Craigslist is the New eBay

Its true. Craigslist is now full of scammers, just like eBay. I posted an ad on Craigslist stating that I am selling my cabinets and appliances from my house. I received an email from a Tim G Jeff (timjefftim@gmail.com - go nuts spammers) asking if the items were still for sale. I replied saying they were and received the following: " from Tim G Jeff to date Sun, Feb 22, 2009 at 11:42 PM subject Re: Kitchen Cabinets and Appliances - $2000 (location) mailed-by gmail.com hide details 11:42 PM (35 minutes ago) Thanks for quick response to my email. I want you to consider it sold, pls do withdraw the advert from CL to avoid disturbance,I'll take care of that by engaging the services of a mover, hence I'll be sending a check and it will be delivered to you via United Parcel Service, so I'll need you to provide me with the following information to facilitate the mailing of the check to you. PAYMENT INFORMATION REQUEST.... 1.full name on the check. 2.Full Physical address to post the check 3.City, State and Zip Code 4.Home & Cell Phone to contact you. Note that the payment will be shipped to your address via UPS NEXT DAY HAIR SERVICE and I will like you to know that you will not be responsible for shipping i will have my mover to come over a s soon as you have cashed the check." Now there are sooooooo very many things wrong with this. But what really stuck out to me was that UPS has started a new service that is for people losing their hair. Here is my response: " No, thank you for your prompt replies. I am so glad that I can now consider it sold. I would, however, prefer to _know_ that it is sold so I will be leaving the ad up until we have completed this transaction. I hope you understand. I am not familiar with UPS Next Day Hair Service. Is that a new treatment plan for balding people? I may want to recommend that to some of my former investment banker and law enforcement friends. In order for me to send you the payment information request information you are requesting, I need to know a little bit more before I give out such information. Also, I prefer to deal in person. Please reply to me with the following: 1. Full name of person from whom check will be. 2. Full physical address of from where the check will come. Let's just say i have had "issues" with unsafe mail from some people that would love to see me become part of my mail box. 3. Your phone number so that we can be in contact in case something goes wrong with the mail. I'd prefer at least two forms of phone contact (work and home number or cell number). 4. An immediate deposit of 25% of total purchase price in cash only. We should arrange a time and place to meet for this exchange. 5. No law enforcement agents. I have a specific way of doing business and hope we can work something out. Again, I appreciate your interest. " I can't believe people like this are allowed to do the following: a. Breathe our air b. Procreate c. There is no c d. have an email account/address

Apple iSaaS with iWork 09

Apple has decided to get into the Software as a Service business (sort of) with iWork.com and iWork 09. This puts them in direct competition with Google Docs and Microsoft Office Live. This doesn't seem like a very Apple move. Unlike Google and Microsoft, for now, iWork.com is a way to share documents, spreadsheets and presentation slides with other people. Kind of like iWeb and MobileMe for business information. Some people have asked "well maybe Apple is doing this because that is where software is moving?" to which I would respectfully answer "Apple doesn't do things because that is where things are moving. If that were the case, Apple would have announced two new Netbooks at Macworld or earlier. Or at least a tablet Mac by now." I think iWork.com is a play by Apple to pave the road to bring iWork to Windows. I'll allow to that simmer in the ole Noggin Crockpot(TM) for a moment. Yes, I did say Apple wants to bring the iWork suite to Windows and no I did not uncontrollably repeat the first syllables of words. Apple has already jumped into Windows programming with the iPod, iTunes, Safari for Windows and Mobile Me. iWork.com could ultimately be the gateway for developers (and gateway drug for non-Mac users) for a native Windows version of iWork.

Cool! My Euro Smart Car is #0107 of the 1026 imported by G & K Auto. :) Pics: http://xrl.us/op4vi

OH.MY.GOD. Occipital blows Microsoft's PhotoSynth out of the water! #techstars08

Where to Sit at the IQ Awards

The Boulder County Business Report's (http://www.bcbr.com) annual IQ Awards are coming up. A lot of great companies from the Boulder area have been nominated. And I'm lucky enough to be part of two of them. One is Socialthing! (http://ping.fm/LDIys and http://ping.fm/S0scy), a digital life manager. The other is, well, you'll just have to find out. :) Since two of the startups I have helped found are nominated for the Boulder County Business Report's IQ Awards, I have a bit of a problem. At which table do I sit? I may be wrong, but I don't believe that Emily Post has covered this topic in any length. So do I sit between the two tables? At one half the time and then at the other, the other half of the time? Or should I pick one and stay there? Or at some other table entirely? It might be interesting to sit with the StillSecure team. And what if one (or both of them) wins their category? Too many questions, I agree. So my plan - and hopefully the Emily Post people or foundation or whatever, will put this into Etiquette law - is to go, have a nice team, meet some great people and say "Its an honor just to be nominated. Twice."

I should be following everyone I was following pre-Twitter spam hammering. But now there are at least 10 porn/spam accounts following me

Project Management

Been thinking about Agile dev (Scrum specifically) lately. Its great to plan "these are all of the things we will do." It helps you to stay focused on making positive moves; on progress; and on creating a habit of progress. But at those review meetings, is anyone asking "what if things went wrong? Would we be able to handle it?" Is it because it might be seen as a negative or as disruptive? An hindrance to progress? Nay-saying? Focusing on doom and gloom? This isn't disrupting the momentum, being a nay-sayer or a pain in the ass Its actually maintaining the habit of progress by helping everyone to add movements towards handling things if events do not go as planned. Like having the fire escape route for the building posted on the wall. Expect the worst, hope for the best and proceed somewhere in the middle of those two.