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| | The May Report: 11/18/2009: MIT-EF event on hired guns stimulates interesting discussion but no time to get into details today; That English Bulldog ad appears to be a scam, and why is the Trib. running nine year old photos of trade shows?
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| | November 18, 2009
The May Report: 11/18/2009: MIT-EF event on hired guns stimulates interesting discussion but no time to get into details today; That English Bulldog ad appears to be a scam, and why is the Trib. running nine year old photos of trade shows?
Editor and publisher: ron@themayreport.com, ronaldmay@aol.com, www.themayreport.com, 773-525-3944.
If you missed an article, go here: http://www.tmronline.com/A55951/tmrarticles.nsf/vwFullNewsletter
_______________________
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_________________________________
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Scoop section:
-- Chicago Tribune runs nine year old picture to show how attendance at trade shows has dropped off -- so where has their coverage of those shows been?
-- Friday, November 20: TiE Midwest Leaders and Legends: Hardik Bhatt, CIO of the city of Chicago speaker
-- Paul Sand: mVerify Story Follow-up
-- Tuesday, December 1: BNC VC Group at LLB&L; Presenters - B My Baby
-- Congressman Danny K. Davis Job Training Program and The Digital Development Corporation brought together four technology companies and three southern Illinois towns to collaborate on a three tier project that would create jobs, deploy broadband Internet and train community residents for 'High End' technology jobs. Working to deploy broadband Internet to southern, rural, Illinois, IHSystems, Marteva Technologies, Mt. Vernon Net and Cisco Systems....
-- 2010 Microsoft BizSpark Accelerator at SXSW
-- Chicago Booth holds alternative energy venture forum but I cannot find the date in the notice
-- Viewpoints Update - October 2009
-- Miscellaneous notes (2 messages)
-- MEF Networking party: Wednesday December 9th, 2009
-- Confidential complaint about the English bulldogs
[Editor's note: Much to say, no time to say it. I have an annual check up with my primary doc and then I am going to try to make the ASP meeting on the Miller Coors story. That is 79 S. Wacker Drive. Two very stimulating meetings this week so far. TBIF was excellent but there is little I can say other than who was there and attendees included a few investors like Bob Geras and someone from Sandbox Industries and Spinnaker.
Geras did tell me though that Bias Power is on a roll. They raised $2.4MM about two months ago and had one angel who is a supplier put in $1.4MM. The raise was supposed to be $2MM but ir was oversubscirbed. Then they got an additional $600K making the total raise $3MM. Another Geras investment that looks hot is Orthoscan out of Scottsdale, AZ. Bob has also lost 20 lbs. and he is down to 228 lbs. Sounds like it is time for another weight bet.
Meanwhile, BOB (Business Only Broadband) has turned its situatiion around, I hear and Jason Rexilius is kvetching a lot and may move to California. I'm late already. Time to go.]
_____________________________________
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The Scoop section:
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Chicago Tribune runs nine year old picture to show how attendance at trade shows has dropped off -- so where has their coverage of those shows been?
http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chi-wed-plastics-show-nov18,0,4031278.story
Changes sought after 2nd trade show leaves McCormick Place
Mayor Richard Daley, McPier chief want unions to cut fees, eliminate onerous work rules
The plastics industry trade show was among the largest held at McCormick Place, its home since 1971. Employees of the KaySun Corp. wear virtual reality goggles in June 2000 for an interactive view of the a pellet handling system by Premier Pneumatics, Inc. of Kansas during the National Plastics Expo at McCormick Place. (Tribune photo / June 19, 2000)
Related
City's tough year has it feeling blue
Medical group pulling trade show from Chicago after one visit
Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority to reduce work force by 20%
By Kathy Bergen and John Byrne
Tribune reporters
November 18, 2009
E-mail Print Share Text Size
The loss of a second trade show that meant big business for Chicago is putting quick and powerful pressure on McCormick Place, the city's showcase convention center, to combat the impression that the Second City costs too much to visit.
The plastics industry trade show on Tuesday said it is moving to Orlando, Fla., for 2012 and 2015 after nearly four decades in Chicago. The announcement follows a decision by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society last week to move its 2012 annual meeting to Las Vegas. Both shows cited the high cost of doing business in Chicago.
