"Rest assured, there are any more episodes coming! My Mac hard drive 100% wiped out on me and I a currently engaging with a very expensive data recovery service to get my stuff back (me= did not back up, foolishly). I have a lot of redundancies, but FM is nonetheless suffering. We should finally be back up and running in about a week. Thanks, Andraz!" - Joshua Dilworth
Siri is working on commercializing the results of the SRI-led CALO project. This project was part of a DARPA program call PAL. The goal of this project was to synthesize the current state of artificial intelligence research and to develop a "personalized assistant that learns." - Joshua Dilworth
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Great points Mark! I agree that it doesn't get the credit it deserves & I think that's because it's not catered to early adopters. - Corvida
I think we'll see more of thes straightforward sites emerge - i don't know anyone outside of tech who would use half the "popular" servies we know and love - weblivz
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I’m willing to bet that most successful networkers exhibit the qualities of these 4 archetypes in some combination. Because what they (The Creator, The Explorer, The Jester and The Caretaker) all have in common is a certain altruism, an awareness of the collective good — qualities that are the very foundation of and impetus for “networking” in the first place — that is, the idea that we are greater than the sum of our parts, if we can somehow manage to piece it all together correctly;) - Joshua Dilworth
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Oh yes. Guac is the one thing that SHOULD be really bad for you, but it somehow isn't -- not one bit. I think I ingest guac 4 days out of every week. And God bless Austin;) - Joshua Dilworth
No, but I do love guacamole. And also hummus. I think mashed chick peas might actually make a decent mayo replacement if it isn't too spicy. - Phil Glockner
“Let's say you have a large amount of constantly evolving information that you need to 1) easily add to and 2) refer to quickly. What sort of online app would you use?”
when you say "constantly evolving", what do you mean? what changes the information? is it changed by you, or outside forces? do the "values" of the information change? or does the shape of the information change? when you say, "refer to the information quickly", do you mean the ability to quickly link/share a single piece of information? or do you mean the ability to query the entire body of information quickly? - Chris Hollander
Twine's not it, unfortunately. Needs to be more database like. Chris, the info is constantly changing because I'm adding it and tweaking it (this is all text, no numbers). And I mean the ability to query the entire body quickly. - Carla Thompson
Why can't Twine do that? That is exactly what it does unless I'm misunderstanding the requirements...? - Nova Spivack
That's exactly what I use a wiki for. Half formed thoughts that evolve over time - Deepak
many tools claim that they could do it, and indeed they could do partially the goal, but actually none of them can do it satisfactorily well. I guess that's why the question is raised. Be honest, I cannot think of any one that might fully satisfy your request. - Yihong Ding
Nova - the main sticking point with Twine is that this info needs to be in its own separate silo. When I need to search for something in it, I don't need results from other Twines to show up. It's also a very large amount of information to dump in there. Ideally, I'd love a more intuitive and easier-to-search Quickbase-type application. - Carla Thompson
i wouldn't use an online app. i'd use a desktop app. i'm a big fan of http://www.circusponies.com/. you can have a notebook-per-silo. you can setup a "clipping service" that lets you select text anywhere on your desktop and clip it in (preserving the source for things from Mail.app and browsers). it automatically generates index pages and has excellent search capabilities. - peter royal
Hey Nova, I may have to eat my words. I'm just in the beginning stages of trying this out in a private Twine but... I'm liking it so far! - Carla Thompson
This is a great post by Jamais Cascio, who is the co-founder of WorldChanging.com, among other awesome things. - Joshua Dilworth
I highly recommend reading the entire post. If you don’t have the time, here is the money quote:
“Futures thinking is perhaps better understood as an immune system for our civilization. By examining and testing different possible outcomes — potential threats, emerging ideas, exciting opportunities — we strengthen our collective capacity to deal with what really does transpire. Thinking about the future, and doing so in a careful, structured, open and collaborative way, makes us a stronger civilization.” - Joshua Dilworth
"Thanks! Hehehe the InTouch Weekly comment is hilarious. You're right re: crowdsourcing -- but there's a word that I'm looking for and just not finding it. Ideas? There's definitely something there in terms of your openness and embracing of a diversity of opinions and backgrounds. . .and it's unlike Techcrunch, for example -- instead of sleeping on Pete's couch, your writers are in pretty much every case out there living the tech world in some way or another.
