100+ People I'd Like to Meet Series

Have you ever given any thought to people that you'd like to meet? If you could meet any living person in the world who would you meet? I decided to put together a list of people that I'd like to meet.

My forth grade teacher, Mr. Hammond, had my class do some creative thinking and I remember him asking us to think about who we'd like to meet and why? This was limited to one person and actually he didn't put the limitation that the person had to be living (in fact he even encouraged us to pick a historical figure for one of the creative assignments, but that is a different post). A colleague of mine at work has a Tim Ferris quote from his 4 Hour Workweek book and in the chapter that it comes from, Tim Ferris talks about how he challenged some students that heard him speak to seek out some celebrity to interview. Thinking about these events motivated me to put together a list of people that I'd like to meet and my hope is that by publishing my list that it would help faciliate me meeting many of them.

Guidelines for my list

Everyone on the list has excelled at one thing or another and I believe that there is something that I could learn from them. The goal with every person is to meet them in person where I could talk to them for at least 5 minutes (of course longer would be better but they're all busy people so they probably won't have a day or a week to spend with me to give me their insights on life!) This means that I'm looking for more than a handshake or a photo opportunity. I'm looking for the chance to ask some questions and to be able to interact with them. The list is not by any means everone that I'd like to meet, nor is everyone that I admire on this list (that would be another post) and although I have done some categorization, I didn't put any real priority into the order that the names appear.

Stay Tuned

Look in this space for the rest of the series. I'll post links to the articles below as they're published.

• Part 2
• Part 3
• Part 4
• Part 5
• Part 6
• Part 7
• Part 8
• Part 9
• Part 10
  

Photo credit: "Mount Rushmore 02" courtesy of rweller

100+ People- Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of 100+ People That I'd Like to Meet. Today I'm going to focus on some "Internet Stars" that I'd like to meet

Internet Stars

These are a collection of Web personalities that I'd like to meet. Some of them are writers/bloggers and many have become good at marketing, promotion and other entrepreneur skills.

• Pete Cashmere- Founder of Mashable, he has an insight in to emerging social media companies and trends that many people dream about having. He's on Twitter @ mashable, Facebook, MySpace, and just about any and every Social Media and Social Networking site that exists
  

• Leo Babauta- Is the man behind Zenhabbits. He also started the Write to Done and the mnmlist and seems to have new projects coming out of the woodwork all the time., I've written a Spotlight on him and was fortunate enough to interview him for this blog but it would still be great to be able to meet him. His about page is worth checking out. He's on Twitter @ zen_habits. He even has a Wikipedia entry
  

• Tina Su- Is the women behind ThinkSimpleNow. She introduced me to blog carnivals. She decided to follow the Tim Ferris idea of a mini retirement and spent several months touring India. Her about page is also an interesting read. She's on Twitter @ thinksimplenow, she is also in Facebook and several other Social Media/Networking sites
  

• Merlin Mann- Is the creator of 43 Folders. 43 Folders was one of the first websites to embrace GTD (Getting Things Done) and run with it. He's done tons of podcasts and is a big Mac fan. I wrote a spotlight on 43folders wrote about him returning to 43folders after a period of absence. He's on Twitter @ hotdogsladies. There is a fan site for him on Facebook and he has a Wikpedia entry
  

• Tim Ferris- Author of The Four Hour Workweek. Lots of great ideas in his book. I mentioned him earlier in this post. He's on Twitter @ tferriss and has a Wikipedia entry
  

• Arianna Huffington- The women behind The Huffington Post. The Huffington Post might not be the first internet newspaper, but it has certainly been groundbreaking. There are several twitter accounts for The Huffington Post, but the main one is huffingtonpost. She and the Huffington post have are active in Facebook and made it easy for you to "like" one of their stories and to comment on it via Facebook. There is a Wikipedia entry about her and one about the Huffington Post
  

• Darren Rowse- The creator of ProBlogger and Twitips. He has to be one of the most successful bloggers out there! He is on Twitter @ problogger he is active in Facebook and other Social Media/Neworking sites (basically anywhere he can interact with his audience and readers) and he has a Wikipedia entry
  

• Chris Brogan- Is one of those Social Media stars that many aspire to be. His blog is very popular. He is on Twitter @ chrisbrogan and he has a Wikipedia entry
  

• Guy Kawasaki- Co-founder of the popular news aggregator site AllTop. He is on Twitter @ GuyKawasaki and he has a Wikipedia entry
  

• Jeremiah Owyang- He is a partner at the Altimeter Group. His blog is widely followed within Social Media circles. He is on Twitter @ jowyang

• Seth Godin- Is another of those Social Media stars that many aspire to be. He has a widely read blog. Seth recenty created a lot of buzz when he stated in an interview that he has given up on traditional book publishing because he doesn't believe it is worth the effort when he can reach more poeple via electronic means. He is on Twitter @ ThisIsSethsBlog and he has a Wikipedia entry
  

• Maddie Grant and Lindy Dreyer- Are the women behind SocialFish.org. They have a lot of knowledge of Social Media within the world of Non-Profits and Charities. They're on Twitter @ maddiegrant & lindydreyer

Stay Tunned...

Be sure to look for 100+ People That I Want to Meet Part 3 and the rest of the series and you can read the intro here. Feel free to subscribe to this blog via email or your rss reader, there are several options available in the upper righthand corner of this blog.


Photo credit: "Cosmic" courtesy of ba1969.

100+ People- Part 3

In Part 3 of the 100+ People That I'd Lket to Meet, I wanted to cover people that inspire and motivate us as well as authors.

Inspiration And Motivation

It is amazing what you can accomplish if you're properly motivated and inspired. I like to think that anything is possible and generally have a positive outlook, but don't we all need some motivation and inspiration from time to time!

