Eric Florenzano

I'd personally like to see developer fees to keep the crap away - Adam

The Top 100 free/paid lists would have to be replaced with something else. Maybe a Digg style system to get on the 'top' list? - Jim Bergman

perhaps. - Ňicķ

I'm such a different person than I was at 5, 15, 25, that I cannot agree. - Michael W. May via twhirl

To me, mental health is more about maintaining the outward appearance that everyone considers "normal" whilst trying to deal with internal turmoil which never passes. - Slippy Lane

2. Almost everyone on this list is a popular blogger. - Robert Scoble

3. There is a definite tech bent to this list. - Robert Scoble

4. In the first 100 I see only a handful of names that I didn't know a year ago. - Robert Scoble

5. Most of the people on this list have been to at least one conference or event I've attended in past year. - Robert Scoble

And yet the most of use don't really care about them... http://www.ffholic.com/Entries... - Johnny Worthington

So, lessons? 1. it's hard to get onto the top of the popularity lists and wasn't made easier when a new service came out. 2. such lists favor people who network their behinds off at physical events. 3. Participation in FriendFeed helps you move up a little bit, but only if you are both very active and throw interesting content into FriendFeed (like, say, Mona). What else do you learn by looking at this list? - Robert Scoble

Johnny: well, you might claim you don't care about them, but in aggregate I see that most of us follow people who are already popular, not people who actually participate. Of course, since FriendFeed is, at top, an aggregator, just putting your RSS feeds into here is participation, I guess. - Robert Scoble

We do subscribe to them, because they are beacons. But you also have to weigh that list by the amount of 'active' users who subscribe to them. I know of at least 5 people who are members here on FriendFeed, who subscribe to most if not all of the top 20 yet never come on here. The core group is what matters. Those who are recognizable names will always get more follows, but the core of the group http://www.ffholic.com/Users.a... is what drives it. Rankings are always skewed. - Johnny Worthington

I think part of this is that many people use FriendFeed as an aggregator. - Aram Zucker-Scharff via bTT

This list just looks like every top 100 for every mainstream (in tech) online service. It shows that in the main, the top 100 don't use friend feed but send feeds to it, I don't think that = participation, at all. - Kevin Dixie

Kevin: there is a participation effect, though. On Twitter Leo Laporte has twice the followers that I do, but not here. Why? The participation effect. I've gathered quite a few followers by participating here. - Robert Scoble

I agree - participation is key to any community see my example here (a userguide to my community) http://www.fuelmyblog.com/inde... Online has the very same rules as offline and glad you are showing that - Kevin Dixie

FriendFeed is far more of a 'community' than Twitter is, participating here counts for far more than almost anywhere else, however, participation (and how much you participate) is also a lot less visible here, in my opinion. FriendFeed (as a system) favors those who create content to import into the stream, not those who contribute to the community. - Aram Zucker-Scharff

The smart people (like you, Tina, Mona, and others) know better. The result is that being active on the community nets your rewards from the community itself, not the system. Is that a bad thing? - Aram Zucker-Scharff

Kevin : I disagree, when you are sending feeds in FF, you are pointing at us, poor human, what you find interesting. I think this is a kind of participation. Robert is doing that very well (too well ?). The only exception is twitter for me. I find it very hard to follow a twitter conversation here on friendfeed. - Olivier CASTETS

Good discussion. I interact and participate much more on FF than on Twitter. Why? Because FF is a much better tool for enabling engaging communication. I find myself being very careful conversing on Twitter because I feel it's easy to pollute the stream, whereas on FF you can do this without the same effects. - Mark Krynsky

The first thing I notice about the list is that NOBODY on FF has more than 20,000 subscribers. I reach more people through my blog on a regular basis. Is FF really all that influential? It does seem to be a great way to connect with the geek elite, but is that its only value? - Eric Hamilton

Is finally FF the blogging tool of the near future? You just posted one line and a link and the most interesting and remarkable thoughts and comments appeared in minutes from all over! - philos

Gem of a post! - Rahul Deodhar

"To be a company that society wants to exist." - Bill Strathearn

Entire industries, and nations, can rise or fall based on their understanding (or lack thereof) of this phenomenon. - Sean McBride

well, he can drop the style, and be real, and come back to it one of these days .. - Gregory Lent

Steven, when your boss hired you, he knew what he was getting....Re Lyons, is it possible that this is an elaborate stunt? Lyons has been known to pull such stunts before. Probably unlikely, but one can hope. - Ontario Emperor via fftogo

Who? - Mona N.

