Thursday, February 28, 2002

The Cyber Scene in San Francisco ART ~ by Lorraine Sanders

Ever think you'd see thirty people sipping wine in someone's living room, each gingerly balancing a Chagall on one knee and a Picasso on the other? On Thursday February 28th in San Francisco, an eclectic group gathered at Venture Capitalist Robert Ross's Potrero Hill loft for a reception and lecture given by San Francisco's prestigious Franklin Bowles Gallery VP and Professor of Fine Art at the University of San Francisco Dr. Jean Audigier. The brief lecture was in conjunction with presenting more than twenty original works by the likes of Rembrandt, Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall and contemporary artists in the Franklin Bowles collection.

The evening began at 7 p.m. with a reception in Ross's spacious loft. Wood paneled floors, high ceilings, and huge open windows accented with steel created the perfect setting for an intimate gathering of fine art and art lovers. Guests sipped wine and sampled sushi in the living room while Franklin Bowles host and art consultant Lisa Prescutti and intern Erin ushered in the last of the original works. Audigier and his assistant Chris Cooke welcomed guests warmly. In attendance were up-and-coming author and voice talent Melissa Dodd and her friend Dan, a copywriter for Macy's; StartupAgent.com CEO John Doffing and friends; Spectacle Chief Strategist Jamie Ward and several Spectacle designers and friends; black-clad art enthusiasts; friends and significant others of the hosts; collectors from as far away as Napa, Ca; and what was quite possibly the most well behaved dog I've ever seen. After the room filled with guests, the Franklin Bowles representatives managed to herd the lively crowd into seats for the evening's lecture.

Audigier, a prominent expert on Rembrandt, Picasso and Chagall, said inspiration for the talk came after several Silicon Valley friends and executives "wanted to know the difference between good and bad art."

Audigier launched into this difficult topic with graceful aplomb and many humorous touches. After ridiculing the 19th century French Salon's failure to accurately recognize Impressionism as good art and then blasting the SF MOMA's near-worship of popular artists like Julian Schnabel and Jeff Koons, Audigier began outlining his own prescription for good art.

"Form is essential to any great work of art," he commented as he flipped through several slides of painting by Salvador Dali. "You have to be true to yourself and you cannot imitate anyone else," he continued as he flashed a Magritte, then a Van Gogh on the screen.

Suddenly, much to the audience's delight, Audigier began illustrating his points with framed, original etchings by Picasso and paintings by Chagall. There was even a framed drawing by Dali thrown into the mix. As I sat there, actually holding a real-honest-to-God Picasso etching from the Metamorphoses of Ovid Series in my very own two hands, I could do little more than swallow loudly at the precious work and sigh, "Wow," before handing it back to Chris Cooke who stood nearby. Each person in the living room was able to hold at least ten framed originals by these contemporary masters before passing them along to the next eager attendee.

After the lecture, guests had the opportunity to view the Franklin Bowles Galleries' selection of works for sale at the gathering. Lisa Prescutti, a Franklin Bowles art consultant, led collectors through the different pieces at the showing while guests continued to mingle, sip the remaining wine and marvel at the breathe-taking selection of master works propped up in every corner of the room.

After perusing the etchings and paintings on display and chatting with a few last guests in attendance, I slipped down the stairs and out into Potrero's dark, warehouse-laden streets. From outside, chatter from loft's open windows escaped into the quiet streets. Little did the few people I passed on the sidewalk know that there were masterpieces just feet above our heads.

The Cyber Scene in San Francisco WIRELESS ~ by Renee Bakos

Don't use the telephone. People are never ready to answer it. Use poetry. -Jack Kerouac-

WIRE-LESS
The dog days of the recession are over, and an expansion is "already well under way." So says Alan Greenspan this week. Wall Street was "unimpressed." The Dow fell 49 points and the NADAQ slipped nine.

As I watched the cyber scene at Wireless 2002, an industry that took a serious dive south in 2001 with some of the largest layoffs in the tech sector, it hit me that ole' Al should see the economy from this angle. I imagined Al Greenspan as he stared at the NYSE boards, sputtering, "Well, the numbers say you shouldn't be there in the gutter."

Nevertheless, Wireless 2002, hosted by The Economist, tried to solve the enigma of connecting technology with profits, with a program posse of global corporate leaders who have successfully implemented mobile Internet strategies, including:

Eric McHenry (vice president, Wireless, Agilent Technologies)
Edward F Baer (CIO, Atlanta Journal Constitution)
Orson Swindle (commissioner, Federal Trade Commission)
John Callen (vice president, Fidelity Investments)
Tom Magill (vice president, McKesson Corporation)
Bill Werner (vice president, Motorola)
Masaki Yoshikawa (president, Pacific Division NTT DoCoMo USA, Inc.)
Rich Wong (senior vice president of marketing, Openwave)
Jacob Christfort (CTO, Oracle Mobile Division)
Jeff Belk (senior vice president of marketing, Qualcomm)
Jay Highley (vice president, business marketing, Sprint PCS)
Joe Manget (vice president, The Boston Consulting Group)

With a full roster of wireless VP's, one might expect to hear a few technically evolved strategies for making money off the basic cell phone--at the least, an innovation for a clear cell phone connection broader than a five-mile radius here in Silicon Valley.