• David Allen- Is the legendary creator of GTD (Getting Things Done). He has a couple of websites Davidco and GTDTimes. There are millions of GTD fans around the world that would love to spend some quality time with him. He is on Twitter @ gtdguy

• Tony Robbins- He's an motivational and inspirational great. His website is here. He regularly tweets nuggets you might find useful. He is on Twitter @ tonyrobbins

• Stephen Covey- Author of "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People". His website is here. He is on twitter @ StephenRCovey

• Brian Tracy- Motivational author and speaker, author of numerous books and tape series. His blog is here. He is on Twitter @ briantracy

• Zig Ziggler- Legendary motivational author and speaker. His website is here. His son is on Twitter sharing his insights @ TomZiglar

• Oprah- How can you describe Oprah. She has been a positive force and has an incredible network. The mention of a book on her show is enough to put in on the New York Times Best-Seller List! Here website is here. She is on Twitter @ Oprah

Authors

"the story" has to be one of the oldest forms of communication that we have. Before people were capturing history and stories down in written form, they were verbally passing them from person to person and generation to generation. Literature is full of wonderful authors through the ages (probably the reason that we have libraries!) Good writers can get a message accross to readers in different places and in different times, they can inspire people to take action. For as long as I can remember I've wanted to write, in fact writing the great American novel is one of the goals that I have listed at 43 Things.

• J.K. Rowling- She created the world of Harry Potter. All the stars seemed to collide and the series has become one of the most read and discussed of all time. How many kids have been inspired to read because of Harry Potter? Her official website is here. Although she doesn't tweet much, her official Twitter account is @ jk_rowling

• Dan Brown- Author of the Di Vinci Code, as well as Angels & Demons, both of which have been turned into movies. His website is here. I didn't find him on Twitter, but there are a lot of "Dan Brown"s there so who knows.

• Stephen King- Chances are that you've probably read one of his books or seen a movie made from one of them, and no, they aren't all horror stories. He has written so many things about such a wide variety of topics, it would be great to get some of his insights into writing, ideas, and inspiration. His website can be found here. When I was on his website, the FAQ section says that he isn't in an social networks nor does he plan to be.

Stay Tuned

So far we've met some Internet Stars, Leaders in Motivation & Inspiration, and Authors, who'll be next? Be sure to look for 100+ People That I Want to Meet Part 4 and the rest of the series and you can read the intro here. Feel free to subscribe to this blog via email or your rss reader, there are several options available in the upper righthand corner of this blog.

Photo credit: "New York City skyline 3" courtesy of davidlat.

100+ People- Part 4

In Part 3 of the 100+ People That I'd Lket to Meet, I list some Actors, Directors, and Comedians. Actors give life to the written words of authors and screenwriters, the good ones have you believing that they are the character they're portraying. Directors have to have a vision of how the piece should look, because stories don't just jump from paper to the movie or television screen or even the stage. Some actors have been able to able to become successful directors. Who doesn't like to laugh? Some commedians have been successful actors, while other have hosted daily (or nightly) television shows.

Actors, Directors, and Comedians

• William Shatner- Captain Kirk of Star Trek (the original series) and pitchman extordinaire. He has a MySpace site, he is on Twitter @ WilliamShatner, and his Wikipedia entry is here.
  

• Sir Patrick Stewart- Captain Picard of Star Trek: The Next Generation. A Shakespearian actor, star of many movies, and recently knighted. I didn't find an official website or Twitter account but here is his Wikipedia entry.

• Robert Dinero- He has appeared in so many movies that you're bound to have seem him in at least one movie. I didn't find a Twitter account or official website but you can check out his IMDb biography or Wikipedia entry.

• Robert Redford- World famous actor, director, and the man behind the Sundance Film Festival. His Sundance Institute can be found here. There appears to be a Twitter account set up but it doesn't really seem to be off the ground yet.

• Clint Eastwood- World famous actor and director. You've probably seen one of his Westerns or Dirty Harry movies. I didn't find any official websites or a Twitter account, but you can read his Wikipedia entry.

• James Cameron- World famous director has brought us the Terminator, Aliens, Titanic, and most recently Avatar. I didn't find an official website or Twitter account, but you can read his Wikipedia entry.

• George Lucas- The man that created of Star Wars world and Indiana Jones. He brought us THX sound and ILM. His website is Lucasfilm.com . I didn't find a Twitter account for him, but you can read his Wikipedia entry.

• Steven Spielberg- Director and Producer, with ET, the Back to Future Series, Indiana Jones, and a ton of other movies, you've probably seen one of his movies. He is one of the founders Dreamworks SKG. I didn't find a Twitter account, but his Wikipedia entry can be found here.

• Michael Moore- He is a controversial director of documentaries.He has managed to make this film genre more accessible to the normal person, where more people are likely to watch a documentary and how many would be film makers have been inspired by his success in the genre? His website is here and he is on Twitter @ MMFlint.

• Tom Hanks- I've been a fan of his since I first watched him in the TV series Bosom Buddies. He has been referred to as the Jimmy Stewart, the everyman of the current actors. I didn't find him on Twitter, but you can find his Wikipedia entry here.

• Robin Williams- I remember first seeing him as Mork from Ork on Happy Days and then with his own series. He has been in some amazing movies and people forget how funny he is and has been. I didn't find a Twitter account, but did find a Wikipedia entry on him.

• Michael J. Fox- You might have seen him in the TV series Family Ties or Spin City. I recently re-watched him in the Back to the Future trilogy. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 1991 and his foundation has funded more than $179 million in research. I didn't find an official account on Twitter but you can read about him at Wikipedia.

• Bill Cosby- He has proven time and again that comedy doesn't need to be vulgar or obscene. There is a good chance that you might have seen an episode or more from one of the televisions series bearing his name. Maybe you've seen him in the television series ISpy. He's also done several memorable spots for Jello. His Wikipedia entry can be found here.

