The Business, April 17, 2013: The Fourth Birthday Celebration Edition

Happy birthday! Feliz cumpleanos! Bon anniversaire! The Business celebrates its fourth birthday with an eclectic lineup of special guests, along with all your Business regulars. We blew out our candles, and wished for a dream lineup of guests - and, as Anne Hathaway would say, it came true! From the dream factory that is Hollywood, we welcome back our good friend and star of stage and screen, Baron Vaughn. From the dream worker-owned-collective that is SF literature, we welcome Rumpus managing editor Isaac Fitzgerald. And from the chocolate factory Dandelion, we welcome chocolatiers Greg and Erica. After all, what would a birthday party be without dessert?

April 15, 2009 was a very different time. The #1 song in the country was "Poker Face." "Hannah Montana: The Movie" was #1 at the box office. Some people actually thought President Obama's birth certificate was a fake! And four SF comics started an experiment: a two-hour show, split four ways, every week at a theater in the Mission. Originally, Bucky Sinister was just going to rent a storefront so he could stand in it and just talk to passerby. When Alex Koll heard this idea, he thought it was crazy, and he decided he wanted a piece of that storefront plan. Eventually, the storefront became a theater and two people ranting for an hour each became four people ranting for half an hour each - much less crazy.

Over the years, the show evolved: more guests, more games, different Businessmen, bigger crowds, out-of-town shows, a "Best of SF" nod, and a franchise in Los Angeles. We've done nearly 200 shows, welcomed more than 200 guest performers, from comics to writers to clowns to musicians to burlesque dancers, and eaten roughly 200 pounds of refried beans. It's been a great ride - though that storefront might have REALLY been something. 

Our guests: 

 

Baron Vaughn is a dynamic performer whose standup involves song, dance, impressions, beatboxing, characters, and rock-solid joke writing. He was born in New Mexico, raised in Las Vegas, and came of comedy age in Boston. You have seen Baron as one of the Awkward Kings of Comedy, acting in "Black Dynamite" and "Fairly Legal," at the Bridgetown Comedy Festival, the Aspen Rooftop Festival, doing standup on "Conan," or on his podcast, Deep Shit.


Isaac Fitzgerald is the managing editor of The Rumpus (therumpus.net), the cultural website that's full of reviews, interviews, advice, music, film and poetry. He's also the co-founder of Pen & Ink (http://penandink.tumblr.com/), a Tumblr devoted to tattoos and the stories behind them, which is soon to become a real-life ink-and-paper book. Mr. Fitzgerald also hosted the Rumpus live events at the Make-Out Room, and still emcees Rumpus shows on both coasts.

 

Dandelion Chocolate is a small bean-to-bar chocolate manufacturer in Dogpatch, which recently opened a store on Valencia Street, just a block away from the Dark Room itself. Their chocolatiers will sit down for an interview with the foodiest Businessman of all, Nato Green, though we urge audience members not to share their secrets with Mr. Slugworth.

So this Wednesday, come commemorate four years of Business. BYOBPHAP (Bring Your Own Burritos, Party hats, And Pinatas). Bucky, Nato, Caitlin, and Sean will be there in the flesh; Alex Koll, Chris Garcia, Chris Thayer, and Mike Drucker will be there in spirit. Please no gifts: your presence is your presents, along with five bucks admission.

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The Business April 10th, 2013: The Many Miles to K Before I Sleep Edition

The Business is lovely, dark and deep this week.  Come hear the sweep of our easy wind and downy flake!

Our guests are simply poetry.

Miles K!

In August of 2003 Miles K was sitting in an Airstream trailer, writing jokes and smoking meth out of an energy efficient light bulb. By 2004 he’d quit smoking meth but was still writing jokes and in 2007 he began performing stand-up. His act runs a gamut of surreal characters, Kaufmanesque pranks and observational insights. He has been Rooftop Comedy’s Comedian of the Day. His website, cleverthingstosay.com, is viewed thousands of times daily and his work has appeared on superdeluxe.com.

Dave Thomason!

Dave Thomason is a stand-up comedian who was born in San Francisco and now tells jokes there. He recently won Rooftop Comedy’s Silver Nail Award recognizing the best up-and-coming comedians in the nation. Dave has performed at a bunch of neat-o festivals across the country, including the SF Sketchfest, Bridgetown Comedy Festival, and the Aspen Rooftop Comedy Festival. His stand-up has been featured on NPR’s Snap Judgment.

