"Power Zen" Posts on ValleyZen

CHARLIE ROSE BACKSTAGE: Exclusive Video Interview

03.16.09 | Category: Power Zen, Simplicity, Video

Charlie Rose and Drue

We recently met with Charlie Rose, host of the Charlie Rose Show. Rose was this month’s featured guest for Dick Henning’s Celebrity Forum. While swinging through Silicon Valley, Rose also interviewed some Valley luminaries including Google CEO Eric Schmidt, Twitter Co-Founder Evan Williams and Stanford’s President John Hennessy.

BUT— ValleyZen interviewed Charlie Rose!

Don’t miss this exclusive backstage interview where Rose takes time to chat before addressing one of three sold-out crowds at Flint Center…

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Portrait of Michelle Obama by Drue Kataoka

02.16.09 | Category: Power Zen, Simplicity, Zen Government

Drue has recently completed a portrait of Michelle Obama. We look forward to your responses and reactions. Please view her portrait of the First Lady and read the story behind the portrait…

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Tom Siebel Offers 20 Million Dollar Prize

02.12.09 | Category: Breaking News, Power Zen, Unexpected, Valley Future

Tom Siebel and Drue Kataoka
After his presentation today, Tom Siebel fielded audience questions.
A voice began speaking…

“What are you?” Siebel asked.
“A freshman,” the voice said.
“What are you studying?”
“Still figuring that out.”

“Me too,” said Siebel.

Silicon Valley gets Zen.

In the 80s and 90s, Siebel’s expertise in relational database theory helped him make Siebel Systems a global leader in software. Now he is becoming a Zen beginner—moving away from his domain, IT (Information Technology) into a totally new arena (Energy Technology). Even though Siebel has spent the last three years doing research on energy issues, this is uncharted territory for him. He’s taking a radical departure from his “comfort zones” in order to tackle pressing ecological problems. Siebel gave us a sneak preview of…

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Tim O’Reilly at Home in Sebastopol – VIDEO Interview

02.01.09 | Category: Interaction Design, Power Zen, Simplicity, Unexpected, Valley Future, Video

Tim O'Reilly and Drue KataokaGo all access with us at Tim O’Reilly’s home, as he graciously opens his doors to ValleyZen.

Join us in an exclusive video experience where twisting country backroads lead to the home of the Founder & CEO of O’Reilly Media. ValleyZen was invited to O’Reilly’s Sebastopol dwelling which is nestled on 6 acres of farmland–far from Silicon Valley hustle and bustle, and tucked between California earth and sky.

O’Reilly is candid, open and relaxed, taking us on a tour of his home, his kitchen, and even his treehouse. This video is filled with action, movement, and satori!

The trailer below shows a few minutes of highlights taken from footage shot over the course of an entire morning…

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Jim Barnett, Founder & CEO Turn, Inc. – Video Interview

12.01.08 | Category: Power Zen, Simplicity, Unexpected, Valley Future, Video

Jim Barnett, Founder CEO Turn
Watch a video with Jim Barnett, Founder & CEO of Turn, Inc. Jim Barnett’s Zen insights are interesting for entrepreneurs , business people, or anyone implementing a big vision.

Don’t Miss Jim Barnett on:

  • 19 years of morning meditation
  • Riding up King’s Mountain to clear his mind
  • Simplicity in advertising
  • On naming his company “TURN”
  • Performance and simplicity behind Turn
  • On building a culture of honesty and Zen authenticity
  • Why he doesn’t care about reference checks in hiring…
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The Tech Awards – Gala for 1500 Honors Nobel Peace Prize Recipient Muhammad Yunus

11.19.08 | Category: Power Zen, Simplicity, Unexpected, Valley Future

Bill Fenwick, Muhammad Yunus, Drue Kataoka, Peter Friess, Birgit BinnerThe Tech Awards show that “Big changes come from simple solutions” said Tech President Peter Friess —opening an elegant black tie gala for the premier annual humanitarian awards programs in the world. Over 1500 Tech Museum friends & donors gathered to honor 25 global innovators (Laureates) who were carefully selected from hundreds of applications received from 68 countries. $250,000 in cash awards were distributed on one evening.

“We are gathering all the intellectual capital of all these prestigious laureates…

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Singularity Summit – Enlightened Machines, plus an Exclusive Interview with Peter Diamandis

11.12.08 | Category: Power Zen, Valley Future, Video

Bill Fenwick, Peter Diamandis, Drue Kataoka, Bruce KleinValleyZen was invited to the third Singularity Summit 2008 – a conference discussing “The Singularity” a point at which machines will be able to surpass human intelligence. Ray Kurzweil, CEO of Kurzweil Technologies and author of The Singularity is Near headlined the conference along with technological and academic heavyweights like Intel CTO Justin Rattner, X PRIZE Foundation Founder, Chair & CEO Peter Diamandis, Investor/Entrepreneur Esther Dyson, MIT Center for Bits and Atoms Director Neil Gershenfeld, CEO of Novamente, director of research at SIAI, Ben Goertzel, and over a dozen others.

At a private reception hosted the night before the conference at the Tech Museum, we spoke with Ben Goertzel. Drue asked Ben if a machine could reach enlightenment. Please check out his response. It’s sure to provoke you…

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Meeting Michelle Obama in Chicago — Barack Obama & Oprah speak to Women Leaders – Drue’s art exhibit celebrates America

10.24.08 | Category: Breaking News, Power Zen, Uncategorized, Valley Future, Zen Government

Drue and Bill meet Michelle Obama
ValleyZen was invited to attend the National Women’s Leadership Initiative National Issues Conference. Billed as “the pinnacle event of the general election to highlight the importance of women’s leadership,” it drew women from all 50 states. Mega donors as well as high-level policy makers and senior campaign advisors converged on the Chicago Sheraton Towers to focus on “issues…

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Drue’s Art in the First In-Space Art Exhibit on Richard Garriott’s Space Mission

10.17.08 | Category: Asymmetry, Breaking News, Power Zen, Valley Future, Video, Zen Earth

Drue's painting UP!On Sunday, famed video game developer Richard Garriott launched into space aboard a Soyuz TMA spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. For more than $30 million, he has become the sixth private citizen to travel into orbit.

The Russian rocket lifted off on schedule at 1:01 p.m. (3:01 a.m. EDT), carrying precious cargo including a revolutionary experiment in art —the first in-space art exhibition. Highlighting the importance of private space travel to future generations, Garriott is hosting this zero-gravity art exhibition. Included is an original brush painting by Drue Kataoka, created for this historic
mission…
description of Drue's painting UP!

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3 Zen Things to do in a Recession

10.07.08 | Category: Asymmetry, Power Zen, Simplicity

Drue's Sumi-e painting of a crane soaring highYesterday, the Dow Jones fell below 10,000 points. Stress and risk are everywhere: the financial crisis, the deepening recession, the threat of losing one’s job and savings. Staying afloat in a sea of red ink is hard.

Sourcing from the ancient wisdom of Zen provides timeless lessons in a world of chaos. As a Sumi-e artist, the Zen principles are alive in my brush every moment. I take lessons from my brush. Here are three:

1. Spare your brush strokes

Less is more. In my Sumi-e paintings, I strive for maximum…

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