The plastic show's decision to leave is "a very serious loss," Mayor Richard Daley said, calling on unions and others working at the convention center to change fee structures and onerous work rules so Chicago can better compete for major shows.
"I think they have to go back, everybody involved, and say 'This is a serious situation. It's a serious situation for hotels, retail, (the media), everything,' " Daley said. "Because if the shows keep dwindling down, there will be less and less activity at McCormick Place, and that will have a deep effect on the state, county and city governments, the revenue."
A lot is riding in the balance. Some 45.6 million visitors spent an estimated $11.8 billion in Chicago last year, generating $656 million in tax revenue, according to the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau. Business and convention visitors contributed close to half that spending.
"We will take a look at this very important economic engine, because our engine is in need of a major tuneup," said Juan Ochoa, chief executive of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, or McPier, which owns and operates McCormick Place.
A task force of officials from McPier, the convention bureau, the unions that work at McCormick Place, the restaurant industry and the city's hotels will convene Wednesday to attempt to devise ways to make Chicago more competitive.
And McPier will continue to seek a restructuring of its debt in Springfield as a way to ease its financial squeeze, a crunch that has hampered its efforts to match deals offered by competitors, Ochoa said. The agency also may seek a subsidy for its operations, he said, but only if the economic climate improves.
Plastics show officials said they expect their move to yield up to $20 million in savings for exhibitors and attendees, with more than half coming from savings in travel-related costs, including hotel, restaurant meals and parking.
The defections to the city's chief rivals occur as the deep recession is cutting into the tourism and convention business, leading McPier to decide this week to trim its work force by 20 percent, or about 100 positions, as part of a larger cost-cutting program aimed at trimming a projected $28.8 million deficit this fiscal year.
The plastics show, known as NPE and produced by SPI: The Plastics Industry Trade Association, is triennial. The June show, which drew 44,000 attendees, likely will turn out to be the 9th largest of the year for McCormick Place, generating an estimated $95.3 million in spending locally.
But the show is exiting after exhibitors complained about high costs. "With the deep recession, costs really exacerbated themselves," said William Carteaux, president and chief executive of the association.
The plastics show said much of the savings in moving to Orlando will be derived from travel expenses, but officials say the high cost of union labor to assemble anything at McCormick put a crimp in exhibitor's willingness to bring along their sophisticated machines. Seeing those machines in action is critical to buyers.
"With the cost structure in Orlando, we can put on a more high-quality event," Carteaux said.
By moving to Orlando's Orange County Convention Center, average exhibitor costs would drop by 48 percent for utilities, 19 percent for on-site hauling and rigging, 23 percent for lodging and 11 percent for travel, the trade group determined in an in-depth study this year.
The group examined detailed bills from the 2009 show, and compared them to projected costs in Orlando in 2012. For example, one exhibitor with a midsize booth paid $6,167 for utility service at McCormick Place, but would see that cut by 43 percent, or $2,648, in Orlando due to lower labor charges, the group determined.
Union work rules are another issue.
The extra labor expense of putting on a show in Chicago is often due to union rules that require certain levels of staffing and don't permit exhibitors to perform many of the tasks required to build exhibits.
"A right-to-work state, like Florida, allows us to best mimic what our exhibitors are used to on an international basis," said Gene Sanders, senior vice president for trade shows for the association. In overseas shows, exhibitors "typically are able to assemble their own equipment and do a lot of their own work."
Daley acknowledged that unions working at McCormick Place agreed to previous work-rule changes, but said those changes weren't sufficient. "We will meet with the plastics show and talk to them about some of the changes they wanted."
kbergen@tribune.com
Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune
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Friday, November 20: TiE Midwest Leaders and Legends: Hardik Bhatt, CIO of the city of Chicago speaker
Subject: TiE Midwest Leaders and Legends
Date: 11/16/2009 6:00:50 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: jessica.carter@midwest.tie.org
To: ronaldmay@aol.com
Ron,
I would like to let you know that if you are able to attend the TiE event this Friday, you are welcome to do so, since Hardik Bhatt is a city of Chicago employee. However, the attendance/membership policies with TiE Midwest are still under review and we will notify you of our new policy for 2010.
We do still have a few seats open for registration, if you wish to put it in your newsletter. Event details are below. Also, we would like to welcome our new Executive Director, Maria Katris. Maria will also be in attendance at Friday's event.