Also, congrats on bringing Leslie on board -- LOVE her." - Joshua Dilworth
"Thanks, Joe! And thanks again to FF;) Glad to hear that the analysis echos your own experience -- I often worry that the way we see ourselves within ye olde tech bubble is out of touch with large swaths of the community. . ." - Joshua Dilworth
Steve Spalding is so awesome! "You are looking for the rapture of the geeks — the freedom, fame and success that only semi-anonymous bits and bytes can offer, and I’m supposed to help you get there.
It’s the reason that bloggers blog and content producers produce content." - Joshua Dilworth
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I think they're doing a great job. A lot of so called smart people made stupid bets and now I'm supposed to make my grandkids pay for it. I think NOT! Suffering now will teach us to make wiser choices. - Eric Lewis
I doubt every Congress man and woman has read the 100+ pages document. Many of them probably voted the same way as the people who sit next to them. It will be a miracle if we can get the bailout plan to pass. - Harry Chen
Agree! Understand that they are pressed, but the comms around the dealings have left a lot to be desired. - Joshua Dilworth
FWIW, there is only one bill in which you can basically prove Congressman have read--the Intelligence funding bill. The reason? It's classified and Members have to sign in to read it. How many do? About 14 or so (believe it or not). I worked for Congress a few years back and always found that depressing. - Andrew Leyden
What's the incentive to educate anyone when they KNOW the sheep will continue to vote them in and always vote Dem or Rep? - Live4Soccer
Eric: the problem is your grandkids will pay for this anyway. What happens if you lose your job? Or your kids lose their jobs? - Robert Scoble
@Robert: that's why we should stop having kids. :-) - Harry Chen
@Eric Lewis. So 2 world wars actually made the US make wiser choices regarding military warfare? I doubt so. Pain does not create better people, pain is just pain, and should be avoided. - Tadeu
@Robert: I don't have a "job". If I lose my source of income I adapt. Nobody bailed me out when I lost my house. Sure my grandchildren already own a piece of the national debt. But I will not vote $1 more on them. - Eric Lewis
@Tadeu: I'm all for you avoiding pain, but don't pain my grandkids to do it. I agree with you on wars, but personal pain has taught me many lessons. - Eric Lewis
Eric: but when everyone else is out of a job they get unemployment insurance. So, you just voted your kids more debt there too (and far more than $700 billion, especially if this goes on a long time). - Robert Scoble
Robert: So I should steal from my grandkids to avoid others stealing more? You're making my head spin. I can only control me. I won't steal. - Eric Lewis
Eric: here's the problem. Our entire economic system is based on credit now. You do realize that, right? How did I buy my car? Credit. How did the businesses I have worked for get money to hire people, buy realestate, etc, Credit. How did I get my house? Credit. So, if the credit system goes into meltdown (it's very close) then they stop loaning money to EVERYONE, not just "flakes." So, who built the Saturn car I bought on Credit? What happens to their jobs if we can't buy more cars? - Robert Scoble
Eric: If the plan is put together wisely and executed well, taxpayers may actually earn money on this deal. No one is talking about giving away $700B. This is a loan. Worst case scenario is probably that we lose half of that. Most realistic scenario? We probably lose $100-200B. - J. McConnell
If the economy melts down, then tons of people, even those who had good credit, get hurt. What happens then? We all go on unemployment. Your grandkids are going to pay a LOT MORE than $700 billion if that happens because when the economy melts down the jobless will be a lot longer and deeper. You have a chance to head that off now, but you are deciding to watch the entire economy burn, baby, burn. That is NOT prudent. - Robert Scoble
@Robert: I don't understand paying off/guaranteeing the bad debts of bankers as being MY problem. I made some bad financial choices in my day and no one bailed me out. You take your chances, you pay the piper. - Eric Lewis