While I waited to hear these latest wireless wonders, I counted forty-two light bulbs per chandelier at the Pan Pacific Hotel. With two chandeliers per room, at four rooms per floor, the average janitor would need to screw in, approximately, 3360 light bulbs to keep his job. You know where this is going...Just how many wireless VPs does it take to screw in a light bulb?

Nobody knows. The opportunity to change the light bulb can be realized today, with current limited bandwidth, but there are a few solution providers with potential to make a new light bulb, but it may take upwards of five years for them to get it done, and no one device has optimal battery life or storage...YET.

That, in a nutshell, is the wireless world. It offers no solid predictions or new strategy to connect the dots. It is a default answer, a shrug, consisting entirely of problems of bandwidth and economics. Much like the recession Greenspan claims is over; the future for wireless relies on fuzzy math, rather than our daily reality. Wireless 2002 ended this way.

E-VOLVED CONNECTIONS
If you are now 'wired less', then San Francisco's cyber scene offers some cool ways to connect this month:

The Silicon Valley WebGuild (http://www.webguild.org) hosts "Creating Successful Business Models for the 21st Century," on March 13, where Mitchell Levy, author of E-Volve-or-Die.com, will present the Value Framework for analyzing corporate success in the 21st century.

ZeroOne: The Art and Technology Network (http://www.groundzero.org) will host a robotic art and performance night on March 13, "The Art of Extreme Robotics." The Sony event is the inaugural session for Zero One's Discourse & Disco, a frequent series of presentations by artists and technologists combined with a lively social hour that features a panel discussion, followed by a robotics performance.

Need to find a good job in a lousy market? If you missed the latest release of "Cool Careers for Dummies," then you'll want to grab a seat at the Commonwealth Club's "Boot Camp for Job Seekers" on March 19. (http://www.commonwealthclub.org) Listen to insider advice from the Who's Who of local employment experts.

The North Bay Multimedia Association and North BayCHI (http://www.nbma.com) are teaming up to present an Interactionary Design Competition on Tuesday, March 19. Interactionary follows a pseudo game show format that allows teams to work on the same design problem, live on stage, while competing teams wait their turn in a soundproof room.

For the dedicated Java disciple, the Commonwealth Club (http://www.commonwealthclub.org) will host "Willing To Die For Java: How Maverick Entrepreneurs Changed Technology" on March 21, featuring Mike Malone. (editor, Forbes ASAP, author, "Betting It All: The Technology Entrepreneurs")

It's a good time to be in San Francisco. Don't be fooled by your inner cynic. Besides, you don't have an excuse anymore: The recession is over.

The Cyber Scene in San Francisco ~ by Lorraine Sanders

Ever think you'd see thirty people sipping wine in someone's living room, each gingerly balancing a Chagall on one knee and a Picasso on the other? On Thursday February 28th in San Francisco, an eclectic group gathered at Venture Capitalist Robert Ross's Potrero Hill loft for a reception and lecture given by San Francisco's prestigious Franklin Bowles Gallery. Dr. Jean Audigier, Vice President of the gallery and Professor of Fine Art at the University of San Francisco, presented a brief lecture and more than twenty original works by the likes of Rembrandt, Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, and contemporary artists in the Franklin Bowles collection.

The evening began at 7 p.m. with a reception in Ross's spacious loft. Wood paneled floors, high ceilings, and huge open windows accented with steel created the perfect setting for an intimate gathering of fine art and art lovers. Guests sipped wine and sampled sushi in the living room while Franklin Bowles host and art consultant Lisa Prescutti and intern Erin ushered in the last of the original works. Audigier and his assistant Chris Cooke welcomed guests warmly. In attendance were up-and-coming author and voice talent Melissa Dodd and her friend Dan, a copywriter for Macy's; StartupAgent.com CEO John Doffing and friends; Spectacle Chief Strategist Jamie Ward and several Spectacle designers and friends; black-clad art enthusiasts; friends and significant others of the hosts; collectors from as far away as Napa, Ca; and what was quite possibly the most well behaved dog I've ever seen. After the room filled with guests, the Franklin Bowles representatives managed to herd the lively crowd into seats for the evening's lecture.

Audigier, a prominent expert on Rembrandt, Picasso and Chagall, said inspiration for the talk came after several Silicon Valley friends and executives "wanted to know the difference between good and bad art."

Audigier launched into this difficult topic with graceful aplomb and many humorous touches. After ridiculing the 19th century French Salon's failure to accurately recognize Impressionism as good art and then blasting the SF MOMA's near-worship of popular artists like Julian Schnabel and Jeff Koons, Audigier began outlining his own prescription for good art.

"Form is essential to any great work of art," he commented as he flipped through several slides of painting by Salvador Dali. "You have to be true to yourself and you cannot imitate anyone else," he continued as he flashed a Magritte, then a Van Gogh on the screen.

Suddenly, much to the audience's delight, Audigier began illustrating his points with framed, original etchings by Picasso and paintings by Chagall. There was even a framed drawing by Dali thrown into the mix. As I sat there, actually holding a real-honest-to-god Picasso etching from the Metamorphoses of Ovid Series in my very own two hands, I could do little more than swallow loudly at the precious work and sigh, "Wow," before handing it back to Chris Cooke who stood nearby. Each person in the living room was able to hold at least ten framed originals by these contemporary masters before passing them along to the next eager attendee.

