Chamber Dance Theater's debut season

Combining intimate dances, instrumental and theater pieces, the Chamber Dance Theater offers a unique evening not found in many places. This contemporary ballet is a close collaboration of dancers and musicians in an intimate setting. The program alternates throughout the evening between touching and sensuous dances and classical musical selections. The extensive expertise of each performer-from the dancers to the musicians to the lighting to the costumes-is overwhelming. And even more impressive is that the company started with a benefit performance just a year ago to get the word out. The Board was so impressed, they charged forward with more pieces, more artists and more performances. Founder, artistic director and choreographer Diane Coburn Bruning brings years of choreographic work at over eleven ballet companies and teaching at over four schools including Juilliard, NYU's Tisch and the Lincoln Center Institute to her current initiative. Current music director of the Parson Dance Company John Mackey (who has also worked with the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, the Joyce Theater and Carnegie Hall) worked with the Chamber Dance Theater as composer and music director-filling out Diane's vision.

Her vision was actualized by dancers whose talents are also seen at dance companies like Les Grand Ballets Canadiens (Nanci Crowley, Jeremy Raia, Victor Quijada), the Atlanta Ballet (John Welker) and the American Ballet Theater and the Royal Swedish Ballet (Griff Braun-who also has founded WeDance.com, Inc.). Musicians hailed from such heralded ensembles as the New York New Music Ensemble and Ensemble Sospeso (Stephen Gosling) and The Elm City Ensemble (Rebecca Patterson). One musician-Christopher Collins Lee-holds five honorary doctorate degrees from foreign institutions in addition to a BFA and MM from Julliard and doctorate from SUNY Stony Brook. He also has received a Guggenheim Grant and Fulbright and plays a violin made in Cremona, Italy by Grancesco Ruggieri in 1680, which once belonged to Leopold Mozart.

If you'd seen the Broadway musical "Annie Get Your Gun" or "Jekyll and Hyde" then you've seen the work of lighting designer Beverly Emmons, who's won seven Tony nominations, won a Tony for lighting in "Amadeus" and is the artistic director of the Lincoln Center Institute, responsible for selecting dance theater and music repertory for students and teachers. Costume designer Holly Hynes worked for noted choreographers like Jerome Robbins, Peter Martins and Christopher Wheeldon.

But what about the pieces, you ask! Well, each one was unique, passionate, compelling and inspiring. Piazzolla Songs and Berceuse were inspired pieces that began the evening's night of theater. Between each dance number were instrumental selections like Gyorgy Ligeti's Devil's Staircase (played by Steve Gosling on piano) and John Corigliano's Sonata for Violin and Piano (played by Gosling and Christopher Lee on violin). Four Men in Suits, a mixed media piece with spoken text and movement was a humorous look at men (and ultimately women too) and the various activities they do during the day (sales calls, hailing taxis, training dogs, sunbathing). Australian-born choreographer with the Australian Ballet Stanton Welch premiered a dance piece, Kisses, that was full of amour, passion and tenderness in its creativity. Diane Coburn Bruning's premiere of Passages was the concluding piece that incited deep emotion in it's sensuous classical ballet mixed with Argentinean tango set to John Mackey's score of classical music with Latin percussion beats.

Afterwards the gala attendees got to enjoy champagne and desserts as we listened to tango music. Of course the real fun was when professional tango dancers announced that we were now going to learn this sexy dance. Ole! My partner, Ken Fisher, a noted arts presenter from Ann Arbor, and I learned our respective steps. I bit into my long-stemmed rose and off we were! The creative passions didn't end on the dance floor though; board members took discarded ballet slippers of the dancers and turned them into new creations. Board member Hilka Klinkenberg, supporter Lina Bryant and intern (and future Yale attendee) Tyler Coburn were among the artists who put their talents into these artful slippers. Among the designers were feathers slippers by Hilka ("Swan Lake"-in white feathers, "Firebird"-in red feathers), seashelled slippers by Hilka ("La Mer") and actual lilies in a pot surrounded by painted slippers ("Lilies" by Lina Byrant). Even a Dolce & Gabbana advertisement were immortalized on slippers by Tyler. The slippers were such a hit for the Silent Auction that this will be a signature item at future galas!

This wonderful group has one performance left in Manhattan-tonight, June 29th at 8:00 PM and then two final performances on July 1st at the Sleepy Hollow Country Club in Scarborough. You can also read a review in Newsday and hear one tomorrow at 5:57 pm on Frances Mason's show on "World of Dance" at WQXR.

Lessons From the World's Oldest Profession ~ by Tery Spataro

Las Vegas, Nevada - Lately the online adult entertainment industry has received attention from the press on the profitability of their Internet business practices. I wondered what it is that the adult entertainment industry is doing differently from the mainstream Internet. It was curiosity that brought me to Las Vegas for the Internext Conference, as well as an invitation from Stephanie Schwab, CEO of Erotigo. I had some interesting preconceived ideas as to what I would see on the trade floor, and understandably a little nervous for it was my first time.

As we registered for the event I took note of the backdrop of adult entertainment industry banners and flags which surrounded us. In sharp contrast, the people staffing the registration booths were old enough to be my grandmother. I wondered what they were thinking.

