Also, after reflecting for a day, I don’t think any of the first three speakers were bad. They just weren’t sure what they were supposed to be saying. There was no clear remit. Was it supposed to be about them? about everyone else? about Israel? etc.
So, instead of being negative I’ll make some suggestions for next year’s convention.
* Work out what the purpose of the conference is beforehand. Promoting Israel is fine, I have no problem with that, but give me something that will improve my blog (because blogging is always about me) to make it worth the trip.
* NO POLITICIANS! (Even though in all likelihood next year will also be an election year!) Talk about blogging and talk about Israel. Don’t make it into a party political platform – PLEASE!
* Remember the vegetarians! How much meat can people eat? How about some sticky buns instead! (I know it will ruin the pun, because you can’t have ‘sticky bun and greet’, but think of a new joke for next year)
* Try to encourage the speakers to prepare what they are going to say before they stand up to speak (especially the ones who you are flying in from the States in business class!)
* Let people submit questions beforehand to guide the discussion and the direction of the evening.
* Let the panel discussions just be panel discussions, instead of 4 short speeches.
* Bring in people who can talk about the latest in the computer/blogging/software/ world that will improve the technical quality of the blogs (as well as just telling us what to write about Israel)
* NO POLITICIANS (Just in case they missed it the first time)
* Have a live band. I would have stayed if Angus Young and AC-DC were going to close the show.
* Try to raffle of something that doesn’t rhyme with ‘raffle’. It sounds silly (not funny, just silly)
* and finally – since I obviously know everything best, because I have a blog and am going to change the world – give me the starring role! 😉
(that last line was definitely a joke. It is much more fun to sit in the back row than to talk to the cameras)