After the lecture, guests had the opportunity to view the Franklin Bowles Galleries' a selection of works for sale at the gathering. Lisa Prescutti, a Franklin Bowles art consultant, led collectors through the different pieces at the showing while guests continued to mingle, sip the remaining wine, and marvel at the breathe-taking selection of master works propped up in every corner of the room.

After perusing the etchings and paintings on display and chatting with a few last guests in attendance, I slipped down the stairs and out into Potrero's dark, warehouse-laden streets. From outside, chatter from loft's open windows escaped into the quiet streets. Little did the few people I passed on the sidewalk know that there were masterpieces just feet above our heads.

The 411 on OM, STP, T+1

While it may be Greek to some, OM Americas Vice President Gregory Johnston was well versed in the technical and financial terms necessary to convey what his firm hopes to do with these markets. Held at the lovely Swedish Consulate General in New York, Johnson spoke on February 28th on "Technology Applications for the Financial Markets." Among learning about the vast client base they have, Johnson told us how OM plans to impart order on the 'spaghetti nightmare' with financial systems that exists today. If anyone can do it, I suppose they are as qualified as any. After all, they are one of the leading European technology companies and are known for, among other things, their hostile takeover bid for the London Stock Exchange last year. This learning experience was, according to Johnson, one of the most successful unsuccessful bids ever, as the exchange is implementing many of the recommendations they made.



Other points he enlightened us on were a high-level view on the future of the industry, (STP) Straight Through Processing, T+1, market potential and technology vs. integrity. Afterwards, Consul General Olle Wastberg encouraged us to partake in the necessary networking and have a beverage. And this was done with much enthusiasm. I chatted it up with F-Secure's Gene Trivell who told me about this Finnish-based company and then met CSFB Direct product development manager Andrew Larson and WebMap CEO and co-founder Michael Iron. Elastic Agency's Magnus Gink introduced me around to a few fellows and Phillips Nizer attorney Peter Fields and Asaf Hahami told me about their networking events as well.



With plenty to discuss and wines and hors d'oeuvres being graciously passed around the seventy financial analysts, technology professionals were able to indulge in some extraordinary networking indeed! www.swedeninfo.com/financialapplications / www.om.com

Thou Shalt Wine ~ by Janine Trusello

Oh my, another day, another wine tasting! Boy, is my arm getting tired! But, hey, it's a living and with such a calling, I made my way to the Manhattan Wine Seminars, LLC. Seminar "You Have the Wine List, Now What?" on February 28th at the Thelen, Reid, & Priest executive dining room. In such venue I was FORCED (actually quite willingly) to indulge in more vino and delicious nibble-y things! Manhattan Wine Seminars president and Hostess with the Mostest (wine that is), Marlene Rossman, instructed her very captive audience on the basics of wine selection when dining out. Against the "perfect" nighttime backdrop of a beautifully lit midtown-east view (from the 28th floor vantage point), the very animated Marlene divulged the secrets to questions such as: How do I choose a wine with confidence at a dinner? What do I say to the sommelier or waiter? How should I taste the wine? What if the wine needs to be sent back?, etc.



Before, during, and after the top secrets were being revealed during this (thankfully) sit-down seminar, ten different wines were available to sample. Assisting with the wine pouring and information-giving was Manhattan Wine Seminars vice president of marketing, Dianne Berry and sommelier's Amy Kurlander and Vanessa Jacobs. Also available to help "soak up" all of that delicious wine was a variety of cheese, pate, breads and fruit presented by CulinArt executive chef, Robert Lerz, Jr., who not only is the chef for Thelen, Reid, & Priest but is the private chef for Howard Stern.



Some "students" in attendance included Hallmark Entertainment financial analyst Tara McKenna, Boytex, Inc. retail analyst Brian Kleinschmidt, UBS PaineWebber Inc. divisional vice president Loris Eminente and The Plaza's executive meetings manager Maria Pineda.



So, what are these super-duper secrets, you ask? Ah, you must wait and go to one of the seminars! However, I will divulge an interesting fact: women are better tasters of wine than men. This might explain why there were four women running the event! The number one piece of advice handed out by Marlene was, "Trust your taste buds!" Meaning if you like it, then it's okay. So with that, happy tasting!

Wednesday, February 27, 2002

Drinking to Make a Difference ~ by Janine Trusello

The most recent Dining to Make Difference event took place this past Wednesday, February 27th, at Vintage New York. This was a wonderful and fun opportunity to enjoy an exciting and delicious sampling of New York State wines paired with a tasty selection of artisanal cheeses and other complimentary foods. This unique wine store and tasting room located at 482 Broome Street in SoHo is NOT your average neighborhood wine and liquor store. Opened in July of 2000, this is the only wine shop of its kind in the state according to owner Robert Ransom. Robert founded the Rivendell Winerey in New Paltz, New York in 1987 and decided that in addition to being able to visit the winery, tour its cellar and visit its shop (as is the standard mode of operation for a winery), he would bring "Wine Country to New York." Licensed as a winery, Vintage New York sells only New York State wines from among 140 boutique wineries, wonderful cheeses, chocolates and other delights from their artisanal food pantry. This little gem is complete with a cellar and tasting counter where you can taste EVERY ONE of the wines in the store EVERY DAY. That's right, they are OPEN ON SUNDAY! Nice, huh? With their motto "Think Global, Drink Local" Vintage has been a huge booster of downtown New York and upstate farmers, winemakers and growers.