June 26th was the opening of the conference. The registration line was long with both suits and polo shirts intertwined. They didn't look much different than Internet attendees to Internet World conferences. I did not see a single gold-chained-leisure-suit wearer with a bad hairpiece. As you entered the conference you were greeted by cheerleaders who pushed conference take-away goodies at you. As we entered the floor Stephanie told me this was her third conference and she had many stories to tell about the first two. She bated me with intriguing tales of all night parties, swinger clubs, photo shoots and pole dancers. So, if you pardon the pun, I was very excited. We circled around the conference trade floor looking for the pole dancers, bed displays, and other outrageous things you don't find at the mainstream Internet conferences. Of course girls--beautiful well-constructed girls--were everywhere! And then of course there were the boys too--handsome and well built.

CLICK FOR THE FULL STORY:
http://www.thecyberscene.com/cgi-bin/show.cgi?city=newyork&issue=current#3

By Tery Spataro, president of Mind Arrays, tery@mindarrays.com

Shakers & Stirrers and Bits & Bytes

Creating an Icon
Building the Second Dimension

ADV ~ Courtney Pulitzer Creations Press Services

Get the attention of old and new media with a creative and effective press release. Courtney Pulitzer Creations is now offering press writing services to its network of friends in growing and emerging businesses. Create press statements that are unique and can garner media attention and publicity. For more information and rates, contact gina@pulitzer.com

Entertainment Innovators and Tapas

Helena's Tapas Bar on Lafayette Street drew a small but enthusiastic group of media professionals at the first Entertainment Innovators Association gathering for tapas, drinks and compelling conversations. The small, informal gathering was just like the original breakfast that lead to the creation of the EIA list. Diana Laskaris, who started the mailing list as a forum for people interested in all areas of entertainment and communications, reported that (as usual) a good time was had by all and the conversational topics ranged dramatically. There were a lot of different conversations going on at once, including discussions of rethinking copyright law, publishing on the Net versus traditional publishing, Arthur C. Clarke and Sri Lanka, cold fusion, space elevators, how great Amazon and eBay are, the development of online gaming, whether or not we actually have anything resembling privacy any longer, sword swallowing, what is fun about Las Vegas, serendipity, the Mermaid parade, AIBO, product placement, good & bad advertising, tivo & replayTV, individuality vs. the collective and more! The fried artichokes got a lot of praise and afterwards, a handful headed over to a nearby bookstore and continued chatting about things like Napster, Open Source, negativland, Copyright's Highway (by Paul Goldstein), what makes a book good, why would anyone call Anne Frank's Diary "summer reading" and why doesn't anyone seem to carry Pen World magazine! Anyone interested in talking about the future of media, sharing new insights or discoveries or imagining the possibilities for entertainment in its present and emerging forms, can join the discussion by sending a blank email to: EIA_list-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

High Marks for The Conference Board

The results are in and The Conference Board's "2001 E-Commerce Conference: Profitability and Sustainability for the B-to-B and B-to-C Business Models" was such a well-done event that it's receiving The Cyber Scene's official "Gold Star" award in the conference category. Conference Program Director and NYU Stern Graduate School of Business Professor of Marketing Al Lieberman was a gracious host and excellent moderator who fielded questions from the floor with aplomb and panache.

All the speakers were excellent, informative and enthusiastic in each of their respective panels and fields of expertise. Mastercard International Electronic Commerce & Emerging Technologies and Corporate Payment Solutions VP Philip Philliou divulged information on his company's global technology cards. He also revealed that B2B business makes up about 4 percent of the US market right now and is even smaller in Europe. Citibank VP and Director Electronic Bill Presentment & Payment (B2C) Nancy Goodman went through new scenarios for online bill paying, pros and cons of different payment methods, and coming attractions in this arena. Currently 8 million households are paying bills online, but there are major improvements that could be made to improve the entire process for consumers and merchants.

Barry Felder, partner and head of litigation at Brown Raysman, Millstein Felder & Steiner, spoke on the issue of privacy. He told us that few of us consider privacy issues in the same breath as cookies -- just seven of 1,000 Internet users reject them at sites they visit. Felder also conveyed that there are no general federal or state privacy laws concerning cookies. The laws that do exist, such as the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, the Electronic Communications Act and the Wiretap Act, are for specific sectors. He raised a basic question: Should there be a broader legislation or would that infringe on 1st Amendment rights? There are some proposed bills coming up, including the Online Privacy Protection Act of 2001, the Consumer Online Privacy, and Disclosure Act and the Consumer Internet Privacy Enhancement Act.

NowDocs, Inc. Director of Business Development Bosy Colak spoke on the topic of "Utilizing the Web to Streamline Operations and Minimize the Cost of Supplies." United Messaging Chairman and Founder Stephen Layne provided a history on B-to-B and B-to-C models in his talk on "Which Business Models Work and Which Ones Don't." The end result was that a big market for B-to-B still exists; the surface has only been scratched. Multimedia Live's Founder, President & CEO Ken Burke's white paper on "Intelligent Customer Service: Improving Your Online Customer Interactions" was packed with information and solutions for businesses to become profitable.

At the cocktail party that followed, the hors d'oeuvres were divine and the wine flowed in rivers. We chatted with Union Pacific Railroad Industrial Products Director Robert Toy, Standard & Poor's Market Development SVP Sarah Hammann, BlueCross BlueShield of Florida's Advertising & Market Communications Susan McKindles and Aetna's Strategic Planning e.Aetna Services & Programs Director Dorothy Paleologos. Everyone said they thought it was the best conference they'd been to in a long time. And they all seemed to enjoy themselves immensely. Hurrah! Finally a conference that delivered impact with information - and kept attendees happy.