Event: Leaders and Legends, featuring Hardik Bhatt, CIO, City of Chicago
Date: Fri. Nov. 20, 2009
Time: 7:30am-9:00am
Registration: Register in advance, by Wed. Nov.18th, 11pm (no onsite registration)
https://www.123signup.com/event?id=jcxnh
Additionally, I just received your $15 check from the last leaders and legends event (mail forwarding was slow), and we will process your membership reimbursement tomorrow and send that check for $100. Please let me know if you will be attending this Friday, and I would be happy to just keep the previous $15 check as payment. If you do not wish to attend, I will mail it back to you with the membership fee reimbursement.
Regards,
Jessica
Jessica Carter
Director of Programming and Administration
TiE Midwest
________________________________________
Paul Sand: mVerify Story Follow-up
Subject: mVerify Story Follow-up
Date: 11/16/2009 9:53:45 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: paul.sand@salaresecurity.com
To: ronaldmay@aol.com
Ron,
I am responding to your mention of mVerify on Friday, October 23. First of all for the record, I am not currently an employee or a member of the mVerify management team, so the words I write are mine alone. Today, my only tie to mVerify is that as an existing equity holder. So, I can't answer questions with respect to the business reasons that lead mVerify to decide to redact and/or modify postings at glassdoor.com. Since the postings were unflattering to mVerify and the management team in place at the time covered by the review (which did include me) I was greatly disappointed to read the perspectives captured. However, I do understand the perspectives have validity in that the employees clearly did feel what they have expressed. Managing in a start-up company is the toughest job I have ever had --- the needs of the customer base, the investors, and the employees never come into perfect alignment and tough choices that have profound consequences need to be made every day. I will not dismiss or diminish the importance of employees, their perspective, and their needs, but I do want to emphasize that a startup company must often balance many competing interests. I made a lot of good friends in my tenure at mVerify and would gladly hire each employee I worked with at mVerify given the right opportunity. It is my most sincere hope that they would all agree to work again with me.
Regards,
Paul R. Sand
President and CEO
Salare Security LLC
200 S. Wacker Drive,15th Floor
Chicago, IL 60606
________________________________________
Tuesday, December 1: BNC VC Group at LLB&L; Presenters - B My Baby
Subject: BNC VC Group 12/1 5:00 PM at LLB&L; Presenters - B My Baby
Date: 11/18/2009 1:14:40 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: len.bland@gmail.com
Reply To: len_bland@conceptequity.com
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com
BNC Venture Capital Group
Sign up here: 123 Signup http://tinyurl.com/bncvc1201
Tuesday 12/1, 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM 111 S. Wacker Drive, 41st Floor
Please do not arrive before 5:00 PM.
Click Here for the full meeting announcement: http://conceptequity.com/BNCVCGroup.htm
The BNC Venture Capital Group introduces exciting investment opportunities to professional investors (angels, early stage venture capitalists, and private equity firms seeking add-ons) and fosters the growth of entrepreneurial activity.
Len Bland, CEO of Concept Equity www.conceptequity.com, and David Carman, CEO of Business Network Chicago www.bnchicago.org, lead the BNC Venture Capital Group.
We will review four entrepreneurial opportunities. Each presentation lasts 10 minutes, followed by a 15 minute Q&A.
Effective presentations answer 4 questions:
·What is the product or service?
-Why will customers buy it?
·Why is the management team qualified to execute the business plan?
·How will the investor make money?
5:00 PM - Networking
5:30 PM - B My Baby
6:00 PM - Presenter 2
6:30 PM - Break
6:45 PM - Presenter 3
7:15 PM - Presenter 4
B My Baby Nursery is an experiential retailer of water-filled baby dolls and accessories in a hospital nursery designed for children (think Build-A-Bear Workshop meets American Girl). The company plans to open 52 company owned stores by 2014. The business relies on a very successful, patented water-filled baby doll known as Waterbabies http://www.realwaterbabies.com/, which sold 20MM units in 20 years.
Location:
Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell http://www.lockelord.com/
111 South Wacker Drive, 29th Floor
Chicago, Illinois 60606
Sign up at 123Signup http://tinyurl.com/bncvc1201 - Event cost $20
Evening Meeting includes food and beverages
Call Len Bland at 847-317-0656 or write len_bland@conceptequity.com with questions or if you have any difficulty registering. Other investors welcome.
