The 9pm Public House Forum 2

The 9pm Edict's Public House Forum #2 being recorded: see text for caption

Do you wink at powerful men? Apparently winking at powerful men is a thing, and we hear more about this and other tips for success in this rather odd episode of The 9pm Edict.

The panellists are, in order of introduction:

  • Kate Carruthers, UNSW übergeek and revolutionary cat;
  • Nicole Williamson, Carbon and biotech consultant, or, as her Twitter profile puts it, “Science, Tech, Cleantech, Rugby Tragic, Aircraft Fleet Geek, Women as Leaders/Founders/Investors, all things Startup. Half Canadian, half Australian, half German”; and
  • Jazz Twemlow, comedian, columnist for The Guardian, and writer
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Announcing “The 9pm Edict’s Public House Forum #2”

Photo of Salisbury Hotel: click for podcast event page

The 9pm Edict cover art version 2, 150 pixelsWould you like to witness the recording of another very special episode of The 9pm Edict podcast? Then organise yourself to be at the second Public House Forum on Saturday 19 December.

Yes, once more I’m recording a forum in a public house — yes, a pub — where four interesting people will join me to discuss the important issues of the day.

It’ll be a lot like the first one.

The panelists will include:

  • Jazz Twemlow, comedian, columnist for The Guardian, and writer
  • Kate Carruthers, UNSW übergeek and revolutionary cat
  • Nicole Williamson, Carbon and biotech consultant, or, as her Twitter profile puts it, “Science, Tech, Cleantech, Rugby Tragic, Aircraft Fleet Geek, Women as Leaders/Founders/Investors, all things Startup. Half Canadian, half Australian, half German”
  • … and possibly another.

The venue is the Salisbury Hotel, 118 Percival Road, Stanmore NSW 2048. The podcast recording starts at 2pm — but I strongly recommend that you arrive well before that, so you can order lunch and a few beverages and get into the mood.

Space is strictly limited, so you’ll need to book a (free) ticket through Eventbrite. Do it. Do it now.

[Photo: The Salisbury Hotel, Stanmore, photographed on 8 December 2015.]

Stupid uses of “solution”

Photograph of truck with sign on side: Crawford Tree Solutions Pty Ltd 0417 871 471

Pet gripe: the use of the word “solution” in (originally) the IT industry and now, seemingly, everywhere.

Wikipedia doesn’t give it it’s own page, merely saying:

In business, a solution is a product, service, or combination of both which is said to solve a business or consumer’s problem; the term is often considered an overused and unimaginative buzzword.

So when I saw this truck (pictured) in Stanmore yesterday afternoon I wondered, “WFT is a ‘tree solution’?”

I assume this guy is an arborist, or “tree surgeon”. The former ain’t great marketing in the 21st Century ‘cos it’s latinesque, but I can live with the latter — after all, he’s a bloke what cuts down or fixes trees, yeah?

Other annoying buzzwords for me: “business ecology”, “DNA” (when used to talk about “our business’ DNA”), “space” and “Web 2.0”. Any others?