The Cyber Scene in Denver ~ by Suzanne Lainson

I attended First Tuesday on June 19, (which, of course, was not the first Tuesday in June). But never mind, it was a great party, as usual. According to one news report, over 800 people were in attendance. It was back at Brooklyn's, which is a perfect place to hold such an event. It's a two-level club next to the Pepsi Center. While the local newspapers are running stories about telecom layoffs and commercial real estate gluts, this was a very upbeat crowd. I even did a reality check with Dilpreet Jammu, senior manager, business and service integration, for Nortel Networks (http://www.nortel.com), figuring that if anyone had reason to be gloomy it would be him. Nope. His demeanor hasn't changed in the six months I have known him.

As I walked from the parking into the building, I ran into my friends from Holme Roberts & Owen (http://www.hro.com) -- Mark Weakley, Suzy Thevenet and Linda Wackwitz. Mark wanted to tell me that a client, Lefthand Networks (http://www.lefthandnetworks.com), has been moving right along with its VC funding. On a related note, Boulder-based Sequel Venture Partners (http://www.sequelvc.com), one of the investors in Lefthand, just announced that it has closed its third limited partnership, Sequel Limited Partnership III, providing it with $180 million for venture investment. Sequel has done some heavy-hitting investing in such companies as MatchLogic, XCare.net, DataPlay, Finali, netLibrary, Requisite Technology, Myogen, Allos Therapeutics, HighGround Systems, Zight and ServiceMagic. Another investment is Petroleum Place (http://www.petroleumplace.com), which I recently profiled for eMileHigh (http://www.emilehigh.com/news/viewnews.asp?alt=100001325&author=Lainson). Rick Patch, a partner at Sequel, is quoted in a recent Upside article (http://www.upside.com/texis/mvm/money/story?id=3b30e5e01) on investment in Colorado. Even though it was written by an "outsider," it's a good description of life here in the state.

Once I got inside First Tuesday, I didn't do as much circulating as I do at these events because I was trying to figure out how to eat a plate full of Mexican food without utensils. It couldn't be done. As I juggled my plate and napkins, I chatted with Yvonne Lynott from Lynott & Associates, a PR and marketing firm based in Niwot. She introduced me to a client, Linda Bush, CEO of SafeRent (http://www.saferent.com), which has gotten more than $21 million in funding, most recently $13 million in a third round. Linda said that even more investors want in; she was in talks with one group just that week.

ADV ~ NYNMA Town Hall

NYNMA presents, "NYNMA's Town Hall Meeting: Now What?" Thurs., Jul. 12, 5:30
PM registration; 6:30 panel. Listen and be heard! This isn't just another event where Alley moguls peer into a crystal ball and spew Industry jargon. This time, YOU drive the content! Come stand on your soapbox and tell us your thoughts. Which industry issues are important to you? What are the long-term prospects for Silicon Alley? How do we use the skills gained over the last five years to develop next generation technologies? Come participate with moderator David Kirkpatrick, FORTUNE Magazine and panelists Kyle Shannon, Agency.com, Kevin Werbach, Release 1.0, and Bob Friedman, AOL TV - and a whole host of Alley people you want to be around in the audience. E-mail the topics you want addressed to . NYNMA Members FREE if you
pre-register by 7/10. To pre-register and for details:

Shakers & Stirrers and Bits & Bytes

Razorfish Names New Strategist
Razorfish Grabs a Coke
Quantum Invests in Praxid
Postal Service Goes Green
Blue Wave Flowing Fast
Livening up the Airspace
Razorfish and HBO Launch Site for Band of Brothers
Motorola Pauses
Webby Awards Rolls out the Red Carpet

The Week in Review

This week was filled with panels and parties, once again indicating that as the thermometer increases, so do the parties at least for the beginning of the summer months. On Monday, June 11, the New York Software Industry Association hosted a compelling conversation with Dr. James Hendler, co-author with Tim Berners-Lee of the May 2001 Scientific American article "The Semantic Web.

Two nights later, Thurston Smith, Vittoria Frua and supporters of the film "StartupNYC.com" were a part of the NY International Independent Film and Video Festival awards ceremony at Lot 61. Having won the Best Original Documentary category, there was much celebration and many martinis being served up. I chatted with filmmaker Austin Hill and Getty Images’ avid Editor William W. Gastelum. Karen Benedict, a model with Ford Models 12 + division, is in a new documentary (Curve-film.com) Thurston is working on a film that will premiere before Fashion Week at the Anthology Film Archives. Wednesday night was benefit night with the Montana Mafia Theater Company’s romantic comedy "Next Right." The company designated 100 percent of its ticket sales to @ngelwish.org. @nglewish grants wishes to children living with HIV/AIDS.

Publisher's Note ~ NY "Landmarks"

A sign of the times? NY landmark, for better or for worse Billy's Topless has undergone yet another transformation. After a Guiliani ruling, they changed their name to Billy Stopless, in an attempt to mask their true purpose. And in just the last few weeks, it has been gutted, painted and resurfaced as the Empire City Bagel! What a schmear!