If you have a scheduling conflict, please join us for the next meeting set for 1/5/2010.
Regards,
Len Bland, CPA
CEO
http://twitter.com/conceptlen
Office/Cell: 847-317-0656
Fax: 847-919-4396
www.conceptequity.com
Next BNC Venture Capital Group Meeting
Join BNC Venture Capital Group notification list
Current investment opportunities
Concept Equity Blog
__________________________________________
Congressman Danny K. Davis Job Training Program and The Digital Development Corporation brought together four technology companies and three southern Illinois towns to collaborate on a three tier project that would create jobs, deploy broadband Internet and train community residents for 'High End' technology jobs. Working to deploy broadband Internet to southern, rural, Illinois, IHSystems, Marteva Technologies, Mt. Vernon Net and Cisco Systems....
Subject: Press Release From DDC
Date: 11/17/2009 6:04:17 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: ltque@juno.com
To: ltque@juno.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Information
Lowry Taylor, Exe. Director, DDCOC
Phone: 773.675.0679
Email: lowrys.taylor@gmail.com
Sid Siddiqui, CEO, I.H. Systems, Inc.
Phone: 630.673.8906
Email:sid@ihsystem.com
The Congressman Danny K. Davis Job Training Program And The Digital Development Corporation Join High End Technology Companies To Create High End Technology Based Job Training Program
Chicago, IL - November 17, 2009-- With Chicago Westside unemployment over 25%, the State unemployment rate at 10.5%, The Congressman Danny K. Davis Job Training Program and The Digital Development Corporation brought together four technology companies and three southern Illinois towns to collaborate on a three tier project that would create jobs, deploy broadband Internet and train community residents for 'High End' technology jobs. Working to deploy broadband Internet to southern, rural, Illinois, IHSystems, Marteva Technologies, Mt. Vernon Net and Cisco Systems all came together with the Digital Development Corporation and the Congressman Danny K. Davis Job Training Program. They began work on a project that would seek funding under the economic stimulus, officially known as The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, abbreviated ARRA.
Knowing that broadband connection is poorest in rural Illinois, that jobs can be created with the deployment of broadband, throughout the State and training must take place for the State to stay competitive, the Digital Development Corporation is determine to connect the private, the non-for-profit sector and municipalities to accomplish this task. IHSystems' CEO, Sid Siddiqui stated, "We strongly believe that our self-sustainable project will not only provide low price bandwidth to residents & businesses through last mile vendors but also bring service related jobs back to local communities and indirectly create thousands of new jobs in various fields like call center, technology, computer management, healthcare, disaster recovery & response management and more. Our project can easily be replicated in other parts of the U.S.A., which is implemented with-in three years & and profitable within 5 years." It's a self-sustaining project that would create 43 jobs in five (5) southern Illinois towns, with population of 10,000 to 20,000, create eight (8) jobs, in the City of Chicago, connecting ¾ of the State of Illinois and train unlimited Illinoisans, for the future.
When President Obama urged all Americans to "work together" to reverse this recession, the Digital Development Corporation and the Congressman Danny K. Davis Job Training Program seen those comments and the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), as an opportunity to organize the cities of southern Illinois, that are in need of job creation and broadband Internet deployment, while working with "top notch" technology companies that would be willing to work with community organizations to work for solutions. Lowry Taylor stated, "We know what the problem is, we have studied the possible solutions and we have put together a proposal to address this lack of Internet connections while creating jobs and training opportunities. The major hurdle is breaking the trend where those companies, that are politically connected get funding and those without get nothing. There must be pressure applied to the State to work with those community based organizations that can bring a fresh approach. The approach, thus far, has been uneven and not fair to all." _______________________________________
2010 Microsoft BizSpark Accelerator at SXSW
Subject: TECH cocktail
Date: 11/18/2009 11:04:03 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: cofounders@techcocktail.com
To: ronaldmay@aol.com
TECH cocktail
----------------
2010 Microsoft BizSpark Accelerator at SXSW
http://tinyurl.com/yz7wg2w
Posted: 17 Nov 2009 03:26 PM PST
Reading time: 1 - 2 minutes
Take advantage of the opportunity to showcase your emerging technology product or service in front of industry leaders by participating in the 2010 Microsoft BizSpark Accelerator at SXSW. Accelerator takes place on March 15-16 as a part of the SXSW Interactive Festival, during which you can improve your product launch, attract venture capitalists, polish your elevator pitch, receive media exposure, build brand awareness, network, socialize and experience all that SXSW Interactive has to offer.