• David Letterman- Not everyone likes his sense of humor, but you have to give him credit for longevity. He has been a staple of late night televisons for decades, with his show airing nightly. He might not have invented the Top Ten list but he sure did make it a popular item that has been adopted by countless people in all kinds of ways and venues. His show's website can be found on the CBS website and his Wikipedia entry can be found here.

• Jerry Seinfeld- Have you ever seen an episode of the Seinfeld television series, it was part of NBC's "Must See TV" on Thursday night for nearly a decade. The show has often been referred to as the show about nothing, but a lot of people tuned in week after week to watch. His Wikipedia entry can be found here.
  

Stay Tuned

So far we've met some Internet Stars; Leaders in Motivation & Inspiration; Authors; Actors, Directors, and Comedians, who'll be next? Be sure to look for 100+ People That I Want to Meet Part 5 and the rest of the series and you can read the intro here. Feel free to subscribe to this blog via email or your rss reader, there are several options available in the upper righthand corner of this blog.

Photo credit: "Red chairs" courtesy of Cancia.

100+ People- Part 5

For as long as I can remember I've been a big music fan. In the movie Eddie and The Cruisers, there is an exchange between Eddie Wilson (Michael Pare) and Frank "Wordman" Ridgeway (Tom Berenger) about how the two go together and need each other. Each by itself is a good medium for story telling and communicatin but the two together are a powerful combination. The song writer(s) might have one idea of what their song means but they can not control what their song will mean to someone else nor what others will do with their song. How many songs have been turned around into totally differnt versions of the same song. Think about the phemnomina of Rap music and remixes. How different would movies and television be without the score and music helps to set the tone and direction of the scenes you're watching. Chances are that you have at least one song that can put you in a good mood no matter what the world may dish up to you the moment you hear that first note or one song that motivates you.

Bands & Musicians

• Led Zeppelin- Lead singer, Robert Plant has one of the best know voices in Rock and Roll. He won a Grammy last year for an album that he did with Blue Grass singer Alison Krauss. Jimmy Page is one of three legendary guitarists that were in the Yardbirds (Eric Clapton, also appearing in my list, and Jeff Beck, being the other two). I didn't find any Twitter accounts but Led Zeppelin and Robert Plant both have official websites and a Wikipedia entry.

• Eric Clapton- Even if you're not into the Blues or already a fan of Eric Clapton, you've probably heard a song of his without realizing it. Several of his songs have been in various movie soundtracks in the last few decades. Everybody wanted to do unplugged after he did it. He was another of the famous guitarists that was in the Yardbirds (Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page are the other two). I didn't find a Twitter account and his official website can be found here.

• B.B. King- If you're a Blues fan you've probably already know of B.B. King. Eric Clapton and many other Rock and Roll greats list him as an influence. In fact, King and Clapton did an album together called Riding With The King. B.B. King has an official website and he has a museum that can be found online as well. Although I didn't find a Twitter account, I did see links to MySpace and Facebook from his website.

• Chuck Berry- Chances are you've probably heard of Chuck Berry. Many people credit him with Rock and Roll taking off the way it did, certainly he has influenced a lot of musicians over the years. Chuck Berry has a website a Wikipedia entry and I did find a MySpace account.

• It is really hard to "imagine" music and the world without the Beatles. An uncle of mine once joked about being by the magizine section in a store and hearing some teenager girls saying "Wow, Paul McCartney was in a band before Wings". Unfortunately, only Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr as well as Yoko Ono and Pete Best (their drummer before Ringo) are alive. Paul,Ringo, and Pete all have their own websites in addition to Imagine Peace, Yoko's website. The Beatles, Paul McCartney, and Yoko all have Twitter accounts. I found Wikipedia entries for The_Beatles, Lennon/McCartney, Paul_McCartney, Ringo_Starr, Pete_Best, and Yoko_Ono. Yoko is in Facebook, as well as having a MySpace account. Ringo has a MySpace account.

• At one time people seemed to like the Beatles or the Stones, although Mick Jagger might not ever seem to get his Satisfaction, the Rolling Stone have certainly had some time in the spotlight. The band has a website and Wikipedia entry and I found MySpace and Facebook sites for them as well.

• If you're a Van Halen fan, you've probably given some thought to weither David Lee Roth or Sammy Hagar was the better singer. There is little doubt however that Eddy Van Halen is one of the guitar greats. Sammy and Michael have been in Chickenfoot together since leaving Van Halen. I found Wikipedia entries for Van Halen, David Lee Roth, Eddie Van Halen, Sammy Hagar, Micahel Anthony, and Chickenfoot. I also found MySpace and Facebook sites for Chickenfoot.

• I wonder what all will be written about U2, when all is said and done. The Jousha Tree brought the to mainstream success and they've sold out countless concerts since then. I found Wikipedia entries for U2, Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. The band has MySpace and Facebook sites.

• It is hard to imagine the Alternative/Grunge rock era without Pearl Jam. They were also the band that boycotted Ticketmaster. Although I didn't find Facebook or MySpace sites, they do have a Wikipedia entry and Twitter account.

• If you listen to "Classic Rock", you've probably heard Jethro Tull. Many people might say that they're "Living in the Past" but the vocals and flute of Ian Anderson are hard to mistake for anyone else in the world of "Classic Rock". I found Wikipedia entries for Jethro Tull and Ian Anderson. The band also has a MySpace site.

• If you've ever played Six Degrees of Seperation, a game where someone suggests two movie stars and you try to connect them through movies that they'd played in and Kevin Bacon, there is a good chance that you'd use Yes to connect muscians in British Rock. Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Trevor Rabin, Rick Wakeman, Geoff Downs, Bill Bruford, and Alan White have all been in one or more of the various lineups of Yes. I found Wikipedia entries for Yes, Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Steve Howe, Trevor Rabin, Rick Wakeman, Geoff Downs, Bill Bruford, and Alan White. I didn't really come accross any MySpace, Facebook, or Twitter accounts for the more promenent Yes and former Yes memebers but with there being so many I might have missed something!