Space, Views, Cocktails -- a perfect summer kickoff

The June Cocktails with Courtney event was a departure from previous ones in a few respects. Normally we host them in an upscale restaurant or lounge. This month, we decided to take advantage of the gloriously spacious loft condominiums available at The Carl Fischer Building on. Instead of heavy, leather chairs and plush, velvet sofas, guests mingled around a raw concrete space with, of course, the signature confetti strewn about. This time, though, I threw caution to the wind as handful after handful of big, colorful confetti landed onto the floors and tables! Guests enjoyed an unlimited supply of Beef Wellington, zucchini and crudite. Desserts of chocolate brownies and strawberries dipped in chocolate followed. The wine and Bombay Sapphire flowed like honey.

Usually our large draw leaves some people feeling cramped in typically NYC-sized venues. But this 8,000-square-foot floor comfortably held our guests. And those who wanted to escape for a bit took a cocktail up to the roof deck for stunning views of the north, south, east and west. DJ Johnny Danger soothed harried and hot souls with some fine Sinatra selections and then mixed it up with equally hot 80s tunes.

The Carl Fischer Building, once a landmark for its sheet music publishing houses and signature music-note clock on the building’s side has been transformed into a new landmark building with high-speed Internet connections, huge creative loft arrangements and full-service building amenities. From music publishing to broadband living, the Carl Fischer Building offered a perfect setting for the creatively, technically and financially-savvy guests who came on Thursday’s Cocktails with Courtney.

3 million square feet--going fast!

It’s hard to believe, but DUMBO is almost entirely owned by David Walentas and his son, Jed. In the 1980s they saw this huge amount of space available in Brooklyn and snatched it up from the Helmsleys. Now, two decades later, they’re making a pretty penny from their original $6-per-square-foot property by developing it into one of the cities largest tech communities. It is so large that many of the 700 people who attended the DUMBO Summer Cocktail Party on June 14th were company principals from Manhattan coming to check out this burgeoning neighborhood. The buzz and curiosity about the neighborhood is significant and due in part to Two Trees Management’s ability to bring in high-tech tenants. Of course it doesn’t hurt that there are a number of trendy restaurants in the area. The cocktail party was held at Kino. Even Jacques Torres, the former executive chef of Le Cirque who has made desserts for the Pope and the last four presidents, has set up a chocolate factory in the hood! The monthly cocktail party for the Downtown Brooklyn Connected hosts "Broadband Brooklyn Bar Nights" will be at another trendy spot.

The Famous FAM Tour ~ by Gina M. Larson

Journalists from trade and business publications are trolling the state of Pennsylvania this week to see the forward thinking companies, new attractions and economic development projects that are pulling the state to our South away from its heritage of steel and lumber and forging a new future for its economy.

A group of ten reporters -- including yours truly -- gathered on Sunday night in Philadelphia at the new Parisian-styled Sofitel to kick off the eight-day trip. New media representatives such as Robert Fisher from Frommers.com and Rick Risemberg from the Newcolonist.com are also part of the group, which has kept a frenetic pace schmoozing with city engineers, university professors and CEOs.

Of course, the tour isn't all business. Monday night's hand-shaking event was held at the sophisticated Opus 251 restaurant housed in Philadelphia's old Rittenhouse Square. Michele Sharon from the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and Anthony Pipitone from The Center City District came out that night to share some sumptuous cuisine at the former Arts Alliance building which still plays host to art installations upstairs.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with the help of its PR group, Bozell Worldwide in Pittsburgh, orchestrated the tour, which is snaking its way through various cities from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. So while the traveling is taking a toll on this Cyber Scene correspondent, a full report of the destinations and highlights will be available here next week exclusively. Stay tuned.

ADV ~ Layoff Lounge

The Layoff Lounge is a nationwide, on and offline professional networking and career education company focused on delivering results to job seekers, employers and recruiters. Job seekers, employers and recruiters interested in learning more about The Layoff Lounge events can visit www.layofflounge.com.

ADV ~ NYC Venture Capital Conference

Attend the official 6th Annual New York City Venture Capital Conference & Showcase. July 8-10, Marriott Marquis Times Square.
The Premier Venture Capital event in New York City—Where the World Does Business! New format: 22 VC panels on SWAT tactics for your business; 40 elevator pitches; 8 advisory board panels. Over 100 VC speakers and business leaders from around the world!
Call 1-212-832-7334, email info@nycventureconference.com, or visit http://www.nycventureconference.com to register, exhibit, present, or sponsor. Presented by the New York City Economic Development Corporation with the New York Venture Group.

ADV ~ Chamber Dance

The Chamber Dance Project is a collaboration of gutsy, emotional, sensuous contemporary ballet and chamber music performed in an intimate setting. Their debut season, including two world-premiere ballets, will be performed
June 27th – 29th at the Marymount Manhattan Theater in New York City. Tickets for the opening night benefit and post-performance Tango Party on the 27th are $100. Performances on the 28th and 29th are $22. An outdoor family matinee ($15) and evening champagne and dessert benefit ($100) will
also be held at the Sleepy Hollow Country Club in Westchester on July 1st. To order tickets call (212) 626-9057.

