Friday, July 23, 2004

Courtney Pulitzer's Cyber Scene ~ 7/23/04


* Reunion Year Kicking Off
As mentioned in last week’s edition, activity is brewing around a Silicon Alley reunion. I wanted to let you know that in the coming weeks, I’ll be spear-heading some efforts related to this. If you are interested in being a part of this effort, please let me know. Some events we’ve (that’s me and my trusted friends) been thinking of are anniversaries commemorating the first meeting for WWWAC, Webgrrls, NYNMA and MOUSE.

What other major Silicon Alley events can you name?

What was the seminal event that really marked a beginning of “Silicon Alley” and the web-internet-technology-new media industry here in New York?

Let me know! Email:courtney@pulitzer.com


* In the past few days the news centered around the 9/11 attacks has been increasing. Recently I read another alarming account, which was on WomenWallStreet.com. Tucker Goodrich is usually my supplier of really good jokes, however, last week he sent me this link: http://www.womenswallstreet.com/WWS/article_landing.aspx?titleid=1&artic
leid=711. It is about terrorists making a bomb on an airplane from innocuous parts that can get through security individually. Bomb parts were brought into the airplane in a McDonald’s bag and instrument cases. Her last sentence says it all: “…if 19 terrorists can learn to fly airplanes into buildings, couldn't 14 terrorists learn to play instruments?”

READER RESPONSE:
Mark Hurst has a solution to "information fatigue.” He states “are people still talking about that? The cure has been known for years: Bit Literacy.” Bit Literacy (http://www.goodexperience.com/blog/archives/000027.php) is about limiting the bits of information that invade our lives. Managing Email (http://www.goodexperience.com/reports/e-mail/email-report-goodexperience.pdf) is a how-to about limiting and controlling the influx of emails. Check it out!

ANNOUNCEMENTS
* Ezic, Inc., a high performance digital payment processing company, announced that the newest version of its Digital Payment Platform includes expanded IP Swipe (Swipe-over-IP) functionality capabilities. This new expanded capability eliminates the need for separate POS terminals or separate phone lines for data exchange to occur. Data from a standard card reader is automatically entered into the correct fields in the Ezic system for easy processing. The merchant achieves the full benefit of high-speed Internet based transaction processing at card-present interchange rates. (www.ezic.com).

* How many pairs of eyeglasses do you have lying around in your dresser drawers? 2.5 billion people around the world who need glasses can't afford them. Your old glasses can help them see, read, work. Glasses For Humanity can get your glasses to those who need them. Please go to: www.GlassesForHumanity.org/e-flier.htm

* I always thought of David Friedensohn as a big star, and he's shining again as the newly appointed CEO at UPOC Networks, which does mobile messaging applications. Previously David was an executive at Prodigy and chairman and CEO of SonicNet, Advaya and BigStar Entertainment.

Friday, July 16, 2004

Courtney Pulitzer's Cyber Scene ~ 7/16/04


            It’s summertime in the city and while there are no shortages of events, this gal has been taking it easy…

            Well, taking it easy since July 8th, which was my arbitration against my divorce attorney. Yes folks, you heard right. Not only did I pick a bad apple for a husband, but I also managed to get the most incompetent law firm on the West Coast. How’s that for luck! Anyway, the lawyer I dealt with (the nice guy) left the law firm and I was left to finish the miserable affair with Mr.-Screw-the-clients-I-don’t-care-if-I-do-have-four-cases-already-pending-in-Arbitration!!!!

            In any case, I bulldozed over that guy, which reminded me I let the sot (my ex) get away far too easily.

            Sigh. Okay. Now that I got that off my chest, I’ll reveal the fun, happy, exciting things I’ve been doing in my free time.

            You know that phrase, “time flies…” Well, a few people have remarked to me how it has been a decade since the first stirrings of the internet “industry” in New York began to pop, gurgle and spurt into a frenzy. “Ten Years?!,” you exclaim. Yes, 10 years! And in these moments of shocking nostalgia, the second comment I’ve heard is invariably that “we should have a reunion!”

            Since NYNMA has gone the way of the Industry Standard, WWWAC is planning something soon (so stay tuned). To get things started, Roz Goldfarb & Associates hosted a networking party to reconnect, inviting guests to “party like it’s 1999” on July 13th at the Black Door.  Our hosts, Jessica Goldfarb, Rita Armstrong, Lori Schwab and Ben Finkel were as effervescent and gracious as when we last saw them. Upon arrival, I felt like I was at my own private surprise party—each familiar faces I saw from a prior dot-com life was another moment of joy. The club itself was vaguely familiar, having been there before went it too, was something else.