• Aerosmith is another one of the bands that train just keeps rolling for. They were already well known in the 70's and 80's when they decided that they didn't want a "Permanent Vacation" they became introduced to another generation. Liv Tyler, Steven Tyler's daughter, has probably escliped the widespread fame of her father's band and I wonder how many of her fans were introduced to the band via her notoriety. Lead guitarist Joe Perry has his own website, a Twitter account, as well as MySpace and Facebook sites. I found Wikipedi entries for Aerosmith, Steven Tyler, and Joe Perry. Aeroforceone tweets about the band. Steven Tyler has a MySpace site and the band has MySpace and Facebook sites.

• Coming from the Detroit area it is darn near impossible not to be a Bob Seger fan. Did you happen to see Tom Cruise's scene from Risky Business where he danced around to "Old Time Rock And Roll"? Bob Seger has a Wikipedia entry, he is on Twitter, and he has a Facebook site.

• You've probably heard "Hotel California", if not countless other Eagles songs. The band had a bad break up at one point and reported wouldn't get back together till Hell freezes over, well it must have frozen over because they did get back together. Don Henley says on their "Hell Freezes Over" album (recorded during their "Hell Freezes Over" tour) "for the record we never really broke up, we just took a 14 year vacation". Bandmembers Joe Walsh and Timothy B Schmit have their own websites as well. I found Wikipedia entries for The Eagles, Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Joe Walsh, and Timothy B. Schmit. While Don Henley's website said that "He does not communicate via social networking sites and has not authorized any account to be created on his behalf." the band appears to have a MySpace site and Timothy B. Schmit has Twitter accountand Facebook and MySpace accounts. So who knows, maybe Hell will freeze over again before Don Henley does anything with any of the Social Networking sites.

• Kiss has to be one of the first best known bands to understand what a powerful tool marketing can be. For decades their fanbase has been refered to as the Kiss Army and their devotion is legendary. The band was founded with Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss all wearing makeup that concealed their faces. In addition to the websites already linked to, I found websites for current and former band members Eric Singer, Tommy Thayer, Eric Carr, and Bruce Kulick. I found Wikipedia entries on Kiss, Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley, Peter Criss, Kiss Army, Eric Singer, Tommy Thayer, Mark St. John, Eric Carr, Vinnie Vincent, and Bruce Kulick. The band has a Twitter account, Facebook and MySpace sites and Ace has a Twitter account.

• Although John Mellencamp's name has changed through the years from John Cougar, John Cougar Mellencamp, and finally to John Mellencamp, he has firmly identified himself with the Midwest and his home state of Indiana. I saw him perform during one of his many appearences at Farm Aid. He has a Wikipedia entry, a Twitter account, and Facebook and MySpace sites.

• To a lot of their fans, REM will always be that little ole alternative band from Athens Georgia, but their popularity with in College Radio and the mainstream public has grown way beyond that. They have a Wikipedia entry, Twitter account, and Facebook and MySpace sites.

• Regardless of if you like Madonna's music or not you have to admit that she has been good at marketing, promotion, and re-inventing herself. Her career might have gotten an initial boost from MTV, but she's had several totally different looks in her career and has inspired countless artists. I didn't find an offical Twitter account but she has a Wikipedia entry, as well as Facebook and MySpace sites.

Stay Tuned

So far we've met some Internet Stars; Leaders in Motivation & Inspiration; Authors; Actors, Directors, and Comedians; and Musicians, who'll be next? Be sure to look for 100+ People That I Want to Meet Part 6 and the rest of the series and you can read the intro here. Feel free to subscribe to this blog via email or your rss reader, there are several options available in the upper righthand corner of this blog.

Photo credit: "DJ Night 4" courtesy of fangol.

100+ People- Part 6

While there is little doubt that sports is big business, a big part of our societies today, and many athletes are living in the limelight (like it or not), but there are lots of athletes that are playing their sports for the love of the game. How many kids have played sports in their neighborhoods and schools? Sports has the dynamics of of indivituals competing against each other driving to succeed, people coming together and playing as a team, and bringing people together that are fans of the sport. Schools have found that sports are a way of getting students, parents. alumni, and fans to be more active in supporting the said school and building a community around the school. Some sporting events are watched by millions of people around the world. There are so many stories around sports that people can relate to from the Cinderella player or team that comes out of nowhere to play in the championship, to that winning team or athlete that is trying to extend their time in the limelight and success past when logic says that should probably quit. Sports has given us all kinds of motivation and inspiration that people have tried to harness in other aspects of life.

Athletes

• Few people would question you if you were to say that Michael Jordan is one of the greatest basketball players to ever play the game. Nike would not doubt admit that his line of Air Jordon products helped to make them the successful athletic apparell company that they are today. I didn't find a website, Twitter account, or Facebook and MySpace sites, but did find a Wikipedia entry.

• Tiger Woods is one of the greatest golfers to ever play the game. While at the moment his name has often been mentioned for his extra-marital acitivies, you have to believe that people will eventually be talking about him again for what he is doing or has done in the world of golf. Until the scandal broke, he was an advertiser's dream, representing Nike, Buick, and many other products. It will be interesting to see what develops, how he is able to get beyond where is now, and what lessons we can learn from him. I didn't find a Twitter account, nor Facebook and MySpace sites, but he does have a Wikipedia entry.

• Before Tiger, there was Jack Nicklaus, the Golden Bear. He has won tons of golfing tournaments, designed golf courses, and in general been a wonderful ambassador for the world of golf. I didn't find a Twitter account, nor Facebook and MySpace accounts, but he does have a Wikipedia entry.

• I lived in Dallas during much of Troy Aikman's professional football career with the Dallas Cowboys and it was exciting to see him lead the team to those Super Bowl wins. I didn't find a Twitter account, nor Facebook and MySpace accounts, but he does have a Wikipedia entry.