Shakers & Stirrers and Bits & Bytes

Alternet.org Leads Internet Insurgence
CATA Finds Its Voice

The Cyber Scene in Denver ~ by Suzanne Lainson

The Colorado Internet Keiretsu (http://www.cik.org) had another one of its roundtables on June 7, again at Softbank's (http://www.sbvc.com) offices in Superior. This one, presented by Derek Scruggs (http://www.derekscruggs.com) as on email marketing. Derek had been with MessageMedia, but now works as an email consultant and a "satellite entrepreneur" at Softbank. As if that weren’t enough, he is also starting up Commercial Email Network.

Derek began his presentation by talking about 1-to-1 marketing, which involves identifying, differentiating and interacting with customers before customizing messages to them.

In order to identify those customers, he recommends that you start by asking for email addresses at every opportunity. Put this request on point-of-purchase materials, on direct-mail postcards, on billing statements and on order-fulfillment forms. You can also ask for those addresses when offering collateral materials (such as white papers), as well as in your "on hold" phone voice-overs, and in online and print ads.

If you choose to obtain names from a list broker, find out how they obtain email addresses. In order to protect yourself if the list is bad or misdirected, make sure the broker sends the messages for you. That way, the broker will be the offending party if the list turns out to be a spam list. Conversely, if you have developed your own email list, don't rent it to brokers because that reduces its value to you. If you want to share your list with other companies, it is better to create your own branded opt-in program that customers can choose to join.

Derek recommends that you put an opt-in form on your home page, rather than on a separate page. That way, visitors can easily sign up to receive email from you. And when they opt-in, ask if they prefer emails to come to them as text, HTML or rich media. Give them a choice of frequencies (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly, seasonally), and make sure that the emails you send clearly indicate who is sending them and why.

When you make an initial contact with customers, ask them for a minimal amount of information. You can collect more as time goes on. Remember that customers want something from you, so make sure you deliver value with every message. Make opt-outs a simple process, and ask customers to recommend their friends to you. But don’t assume that you have those friends' permission to market to them.

Once you know how to contact your customers, there are ways to differentiate them, such as clickstream tracking, transaction analysis, and collaborative filtering. But a lot can be learned simply by asking them. Then once you know them, you can create dynamic messages which reflect their individual interests. Baby Center, for example, collects email addresses and due dates. Then it can target messages based on the stage of pregnancy and beyond. It doesn't bother to ask for income or location because those are unnecessary pieces of information.

There are many opportunities to individualize messages: offers, branding, banner ads, URL links and core content. Test everything you can.

Derek also displayed a massive chart showing all the various factors that should be considered when doing email marketing – a complex task that you’re better off outsourcing to specialists. You can find that chart, "The E-mail production cycle," along with the rest of Derek’s presentation at http://www.derekscruggs.com/cik/cik_email.ppt.

Like the last roundtable, the event boasted a full house. Among those in attendance were Softbank gurus Brad and Dan Feld, Jon Otsuki from GVLabs, Carl Kalin from the Jedi Group (http://www.jedigroup.com), Bernice German from Peak Achievement (http://www.peakachievementinc.com), Scott Price from CustomerCentrix (http://www.customercentrix.com), David Tabor from Tabor Interactive (http://www.taborinteractive.com), and John Dick from Cooperative Data Products (http://www.coopdataproducts.com).

Given that this meeting started at 8 a.m., the coffee, bagels, juice and muffins were a nice touch.

On June 8, creative agency SpireMedia (http://www.spiremedia.com) and cross media art and engineering firm Goog (http://www.googdesign.com) held their "Hot as Hell" party at the Goog Studios. This was a must-go party. I was told that more than 800 people had RSVPed. Spire Director of Marketing and Business Development Brandon Shevin seemed relieved that they didn't all arrive at once. Instead, people came in a steady stream throughout evening: first the after-work crowd, then the early evening crowd, then the party people. There were very few couples; most came by themselves or with friends.

Upon arrival, we picked out name tags from a big bowl. Well, you can't really call them name tags, since they didn't have our names. They were more like identifiers. Everyone was pawing through them to find a tag that fit. I took "I am defined by this tag." Someone else had "I'm horny." Another, who happened to be black, wore "I like white people." I also spotted one guy wearing "I like meat" and another with "Your father pays for my apartment."

Since no one had name tags, I could only note the familiar faces. Billion-dollar man Jared Polis (he founded and sold BlueMountain.com) made an appearance. Erika Brown, founder of NetGoddess (http://wwwnetgoddess.com) was there. So was the above-mentioned Derek Scruggs, who remembered me from his presentation the day before. There were assorted Spire folks, including President Paul Schrank, Vice President of Sales and Marketing Doug Meer, V.J. Patel and Brett Madden. CEO Mike Gellman introduced me to one of his best friends, someone from Chipotle Mexican Grill (http://www.chipotle.com). I think Mike said his friend was the marketing director. I didn't catch the name, and he didn't have a business card. But he did give me a card for a free burrito! Also in attendance were Donna Crafton, Jen Hofmeister and Marissa Peede of LH3 (http://www.lh3.com). I had a long talk about energy and the environment with Curtis Hart of 2c1h.com (http://www.2c1h.com).

Mike wrote on the invitation that the porta potties would be ready – and they were. If there were real bathrooms in the place, I didn't see any. The building was semi-industrial, with offices in the front and machine tools in the back. Mike also promised 12 DJs. Since there were two music stations, I presume the various DJs took turns throughout the evening, though I didn't attempt to keep track.