This was one of those nice, quiet, intimate gatherings of people who came together to enjoy their love of wine and mingle with fellow wine and food afficinados in order to help support New York. In addition, $2.00 from each person's ticket was a donation to Windows of Hope (http://www.windowsofhope.org/). For those who have somehow managed to miss any of the 15 Dining to Make a Difference events that have been held since October, this was the most recent of these food and drink focused events that have been held to help revitalize the economy, build community and aid relief efforts. Dining to Make a Difference was created by Vergent founder and president, Wendy Dubit, whose bio on her website starts with, "For all of my adult life, I have been eating and drinking to make a difference--cognizant of the power that each act, every purchase and all of us have to change the world in simple but profound ways." Thus is the philosophy behind these events, which are designed to get people to realize that they, too, can make a difference by dining out soon and often, bringing colleagues and friends, booking parties, attending benefits, volunteering, and contributing to their community on a daily basis.



Robert and his assistant Ian poured samples of wines from the Finger Lakes region (half the wines in the store are from that area of the state), the Hudson Valley, and the fastest growing wine region of the state--Long Island. Classic whites such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling and reds like Merlot and Cabernet Franc were contrasted with two interesting Finger Lake wines, a Meritage and the finishing touch--a very sweet Ice Wine made from Vidal Blanc grapes.



Those who enjoyed the evening included corporate development and strategy consultant Arthur Muldoon, Lerner New York fabric research manager Laura Enos, Tiffany's former director Paul McCann and friend Tom Wiles, City of New York Parks & Recreation employee Sara Levine, Knowledge For Professionals, Inc. president Paula Garzon and New York City Fire Department software developer Kevin Jones. I chatted with the very mannerly and thoughtful comedian Gary Welz (who I had remembered meeting over a year ago at the Avenue C Tribes Gallery multi-media exhibit reception). American Express marketing researcher Cheryl Morris was along with airplane pilot Greg McAlpin and who were both in matching artisan suede coats! Also in attendance was The Riverdale Press co-publisher & general manager Richard Stein who
was along with Public Market Partners' Hilary Baum. Hilary is currently creating The Baum Forum, a huge conference set for this October, which will cover the issues involved in protecting sustainable food production.



Of course, I also enjoyed the evening, including the post-tasting gathering of where Wendy and a few others continued to enjoy more food and (yikes!) more wine at another SoHo establishment. After that an even smaller group continued on to the lovely SoHo Grand lounge for, you guessed it, more cocktails! Hurray!



For more information on Wendy Dubit and Vergant, a brand building and business development consultancy for companies and causes, visit www.vergant.com. For information on Vintage New York visit www.vintagenewyork.com. Did I mention that they are OPEN ON SUNDAY!? Just a little reminder!

Accelerated Networking

Speed Dating, speed pitching and other quick quip-occasions where you sell yourself (personally or professionally) have been gaining momentum for a population that's short on time and attention. The latest characterization of this style of meeting and greeting to hit the streets of New York is eWomenNetwork's "Accelerated Networking" luncheons. Held at Avra's on Wednesday, February 27th, eWomenNetwork managing director Linda Levin was quick to explain the rules. You were to sit next to someone you didn't know one of the seven tables. Each woman was given 30-seconds to deliver her elevator pitch. Meanwhile, the other women would take notes on the back of their business cards and if they had a contact or lead for the speaker, they were to hand over their business card so the speaker could follow up with them for the lead. After one round of this a sumptuous lunch was served family style and the thirty women listened to a video tape of eWomenNetwork founder & CEO Sandra Yancey and then workshop speaker Roni Abrams, who is president of her own firm and founder of the Center for Networking.



I had the privilege of sitting with consultant Margo Hansen, Morgan Stanley financial advisor Kathryn O'Hagan, Meadows furnishing solutions Rebecca Ellington, The Consulting Group managing director and Exelcior bookkeeping services president Mila Harris at the first table. And then, after the speaker spoke (as they are wont to do), we all switched tables. Over dessert Carol Long (who does mortagages), MetLife Wall Street Planning Association agency director Sunita Bajaj, event and board governance consultant Jodi Kass-Tracten and Faulding Architecture's Margaret Davis and I exchanged our pitches at a second table.



In addition to eWomenNetwork's actual events, their online network is a growing database of women who believe in supporting other women-owned and operated businesses. While some of us wished there was a bit more time on switching tables and actual networking as opposed to hearing a sales-y pitch on the power of the organization, everyone had a great time and made some solid contacts. http://www.ewomennetwork.com/

Tuesday, February 26, 2002

A Dressed up, and Not Too Depressed New Media

"I used to wear a suit to stand out," joked JPMorganChase's Tim Noble, "but now, everyone's dressing up." The shabby dress of new media webheads and others in the Internet tech scene of years past is nearly a faint memory today. It was quite apparent that the people and attitudes at this year's New York New Media Association (NYNMA) panel "State of New York New Media 2002" on Tuesday, February 26th have changed. The slouched shoulders and jeans and t-shirts have been replaced by snazzy garb on attentive and upright professionals who networked with such panache even Peggy Post would be proud.



This year's annual panel was held in the Fashion Institute of Technology's Haft Auditorium, where budding fashionistas lined the street as the new spiffy new media crowd converged. Overall, the speakers, MessageMachines founder and chairman Christopher Herot, Apax Partners, Inc. chairman Alan J. Patricof, Madstone Films co-founder and co-CEO Charles B. Seelig, Jr. and New York City Partnership & Chamber of Commerce president & CEO Kathryn Wylde were reflective on what would be the next big thing for New York's technology community. There were some jabs at the awfulness of last year and some predictions, all of which left the audience in more of a bewildered state than when they arrived.