SXSW just published 10 reasons why you should be a part the 2010 Microsoft BizSpark Accelerator at SXSW.
The deadline to register is December 4, less than one month away, so visit https://accelerator.sxsw.com today.
Visit the Accelerator website at: http://sxsw.com/interactive/accelerator/application
Disclosure: Frank Gruber is on the advisory board for the SXSW Accelerator program.
__________________________________________
Chicago Booth holds alternative energy venture forum but I cannot find the date in the notice
From: Harris, Mark Mark.Harris@chicagobooth.edu
Subject: ***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO BOOTH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS HOLDS ALTERNATIVE ENERGY VENTURE FORUM
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:11:45 -0600
To: Harris, Mark Mark.Harris@chicagobooth.edu
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
November 18, 2009 Mark Harris (773) 820-1703
mark.harris@ChicagoBooth.edu
universiTy of Chicago BOOTH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS HOLDS Alternative energy venture forum
Third Annual Forum Featured USDOE's Matt Rogers and Presentations from Nine Clean Tech Companies
CHICAGO - The University of Chicago Booth School of Business and its Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship today held the third Midwest Alternative Energy Venture Forum (MAEVF) at Gleacher Center in downtown Chicago. In partnership with 20 organizations and sponsors, the forum provided an opportunity for participants to explore some of the newest breakthroughs in this rapidly changing field and discuss energy policy and investment opportunities. Nine of the Midwest's most exciting early-stage clean tech companies also presented to interested investors, researchers, and experts.
"The need for viable alternative energy solutions is a driving force in our economy. The MAEVF continues to offer a venue to showcase some of the most promising clean tech ventures in the region and explore the dynamics and future growth of this industry," said Ellen Rudnick, executive director of the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship.
The day-long event, which coincided with Global Entrepreneurship Week, featured a keynote address from Matt Rogers, senior advisor to the secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy, who oversees the disbursement of energy-related stimulus money, and Michael P. Polsky, founder, president and CEO of Invenergy LLC. The forum also included panel sessions on energy storage, energy efficient lighting, and financing options for clean tech companies.
Presenting companies, which were determined by a selection committee, included: Air Water Treatment (Barcelona, Spain); Bias Power, Inc. (Buffalo Grove, IL); Coskata, Inc., (Warrenville, IL); Digital Optics International (Evanston, IL); e-One (Chicago, IL); Intelligent Generation LLC (Chicago, IL); KGRA Energy (Short Hills, NJ); Paradigm Sensors, LLC (Milwaukee, WI); and PyroPhase Inc. (Chicago, IL). For additional information, visit: www.chicagobooth.edu/maevf
The event sponsors included the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), Exelon, Invenergy, LLC, Ungaretti & Harris LLP, the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center, and Nixon Peabody. Host organizations included ACG Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory, Energy Results, Illinois Institute of Technology, NAATBatt, the Prometheus Institute, The Shaw Group, Technology Partners, ThinkEquity, LLC, the University of Chicago, and William Blair & Company.
About Chicago Booth:
The University of Chicago Booth School of Business is one of the leading business schools in the world. The school's faculty includes many renowned scholars and its graduates include many business leaders across the U.S. and worldwide. The Chicago Approach to Management Education is distinguished by how it leverages fundamental knowledge, its rigor, and its practical application to business challenges. Chicago Booth offers a full-time MBA program, an evening MBA program, a weekend MBA program, and an executive MBA program in Chicago, London and Singapore. The school also offers a PhD program, open enrollment executive education, and custom corporate education. For more information visit: www.ChicagoBooth.edu.
About the Polsky Center:
The Polsky Center is Chicago Booth's leading resource for students and alumni as they pursue entrepreneurial endeavors and private equity careers. The center supports entrepreneurial development through its cutting-edge curriculum, innovative hands-on learning experiences, leading faculty research, conferences, and community and global outreach programs. The center hosts the Edward L. Kaplan New Venture Challenge (NVC), a year-long academic process where students from campuses around the world turn their entrepreneurial ideas into reality. Now in its 14th year, the NVC has helped launch more than 50 companies, which have created hundreds of jobs.