Lots of sushi and lots of vodka and beer kept our mouths busy. But no one was drinking to excess, at least not while I was there during the first half of the evening. And I was looking for displays of decadence. I had a conversation with an actress named Sarah about that. We decided that Denver's cowtown roots were probably too deep for the city to ever become truly decadent.

I suspect, however, that things got much livelier after I left. Around 9 p.m., it was getting to be wall-to-wall people. I even spotted a few costumes. Someone arrived in a tutu, and I caught one group with shaved heads, leather and chains (I'm guessing they were a group of DJs). Then I spent some time outside talking to Brad Spirrison, managing editor of eMileHigh (http://www.emilehigh.com), and Jon Fetzer, co-founder/VP of TamTam (http://www.tamtam.com).

Around 9:30 p.m., I went back in for one more tour. That’s when I ran into a wall of sound and decided that the decibel level had hit my pain limit. It was time for me to head back to Boulder. But I left knowing that, in true Spire fashion, this party was hitting its stride and the energy level was cranking up.

I stopped in at Boulder's Central Park on June 12 to catch Kari Nelson's Play for Life event (http://www.YourRecess.com/index.html). I wasn't sure what I would find or be coerced into doing, but it was fun. There was a test-your-strength carnival attraction where you had to ring the bell by slamming down a mallet. I was terrible at it. Then Kari and I rode around on a tandem bike that seated us side by side, rather front to back. If you pedal together, you go in a straight line. If only one of you pedals, you pivot. (I can see its potential for team-building exercises.) There was also a group of attractive jocks batting around enormous balloon-like balls. Several others were racing each other on the bungee run. The program will be happening all summer on Tuesday evenings and Wednesdays at noon. Each week will feature different activities and themes. A number of people brought their kids, so it looks like it might be a good way to combine business networking and family time.

Doing Business With Mexico ~ An E-Wired Future ~ by Mary Dawne Arden

On June 7, 2001 at the Plaza Hotel ballroom in New York City Julio Cesar Margain, COO for a dynamic and comprehensive online initiative of the Mexican Government and Chief of Staff for The Ministry of Transportation and Communications, gave an inspirational presentation to the United States - Mexico Chamber of Commerce. It is a New On-Line Communications System connecting Mexico to the World. This new initiative? Sistema -Mexico

President Fox has chosen the perfect person to lead Sistema e-Mexico. Dr. Margain holds Degrees in Astrophysics, Philosophy, and Systems Management from MIT, and Artificial Intelligence among many others. He has been a Professor of Cybernetics, Artificial Intelligence, Advanced Mathematics, History of Technology and many other advanced sciences. He has been Director of IT for Banco de Mexico, Aeromexico and many Government and Business projects too numerous to name here

Margain is a brilliant visionary who has the experience and ability to bring President Fox’s vision of a completely wired nation into REALITY. President Vincente Fox of Mexico is convinced that in order for Mexico to overcome the enormous socio-economic contrasts that exist among its regions, it is necessary to connect the country at all levels, offering the same access and opportunities to all of those who live in Mexico. To achieve this goal President Fox has launched an on-line system that will connect all of Mexico.

This Sistema e-Mexico will connect Mexico at the Federal, Regional, State and Municipal levels. It will make Mexico a completely WIRED Nation. It will create the Portal e-Mexico that will open its doors to the world. It will offer unlimited business opportunities in e-commerce, telecommunications infrastructure and software development.

The Mexican Government wants to support and encourage any companies that want to take advantage of this incredible opportunity to become part of this new e-Mexico that is unfolding today and will bring Mexico into the position of a major player in the international business and technology world. For more information please go to the Website listed below or contact the U.S. Mexico Chamber of Commerce. http://www.e-mexico.gob.mx/

Hustling the Silicon Alley Yearbook

Scharmann's, in trendy SoHo, changed from a relaxing antique-y cafe to a hip-hip nightclub filled with netizens and denizens of Silicon Alley's old guard. The comfy room of antique and overstuffed sofas, loveseats and chaise lounges was was full and the party spilled out onto the sidewalk, lasting until well after midnight.

And what Silicon Alley reunion was this? The book release party for "Digital Hustlers" by Steve Weiss and Casey Kait! Among the real-life characters who are also in the book were Scott Heiferman, Andrew Rasiej, Marc Singer, Brian Horey, Lisa Napoli, Mark Stahlman, Connie Connors, Theresa Duncan, John Young, Red Burns, Bernardo Joselevich, Howard Greenstein, Syl Tang, Dennis Adamo and John Egan Preston.

Digital Hustlers, by Casey Kait & Stephen Weiss, is an oral history of Silicon Alley published by Regan Books / HarperCollins. In it, Alley veterans like Craig Kanarick, Esther Dyson, Kevin O'Connor, Kevin Ryan, yours truly, Alan Meckler, Scott Kurnit, Jerry Colonna, Fernando Espuelas and dozens of others who recount their experiences building Alley companies and facing down the market crash. For more information about the book, go to www.digitalhustlers.com.

Coffee and Therapy--New Yorkers commonality

With the influx of reality shows on TV and the prevalence of voyaristic websites, you knew it only had to be a matter of time before there was a show themed on therapy. Not truly a reality show, CouchConfessions.com uses professional actors to entirely improvise scenes. Viewers can log in for 3-5 mintues every day to get updates on up to 27 differnet story lines of dysfunctional people in their therapy session.

