Cooking Thoughts

This past week, I've had some good opportunities to cook for family and friends. I'm reminded of some basic cooking adages:

Bring out all needed ingredients before beginning to cook. It's the fundamental idea behind what chefs call mise en place. I find this is especially useful as a home cook to determine whether I really have everything I need. If I can't find an ingredient, I can adjust the recipe or choose another dish, rather than scramble or get stuck with a half-cooked dish.

Dan Nye Leaving LinkedIn

Various tech news sites (AllThingsDigital, TechCrunch, Valleywag, VentureBeat, Silicon Alley Insider, CNET News.com) report that Dan Nye is leaving LinkedIn from his role as CEO, as part of a four way executive shuffle. I wonder if some of the problems rumored on Valleywag were the cause of Dan needing to leave, or if there were other matters. It is a bit hard to believe that Dan leaving after less than 2 years on the job was some sort of regular plan or natural progression of the business.

Whatever it is, I hope Dan lands on his feet somewhere.

Dentist Visit Today

Earlier today, in the afternoon, I went to see my dentist, who also happens to be a friend I've known since freshman year in college. She ended my appointment by saying that I had done what others often take 5 appointments to get done. To be specific, I had two fillings and a deep cleaning in all four quadrants of my mouth. I was in that dentist chair for nearly two hours.

First, let me say, my dentist is very knowledgeable and highly skilled. She also has all the latest gadgets and technology. I think she's a very good dentist and I generally enjoy going in for my appointments.

First Live Xmas Tree

We got our very first live Xmas tree today.  That's right, all our previous Xmas trees, including growing up separately in California and Singapore, have been artificial trees. Even when I lived in San Francisco, I bought an artificial tree.

Recruiting Agencies Keep Calling

Originally posted 14 November 2007, on my Facebook Live Blog:

Corporate recruiting has its own supply and demand market dynamics. When the number of available and fully qualified people (supply) is far less than the number of jobs open in the region (demand), the cost of acquiring talent, in other words, hiring great people, rises. As those costs rise, there are businesses out there, big and small, who find ways to make money while demand outstrips supply.

Such businesses are known as recruiting agencies, also called headhunters, staffing agencies, or in my world, just “agencies”. They are third party agencies (sometimes referred to as TPAs), most of whom charge a fee to employers when a job offer is made and the new hire starts. Big money can be made by these agencies, when the standard fee starts at a 20% equivalence of the new hire’s first year’s base salary. Some firms get 25% (not from me though). Executive search firms, who typically work on retainer, have total fees around 33% to 40% equivalence.

Random Thought: Space Station

Just a random thought for today.

How do they deal with it on the International Space Station when someone lets out a big stinky fart?

Such an enclosed space... special air filters? Reach for the oxygen tank? Space helmet?

Can't light a match.

Maybe the food that's sent up there is specially engineered to minimize the need.

Just wondering

Ted Turner Minces No Words about Big 3 Bailout

I like how Ted Turner bluntly states his sentiment on not bailing out the Big 3 American auto industry companies.

Nice Sunny Day Today

It was quite cold last night, but today is a nice sunny day, with a comfortable chill in the air. Perfect for getting outside and running some errands.

What is Twitter?

A few people have asked me about Twitter. If you already use Twitter, then you already understand.  But for those that haven't used it, haven't read it, and don't know how it's different than Facebook or Friendster, I give one simple answer:

Twitter is the CB radio of the 21st Century.

Top 25 Talent Management Blogs

Fistful of Talent has offered a ranking of 25 blogs which they "believe represent the best of the talent/recruiting/HR/human capital blogs".  It's a useful and fresh look at the jumbled world of recruitment blogs.  My favorite, cheezhead™,is ranked number one.  Good job, Joel and Vanessa!

Dan Nye Interviewed by SFGate

The November 23, 2008 edition of the San Francisco Chronicle included an interview with LinkedIn CEO Dan Nye. It's an overall rosy, upbeat portrayal of LinkedIn's financial status and future prospects. The reporter did not dig for any dirt about delayed functionality or management in-fighting, as previously reported on rumor site Valleywag.

There's a link to the audio of the original 44 minute interview.

Back At Work

The four day holiday weekend for this past Thanksgiving was a nice break. Now, I'm back at work. I've got three weeks of work to focus on, then I get two solid weeks off spanning Christmas and New Year's. It's a combination of holiday and vacation time that should be nice to have off.

Definitely a lot to get done at the office, so I've got to make these three weeks count.