The Wall Street Journal Online deputy managing editor Dave Kansas queried what each panelist thought was the next wave for NYC. Their answers were as diverse as the city itself. Herot felt that we are just discovering what new media means and that today it is really just taking old media into new forms. His broad-stroke analysis included the wireless, iTV and distance learning fields. Patricof was focused largely on wireless but stated we still need to figure out the economic models. "Content is King," was Seelig's overall attitude towards all development. He finds wireless and the Internet simply as distribution models with not a lot of money in them. "What matters is the content. Audiences don't care if a film is shown digitally, they want a good story." The next big thing would be a service that's useful for people. Chiming in on the life sciences and bio-buzz that's been going on, Wylde cited bio-security, biogenetics and bioengineering as areas with a lot of interest and activity in New York City. From her role with the government, she also pointed out the level of activity going on with rebuilding lower Manhattan and the efforts to keep it a 24/7 community.



Questions from the audience ranged from programmer Greg Elin's agitated inquiry on the future of digital filmmaking to idealab!'s vice chairman Howard Morgan's query on wireless development to Masur & Associates' Steve Masur's question on electronic and interactive gaming's future.



Afterwards informal networking ensued between old-timers like SkyForge Solutions' Andrew Weinrich, Nicole Berlyn, Deb Schultz and Lori Schwab. I chatted briefly with Consulate General of Finland Deputy Consul General Jari Sinkari and The Grimaldi Group president Vincent Grimaldi. Morrison & Foerster attorney John Delaney and attorney Steve Filler were catching up with other new media digerati like EZCD's Jeremy Kagan, Unplugged Games president and founder Eric Goldberg, Deloitte & Touche senior marketing manager and former NYNMA Education Programs director Ellen Auwarter. Site59.com's Jon Perkel told me sales were at a record high. WWWAC's new president Scott Bowling and Scott Hall came over to chat. Technology & Marketing Ventures Inc. CEO June Klein and Intelligent Biometric Solutions International COO Arthur McKinley were exchanged cards and Edgar Online CEO Susan Strausberg and Grove Street Capital president Elaine Gilde were also among the Silicon Alley scenesters who came to hear the predictions. UPOC's co-founder & CEO Gordon Gould, Roz Goldfarb Associates' Jessica Goldfarb and Twin Towers Fund CTO Howard Greenstein were mingling and catching up with friends. Robert Levitan told me his good news of his upcoming trip to China where he will be working with Pearson and the Chinese government to start a new media business in China (starting with China TV and moving into books and the Internet-sound familiar?!)



Afterwards, a small clan gathered around NYNMA executive director Alice O'Rourke, who was decked out as usual, Dawn Barber and NYNMA's Brian Rosenberg to descend on Patsy's for some good ol' NYC-style pizza!

Monday, February 25, 2002

The Cyber Scene in Los Angeles ~ by Wendy Stahl

Do you VOD?** That's what the studio, cable network and MSO mavens were asking in LA this week at the annual CTAM (Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing) Digital Conference at the Century Plaza. As a strategic advisor to several companies in the industry, I filed this special report for The Cyber Scene readers.
The 2 1/2 day conference kicked off with John Sie, industry visionary and Chairman of Starz! warning the cable industry that it needs to organize digital strategies ASAP before losing more subscribers to satellite services.

The buzz in the crowded hallway was that Sie was probably right. Judith McHale, who heads Discovery Communications and Mel Harris, head of Sony Entertainment, shared their vision for expanding content offerings. Studios, content companies and MSOs were all well represented with executives expressing high hopes that VOD and SVOD will be a new revenue source for all.

New technology and service providers like Liberty Livewire and N2Broadband are ready with infrastructure solutions to make the business work. What should the consumer expect? If you're lucky enough to live in a digital cable neighborhood, you should see lots of new programming choices being tested towards the end of this year and rolling into 2003. We can't name names, but imagine the programming you've always wanted to see, when you want it and chances are your favorite network is thinking about trying it.

** VOD: Video On Demand

Wednesday, February 20, 2002

Sex, Soirees and the Media

This Week

We all know it. Sex sells. And since the very first email was sent, porn online quickly became one of the most profitable ventures the World Wide Web has seen. I remember days when there were panels on the sex industry because it was a model for how to generate revenue (and eyeballs) that others tried to emulate. (ex. Austin, TX South By Southwest March 2000 panel "Where the Skin Trade Goes, Does The Rest Of The Web Follow?") When the little Internet industry grew up and became a raging monster, porn just became one of the noisy children clamoring for attention. And now that it has quieted down again, the porn industry has shown it never lost any ground in the online race.



