My Favorite TED Talk (thus far)

jasonhaber — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 16:56:43 +0000

What is the best TED Talk ever given? This question was recently posed on Reddit and within hours hundreds of comments came into the post. Scrolling through them I saw the usual names of past speakers who have given incredible talks. There was one name missing from this list: Ben Dunlap.

With a nod to Sir Ken Robinson, my vote on this subject is for the talk Dunlap gave at the 2007 TED Conference.

If ever there was an idea worth spreading, its this one so eloquently shared in 18 minutes.

What do you think?

The Future of Magazines?

jasonhaber — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:54:33 +0000

2010 will be the year of the tablet device. While Apple’s device has lots of buzz, Time Inc. has a new video out showing how their device will change the way we read magazines.

Check out this video. It may even cause you to think about getting a subscription to a magazine. Remember those days?

The Mistake of Looking Too Far Ahead

jasonhaber — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:08:12 +0000

If you aren’t from New York – specifically Long Island – you may not know the name Tom Suozzi.

He is the current Nassau County Executive who had everything going for him. The NY Times today characterized him as, ” handsome, articulate, extravagantly ambitious…” The problem? As the Times goes on to say, “and now looking for work.”

Tom Suozzi narrowly lost to a no-name Republican county legislator. After a long recount, he conceeded this week.

How badly did he mismanage his re-election? He had over $2m left in his bank account. Why didn’t he spend it?

Since he was elected, Suozzi was always looking ahead for the next big race. Even after having his clock-cleaned by Eliot Spitzer in the 2006 NYS Governor’s primary race, Suozzi still had plenty of options in front of him. And the problem is, he knew it.

I was at a meeting in 2003 when someone at the table told me an interesting story about Suozzi. This person was at lunch with him and they were talking politics. Suozzi said that he planned to run for President. To which this person responded, “of what?”

“President of the United States,” Suozzi said.

“Hu?” the guy across the table said back to him.

I met Suozzi for the first time in 2004 at the Democratic Convention in Boston. I remember seeing him on the floor of the convention hall roaming around trying to shake hands with every single delegate. I remember Terry Mcauliffe calling Suozzi a rising star of the party.

We spoke a few times at the event. A few months later, he was throwing a major fundraiser for his campaign. Tony Bennett was going to perform. A few days before the event I got a call, Suozzi was singing into my phone, “I left my heart in San Fransisco.” It was his way of inviting me to the event. I must say, the man can sing.

But his ambition got the best of him. There is a lesson there for all of us.

What’s Making News Today

jasonhaber — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:11:07 +0000

Interesting observation:

On a busy news day with issues like Afghanistan, health care, jobs, gay marriage, and a suicide bombing are all in the news, what’s the most popular topic of the day, according to Google News?

It’s Tiger Woods statement on his ‘personal failings.’ What’s the second most popular story? It’s about the future of Tiger Woods. But Tiger does not get the trifecta.

The third most popular story is a real page turner. Apparently, Taylor Swift is ‘freaking out’ about the Grammy Awards.

OMG.