Month: May 2014

Why is Mike Hudack so mad at media?

Honeymooners

Mike Hudack, an executive at Facebook, went on a bit of a rant about the state of US media and how it is being slowly chipped away. He is right, mostly. Not surprisingly, his post got picked up across the social web and eventually became a poster child of the churnalism he was mocking. 

Mathew Ingram, did a good job of capturing the reactions from some of the more sober voices on the pro-media side of things, but I wanted to raise a couple of points. I am a voracious reader and over the years have optimized my reading experience that is less judgmental about people’s opinions, instead focusing mostly on the quality of the work.

Sure, quality is all subjective — what’s the point of taste if it is not individualistic — but given the success I have with my email newsletter and the click throughs on the links

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Musings
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Foursquare Mayorship is dead

From the Foursquare blog:

Mayors 2.0. We wanted to get back to a fun way to compete with your friends instead of all 50,000,000 people who are on Foursquare. With these new mayorships, if you and a couple friends have been checking in to a place, the person who has been there the most lately gets a crown sticker. So you and your friends can compete for the mayorship of your favorite bar, without having to worry about the guy who is there every. single. day. Mayors 2.0 means that places can have many different mayors, one for each circle of friends, instead of just a single mayor at each place.

It is irrational and it is crazy, but I am indeed that “guy” who lately has been fighting for the mayorship with that “girl” for the mayorship of that “coffee shop.” It is one of the primary reasons why I

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Musings
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The Business of Fashion

Of all the new micro-pubs, my favorite is London-based publication, The Business of Fashion. I am a frequent visitor their website and yesterday I met with founder Imran Amed for coffee to share some war stories and wisdom. I didn’t have any. BOF has come up a good blend of news, analysis and cutting edge stories about people and personalities of fashion. As a customer who pays with his attention, I am pretty satisfied with the volume and quality. If you have any interest in fashion or its business, then you need to be paying attention. (Also, Rafat Ali’s The Skift is doing it right too.)

Musings
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Stock Market Nervousness

There are times to make money. This is a time to not lose money. I think it is a nervous time. I’m not saying go short. But don’t be super long either.”– David Tepper, who runs Appaloosa Management (a hedge fund) and made $3.5 billion last year via Fortune Magazine.

I am often skeptical of people who have vested interest in the market movements and this time is no different. But I do buy it when he says that investors are too optimistic in expecting 2015 to be robust for companies when economy is crawling.

Musings
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Rob Garza

In 1996 Rob Garza and Eric Hilton formed music group Thievery Corporation. In 1997 they captured music fans’ imagination with the release of their debut album, Sounds from the Thievery Hi-Fi. They have since released eight studio albums, the latest called Saudade, which hit the stores on April 1, 2014. In addition, Garza and Hilton have released 18 compilation albums and started a label, Eighteen Street Lounge Music (ESL). Originally from Washington, D.C., Garza now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.


Introduction


Rob Garza is one half of Thievery Corporation, a music group that blends sounds and musical influences from around the planet. Their music is the soundtrack of my immigrant story, each album of theirs having a cultural significance and also marking my transition from India to New York and eventually becoming an American citizen.

Their music is timeless. If you don’t believe me, check out their debut

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Interviews
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What I am reading today

Musings
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Bay Area bubble blues

My latest column for Gigaom inspired in response by a column in Fortune magazine

Technology is now part of the social fabric; it is what is causing dislocation. It is the cause of fear amongst all of us. The digitization of our society is a challenge that is both legislative and philosophical. And that is why we are seeing a greater demand for those who cover this industry.

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Musings
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