Transparencity: introducing Technically Philly coverage on open data in Philadelphia

Even you binary code aficionados out there might miss that in the image above, a message is spelled out: Data Sets You Free.

It’s supposed to be clever, but whether or not it is, we hope our insistence is clear. The next great wave in government and journalism and citizen action, of course, will be data driven. The power of numbers — and the transparency, accuracy, efficiency and accountability that can come with them — has not even begun to be realized.

Since Technically Philly’s inception, we’ve held a strong editorial stance that Philadelphia should be again seen as a leader — not a follower — in the areas of sharing and using smart, usable data to better the lives of all of us who live here.

So, it’s with great excitement that we say Technically Philly will be leading, in conjunction with the Institute for Public Affairs at Temple University, a six-month William Penn Foundation-funded project “toward collaborative projects using technology and journalism to increase the availability and use of actionable government data.”

The coverage series is called Transparencity and will feature reporting from all three Technically Philly founders. This funding will allow for deeper coverage in areas already of interest in our editorial mission: city technology policy, the Division of Technology and pursuits of government and other institutions releasing relevant data sets and related APIs and other actionable formats.

It should also be noted that this is grant funding for a specific reporting project for Technically Philly with a limited scope and does not come in conflict with our continued mission of growing our business.

Find details of the grant below.

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How to use Twitter to land your dream job

When he applied to be Krispy Kreme Philadelphia‘s next sales and marketing manager, Braden Young knew he had to stand out.

“I applied for so many jobs that I thought I was perfect for,” says Young who lives in Abington. “But I still wouldn’t hear a thing.”

Instead of sending a standard black-and-white resume and crossing his fingers like he did with his other applications, Young got to work. He created the @HireMeKrspyKrme Twitter account where he drummed up support from his Twitter community to help his cause of landing his dream job with the donut maker while making a cover letter to match.

After only a few days, Young said that complete strangers, many in Philadelphia’s technology community, were pestering Krispy Kreme on his behalf, demanding that he be hired. A WMGK DJ even forwarded the account to the KrispyKreme CEO.

After only a few weeks, the hard work paid off, and Young eventually was invited for an interview.

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Event Highlights: January 31 – February 5, 2011

We hope you enjoyed all of that snow Philadelphia, because it’s back to business this week as we turn the calendar over to February.

This week, Wharton hosts VCs, NetTuesday is right behind you and IDGA keeps the video game momentum rolling.

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Knight Foundation blog on Code for America in Philly

The Knight blog covers Aaron Ogle and the rest of the Code for America Philly fellows team:

In his free time, software developer Aaron Ogle designed an app that helps people find the best routes for walking in their city.  Starting this week, the Philadelphia native will use his passion for coding for the common good as part of the first group of fellows for Knight-funded Code for America.

Tommy Jones, interim City of Philadelphia CTO: Top Three Priorities for 2011

Tommy Jones

Allan Frank and Tommy Jones could probably make a decent buddy team movie together.

Frank, who will next week leave his post as the Chief Technology Officer for the City of Philadelphia, is, by all accounts, high energy, a self-described ‘ideas man’ with a gravely voice and an ability to capture the attention of audiences that are usually expecting a stodgy bureaucrat to talk about servers and network capacity.

Jones, who has been Frank’s deputy since November 2009 and will become interim CTO on Feb. 1, would probably be the straight man of the duo. Though he has a playful chuckle, he is more serious and details-oriented than Frank.

In a phrase, if Frank might be more likely to ask ‘why can’t we?’ Jones would be the one to ask ‘how do we?’

Jones had been Deputy Chief Technology Officer in Washington D.C. for two years when he moved to Philadelphia to take a similar role with Frank, whom he had met at a function three months earlier.

“I like people telling me how impossible something is to do.,” Jones told Technically Philly earlier this month in a small conference room on the 18th floor of the Market Street Division of Technology headquarters. “[Frank] was telling me what he had going on, and he said ‘Tom, I need someone to come make this happen.”

Come he did, in November 2009, eventually settling into the Art Museum area. Now he has to actually make this happen. Fortunately, he says he has energy too — saying he’s a 26-year-old in the body of someone who is 53.

Jones, who grew up in Charles City County, Virginia, boasts a career that has taken him to various corners of the technology world, from retail to software development to accounting and other fields, including four years in the U.S. Air Force in the 1980s. Below, he talks about why slowing down is the best way to get the most done and what’s going to be different under this interim leader.

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42 ways to improve Philly’s creative economy

A nearly packed house during the event's brainstorming session.

Anyone expecting an inefficient city meeting was pleasantly mistaken.

Despite the snow, The Center for Architecture at 12th and Arch was nearly filled to capacity for a town hall meeting called by the city’s Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy to discuss its Creative Vitality in Philadelphia report.

Sharif Pendleton suggests that arts education starts with parents.

