This is a truly random episode of Random. What has Kevin learned in his new role as CEO of Digg? Which new books, people, and websites are we finding interesting? From management lessons to language learning (and a critique of Rosetta Stone), this episode meanders all over the place.

This is also our first sponsored episode — Sonos! It’s quite cool that we’re now sponsored by a company whose products made a cameo as early as episode 2.

Thanks to awesome readers DynastyDC and Ben, here are the show notes and links…

Tim talks about his week in Amsterdam, the Queen’s Day celebration, The Next Web, the status to his upcoming book and DailyBurn’s business exit.

Kevin Rose, Digg Inc. CEO discusses product development, work frustrations, and the new Digg version with Cassandra back-end. The new version includes 3-5 core features, followed by weekly releases.

Show sponsor: Sonos—http://sonos.com/random

• Reference: The Next Web http://thenextweb.com/?
• Reference: Queens Day http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koninginnedag?
• Reference: Tim’s upcoming book http://su.pr/2iZgRr?
• Reference: DailyBurn.com Exit http://techcrunch.com/2010/05/20/iac-dailyburn/?
-Business Exit def. http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/exit.html

Tim’s Recommendations

• Book: How to Break A Terrorist http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Break_a_Terrorist
• Clothing: Cordaround http://www.cordarounds.com/blog/
• Person: Nassim Nicholas Taleb http://www.fooledbyrandomness.com/?
– Taleb’s book: The Black Swan (same link as above)?
– Nassim Taleb on Twitter: http://twitter.com/nntaleb
• Website: Livemocha.com- Language learning http://www.livemocha.com/
• Product: Pimsleur Direct- Language learning http://www.pimsleurdirect.com/?
– Turkish: Lonely Planet Phrasebook (Paperback) http://www.amazon.com/Turkish-Lonely-Phrasebook-Arzu-Kurklu/dp/1864503165
• Websites: www.livemocha.com and eduFire.com

Kevin’s Recommendations

Show Sponsor: http://www.sonos.com/random
• Reference: http://cassandra.apache.org/?
• Reference: Six Apart Co. http://www.sixapart.com/?
• Reference: Digg iPad App http://about.digg.com/blog/announcing-diggs-iphone-app

• Book: Rework 37 Signals- business minimalist philosophy http://smarterware.org/5373/rework-37signals-recipe-for-running-a-business (includes PDF excerpt)
• Person: Phillip Rosedale- Founder of Second Life, Founder of LoveMachineInc.com http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Rosedale?
- LoveMachineInc.com
– employee 2 employee praise http://www.lovemachineinc.com/?
– Phillip Rosedale on Twitter: http://twitter.com/philiplinden
Philip’s awesome pants: Cordarounds—http://www.cordarounds.com/catalog/
• Website: Evernote http://www.evernote.com/

Glenn
• Glenn on tour with Delivering Happiness Book Team http://www.deliveringhappinessbook.com/

Elsewhere on the web:
5 Alternatives to Traditional Retirement – US News and World Report

In this episode of Random — lucky #10 — Kevin and I hit the streets of San Francisco to discuss food, recent learnings, and a few feature: favorite books, people, and websites since the last episode.

Show notes and links are included below, but one new order of business: we are thinking of having sponsors for the Random show!

Here’s the idea: we have room for just three (3) sponsors at $1,000 an episode each, and you get both screenshots during the episode with your website/logo, and we also give you a shout out at the beginning of the episode. The sponsorship will allow us to treat Glenn to some fancy new shoes and support his video habit, as well as open up uber-cool options for topics and experiments.

Interested? First come, first served, so let us know at earliest via email: amyatfourhourworkweekdotcom with “RANDOM SPONSOR” in the subject line.

That all said, here are the show notes and a bonus safari video…

Books:
Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh
Rework by 37Signals
Neverwhere: A NovelNeverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Websites:
we-make-money-not-art.com
tripit.com

People:
Reid Hoffman – twitter.com/quixotic
Marc Andreessen – blog.pmarca.com
“Angels vs. Venture Capitalists” article by Ben Horowitz

Travel:

New Zealand
- Webstock
- Picton
- Nevis – bungee jumping
- Queenstown
- Christchurch
- Canyon Swing

South Africa
- Capetown
- Lions Head
- Shark Diving Unlimited in Gansbaai
- Sanbona Safari (Recommended Ranger: Salomon Munnik)

Bonus video – 3-minute tour of the Dwyka lodge safari tents:

Shoot Location and Misc.:
- San Francisco Ferry Building
- SF Farmer’s Market (1 of the top 10 in the US)
- summertomato.com
- Salt slab for cooking (delish)

Related and Recommended:
All past Random Show episodes

This new, long overdue Random episode covers our personal resolutions–personal, business, physical, and otherwise–as well as favorite recent gifts (both given and received).