Grant Lyon!

Grant Lyon is a comedian and writer from Los Angeles, California. His comedic style is often described as sophisticated immaturity, blending intelligent wit with pure silliness. San Francisco Weekly describes him as “a hilariously sharp observer, not one of those tired white-guy bellyachers” and the East Bay Express writes “Lyon uses his knowledge of random Wiki-facts to set himself apart from other comedians. It’s a fabulous raison d’etre.”

Your regulars will be there as well, Bucky "BeatYOU UPnik" Sinister, Caitlin "Body Electric" Gill and "Howlin" Nato Green.

$5.  Get there early for a seat WE SELL OUT.

BYOBurrito and when it pleases you, snap at it.

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Exactly How Applications Might Get Rid Of The Requirement For Excel Spreadsheets

Each and every single career or perhaps plan need piles in research in order to become produced, recommended and also move took in the outcome demonstrated.

Until recently, plan professionals have seen in order to use adding many excel spreadsheets through numerous divisions to satisfy this undertaking. Waiting around for every division add any suggestions within a program may be an extremely time consuming system since many work on many circumstances and also speed triggering setbacks and also worries in the company.

Plan people need all of the plan suggestions along in the all in one program just at any disposal immediately.

Indicate have enough time to wait patiently for several days or hrs for account division to collect the info and also the actual information to generate some of the program.

A lot more setbacks can happen whether they have to wait patiently for purchase division or perhaps manufacturing team to have their have program along then he needs to believe that every different divisions used only one recipes and also type.

Because all in one answer this particular horror ends!

Some of the head planners might artwork along with within the type that actually works perfect for consumers then deliver this particular to any or all divisions which makes it simple and also fast to penetrate the information with regards to their specific team. Within a brief time period, some of the all in one answer offers removed information technology completely for plan management.

That was each lot of excel spreadsheets in their own personal type and also code triggering bafflement with various models and also changes never old or perhaps forgotten, they may be discover along with latest suggestions for any fast examine.

Plan company directors can easily see just what resources had been initially ready at just exactly where there is it is as part of real time making variations while forward motion when they have to.

When there are many setbacks within the plan, some of the plan management might immediately understand work within the own divisions and also change the employees appropriately.

Get rid of the must pay wages in order to anyone who actually required in the plan after daily, save important money and also enhancing the income in the done plan.

Because all in one applications answer, staff members might submit any time-sheets as part of real time, plan company directors might obtain the info must observe exactly where workers are many effective and exactly how your budget is actually monitoring for plan these are typically allotted to, and also right making just about any variations that are necessary.

You do not have to hang about until some of the plan is over to get to exactly what moved completely wrong. Aided by the technologies currently available regarding people, they may be able make variations necessary for the time of some of the plan save useless setbacks and also retaining the expenses across for the customer and also the company.

Be freed from individuals awkward, perplexing excel spreadsheets and also reduce consumers inside a powerful all in one answer exactly where everything in this listing is actually kept in definitely one spot.

You have instantaneous access in order to workflows, comprehensive time period objects, record monitoring, site preparing consents and also other things that will help create every factor of the planner's career which of the staff members simpler and much more detailed.

Because all in one answer, you can easily keep suggestions and employ it regarding equivalent work which come combined someday.

No matter it is a task for similar plan management or perhaps a many definitely one, some of the reports and also suggestions exist to allow them to choose and also organize appropriately.

If your replacing manager is essential anytime prior to the finishing of some of the plan, stuff has always been documented and also monitored allowing to get some of the plan and also keep with no useless setbacks.

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The Business April 3rd, 2013: The BARATUNDE THURSTON Edition WITH BARATUNDE THURSTON

WHY AREN’T YOU LINED UP OUTSIDE THE DARK ROOM ALREADY?!?

The Business is never a show to miss, but this week… THIS WEEK.  

We are welcoming two splendid guests: Frank Chu and Boutros-Boutros Ghali.

BARATUNDE THURSTON. 

Baratunde Thurston is a politically-active, technology-loving comedian from the future. He co-founded the black political blog, Jack and Jill Politics and served as Director of Digital for The Onion before launching the comedy/technology startup Cultivated Wit. Then-candidate Barack Obama called him "someone I need to know." Baratunde travels the world speaking and advising and performs standup regularly in NYC. He resides in Brooklyn, lives on Twitter and has over 30 years experience being black. He writes the monthly backpage column for Fast Company, and his first book, How To Be Black, is a New York Times best-seller.