Frankly, there are enough wackos just walking around the streets of New York that I don't need to login and watch sickos online, but apparently plenty of people do. They may also be logging in to see renowned, honored and professional working actress Tovah Feldshuh facilitate the other actors in the exploratory improve therapy session. Couchconfessions.com was the brain child of Lewis Silverman, a seasoned news professional producer, reporter, editor and writer. He came up with the character sketches and psyches and Michael Drucker and Madeleine Solano produce the 3-5 minute daily segments each week.

Not into other people's problems, this show is just one of 25 series that iNEXTV.com has produced since 1999. Owned by Ampex Corporation, iNEXTV utilizes a custom player window streaming and advertising video interface for its encoding, hosting and straming. Before each show a five-second ad pops up. Afterwards, a thirty-second ad provides opportunities for more clickthrus and branding. INEXTV's distribution strategy includes syndication on many major portals like Yahoo!, Qwest and Juno. Their strategy then goes from the portals to the verticals and puts them in partnerships with specialty sites like ClassicCars.com, TravelNow.com and On the Road with Chef Ashbell.

My interview with iNEXTV.com's programming VP Marc Chalom, Tovah Feldshuh, Michael Drucker, Lewis Silverman and the rest of the CouchConfessions.com team conveyed a group of seasoned professionals ("over 100 years of combined experience" touted Marc). They also were a group that seem to have fun and share much comraderie as they all work together to bring a bunch of taboo nutjobs to life on the mini-screen! Even if therapy isn't your bag, iNEXTV is one site with probably the most original online TV content around. The staff of about 70 (including freelancers) seem committed (no pun intended) to continue producing many more shows and adding specialties. So who cares if you can't get "One Life To Live" while you're at work. It doesn't matter if you still can't program your VCR - just logon to iNEXTV.com and get your daily dose of drama, advice and entertainment!

The Cyber Scene in Los Angeles ~ by Krysten Johnson

The Second Annual eHealth Conference - June 5, 2001 "The Changing Paradigm: What a Difference a Year Makes" Hosted at the Skirball Cultural Center.

The annual eHealth Conference is organized by the Healthcare Collaborative at UCLA. This group is a collaborative of students, alumni, faculty and staff of the UCLA School of Public Health and The Anderson School at UCLA. It also includes members of the Southern California healthcare community. The purpose of the seminar was to: a) focus on changes in the industry over the past year and assess the reactions of the business community to the changes, and b) instruct attendees adequately on the use of new technologies. That way, they can ask the right questions about eHealth and learn how it will affect operations in their workplace.

Seminar topics included:

a. The new business realities confronting healthcare
b. The eHealth revolution - where is was in 2000 and where it is going
c. The potential of eHealth - quality improvement and cost reduction
d. Strategies for eHealth - a blueprint for action
e. Infrastructure development - a roadmap for planning and implementation
f. Better medicine - is eHealth promoting better treatment opportunities?

It was a real treat for me to attend the conference this year. I was able to soak up the great intellect and information presented by the speakers thanks to Terry Laughlin. Terry is one of the Health Collaborative's committee members and also the Assistant to the Director of Public Health & Health Services. She introduced me to a slew of people; I truly I appreciated her kind attention.

The Week in Review

Of course there were many other networking opportunities in the Silicon Alley land, and here's just a quick run down of some of them. Webgrrls hosted a talk with Allison Hemming & her "Pink Slipper's Guide To Reality" on June 5th during their Webgrrls Women Series. "PEOPLE, PROFITABILITY & PRAGMATISM: MANAGING IN SILICON ALLEY TODAY" was the topic of discussion at the most recent New York eComm event on June 6th with About.com president & co-founder Bill Day, ScreamingMedia president & co-founder Alan Ellman, Doubleclick strategy SVP Jonathan Shapiro, Cognizant CFO Gordon Coburn and New York Times Digitalspeakers CFO Ellen Taus speaking. Steven Weiss and Casey Kait threw a banner bash at Scharmann's for their "Digital Hustlers" book release on June 6th. The Moving Image Gallery was host and home to Yael Kanarek's artist reception for "World of Awe > Silicon Canyon" on Thursday, June 7th. http://www.worldofawe.net.

WOW! Trends in Technology

Windows on the World was where PriceWaterhouseCoopers whisked in over 300 techno-professionals to attend their "New Media Summit - The Next Phase..." on June 5th. PriceWaterhouseCoopers partner Tom Hyland served up a well-rounded overview to get the day going, which was followed by Primedia's Chief Internet Officer Scott Kurnit's sharp perspective on the industry, where its been, where its going and Primedia's objectives. One of his initial comments was that if we didn't have the two year exuberance that skewed perspectives, the market and businesses, by all practical measures the Internet is quite healthy. As others have said before him, now is not the time to retrench, it's the time to get out there and make a difference.

Focusing a bit on how Primedia uses technology, we learned that Scott promotes the idea of those handy Blackberry's-email is sent more speedily than web-based email and you better "use it or be left behind." He is a big advocate of laptops. "When I walk into a company and see desktops, I see 'loser.'" It may seem like Scott's work ethic of working from home, on weekends or during non-work hours is a bit harsh, but he didn't get to where he is by slacking off either. Coming from a media company POV, Scott was also confident about New York's leading role as compared to San Francisco for media companies. His drill sergeant perspective came out again when he said "if you don't get bigger, you get left behind."

