kenekaplan KenEKaplan, Poetry

Melancholy and Inspiration

Today I really feel the seasons changing. Change is good, disruptive, rejuvenating, difficult. From simply having to move your desk at work to a new location…to loosing a loved one. Change is everywhere and ignites emotions, creating opportunities to pump our next moves with reflections, accounts that drive the best in us.

In addition to the warm sun, smell of cut grass and sounds of spring around the corner, I found two things today: 1) a poem my uncle read at my dad’s funeral service last month and 2) a poem I wrote 15 years ago, just out of college digging my North Beach beat life in San Francisco. Both have that mix of melancholy and inspiration stirring inside me today.

Death is nothing at all…

I have only slipped away into the next room.

I am I, and you are you.

Whatever we were to each other, that we are still

Call me by my old familiar name,

Speak to me in the easy way you alwsys used.

Put no differnece into your tone

Wear no forced air of sorrow.

Laugh as we always laughed

at the little jokes we enjoyed together.

Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.

Let my name be ever the housefold word that it always was

Let it be spoken without effort,

without the ghost of a shadow on it.

Life means all that it ever meant.

It is the same as it ever was;

there is absolutely unbroken continuity…

Why should I be out of your mind because I am out of sight?

I am waiting for you for an interval,

Somewhere very near, just around the corner.

All is well.

— Henry Scott Holland, English clergyman, First World War, slightly adapted

 

A Denizen’s Dream

We are all breeders sparing time for change

We seek destinations, resolutions

But memories are made from the travel between

Interludes of intra-interpersonal interpretations

So much passes with silence

Becoming habbits and addictions

Fixations that unveil the mask of true ignorance

Eyes drooping

Nostrils relaxed

and tongue hanging agape dry and white

I languish in the thought

The dank doldrums wherein we stay steeped so spiraling…

Licking lips to keep a head up

While knee deep in purposeless splendor

Like the unfathomable delight of a denizen’s drive

Dreaming of talks

We’ve had in teh future

Face forward

A jettison through the breeze

— Ken E Kaplan, North Beach in San Francisco, CA, October 12, 1993

kenekaplan Books, KenEKaplan, Marketing, Social Media, Uncategorized

BookStack to Excercize Some Brain Cells

I loved the post by my friend Douglas Pollei back in November…the one he called BookStack, where he shared a pile of books he was diving into. By the way, he just did a cool post about how today’s marketers need whole-brain, strategic thinking skills to stay on top of their game.

Here is the pile I got through in 2007. I typically have four books going at one time, so it takes me a while to finish.

From the bottom to the top:
1) Your Inner CEO, Allan Cox (also find him doing great things on Facebook)

This is an inspiring, hands and mind-on book that lets you redefine who you want to be. Allan blends modern psychology and his CEO training experience. He’s really doing a great job connecting with people, getting people involved and showing how to use social media. Bravo!

2) The New Influencers, Paul Gillin

A must read that is quick, filled with mistakes and good things people and companies have done using social media. This book can help many marketers and communications pros get up to speed and off and running with social media.

3) Quantum Leap Thinking, James J. Mapes

I really enjoyed this book. It’s nice to stop and think about how you look at things, how your mind consumes the world. This can help open up perspectives by redefining limits with quick, meaningful leap ahead thinking.

4) We are Smarter than Me, Barry Libert & Jon Spector and Thousands of Contributors
The wisdom of crowds is tightly described in this nifty book. This is one of those huge concepts (like long tale) that are at the core of social media, social networking and how people are communicating better, faster and more openly than ever.

5) The Cluetrain Manifesto, Rick Levine, Christopher Locke, Doc Searls, David Weinberger
Many of my friends read this years ago, but it light me up and made me laugh out loud through several plane rides. Most of all, it got me fired up about getting to what matters by being real and honest. Irreverent. Timeless yet of our times.

6) Blink, Malcolm Gladwell
This is mind boggling. It might be telling us all what we already know, subconsciously…pre-reflexively. Think statics is tough? You actually bust our elementary functions, statics and algebra in a blink of the eye whenever you make a snap judgment or life-saving move.

7) Purple Cow, Seth Godin
I finally got to this book several years after it came out, but its as fresh as a warm latte. Seth is a succint storyteller who took off his rose colored glasses long ago and his truly helping marketing and communications pros cut the crap and focus on doing wonderful things. This is about breaking the status quo. It’s about the need for focusing on smaller, more meaningful audiences with something truly valuable. Cookie cutter won’t cut it for everyone anymore. I read this while visiting small towns in Calabria, southern Italy this winter. I believe that each little town is living what Seth is talking about. Each town is getting back to their heritage, their dialect, their crafts and celebrating their specialty foods and songs. It makes them special, and stand out from other neighboring towns.

