Here's what should enrage you as you read it: Unlike the Cyprus trip, this one is ostensibly a work event, paid for by investors and shareholders. (I suppose a handful of entrepreneurs may have bought their own tickets, but in the hopes of paying themselves back by scoring an investment.) What's the agenda for this passel of languorous corporate dealmakers, ebullient entrepreneurs, and phlegmatic venture capitalists? They party. You pay. Later on, they consummate some deals with their pals that they would have struck anyway, crediting the boondoggle junket for "making the connection."

Last year's event was an epic caper, marked by drink-throwing, late-night excursions, and salacious rumors of barside canoodling. Here's whose exploits we're looking forward to reporting, thanks to the moles we've placed throughout Hornik's guest list:

Less than six weeks before the second edition of the event is supposed to begin, the official E For All web site has listed Microsoft and Electronic Arts as the only major game publishers who will be exhibiting at the show this year. THQ and Konami, both of whom attended E For All in 2007, have no current plans to attend the 2008 event.

Big Download has also learned via their respective PR reps that a large number of other major gaming publishers also have no current plans to attend. That list includes Sony, Midway, Atari, Sega, Warner Bros. Interactive, NCsoft, LucasArts, Sony Online, Square Enix, Codemasters, Gamecock, Southpeak, Disney Interactive and Capcom. PR reps for Nintendo, 2K Games and Activision did not yet know whether or not their respective companies would be attending.

And in that scenario, you're the woman. Wait! I know that sounds sexist, but ... you're being pursued. You're the one looking for commitment.

So far Kongregate has collected $9 million, in a combination of venture, angel, and "super angel" funds. Was Greer's not putting out for just anyone what attracted hard-to-get Jeff Bezos, then? (Photo by Joi Ito)

Go with the girls with phone numbers and stated hours. Whether it's the principal or his PA making the calls, this will narrow the field enough to give him a chance of scheduling with an escort who's available today. He could try for a girl working the hotel, but only if he's flirted already and just couldn't find a way to pop the question, "How could I convince you to fly away with me?" If she's got a price, she'll say so. Otherwise, an assistant can do the work of finding a date.

Offer a premium. No need to wait for her to explain that a last-minute travel request costs more that her standard fee; moguls would just ask right away. Since they're talking money now, which is usually off-the-record, they'll be extra precise in their language around sex. No winky innuendos about the very private nature of the jet — they'd just come out and say, "I'd like to cover your expenses and give you a bonus for taking time for me on such short notice."

Treat her like a client you want to spoil. Big business brains can do the thinking for her. They'll tell their girl she only needs to get into her lingerie, a long coat and state-issued identification (she doesn't have to show it, just have it available for the pilot), and then take the Town Car charged to their account. A last-minute trip to San Jose or New York doesn't call for a fantastic dress to wear out to dinner after, but they'll likely be gentlemanly to offer her enough of a bonus to fly home that night, or a hotel to freshen up in.

(Photo: Bella of San Diego)

Dear XXXXXXXX

A number of difficult personal family health problems have led me to make a few hard choices related to Red Herring Wireless.

Indeed, for the first time in nineteen years, I have decided to postpone an event. Red Herring Wireless has been rescheduled to the mid September in Beijing - we will notify you of the exact date in the coming weeks.

In Beijing this month we had assembled a unique group of exceptional players who have managed to play an instrumental role in defining the wireless sector. Telstra, China Mobile, eAccess and many others committed to join us. We trust that we will manage to see them again in September.

We will contact you in the next weeks and I look forward to working with you. I appreciate your understanding and I trust we will speak soon,

