Disclaimer:
The opinions blogged herein represently only those of Rick E. Bruner and do not reflect those of his employer, persons or companies mentioned herein, or anyone else.
Live from SES Chicago
So, I'm here at Search Engines Strategies, getting ready to report this afternoon at SEMPO's membership meeting the findings of the market sizing report I did for them, my swan song project as a freelance consultant (that link should be live by around 6pm EST today).
While I am at it, here are a few observations about the event so far (bearing in mind I haven't actually been out of the press room so far):
So, I'm here at Search Engines Strategies, getting ready to report this afternoon at SEMPO's membership meeting the findings of the market sizing report I did for them, my swan song project as a freelance consultant (that link should be live by around 6pm EST today).
While I am at it, here are a few observations about the event so far (bearing in mind I haven't actually been out of the press room so far):
- No frickin' wifi in the press room, or anywhere else in the venue (the McCormick Place), as far as anyone can tell. Impatient press people are fuming, as there are only about eight ethernet connections and plenty more hungry writers eager for their place at the trough. I proposed we each throw in $10 and someone run out to Radio Shack and buy a Linux wireless router, but word has it that the problem is Chicago is a union town and Mayor Daley's goons would break our knees if we tried such an impertinent approach (waddya want, I'm a New Yorker!)
- I asked Jupiter analyst Gary Stein to vouch for me at the press room that I'm press, and he was prepared to do so, but then things got a bit confusing (someone said they had a registration for me after all). When the dust settled, it turned out to be only an exhibitor pass, which means I can't get into sessions and wasn't eligible for the free box lunch. By that time, Stein had split, but not before he mocked me for the would-be favor on his blog.
- ClickZ writer Rebecca Lieb said it was at best a left-handed compliment to be named one of "Search Engine Marketing['s] Sexiest People Alive." I can only imagine. What was doubly ironic about this press release is that it is issued by a freelance journalist (since when do journalists issue press releases?), Meredith A.C. Roth (okay, she apparently also bills herself as a consultant), who is herself without a doubt one of the sexiest people in Internet marketing period (no photos I can find on Google, though, unfortunately). I assume this is a make-good PR stunt for her previous press release in August about the worst-dressed people in search marketing (now that's just shooting fish in a barrel).
- At the Yahoo! Email Center outside of the exhibition hall (okay, I've gotten out of the press room by now), I love that they have Firefox alongside IE on the desktop. Good thinking.
- I enjoyed a great dinner last night at the Chicago Chop House (I'm still full) with the lovely surfer dudettes Dana Todd and Erica Forrette of SiteLab, Jupiter's Gary Stein and Niki Scevak (who, Meredith is right, are just cute enough to wrap in a bow an pop in your mouth and eat) and Chris Elwell, who is still looking buff.
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