• Admiration of my grandfather (in large part), made me a Dallas Cowboys fan from an early age on, so there is probably little doubt that I would come to admire what Roger Staubach accomplished in his years with the team. I didn't find a Twitter account, nor Facebook and MySpace accounts, but he does have a Wikipedia entry.

• Not long before Jordon, the Magic Johonson-Larry Bird rivalry was good for the sport of basketball. The two first became famous meeting in the NCAA basketball championship game with Magic and the Michigan State Spartans, beating out Larry Bird and his Indiana State team. The two of them helped to define the Laker-Celtic rivalry. I didn't find Twitter acccounts, nor Facebook and MySpace sites but Magic and Larry Bird both have Wikipedia entries.

• During Steve Yzerman's playing career at the Detroit Red Wings, the Stanley Cup came back to Detroit, and the city was often referred to as Hockeytown. The Red Wings were a shining star, a real bright spot for Detroit. Steve has left the ice and is now the general manager at the Tampa Bay Lightning. I didn't find a website, Twitter account, nor Facebook and MySpace sites but did find a Wikipedia entry for him.

• Gordie Howe is a hockey legend. In 1998, The Hockey News, placed Gordie third on their List of Top 100 NHL Players of All Time. He played hockey from 1945 to 1998, not too many atheletes can play the sport that they love for such a long period of time. His jersey was retired by the Detroit Red Wings. I didn't find a website, Twitter account, nor Facebook and MySpace sites but did find a Wikipedia entry for him.

• Wayne Gretzky, "the Great One", was rated number one on the List of Top 100 NHL Players of All Time mentioned previously. He is often atributed with one of my favorite quotes that you miss one hundred percent of the shots that you don't take. I didn't find a Twitter account, nor Facebook and MySpace sites but did find a Wikipedia entry.

• Lance Armstrong first caught my attention when I heard that he was recovering from cancer and determined to keep cycling. His 7 victories in the Tour de France, might just be one of those unbreakable records. He started the Lance Armstrong Foundation with a website called Live Strong "to improve the lives of people affected by cancer". Although I didn't notice any Facebook or MySpace sites, he has a Wikipedia entry and a very active Twitter account.

• Reggie Jackson reportedly got his nick name of "Mr. October" because of how he seemed to come alive during the playoff chase in Baseball. He won the World Series three times in Oakland and twice with the Yankees. Although I didn't notice any Facebook or MySpace sites or Twitter account, he does have a Wikipedia entry.

• Sparky Anderson is the first coach to win the World Series in both the National and American Leagues. He led the Cincinati Reds to two World Series wins and led the Detroit Tigers to their 1984 World Series win. Although I didn't notice any website, Facebook or MySpace sites or Twitter account, he does have a Wikipedia entry.

Stay Tuned

So far we've met some Internet Stars; Leaders in Motivation & Inspiration; Authors; Actors, Directors, and Comedians; Musicians; and Athletes, who'll be next? Be sure to look for 100+ People That I Want to Meet Part 7 and the rest of the series and you can read the intro here. Feel free to subscribe to this blog via email or your rss reader, there are several options available in the upper righthand corner of this blog.

Photo credit: "Tribune 1" courtesy of gesinek.

100+ People- Part 7

In Part 7 of People That I'd like to meet I decided to discuss Bussiness Leaders And Pioneers. These are a variety of people that have made their mark in the business world. Some of them have brought us revolutionary products and services that it is hard to imagine not living with. Many of them have a lot of influence that could be harnessed if and when they're passionate about something or some idea.

Business Leaders and Pioneers

• Even if you don't follow the business world that much, you've probably heard of billionare Warren Buffet and Berksirehataway. Even in today's tough economic climate, he is one of America's richest men and much like the old solgan of EF Hutton, when he has something to say, people listen. I didn't find a Twitter account and Facebook nor MySpace sites, but I did find a Wikipedia entry.

• Chances are good that you migh have heard of Steve Jobs and that "little"company he co-founded. His departure and return to Apple are legendary. He is credited with several products and sevices that have revolutionized their market segments including iTunes, iPod, and the iPhone. I didn't find a Twitter acccount and Facebook nor MySpace site, but I did find a Wikipedia entry.

• Microsoft founder Bill Gates is already well known within business and technology circles and this was before he started the Bill & Melinda Gate Foundation. If you wonder whats on his mind you can check out his notes website. He has a Wikipedia entry and it was big news when he openned up a Twitter account and he got over 100,000 followers in just 8 hours. Although he reportedly stopped using Facebook because he had too many friends, his foundation has a Faceboook site and Twitter account. He talked about using Twitter and his foundation with Jon Stewart.

• Ross Perot is a legendary figure founding EDS (Electronic Data Systems) and later founding Perot Systems. He ran for U.S. President in 1992. In a now famous presidential debate with then President George H. Bush, and Democratic candidate and future President Clinton he made a statement "there will be a giant sucking sound going south." when talking about NAFTA and various other Free Trade ageements. You can read a transcript of the debate at the New York Times. You can see various clips of it on YouTube. You can still see some of his famous charts at Perotcharts. I found a Twitter account but I'm not sure if it his really him or not since the website listed refers to an old webpate at Perot Systems, he does however have a Wikipedia entry.

• Jack Dorsey is one of the founders of Twitter. It would be interesting to know about his toughts on what he was creating and what direction he sees Twitter going in, and of course what projects does he have on the horizion? He has a Wikipedia entry and of course he has a Twitter account!
  

• Mark Zuckerberg is one of the best known cofounders of Facebook. Facebook overtook Google as the most visited site in America and some people are predicting that it will be bigger that Google. You always have to wonder what is next on the horizion for Facebook? He has a Wikipedia entry, a Twitter account, and of course he is on Facebook.
  

• Kevin Rose found Digg the social news site where the users determine what is on the front page. The site was recently redesigned and users are getting used to it. He has a Wikipedia entry and a Twitter account.
  

