Recent Earthquakes - Map for San Francisco

Recent Earthquakes - Map for San Francisco
It's official - I felt my first earthquake tonight. A 5 on the Richter scale - near San Jose.
At 8:04pm PST, I sat in the chair I do now working and felt my chair sway a bit. This reminded me when you sit on a chair where 3 of the 4 legs are even, and one is off enough you get a gentle rock. This is what I felt, but I realized it was my building , not the chair. 22 seconds later, things simmered down and normalacy returned. It was back to work for me, still intact.

Oct 25 - Facebook and blackberry? SF BIG at the Ritz

- Today's article on CNN is a great insight into how closed platforms like telecom are trying to navigate the open-platform hits like facebook. Great article.
FORTUNE: Tech Daily Facebook’s Blackberry deal «

- I attended the San Francisco BIG (Bay Interactive Group)'s panel on emerging platforms and interactive media this morning. Great panel of 3 high profile women in the area. My colleague even won a new Microsoft Zune! Microsoft shelled out big for this Ritz-catered breakfast. A good sign they are really pushing to be part of the Atlas/online presence.

Oct 20 spectating the Nike marathon

- I didn't quite make it to cheer on the runners at 7am when the gun
went off, but I did catch up with them at mile 15, in Golden Gate Park
to cheer them on.
Note - I ate a banana before watching. I only wish I had saved it for a
runner. Doug thinks it was a selfish act of defiance for not running.
It was a sea of purple and pink rolling towards me. Decked out team and
training members scurried by with Nike ipods. Doug and I cheered them on
and couldn't help but feel like slugs as all we'd done was roll out and
get pete's coffers.
Either way the sold out Nike womens marathon inspired me.

Stephen Colbert: I am running for president - CNN.com

..and...he's running for president! The Larry King Video captures the story of fame well.
Stephen Colbert: I am running for president - CNN.com

Oct 17th - Happy Hump Day

• Horrah for Wikipedia for showcasing Stephen Colbert on its homepage today! God bless you, Nation.
• For all the rowers out there, this coming weekend the largest head race in the world, the Head of the Charles is happening. If you're in Boston, and you know who you are, go grab a date or a dog and head out to the boat races. Be sure to cheer for NYAC with the red and white oars (my former team and fellow racing mates).
  

Oct 14 - SF absentee ballots

• Today I finished the absentee voting for the local SF mayoral and propositions election November 6th. I am a real advocate of permanent absentee ballot voting. I can avoid worrying about
• The high odds I'm out of town that day
  
• I can read up on all the candidates/issues in my very thorough detailed voting reference book (definitely not a leaflet, brochure, or packet - this is one fat book).
• I can vote on my time, when I have time to do so (vs 7am before my client meeting, or instead of another engagement).

• This is the 2nd time I've voted now in my almost 2 years in San Francisco. It's my first mayoral and deputy sherriff vote. I don't think other cities do this, but in SF you can vote for your 1st, 2nd , and 3rd choice on the ballots. I'm not clear why it's necessary to vote for 2nd and 3rd preferences. Don't they tally the votes and come up with their own 1st , 2nd and 3rd places? It's my understanding that these choices are used when there is a tie. A tie? Do they really have ties? I don't buy it, but I suppose after the 2004 presidential election, maybe they do. I did vote for incumbent Gavin Newsom. Based on the several opponents, I thought he was a better choice than the nudist, the nightclub owner, the author, and the shopkeepers. I did like the 2 journalists, so they did get my 2nd and 3rd votes. I do hope that we don't have a tie.
• The other propositions on the ballot are most intriguing. Parking spaces is a hot item. Why is parking such a big deal in this city? It is an any big city. Get over it. I can't imagine voting for private parking in lieu of 750k towards public transportation. I don't even own a car.
• Also on the ballot was a free wi-fi network in San Francisco. After reading the for/against arguments I voted for. I feel bad about the disoriented bees, and yes people are really going to learn about security protection and internet fraud, but that's all part of progress. There also was an argument about "Google knowing more than it even knows now if there happened." Yawn. And who knows maybe we will all suffer radiation sickness from all the silent and hidden wireless spectrum continual pounding we take. There's also the lack of devices to even get on a network for the digital divide have-nots. But I am a futurist. I can't imagine not helping to progress society forward when such an opportunity exists and I can have a say in moving forward.
• The last item on the ballot took some thought as well. Do we allow new advertising space on public buildings and within special zones? The arguments for allowing this, even though it was endorsed by the Republican party, won me over. Advertising can aesthetically appeal if done within what the city sets as limits. It also helps subsidize newsstands and public spaces that otherwise wouldn't be built or maintained.
  
