The collaborative power of "The Mesh"

I finished Lisa Gansky's "The Mesh: Why the Future of Business Is Sharing" earlier this year and have been struck by how many great "mesh" ideas mentioned in the book are starting to pick up steam. 

ZipCar, Kickstarter and time-sensitive group-buying services like Bakersfield Daily Deal are just a few examples of relatively new collaborative business models that have gained widespread growth over the past year. The concept of sharing a business with others is a tough one to grasp. But when the mix is right -- like private owners renting out their cars when they're otherwise sitting idle -- blinders come off traditional business models.

I've been tossing around a few ideas on how a newspaper company might play in a "mesh" environment but haven't come up with something worth pursuing. But I'm thinking. 

To get your brain churning, check out a fun outgrowth of Gasnky's book called Meshing It, an ever-growing list of businesses that fit the book's theme. You'll be amazed to find hundreds of creative business models that once were right under our noses. 

Ferrari F1 car turning 19,000 rpm at Laguna Seca

Formula 1 has never raced at Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey but F1 cars have taken flying laps in historic races and exhibitions. 

Case in point is this Ferrari F1 car tackling the tight track, including the famous Corkscrew. Laguna Seca is too small for F1 cars to really open up at high speed, but this video captures the glorious sound of a normally aspirated F1 engine revving to more than 19,000 rpm and accelerating like no other cars on Earth.  

It's hard on novice ears but heaven for any race fan, particularly on the eve of racing season. 

Documentary captures larger than life soul legend Solomon Burke

On this Valentine's Day, I'll share a recommendation for fans of Southern Soul or good music in general to check out a DVD documentary of soul legend Solomon Burke titled "Everybody Needs Somebody".

The hourlong documentary is authorized, so there's only one side of the story to a man who did have some enemies. But the archival footage, family stories and interviews with fans like Bill Wyman of the Stones and producers Don Was and Joe Henry drive home just how brilliant a performer Burke was, particularly when it came to spinning a romantic tune. 

Burke was larger than life in more ways that one -- he was forced to sit while performing in recent years -- and when he died last year, he left behind a legacy as one of the very best examples of Southern soul and rhythm and blues.