O M G. Looks at the bacon. LOOK!! - Mona N.

whoa! - Susan Beebe

That's so wrong - what I'm waiting for is bacon bit toppings or a fudge sauce that tastes like bacon! - Wayne Schulz

You Americans have some funny traditions --- "So I candied my bacon the old-fashioned way." :P - Dave Pook

Maybe you could use bacon drippings as the topping on the ice cream. With the salty melty-ness oozing deep into the ice cream...or maybe not - Morgan Haley

Barf! - Sarah Perez

Interesting. - Thankful Molly

Mmmmmm:) - Patrik Johansson

i dunno...bacon ice cream? i'll try it but i ain't buying a quart to go without first getting a taste - Morgan Haley

Puke! - Éric Senterre

Go away you haters. It's a big pile of candy coated WIN. - Mona N.

bleh! - Carmen

Hmm, on one hand, this sounds disgusting. But on the other...intriguing. I would try it. Indeed, I would try it in a heartbeat. - Jamelle

I love bacon. I love chocolate. I once tried chocolate with bacon in it, and I almost vomited. Like actually. I assume the same would go for bacon and ice cream... - Clay B.

That's candy covered candy - Bwana

just listened to you on FFUndercats Mona .. sounded like fun ,, I like your laugh - johnpiercy

The waiter at Oliveto didn't recommend this dessert when we inquired about it at the Whole Hog Dinner there last year. The meal we had there was on of the best I've ever had, definitely in the top 10 (and we had things like brains and ears), and I felt the waiter didn't steer us wrong. I love bacon, I love ice cream, but not together. - Sarah

It would probably be even better if it were maple swirl ice cream. While it's still soft, gently stir maple syrup into the ice cream then pop it back in the freezer to harden. - April Russo

God no... - John Spencer

:| - Anna Haro

It needs more....no, wait....no, it's perfct as it is. Heaven, thy name is bacon ice cream. - Slippy Lane

yu-yu-yuck! - .LAG

Icccch! - Charlie Anzman

EWWW I'd rather eat legos. - Brandon

blahhhhh - Adam Helweh

How about Prosciutto and Pistachio? - Larry Kless

It's hard to understand. I don't speak the language. But the people in the back are very interesting. Great vibe. - Robert Scoble

its @davidfeng - Web2Asia

@Web2Asia, sorry, I just copied Shel Israel. - Robert Scoble

Blame it on Shel :) - anna awesomesauce

you've been there a week, you'd think you'd speak fluently by now...jeez... - Zee from WeDoCreative

If you can't understand it then...ok, nevermind! - WorldofHiglet

Looks like someone should've invested some time with Rosetta Stone. - Akiva Moskovitz

any cool tech company addressing the language issue? seems like a huge opportunity to make this country and whats happening more accessible - simonpure

OMG Cream Cheese Frosting FTW - Mona N.

Fried carrot cake? WTH! Boooo! - Mo Kargas

Mona, if you're still in SF next month I'm so going to make you some carrot cake. - Anna Haro

Ohhhhhh nom nom! - Katie

Haro... I'll be in Vegas. Getting married! :P - Mona N. via IM

:O - Anna Haro

Mona you better be kidding or I'll drag your ass back down here and knock some sense into you - Caroline

WHY can't you guys be happy for me?! ;) - Mona N. via IM

wait til you tried the fried carrot cake, Mo!! ;-) - BeeLing

Never! Stop frying stuff OMG! :D - Mo Kargas

Bee - that's the fried carrot cake you're talking about, right? If so, I've had it!! - Mona N.

Yes. and there's another version http://visitsingapore.com/publ... I love both! - BeeLing

Mo, you're just too healthy ;-) - BeeLing

yummy! - Ozkan Ulukok

It needs some red vinegar - William Stewart

yummmmieeee (going to thaw some now, not as good at all, but hey) - anna awesomesauce

Picasa Album (17 photos): http://picasaweb.google.com/Mi... - Mitchell Tsai

dumplings - Igor The Troll

This was my NYC cheap eats run for dinner tonight. My ex-girlfriend Jacqueline wanted some cheap high-quality Chinese recommendations. Her new boyfriend is a chef. - Mitchell Tsai

(1) $4.50 ($4.00 takeout, 4 dishes, rice, soup) - Lunch Box Buffet. 195 Centre St (just north of Canal) - Yelp http://yelp.com/biz/lunch-box-... Village Voice http://villagevoice.com/locati... The NON-Americanized version of "Panda Express". Food like Mom serves (not Michelin) Choice from ~80-100 dishes for dinner. 5 dishes & soup. - Mitchell Tsai