• Jimmy Wales is cofounder of the online encyclopedia site Wikipedia. Although there has certainly been controversary about the accuracy of some of the entries (as well as who can edit them), it is a quick way to find out information about various topics. Of course, Jimmy Wales has a Wikipedia entry.
  

• Sir Richard Branson is the man behind the Virgin group, everything from music to an airlines. He writes about various topics at his blog. He had a Wikipedia entry and a Twitter account.
  

• Jim Cramer is a well known analyst and commentator at CNBC. His Mad Money section at The Street.com has a lot of active readers. He has a Wikipedia entry and a Twitter account.

• Lee Iacoca is a legend in the Auto Industry. He is often credited with creating the Ford Mustang. When all is said and done he likely to remembered as the man that led the efforts to save Chrysler when they nearly went bankrupt in the 70's (too bad his successors didn't feel so driven). He recently wrote Where Have All The Leaders Gone, a NY Times Best Seller that is critical of our leaders today. He has a Wikipedia entry and his foundation can be found here.
  

• Ted Turner is the man behind CNN (Cable News Network) and several other early cable networks. CNN was the first American based television network that covered news round the clock and around the world. I have to wonder if the development of cable didn't somehow set the public acceptance of the internet, how would growth and acceptance of the internet have looked if we hadn't had cable television opening our minds to the possiblity of information and intertainment coming from outside the normal televsion networks at the time? Those of you that are Jane Fonda fans migh remember that the tow of them were married for several years. He has a Wikipedia entry and his foundation can be found here.
  

Charity

I find it interesting that many of the business leaders listed here have felt compelled to create a foundation or charity that gives something back. I recently ran accross an article (The Gospel of Wealth) that discussed modern day philanthric efforts of Bill Gates and Warren Buffet. The title from the article is also not coincidently shared by a book by one of America's best known capitalists, Andrew Carnegie. Although Carngie was a ruthless, take no prisioners tycoon, later on his religious roots inspired him to set out to give away his wealth before he died. Before passing away in 1919 he had given away $350 million (approximately $4.3 billion, if calculated in US dollars based on today’s figures). The money that he hadn't managed to give away was given to foundations and charities. Carnegie believed that wealth was more than money. He believed wealth came as a result of ideas, risk-taking, talents, and other ways of creating and contributing to society. While Cargnegie's philanthropy was primiary based or influenced by his religious beliefs and background, Gates and Buffet's efforts are more about convincing others in position of wealth that giving back is the right thing to do.

• You've probably heard of the Komen Race for the Cure, Nancy Brinker founded the organization as part of a promise she made to her sister (Susan Komen) to do everything that that she could to stop breast cancer and make the lives of the affected and their families better. She has proven that one person can make a difference and guaranteed that her sister's name will live on long after she is gone. Brinker has also served as the Ambassador to Hungary from 2001-2003. She has a Wikipedia entry as well as the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Komen.org also has a Twitter account and is active in Facebook.
  

Stay Tuned

So far we've met some Internet Stars; Leaders in Motivation & Inspiration; Authors; Actors, Directors, and Comedians; Musicians; Athletes; and Business Leaders and Pioneers; who'll be next? Be sure to look for 100+ People That I Want to Meet Part 8 and the rest of the series and you can read the intro here. Feel free to subscribe to this blog via email or your rss reader, there are several options available in the upper righthand corner of this blog.

Photo credit: "Chess pion" courtesy of iprole.

100+ People- Part 8

I've long had an interest in Politics and History. Today more than ever it seems that there is so much in the world that needs to be changed. I like to think that talking to some of these world leaders can make an impact. Can you imagine if we had more leaders that were honest, that we could really trust, and that really had the best interest of everyone in mind and acted on it? Disclaimer, inclusion on this list does not signify that I admire or endorse said person, only that they're someone that I'd like to meet.

World Leaders

• Who wouldn't want to meet the President? Ok there are a few. Candidate Obama used Social Media like no other candidate before him. After his success with it, you suddenly found that many politicans realized that they needed to be in that space as well. He has a Wikipedia entry, a Twitter account, Facebook sites, and is probably in most any of the major Social Media sites out there.
  

• I'd like to talk to Senator John McCain about the 2000 and 2008 presidental campaigns, what has he learned, what might he do differently if he were to do it over again? He has a Wikipedia entry, a Twitter account, and Facebook sites.
  

• German Chancellor Merkel is the first woment to be elected to the highest office in Germany. 30 years ago, probably nobody believed that a women in the DDR would aspire to this position! She has a Wikipedia entry, a Twitter account, and is on Facebook.
  

• British Prime Minister David Cameron is the first Conservative to lead Britian after the Blair and Brown years. He has a Wikipedia entry and a Twitter account.
  

• Some people would argue that Vladimir Putin is still running Russia, but I think that few people would doubt the influence that he holds. His Wikipedia entry can be found here.
  

• I've love to get the insights of Mikhail Gorbachev on the Fall of the Soviet Union. His Wikipedia entry can be found here.
  

• Nancy Pelosi is the current Speaker of the House and recognised leader of Democratic efforts in the House of Representatives. She has two offical web sites that I found (one at house.gov and the other at speaker.gov), her Wikipedia entry can be found here, she has two Twitter accounts that I found (NancyPelosi and SpeakerPelosi), and she is in Facebook.
  

• Harry Reid is the current Majority Leader in the Senate. His Wikipedia entry can be found here, he has a Twitter account, and I believe that I've seen him in Facebook.
  

• Mitch McConnell is the Republican Majority Leader in Senate. I didn't find a Twitter account for him but he does have a Wikipedia entry.
  

• John Boehner is the Republican Majority Leader in House. He has a Wikipedia entry and a Twitter account.
  

• Karl Rove is the strategist behind George W. Bush's electoral successes, so he knows a thing or two about winning elections and campaigning. He has a Wikipedia entry and a Twitter account.
  

