Robi Ganguly’s Big Ideas

• Late night infomercials make me wonder what TV ad rates are looking like these days. And make it easier to get work done. #
• It's a great sign that Mary Meeker's Web 2.0 preso was up before she took the stage: http://bit.ly/4DKdBe #
• Somehow taking most of 2 weeks off from running due to a cold resulted in a very fast 7 miles today. #resthelps #
• I really need a "kill all the e-noise" button for my computer. Can someone build that for me? #
• “The conventional view serves to protect us from the painful job of thinking.” -John Kenneth Galbraith #quotes #
• It's always preferable to get bad news "real time" than to have it be curated. #
• The communications on digital networks are what makes them valuable. Remember that they're YOUR communications. #
• The live U2 stream from the Rose Bowl is pretty awesome: http://www.youtube.com/user/U2official #

Popularity: 4% [?]

I have a lot of pending posts scattered about my computer; half-written Word docs and emails, waiting to get revisited and finished. This writing thing isn’t getting easier by having lots of other writing requirements on my plate. But, it’s time to start pushing out some more regular content here. Let’s start with some links you should check out if you didn’t see them:

1. Tom Friedman’s piece on the “New Untouchables” is great for two reasons: it focuses our attention on education, which really deserves more discussion AND it serves as a reminder for all of us that we need to be striving to be “Untouchable” if we want to end our concerns about job security.
2. Greg Coleman, former Head of Sales at Yahoo! (and AOL for a brief bit of time), writes a piece he calls “Sharpen the Saw” about how he spent his summer of unemployment. I worked with Greg at Yahoo! and thought his story was both inspiring and sad. 31 years without pauses to really sit back and evaluate what you’re doing and why is a LONG time. I applaud him for sharing something so deeply personal publicly.
3. Ian Kennedy (also a former Yahoo!) wrote an excellent overview of what he saw as being crucial at the Web 2.0 Summit. He and I have chatted about these topics before and he really nails why Social Filtering is a very big opportunity.
4. Working on startups means that I spend a lot of time thinking about how to sell better. Steve Blank’s focus on the “Customer Development Process” has really resonated with me. He writes about it a lot, but here’s a great post elaborating on his view that most companies try to apply Product Development processes to Customer Development and as a result, fail miserably.

Let me know what you think of those pieces and pass along any suggestions for related materials.

Popularity: 4% [?]

• A drink (or 50) before Snow Patrol http://twitpic.com/lkkmc #
• RT @howardlindzon: If Jack Dorsey's Squirrel works, something eventually will, $aapl will be a $500 stock http://bit.ly/2DhB68 #
• First rain run of the Seattle fall. Overdressed for it but so glad to get it out of the way. #
• I want my social inbox to look and act more like Outlook and less like Tweetdeck, Facebook, Birdfeed, Adium etc #
• To open the bottle of the good stash after an afternoon of imbibing or not? These are important questions. Oh wait, no they're not. #
• A little drink offering for my Eagles fan friends: http://twitpic.com/m22fk #
• Interesting. The bills missed a crucial field goal. Weird. #

Popularity: 3% [?]

• Reports abt Twitter, FB & MySpace being blocked reminds me of the (still popular) practice of blocking Webmail & IM? #employeedistractions #
• Man I love Seattle. #
• Turning 3G on on my iPhone effectively turns it into an iPod Touch. #
• I'm almost looking fwd to seeing how the dittoheads try to make a Nobel prize negative. #
• If it's impossible for you to get an hour with 5 people at once within a week of asking for time, then your company has a meeting problem. #
• Irish Coffee, restaurant Zoe style, in preparation for the Pogues concert. #
• The Pogues at Showbox sodo. Entering to the Clash as usual. #
• Never seen Shane McGowan this f'd up. #

Popularity: 4% [?]

• $AAPL app store passes 2 billion downloads, 85,000 apps & sees dramatic acceleration in downloads: http://awe.sm/1npD #
• I really don't understand why in sf only the first muni car accepts payments. Asking for abuse. #
• RT @dougchavez: If you use Twitter for customer service, stay engaged, especially if you start the conversation @Samsungservice #
• Nothing says "you're a moron" like showing up to the wrong airport for a flight. #
• Of all that fills my life, I'm most proud of the friends I have made & kept. Thanks to all of you who reached out today . #
• "Skill and confidence are an unconquered army." -George Herbert #quotes #
• ACL bound. Looking forward to awesome music, Lone Stars, cheap whiskey, Magnolia Cafe and the Salt Lick. #
• OH: "John Mayer is so faux sensitive." #
• RT @jonbranch: Wow this video is crazy, Mike Blowers predicts Seattle Mariners home-run detail for detail http://bit.ly/54f4l #
• "I need a fresh cappuccino with a mocha twist". The Knux is gettin after it. #acl #
• If you'd described the use of a rock cello to me i'd have laughed. Go Avett Brothers! #acl #
• The lead singer of the Walkmen looks like a pensive/emotional Michael Phelps. #
• Mute Math crushed it. Their drummer is a real-life version of Animal. #aclfest #
• Ghostland Observatory reminds me of Pink Floyd meeting MGMT. Awesome live #aclfest #
• ACL day 2 was full of phenomenal music and WAY too much rain and mud. Crossing my fingers that tomorrow brings out the sun again #aclfest #
• After three straight days of partying in Austin, today's 5 miles felt like 15. Ouch. #
• Leaving ACL without being totally covered in mud feels like a victory #aclfest #
• Apparently Mr T + Conan O'Brien is one of the funniest things ever. #mustseetv #

Popularity: 4% [?]

• $AAPL app store passes 2 billion downloads, 85,000 apps & sees dramatic acceleration in downloads: http://awe.sm/1npD #
• I really don't understand why in sf only the first muni car accepts payments. Asking for abuse. #
• RT @dougchavez: If you use Twitter for customer service, stay engaged, especially if you start the conversation @Samsungservice #
• Nothing says "you're a moron" like showing up to the wrong airport for a flight. #
• Of all that fills my life, I'm most proud of the friends I have made & kept. Thanks to all of you who reached out today . #
• "Skill and confidence are an unconquered army." -George Herbert #quotes #
• ACL bound. Looking forward to awesome music, Lone Stars, cheap whiskey, Magnolia Cafe and the Salt Lick. #
• OH: "John Mayer is so faux sensitive." #
• RT @jonbranch: Wow this video is crazy, Mike Blowers predicts Seattle Mariners home-run detail for detail http://bit.ly/54f4l #
• "I need a fresh cappuccino with a mocha twist". The Knux is gettin after it. #acl #
• If you'd described the use of a rock cello to me i'd have laughed. Go Avett Brothers! #acl #
• The lead singer of the Walkmen looks like a pensive/emotional Michael Phelps. #
• Mute Math crushed it. Their drummer is a real-life version of Animal. #aclfest #
• Ghostland Observatory reminds me of Pink Floyd meeting MGMT. Awesome live #aclfest #
• ACL day 2 was full of phenomenal music and WAY too much rain and mud. Crossing my fingers that tomorrow brings out the sun again #aclfest #
• After three straight days of partying in Austin, today's 5 miles felt like 15. Ouch. #
• Leaving ACL without being totally covered in mud feels like a victory #aclfest #
• Apparently Mr T + Conan O'Brien is one of the funniest things ever. #mustseetv #

Popularity: 3% [?]