For instance, in the last two weeks two skin-mags have held events promoting their online entities with much fanfare. On February 20th Larry Flynt opened his new Hustler nightclub in San Francisco (http://www.hustlerclubsf.com/), which created a media frenzy and featured press-only receptions with the "Hustler Honeys." This week, Penthouse lured guests to its soiree with its Pets as featured guests at Grand Central Station's Metrazur restaurant on Monday, February 25th. I stopped by the "AlcoholReviews.com-Penthouse Magazine Vodka Festival 2002" to find out the motive behind Penthouse's party and how they came to align with the Uniformed Firefighter's Association Scholarship Fund. While the perimeter of the restaurant was lined with Vodka vendors offering shots of their product, waiters aggressively passed around crab cakes and fried dough to soak up bellies full of cocktails. Fellows in suits mingled and oogled at Penthouse Pet March 2002 Courtney Taylor and 2002 Penthouse Pet of the Year Megan Mason and I busied myself by chatting with Engine 40 Ladder 35 firemen Mike Kotula, Anthony Rucco, Brian Duffy, Ray Pfeifer and Robert Menig about the fund. This fund will go towards helping the education of children who lost affected by the WTC disaster. Happyhours.com publisher Stephen Gilberg was beaming as he told me he had just raised money for his business and the check came in this day. NY Post photographer Sylvain Gabourg was busy clicking away at the models, and I snapped a few too: http://cyberscene.fotki.com/2002/alcoholreviewscom-p/. Despite the temptation to stay, I decided that I should temper my Monday evening activities and promptly made my way home (with a goodie bag of many product samples)!

Sunday, February 17, 2002

ADV ~ Stand With New York

Courtney Pulitzer Creations invites you to "Stand with New York" and join us at The New York Software Summit 2002. The one-day conference is the largest gathering of New York's software, information technology and Web development companies. The event attracts over 1000 attendees, comprised of mid-senior level executives from New York's leading business, software, and information technology industries. It includes 45 workshops organized in 21 tracks, 2 premiere keynotes, continental breakfast, grand ballroom lunch and a special purchasing fair "Buy NY"! Buy 1 Ticket for $220 & get additional tickets at $135!!! Use promo code to guarantee rate: "pulitzer"

Friday, February 15, 2002

ADV ~ New Leaders for New Schools Fellowship

New Leaders for New Schools Fellowship: Lead an urban school to excellence!
Date: Applications will be accepting on a rolling admissions basis until March 1,
2002. Become a New Leaders for New Schools Fellow to create and/or lead an urban school to help every child learn at high levels. In 2002, New Leaders will award 40 full Fellowships to extremely talented leaders who demonstrate a strong leadership record and possess a relentless drive to foster high levels of academic achievement for every child. We are seeking candidates to become New Leaders Fellows and urban school principals in Chicago, New York/New Jersey, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

THE EXPERIENCE: Those selected for the 2002 New Leaders Fellowship will receive access to a pathway to an urban principalship, intensive training and support, and a community of leaders dedicated to fostering high levels
of academic achievement for every child.


FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please visit our website at www.nlns.org. For
information on the New York program, contact Emma Cartwright at (646)
424-0874 or via e-mail at ecartwright@nlns.org. For information on the
Chicago or California program, contact Donna Joshua or Mark Rodriguez at
(773) 283-6567 or via e-mail at mrodriguez@nlns.org.

Tuesday, February 12, 2002

The Cyber Scene in San Francisco ~ by Lorraine Sanders

Eve Ensler dazzled a nearly all female audience with her quit wit, dry humor, and convincing call to arms to end violence against women at the Commonwealth Club of California's sold-out program in downtown San Francisco Monday night. The event, which was held at the Commonwealth Club's Market Street offices, began with a wine and cheese reception where a friendly crowd of guests mingled and chatted in lively anticipation of Ensler's appearance.

While the crowd was, not surprisingly, an almost exclusively female gathering, the attendees represented a diverse sample of San Francisco's most progressive and artistically-minded set. Surveying the room, it was easy to spot mother-daughter couples, college students, feminist activists, V-day volunteers, Commonwealth Club board members, hip twenty-somethings, corporate suits, and seniors. A Ms. Ludwick and her husband (one of the few men in attendance) explained they'd become even more jazzed about Ensler's talk after Susan Dominus's New York Times Magazine article, "Eve Ensler Wants to Save the World," appeared on Sunday (2/10/02). A woman that worked in the city courts in San Francisco told me she'd been so excited to attend all day, but had been apprehensive about mentioning her evening plans to colleagues. It seems she was worried some of the stuffier legal set might take offense to the word vagina so often announced in the same sentence as Eve Ensler. On the way to my seat, another of the few male attendees saw my consternation as I searched the packed room for an open seat. He echoed the spirit of the evening when he barked at me, "don't frown! Smile and be bold!"

Tiffany Schlain, Commonwealth Club board member and founder of the coveted Webby Awards, brought the meeting to order and introduced Ensler to a crowd of adoring fans and feminist sympathizers. Speaking under the umbrella topic, "Afghanistan is Everywhere," Ensler captivated listeners with her tales of women's struggles both in the USA and in countries in all corners of the globe. Peppering her political speak with frank accounts of her own life and the lives of the women she's had the privilege of meeting in her travels and interviews, Ensler's pledge to end violence against women by the year 2005 had women nodding vigorously in agreement. Commonwealth Club Board President Connie Shapiro moderated a question and answer session for audience questions. Ensler's poised responses only added to her already powerful presentation's impact. Ensler finished the program to a standing ovation, urging all attendees to, "be as passionate and revolutionary as you are and don't let anybody stop you."

As the bodies filtered from the room, the information tables promoting Ensler's V-day campaign to end violence against women had no want for visitors; nor, for that matter, did the Commonwealth Club's new member registration area. I left shortly thereafter, lost in thought, feeling more energized by a speaker than I have in years.

