Posted by dj as Commentary at 11:59 PM PST []
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February 28th, 2010
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Feb. 28, 2010 Blumbers
Doug Wray, the brilliant designer of this and many websites talked to me this week about improvements for this site. We are planning a subscription service with some free content. If you are a frequent reader please contact me about these improvements.
Copyright 2010 DJ Cline All rights reserved.
Posted by dj as Blumbers, Commentary at 4:33 PM PST []
February 27th, 2010
Feb. 25, 2010 WCA Cognitive Radio
On Feb. 25, 2010 in Sunnyvale at Synopsys the Wireless Communications Alliance Cognitive Radio SIG presented Technology Solutions to the Spectrum Crisis.WCA’s David Witowski gave the introductions and a quick overview of spectrum issues. Lloyd Nirenberg of Shannon Bayes Venture moderated Michael J. Marcus of Marcus Spectrum Solutions, Joe Hamilla of Spectrum Bridge, Dewayne Hendricks of Tetherless Access and Jeff Stern of Government Solutions for TerreStar. They discussed ‘tragedy of the commons’ with the spectrum shortage crisis facing every aspect of mobile wireless technology and even the FCC’s National Broadband Plan. Text from DJCline.com
One solution is cognitive radio. This technology intelligently adjusts operating frequencies to leverage unused “white spaces” in the existing spectrum. Alternative solutions are real-time spectrum auctions or new government regulation. No matter what the solution, we are going to have to share spectrum the way we share the road in rush hour traffic, keeping collisions down to a minimum.
Copyright 2010 All rights reserved.
February 26th, 2010
Feb. 25, 2010 SDF Mobile Women
On February 25, 2010 in San Jose at Adobe Systems, SDForum’s Tech Women’s Event was “What’s Up with Mobile ?” Irene Lefton, Director of Professional Services and Support, ABBYY USA Software moderated panelists Auste Viesulas, Senior Manager of Business Development at Adobe, Ursula Oesterle, Vice President of Innovation at Swisscom, Yoon Choi, Controller at Samsung Ventures and Rick Pierson of ABBYY. They discussed the opportunities for women entrepreneurs in the current state of the mobile industry and its future. There are seven billion people on the planet and five billion have cell phones. One billion of them have access to the internet through their mobile devices and demand is growing everyday. Meeting that demand will not only be the biggest business opportunity of the century but the biggest change in the way we live. Text from DJCline.com
Copyright 2010 DJ Cline All rights reserved.
February 25th, 2010
Feb. 24, 2010 SDF VMWare Cloud
On February 24, 2010 in Palo Alto SDForum’s SAM SIG hosted Komal Mangtani, Senior R&D Manager for vApps and Virtual Appliances at VMware. Her presentation was “Delivering and Deploying Applications in Cloud Environments.” Mangtani talked about the most efficient ways to deploy applications to the cloud. Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages in different cloud environments. She covered VMware’s cloud offering called vCloud, with its executable vApp, created by VMware Studio. Text from DJCline.com
Copyright 2010 DJ Cline All rights reserved.
February 24th, 2010
Feb. 24, 2010 Bloom Energy K.R. Sridhar
On February 24, 2010 Bloom Energy’s founder K.R. Sridhar, investor John Doerr and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced a new fuel cell available to large industrial clients. The units cost between $700,000 to $800,000 but various government subsidies can cut the price in half. Sridhar wants to put one in residential homes for $3000. Text from DJCline.com
The big reveal was on last Sunday’s CBS TV 60 Minutes. Since then Ive been getting all sorts of calls. Frankly it is nice to finally be able to talk about this. To me, a fuel cell converts any form of energy into electricity. I’ve covered Sridhar for years and think he has a brilliant and efficient design but is not alone in the field. I agree with green tech observer Art Kanellos that there are other companies like General Electric that will come up with their own competing products.
What are the implications? Any company that create cheaper and more efficient ways to use energy should do well. Fuel cells do not directly compete with existing power infrastructure. In fact they can augment it. The debate over smart grid standards should include fuel cells as a localized way to reduce the need for huge power lines. If a storm knocks down a power line, fewer people will be directly affected. Fuel cells take up less space, literally reducing their carbon footprint.
Will you have one in your house? Not for five years. I would push for tax breaks for residential units. You will have fuel cells at work first.
Copyright 2010 DJ Cline All rights reserved.
February 23rd, 2010
Housepix Round Doorway
I’ve never seen a round doorway like this in a home before. It looks like it belongs in a science fiction movie. “Why yes captain, on our planet all doorways are round to accommodate our enormous girth.”
Last week Southwest Airlines denied film director Kevin Smith a seat on a plane because he was too fat. I know people who would pay good money just to sit NEXT to Kevin Smith. He is hilarious. profane and profound. I advise Kevin to start his own airline where he would be on every flight and talk about his adventures in show business. Text from DJCline.com
Copyright 2010 DJ Cline All rights reserved.