(2) $8.00 - Fruit from Chinese vendors [not pictured] 1 lb Chilean cherries $2.50, 3 Asian pears $1, 4 large tangerines $1, 1 lb Longans $3.50 - Mitchell Tsai

(3) $1.00 (5 dumplings for $1) - Fried Dumpling. 106 Mosco St (between Mott St & Mulberry St) - Yelp http://yelp.com/biz/fried-dump... Decent quality dumlpings at a killer price. It wasn't good to go at 7 pm. The dumplings had been sitting around too long. Hot Sour Soup $1. You can get frozen ones for home. - Mitchell Tsai

(4) $2.50 (Mongolian lamb shish-kabob $1.25, Steak kabob $1.25) - BBQ Express. - Yelp http://yelp.com/biz/bbq-expres... Midtown Express http://midtownlunch.com/blog/2... This street stand opened just ~6 months ago. My first time here. So-so, not amazing. - Mitchell Tsai

(5) 10.00 (Crab meat soup dumplings - "shao long bao", $6.65 + tax/tip) - Joe's Shanghai - 9 Pell St (Bowery & Doyers) http://joeshanghairestaurants.... - Yelp http://yelp.com/biz/joes-shang... Great time sitting next to two businesmen & 3 Korean tourists at their group tables. Not as good as the ones at Din Tai Fung in Taipei, Taiwan http://youtube.com/watch?v=3f-... - Mitchell Tsai

(6) $1.49 (Blueberry whole-milk Brown Cow Yogurt) [not pictured] Morton Williams Supermarket - 130 Bleecker St (next to "The Bitter End" http://bitterend.com/schedule.... - my favorite place for music) http://mortonwilliams.com Die-hard Californian has to do the healthy food. :-) - Mitchell Tsai

(7) $5.50 (chicken kabob sandwich) ??? place north of Bleecker St where I went after tonight's concert Syrian owner. - Mitchell Tsai

(Total) $32.99 - Mitchell Tsai

I think I've seen the first place but not the second. I'll stick to Flushing Chinatown. Still exploring the various cheap eats there. - Morton Fox

oh, It's Dolmeh دلمه :) - saeedeh

Saeedeh: Some of these have "soup" inside (not just crab, meat, and vegetables). They are special to Shanghai, China. Do any Iranian dolmeh have soup inside? Poland has pierogies, but I like Chinese dumplings better. - Mitchell Tsai

William: I'm not a vinegar fan. I just use soy sauce - admittedly, soy sauce is a little too sweet for this. I'll have to figure out some sauce combination I like for these. - Mitchell Tsai

Siao long bao! Although Joe's isn't my favorite, still love these things. =) - saeba

I spent a lot of money on these in SF-Chinatown once, dim sum, fresh lobster... nice memory, also the all-dumpling place in Beijing I went to, very very nice - anna awesomesauce

I want :( - shandiz

Now I'm hanging to go to Camy's. - Bec Rowe

They look so yummy! - Ekin Acar

Anyone with favorite dumpling places in NYC? I'm headed for more dumplings tonight. - Mitchell Tsai

Mitchell, on a dumpling roadtrip eh? :) - imabonehead

OMG. WANT! NOW! - Cyndy

This is a classic example of never browsing FF on an empty stomach. I gotta find some dumplings now. Are there any good places in the Beaumont, TX area? - Jason Huebel

ha i know exactly where this is. morton check out this map of spots in flushing: http://www.nytimes.com/interac... - Cee Bee

Cap Gemini's World Wealth Report 2006 - Asset allocation of HNWI (High Net Worth Individuals) 31% Equities, 22% Alternative Investments (Hedge Funds, Commodities, Foreign Currencies, etc..), 21% Fixed Income, 16% Real Estate, 11% Cash - Mitchell Tsai

From 2006 to 2008, HNWIs shifted to more cash & fixed income (up 13%) and less real estate & alternative investments (down 16%). - Mitchell Tsai

Cap Gemini's World Wealth Report 2008 - Asset allocation of HNWI - 33% Equities, 27% Fixed Income (up 6%), 18% Cash/Deposits (up 7%), 11% Real Estate (down 5%), 11% Alternative Investments (down 11%). - Mitchell Tsai

See also Harvard's allocation strategy for their $45 billion http://friendfeed.com/e/c51c0a... 33% US/World equilty, 13% Private equity (up 2%), 18% Absolute return, 8% Commodities, 9% Timber/Land, 9% Real Estate, 11% bonds (down 4%), -3% Cash - Mitchell Tsai

