Good morning, All,

That’s what the WSJ called the ‘thundersnow’ storm that hit Manhattan on Boxing Day, which was Monday, for those of us playing the home version. Thunder and lightning in the midst of a blizzard (http://on.wsj.com/ejiMcf). It was wild, and nothing like ending the year with a bit of sonne et lumiere, eh, courtesy of Mother Nature and thanks for the show! And lest we forget, it was our second blizzard of the year – and we had three tornados, too. Now, back to our regularly scheduled weather and program.

First, something for the creative on the list: The Adobe/Motorola Video Contest. Motorola and Adobe are seeking original, inventive ideas to convey the exciting possibilities made possible with full web browsing on new mobile devices like the DROID smartphones by Motorola with Adobe® Flash® Player.

There are two contests available with different briefs – one for an ad and another for a short film. So get your creative juices working and get filming. You can enter both contests with as many different videos as you like. Grand Prize: A trip to Barcelona for the Mobile World Congress. There will also be four runners-up prizes, and the deadline for entry is January 31, so get busy. All of the information is here: http://bit.ly/dLJQbO.

Next, the Vator Splash (SF) Feb 2011event. Vator Splash are currently making another “limited” batch of Holiday discounted tickets available. Be sure to grab them before they’re all gone or before they expire before the new year. Get your tickets here: http://vatorsplash.eventbrite.com/ As you may know, on the evening of February 3, 2011 at Cafe du Nord in San Francisco, 10 seed- to early-stage companies selected by their peers, and vetted by judges will have the opportunity to pitch the Silicon Valley elite. Finalists and winners will win a number of prizes. Demo tables are also available for a steep discount until Dec. 31st.

And December 30th is when the early bird rate for the next #140Conf ends. To register: http://nyc.140conf.com/register.

Next, InSITE is currently accepting applications for its Spring 2011 cycle at http://insiteny.org.

The application deadline is January 21. For those of you who are unfamiliar with InSITE, it provides early stage companies with pro bono consulting services to help raise Seed or Series A financing. InSITE companies have raised over $215 million in venture funding since 2000. Beyond mentoring services, the program also provides networking opportunities, speaker events, and a final pitch event featuring our affiliated VC and Angel partners.

Participating companies work with InSITE fellows drawn from Columbia and NYU Business and Law schools, as well as from several graduate-level science and engineering programs throughout NYC. Fellows are chosen through a highly competitive application and interview process and are focused on the enrichment of the New York startup ecosystem. Go for it!

Since there’s never any rest for the weary, come rain or snow or meteorological holy grail, holiday reading for you:

What’s Your Entry Strategy? There’s a novel thought, what, eh? Investors are fond of asking entrepreneurs about exit strategy. Ron Conway says he won’t do a deal unless he can think of 10 potential buyers for that startup in the future. But what’s your entry strategy?
How will you acquire users?
How will you, in a cost effective way, build awareness and engagement in a crowded online world?
If you distribute on an app store, how will you drive sustained acquisition rather than a short burst of interest?
What channels will you use for acquisition?
Why will people write about you?
The list goes on and worth a read: http://bit.ly/ie5DWc

When It’s Time For Plan B. Things don’t always go according to plan in the startup world and sometimes it’s necessary to (hope this is the last time we use this word this year) pivot. So what’s the Plan B? Sarah Needleman shares stories and advice in this WSJ article: http://on.wsj.com/eri4kh

When To Talk To Investors: Early And Often. Don’t wait until it’s time to raise money: Nothing builds confidence more than when you tell an investor what you’re going to do, then come back later having done what you said you would do. So, get out there and make it happen. Ok, maybe not this week, but soon, and often: http://bit.ly/fWZAat

Since so many companies are closed (maybe not in the startup world, but there are places on this very planet where people do have normal lives and unplug and well, the snow certainly went far in putting the breaks on an already quiet week) and since so many people are away this week – by choice or now – , we’re not going to do our usual postings, in all fairness to the people who have posts. But your posts will be back next week, so if you need something, or have something to offer, don’t be shy. Also coming back in January: Find A Cofounder! Details coming soon and yes, we do know that not all of you are looking for technical co-founders but rather business-building co-founders. So, yes, Virginia, we are planning another general SOS gathering so that you can all meet each other, and hopefully hook up and help each other out. Date and details coming soon, so stay tuned.

One of our members sent us a holiday card of aphorisms. Admittedly, we have a fondness for aphorisms and since it is a quiet week, and we do believe in leaving you with a chuckle and maybe something to think about, we’re going to share some of our favorites and hope you enjoy them. And yes, we choose them with you all in mind:

“Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.” – Mark Twain
A few from the ever-quotable king of malapropism, Yogi Berra:
“You’ve got to be very careful if you don’t know where you are going, because you might not get there.”
“You can observe a lot by just watching.”
“A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore.”
“I never said most of the things I said.”
“It is not the clear-sighted who rule the world. Great achievements are accomplished in a blessed, warm fog.” – Joseph Conrad
And finally –
“Don’t be afraid of competition. Remember: the kite rises against, not with, the wind.” – Hamilton Wright

And because this is just too good to miss: The Worst Part Of Coming Home For Christmas: http://gizmo.do/gKMEkJ

It’s quiet on the event front this week, so we hope that you’re all home and warm and safe and enjoying these last few days of 2010 – or finishing up what you need to get done. We wish you the very happiest of new years. See you next year and remember: we’re always here to help…