Posted by dj as Humor at 4:37 PM PST []
February 22nd, 2010
Feb. 18, 2010 Elkus Family
On Feb. 18, 2010 at the SVEC Banquet, Richard J. Elkus, Jr. and family posed for this incredible portrait.
Copyright 2010 DJ Cline All rights reserved.
Posted by dj as Commentary at 3:22 PM PST []
February 21st, 2010
Feb. 21, 2010 Blumbers
Esquire’s Chris Jones has written a great article about film critic Roger Ebert. I recommend it.
http://www.esquire.com/print-this/roger-ebert-0310
Copyright 2010 DJ Cline All rights reserved.
Posted by dj as Blumbers, Commentary at 4:32 PM PST []
February 20th, 2010
Avatar Robots
I was in the lobby of the Avatar Hotel in Santa Clara and saw a wonderful collection of toy robots. Enjoy!
Copyright 2010 DJ Cline All rights reserved.
Posted by dj as Commentary at 4:56 PM PST []
February 19th, 2010
Feb. 18, 2010 SVEC Banquet
On February 18, 2009 in San Jose, the Silicon Valley Engineering Council (SVEC) held the Annual Silicon Valley Engineers Week Banquet. 
The SVEC honored several outstanding individuals for their remarkable contributions by welcoming them into its Hall of Fame.
Robert Doty, Peninsula Rail Program Director gave the keynote speech: “California High Speed Rail” with Mr. Timothy Cobb, San Francisco to San Jose Segment Project Manager.
Elected officials from the communities attended including Union City Mayor Mark Green , Milpitas Vice Mayor Pete “Primo” McHugh, Fremont Councilmember Anu Natarajan, Cupertino Mayor Kris Wang and Sunnyvale Councilmember Dave Whittum.
Two outstanding technology innovators were honored at the SVEC Hall of Fame ceremony for their significant contributions. Mr. Richard J. Elkus, Jr., CEO and Co-Chairman, Voyan Technology and Author of “Winner Take All: How Competitiveness Shapes the Fate of Nations.” Dr. Alan M. Title, Director, Senior Fellow, Lockheed Martin Space Systems and “Inventor of variation on the Michelson Interferometer.”
SVEC also awarded scholarships for academic excellence to Killol Acharya, James Best, Pankti Doshi, Darrell Ford and Jon Rodriguez, Emily Ross and Alex Yu.
Copyright 2010 DJ Cline All rights reserved.
February 18th, 2010
Tesla Doug Bourn Plane Crash
On Feb. 17, 2010 a small twin engine aircraft owned by Doug Bourn of Tesla Motors took off from Palo Alto airport in heavy fog and crashed in East Palo Alto. All three Tesla employees aboard were killed.
For those who didn’t know him, Bourn was Senior Electrical Engineer of Tesla Motors and expert on the Power Electronics Module (PEM) for the Tesla Roadster. Doug Bourn earned his BSEE from Stanford and worked for a decade at IDEO designing or developing consumer products and medical electronic devices. Bourn was a pilot, skydiver, motorcyclist, and ham radio operator. He loved his family and wanted a better future for them and all of us. Text from DJCline.com
My heart goes out to the families and employees at Tesla Motors.
Copyright 2010 DJ Cline All rights reserved.
February 17th, 2010
Feb. 16, 2010 ASAP Executing Alliances
On Tuesday, February 16, 2010 at Stanford University in Palo Alto, ASAP presented “Execution of Alliance Strategy – Precision or Alchemy?” Patrick Campbell introduced Jeff Ellis, Managing Partner at Startup Ramp, LLC and Board Member, Rapid Legal, Inc. moderated panelists on how to reach the goals set in an alliance. The first panelist was Raymond Levitt, Stanford University Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering and author of “Executing Your Strategy—How to Break It Down and Get It Done”. The second panelist was Lane Nonnenberg, former Senior Director Sales and Alliances at BEA Systems, Inc. The third panelist was Dan Parisi, Executive Vice President of BTS USA.
In theory for a successful alliance, you have to clearly define the goals and consistently measure performance. In practice you need tp apply metrics or actual target numbers. To reach those numbers you have to modify behavior of key players, possibly by simulating a pilot project so you can discover whatever obstacles may present themselves and possible solutions. Obstacles to change can be internal players fighting change like antibodies or external factors like newer competing technologies making your solution obsolete.
Patrick Campbell said “One of the take-aways from Tuesday’s discussion was the need to a project management approach to strategy execution – supported by the strategy owner and driven to the operational levels. This factor is often over looked and can be seen a root cause for resource ’starvation’ of a strategy’s success in my view.”
