Preparing the projector

Setting up the sound system

Getting ready to start the program

Joseph Scott – WordPress XML-RPC APIs

Dave Taylor – How to screw up your reputation with a single blog post, comment or tweet

With Lorelle VanFossen

With Lorelle and my friend Allan

With event organizer, John Hawkins

Me and my friend Allan with Matt Mullenweg

JaypeeOnline and Photo Matt

WordCamp: Las Vegas was a BLAST! I’m saying that even though I only attended day 2 of the event. This was my first time to attend a WordCamp, so just being there was already a very nice experience for me. I enjoyed and learned a lot from the talks of Joseph Scott (WordPress XML-RPC APIs) I learned something new, AtomPub; Dave Taylor (How to screw up your reputation with a single blog post, comment or tweet) great reminder to think twice before posting anything on the web; Liz Strauss (From blog to community) start small..think big; Warren Whitlock (Using Twitter to promote your blog) reciprocity – helping others to help yourself; Micah Baldwin (You Are The Center of Your Universe) personal branding – “influence is the name of the game” and Jim Turner (Blogging for a Living).

For those of you who know me personally, know that I’m a shy person and I wish I wasn’t because I missed the opportunity to talk and network with other attendees/bloggers because I was too shy to approach them. Inspite of that I was still able to have a short chat with Joseph Scott of Automattic, Lorelle VanFossen and Matt Mullenweg after the program. I’m hooked to WordCamps and looking forward to next year’s WordCamp Las Vegas. Frosty of WPCult is planning to organize a WordCamp in Los Angeles and I sure hope it would push through coz I’ll most definitely attend it.

If you’d like to see more photos of WordCamp: Las Vegas, you can check out these links:

• VegasGeek – Day 1
• VegasGeek – Day 2 (part 1)
• VegasGeek – Day 2 (part 2)
• AHockley
• WhyIsJake
• micahb37
• TheFrosty

*Thanks to Jim Courtney of Skype Journal for taking the photos with Lorelle and Matt.

Btw, I have an extra copy of the Twitter Revolution book by Deborah Micek and Warren Whitlock that I’m giving away. For now, I’m still thinking on how I’ll do it but for sure I’ll let you guys know in the coming days.

If you haven’t heard of it yet, the first WordCamp for 2009 will be held this coming weekend, January 10-11 at the Palace Station Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Why am I excited about this event? Only one reason. I’m attending it! Yes folks, I’ll be attending WordCamp: Las Vegas. I’m both surprised and happy that I’ll be accomplishing one of my blog goals for 2009 so soon, which is to attend a WordPress WordCamp.

To those who aren’t familiar with what WordCamp is all about, here’s a little info.

What is WordCamp:Las Vegas?
WordCamp:Las Vegas is a conference style event covering topics related to the WordPress software. We are also planning for Unconference style sessions in the afternoon to let the people attending WordCamp help choose the topics discussed at WordCamp:Las Vegas.

Who Should Attend WordCamp:Las Vegas?
No matter if you are a casual user, full time blogger, plugin developer, theme designer or if you are curious about getting in to blogging for the first time, WordCamp:Las Vegas promises to have a little something for everyone.

It takes about 4 hours drive to get to Las Vegas from our place. Me and my friend Allan will be driving there Sunday morning, so we’ll have to leave at about 3 AM to get there on time for registration and breakfast. If you plan to attend and stay overnight or the whole weekend so you could also do some sightseeing in Vegas, you’ll have to book your hotel as soon as possible because CES 2009 and Affiliate Summit are in town at the same time so most hotels are gonna be booked.

What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas right? NOT! There will be free WiFi so I plan to live blog the event and most definitely post photos while I’m there or when I get back home. I’m also excited coz I’m gonna get more WordPress schwag aside from the WordCamp: Las Vegas tshirt. I’ll be giving them away at the end of the month to my top commentators so if you’re interested, better start commenting now.

Although I’ll only be attending the Sunday session, I’m still looking forward to this event because of the great line up of speakers scheduled to talk on that day. Here’s the complete list of speakers for WordCamp Las Vegas:

• Matt Mullenweg
• Joseph Scott
• Aaron Hockley
• Lorelle VanFossen
• Jim Kukral
• Geoff Kleinman
• Liz Strauss
• Michael Dorausch
• Micah Baldwin
• Dave Taylor
• Micah Baldwin
• Shayne Sanderson
• Ethan Gahng
• Chris Brogan
• Jim Turner
• Niran Amir
• Warren Whitlock

Registration
WordCamp Las Vegas is a two day event and the registration fee is $20. There are limited seats/tickets so if you’re interested you better act right away.

Registration includes:
- Admission to all speakers & breakout sessions for both days
- WordCamp: Las Vegas T-Shirt
- Entry for door prize drawings throughout the weekend

Everyone is invited! For those of you who are in the area and are interested to attend, you still have until noon time of Friday, January 9 to register. Btw, registration is only available online because there will be no on-site registration.