• Newt Gingrich is the former Republican Speaker of the House and known for the "Contract With America". Although it is not offical yet, it seems a pretty good bet that he'll run for President in 2012. He has a Wikipedia entry and a Twitter account.
  

• Henry Kissinger was the Secretary of State under President Nixon. What insights he must have into foreign relations. I didn't run accross a Twitter account or Facebook site but he does have a Wikipedia entry.
  

• Pope Benedict XVI follows the popular Pope John Paul II. Who wouldn't want to talk to the Pope? He told priests that they must blog, has overseen Facebook and iPhone apps, launched a YouTube channel, and seems to get that the Catholic Church needs to have a Social Media presence. His Wikipedia entry can be found here.
  

• The Dalai Lama is well regarded by many for his mystical knowledge. He made quite a stir when he joined Twitter and using Twitter to circumvent the Chinese government. He has a Wikipedia entry and his Twitter account can be found here.
  

• Queen Elizabeth II is one of the most recognisable memebers of royalty around the world. To say that the world has changed a lot since she assended to the thrown would be a bit of an understantment. She has a Wikipedia entry and a Twitter account.
  

• People will long remember that Nelson Mandela was in jail for 27 years and was the first South African President to be elected by a fully democratic nation. His Wikipediy entry can be found here.
  

• Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein are credited with breaking the Watergate story. The two of them are from a bygone era of investigative journalism that seems to have died. The have a website and Wikipedia entry together as well as seperate entries (Woodward and Bernstein).
  

• Joseph Stiglitz won the Nobel Prize for Economics in 2001. He recently had an article in the Washington Post talking about the true cost of the war in Iraq. He has written several books on a variety of topics including globalization. He is currently a professor a Columbia University. His Wikipedia entry can be found here.
  

Stay Tuned

So far we've met some Internet Stars; Leaders in Motivation & Inspiration; Authors; Actors, Directors, and Comedians; Musicians; Athletes; Business Leaders and Pioneers; and World Leaders; who'll be next? Be sure to look for 100+ People That I Want to Meet Part 8 and the rest of the series and you can read the intro here. Feel free to subscribe to this blog via email or your rss reader, there are several options available in the upper righthand corner of this blog.

Photo credit: "Honest Abe" courtesy of bluepoetje.

100+ People- Part 9

I can't say enough about Podcasting. In case you don't already know, the term "Podcast" is the combination of broadcast with pod from iPod, and refers to shows that you can listen to on your iPod, MP3 player, computer or other devices that can playback the format. Wikipedia credits fromer MTV VJ Adam Cury with coming up wth the idea for automating the delivery to portable players. iTunes is one of the best known sites for subscribing to podcasts and Podcast Alley is a great way of discovering thousands of podcasts.

As a kid I was introduced to some of the great radio dramas of the Golden Age of Radio and really loved the idea. To me, podcasting brings the Golden Age of Radio to out times today, allowing you to listen to what you like, when you like. People that regularly do podcasts often put parts of themselves in their podcasts and there is a connection with the podcasters because you somehow feel that you know them. I also have a great deal of respect for the amount of work that goes into producing a regular podcast (because I know the work that can go into "just" blogging). Below are some Podcasters that I'd like to meet.

Podcasters

• Dan Carlin is the host of the Hardcore History and Common Sense podcasts. If your history classes were like his Hardcore History podcast, you might have stayed awake through all your history lessons. He tries to apply Common Sense to politics in the podcast by this name. The Common Sense show recently talked about the curbing the 4th Ammendment. I'm currently listening part 2 of Death Throes of the Republic which is talking about the fall of the Roman Empire from the Hardcore History show as I driver around (the first part can be found here). Earlier this year Dan did a 4 part series about the East Front of World War II (here are parts I, II, III, and IV). I've previously written about him here. Hardcore History and Common Sense both have Twiter accounts and Dan has a MySpace site.
  

• Joshua Lapin-Bertone does the Bertone Beatle Bonanza and Wednesdays Wings podcasts. The Bertone Beatle Bonanza started out as a radio show broadcast from the college that Joshua went to and later morphed into the podcast. I wrote about him here. He has a Twitter account as well as being in Facebook and MySpace.
  

• Greg and Penny have brought us HP Prognostications (HP Progs for short), a podcast that prognosticated (guessed) what would happen in the Harry Potter books. They reached the 100th episode last year and their first episode focused of if they thought that Harry would live or die. This the first Harry Potter podcast that I listened to. Greg and Penny have a Facebook site and a Twitter account.
  

• Mugglecast is probably one of the best known Harry Potter podcasts. A recent search for Harry Potter on Podcast Alley netted 200 different Harry Potter related podcasts! They're first episode was published in August 2005 and the now have over 200 episodes. They're on Facebook, and are doing a lot with Twitter. They started up a Twilight based pocast called Imprint, which is also in Facebook and active in Twitter.
  

• Jungle Kitty and Lene Taylor are the women behind the Lookathisbutt podcast. They do a funny podcast focused on William Shatner (Captain Kirk). I believe that they introduced the term "man crush" for the guys that wish they were Captain Kirk). Note, this podcast is not for kids. They're in Facebook and Twitter.
  

• Cornelius Fichtner does the Project Management Podcast. This was the first real podcast devoted to Project Management. Corenelius has also started the PM Prepcast which people can use to study for the PMI PMP exam. For about $100 you get a series of videos and podcasts designed to help you pass the exam. This is one of the ways that I'm currently studying for the exam myself. Cornelius is a former president of the Orange County PMI chapter, he can be found in Twitter.
  

So far we've met some Internet Stars; Leaders in Motivation & Inspiration; Authors; Actors, Directors, and Comedians; Musicians; Athletes; Business Leaders and Pioneers; World Leaders; and Podcasters; who'll be next? Be sure to look for 100+ People That I Want to Meet Part 8 and the rest of the series and you can read the intro here. Feel free to subscribe to this blog via email or your rss reader, there are several options available in the upper righthand corner of this blog.

