Comments for Goldenson.com http://www.goldenson.com Hodgepodge for your head Sat, 19 Sep 2009 02:52:42 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 Comment on 12 thoughts on the strengths and weaknesses of TechCrunch50 by fake jason http://www.goldenson.com/?p=230&cpage=1#comment-596 fake jason Sat, 19 Sep 2009 02:52:42 +0000 http://www.goldenson.com/?p=230#comment-596 <a href="#comment-589" rel="nofollow">@Jason</a> The money is nice, but its more symbolic and secondary to the exposure that comes from the event. So i agree that breaking it up would be a nice touch. @Jason

The money is nice, but its more symbolic and secondary to the exposure that comes from the event. So i agree that breaking it up would be a nice touch.

]]> Comment on 12 thoughts on the strengths and weaknesses of TechCrunch50 by fake jason http://www.goldenson.com/?p=230&cpage=1#comment-595 fake jason Sat, 19 Sep 2009 02:48:34 +0000 http://www.goldenson.com/?p=230#comment-595 Hey Anonymous (if thats your real name), you may not like Jason, but he knows how to put on a show. I wont cast stones here, but both MA and JS had missteps during tc50. I recommend that they find another person to mc the event. Mixing the egos of JS and MA is too unpredictable. Hey Anonymous (if thats your real name), you may not like Jason, but he knows how to put on a show. I wont cast stones here, but both MA and JS had missteps during tc50.

I recommend that they find another person to mc the event. Mixing the egos of JS and MA is too unpredictable.

]]> Comment on 12 thoughts on the strengths and weaknesses of TechCrunch50 by 14k http://www.goldenson.com/?p=230&cpage=1#comment-594 14k Sat, 19 Sep 2009 02:41:59 +0000 http://www.goldenson.com/?p=230#comment-594 In regarding democratic judging; it is call the rule of the game. I know for sure there are other similar new business start-up conferences all over the nation. If you felt the game wasn't fair, you could walk away. Play the game, follow the rule. Take it or leave it. There are other games that suit you. In regarding democratic judging; it is call the rule of the game. I know for sure there are other similar new business start-up conferences all over the nation. If you felt the game wasn’t fair, you could walk away. Play the game, follow the rule.

Take it or leave it. There are other games that suit you.

]]> Comment on 12 thoughts on the strengths and weaknesses of TechCrunch50 by Anonymous http://www.goldenson.com/?p=230&cpage=1#comment-593 Anonymous Sat, 19 Sep 2009 02:04:59 +0000 http://www.goldenson.com/?p=230#comment-593 Nice article. This was my third year in a row attending the event. If I could change one thing about TC50, it would be for Arrington to run the show and ditch Calacanis. 1. He has nothing to do with TechCrunch 2. He was speaking over Mike the entire time, chiming in with his opinions and asking annoying questions to the startups. 3. Last year he was so blackout drunk at the W, he didn't even show up until half way through the second day (classy). 4. He isn't nice to anyone attending the event that he doesn't know personally. 5. He brought up his own people on stage at the end of the show to say thank you (bravo to Tyler though, he did an amazing job). 6. Doesn't show up to the TechCrunch events afterwards (and neither does Mike, but he has good reason:too many people want to talk to him). I could keep going on, but I'd rather not waste my time. In terms of the startups at the event, I think the biggest failure came with the 50 companies chosen to present on stage. I'll talk about a few. 1. Clicker? Come on. This is the kind of company that deserves a TechCrunch post at the most. Boring 2. Spawn Labs. Did anyone that chose the companies ever hear of OnLive? The future of OnDemand gaming that literally puts that piece of hardware to shame? 3. CitySourced. Everyone was aweing over this company. There are two major issues there. First, city governments are notoriously slow at EVERYTHING! Do you think they really want a bunch of extra complaints coming in about potholes and graffiti that they will never tend to. Second, if someone takes a picture of a pothole and sends it in, and nothing gets fixed (very likely it won't), that person will never use the app again. 4. LifeVest or whatever that chick version of Mint was called. Embarrassing at best. 5. UDorse. Never going to work, sorry. Talked to many VC friends that said the same and worse. 6. WuffiBucks 7. Threadsy. Boring, and no I don't want Twitter responses coming into my gmail. That's where I do business, not talk to Scoble. 8. SeatGeek. Sports tickets are not like airline tickets. That was a Y Combinator type investment and PG hated it, so I think you're out of luck. 9. Radiusly. Even Chamillionaire dissed your company, that hurts. 10. Sprowtt. Never in a million. Nice article. This was my third year in a row attending the event. If I could change one thing about TC50, it would be for Arrington to run the show and ditch Calacanis.

