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Programmer Raids Kitchen, Robs Company

Posted on September 3, 2005 ·

It’s really funny to watch how a story reverberates.  I’ve just read it thanks to Jeff Clavier, who links to the original story, clearly talking about ONE slice of pizza.

A few minutes later thanks to Steve Rubel I can read the AP story (it’s funny it’s under “Breaking News” … I mean it’s just as important as Katrina, Iran’s nuclear plans…etc), anyway, by the time it hit AP, they are talking about TWO slices of pizza.

I’m looking forward to a few more iterations, I’m sure before the day is over, we’ll know this guy was actually a robber who took all his company’s hi-tech equipment and emptied the entire kitchen along the way 🙂

Update: (9/5):  I wonder if the contestants are real people here, or even if they are, did most of them submit fictional stories?   Several userid’s on SimplyFired psted 10-20-40 entries, and the pizza story above is by simplyfiredcontestentries  the “official Simply Fired contest entry ID” with 303 posts.  

 

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Filed Under: Bay Area, Blogging, Humor, Misc ·
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An Arm & Leg … for Starters.

Posted on September 2, 2005 ·

 No comment …

 Is this the solution?

 

 

 

 (thanks to Stephen Baker)

 

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Filed Under: Bay Area, Business, Humor, Misc ·
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Hybrids in the Carpool Lane – The Race is On

Posted on August 11, 2005 ·

(updated)
Today for the first time I filled her up with $3 gas … no, really, $2.997  only… 

Today is also the first day drivers of certain hybrids can apply for the sticker that allows them to use the carpool lanes on California higways even if they drive alone.

This cute (?) / ugly (?) little thingie is getting more and  more of a viable option:

One caviat: the law limits the number of special stickers at 75,000.
So far 57,000 hybrid vehicles have been sold in California.   The race is on…

Update (11/28) Busines Week: “The status vehicle of choice at the Googleplex is the Toyota Prius hybrid, which both co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page drive. Google even offers employees a $5,000 credit for buying an environmentally friendly hybrid car.“

Update 2 (12/03) This is interesting, less than half hybrid owners applied for the privilage of driving in the carpool lane.

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Filed Under: Bay Area, Misc, Technology ·
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Trouble Cooking for the GYM

Posted on August 5, 2005 ·

Jeff Clavier ponders about startups’ hiring difficulties in the face of competition from the “Big 3”: Talent grabbing war at the GYM

“Did you also have this feeling that the “Big 3” (Google, Yahoo and Microsoft – let’s refer to them as the GYM) were not only deploying new features on an accelerated “tit for tat” basis, but they are also on a wide ranging talent grab ? I bet you did…”

Well, it would appear there’s one talent in even shorter supply then engineering, and this one is not even high-tech.  Google is having trouble filling two Executive Chef positions.   It must be a VIP position, a Google VP heads up the Selection Committee.

 “It’s been a challenge to get someone who has the scale and quality (to live up to the company’s expectations),” said Susan Wojcicki, a Google vice president on the hiring committee. “
(LA Times via SFGate)

 Google plans to invite the top applicants for a cook-off, preparing meals for several dozen members of a tasting committee that probably will include co- founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page.

I’ll be happy to volunteer my services on the Tasting Committee

 
Update (8/5): I thought it might be appropriate  to link to a Google Lunch Menu.  (Baileys Irish Cream Cheesecake.. ahh).  Notice where it  is posted: on Google’s Job Opportunities! 🙂

Update (8/15): (G)oops, now they can’t even throw a party! 🙂

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Filed Under: Bay Area, Business, Humor, Misc, Software, Startups ·
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Always-On 2005 at Stanford

Posted on July 21, 2005 ·

Watching some of the sessions online.  For a conference about Innovation, there is nothing innovative about the feed; tiny screen, cannot be enlarged, the only way to zoom in is to give up the online chat.

The backchannel is about the best feature, it is displayed on the wall at the Conference, thus we, cheapos who did not plunk down $1,800, or just live too far get to participate.  “PeoplePower” really worked when during the Opening Keynote the panelists finally listened to the backchannel demand and changed subject, back from Politics.  (Isn’t this an Innovation Conference, after all?)

Today I really liked Joe Kraus‘s closing remarks, essentially saying we should stop talking about copyright..etc, leave it to the Hollywood types, and focus on what the Valley’s real value is: innovation, creating new businesses and jobs.  Too bad it was a closing remark 🙂

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Filed Under: Bay Area, Business, Politics, Social Networking, Software, Technology ·
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Connected Commute

Posted on July 5, 2005 ·

The Mercury News reports that an East Bay transit agency is looking to install free wireless Internet service on its transbay buses as early as this fall, a move that could make it one of the first mass transit agencies to provide the service to commuters.

Wow … I am envious… I need the same in my car!  … and maybe a driver so I can focus solely on the Online experience … but wait… this exists already … it’s called a Limo

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Filed Under: Bay Area, Misc, Personal Productivity, Technology ·
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VC Breakfast Club

Posted on July 1, 2005 ·

I am volunteering at SVASE, the Silicon Valley Association of Startup Entrepreneurs, and amongst others I sometimes moderate our VC Breakfast Club sessions. 

 
It’s an informal round-table where up to 10 entrepreneurs get to deliver a pitch, then answer questions and get critiqued by a VC Partner.    We’ve had VC’s from Draper Fisher, Hummer Winblad, Kleiner Perkins, Mayfield, Mohr Davidow, Emergence Capital …etc.
 
I think it’s an incredible opportunity for Entrepreneurs, most of who would probably have a hard time getting through the door to a mainstream VC.   However,  recently I’ve seen quite a few entrepreneurs “blow it”.
 
Yes, it’s a pressure-free environment, with no Powerpoint presentations, Business Plans…etc –  just casual conversation, but for God’s sake it does not mean Entrepreneurs should come unprepared!
 
Please:
  •  Don’t just talk freely about what you would like to do, or even worse, spend all your time describing the problem, without addressing what your solution is
  •  Follow a structure, and don’t forget “small things” like the Team, Product, Market..etc, and it would not hurt to mention how much you are looking for, and how you would use the funds.
  •  Write down and practice your pitch, and please be aware that whatever your practice time was, when you are on the spot, you will likely take twice as long to deliver your story.
 
Thanks for listening … and I hope we’ll have more productive sessions in the future
 
 

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Filed Under: Bay Area, Business, Social Networking, Startups ·
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