Eric: you don't fund other people and other parts of the economy. These banks do. That's the error in your thinking. - Robert Scoble
Robert: You're right, I don't. But they lost $1 Trillion. Who made the larger mistake in thinking? If I have a vote, I'm not rewarding that. - Eric Lewis
Eric: the thing is, that's not what you're deciding now. Now you are deciding whether the entire economy burns because you want to punish those responsible. There are other people involved here. Get off of the punishment, it won't help you protect your grandchildren. - Robert Scoble
Robert: I'm for punishment?! I'm sorry, from where I sit, loaning money to a losing gambler, because his kids might starve, is not protection I can believe in. I need a better explanation than that. - Eric Lewis
Eric: you are thinking wrong. This isn't a person. It's a series of institutions that loan money to normal people like you and me. If they stop loaning money, WE HURT and the PEOPLE WHO BUILD STUFF FOR US HURT not them. You need to think about the whole economy, not just the jerks who got us here. The one who lit the fire isn't the one who is going to get burned. Put out the fire. Argue about punishment later. - Robert Scoble
FYI, both D's and R's who voted No are from districts that are "in play." When they had to make a tough call that might hurt politically, they chose the safest path for reelection, not for the country. - Andrew Feinberg
@scoble, your comments indicate you believe this is a complete rescue plan, and everything will be just fine after it. have you not noticed no one is putting their head on the line saying this will work? they themselves have no confidence in this, and the fact so few voted indicates no one wants their name on it. - Curtis Cunningham
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@Eric Lewis: Here is a great explanation of why this bill was important and was more than just bailing out a bunch of greedy bankers who made poor decisions: http://www.frontlinethoughts.c... - J. McConnell
Curtis: we don't know if it'll work. It's like putting water on a fire. You know it will help and you continue putting water onto the fire until it's out. Andrew: exactly. They are willing to burn down the country so they can get reelected. - Robert Scoble
Andrew: do you have a map that shows that? I want to put that on the top of my blog. - Robert Scoble
Robert: You sure sound panicked. I am not. There will always be people with money who want to make more, by loaning to those with sure plans. I will not throw good money after bad. - Eric Lewis
@Robert: I understand you believe credit will stop, but that's an opinion, not a fact. I'm hearing otherwise. Tightening yes, stoppage no. There are many who believe our grandkids will be *better* off if we ensure proper and last resort bailout is enacted. That both corporations and individuals should be held responsible. In many ways, America as a whole is responsible for not being more vigilant. I'm not the enemy, we simply have differing views on what is best and even brainy economists differ. - AJ Kohn
Suspending MTM accounting = instant fail. Why would they undermine the entire program by sewing seeds of doubt?? Anyone who is *pro-transparency* should be pretty stoked right now. - Will DeLuca
AJ: well, nothing ever "stops" totally. True. I should use "major slowdown." But, either way, you are deciding to make the slowdown deeper and longer by not putting water on the fire. That's fine, but I wish we would put water on the fire instead of saying "burn baby, burn." - Robert Scoble
Robert: There are also those who think the market will self-correct. Yes, it will be painful, but it will correct. I'm not sure about that, but like you, I don't know all the facts. - Jim McCusker
Who made Robert Scoble the chief economist of Friendfeed?? A bad economist at that. - Mark Bean
Heck Pelosi couldn't even explain it to her own party members Nick 40% of the Dems didn't vote in favor of it. If she had done a proper Whip check in advance of the bill coming to the floor she would have known that and dealt with it. - Thomas Vincent
Mark: my minor is in economics and I went to the World Economic Forum this year. Hey, if Palin is qualified to be President because she "lives close to Russia" then I'm qualified to be FriendFeed's economist! :-) - Robert Scoble