1. He has nothing to do with TechCrunch
2. He was speaking over Mike the entire time, chiming in with his opinions and asking annoying questions to the startups.
3. Last year he was so blackout drunk at the W, he didn’t even show up until half way through the second day (classy).
4. He isn’t nice to anyone attending the event that he doesn’t know personally.
5. He brought up his own people on stage at the end of the show to say thank you (bravo to Tyler though, he did an amazing job).
6. Doesn’t show up to the TechCrunch events afterwards (and neither does Mike, but he has good reason:too many people want to talk to him).

I could keep going on, but I’d rather not waste my time.

In terms of the startups at the event, I think the biggest failure came with the 50 companies chosen to present on stage. I’ll talk about a few.

1. Clicker? Come on. This is the kind of company that deserves a TechCrunch post at the most. Boring
2. Spawn Labs. Did anyone that chose the companies ever hear of OnLive? The future of OnDemand gaming that literally puts that piece of hardware to shame?
3. CitySourced. Everyone was aweing over this company. There are two major issues there. First, city governments are notoriously slow at EVERYTHING! Do you think they really want a bunch of extra complaints coming in about potholes and graffiti that they will never tend to. Second, if someone takes a picture of a pothole and sends it in, and nothing gets fixed (very likely it won’t), that person will never use the app again.
4. LifeVest or whatever that chick version of Mint was called. Embarrassing at best.
5. UDorse. Never going to work, sorry. Talked to many VC friends that said the same and worse.
6. WuffiBucks
7. Threadsy. Boring, and no I don’t want Twitter responses coming into my gmail. That’s where I do business, not talk to Scoble.
8. SeatGeek. Sports tickets are not like airline tickets. That was a Y Combinator type investment and PG hated it, so I think you’re out of luck.
9. Radiusly. Even Chamillionaire dissed your company, that hurts.
10. Sprowtt. Never in a million.

]]> Comment on 12 thoughts on the strengths and weaknesses of TechCrunch50 by Scott Simko http://www.goldenson.com/?p=230&cpage=1#comment-592 Scott Simko Sat, 19 Sep 2009 01:57:37 +0000 http://www.goldenson.com/?p=230#comment-592 Great list, I particularly agree with clearer metrics, I think it would help the startups focus better. Your point on the distribution model is well taken, some panels focused on that point and others didn't. However, the panels generally gave good advice, I hope everyone takes time to re-watch their presentation (others presentations) and modify their strategy if necessary. Great list, I particularly agree with clearer metrics, I think it would help the startups focus better. Your point on the distribution model is well taken, some panels focused on that point and others didn’t. However, the panels generally gave good advice, I hope everyone takes time to re-watch their presentation (others presentations) and modify their strategy if necessary.

]]> Comment on 12 thoughts on the strengths and weaknesses of TechCrunch50 by Mike http://www.goldenson.com/?p=230&cpage=1#comment-591 Mike Sat, 19 Sep 2009 01:50:16 +0000 http://www.goldenson.com/?p=230#comment-591 Yeah that sounds like a good idea Jason. Would be great for the runner up startups. <a href="#comment-589" rel="nofollow">@Jason</a> Yeah that sounds like a good idea Jason. Would be great for the runner up startups.

@Jason

]]> Comment on 12 thoughts on the strengths and weaknesses of TechCrunch50 by Jason http://www.goldenson.com/?p=230&cpage=1#comment-589 Jason Sat, 19 Sep 2009 01:38:22 +0000 http://www.goldenson.com/?p=230#comment-589 great feedback. In terms of the awards I was thinking we might want to split it up and give the winner $30k and the three runners up $10k each or something like that. great feedback. In terms of the awards I was thinking we might want to split it up and give the winner $30k and the three runners up $10k each or something like that.