The video is recorded on two cameras, including Glenn’s new experimental HD delight. Topics include:

- Chocolate
- Powerlifting
- Filtering false friends
- Funny hats
- The art of the decline
… and naked ladies.

Best to give the video 10-20 minutes to buffer before watching. It’s a big ‘un.

Please let us know in the comments what you’d like our next show topic to be! If you missed previous episodes, all of them can be found here.

Here are the links to resources mentioned in the video, provided courtesy of reader DynastyDC. Thanks, D! …

Wine

1. Big House Red 2006: http://www.wine.com/V6/Big-House-Red-2006/wine/95766/detail.aspx

Chocolate

1. Scharffen Berger: http://www.scharffenberger.com/

2. Organic Chocolate Products: http://www.altereco-usa.com/main.php

3. Facts about Theobromine: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theobromine

Random Subjects

1. Gerard Trap Bar: http://www.trapbartraining.com/

2. Security Now, Vitamin D Story with Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte: http://twit.tv/sn209

3. Info about Maker’s Expo, also known as “Maker Faire Bay”: http://makezine.com/makerfaire/press/bayarea/2009/auditions/

4. MakeZine: http://www.makezine.com/

5. Vitamin D: http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/

6. Aspen Global Leadership Network: http://www.aspeninstitute.org/leadership-programs

7. Recipes to prevent cancer, cool book recommendation: http://www.therapeuticchef.com/book/

Tim’s Top X-Mas Gifts:

1. Neat Corduroy Pants: http://www.cordarounds.com/catalog/

2. Terra Plana Shoes (Dharma) : http://www.terraplana.com/dharma-p-1036.html?colour=246

Kevin’s Top X-Mas Gifts:

1. Fitbit: http://www.fitbit.com/

2. Sonos S5: http://www.sonos.com/whattobuy/zoneplayers/s5/default.aspx

Tim’s Gear:

1. Datsusara MMA Bag PB-01: http://www.dsmma.com/html/bags.html

Tim’s gifts to Kevin

1. Tim mentions, Perfect Pull-Up product: http://www.perfectonline.com/store/index.php/products/perfect-pullup.html

2. Alcohol Breathalyzer (HD-Safe Drive Deluxe): http://www.craigmedical.com/Alco_SafeMate.htm

Tim’s gifts to Glenn

1. Fodor’s Argentina, 5th Edition: http://www.amazon.com/Fodors-Argentina-5th-Gold-Guides/dp/1400019648

2. Daniel Tosh CD “True Stories I Made Up”,comedian: http://www.danieltosh.com/store

Glenn’s Camera

1. Canon 5D Mark ll Digital SLR: http://tiny.cc/N6JDu

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Elsewhere on the web:
Tim Ferriss on Facebook – all-new videos and photos
Tim Ferriss on Posterous
18 Real-World Lifestyle Design Case Studies: From Families to 20-Somethings

Random – China Episode 2 Part B from Glenn McElhose on Vimeo.

This is a continuation of the Random series. Past episodes include language learning, start-up advice, must-read books, and more.

In this episode, filmed on the roof of the Yin bar in Beijing, Kevin Rose and I (and a little bit of Glenn McElhose) discuss our top-3 favorite travel spots. Details include favorite areas, seasons, things to look for and, occasionally, things to look out for…

Let us know your favorite travel spot in the comments!

If someone were only there for one day, what are the 1-3 non-mainstream must-see or must-do picks?

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Elsewhere on the web:
Tim Ferriss on Twitter – real-time mischief
Tim Ferriss on Huffington Post – Vibram shoes and other oddities

Total length: 20 minutes.

This is a weekend edition of Random. It is a happy-hour special of Chinese scams.

How did Kevin and Glenn get totally screwed by Chinese “art students”? More important, how do you avoid getting scammed while traveling?

This episode lays out one of the most common scams and explains how to spot similar set-ups worldwide…

Show Notes from Glenn:
- Open intro with weird light: Kevin shooting a laser into a “7 Cups” vessel. Animation by Tynan.
- Yin Bar, Beijing – http://www.theemperor.com.cn/
- Travel Website: www.virtualtourist.com