Entrepreneurship is the second largest concentration at Chicago Booth and, with an impressive growing network of students and alumni as entrepreneurs, the Polsky Center is dedicated to expanding and capitalizing on this vibrant and active sector of our economy. For more information visit: ChicagoBooth.edu/entrepreneurship/.
About Global Entrepreneurship Week:
With the goal to inspire young people to embrace innovation, imagination and creativity, Global Entrepreneurship Week will encourage youth to think big, turn their ideas into reality, and make their mark. From Nov. 16-22, 2009, millions of young people around the world will join a growing movement to generate new ideas and seek better ways of doing things. Tens of thousands of activities are being planned in dozens of countries. Global Entrepreneurship Week is founded by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the Make Your Mark campaign. For more information, visit www.unleashingideas.org.
#####
Mark Harris
Associate Director, Marketing and External Relations
Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship
Chicago Booth
5807 S. Woodlawn Avenue
Chicago, IL 60637
Tel: 773.834.1134 Fax: 773.834.4046
visit us at: www.ChicagoBooth.edu/entrepreneurship
_____________________________________
Viewpoints Update - October 2009
Subject: Viewpoints Update - October 2009
Date: 11/17/2009 5:09:03 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: matt@viewpoints.com
To: ronaldmay@aol.com
Dear Ronald,
As we race into the last six weeks of 2009 I am pleased to report that Viewpoints continues to experience fantastic growth on every front.
Hiring: we have nearly tripled the size of our staff in the last year and still have ten open positions. Do you know of any A+ players looking to join a profitable and fast growing social technology and media company? We are currently recruiting front end developers, product managers, ad sales, writers and designers. Please forward this e-mail to anyone who might be interested. We also recently moved into our new digs at 222 West Hubbard in Chicago. Check out the cool windows on the conference room!
Traffic: we hit 2.8 million unique monthly users of The Viewpoints Technology Platform in October; a 200% increase from a year ago! Nearly 600,000 consumers have registered and created profiles, contributed reviews, participated in discussions and shared their experiences with the broader social web. Recent rankings from Compete.com also showed that Viewpoints.com was the fastest growing user reviews site on the web over the last 12 months.
New Launches: We also launched Smart Shoppers Unite and also replaced BazaarVoice on Craftsman.com.
The Viewpoints Technology Platform: We signed another very well known top tier retailer who will launch their community on The Viewpoints Technology Platform very early next year. If you know of any retailers or brands that are looking for ways to take their social commerce strategy to the next level in 2010, please have them call or e-mail me.
And of course, what would an update be without a few quick recommendations?!
The Lost Symbol - by Dan Brown - I loved it and could not put it down. Seriously.
Amazon Kindle DX - even better than the original. Love the new format and cool new features.
The Posse Foundation - a super powerful initiative to identify and support future leaders. Posse is my new favorite not for profit that is incredibly efficient and innovative in their approach.
The Park Hyatt - Washington, DC - one of my favorite hotels in DC. A Zen like calm overtakes me everytime I am there. And Barack and Michelle celebrated their anniversary at Blue Duck Tavern in the restaurant when we were there! How cool is that?
Enjoy the holidays!
Matt Moog
Founder/CEO
Viewpoints Network
312-447-6111
This email was sent to: ronaldmay@aol.com
__________________________________________
Miscellaneous notes (2 messages)
________________________
#1: From: Name withheld upon request
Subject: info removal request
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:20:08 +0000 (UTC)
To: Ron May <ron@themayreport.com>
Dear Ron:
Thanks for your time.
Please keep this message anonymous if published.
For safety purposes, if possible, I'd appreciate it if TMR would please remove my referenced location info from the online archive version of The May Report.
While TMR readers knowing this info is not too much of a concern, going forward that issue of TMR will be located by googling my name. While there also exist (unfortunately) online databases that provide address info, as I only moved to this location recently, it has not yet been captured by such sites. Therefore, removing this info (as convenient) in the coming weeks is of value & would be appreciated.