And the wonderful Wonder Dave

Wonder Dave is a writer and performer from Minneapolis MN. not to be confused with Super Dave, who isn't the slightest bit wonderful.  In 2010 Dave, as part of the Minneapolis Slam Team, appeared on the Group Piece Finals stage at the National Poetry Slam. Dave’s poetry has been published or is forthcoming in the Legendary, Orange Room Review, Breadcrumb Scabs, Pedestal, Shit Creek Review and Assaracus Magazine. 

All of your regulars will be there, it’s going to be like our new poster IN REAL LIFE!

The Business sells out.  Get there early for a seat.  

BYOBurrito. With black beans, or you're racist. 

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[Re-] establishing the relevance of legacy news organizations

Legacy news organizations (newspapers, magazines, and broadcasters) are confronting three critical relevance challenges as the digital world matures: Changing business configurations and characteristics, declining value of traditional news and informational content, and unhealthy attitudes toward audiences. These challenges will need significant attention if they are to be successful in the new information environment. 

During the twentieth century news products were widely used, fast-moving consumer goods. Because media operated in relatively inefficient markets, news organizations were cash-producing investments with high cash flows that yielded high profits. Newspapers had asset-heavy balance sheets and excellent equity positions.

The business drivers of the legacy news industry in the latter half of the twentieth century were growing consumption in absolute audience sizes (but declining penetration that most executives ignored). Companies changed high prices for advertising and set low prices (or no price) for consumers. They had the ability to self-finance operations and growth, carried relatively low debt loads (with the exception of a few firms during acquisition binges in the late 1990s and first decade of the millennium), and their shares were highly desired by investors.

Those conditions have changed markedly. The emergent business characteristics are that news is a low-demand consumer good with niche audiences, producing low cash flow, requiring asset-light balance sheets, and producing normal rather than excess profits.

Today there is diminishing consumption of news in traditional forms by audiences and advertisers, increasing prices for audience consumption and decreasing prices for advertising in many media. Low debt loads have become a necessity and most news organizations are no longer attractive investments. These changing characteristics and business factors are not a short-term problem, but represent a comprehensive transformation of the industry.

Compounding these business challenges is the reduced value of news and information content provided by most news organizations. Fifty years ago, you had to read a newspaper if you wanted to know what the weather was going to be, whether your favorite team won the match last night, whether share prices of your investments were up or down, what was happening in the school your children attended, whether the government was planning to increase taxes, whether the conflicts in other parts of the world were going to affect you, and what commentators were saying about public affairs.

Today, we have enormously increased amounts of news and information available from a wide variety of paid and free sources. At the better end of the spectrum is expert journalism in which economists, scientists, bankers, and other cover many topics of interest and specialized independent journalists and news organizations that are covering military affairs, social benefits, and corruption. Unfortunately, the overall trend is toward a narrower form of news and information, with reduced focus on issues, oversight, and analysis, and an inordinant supply of celebrity, sports, and entertainment news.

If legacy news providers are to overcome the content challenges, they will need to rethink and improve the value of content on all their platforms and strive to make their news and information unique. The content of news organizations will need to be reconceptualized and can’t just be moved across platforms because each is a different product, used in different ways by consumers, and needs different types of news and information to be prominent and presented in different forms.

Of equal importance, news organizations and journalists will need to interact with audiences in new ways that are outside their comfort zones. This is problematic because journalism has traditionally had highly paternalistic role definitions, seeing its functions as educating the rabble, guiding thought and opinion, protecting social order, and comforting the people. These definitions combine with professional values promoting wariness of social alliances and distrust of sources of information to make most journalists stand separate from the society and people they cover.

Those attitudes create significance relevance problems in the digital world because it is networked and collective, based on relationships and collaboration, and relies on connections built on shared values and interests, acceptance, transactions, reciprocity, acceptance, and trust. The public is increasingly adopting values and norms of the digital world and this is creating many conflicts with journalism.

Journalism remains firmly rooted in the material world which is based on structured relationships, privacy and concealment, property, hierarchy, control, and formality. But the digital world is based on more amorphous relationships, revelation and transparency, sharing, collaboration, empowerment, and informality. Consequently many news organizations have difficulties relating to the public in the digital world and are struggling to adapt.