'new plan' ... nothing about that reaching the UK news - PaulJohnson
Great NYT article: An interesting historical perspective about the disaster that has befallen Wall Street. http://tinyurl.com/3vzxc9. Sheds some informed light on how we got here. (By noted biographer Ron Chernow). - JP Adams
The government just screwed the country. A lot of people are going to lose their well earned money because they (the government) can't help out. I'll have to say bye bye to the money I invested, which is what I basically life off of, since I can't find a job at the moment. Thanks so much. - Molly, the Vampy Plumber
@Robert: I like that terminology far better because I think it's more realistic and doesn't feed into reptilian panic button response that actually helps create runs. I'm interested though, it will certainly make the slowdown deeper - that's pretty clear IMO - but I actually believe that means it will be shorter, not longer. [cont] - AJ Kohn
[cont] A slower correction is like having spyware on your computer. It just gets slower and slower and people give up on the computer in frustration. A short deep correction is like a reboot, you start over but still have faith in the computer. - AJ Kohn
politicians are only being as transparent as is necessary to ensure your vote in a month...there is too much at stake right now for any real bipartisanship to really happen - George Lee
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I'm embarrassed to be have been oblivious to this entire conversation - Nick O'Neill
"This definitely falls into the latter category (I think) -- I imagine that are plenty of internal/confidential analyst-y style reports, but nothing public that I can tell. Thanks!
This is part of my great -- "empty out some room in my brain by backing it up on paper" initiative -- very therapeutic.
;)" - Joshua Dilworth
I'd argue that TC isn't driving the traffic it once was. There have been several start-ups lately who posted on forums that the TC traffic isn't what they would have expected and the the downside is that a lot of other blogs won't bother to cover after TC has. From a PR standpoint, I'm not sure it's worth the risk, do you? - Cyndy
In my experience it's still driving a ton of traffic. But YES, navigating the competitive issues is a real and ongoing challenge. There are a couple of different ways to do it successfully and achieve broad coverage (including TC), but they mostly require existing relationships and social capital and know-how on the ground. Not being an asshole PR person or over-aggressive CEO helps. Having the kind of news that no one wants to miss out on, though, is even better;) - Joshua Dilworth
In terms of TC driving traffic more recently, I think that there has been a dip across the board -- just think even of your own reading habits over the last 6-8 weeks. The same number of blog posts are going up, but I think they're collectively getting less eyeballs because we're a lot more tuned into current events, the NYT/CNN/WSJ etc. right now and giving the likes of TC less mindshare than we might otherwise, even despite topical posts that link into public affairs. - Joshua Dilworth
Yves Rossy may sound like a nutcase, but his trip today across the British channel on a wing powered by four miniature jets was successful anyway. This is a little difficult to fathom, so there’s a picture, right, of “FusionMan” with his carbon-fiber wing. - Joshua Dilworth
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I heart Chris Morrison, he write some awesome stuff. - Joshua Dilworth
here's what you do... get vc's to give you a wad of cash - then get a big king's chair, rent two dogs, and sit in the chair with a pipe and the two dogs - Allen Stern
OMG I can NOT believe Jason said that... too funny! nice one - Susan Beebe
Allen, how about the Sarah Palin pose and I ask Sonny Seiler to borrow Uga? - Cyndy
The Robert Scoble disco-fever-point-at-the-camera pose is one of my favorites. - Shawn Farner
You are NOT going to shoot UGA, even in jest - Jason Carreira
See, Shawn? You know what I'm talking about. - Cyndy
David, I haven't seen Zoolander. Jason, I hardly think antlers can be considered "defacement." Maybe I'll just offer to bring Pete to any panel. My bet is she can talk more to social media than anyone on a panel at BWE. :D - Cyndy
