July 2006

I was offline most of the weekend but got to read the printed version of the WSJ -- two things caught my attention and I think are worth noting:
- a review of minimoguls of the internet (I hadn't heard of some of those guys before)
- Wal-Mart is leaving Germany and sells out to Metro. I remember that they also left the Czech Republic sometimes at the end of the 90s.

for a mere $2 per 7 minute feed -- Rolling Stones concerts from Europe are available.

In Dutch to accuse someone of being infected with typhoid is a biting insult

In Romania, I think most of the insults relate to one's mother.

quite geeky :) -- I got one more week to go, so far sooo good

straight from the magic 8-ball -- very funny

Half of Americans now say Iraq had weapons of mass destruction when the United States invaded the country in 2003 -- up from 36 percent last year, a Harris poll finds.

Surprised? Not really. However, it's not that the Americans are that stupid but the mainstream media has done an efficient job. As simple as that. [via]

9 reasons plus additional discussion as a bonus

Norway is way more expensive than the average from the EU countries. Oh, really? :)

Are you using it? I do and know a bunch of other people who do, on regular basis, actually.

Bebo vs. Myspace - my bandwidth is bigger

The good versus the bad.

This blogging thing finally started to get some traction in Romania as well - the number of bloggers is increasing by day, they get some more visibility both in the media and in some companies, and we even had a local "blogging revolution" workshop with Jeremy the main guest just 3 weeks ago (also Jeremy was kind enough to answer me a few questions on that occasion).

See for the Met's address, but you can play it it - it's pretty cool. My first option is the one from Google (I actually use it a lot here in the States) but Microsoft's needs not be neglected, I tell ya! [via]

Remember the million dollar homepage? Now you can buy words to be placed on a whole (Chris Pirillo's) chest.

So you have a software idea but don't know, don't feel like it or are not able to make it happen. You submit it to those guys, then it is market tested, then built and then comercially wrapped up. If it flies, you'll get a piece of the action. Compelling enough? [via]

story and screenshots from that time

...especially when you intend to start a business, say a bbq joint, mention it on the blog the night before and on the opening day have about 50 people showing up and giving positive feedback online. The whole story here. [ via]

saved it for the weekend readings [via]

Apparently teens (18-24) favor their cell phone more than the internet or TV, according to a UK-based study.

Apparently you can keep mosquitoes away from your computer while browsing the internet if you download a toolbar and configure it with your location. link via

over at MR, go read also some of the answers:
1. What is it that you maximize?
2. Can you offer a simple model of yourself, using one a few equations or a paragraph or less?
3. What is it that you hate?
4. What is your most absurd view?

your photos/videos from the phone on the web in only one click

obligatory reading for anybody with interests in exploring the new media avenues

link via romania economics -- there are also two pdf reports available for download, one about tax evasion in Albania and the other about Central and Eastern Europe. The data is rather old (circa 2000) but it makes a good read about the used methodologies while providing some references to start with.

if you're up for disrupting the industry go and provide your 2 cents, you might get lucky

some cities are begging for a blog [ link]

Just a list for having it handy (in progress):

events
- summer stage
- midtown international theater fest
- river to river fest
- seaport music fest
- bryant park
- nyc tech events
- free nyc

places
- Governor's Island
- central park
- met
- moma

resources
- newyorkology
- gothamist
- psfk
- ny1
- kottke
- freewilliamsburg
- my open bar
- flavorpill
- new york on tap

kazaa - skype - ... --> link

It's US-centered but still provides good insights to keep in mind when trying to imagine the profile or the needs to be addresss in the future.

page rank rules, of course

Fine their boss. What if he/she is the boss though?

link

link

good list, nothing new though - via

I am in New York these days and will be around for a few weeks - if you want to meet up drop me a line and will figure out something - drnovac at gmail dot com

Last Thursday Ev posted about Odeo's side project - twttr - which basically involves sending (mass) SMS-es to your friends with your status, etc. Ev positions it as a mobile blogging tool probably because all the messages are listed on the web in a public timeline.

Some people argue that twttr's just a West Coast version of dodgeball (which is quite used here in NYC). Personally, I hardly can find much of a personal use of it or as viral as they claim to be it, but probably people into setting IM funny status (most likely kinders/teenagers) might use it. We'll see how it goes, the direction of the future product development is what matters most and most likely I am not in the target anyways, personally I think hellodeo has better odds to fly.

Digging around the story, I also ran into other cool mobile-centered apps:
- jaiku
- mocial
- freever (acquired by buongiorno last year in August)

Starting with January 15, the official date of Romanian joining the EU, Whizz Air will operate flights from Bucharest to London, Dortmund, Barcelona, etc. The airline targets about 50% of the low cost carriers' market share by the end of 2007.

link via

Very interesting observation by Laurent

$620,000 for having a charitable lunch with Warren Buffett. [ via]

Good argument (see also the comments) though it fails to acknowledge that Europeans also enjoy other sports where the rules encourage lots of scoring - i.e. basketball, handball, rugby. But yes, soccer is seemingly the most popular sport around Europe.

...reportedly had a three digit-growth rate for Q1, along with the Czech Republic and Bulgaria. It's just like starting a game all over again, or like a trying to water a plainly dried-out garden, after the summer time has gone.

Lots of good materials all over the blogosphere -- hope you didn't miss Cringely's three parts: 1, 2, 3

EOS Airlines flying NYC-London for now. For $3,250. This is what you get for so much money and this is a first hand impression. Not that bad if you can afford it, huh? :)

It doesn't necesarrily have to be true. IMO a good CEO would look to cover all his basis with superstars and, if not possible, he/she will overcompensate by reflex even that would not be his strength by spending a lot of time trying to understand & coach & manage etc.

Also, another problem (that I actually experienced) may arise from being sure that you have a basis covered by a superstar and realizing the contrary at some point and, moreover, that your business is about to go down the drain because of it. That would require A LOT of overcompensating for making the best out of the situation.

blufr-ing