For news organizations, adjusting to the new world is not simply a matter of finding new revenue, moving content to new platforms, and maintaining existing relationships with the public. It will require a complete rethinking of the roles and functions of news media, how they fit into peoples’ lives, and where they are positioned in the new information environment. These are enormous challenges and need to receive increased attention.

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The Business March 27, 2013: The “Will you Durst with us?” Edition

We saved a spot on our Durst card open just for you.  Come join us!

Sweeping both sides of the aisle with a quiver full of arrows dipped in common sense, Will Durst transcends party ties, having performed at events honoring former Presidents Bill Clinton and George HW Bush as well as acclaimed appearances a column, daily website jokes—yet still finds time to perform hundredss of comedy shows every year. He has racked up more than 400 television appearances in 14 different countries while slinging jokes around the globe in his one man crusade to make people laugh out loud on purpose against their will. Hobbies include the never-ending quest for the perfect cheeseburger, while his heroes remain the same as when he was twelve—Thomas Jefferson and Bugs Bunny.

Also joining us, the fantastic Karinda Dobbins

Hailing from the Motor City and now living in the Bay Area, Karinda's humor is sharp, distinctive and infused with hilarious social commentary. Karinda has appeared at dozens of venues throughout the SF Bay including The Purple Onion, San Francisco Punchline and Cobb's. Karinda is a breakthrough talent with an unconventional perspective and colorful wit that engages and pulls you into her aggressively laid-back comedic style.

Hosting the evening’s boogie will be Matt Lieb

Matt Lieb is a comedian, writer, actor and street musician/Bone Thugs-N-Harmony cover band. He was the winner of the 2004 KZSC Comedy Competition, has performed with Brent Weinbach, Moshe Kasher, Mary Van Note, Ronna & Beverly and has opened for W. Kamau Bell, Jasper Redd and San Francisco’s premier sketch comedy troupe Killing My Lobster.

And featuring your regulars Caitlin “Mashed Potato” Gill and  Nato “Twerking” Green.

You can cut this rug for just $5!  You can even bring a friend for free with one of our handy 2 for 1 coupons! http://thebusinesscomedy.blogspot.com/

BYOBurrito and electric slide it down your gullet. 

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Exactly How To Handle Your Very Own Team-Building Occasions A Los Angeles Means

When you are deciding on creating a team-building weekend, it is necessary is that you might also pleasant. Regrettably, no matter what the goals at the rear of team development, whether sunday invested call at some of the rainfall and also the cool when keeping in the hostel sleep allow a great deal to try to be wished for.

But need not resemble this particular. How about deluxe business occasions places next time that you would like in order to reserve the team-building show? There are various the explanation why this might be the most wonderful choice for your professionals, and also every of prime your.

Lodge at Deluxe Rental

Remember throughout the day, regardless rainfall or perhaps glow, your very own staff members know they own extra encounter waiting around for it well during the resort. Occasionally they vacations may slightly sad, however when you starting point her in a deluxe resort majoring as part of business separated times, you will understand that your particular staff members need a lot of fun everything else you every one of the rise in order to.

Take advantage Strategies

When you elect extra resort that will be situated someplace thorough within the country side or in the coastline, you will probably get use of various great strategies, which could actually arranged because resort alone. As well as for business occasions places that provide deluxe service, there the best strategies around.

For instance, you are going to manage to find vintage pursuits like cruising, kayaking, aftermath embarkation, mount bicycling and also climbing. Unfortunately, in addition you are in a position to welcome various strategies which are somewhat unusual, like bushcraft and also additionally skills training courses. While you actually want to address your very own staff members, health spa remedies cannot drop severely whatsoever.

Increase Staff Members Respect

Among the best reasons why you should choose deluxe business occasions places after arranging the best team-building show is basically because it amuse staff members they are really valuable. Should you decide simply toss one thing along at the last moment as well as don't have excellent time, you need to consider this kind of tells consumers. However if you are going apart from and also organize a great weekend break within a deluxe resort with the strategies they might need, you are going to provide your very own staff members an actual increase, which will benefit you for every individual if you find yourself during the workplace.

Bottom Line

Have a Better Show

There is not any better method in order to manage the team-building show rather than reserve your very own sunday within a deluxe resort majoring as part of business separated times. Give consideration to the advantages of this choice and make certain you every one of the come with a great some time you complete some of the sunday sentiment as you produce truly had gotten one thing favorable from it.

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