Christine

Sobering, Joyful Life Lessons: Last Lecture of Prof. Randy Pausch

"We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand." So speaks Carnegie-Mellon computer science professor Randy Pausch, who delivered his final lecture in anticipation of dying next month from pancreatic cancer. "I'm in excellent health right now -- It's the greatest thing of cognitive dissonance that we will ever see...I'm in better shape than most of you." Prof. Pausch, who is the 46-year-old director of the Alice Software Project, co-founder of the Entertainment Technology Center, a husband, and a father of three, has lived life both richly and well.

Keeping Track of Personal Data is Biggest Problem Solved at TechCrunch40

Continuing yesterday's blunt force approach to filtering the offerings launched at TechCrunch40, here's a final wrapup of the actual problems being solved by the demonstrators. Interestingly, although the session categories varied between Monday and Tuesday, the problems did not for the most part. Here's an update of yesterday's interim list, with final 'pain rankings' based upon how many of the TechCrunch40 companies were dealing with the issue.

Startups Solve Problems at TechCrunch40 (Day One)

Set aside your normal business model skepticism and proof-of-efficacy needs for a moment. Wait for it...that done, here are five themes of problem-solving that were recurrent at TechCrunch40 on Monday:

Art? Maybe. Childlike Wonder? Definitely.

My friend Quentin Stafford-Fraser recently posted this phenomenal YouTube video, showing a performance by 'unusualist' Raymond Crowe at the HelpMan Awards. If you enjoy quirky performance art, you have to watch this, and wait for the singing rabbit. You'll be smiling all afternoon.