Berlin - I've recently come across several online articles about this city becoming the latest hotspot for tech startups - especially in the social networking space. The most recent being Om Malik's nice post from a few days ago. I've only been to Berlin once, about four years ago, but I was very impressed with the city and all it had to offer. It's big, multicultural, has a good transportation system, inexpensive housing, and boasts some world class universities and technical institutions. Throw in the Currywurst stands on every other corner and the assistance offered by the city government and groups such as Berlin Partner, and you have a all the right ingredients for this city to rival anyplace else as a proving ground for new technology.
10 years ago - I lost a job I had been in for only 11 months. Yep. Three days after Christmas. I was pulled me into a conference room with the head of HR and that was that. The place was truly Dickensian (It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...), but mostly, it was the worst of times.
While out walking my dog today, I wished a woman I passed on the street a 'Merry Christmas'. She seemed quite startled that some random stranger would speak to her and offer some sort of random pleasantry. "People don't talk to one another any more", she said. "Well I do", I replied. Her smile afterwards made my day.
Just sayin'
