealtyIQ Business Development VP Jared Carney,
            while sipping some holiday wine. Jupiter's Kate Berg introduced me to
            Gartner's CEO Michael Fleisher. Connors' Michael Delehanty and Alayna
            Tagariello came by to say "hi" and chatted a bit about their busy lives -
            lives that will only get busier as December rushes by!

The Cyber Scene in Denver ~ by Suzanne Lainson

On December 7 I went to Denver's Adam's Mark Hotel to check out an
m-commerce presentation by IT consulting firm CIBER. I generally
don't attend business presentations (I'd rather scan brochures or a
website than shoot an afternoon getting the same info). But when I
saw that this was Rick Bolin's deal, I decided to go. I met Rick in
1999 when he was deputy director for the Governor's Office of
Technology and I came in wanting to talk about promoting the area
as a high tech center. At that time and since I have been impressed
with his energy and enthusiasm. In April 2000 he went to work at
CIBER as director of business development. In August he became its
wireless national practice leader and has been touring the country
making presentations to high level executives. In his overview of
m-commerce, he made a number of points, including these: We've been
using wireless for a long time (e.g., garage door openers, TV
remote controls). ..... Many of the ideas being tossed around for
wireless applications are B2C, but ROI is likely to be greatest
with B2B and B2E (business to employee). ..... Wireless is
currently much more complicated than the Internet because while the
Internet is based on one protocol to one type of device, there are
37 different wireless protocols being directed to an ever expanding
number of devices (250+).
http://www.ciber.com

On December 13, TiE-Rockies had its Christmas party at the St.
Francis Center across the parkway from the Denver Center for the
Performing Arts. This was open mike night and everyone in
attendance had to stand up, say who they were and what they did,
and then tell either a secret about themselves or share their most
embarrassing moment. I won't reveal who confessed what, but many of
the stories fell into one of the following categories: skiing,
camping, traveling, and food/restaurants (one of which involved
Rocky Mountain oysters, and if you don't know what those are, I'm
not going to tell you). The lesson to be learned: many of us feel
like fools when we try something new. We also found out that
Srikant Srinivasan, founder/former CEO of KBkids.com, just returned
from a three-month trip to Africa, that Aloke Guha, president/CEO
of Datavail Systems, has been a professional opera singer, that Vic
Ahmed, president/CEO of Vroom Technologies, is, deep down inside, a
nice guy, and that Sapna Shah, former strategic planning and
business development director for Ann Taylor Stores, can recommend
a great hairdresser in New York.
http://www.tie-rockies.org
http://www.kbkids.com
http://www.datavail.com
http://www.vroom.net

On December 14, FrogMagic had a holiday party for merchants,
vendors, and friends at Denver's Heavenly Daze Brewery. (The drink
special for the night was Lilly Pad Lush.) Jared Polis, FrogMagic
founder/president was there. (He's best known for having started
BlueMountain.com. He's also been in the news for winning a seat on
the Colorado State Board of Education. It was a very close race and
Colorado had its own recount over that one.) Also there were COO
David Mejias, director of business development Chris Lear, and
marketing director Marci Gower. FrogMagic is a site which enables
online users to send out gifts even if all they know are
recipients' email addresses or chat names. Fifty lucky attendees
got their chance to try out the system when they won FrogMagic gift
certificates. Free frogs (stuffed, not live) were also given away.
http://www.frogmagic.com

On December 15, I attended the open house for the Holme Roberts and
Owen Boulder office. Truly a wonderful location, right on the Pearl
Street Mall, the heart of downtown Boulder. Lots of local color:
restaurants, shops, street performers, happy strolling Boulderites.
The food was excellent (served in a very intimate setting in the
law library). And I liked the fact that among the beverage
offerings were a white zinfandel and a wine punch (good for light
drinkers like myself). I had a chance to talk to attorney Mark
Wheatley, whom I have met at Colorado Internet Keiretsu events (HRO
is a CIK sponsor). And I chatted with Wayne Citrin, director of
software engineering at Latis, and Richard Bass of Colorado Service
Providers. But most of my time was spent talking about women in
business with Susan Thevenet, an attorney with HRO, Deborah
Arhelger, former CEO of Lumio Technologies, Patty Rivera,
founder/CEO of Kiditcard, and Catharine Merigold, general partner
of Vista Ventures. Everyone talked about having paid their dues,
and what was available for us and other women in the future. Stay
tuned. Plans are afoot.
http://www.hro.com/offices_boulder.cfm
http://www.latis.com
http://www.coloradoserviceproviders.com
http://www.lumio.com
http://www.vistavc.com