Thursday, April 21, 2011

Water Changes Everything

Happy World Water Day
Bottled Water: Liquid Gold
Sunshine, Water, Rest, Air, Exercise, Diet



(Via Aspen Steib)

Kristina Hoke

This was when I was roaming the political circles of this city. I was the only Nepali in America doing full time work for Nepal's democracy movement. And I got some juice out of going to political events in the city. One organization on my list was Manhattan Young Democrats. Kristina Hoke was running the show.

MYD, High Tech, High Touch
Terry McAuliffe: E=mc^2
Martha Outed Kenton And Women With Issues
The First Major Revolution Of The 21st Century Happened In Nepal

She was razor sharp smart. She was out there. She was friendly. She was a doctor. She had sound political instincts. There are Young Democrats chapters all over the country. Under her leadership the Manhattan chapter got recognized the top chapter.

Way To Go Christina

Mindfood And Business Models

Image representing New York Times as depicted ...Image via CrunchBaseYour Local Library On Kindle

Fred Wilson just put out a post on the music business.
music listening is going to move into the cloud and that the dominant model will be streaming via free ad supported Internet Radio and paid subscription services.
The internet as a technology is best suited for the creation, distribution, and consumption of mindfood: books, movies, music. But we have to get rid of out of date business models first.

For all our emphasis on techies, I think what we need more of is business innovators. We need MBA dropouts who will offer us better business models.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Silicon Alley

Photograph of Madison Square looking north, Ma...Image via Wikipedia
New York Times: Manhattan’s Tech Start-Ups Settle in the Flatiron District and Chelsea: a decade after the dot-com crash stopped the rapid growth of the city’s booming Internet sector, a high-tech corridor has developed in the Flatiron district and neighboring Chelsea. ...... “Within five years, you’re going to have a true Silicon Alley. Every company that’s a tech start-up will be here.” ..... The older, small office buildings in the Flatiron district have attracted start-ups, while large companies like Google and IAC/InterActiveCorp have found homes in Chelsea. ..... It is no accident, for example, that General Assembly, a new educational institute, meeting place and co-working environment devoted to technology entrepreneurs, was established at 902 Broadway, at East 20th Street, in the middle of the Flatiron district. ...... a lot of young companies, a lot of designers and artists, and a lot of venture capitalists working in that neighborhood ..... “There’s a pretty exciting start-up scene now that there wasn’t in 2003 ..... the loftlike space that the Flatiron district offers, in relatively small footprints ...... a lot of buildings with high ceilings and natural light, overlooking Madison Square Park ..... “You get the amenities of a Midtown building but the flexibility of a loft in Brooklyn,” Mr. Kirven said. “Obviously without the Midtown rents, either.” ..... Prices are substantially lower than in Midtown and other prime office neighborhoods. ..... The Kaufman Organization has also helped Paperless Post, Break Media and Zemoga find space in the neighborhood. ...... “A lot of landlords are looking at 10-year leases,” Mr. Dunn said. “As a start-up, there’s no way to do that. Even a three-year lease was a scary thought.” ...... Union Square Ventures, First Round Capital and IA Ventures, have offices nearby. ...... If start-ups look to Flatiron for its small spaces, larger tech companies are choosing Chelsea for its sprawling floors. ....... “There’s a psychological barrier to going to a different floor to talk to somebody,” Mr. Nevill-Manning said. “Having 800 people on a single floor means we’re much more productive and much more creative as a result.” ....... public amenities ..... Hudson River Park, the High Line, Chelsea Piers and the concourse of Chelsea Market. ..... “From a recruiting point of view, a lot of those connections get made virtually,” Mr. Nevill-Manning said. “They know where to find us online.”