Lorraine Sanders is a San Francisco-based freelance writer and can be reached at lorrainesanders@hotmail.com.

Friday, February 08, 2002

Courtney Pulitzer's Calendar of Events

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Courtney Pulitzer's Stardust Circle & Cocktails
Smart Women Finish Rich
Date: February 21, 2002
Time: 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Place: Dana Buchman, 65 East 57th Street
Info: Learn seven essential steps to improve the quality of your financial life
Lovely giftbags and a free financial consultation for all.
Rsvp: Only 40 spaces available! Email for more information

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

** FEATURED EVENT **
The New York Software Summit 2002, "Stand with New York"
Date: March 8, 2002
Time: 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Place: The Regent on Wall Street, New York City
Info: The New York Software Summit is the largest gathering of New
York's software, information technology and Web development companies.
Our industry is committed to staying in and rebuilding
New York. The event can help you find a strategic partner/client,
find funding, or obtain new information on IT and specifically
Silicon Alley technology. The conference will showcase the best
of New York's software/Internet development industry. The one-day
conference attracts over 1000 attendees, comprised of mid-senior
level executives from New York's leading business, software, and
information technology industries.
Purchase Conference Tickets Now & Save $80!

Event Website: http://summit.nysia.org
Promo Code: Pulitzer
Early bird price ends Feb 8.
That's $195 per ticket (of which you receive 10%).

** NYSIA Monthly Meeting
Date: February 11, 2002
Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Place: IBM, 590 Madison Ave, at 57th St, Room 609/610
Cost: Free to NYSIA members, $20 to nonmembers.
Rsvp: You must pre-register using online form, or (212) 475-4503

** Oxonian Society - Sean Maloney (Intel) speaks
Date: February, 11, 2002
Time: TBA
Place: Columbia University, Low Library, NYC
Rsvp: BoudiccaRising@aol.com

** NYSIA HR & Employment SIG
Date: February 12, 2002
Time: early morning (TBA)
Place: TBA

** NYNMA CyberSuds
Date: February 12, 2002
Time: 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Place: Remote Lounge, 327 Bowery above 2nd St.,
Cost: Free to NYNMA members, $15 Non-Members Pre-reg; $20 Door

SAN DIEGO
Date: February 12
Info: "Network Intrusion Detection" Seminar. Discover
how to actively monitor your network for intruders. Learn the pros
& cons of network vs. host-based sensors, tuning and identifying
types of attacks. Breakwater Security. See
http://www.breakwatersecurity.com/how/invitation-sch.cfm

** NYNMA Law & Business SIG: "Licensing Music in Cyberspace: New Developments"
Date: February 13, 2002
Time: Registration at 6:00 PM, Panel at 6:30
Place: Globix, 139 Centre Street
Cost: NYNMA Members - Free, Non-members - $15 pre-reg; $20 door

Rancho Mirage
** Corporate Venturing and Strategic Investing Conference
Date: February 12 & 13, 2002
Place: The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Rancho Mirage, CA
Info/Rsvp: Click Here To Visit The Conference Website

** Professional Women's Alliance (PWA) ~ Dressing for the Career You
Really Want
Date: February 19
Time: Networking will begin at 7:00 p.m. and the program will
begin promptly at 7:30 p.m.
Place: Williams Club (24 East 39th Street at Madison Avenue)
Cost: Free to members and $15 at the door for non-members
Rsvp: dress@pwanyc.org

** NextMediaNYC: The Product Launch on Feb 19th
Date: February 19, 2002
Time: 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Place: Spa. 76 East 13th St, btw 4th Ave & Bway
Info: Sponsored bar of well vodka and Guinness beer
Cost: Free (8-9pm); $10 from 9-11pm
Rsvp: spa@biznetnyc.com

** NYNMA/iTV SIG & WINM Present: "Interactive TV - Who Betrayed
the Original Dream and Why?"
Date: February 20, 2002
Time: 6:00 Registration, 6:30 Refreshments/Networking, 7:00 panel
Place: The New School, 66 West 12th St./Room 510
Cost: WINM & NYNMA Members - FREE, ALL OTHERS $15 Pre-reg; $20 Door

** Courtney Pulitzer's Stardust Circle & Cocktails
Smart Women Finish Rich
Date: February 21, 2002
Time: 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Place: Dana Buchman, 65 East 57th Street
Info: Learn seven essential steps to improve the quality of your financial life
Lovely giftbags and a free financial consultation for all.
Rsvp: Only 40 spaces available! Email for more information

** NYNMA's The State Of New York New Media 2002
Date: February 26, 2002
Time: 5:30PM Registration, 6:30PM Panel, 8:00PM Networking
Place: Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), 7th Ave. at 27th St.,
Building C, The Marvin Feldman Auditorium
Cost: NYNMA Members: Get Tickets To This Panel For Only $10!
Info: www.nynma.org

SAN FRANCISCO
** Economist Conference: "Wireless 2002: Connecting technology
with profits - the business case for wireless"
Date: February 26, 2002
Time: 7:30 am - 5:30 pm
Place: Pan Pacific Hotel, San Francisco, California
Cost: Standard Registration fee: $1,395 per delegate
Info: www2.economistconferences.com/doc/am/wireusfb02/i.htm

SANTA MONICA
Date: February 27
Info: Future of Digital Cinema. Mobiletechforum. See
http://www.mobiletechforum.com

