Pumped to be connecting again…

I signed up for LinkedIn a year or so ago and to Facebook about six months ago. Both accounts sat, neglected, the occasional login, the 20% completed profile. Then, ironically I guess, I started using Twitter (what some have described as the Magic 8 Ball of humanity) , that constant flow of comments & information, plus the Facebook message I received from a college-era friend I lost contact with 20 or so years ago, plus the financial crisis, have conspired to snap me from my stupor. I’ve added profiles to LinkedIn and Facebook and started sending out connect messages on both platforms.

Though I live online, many hours everyday, I have been negligent in building and/or reconnecting with friends and business associates. It feels very good to be opening these channels again. For me, personally, the silver lining to the current chaos is my reawakening and reconnecting with the world around me…plus, I’m working on new projects and focused. Hopefully some good stuff is on the way…

2008
11/18
CATEGORY
blah blah blah
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Blog Changes…

I’m in the process of porting my blog to Wordpress (from blogger) and I’ve encountered some technical issues that I have not figured out yet. In the meantime, my older material can be accessed through http://peak.rickpollack.com. Let me know what you think of the new site. Oh, from what I’ve seen so far, I really dig Wordpress.

Thanks!

2008
11/17
CATEGORY
Mundane Stuff
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Michael Crichton (1942-2008)

I’m extremely bummed that Michael Crichton died. His insight into complex matters has been a source of inspiration for a long time. Apparently his death was unexpected, I had no idea he was ill. What a loss :-((

His last interview with Charlie Rose in 2007

Charlie Rose also did a 20 minute tribute. Assorted writings, speeches and other items can be found on Crichton’s website.

The radio crackled. “Now you see the flaw in your procedure,” Ian Malcolm said. “You only tracked the expected number of dinosaurs. You were worried about losing animals, and your procedures were designed to advise you instantly if you had less than the expected number. But that wasn’t the problem. The problem was, you had more than the expected number.” - Jurassic Park

Here is slight revision with a modern twist:

“We always asked the same question. Where are the rating agencies in all of this? And I’d always get the same reaction. It was a smirk.” He called Standard & Poor’s and asked what would happen to default rates if real estate prices fell. The man at S&P couldn’t say; its model for home prices had no ability to accept a negative number. “They were just assuming home prices would keep going up…” - Steve Eisman, the ‘Ian Malcolm’ of the financial crisis looking into the ratings of mortgage backed securities. - From The End by Michael Lewis

2008
11/14
CATEGORY
inspiration
TAGS
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Twitter-pressure

A tech form of peer pressure…

I’ve been building up my following-list and it now includes, for example, Lance Armstrong. I rather enjoy getting his frequent tweets that he is getting ready for a ride. It reminds me, on a daily basis, that people, like Lance, are out there putting in their hard work. It seems to be helping my focus a bit…

2008
11/12
CATEGORY
blah blah blah
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