8) Meatball Sundae, Seth Godin (standing, left)
Picked this up in Berkeley at Cody’s Bookstore and it’s yummy. I’m still flipping through it, but this is Seth Godin taking ideamaking to the next level — what not to do, so that you can see how to free yourself to make the right combinations. To use the right combination of traits from the left AND right sides of your brain.

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kenekaplan Events, KenEKaplan, Photos, PodTech, Social Media

My CES Social Media Posse — Leap in Interest

Last year at CES 2007, I remember seeing a huge surge in the number young people with digital video cameras visiting the Intel booth. I typically work with local, national and international broadcasters, so I took every opportunity to try and meet this new crop of video bloggers.

This year at CES 2008, I saw two times more people walking around video taping our booth, learning about the latest technologies from Intel experts. I even brought my Sony HDV cam and shot several interviews and the Intel keynote — here’s an Intel blog post I shot and wrote featuring a few short clips of Smash Mouth on Stage with Intel CEO Paul Otellini. As did my “double down” pal Nick Knupfer.

What I love most every year — this was my seventh CES in Las Vegas — is getting to see so many of my media friends, coworkers and even college buddies (ran into one of my best Chico buddies at the Intel keynote). This year took things into a new stratosphere because I got to connect and work alongside fellow social media enthusiasts and see my Intel pals like Bryan Rhoads really have fun with more resources devoted to social media. Today’s (somewhat) more organized efforts spouted from organic energy a few years ago, and now I see the social media posse swelling with new talent. We’ll making new inroads, new friends and better relationships along the way. This is great, because I believe that we ought to encourage any Intel employee to participate with social media in a smart, fun way. The more people we have out there, the more connected and meaningful Intel will be to people’s lives. More relevance and more able to respond to what’s happening today and any changes we need to make in order to make a positive impact in the world. If we keep at this pace, I (and many of my coworkers) believe we can help move up into the top ten most recognized brands using social media.

Here’s some of the social media posse action from my visit to CES 2008:

Everyone’s favorite “Tell Me How It Works” guru and my Chico WildCat buddy Ralph Bond and I visited PodTech’s BlogHaus the evening after Bill Gates’ keynote. At that point, he thought my soft brown Italian jacket was the most talked about thing at CES.

Ralph Bond, the Venetian, CES 2008Ken Kaplan, the Venetian, CES 2008Ken Kaplan, the BlogHaus, CES 2008

We got to hang out with PodTech’s wonderful interviewer and photographer Michael Johnson:

Ken Kaplan, Micheal Johnson, Rohit Bhargava @ CES 2008 PodTech BlogHaus

There’s never a dull moment because even standing in long taxi lines allowed time for mindflow sessions with geniuses like Rohit Bhargava.

Rohit Bhargava at CES 2008

Hotel hopping with John Furrier — who helped me dive fast and deep into Podcasting in 2005:

John Furrier @ CES 2008

And seeing Brian Giesen’s bright smile and energy at breakfast is enough to give anyone a jolt — let’s hit the show!

Brian Giesen at CES 2008

Intel got to sponsor this year’s killer blogger bash “It Won’t Stay in Vegas.” Intel gave away a free ride on the Zero G plane, a cool promotion to celebrate everyone reaching new heights in mobility. Even Doc Searls took the flight as did other top bloggers (Andru Edwards from GearLive) and tech industry shakers. Here is a video from Tom Foremski, whos shows the social media posse he ran with at CES 2008 (rebloged here).

In the Tom’s video above there’s has a blip from the bus ride where a guy shows off an MID — see the video I shot on MIDs from the Intel booth.

And it’s great to see the action from the PodTech BlogHaus.

I flew back to the Bay Area on the new Virgin America — what a great flight! Cool new painted planes, sweet back seat touch screen entertainment with music videos, live TV and other cool things. Got a few drink and really enjoyed the spirited, lovely people working for the new airline. As I entered the plane, I got to congratulate Robert Scoble holding his cheerful newborn baby. That’s what life’s all about!

One person I most missed this year compared with last year?  Jeremiah Owyang, one of the best social media posse pioneers who has helped me make so many connections and is helping so many others nowadays playing in the big leagues at Forrester Research.

kenekaplan Events, KenEKaplan, Photos, Podcast, PodTech, Tom Foremski

PodTech’s BlogHaus at CES Was The Place to Be

CES2008_LasVegas 011, originally uploaded by KenEKaplan.