** Power Lunch Business Plan Competition
Date: Deadline is February 28
Info: Winners enjoy lunch at Sparks Steak House New York.
Entrepreneurship is a force to be reckoned with in any economy.
GasPedal Ventures is looking for those entrepreneurs with the
foresight, the optimism, and the energy to continue fighting the
good fight to see their ideas become realities. Submit your
business plan to the Power Lunch Business Plan Competition for a
chance to win a private lunch with some of New York's top venture
capitalists.
http://www.gaspedal.net/powerlunch

** NYSIA Software Summit 2002
Date: March 8, 2002
Time: Various
Place: The Regent Wall Street Hotel, 55 Wall Street
Info: www.nysia.org

** "BEYOND STRUCTURE" Screenwriting and Development Workshop
Date: March 9-10 (NYC), March 16-17 (LA)
Place: F.I.T (NYC), UCLA (LA)
Cost: $50 discount to anyone who pre-registers and
mentions (Courtney Pulitzer)
Info: 866-239-2600, or inside CA: (310) 394-0361 -- or see: www.beyondstructure.com
David S. Freeman teaches the most popular screenwriting class in
Los Angeles and is coming to NY soon Don't be fooled by the word
"screenwriting" -- the creativity techniques he teaches have
enormous application for new media content, branding, and
videogames, all fields David has worked in. David always offers a full
money-back guarantee. His workshop has been taken both by many newcomers, and
by the writers, directors, producers and executives behind “Good Will Hunting,”
“Runaway Bride,” “E.R.,” “Law & Order” and many other major films and series, as
well as many top videogame designers. David¹s 200 writing and development
techniques are designed to help you create stunning and original characters, dialogue,
plots, and scenes.

** Young Forum of the American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic
Orchestra ~ Annual Vintage Monday
Date: March 11, 2002
Time: 7:00 PM
Place: The Grill at the Reebok Sports Club/NY
Info: An evening of wine tasting, hors d'oeuvres and live music!
The Associates are a group of young professionals, between the
ages of 21 and 40, who share an appreciation of classical music
and an interest in philanthropic support of Israel.
Contact: Lesley S. Arlein, Associates Program Manager, at 212-697-
2949 or larlein@afipo.org.

** Feast for Starving Entrepreneurs III
Date: March 14, 2002
Time: 6:30 PM
Place: 127 West 26th Street, 10th Floor, NY, NY
Info: Join us for food, beer, and opportunity as the next
generation of kick-ass entrepreneurs gets together for socializing
and strategy. http://www.gaspedal.net/feast

** Young Forum of the American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic
Orchestra ~ Keyboard Conversations(c) with Jeffrey Siegel at the
Kosciuszko Foundation
Date: April 11, 2002
Time: TBA
Place: TBA
Info: The Associates are a group of young professionals, between
the ages of 21 and 40, who share an appreciation of classical
music and an interest in philanthropic support of Israel.
Contact: Lesley S. Arlein, Associates Program Manager, at 212-697-
2949 or larlein@afipo.org.

** Foresight Senior Associate Gathering ~ "Exploring the Edges"
Date: April 26-28, 2002
Time: Various
Place: Palo Alto in Silicon Valley -- the birthplace of disruptive
new technologies
Info: Foresight's Annual Brainstorming-Planning-Actionfest &
Nanoschmoozathon. Huge revolutions in technology are expected to
show up in the next 5-to-30 years -- come hear what they are, how
they'll change your life, and how to influence them.
http://www.foresight.org/SrAssoc/spring2002

** 13th Annual Venture Capital Investing Conference 2002
Date: June 12 - 14, 2002
Place: Stanford Court Hotel, San Francisco, CA
Info/Rsvp: http://www.ibfconferences.com/Conferences/investing/VC_2002.htm

Friday, February 01, 2002

TCS Intro ~ 2/1/02

Courtney Pulitzer's Cyber Scene ~ February 1, 2002

>> THIS WEEK
Artistic Statements Mission Style
Informal Cocktails in a Grand Setting
Nanotechnology Explained in a Global Comfort



>> REGULAR FEATURES
Cyber Scene Social Notes
Shakers and Stirrers
Bits & Bytes

>> SUBSCRIBE / UNSUBSCRIBE
"The Cyber Scene" is published weekly. Subscriptions are free. To
subscribe or unsubscribe: http://www.pulitzer.com/subunsub.html

You are currently subscribed to $subst('List.Name') as: $subst('Recip.EmailAddr')
To unsubscribe send a blank email to $subst('Email.UnSub')

>> CORPORATE PARTNERS
Sparklist -- Mailing list services -- http://SparkLIST.com/
Internet Wire - PR news services -- http://www.internetwire.com
Fotki - Photographic Community - http://www.fotki.com

>> RECENT PRESS
Harper's Bazaar "Is Cooking The New Shopping?" February 2002

The New York Times Boldface Names "Nobel Nobility" by James Barron, December 12, 2001. http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/12/nyregion/12BOLD.html

Silicon Alley Daily "High Fashion, Meet High Tech" by Ryan Stewart, November 29, 2001

======================================================ADV
Courtney Pulitzer Creations Presents
Stardust Circle ~ Smart Women Finish Rich. February 21, 2002. NYC


Stardust Circle ~ Biotech in Sweden. March 2002. Stockholm, Sweden. ======================================================ADV