05.08.08
Posted in Posts I've read at 1:39 am by Peter Kay
Trivia question: What is the most important decision you will be making at the ballot box at this November election? (Hint: it’s not the election of any candidate).
Answer: Whether or not to hold a Constitutional Convention or “ConCon”.
Every 10 years, voters have the opportunity to decide whether or not we can hold a ConCon which is where wholesale changes can be made to our state constitution.
Our last ConCon was 30 years ago and in 1978 some important changes were made, according to Dkosopedia including among others:
• Creation of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs
• Term limits for governor
• Requiring a balanced budget
And so in 2008, we once again have the chance to hold a ConCon.
So where’s the historic “Geek Component” opportunity?
I believe that we have before us the potential to put our heads together and create a web application that lends itself to democratic participation and decision-making. I believe this model can be applied to ConCon and if successful can subsequently be used for other public decision-making systems like the City Council and State Legislature.
Open source development paradigm meets public decision making
From what I’ve learned so far, my understanding is that ConCons have strong grassroots elements. They are a chance for the people to engage in an open conversation about Hawaii’s future. In 1978, they didn’t have the Internet. Today, we have broadband networks and powerful computers. Do we have sufficient technological resources to enable digital debates? I think so.
We have Internet-based political campaigning. What about Internet-based lawmaking?
Barack Obama has taken Internet-based campaigning and fundraising to a new level. He has permanently “torn the fabric of space” in regards to merging Internet with politics. I believe we can take the next logical step and use the Internet for public debate, decision-making, and perhaps even legislation. Imagine the kind of input and diversity of thought that would result if any citizen could participate in a serious debate on important issues from the comfort and convenience of their home. What kind of increased participation could we get from that?
A bold step has been taken
There’s only one way to find out and I’m proud to say that together with other leaders like Burt Lum, Ryan Ozawa, Former Congressman Ed Case, Jay Fidell, and Representative Della Au Bellati, we’ve launched HawaiiConCon.org. Today, it’s a combination of Ning social networking and pbwiki.com wiki infrastructures. Tomorrow, who knows? The users will drive the need.
E Komo Mai!
I’m cordially inviting all of you to come over to HawaiiConCon.org and participate. Get involved. There are some issues about Hawaii’s government you must hold dear or want to change. What are they? Tell us about it! We too are using Ning so there’s no signup process.
We need Geeks Like You to get involved!
So far the initial success has been great. But as the site grows in popularity, people will need both help and more features. And that’s where YOU come in. Hawaii’s tech community could and should be the ambassadors that herald in a new age of Digital Democracy. It can happen if you help us make it happen.
Be a part of the solution
This year, the voters will decide if they want to hold a ConCon. Right now there is only one site that is encouraging learning, discussions, and decisions regarding this most important issue and with your help and participation, HawaiiConCon.org can become the epicenter of a new paradigm of public political participation.
See you there!
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09.30.07
Posted in Posts I've read at 7:17 am by Peter Kay
I had a great time presenting to a crowd of about 200 people on Friday, Sept 28 on a topic I’m really in love with known as “The Wisdom of Crowds”
“The Wisdom of Crowds” Based on the Book by James Surowiecki 
that basically says you can setup a method of getting input from people in such a way that the result is nearly always the right answer.
You can download the slide deck here. Enjoy!
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06.05.07
Posted in Posts I've read at 2:31 pm by Peter Kay
test
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12.03.06
Posted in Posts I've read at 11:20 pm by Peter Kay
Guy Kawasaki has a blunt, in-your-face writing style that I really enjoy. I took his Venture Capital Aptitude test and scored a 39, which Guy says
Call Sequoia and Kleiner, Perkins and tell them that you’re available.
Hehe..cool.
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10.24.06
Posted in Posts I've read at 10:50 am by Peter Kay
Doing a startup? Read through this list of excellent essays and you’ll learn a lot.
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10.18.06
Posted in Observations, Posts I've read at 11:57 pm by Peter Kay
Greg Kim, Honolulu attorney and founder of Vantage Counsel, sent out an email to his contacts and with his permission I’m reprinting the email here:
Dear Friends, here’s an interesting article ,”It Pays to Have Pals in Silicon Valley“, from today’s New York Times regarding the YouTube phenomenon and the numerous other PayPal spinoffs. Some reflections on relevance for Hawaii:
- There’s nothing like having a huge success like PayPal to jumpstart multiple spinoff companies and the acceleration of tech development and creativity. To follow this example, Hawaii should aim for a few huge successes that will ultimately generate spinoffs and accelerate critical mass.
- Startups are hard work and they need to be. The strong will survive. We shouldn’t make it easy for entrepreneurs to fund their companies if we are to complete globally and find sustainable businesses. If we make it too easy for them, then we are actually hurting them in the long run.
- Hawaii should thus be careful about taking risk away from entrepreneurs and investors. As Reid Hoffman (PayPal alum and founder of LinkedIn) is quoted at the end of the article, “Nothing focuses your attention quite like losing money and the sense that you are going to die soon.”
- Entrepreneurs want things to be hard. That’s why they are entrepreneurs. The article makes numerous references to the bonding that occurred through the stress and hard work (nights and weekends) of employees of PayPay in its early stages as a struggling startup. It states: “The long hours, sleepless nights and intense pressure of life inside a start-up often create strong bonds among its employees. In its early years, PayPal was all about pressure and the struggle for survival. The company was losing millions each month.”
We should nurture this type of environment for entrepreneurs.
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10.16.06
Posted in Entrepreneur Tips and Tricks, Posts I've read at 2:38 pm by Peter Kay
“Preparing for a Successful M&A Exit”
Google’s $1.6 billion acquisition of YouTube sprang to life during breakfast at Denny’s just a few short weeks ago - or so the story goes. For this and many other reasons, the YouTube deal is really the exception rather than the rule of M&A today.
There is an old saying: a product well bought is half sold. The most successful software acquisitions are those which are carefully crafted well in advance. Understanding today’s M&A landscape and the new standards involved will help emerging companies ensure a strong exit.
Key points are:
- Start Early
- Be Prepared
- Say “No”
- Be Patient
- Know the Buyer Landscape
- Value Realistically
- Go Early
- Look Big
- Be Ready for Audits
- Know Your Buyer
- Meet Deep
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