Ross Myers

The 2007 Converge South Tech Users Conference is coming up again October 19-20 here in Greensboro, NC. If you have not registered yet you can go here.

Looking at the different sessions, it just seems to get better and better every year and I can think of no other place I would rather be, but sadly another prior commitment (in Minnesota) will not allow me to attend this year.

If you go…eat a plate of that real Southern BBQ for me

Google Faces Freedom Callenges in United States of America

Google Faces "Guge" Censorship Challenge in China

Face-off here

This from a North Carolinian with Greensboro ties who made good in the world.

He was the most famous newsman in broadcasting, but he spelled out the limitations of his trade. "Just because the microphone in front of you amplifies your voice around the world," he’d say, "is no reason to think we have any more wisdom than we had when our voices could reach only from one end of the bar to the other."

"We will not walk in fear, one of another. We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason if we dig deep in our history and doctrine and remember that we are not descended from fearful men, not from men who feared to write, to speak, to associate and to defend causes which were for the moment unpopular. We can deny our heritage and our history, but we cannot escape responsibility for the result. There is no way for a citizen of the Republic to abdicate his responsibility."

Here’s to good friends, good partners and good buisness.

If we find Hollywood isn’t listening…we’ll just turn it up a notch.

Two years ago to the day Greensboro was shown where the jobs were.  Why aren’t they here already?

Looking at the fastest growing occupations a reasonable argument can be made that 8 out of 10 bear a direct realationship to the Creative and Weblog Industry, which is experiencing a growth of over 100,000 new blogs launching daily.

Fastest Growing Occupations, 2000-2010

                                                                                   Employment    Change

Computer software engineers, applications

Computer support specialists 

Computer software engineers, systems software

Network and computer systems administrators

Network systems and data communications analysts

Desktop publishers 

Database administrators

Personal and home care aides

Computer systems analysts 

Medical assistants

Of course if one attracts the higher paying jobs in the Fastest Growing Sector, the service jobs in the Largest Growing Sector naturally follow.

So where are the business models headed that create these jobs? The latest has headed to Virginia.  PaidContent.org posted recently that Northern Virginia based BackFence.com has received a $3 million dollar first round of Venture Capital. This announcement comes on the heels of other internet blog properties moving, Weblogs, Inc. and Weblogs.com.

Reports like this touting a 26% growth in internet advertising revenue may have sparked a bit of a boom, but are we feeling it here? As the dollars begin to flow thru the blogosphere, where’s Greensboro?

Sadly, it’s lead of years, faded to 30 seconds, and now it’s behind.  Local start-up companies with National aspirations, like Greensboro101, TriadBlogs, EpiCourier and BlackCache who have been uniquely posistioned to capitalize in their respective market niches may just miss the curve. Companies not prepared with the needed resources to develop the management, content, audiences and roll out a national footprint to distribute too, will lose out on opportunities like, the political advertising market of 2006, that will be crucial to their ability to compete against MSM and survive.

How can Greensboro regain its lead or maintain it present market opportunities?

It needs to break free of the manufacturing based economy mentality and "find some love" from the local investor community. It needs to translate the community support given to ConvergeSouth into a long term investment strategy. It needs to be shown how the business of Creative Industry directly relates to the Mid-Atlantic Fed Ex Hub and how it will be  the two working together that will bring the future jobs to our community, to our children.

Our company’s business plan has not called for VC, but if the recent Shopping Spree continues we may consider looking for a "little love" ourselves for some of our internet properties. I just hope we don’t have to go to Northern Virginia to find it.

But, if it comes to it, you know what they say, "Virginia IS for Lovers."

Click on banner to find out more.

Dan Romuald has assumed the posistion of CEO of Policlicks.com LLC, he replaces Tara Sue Clark, who leaves the post to pursue expanded oppurtunities.

Tara Sue is passing the responsiblity of our company’s next stage of growth on to very good leadership. Dan has been with us since December of last year and has established himself as a crucial team member in developing the incrediable potential of our products and services. Dan has a strong grasp on where we are as a company and where we need to be and we believe with him at the helm we will get there.

On behalf of the Policlicks Team, we wish Tara Sue great success as she tackles her next endevor and we would like to thank her for the leadership and personal sacrifice she provided our company over the last three years, without which we would not be here today.

And to Dan, you the man, and we’re with you all the way. 

dougpetch.com"As expected, the FCC today announced that the line-sharing requirement for DSL service providers has been removed (MSWord document). More exciting to me, though, was this announcement (MSWord document) that came out of the same ruling-"

I play at Riches–to appease
The Clamoring for Gold–
It kept me from a Thief, I think,
For often, overbold

With Want, and Opportunity–
I could have done a Sin
And been Myself that easy Thing
An independent Man–

But often as my lot displays
Too hungary to be borne
I deem Myself what I would be–
And novel Comforting

My Povery and I derive–
We question if the Man–
Who own–Esteem the opulence–
As We–Who never can–

Should ever these exploring Hands
Chance Sovereign on a Mine–
Or in the long–uneven term
To win, become their turn–

How fitter they will be–for Want–
Enlightening so well–
I know not which, Desire, or Grant–
Be wholly beautiful–

   by: Emily Dikinson
 

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Syndicate is the premier venue to learn about the new tools of syndication– RSS, Atom, OPML, Media RSS, blogs and other emerging technologies that are changing a marketplace with billions of advertising dollars at stake. Real-world ideas and solutions will be presented which will tackle the threats and embrace the opportunities created for online and traditional publishing, as well as the challenges and issues facing today’s corporate marketing and advertising professionals.

We were invited but the $1,000.00 + a ticket put it out of reach.