Jay Chitnis, President of the Silicon Valley/Norcal announced that the chapter won two awards for its extraordinary work at last month’s national ASAP conference in Anaheim. Congratulations!
Additional thanks to Tim Bailey and Helene Eichler
Copyright 2010 DJ Cline All rights reserved.
February 16th, 2010
Feb. 16, 2010 Winter Olympics
We need more relevant winter sports like shoveling driveways, scraping windshields, zig-zagging down icy streets. My neighbor doesn’t shovel their driveway in spandex and I am grateful for that.
Copyright 2010 DJ Cline All rights reserved.
Posted by dj as Humor at 4:29 PM PST []
February 15th, 2010
Feb. 15, 2010 President’s Day
Happy President’s Day!
You used to get Lincoln’s Birthday and George Washington’s Birthday off. They came up with this combined holiday to avoid the inevitable Martin Van Buren Birthday and even more embarrassing presidents ridiculed in the Simpson’s Hall of Mediocre Presidents. No one tries to sell mattresses on Franklin Pierce’s birthday. Celebrate the day by being thankful you are not president. Text from DJCline.com
Copyright 2010 DJ Cline All rights reserved.
Posted by dj as Humor at 4:47 PM PST []
February 14th, 2010
Feb. 14, 2010 Blumbers
Happy Valentine’s Day! Happy Mardi Gras! Happy Year of the Tiger! Happy President’s Day! If I left anybody out, find some other excuse to celebrate. :-)
Copyright 2010 DJ Cline All rights reserved.
Posted by dj as Commentary at 12:55 PM PST []
February 13th, 2010
Antarctica Retrospective
It’s been pretty cold and snowy in the Eastern United States lately. Here are some books about Antarctica to put things in perspective.
The Last Continent: Discovering Antarctica
By Bernard Stonehouse
A solid reference for tourists visiting Antarctica. Text from DJCline.com
Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage
By Alfred Lansing
I think this is the best account of Ernest Shackleton’s disastrous 1914 Antarctic expedition. The crew was hand-picked and got along well considering the circumstances. They had extraordinary confidence and kept a positive attitude. It shows that great determination and resourcefulness will get you back from dangerous situations. Recommended. Text from DJCline.com
Icebound: A Doctor’s Incredible Battle For Survival
By Dr. Jerri Nielsen With Maryanne Vollers
A doctor goes to spends the winter at the South Pole. She gets cancer and has to train other members of the scientific outpost to treat her. Pilots risk their lives to get her out in time. A riveting story that plays out almost like a science fiction novel. Good insights on what it is like to live in Antarctica. Oh, there is lots of hanky panky in such remote outposts. Enough said. Text from DJCline.com
Copyright 2010 DJ Cline All rights reserved.
February 12th, 2010
Feb. 11, 2010 SDForum Open House
On Feb. 11, 2010 SDForum’s held an Open House at its new offices in San Mateo. It was a great opportunity to see the people who make it happen at SDForum.
Copyright 2010 DJ Cline All rights reserved.
February 11th, 2010
Feb. 10, 2010 Silicon Valley DITA Group
On Wednesday, February 10, 2010 in Sunnyvale at NetApp the Silicon Valley DITA Group discussed changes to the DITA-OT. Scott Prentice moderated presentations by Eric Armstrong of TreeLight Systems, James Hom of NetApp and others. One of the goals of DITA is to separate the production of content from the presentation. The result should be useful information on a big screen or a mobile device. I enjoyed how informal and informative these meetings are. Text by DJCline.com
Copyright 2010 DJ Cline All rights reserved.
February 10th, 2010
Google Needs Fiber
Google thinks America needs more fiber (optics). :-D
On February 10, 2010 in Mountain View at Google product managers James Kelly and Minni Ingersoll announced plans to start running broadband Internet by fiber optic lines to 50,000 homes and perhaps as many as a half a million. Current data speeds offered by Comcast (Xfinity) are around one megabyte per second. Google plans to offer one gigabyte per second. Text by DJCline.com
This is not the first time Google has tried to offer service to communities bypassing cable and phone companies. Five years ago they tried Wi-Fi network projects in Mountain View, San Francisco and Philadelphia. While those projects were less than successful, Google continued expand its presence in airports. They also started to look at dark fiber and how to use it to deliver faster service. Text by DJCline.com
What does this mean? Google has the means, motive and opportunity to do this. They have the cash. They also tend to cast a wide net and see what comes back. Right now they have projects like Chrome, Android and their office suites. All of these will benefit from faster networks. Text by DJCline.com
Frankly, America needs better telecommunications infrastructure as seen with the dismal service supplied by AT&T to the Apple iPhone. Text by DJCline.com
Copyright 2010 DJ Cline All rights reserved.
Posted by dj as Commentary at 2:52 PM PST []