Saturday Night in Portland

What can I say about a party at an overpriced bar with lousy service and a promoter who thinks it's a good idea to wait until the last minute (I mean the last minute, I got 36 hours notice for this thing) to let people know that it's happening... nothing.

I met some interesting folk today though Ri-chous, a lovely rapper on her way up. Wes and Richard of Humongous productions. Hilary who asked me what reverence meant to me and actually listened to my riff on God and how science serves to show his miracles. Melinda who I absolutely want to see again cause she's just an interesting person to be around and a truly attractive woman. Frank McMahon is working on another short movie for April release. Could be an interesting time.

That's it for tonight.

Mesda NetPM at Fairchild Semiconductor

The March 6, Mesda NetPM was at the Fairchild Semicondutor National Headquarters. It was a bit odd as it was held in their cafeteria. It turns out that if you give people a place to sit down they will. It was actually a bit like highschool with all the folk who knew each other sitting together. The food was amazing. While their was no bar, they had smoothies for all. There was plenty of everything.

I ran into several folk and actually came away with some interesting thoughts on technology that need to simmer in my brain for a bit before they can become full blown business plans. It was a good time and I would go again.

the Ratings

the Food 4.2 Fairchild set a new standard for food at this event. It was a veritable cornucopia of hor d'oevre. From the standard finger sandwiches and fruit plate to bacon wrapped scallops, deviled eggs and more. I really like deviled eggs. The food was outstanding and it never ran out or even seemed that it might run out.

the drinks 3.0 no bar that was just a bit weird. The smoothies were fruity and plentiful and the antioxidants were just the thing for my cold. So it worked out. The room is on the same floor as one of their test labs and I can certainly understand why Fairchild didn't want to take the chance that, however unlikely, some drunken techie would wander some place he wasn't supposed to be.

the venue 2.5 Networking is the prime reason for the NetPM's. Holding this in a cafeteria may not have been the best choice. I did eventually get up and move around but many people didn't. I was hoping that this would have been held in the executive suite. It has lot's of room and while it would have been a bit tighter, it would been better for moving about with no tables.

Overall 3.5 this is mostly for the food. I had a good time there are people that come to these things that I only see there and I did meet some new people. I would go again even if nothing changed. The smoothies were quite tasty and original.

Toshiba introduces a Motor for your Laptop

OK this is just to cool. In a press release today Toshiba introduced a viable alternative to batteries for your laptop, a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) that ways less than ki. They have developed a process that allows the correct concentration of methanol, around 3 to 6 percent to be, attained from the process of burning the methanol which results in water and carbon dioxide. The water is recirculated back into the high concentration methanol cartridge to achieve the correct mix.

A 50cc cartridge of Methanol lasts approximately 5 hours. At first glance the piece seems a tad bulky, 275 x 75 x 40mm (825cc), but not many people use there laptops while walking anyway. The cartridges are alot easier to carry than extra batteries. The DMFC connection to the laptop is similar as the has the same electrodes as an ion lithium battery.

They should be available with two years.

I do have a couple of questions though:

How much heat does it generate?

How can I get one?

Can they work out a solution to have it run on airline bottles of tequila? Flight attendent may I have two bottles of cuervo one for me and one for my laptop.

Status Mardi Gras Party

Finally they get a clue. Got there early, beat the lines and got in with no problems. Get on the list. If tonight is any indication it's worth the time. Want to meet producers? they show up. Good looking models, actors, and artists? well yeah. Photographers? how about Stuart Smith and Frank McMahon. Anybody who wants to meet folk who can make things happen or who are just interesting Get on the list.

Met Steve Abbott and his wife Jane again tonight. Steve's company is doing some work for an oil rig that's being refitted in Portland. Jane is an amazing, fearless woman. She is a model who communicates in several different languages. I watched her tonight chatting in Spanish with Ricardo who seemed to be sitting not able to talk with anyone as noone could speak his native tongue. OK so it turned out after going through some Spanish, German and French that he was just scamming us. But Jane jumped in with no fear.

The ratings

The Music 3.9 It was a Mardi Gras Party, the cajun tunes rang out. They turned to standard glop after ten but still it was nice to hear.

Food 0.0 I am slowly getting used to the fact that people probably aren't going to feed me. I'm a tad upset by that but hey sometimes chicken sometimes feathers.

Drinks 4.0 get good sponsors and things start happening. Didn't acually meet up up with them so no links but some tasty coconut rum concoctions were available. There were even pretty women shilling for Smirnoff. I had read about them showing up in larger cities, it's nice to know that Portland, Maine has made the grade.

People 4.0 what can I say? I meet people I like at the Status parties that I just don't see anywhere else. Woody Allen said "Ninety percent of success is showing up." Anybody in showbiz could do a lot worse than showing up at these parties.

Overall 4.1 That's right. I'm very pleased to say that the Status party at the Sky Bar at the Pavilion finally broke the 4.0 ceiling. I wasn't sure they could do it but they seem to be headed in the right direction.

doing your taxes online part 3

Got my refund from state and Feds within 10 days. Not business days, days. If you haven't done your taxes yet do em. Gather your paper work and get it done. It'll save you a trip to the post office at midnight on the 15^th and you'll be alot happier. I am.