For the second year in a row at CES, PodTech’s BlogHaus was the place to be whenever you weren’t on the showroom floor, eating or taking a bathroom break (notice I didn’t say sleeping). It was a great place to see friends like Tom Foremski, Michael Johnson, John Furrier, Reboot gaming guru Rio Pasino, Robert Scoble and his video shooting/editing partner in crime Rocky. I got to catch up with many of them and made new friends. The PodTech crew pumped out lots of great video, audio and blog stories from the BlogHaus, located deep inside the bellissima albergo di Bellagio.

I got to hear about the blogger bus ride from the Bay Area and see what Tom Foremski was excited about as he arrived in Las Vegas for CES 2008. Here’s a look at one thing Tom released from CES:

MP4 Video Video | 09:36 | Posted by Tom Foremski | January 10th, 2008 5:44 amNext week I’m launching ScobleWatcher.com – the ten minutes of Robert Scoble you need to see each day 🙂

Robert is an extraordinary and tireless media producing machine. He would run 24/7 if he could, and he sometimes does.

Here are a couple of days of Robert at CES2008 in Las Vegas and the PodTech BlogHaus, (which was a great place to hang out…)

[podtech content=http://media1.podtech.net/media/2008/01/PID_013302/Podtech_Scoblewatcher.flv&postURL=http://www.podtech.net/home/4841/scoblewatcher-all-scoble-all-the-time-but-in-less-time&totalTime=576000&breadcrumb=8df8e741728f454c8a70d470b8138d1b]

kenekaplan KenEKaplan, Web 2.0

Forbes Top Web Stars of 2007

Forbes.com did a cool 25 Web celebrity list for 2007.  Scoble followed up with his list of top geeks for the year.  It might be a good practice to do my own list for 2007.  Heck, I ought to make a list every week, listing my top choices highlighting whatever’s occupying me most.  Maybe this is a New Year’s resolution?  I better start making that list now!!

kenekaplan IDF, Intel, Intel Developer Forum, KenEKaplan, Social Media, Web 2.0

Social Computing Comrads Connect & The Next Thing You Know…

I had the pleasure of meeting Douglas Pollei at Intel headquarters the second week in November, just days before taking my sabbatical. We had a great talk about the state of corporate social media (can you say that?) that ended when we looked around and saw the once-buzzing cafetteria empty.

Douglas keeps a cool blog by night and for his day job he’s the VP of Internet Strategy and Corporate Development for IKANO Communications Inc., a portfolio company of Insight Venture Partners in New York. In other words, he’s a social media brother of another mother singing that same song about opening up, connecting and creating new opportunities.

pollei-title.gifpollei-title.gifpollei-title.gif

We met through Forrester Research’s Jeremiah Owyang, who personally invited Douglas to check out the September Social Media: Friend or Foe of IT panel at the Intel Developer Forum. We exchanged emails — he even politely kept in contact after a very late response I sent after IDF — then during a business trip to Silicon Valley he saved some time for us to meet. If he were a vendor, I’d have respectfully declined, but the chance to explore accomplishments and conflicts about social media? No way would I miss a chance! Here are some highlights from our talk, as Douglas posted on his blog:

* Intel is seeking to involve more employees in the conversations with outside world. These employees must be not only observers but active contributors in the conversations, otherwise they don’t fully understand and move with the current. The IDF is a great example of the beginnings of this reach out and I believe it will continue to be.

* The intersection of the control and openness mindset creates conflicts in organizations. The true goal is to find the human intersections and how to understand, internalize, and communicate these findings going forward.

* Enterprises can create boundaries of communication, like a walled garden. Some areas are open and others are closed. The key is to organically let those with a voice contribute and potentially elevate these individuals to a higher status of job authority with regard to new media tools (social media, video, audio, etc..). When employees don’t reach out, it is comparable to being at the party and not talking to anyone but expecting value from it. You must mingle to be inspired and know the true and unscripted pulse.

* There will be many who will oppose these types of movements in a large organization but as they join in and see the value, many C’s including CEOs will be endorsers of the openness to know where to take the company, and how to raise stockholder value through innovation.

* VCs, private equity firms, and serial entrepreneurs are continually developing new media solutions that enterprises can adopt to enhance the communications with all channels of their business. Knowing the tech scouts who can see these in advance and know which products will win (and work) will be key to enterprises. Jobs descriptions in these areas are not currently on the enterprise org chart and so it is hard for many to understand their value. It is like telling someone to see a house built when only a floor plan exists.