Photo credit: "Golden Mic" courtesy of katagaci.

100+ People- Part 10

This is the final installment of 100+ People that I'd Like to Meet Series. For this installment I wanted to focus on Scientists.

There are many people that I would inlcude in my list if I could meet historical figures of the past. I'd love to be able to talk to Carl Sagan, Sir Issac Netwon, Albert Einstein, and Leonardo Di Vinci, sadly this isn't an option (today anyways). While I might not have the computational and analytical ability and reason of some of these great thinkers, I've long been interested in science and been amazed at what mankind has been able to accomplish over the years and I wonder what we'll be able to do in the future. This is probably why I've always been interested in Science Fiction.

• Stephen Hawking is the sole person in my list of scientists. He is often referred to as the Albert Einstein of our century. He was in the press the past few months with controversial views on the role of God in mankind's development and evolution as well as his suggestion that it seems unlikely that we'll encounter aliens anytime soon. Hawking has a neuro-muscular dystrophy and is virtually paralysed, so it was inspiring and moving to see footage of him experiencing zero gravity in a special plane a few years back. I also remember seeing him appear in Star Trek: Then Next Generation in a holodeck sequence where Data had summoned some of history's great scientists. I didn't find Hawking in Twitter or Facebook but he has a Wikipedi entry.
  

Putting together my list has been quite the project for me. I started with the idea in June and spent hours researching and collecting information to include, was sidetracked by computer problems, and now I've finally published the last of the series.

I think that this series highlights the growth and popularity of Social Media. Not everyone on the list "does" social media but a surprising number of people I've included do (or at least have someone else do it for them). Many of the people listed have websites, which already shows an explosion in popularity and acceptance of the internet. Social Media gives many of the people on my list the chance to interact with their fans, people that admire them, as well as colleagues that can't be discounted. Much as the prining press allowed people to first print and publish their thoughts and ideas, first connecting people who had never met before, Social Media allows all kinds of connections that didn't exist before. Don Henley and Stephen King I hope that you'll decide to "do" Social Media one day, I'd certainly love to help you in developing your strategy. To everyone else on the list, I do hope that I get to meet you all one day. I hope that you'll read the rest of the series and check out some of the other articles at the Systems Overload blog.

Photo credits: "playing with light 2" couresty of duchessa.

August 2010 Edition of The Family Life Blog Carnival

Welcome to the August 2010 edition of the Family Life Blog Carnival. I have wanted to get an edition out in July, however the starts did not seem to line up last month.

My wife and kids were in the U.S. for 3 weeks in July visiting family and friends. It had been 5 years since they were last there and they had a blast discovering all kinds of things and getting reacquainted with family and friends. During this time I was still doing my "day job" and trying to do some of those things that I'd been putting off. One of my projects was moving our family's main home computer to another location in the house. This resulted in all kinds of problems that I'm still trying to sort out, but since I'm able to get online at the moment, I thought that I'd get an edition out before too much more time got away. So, without further adieu, here is the August 2010 edition of the Family Life Blog Carnival...




Susan Howe presents 10 Creative Ways Recycling Can Save You Money in a Tough Economy posted at The Budget Life Blog, saying, "Recycling is not just good for the environment and health, but it can also help us save and make a little extra money. Especially that everyone needs to stretch every dollar that they can nowadays. This article provide some of the ways on how to green up our lives."


Adam presents Helping Kids Cope with Divorce posted at divorcetipsforher.com, saying, "Divorce can be incredibly hard on children of any ages, and it is important for both the mother and the father to help the children get through the divorce."


Raymond Fernandez20 presents 50 Free Open Courseware Classes About Human Resources posted at Masters in Human Resources, saying, "If you are interested in learning more about human resources, or if you just want to hone your skills as a human resources manager, here are 50 free open courseware classes about human resources."


Wise Bread presents Pack Up Your House: Tips for Saving Money (and Sanity) on a Move posted at Wisebread.


Debt kid presents Tips for Handling Life When Everything Changes posted at DebtKid.

Sheryl Owen presents Change of Address: Top 10 House Warming Gifts posted at Change of Address.

Sheryl Owen presents 20 Ways to Get to Know Your Neighbors posted at Change of Address.

Leave Debt Behind.com presents Renting VS Buying a Home - Is Buying Always Better? posted at Leave Debt Behind.


Nissim Ziv presents Lost your job? What to do when you lose your job posted at Job Interview Guide, saying, "If you’ve recently lost your job, you’re probably facing a number of emotions. Maybe shock, sadness, worry, sometimes even relief and happiness in the case that you simply hated what you were doing. You’re also facing numerous possibilities."


OurBlogs presents First Boyfriend or First Girlfriend posted at A Guide to Raising Great Kids.


Doug Boude presents My Top 20 Life Lessons for Husbands and Fathers posted at Doug Boude (rhymes with 'loud'), saying, "In this post, I've compiled what I consider to be the top 20 things that I believe, when implemented and adopted, maximize the success of a husband and/or father in his role in his household. Being a father of 8 children, 4 step children, and 2 grand children, I kinda feel like I'm speaking from experience here :)"

Sarah Travaglio presents Top Ten Ways You Know You are Parenting a Toddler? posted at Miss Capa Tosta.


Fred Lee presents Keeping Sane During Science Fair Season posted at Parenting Squad.


Bill presents How to Pick the Right Mom Organizer posted at Official Bubble Planner Blog.


Phil Lopez presents 10 Family Flicks That Won’t Bore Parents posted at Christian Colleges and Universities.


PT presents 104 Ways to Save Extra Money posted at Prime Time Money.


This concludes this edition the Family Life Blog Carnival. I hope that you're enjoying your Summer and making time for family and friends along the way. You can submit your blog article to the next edition of the Family Life Blog Canival using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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