August 2011

There were 42 posts published in August 2011 (this is page 1 of 5).

Raleigh incubator, part deux

In my job quest, I began checking into Adzerk since I’ve got connections there. On Adzerk’s blog, Andy Schrader bemoans the (perceived) lack of pizazz that Raleigh offers startups:

Problem is that we’re barely considering a move to Raleigh because of its perceived lack of culture (we’re not a law firm or a government office).

Raleigh has made great strives to rejuvenate Fayetteville street and bring businesses back downtown but why no attention to startups?

Here’s your proof that Raleigh’s “stodgy” reputation is driving away promising startup companies.
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The “Mugged in London” scam

I was sifting through my Gmail spam folder when I found a message purporting to be from my friend. Let’s call him Bryan:

Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2011 02:02:13 -0700 (PDT)
From: Bryan bryan@bryansHackedEmailAccount.edu
Reply-To: Bryan scammersFakeEmailThatLooksLikeBryans@ymail.com
Subject: Urgent help…Bryan
To: Bryan bryan@bryansHackedEmailAccount.edu

How are you doing? This has had to come in a hurry and it has left us in a devastating state. My family and I had a visit to (UK) for a short vacation unannounced some days back, but unfortunately we were mugged at the park of the hotel where we stayed by some thugs, all cash, cell phones and credit cards were stolen off us but luckily for us we still have our passports with us.
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Smart guy

I was pushing a cart through Costco today when a man motioned to me from across the aisle. “Excuse me, sir,” he said politely with an Italian accent. “Could I get your help with something?”

“Sure,” I said, curious. “What can I do for you?”

“I’m having trouble figuring this out. You look like you’re smarter than me, maybe you can help,” he said.

“Well, I don’t know about that, “ I said, walking over.
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Raleigh startup incubator

I went to an job interview last week at a business in Durham’s American Tobacco Complex. The energy there was impressive. I couldn’t help but think it was cool that so many small companies are all right there, building the Next Big Thing.

It got me thinking that it’s high time Raleigh had a startup incubator of its own, bringing tech startups into downtown Raleigh and creating a buzz of its own. Raleigh’s downtown has a bit of a stodgy reputation, filled with lawyers, municipal employees, and electric company people. Until Red Hat announced its intention of moving downtown, there really hasn’t been a tech scene downtown. It’s time to change this!

When I Tweeted this last week a number of my friends immediately jumped on the bandwagon, asking how we begin. I heard from Councilor Mary-Ann Baldwin that plans are in the works for just this thing, which is fantastic. Too often the tech jobs locate in that desert known as Research Triangle Park when they should be feeding their own creativity in places like Durham’s American Tobacco (and, hopefully soon, Raleigh’s downtown too).

Hurricane Irene

Hurricane Irene spent the day moving lazily up North Carolina’s Outer Banks, rolling ashore this morning and exiting into Virginia this evening. By landfall the storm had weakened to Category 1 status: just barely a hurricane. Even so, the storm cut a wide swath across the state, though reports of damage (other than power outages) seemed few. Last I heard, four people had died from flooding accidents.

I watched the TV coverage of the storm all day and then wondered why I bothered. There were only so many things one can say about Irene and after the first hour I’d heard them all. I did enjoy watching the live video uplinks from the beaches all up and down the East Coast, courtesy of my Free to Air (FTA) satellite dish. As soon as the studio would cut away from the soggy reporters getting blown around on the beach, those reporters would whip out their Blackberries.
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Iceland’s On-going Revolution

In 2003 Iceland’s debt was equal to 200 times its GNP, but in 2007, it was 900 percent. The 2008 world financial crisis was the coup de grace. The three main Icelandic banks, Landbanki, Kapthing and Glitnir, went belly up and were nationalized, while the Kroner lost 85% of its value with respect to the Euro. At the end of the year Iceland declared bankruptcy.

Contrary to what could be expected, the crisis resulted in Icelanders recovering their sovereign rights, through a process of direct participatory democracy that eventually led to a new Constitution. But only after much pain.

What happened next was extraordinary. The belief that citizens had to pay for the mistakes of a financial monopoly, that an entire nation must be taxed to pay off private debts was shattered, transforming the relationship between citizens and their political institutions and eventually driving Iceland’s leaders to the side of their constituents. The Head of State, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, refused to ratify the law that would have made Iceland’s citizens responsible for its bankers’ debts, and accepted calls for a referendum.

via Daily Kos: Iceland’s On-going Revolution.

Billie Redmond’s love/hate relationship with debt

The News and Observer published a letter today from Raleigh mayoral candidate Billie Redmond, in which she responded to mayor Charles Meeker’s reassurance regarding Raleigh’s debt.

Redmond’s letter closed with this:

Making our debt a high priority, based on a slowing economy, and demanding that we spend within our means – and not take on new projects we cannot afford – is not being critical. It’s being responsible.

Let’s take a look at Billie Redmond’s history with debt, shall we?
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Red Hat hangs its hat in downtown Raleigh!


Looks like Red Hat plans to hang its hat in downtown Raleigh, taking a lease in the new Progress Energy building! Now didn’t I tell you that company was smart?

I just returned from Durham’s American Tobacco Complex and admired its startup incubator there, thinking Raleigh could use a startup incubator, too. Red Hat is no longer a startup company but it is a well-known tech company that will draw other tech companies into downtown. Not only that, but downtown’s nightlife and condo market should see a boost as well.

Downtown Raleigh just became a whole lot cooler. This will lead to more great things for the city!

Quake “foreshock” quote censored by Washington Post?

This Washington Post story ran yesterday with this quote from USGS Director Marcia McNutt (according to the International Business Times):

Minutes after the quake, the director of the USGS, Marcia McNutt — who watched objects falling from the shelves in her office — cautioned that the shaking might not be over.

“What the concern is, of course, is that this is a foreshock. If it’s a foreshock, then the worst is yet to come,” McNutt told The Washington Post.

Curiously, today the Post’s version of the article has removed that quote and substituted a much more mundane one:

Minutes after the quake, Marcia McNutt, USGS director — who watched objects falling from the shelves in her office — concerned about aftershocks, cautioned that the shaking might not be over.

“When something like this happens, remember what to do in the case of a seismic event. Duck, get under something sturdy like a desk or a doorway, get away from falling glass. Make sure that you are not in the way of falling objects like pictures, bookshelves, books, anything that’s not firmly connected the wall.”

The Post has provided no explanation for the change in the quote.

via Virginia Earthquake 2011: USGS Warns it May be a Foreshock – International Business Times.