• Many of these issues require deeper looks. If I had 10 minutes at the polls to complete my thoughts and vote on November 6th, I definitely wouldn't feel like I knew the issues enough to cast a knowledgeable vote for many items.
  

• Don't forget to vote in your upcoming elections. As John Quincy Adams said, "Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost"

Oct 12th - Happy Anniversary to me

• Wow, it's hard to believe that 8 years ago on October 12, 1999 I joined DoubleClick. It certainly has gone quick!
• It is one wet day here in San Francisco. Let's hope it gets better for the weekend.
  

October 10 - Oktoberfest San Francisco style

• Oktoberfest is here in San Francisco this weekend in Fort Mason.
  
• I will not be in Munich this year, as I have in the 2005-2006 era. This is as close as I will get. Allow me to get nostaligic a bit here as I relive the smells of roasted rotisserie chickens and freshly brewed malty beverages...
  
• 
  

• My brother Andy arrives today from Boston. It will be great to catch up a bit. He and I ran the Berlin marathon last year, and then hopped a flight to Munich to kick back with the Ompa bands. We wound up detoxing a bit in Venice which is a short overnight train away. Many, many macchiatos were needed.
  

Here's a good shot of the canals. My friend Maria even framed this in her living room (she is Italian)

My brother Andy detoxing with macciatos ...


I know we won't be close to German heimlat (homeland) or Venetian coffees. Prost!

David Beckham's Injury Hurts More Than Just the Soccer Star - WSJ.com

David Beckham's Injury Hurts More Than Just the Soccer Star - WSJ.com


Too bad for everyone on this. I would see LA Galaxy play, but alas the injury. Too bad SF doesn't have a professional league. Maybe I'll venture down to San Jose.

"The latest news is the most significant yet. Mr. Beckham was diagnosed with a sprained right knee, suffered in the Galaxy's Aug. 29 SuperLiga final loss to Pachuca, and will be out of action for as long as 10 weeks, the rest of the Galaxy's season. Make no mistake: His injury is indeed disastrous news for the Galaxy, a nightmare for MLS, and extreme ill fortune for American soccer."

I have a flog!

Facebook killer app! The Flog. Catchy and another LinkedIn Killer.

BlueBobsled makeover

Welcome to my new template.  I find it cleaner and easier on the eye.  I will stick with blue, otherwise bluebobsled schizophrenia would set in!  Do you like? Let me know.

Spears ordered to give kids to Federline - omg! news on Yahoo!

now this is news everyone.

Spears ordered to give kids to Federline - omg! news on Yahoo!

Happy October - Taj Mahal - Oct1

• I have been a negligent blogger. Almost a month since my last post! I will be more consistent, I promise!

• Part of my negligence stems from a 3 week trip. I just returned from India last week. Primarily I was in Delhi and Bangalore. I managed to get a cold, but that certainly does beat Malaria as my co-worker duly pointed out.
• This photo is from my visit to the Taj Mahal. This is such a striking building. Beautiful and majestic like everyone says. Part of it's intrigue is that it is staged on an elevated marble platform - so the background is all sky. Very ingenious.