Can’t make it to WordCamp Las Vegas? Don’t worry coz the event will be streamed live via UStream. You’ll have to register to UStream to be able to watch it. You can help spread the word and promote WordCamp: Las Vegas. You can also check the schedule or the list of attendees. I’m at number 80.

If you want to be updated to the progress and latest updates of WordCamp: Las Vegas, you can follow @lvwordcamp on Twitter.

Anyone else attending WordCamp: Las Vegas? I’d love to get to talk and meet you in person or even have a photo taken together.

In this year’s Flight School, there’s one interesting story about a mutual funds CEO named John Roger Jr. and how he beat Michael Jordan on a game of 1-on-1. Below is the video showing how the regular guy “beat” the greatest NBA or basketball player of all time.

So what do you think? Did this guy really beat Michael Jordan?

When I first saw the title of the article I read, I couldn’t believe that Michael Jordan would be beat in a game of 1-on-1. After watching the video, I believe that this guy didn’t beat Michael Jordan. If “His Airness” really wanted to win against this guy, he could have easily done it with layups and dunks (like what he did against the other participants including Damon Wayans) but instead he settled for jumpers. IMO, Michael Jordan was just playing it easy against this guy and to me that doesn’t count. If he really played hard both offensively and defensively and this guy beat him then I’ll accept it. Sorry, but I’m a die hard Michael Jordan fan. Hehe

Damon Wayan’s comments at the end of the video made me laugh so hard. From what I know, Damon Wayans is a regular in Michael Jordan’s Flight School along with a number of other celebrities.

via Yahoo Sports

The Blog World Expo started today, November 8 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. I really wanted to attend it but unfortunately the schedule and time didn’t permit so I guess I’ll have to wait until the next Blog World Expo and hopefully there will be another one next year. Anyways, for those who don’t know or haven’t heard about the Blog World Expo, here’s a little info:

The first and only industry-wide tradeshow, conference, and media event dedicated to promoting the dynamic industry of blogging and new media. In addition to the only industry-wide exhibition, BlogWorld will feature the largest blogging conference in the world including more than 50 seminars, panel discussions and keynotes from iconic personalities on the leading-edge of online technology and internet-savvy business.

Blog World Expo will have the following keynote speakers:

• Larry Benet
• Matt Mullenweg
• Richard Jalichandra
• Roger L Simon
• Jeremy Wright
• Leo Laporte
• Mark Cuban

Aside from the keynote speakers, there will be 100 other speakers who will talk about certain topics. Here are a few of them:

• CORPORATE BLOGGING: Debbie Weil
• TECHNOLOGY: Mike Arrington
• MONETIZATION: Henry Copeland
• SPORTS: Will Leitch
• JOURNALISM: Dr. David Perlmutter
• POP CULTURE: Eric Olsen
• BUSINESS: Shel Israel

I’m really disappointed that I couldn’t attend the Blog World Expo. There will be trade shows and conferences. It’s a very good opportunity to learn more about blogging, meet other bloggers and you might even get to meet your favorite bloggers like Shoemoney, John Chow, Matt Mullenweg, making new contacts which also gives you the chance of promoting your blog offline. Another thing that I like about expos are the exhibits and for sure there would be many exhibits in the Blog World Expo. Aside from that there are other fun events and activities like free movie screening and even a pajama party! And of course, there will be lots of free food and beverages.

If you want to know more about the schedules and other stuff going on at the Blog World Expo, check out the conference schedule.

Anyone attending the Blog World Expo right now? Or are you like who’s wishing you were there in too? Hope the event will be successful. All the best to the organizers, speakers and everyone else involved in the Blog World Expo.

In my 2007 NBA All-Star post, I listed the Eastern and Western squad starters and reserves. However, there will be some changes in those lineups due to injuries suffered by some of the players.

Last Friday, February 9th, NBA Commissioner David Stern named Josh Howard (Dallas Mavericks) and Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets) as replacements for injured West All-Stars Yao Ming (Houston Rockets) and Carlos Boozer (Utah Jazz) for the All-Star Game on Sunday, February 18th in Las Vegas. Both Howard and Anthony will be making their first All-Star appearances.

Then last Tuesday, February 13th, Ray Allen (Seattle SuperSonics) and Mehmet Okur (Utah Jazz) were named as replacements for injured West All-Stars Allen Iverson (Denver Nuggets) and Steve Nash (Phoenix Suns) also for the All-Star Game. It will be Ray Allen’s seventh appearance while Okur will be making his All-Star debut. For the Eastern All-Star squad, Joe Johnson (Atlanta Hawks) will make his first All-Star appearance as he replaces the injured Jason Kidd (New Jersey Nets).

Chris Paul (New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets) will replace Steve Nash in the Playstation Skills Challenge on Saturday Night, February 17th.