We agreed to keep our conversation moving ahead. In fact, one thing we talked about was how I believe Intel has some wonderful stories to tell. Stories that are still coming together but will help directly connect Intel technology and innovation with social computing — from personal to commercial to developers and beyond. Intel’s new processor technologies can help people and businesses really get the most from Web 2.0, which seems to be growing and becoming more meaningful to everyone. Well, on the day Intel introduced it’s new Penryn chips — those featuring re-engineered, smaller, energy efficient, faster 45nm transistors — Intel CEO did it! Speaking at Oracle Open World, Intel CEO Paul Otellini (from ZDNet blog by Dan Faber):

“The enterprise is not immune from consumer trends,” Otellini said. Connectivity 24×7 and the need to socialize networks, as in Facebook, are key demands inside and outside the workplace going forward. “As this happens you need to think about how to rearchitect the infrastructure inside your businesses,” he added.

Otellini concluded that the “future in this sense is not very far away. The highly collaborative, interactive global social network is nearly upon us.”

It’s not a prophetic vision, but Otellini wants to make sure the Oracle crowd divines that Intel should be a core part of the rearchitecting of their businesses.

This is something many other companies are doing, or can be doing to help show how they’re relevant in making Web 2.0 and social computing more amazing and useful everyday.

Until we meet again, here is another topic we explored: Corporation being more human and actively finding their way in places like Facebook. This weekend I came across the Harvard Business Review’s “Why your company needs to be on Facebook.” Its was posted on November 9, 2007 by Charlene Li is a Vice President and Principal Analyst at Forrester Research. Cluetrain Manifesto? There’s no turning back. There’s moving ahead, integrating, being smart, providing reason and value every step of the way…never without passion and zeal for helping and connecting with others.

kenekaplan Italy, KenEKaplan, Photography, Photos

Reflection of an Artist Not at Work

KKreflect_terrace, originally uploaded by KenEKaplan.

My first week of sabbatical. I kicked jet lag, hit a 5-year-old’s birthday party and taught by boy how to fix his 6s and 9s. My wife made a pinata — pretty ugly and proved to be tougher than stick swings. My daughter is adorably tough and remarkably at peace for such a spicy Calabrese grrrl!

Here’s the reflection of coastline of Vibo Marina just south of Pizzo. Shot from the terrace looking inside the top floor kitchen where my wife is writing her dissertation about Roman mosiacs. Pepperincini, aqua buonissima Mangiatorella di Stilo and Kimbo green coffee in silver canister.

kenekaplan HD, Intel, KenEKaplan, Tech, video

Esquire North Livin’ Teched Out Above Central Park

I got to participate in the September 27 opening of Esquire North, the ultimate bachelor apartment located on the tree-lined edge of New York’s Central Park in Harlem.

The 5,700 square-foot, triplex penthouse offers rare and breath-taking views looking downtown over the lush green park. This NY apartment has two outdoor terraces and an Italian designed spiral glass & metal staircase.

I toted my Sony HDV and shot some wonderful footage then tried rendering some high resolution video files — I have lots to learn!

This is a behind-the-scenes look at the final hours before the opening gala, as broadcast media came to capture interviews and visuals for live and taped reports. Esquire magazine publisher Kevin O’Malley is genuine, thoughtful and very involved with so many of the people, furnishing, artwork and technology that together showed how a modern Esquire man would live if he had Kevin’s connections! Top designer brands filled each room

Live like a king at least for fund raising (CARE) night party, test drive F1 racing powered by Intel Quad Core processors while sitting in eel-skin covered racing seats, lounge with an UMPC or watch HD in any room streamed form a dream home hub powered by Intel Viiv with Core 2 Quad processor technology — below there’s more on Niveus.

The are some cool photos and crazy viewer comments on Gizmodo. And Gizmodo shot their own video featuring my Intel pal Michelle — she’s a technical wizard who easily slides into the role of technical art expert!

i4U News took b-roll and created a cool video tour.

Niveus’ entertainment hub was at the heart of the apartment. Michelle says the upstairs closet, which was packed with digital equipment connecting to 3.5 miles of cable, cost over $500,000. Learn more about Niveus, but here’s what the company says:

Niveus chose the top of the line Pro Series media server to deliver high-class and high-def entertainment throughout the Esquire North dwelling. Incorporating the most advanced hardware and software, the Pro Series allows the sophisticated Esquire man (and his guests) to easily manage and access hundreds of movies, thousands of CD’s, photos, games and television shows.

Based on the Windows Vista Ultimate Media Center platform, the Pro Series is engineered to provide exceptional images and pristine video quality; incorporating the Intel® Core™2 Quad processor, Nvidia’s GeForce Series 8 Graphics, and HDMI output. Specially designed in a sleek, rack-mount black chassis, the Pro Series offers up to 3TB of storage and supports simultaneous streaming of HD media and multi-channel music throughout the Esquire North home and features four television tuners, 7.1 analog and digital surround sound, and more!