“Ed Rendell would be proud of us tonight,” said Gary Steuer, Chief Cultural Officer of Philadelphia referencing the former mayor’s recent rant.

Each attendee received a copy of the report that found that the city’s creative economy is 70 percent stronger than the national average, though the city lags behind in its number of creative sector jobs (read the full report here). Technically Philly covered the release of the report in December.

The report was complied from 2006 – 2008, before the “Great Recession.”

After a slideshow with detailed report metrics and a brief introduction by Coucilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown, the majority of the event was set aside for brainstorming ways the city can help foster the creative economy.

All suggestions from the night’s fast-moving brainstorming session were written down and attendees were encouraged to vote on their favorites by placing one of four dot stickers next to their favorite. See the complete list of 42 suggestions below:

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Why aren’t more CEOs fired?: Links

• Wharton prof offers hints why more CEOs aren’t fired [PhillyInc: Inquirer] — Four reasons from Wharton research
• Peter Harnik on “Innovative Parks for Resurgent Cities” and their applications for Philadelphia [PlanPhilly]
• Audio Open House [Hive76] — This [Sunday] is an open house for *anyone* of any skill level to mess with audio electronics.
• Franklin Square: What Did It Take to Light Up the Holidays? [Geekadelphia] — 85,500 bulbs, 300 amps, 47,680 watts of power and over 520 hours of preparation.
• Former Pa. Gov. Rendell Stays Near Public Stage [Wall Street Journal]
• New Jersey Chamber of Commerce names new CEO [Philadelphia Business Journal] — The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce named Thomas A. Bracken its new president and CEO Monday, replacing Joan Verplanck, who resigned in July after 15 years in the post.”
• Ready to get it on at Global Game Jam [Philadelphia Business Journal] Event at IndyHall

Thanks to our weekly sponsors

Technically Philly is made possible by advertisers and sponsors that are important to Philadelphia’s technology community. This week we’d like to thank:

Amsterdam Promotional Pens – Amsterdam has great promotional items, like custom envelopes, for you to use with your company or for personal use. Get great products to give away!

OpenDesks – OpenDesks.com lets you monetize unused workspaces – a cubicle, a conference room, an office or a seat in the lunchroom – as long as there’s somewhere to sit and work, you can post it. Join OpenDesks.com‘s Founders Circle today for a low-cost lifetime membership.

Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce – The Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to promoting growth and economic development, advocating for sound public policy, and serving its members with outstanding programs and benefits. GPCC is the premier advocate of the region’s business community, representing members in 11 counties across three states with one voice.

Caffeine Fish – Caffeine Fish develops the Trainboard iPhone app and offers iPhone development consulting in the Philadelphia area.

Empowerkit MLM Software – Empowerkit roots are in Philadelphia where it started as a company. It creates websites for Franchisees through powerful software solutions.

Optimized Cable Company – OCC is a distributor of high end electronic cable products, at a much lower price than most physical storefronts. Pick up some HDMI cables for your upcoming football parties today!

Springboard Media – Springboard Media is a certified Apple Specialist and retailer based in Center City and now, in Exton. They’ve got a ton of accessories and a great trade-in program that can score you up to $1,500 when you’re ready to upgrade.

Volpe and Koenig, P.C. — Since 1987, intellectual property boutique law firm Volpe and Koenig has provided guidance on matters relating to patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, e-commerce, technology joint ventures, non-disclosure agreements, technology acquisitions, licensing and litigation. Whatever your intellectual property law issue… Volpe and Koenig bring law to your ideas.

Interested in joining these organizations and individuals in supporting Technically Philly? Check out our ad packages and contact our Ad Sales Manager. Can’t find something that fits? We’ll customize a package for you.

Baltimore requires city agencies to post data online

The Baltimore Sun covers a big step in that city government’s Open Baltimore initiative :

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said making the information public will help “innovative and creative people … find ways to improve service delivery and save money for taxpayers.” She signed an executive order Wednesday requiring city agencies to post data online as part of an effort called Open Baltimore.

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How Comcast sealed the NBCU deal: Roundup

Every Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. EST, find all the stories you need to know about your friendly telecommunications giant in the Comcast Roundup. Get ane-mail subscription for our Comcast news updates.

MUST READS

• How Comcast sealed the NBCU deal [Inquirer] “Comcast Corp.’s top strategists knew months ago that success in acquiring NBC Universal, despite the objections of a bevy of powerful opponents, rested with the little-known but lyrically named Mignon Clyburn.”
• A Little Less Drama at NBC [New York Times] — On Comcast executive Stephen Burke taking over NBC operations
• Comcast-NBC merger Inquirer editorial on its impact for the region
• Comcast: Take the bus, park the golf carts at the office [Company Town: Los Angeles Times] — “Comcast Corp. executives are preparing for a “global” town hall meeting Thursday to introduce the approximately 30,000 NBC Universal employees to the new leadership.”

Below, next steps for NBC taking on ESPN, the politics behind Olbermann leaving.

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