            The room buzzed with energy of people catching up after years of plodding in their respective fields. Deborah Schultz was beaming as she told us about her new one-month project in San Francisco with some super groovy famous people. *stay tuned for the skinny!

            Amanda Richman of Zentropy/McCann, Ellen Auwater, Laura Auerbach and Claire O'Brien all bopped around and caught up with each other and others. Steve Messer of the successful company Linkshare gave me some great pointers on where to go for my spa vacation. Rob Steir of Mindforce consulting is still making things work with his business and Chris McCarthy of Local Magic and Nancy Jaffe of Wunderman were both full of stories and adventures to tell. Other guests that mingled, musing down memory lane were Evan Orensten of Rockwell Group, Josh Rubin of upoc, Digitas’s Ricki Goldhamer and Consuela Ruybal and the elegant Audrey Fleischer of Ogilvy. The Talented Mr. Davis, Owen Davis, that is told me of his new adventure, Petal Consulting, while Ms. Tery Spataro and I snacked on some crudite.

            The musings around a reunion are getting louder, so stay on the list so you and your cyber-friends can come to the big Dot-Com Homecoming ’04. Before departing of this vein, you must check out Professor David Kirsh’s Creative Destruction site. http://www.creativedestruction.org/ Come on, you know you’ve got something for him! Give it up!


OTHER NEWS WORTH NOTE:

* That flashy and fabulous Michael Tchong is at it again! Trendscape, a research and consulting firm that provides provocative and insightful reporting on trends affecting business and lifestyle, will host a gathering of leading marketers for a half day of education, entertainment and networking opportunities. INVENTrain will explore trends defining success in today’s marketing environment and present attendees with a unique view of the future. INVENTrain premieres on Sept. 10, at Studio Z in San Francisco. (Trendsetters.com)

* The fashionista Vivian, of “Vivian Lives,” has gone on vacation, but before she did, she managed to squeeze out the third novel in her trilogy “'Vivian: The V Spot'” and redesigned her website! (vivianlives.com)

* Tired of getting endless emails inviting you to events you have no interest in attending?! Me too! So I went online to EventMe.com and fine-tuned my profile so I get only the events I’m really interested in. The Detering brothers have totally revamped the website added a lot of new event categories and other options and have begun offering their service in many other U.S. cities, too.  Update your profile at http://EventMe.com so you don't miss out!

* Announcing WWWAC's new Web Developers Roundtable - informal sessions where Web pros can talk about development related issues. Thursday, July 29th, 2004 at 6:30pm. Barnes & Nobles Cafe at Union Square, 33 East 17th Street, 212-253-0810, FREE. Look for big Geek at a cafe table with a Web Dev Roundtable sign.  :)

* Congratulations to Kevin Werbach, who just joined The Wharton School as Assistant Professor in the Legal Studies Department.

* If you missed Tony Perkins’ webcast for AO2004: The Innovation Summit, which took place at Stanford University, check out the webcast on their website. www.alwayson-network.com

* Did you know about “Information Fatigue Syndrome?” Here are some stats:
49% are unable to keep up with information flow
43% have trouble making important decisions because of data overload
38% waste substantial amount of valuable time trying to locate needed information
33% suffer from stress-related health problems brought on by too much information
For more about this alarming new social epidemic, check out: http://www.trendsetters.com/trendscape/index.html

* Susan Polis Schutz, the poet & BlueMountain.com founder spoke to NOW Members about their rights (or lack thereof) under a potential GOP second term. Ms. Schutz and her husband founded and built Blue Mountain Arts into a successful greeting card company and sold its offshoot Bluemountain.com during the height of the Internet boom.  She has written and autobiography titled, Blue Mountain: Turning Dreams Into Reality, which will hit the bookshelves this fall.

* Interested in streaming media? You must check out Dan Rayburn’s “Streaming Media Newsletter” www.StreamingMedia.com

Sunday, July 04, 2004

TCS Intro ~ 7/2/04

Independence Day.

We celebrate our freedom. We celebrate our nation's struggle and triumph over being bound to political and religious laws, taxes and other shackles from another nation.

This year I celebrate a personal independence on many levels.

And while many in our world cannot celebrate independence the way we can, and while we struggle with questions of what's right and how far should we be involved across political and religious boundaries, there are also many within our own country who are also not as free as we are.

And so charities were created so those "more fortunate" can help those "less fortunate." There are many organizations that have extensive fund-raising and support networks. And then there are those smaller organizations that do just as valuable work, but do not have the funding resources.
Enter "Charity Network" stage left. Charity Network raises funds for charities that are too small to run their own fundraiser.

So while you're celebrating your independence from poverty and ignorance, why not come out and help organizations that are trying to help others achieve the same.