Discussing Primedia and its evolution since the merger, Scott revealed during a Q&A that you have to give up a little bit of what you have when merging with another company, and that you have to get your people used to the idea as well. Their About.com advertising model has been supplemented by Primedia's subscription model and they will soon be charging for specialty newsletters. "As you delved into specialized areas (hot rodding, photography, canoeing), people will pay for this content and even pay attention to the ads. Ads are half the reason people buy magazines and online advertising will improve eventually.

With only one technical glitch-not Scott's fault-of some Musak starting up during his speech, Scott offered insight into his thoughts on how About.com grew and succeeded, about Primedia's objectives and how technology is helping businesses become more efficient. And he did it all in his usual forceful and witty style.

** Getting more technical and specific, PriceWaterhouseCoopers Strategic Technology Services director Eric Berg went through highlights on their 900+ page book "Technology Forecast: 2001-2003." In just over half-an-hour we learned the advantages and advances of mobile technology and wireless. The success of this platform will continue due to its ability to help people stay connected, serve up information or entertainment and remain relatively inexpensive in terms of adoption. The mobile Internet, a result of trends in enabling technology that's been underway for some time now, will be a blend of conventional carrier networks and wireless LANS. With the ubiquitous and success of mobile computing devices, improvements in wireless data technology and success of early applications (NTTDoCoMo in Japan and SMS messenging in Europe), this platform is only at the beginning of its life-changing aspects. Some of the unique characteristics of this killer application are its immediate access to communication and information-our devices are typically always on and the ability to take advantage of "niche time"-while in mass transit, waiting for an employee and of course, while in a boring meeting. The fact that these handhelds are always with you, can push information you want and offer personalization are more selling points. GPS and ability to track down someone, or block someone from finding you are all compelling new developments.

Exploring newer developments Eric brought up other future apps for wireless devices: location-based services where you could find your nearest Post Office, or Italian restaurant for four in half-an-hour within one mile of you or having "buddy lists" that would alert you when a friend was nearby. Of course, you could also set up an "anti-buddy" list so if there was someone around you didn't want to see, it would alert you to them as well. Eric rounded out the discussion with information and comparison between the 2.5 generation and 3rd generation of the Internet.

This discussion on next generations of the Internet continued right after in the "New Media Technology Panel" with Eric, Unplugged Games founder and president Eric Goldberg, Speedus.com EVP John Kallassey, Zebus Group Jay Johnon and i3Mobile chairman and chief strategist. Forbes pubisher Rich Karlgaard moderated the intelligent and mostly subdued panelists.

The day's schedule included a panel discussion on achieving profitability and an invterview by PWC Global Kevin Carton with Zagat founders and co-chairs Nina and Tim Zagat. Forbes.com editor Matthew Schifrin showcased the "Best of the Web" followed by a "R/Evolution of Internet Advertising" panel. Bertelsmann ecommerce Group president and CEO Andreas Schmidt spoke before Tom Hyland wrapped up the day with take-away points.

Shakers & Stirrers and Bits & Bytes

StarCite Lands $10 Million
Yes, venture-capital seekers, there is financing available. StarCite, Inc. proved that recently by snagging a third round of financing, raising over $10 million from strategic investors American Express; Breakaway Solutions; Internet Capital Group; Maritz Travel Company; McGettigan Partners; Mellon Bank; Networld; Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.; Strattech Partners; and VerticalNet. The company, which launched in January 1999, supports the $300 billion global meetings and events industry through its proprietary web-based technologies and services. Custom versions of the company's Internet site, StarCite.com, enable corporations to implement more effective buying and vendor management on a company-wide and global basis.

Widening the Learning Curve
Haven't a clue about investing? Pretty soon you'll be able to change that by logging onto a new online financial learning center. Wide Learning, the global learning specialists, has formed a partnership with AllWomenInvest Network, LLC to develop www.allwomeninvest.com, which will provide e-learning solutions to women investors. The learning center is powered by Wide Learning¹s QuicksightŒ products, which are three- to five-minute bursts of learning. The library of Quicksights covers a range of financial topics for all levels of investors. Topics include dollar-cost averaging, fundamental analysis, mutual funds, earnings per share, P/E ratios, 401(k)s, bonds and risk management. The AllWomenInvest site provides women with pertinent financial information for investment purposes or to aid in the organization of investment clubs.

Former MTV Networks Executive Launches PR Firm
Former MTV Networks and Middleberg Euro RSCG executive Mark Pasetsky has launched Mark Allen & Company, a New York-based public relations firm specializing in CEO and executive communications. In addition to providing executive communications counsel, the firm serves as a strategic counselor to CEOs and corporate communications teams on a variety of internal and external communications issues. Pasetsky offers a strong track record in counseling CEOs and executives. From 1999-2001, Pasetsky served as the vice president of corporate communications for Viacom's (NYSE: VIA) MTV Networks' Internet business units MTVi and Nickelodeon Online. Before MTV Networks, Pasetsky was director for Middleberg Euro RSCG formerly (Middleberg + Associates), a leading New York-based public relations firm.