Thanks for your consideration of this request.
Sincerely,
[Name withheld]
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
#2: From: Nicol Turner-Lee nturner-lee@jointcenter.org
Subject: Email Account Change-Effective Immediately
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:50:39 -0500
To: ron@themayreport.com
Please unsubscribe
nturnerlee@one-economy.com
and replace with
nturner-lee@jointcenter.org
thanks,
Nicol
Nicol Turner-Lee, PhD
Vice President and Director,
Media and Technology Institute
Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies
1090 Vermont Avenue, NW
Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20005-4928
202-789-3522
202-789-3503 (fax)
nturner-lee@jointcenter.org
www.jointcenter.org
______________________________________________
MEF Networking party: Wednesday December 9th, 2009
Subject: The Midwest Entrepreneurs Forum
Date: 11/17/2009 8:50:53 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: MEF@mail-list.com
To: ronaldmay@aol.com
NETWORKING EVENT
The Midwest Entrepreneurs' Forum Wednesday December 9th 2009
Networking Event
Date: Wednesday December 9th, 2009
Time: 5:30 - 9:00 PM
Location: Union League Club - 2nd Floor Lounge 65 West Jackson Chicago, IL.
Cost Online Registration with Credit Card before November 30th will be $20
for MEF Members and $30 for Non-Members.
For Online Registration, Please go to:
www.MidwestEntrepreneursForum.Org AND CLICK ON CALENDAR OF EVENTS AND SELECT
NETWORKING EVENT
Reservation fees are non-refundable! By registering on line you agree that
you have read this and that you agree.
Admission at the Door and after November 30th will be $30 for MEF Members
and $40 for Non-Members.
We are asking you to please preregister so we can better plan on the food
and other services we must order ahead of time in order to have a successful
event.
For further information send an email to:
<info@midwestentrepreneursforum.org>
Or call the MEF Headquarters at 630-305-0005
There will be two bowls at the registration table. One is for the drawings
for door prizes donated by our supporters. The second is for our networking
mailing list.
Everyone who puts their business card in the bowl marked networking mailing
list will receive a copy of all who registered
What is this event?
A semi-annual get-together of many of the Chicago area's most successful
entrepreneurs, MEF Board members, international representatives, a host of
budding entrepreneurs, and many of the Chicago area's most influential
business people.
Enjoy a cash bar and a wonderful hors d' oeuvres buffet.
. Anyone interested in meeting entrepreneurs, and entrepreneurial
supporters such as lawyers, accountants, consultants, academics, and others.
. Anyone interested in working with early stage or entrepreneurial
Companies
. Entrepreneurs looking for highly skilled management and ways to
enhance
their company performance
. Anyone interested in expanding a personal network
. Anyone interested in attending a great party!
. Members of the scores of companies who have presented to the group
in the past.
Door Prize Drawings will occur throughout the evening
There are a limited number of sponsorship tables available that can be
purchased on a first come basis.
Please call 630-305-0005 to become a sponsor
o $700 Sponsorship
. 4 free entrance passes for representatives from your company (please
supply names of attendees)
. Signage at entrance
. Free attendee list sent electronically after event
. Two 1-year Memberships for representatives from your company (please
supply names)
. Display your company promotional materials at a 6' skirted table within
the networking meeting room
o $500 Sponsorship
. 2 free entrance passes for representatives from your company (please
supply names of attendees)
. Signage at entrance
. Free attendee list sent electronically after event
. One 1-year Membership for a representatives from your company (please
supply names)
. Display your company promotional materials at a 6' skirted table within
the networking meeting room
o $250 Sponsorship
. 1 free entrance pass for representative from your company (please
supply names of attendees)
. Display your company promotional materials at a 6' skirted table within
the networking meeting room
. Signage at entrance
. Free attendee list sent electronically after event
If you need additional information please send an email to:
jerry@jerryRmitchellandassoc.com or call Midwest Entrepreneurs' Forum
(630-305-0005).
Again if you are interested do it today.
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__________________________________________
Confidential complaint about the English bulldogs
Subject: Confidential Complaint
Date: 11/17/2009 9:31:49 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: Name withheld upon request
To: ron@themayreport.com, RONALDMAY@aol.com
Ron,
I hope this email finds you well, and if you publish this, please strip my contact details out!!!
