Marshall Kirkpatrick:
A Look Behind the Curtain at Techmeme  —  In late 2005 former Intel developer Gabe Rivera launched what is now TechMeme, a powerful semi-automated “meme tracker” that discovers the hottest conversations in the tech blogosphere every 5 minutes.  It’s an incredible resource and has become a financial success for Rivera as well.

Nick Denton:
Gawker, now incorporating Defamer [Housekeeping]  —  It’s Oscars day, a good a time as any to do this: Hollywood gossip site Defamer is being merged into Gawker, the company’s flagship gossip title.  The four-year-old title will continue as Gawker’s entertainment column …

Nick Denton:
Gawker, now incorporating Defamer  —  It’s Oscars day, a good a time as any to do this: Hollywood gossip site Defamer is being merged into Gawker, the company’s flagship gossip title.  The four-year-old title will continue as Gawker’s entertainment column; the movie-industry stories …

Fred / A VC:
A Stimulus Plan For Venture Capital?  No Thanks.  —  Tom Friedman, who I admire in many ways, has an op-ed piece in today’s NY Times where he suggests that the US government take the bailout money they are thinking of giving to the auto industry and instead give it to the […]

Thomas L. Friedman / New York Times:
Start Up the Risk-Takers  —  Reading the news that General Motors and Chrysler are now lining up for another $20 billion or so in government aid — on top of the billions they’ve already received or requested — leaves me with the sick feeling that we are subsidizing […]

Randall Stross / New York Times:
Everyone Loves Google, Until It’s Too Big  —  THE popularity of Google’s search engine in the United States just grows and grows.  In the past three years, its market share gains have even been accelerating, making some people wonder whether the company will eventually obliterate what remains of its […]