With kindest regards,

Alex Vieux
CEO

• Alan Levy (BlogTalkRadio)
• Alec Oxenford (OLX, DineroMail)
• Alejandro Estrada (DineroMail)
• Alexis Bonte (Erepublik.com)
• Andrew McLaughlin (Google)
• Anil de Mello (Mobuzz)
• Arturo J. Paniagua (Hipertextual)
• Auren Hoffman (Rapleaf)
• Axel Schmiegelow (Sevenload, Denkwerk Group)
• Benjamí Villoslada (Menèame)
• Brent Hoberman (Mydeco)
• Carlos Martìn (IG Expansiòn)
• Cedric Maloux
• Christophe F. Maire (Nokia gate5, investor)
• Claudia Gisiger-Gonzalez (UNHCR)
• Dan Dubno (Blowing Things Up)
• David Sifry (Technorati)
• Demian M. Bellumio (Cyloop)
• Eduardo Arcos (Hipertextual)
• Efe Cakarel (The Auteurs)
• Ehssan Dariani (studiVZ)
• Esteban Sosnik
• Esther Dyson (EDventure)
• Felix Petersen (Plazes)
• Hans Peter Brøndmo (Plum)
• Ibrahim Evsan (Sevenload)
• Ivan Communod (Vpod.tv)
• Jacob Hsu (Symbio)
• James Gutierrez (Progress Financial)
• Jennifer L. Schenker (BusinessWeek)
• John Markoff (The New York Times)
• Joichi Ito (Creative Commons, Six Apart Japan, investor)
• Jon Berrojalbiz (Trading Motion)
• Jonas Birgersson (Labs2)
• Jörg Rohleder (Vanity Fair)
• José María Figueres (Grupo Felipe IV)
• Jose Marin (IG Expansion)
• Julio Alonso (Weblogs SL)
• Lars Hinrichs (XING)
• Loïc Le Meur (Seesmic)
• Louise T Blouin MacBain (Louise Blouin Media)
• Lukasz Gadowski (Spreadshirt.com, investor)
• Lukasz Wejchert (Onet.pl)
• Marc Samwer (European Founders Fund)
• Marcelo Claure (Brightstar Corp.)
• Marko Ahtisaari (Blyk, Dopplr, FON)
• Mathias Entenmann (Betfair)
• Matt Biddulph (Dopplr)
• Megan Smith (Google)
• Michael Arrington (Techcrunch)
• Michael Jackson (Mangrove Capital Partners)
• Michael Wolf (Farallon Point)
• Nikesh Arora (Google)
• Ola Ahlvarsson (Result, FON)
• Om Malik (Giga Omni Media)
• R.J. Friedlander (Grupo Planeta)
• Ricardo Galli (Menéame)
• Rodrigo Sepúlveda Schulz (Vpod.tv)
• Rupert Schäfer (DLD, Hubert Burda Media)
• Scott Rafer (Lookery, Mashery, Winksite)
• Tariq Krim (Netvibes)
• Thomas Crampton (Next Media)

Testing is still underway to identify the specific virus in question, but they believe it to be the Norovirus, a common cause of the "stomach flu", which can cause temporary flu-like symptoms for up to 48 hours.

The San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) was notified on Wednesday May 7, 2008, of several persons that became ill after attending or working at conferences at the Moscone Center in San Francisco from April 30, 2008 through May 8, 2008. The SFDPH is working with the organizers of the meeting facilities to make cleaning recommendations and to confirm the cause of the illnesses. The ill attendees/workers are suspected to have a viral illness called Norovirus. Noroviruses are a common cause of the "stomach flu," or gastroenteritis (GAS-tro-en-ter-I-tis).

What are the symptoms of illness caused by Noroviruses?
The symptoms of norovirus illness include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and some stomach cramping. Sometimes people also have a low-grade fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and a general sense of tiredness. The illness often begins suddenly and the infected person may feel very sick. The illness is usually brief, with symptoms lasting only about 1 or 2 days.

Are Noroviruses contagious?
Noroviruses are very contagious and can spread easily from person to person. Noroviruses are found in the stool or vomit of infected people. People can become infected with the virus in several ways, including:

• Eating food or drinking liquids that are contaminated with Norovirus;
• Touching surfaces or objects contaminated with Norovirus, and then placing their hand in their mouth;
• Having direct contact with another person who is infected and showing symptoms (for example, when caring for someone with illness, or sharing foods or eating utensils with someone who is ill).
• Persons suspected of being ill with Norovirus should abstain from attending or working at any Moscone Center conferences until 48 hours after symptoms have resolved.

How can Norovirus infections be prevented?

• Frequently wash your hands, especially after using the toilet and before eating or preparing food.


• Carefully wash fruits and vegetables, and steam oysters before eating them.


• Thoroughly clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces immediately after an episode of illness by using a bleach-based household cleaner.


• Immediately remove and wash clothing or linens that may be contaminated with virus after an episode of illness (use hot water and soap).


• Flush or discard any vomit and/or stool in the toilet and make sure that the surrounding area is kept clean.


• Persons who are infected with Norovirus should not prepare food while they have symptoms and for 3 days after they recover from their illness.

Information on more Frequently Asked Questions on Norovirus can be viewed on the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) website at http://www.sfcdcp.org/norovirus.cfm

Joe "Marmaduke Explained Guy" Mathlete observed that maybe it's because girls grow up with "dolls," and boys get "G.I. Joes." Which are totally not dolls.

Deconstructing Web "memes" — the fancy term for online in-jokes — is serious business, but having a panel of dudes famous for making gags on the internet play Women's Studies 201? Enter sensitive girl-lover and online video svengali Andrew Baron of Rocketboom, explaining that unlike the rest of the internet, in Web TV, women — or at least the appearance of them in front of a whole lot cameras — do rule. Internet meme boys: they might not be the worst people to challenge stereotypes, but they sure are the most awkward.