My fiancee and I responded to the advertiser with puppies in your past two reports, and believe it to be a scam. How well do you know this advertiser you are trying to help out?
1. English Bulldog puppies are in great demand, for purebreds ranging in price from 500-2500 depending on bloodlines, and this guy is "giving them away." A little bit "too good to be true."
2. When we emailed to him, we received a reply back from a Pastor Venice (not the name in your posting) who had just left the country on a mission to Africa asking us to pay for shipping the puppies back to the states (no mention of quarantine, rules, regs, etc with bring dogs back into the US from 3rd world nations - which trust me, is a HUGE pain in the tuchis.) What responsible pet owner would take a new puppy overseas without completing a course of vaccinations that takes the first few months of the puppies life.
3. In his email, he stated that the puppies are already housetrained (sic - he meant house broken) as a dog owner of many years, that does NOT happen at 8 weeks old.
4. He asked for to many personal details used for financial means, with not enough questions ascertaining proper fit for bully breed pet ownership. This is irresponsible at best, fraudulent at worst.
All in all, this kind of smells like a rehash of Nigerian scams, with a cute puppy dog sale twist. Smart adaptation by con men!
Just a warning to the rest of your list, so as to avoid issues.
I am however open to the fact that this may be a language/culture/social issue, and not an outright fraud. However, as your report is the vehicle to deliver this guys message, you may want to look into it a bit further, if to date, you have only done a cursory exam. I for one, will not be following up with this guy.
Cheers,
[Name withheld]
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Subject: Fwd: More Info......
Date: 11/17/2009 12:34:30 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: Name withheld upon request
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com
Below is the text of what I received this morning, and attached are the "puppy dog sale" pictures.
Great talking to you briefly.
Cheers,
[Name withheld upon request]
Please Consider The Environment Before Printing This Email
Many email spam filters do not like links within signature files. For complete information about our firm, please see our website using the domain from which this email originates.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Pastor R.Venice <bsky41@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Nov 17, 2009 at 9:16 AM
Subject: More Info......
To: Name withheld upon request
Hello,
Thank you very much and i'm very very happy to read from you about your response on taking good care of the babies. they are 11 weeks old and both home trained and outdoor trained also playful with other animals and kids. The male named (Max) weigh 10 Pounds and the female named (Bella) weigh 9 Pounds and will weigh big when fully grown. they are both A K C registered and shots are given up to date and both home trained. both of them are my darling sweetheart and super spoiled! They both have a sweet personality and loves to play and be carried around.
But i'm very sorry to tell you that it is too late for you to get the babies now. What really happened was that i just left the state for africa in some few days ago after i posted the the ad on the newspspper and before i left, i did not get any response from anybody that could take very good care of them for me. So i got a missionary call from our missionary headquaters in africa, then i have to bring the babies along with me here in africa since i couldn't find someone to adopt them before i left the state.
I'm still willing to give the babies out to someone who can take very good care of them for me forever. All papers will accompany the puppies when shipped to you, Due to our long staying over here in africa, and the bad weather my Wife and I have concluded to get good home and care for our babies. We are not charging or selling them to you for money but to save thier lifes saved and care for them so this means that, you and i will be paying for the shipment of the puppies to you. they are VET checked, but right now we are in Africa on a Christian mission with my wife and 3 kids together with Bella and Max, we have the puppies right here with us.
We are going to ship to you via a Dispatch Courier Service Company with Express Delivery on next day delivery, if you are really interested in having my little babies, i want you to get back to me with your full Name , Home Address, direct contact phone number and name of the nearest Airport to you. Please if you know that you are not capable of taking very good care of my babies, do not reply me because i am giving them out because of bad condition and we're spending months for the christain mission and i don't want Bella and max to die in this bad weather. And because we don't have time to take care of them due to the missionary work before us here. They are priceless to me,therefore i am giving both for free, so i will like you to get back to me with the Below information so i can find out shipping cost to your Nearest Airport, and we both will be responsible for the shipping cost.
Your Full Name :
Your Mailing Address:
Your Tel #:
Your Cel Phone #:
Your Contact Email:
The Nearest Airport To You:
I've attached pics of Bella and Max.
Thank you and God bless you and your family.
Regards,
Pastor Robert Venice
__________________________________________
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