[Note] Wealthy people (11%) and Harvard (9%) have really small amounts of money in real estate, unlike most middle-class (and the ton of people trying to get rich on real-estate). But real-estate is that rare item that middle-class people feel comfortable leveraging 5X (e.g. 20% down-payment)... If you leveraged the stock market 5X, you'd make more than on most real estate. :-) - Mitchell Tsai

If any investor could have avoided the credit catastrophe, it should have been Harvard. Harvard, the ultimate long-term investor (it's been compounding assets for more than 350 years). - Mitchell Tsai

The Harvard Management Company http://hmc.harvard.edu has the enviable but challenging task of managing Harvard's mammoth endowment. As of June 30, 2008, HMC managed more than $45 billion, the vast majority of it endowment assets. (Here's HMC's annual reports http://vpf-web.harvard.edu/ann... and data on its impressive recent performance.) http://hmc.harvard.edu/investm... - Mitchell Tsai

The 13-F http://sec.gov/Archives/edgar/... shows Harvard with some 231 positions worth nearly $2.9 billion, highly concentrated in popped macroeconomic bubble plays. The top 10 holdings, which Bloomberg helpfully breaks out, account for 70 percent of the value of the disclosed holdings. - Mitchell Tsai

As HMC's asset-allocations data http://hmc.harvard.edu/investm... show, the endowment allocated about 11 percent of its total to emerging market stocks. (By contrast, nearly half of the portfolio described in HMC's 13-F was in emerging market stocks.) - Mitchell Tsai

But it does show that even the best, most experienced, and highly regarded long-term investors can get suckered into new-era thinking and make investments that turn out to be highly risky bets. The 13-F shows that the managers running this Harvard portfolio were huge believers in the decoupling theory—i.e., that emerging markets would continue to thrive even as the United States stalled—and in the notion that commodities would keep booming. - Mitchell Tsai

See Harvard's allocation strategy for $45 billion (as of 6/30/08) http://friendfeed.com/e/c51c0a... - 33% US/World equilty, 13% Private equity (up 2%), 18% Absolute return, 8% Commodities, 9% Timber/Land, 9% Real Estate, 11% bonds (down 4%), -3% Cash - Mitchell Tsai

See Cap Gemini's World Wealth Report 2008 http://www.us.capgemini.com/wo... http://friendfeed.com/e/de0c18... From 2006 to 2008, HNWIs shifted to more cash & fixed income (up 13%) and less real estate & alternative investments (down 16%) - 33% Equities, 27% Fixed Income (up 6%), 18% Cash/Deposits (up 7%), 11% Real Estate (down 5%), 11% Alternative Investments (down 11%). - Mitchell Tsai

Nothing wrong with being aggressive if they can wait 20-30 years. They probably can't wait that long. - Morton Fox

Morton: Harvard withdraws a lot of money each year to help pay tuition, so big down swings are not good. In FY 2008, Harvard used $1.6 billion from the fund to pay a lot of the operating $3.5 billion operating budget. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/... http://www.boston.com/news/edu... - Mitchell Tsai

It costs $47,215, including room and board, to attend Harvard, a 3.5 percent increase from last year. -- When I started in 1982, Tuition was ~$6,000. I think room & board was $4,000-6,000. Total of $10,000-12,000. CPI-U rose 2.235X since 1982 (97.9 to 218.783). So tuition at Harvard has risen at 2X the pace of the CPI. - Mitchell Tsai

Same problem at Vassar, where 30% of the operating budget comes from investment returns on the endowment: http://www.miscellanynews.com/... The result? They're looking into cutbacks everywhere. This, I heard from a friend who works there. - Morton Fox

http://www.blog.newsweek.com/b... - Thomas Hawk

Another Clintonista. Shocker. - Brian Newman

Poor choice - imran

I'm still waiting for hope and change. All I've seen are a couple guys that got rich as i-bankers and trial lawyers after Clinton left office. - Brian Newman

Increasingly, I'm getting the feeling the Obama administration is turning into a puppet affair. - abacab

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index fell 0.4 percent to 79.62 at 3:42 p.m. in Tokyo, extending a two-day, 3.8 percent drop. Financial stocks were the biggest contributor to the measure's retreat. - Mitchell Tsai

MSCI's Asian gauge has plunged 50 percent in 2008 as global financial institutions lost almost $1 trillion since the U.S. subprime-mortgage market collapsed last year. - Mitchell Tsai