(Photo: Kevin Chiu)

Azziza Washington and her friend on the right are from AdShuffle, where they work in "product development."

These two are from Traffic Marketplace. They traded their equity for the uniforms, I heard.

I asked these Reply.com executives for their cards. Fresh out, they handed me Tom Kelly's instead. Interested in business development? Call (925) 983-3493.

I can only assume this is Pete Salcido, EVP for sales at AdShuffle. Since that's whose card I got when I asked.

You'd think Googlers would have more self-respect than to take work as a booth babe — a piece of meat, really.

You'd think Yahoos would have ... never mind.

• Show, don't tell At the door, Sex 2.0 attendees were required to mark their name badges with a color-coded sticker announcing whether they wanted to be photographed or filmed: red for "no," green for "yes," and yellow for "ask first." Why don't we do this all the time? Blogging about your sex partners without their knowledge is a recipe for disaster.
• If you're going to be a Twitter slut, might as well not make it metaphorical Sex 2.0 attendees couldn't resist Twittering mid-conversation — and mid-sex party and mid-fuck. Organizer Amber Rhea estimates that attendees made over a thousand Twitter updates over the weekend, including Ellie Lumpesse, a blogger and phone sex operator, who Twittered from the stage as she competed for the title of Best Boobs at a postconference swinger event.
• Own your online lack of reputation Anyone who gets sexual online runs the risk of being outed. We could obsess on controlling every facet of our online identity and activities, but what about a "more is more" approach? Internet whore and activist Kimberlee Cline, in a session on "Creating the sex commons," took up the example of forcibly retired escort Ashley Alexandra Dupré, whose last notable client was forcibly retired New York governor Eliot Spitzer. If only she had more than just MySpace and Facebook profiles online, when the media came to out her, a more fleshed-out version of her life would have been available for public dissection. Flooding the zone with accounts of your own desires and adventures (along with the unsexier rest of your life) may spare you future embarrassment, and could only give potential lovers the right idea about you.

(Photo: Dickroll)

Tons of random, sketchy lead gen ad networks who hire booth babes and blow their marketing budgets on parties filled w drunken sales guys for vendors. One VC I met w here called it "the vast underbelly of capitalism."

• Demofall runs September 7-9 in San Diego, Sunday through Tuesday.
• TechCrunch50 runs September 8-10 in San Francisco, Monday through Wednesday.
• Demofall showcases new products. TechCrunch50 requires that the entire company be a new launch.
• Both events try to keep their lists of presenters a secret until close to showtime.
• Demofall requires that exhibitors not participate in any other shows. Companies chosen to exhibit at both shows will be forced to pick one.
• Job-avoiding members of The 250 will surely attend both. But most attendees and many journalists will be forced to choose either Demo or TechCrunch, and to skip the other entirely. Note: This is where the fun starts.
• Demofall is a less-prestigious spinoff of the bigger Demo show held in January in Palm Desert, California. It was originally called Demomobile, but there wasn't enough mobile to demo. It's not all-out war until TechCrunch goes head-to-head with the January Demo.
• Demo's organizers spell it DEMO, but it's not an acronym, so Owen makes me spell it Demo. I'm not sure why TechCrunch isn't Techcrunch by that rule. But I'm glad Valleywag isn't ValleyWag.
• Arrington told VentureBeat that the schedule conflict wasn't intentional. It was, he said, the only time they could get the venue they really wanted. This is the difference between a journalist and a publicist.
• Calacanis has been much more blunt about his desire to "take the payola out of Demo" by hosting a similar event that doesn't charge demonstrators a fee. It's currently $18,500 per company to appear at Demo, free at TechCrunch50. PR people I talked to believe $18,500 is a fair price for the exposure Demo gives a new product or company. But many of the shoestring Web 2.0 firms TechCrunch tracks simply don't have it.
• UPDATE: New improved quotes.
  • Arrington: "Demo needs to die."
  • Calacanis: "Chris Shipley, you moved your event to compete with us."
  • Shipley: "It baffles me, because ultimately it's not very good for entrepreneurs. It doesn't make sense how this will help them."
• If she's so concerned for the entrepreneurs, why not let them do both shows? That seems easier.

Poor Marten must have realized too late that American beer is every bit as strong as German beer. Sometimes stronger. As for Shuttleworth and Updegrove and Zachary and Wasserman and Microsoft's legal council Brad Smith... They all mingled amongst bagged lunches and Zimbra-lovers. Bonus points to SteelEye's James Bottomley, who sported the nifty bow tie and Harpo hair ensemble.