With the Intel Core 2 Quad processor, the Pro Series is capable of streaming HD media to 5 additional, Esquire North zones while providing the power, compatibility, and connectivity to perform as the hard-core central media hub. In addition, the Intel powered server also allows instant access from any networked computer or DLNA enabled TV or Digital Media Adapter throughout the Esquire home!

Take your own private Esquire North tour here. First, get a behind-the-scenes experience.

kenekaplan Events, Intel, KenEKaplan, livecasting, Podcast, Social Media, Web 2.0

From Tactical to Strategical

I started blogging here to learn and practice…for who knew what would come? I’ve been helping the Intel Global Communications Group and others inside Intel better understand how to create stories for Podcasting for almost two years. Prior, many others were Podcasting and sharing their wisdom about using social media — pioneers like Josh Bancroft and few others.

Note: Josh just encouraged me to get my own domain and hosting, so this blog will be movin’ ahead to http://www.kenekaplan.com, if things go well this weekend.

While other groups were experimenting, the corporate PR team started doing audio Podcasts at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2006, working with PodTech. We quickly moved into video Podcasting. We already had broadcast (TV and Radio) writing and production skills, but together with PodTech our team began learning how to share our stories online. It’s much different than TV and radio production — and I’d say more fun!

We learned how to tag, create categories and link to related stories. This helped us build — literally link — one story with the next. We moved from tactical to strategic…or from trying to doing things to actually asserting thoughtful purpose. The purpose of telling good stories that we believed would be interesting to our audiences, with full intentions of sharing stories so they could be shared among any online discussion people might want to have — bloggers, journalists, investors, consumers, clients.

Jump to this month. I’ve seen the momentum growing for a long time, but this month Intel stepped further ahead into social media with our Intel Developer Forum planning efforts. Our plans were rolled straight to the top of Intel. Plans peculated by several teams teaming up resources, ideas and energy to share the experience we’ll be having at IDF. We’ll have more tools and ways to connect and share with our audiences, who will also have new ways to participate with IDF — a gathering of top engeineers and companies from around the world learning how to build future technologies based on the latest Intel chip designs and technologies. Look for more video, live blogging and even livecasting using UStream.tv.

This year I helped compile guidelines and an Intel University course about Social Media. The aim is to encourage every Intel worker to participate and to do so freely and smartly. Guidelines are based on long-standing employee codes of conduct, but we put things into context and provided some do’s and don’ts. Many of us truly believe having many voices participating is better than having a select few. And that group of “many of us” is growing and some are even getting new official roles as evangelists and leaders. These energized people are putting in great work to help bring great social media tools to more people inside Intel, including Intel IT pro and original blogger Jeff Moriarty. This is how we can change and improve things, by getting our people to connect more freely and flexibly with their audiences and communities.

This post is turning into a long tale/tail, but it’s analogous. This week I wrote my first official Intel blog post “Where IT Pros Talk Shop,” which features a video I shot and edited. While working on so many things on so many fronts, it’s good to celebrate victories and steps that show progress. Things that show we’re movin’ ahead! I’d say now things are leapin’ ahead.

Next, much attention will need to go towards communicating and understanding core audiences and audiences that welcome us and value what we can give and take.

kenekaplan Facebook, Intel, Jeremiah Owyang, KenEKaplan, Marketing, Mazzy Star, Music, Social Media

Fade Into You — Mesmerizing Mazzy Star Flashback on Facebook

When I can, I try blogging about things I’m learning or trying to understand…but I keep falling deeper into Facebook!  I’m not the only one (thanks Jeremiah/Shel for the data) having this kind of affair.  This time I fell back to my college music days and found a wonderful collection of music (thanks to the iLike application) and videos from one of my favorite tripadelic bands, Mazzy Star.  YouTube is fun, but Facebook pulls YouTube and thousands of other killer online services together into areas that you control and share with others as you please.

There are tons of great groups to join and learn from.  Get that Facebook account open and join the huge Intel Network and groups for Intel Software Network team and the Intel Developer Forum.  I just wish we could upload and embed a video player so we could offer some fresh eye candy during IDF.

Facebook is a place for watching, learning, sharing, connecting, reviving and energizing your taste, aims and personality.  For business professionals, here’s insight from Jeremiah Owyang.  There are some things to be aware of, especially for parents — see this story about a friend of mine.

Back to Mazzy Star  — wow!  I got to catch up with some of my favorite tunes, sure, but it’s the new (old) songs and videos that mesmerized me.  I’ve never seen before.  It was even cool to see how people created their own videos using Mazzy Star music beds.Two more for an encore…