I have just been introduced to your world. Today 31st of July I was sent a flyer to my company from MoCollywood were you are listed as one of the key speakers. The event is in October in London. I was very intrigued by your title and the promotion on the flyer and was instanly inspired to find out more about the work you have concluded with social networking.

The reason for the motivation, I immediately felt with your educational experience and the focus of your PhD on social networks you could be of huge benefit to a business opportunity I am working on at present. The company I run is actively looking for an advisor in a non exec capacity interim/perm with a background in education to a PhD level and a focus on the ecommerce business world. The business was launched in 1997 but was aquired by myself in 2004. Since then the site has been relaunched and now we plan to take the business to the next level. At this point I would like the opprtunity to meet you in the next 8 weeks and discuss if this is a pie in the sky idea or maybe there is some common ground for the two of us to work together. If for whatever reason there is no synergy between you and the company I would aprreciate your advise and possible direction for the business in the future. Maybe a telecon over the next two weeks to add some more substance to the topic before we meet would be advisable.

You have mentioned that you will be visiting the UK as you will be based in Cambridge, maybe that would be a good place to meet. I will also be in America at the end of August 2007 and will be based approx 200 miles outside of LA(hopefully your still based their)so a direct flight would be possible.
I’m very exicted about hearing your response and can be emailed at ian@phdjobs.com Regards, Ian Simpson.

I’ve spent the last couple of hours reading and am thoroughly impressed with your insights, honesty, and politics, especially the contradictory ways in which politics constitute the personal and vice-versa. I’m sorry to hear about the passing of your mentor – it sounds like you two had a very special relationship. I’m also sorry that your blog on class was so misread and misinterpreted. That said, it looks like you’ve developed a relatively thick skin over the years and are very aware of and secure in who you are. Your putting yourself out there politically and personally are definitely inspiring.

As they would say here in beijing…jia you! jia you!

chad

Re: Annenberg, I empathize. I feel the same way about the all-but-defunct McLuhan Program for Culture and Technology at the University of Toronto (check out the Course Offerings: “New for 2004/2005″). Same reasons as for Annenberg, sadly.