]]> Comment on Silicon Valley deserves its West Wing by David Landes http://www.goldenson.com/?p=216&cpage=1#comment-519 David Landes Fri, 14 Aug 2009 23:52:00 +0000 http://www.goldenson.com/?p=216#comment-519 The Bay Area's signature features are an underused goldmine to stage a TV drama. -the annoying culture of self-righteousness and its hypocrisies -beautiful privileged people acting bad -sexual experimentation, gender bending, and closet outings -a new institutional politics: Dilbert in Google's corporate culture -crime and extreme economic polarization (set a start-up in East Palo Alto) -culture shock from aspiring immigrant populations -geek gods and their worship rituals -hopeless yuppies and their pathetic byproduct kids -the hyphy movement and rap wannabes -shameless hyper-commodification of everything The show practically writes its own plots. What better way to comment on 21st century culture than to look at the people who create it. The Bay Area’s signature features are an underused goldmine to stage a TV drama.

-the annoying culture of self-righteousness and its hypocrisies
-beautiful privileged people acting bad
-sexual experimentation, gender bending, and closet outings
-a new institutional politics: Dilbert in Google’s corporate culture
-crime and extreme economic polarization (set a start-up in East Palo Alto)
-culture shock from aspiring immigrant populations
-geek gods and their worship rituals
-hopeless yuppies and their pathetic byproduct kids
-the hyphy movement and rap wannabes
-shameless hyper-commodification of everything

The show practically writes its own plots. What better way to comment on 21st century culture than to look at the people who create it.

]]> Comment on Are you predisposed to startups? The Myers-Briggs traits of entrepreneurs by Jason http://www.goldenson.com/?p=109&cpage=1#comment-510 Jason Tue, 04 Aug 2009 19:39:59 +0000 http://www.goldenson.com/?p=109#comment-510 <a href="#comment-509" rel="nofollow">@Jeffrey</a> Jeffrey, you're right that the MBTI tends to get a bad rap in the scientific community and the psychological literature. But I just came across some empirical data that shows that dimensions of the MBTI do correlate with the Big-5 personality index, and these are long established predictors of job performance. It's changed my perception of the MBTI. Here's a link to the article: http://bit.ly/UqtMJ @Jeffrey
Jeffrey, you’re right that the MBTI tends to get a bad rap in the scientific community and the psychological literature. But I just came across some empirical data that shows that dimensions of the MBTI do correlate with the Big-5 personality index, and these are long established predictors of job performance. It’s changed my perception of the MBTI. Here’s a link to the article: http://bit.ly/UqtMJ

]]> Comment on Are you predisposed to startups? The Myers-Briggs traits of entrepreneurs by Jeffrey http://www.goldenson.com/?p=109&cpage=1#comment-509 Jeffrey Fri, 31 Jul 2009 23:04:57 +0000 http://www.goldenson.com/?p=109#comment-509 Myers-Briggs is not valid psychology. It's not even scientific. That's because its assertions are not reproducible -- the result of a Myers-Briggs test comes out differently for the same person more than half the time. It was created by person without medical or psychological training -- and, as the article you linked to notes, "Jung seems to have realized the limitations of his work and may not have approved of the MBTI had he lived to see it developed in his name." I think that talking and thinking about this stuff is worthwhile but it's also very dangerous to assume that people can be neatly placed in one of sixteen different categories. If you're an entrepreneur, it's also very important that you keep this stuff out of the workplace (Wal-Mart was famously sued for trying to force some of its employees to take Myers-Briggs tests). Myers-Briggs is not valid psychology. It’s not even scientific. That’s because its assertions are not reproducible — the result of a Myers-Briggs test comes out differently for the same person more than half the time. It was created by person without medical or psychological training — and, as the article you linked to notes, “Jung seems to have realized the limitations of his work and may not have approved of the MBTI had he lived to see it developed in his name.”

I think that talking and thinking about this stuff is worthwhile but it’s also very dangerous to assume that people can be neatly placed in one of sixteen different categories. If you’re an entrepreneur, it’s also very important that you keep this stuff out of the workplace (Wal-Mart was famously sued for trying to force some of its employees to take Myers-Briggs tests).

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