Here is TAG’s initial presentation to University partners.

We’re all embedded in vast social networks of friends, family, co-workers and more. Nicholas Christakis tracks how a wide variety of traits — from happiness to obesity — can spread from person to person, showing how your location in the network might impact your life in ways you don’t even know.

(Recorded at TED2010, February 2010 in Long Beach, CA. Duration: 18:14)

Conclusion: “If we realized how valuable social networks are, we’d spend a lot more time nourishing them and sustaining them… what I think the world needs now is more connections.”

The Oatmeal (AKA Matthew Inman) is brilliant. Rivaled only (possibly) by xkcd. Instead of me going on and on about how great he is, why don’t you see for yourself?

The 10 types of crappy interviewees, according to The Oatmeal.

Click here for the other 8…

Expectation #12: The lifecycle of a startup

There is a fairly predictable emotional cycle that entrepreneurs experience when building a new company. Insiders call it the “lifecycle of a startup”. Phase 1 is the period of uninformed optimism. You don’t know what you don’t know and you are on your way to creating the next Google. Then Phase 2 hits and you experience a period of informed pessimism. You think, “Maybe this idea just isn’t that great.” For those that are able to claw their way out of the second stage, they will reach Phase 3: the period of informed optimism (and success!).

Much like the founder of a start-up, you will likely experience each phase of the rollercoaster.

Expectation setting #12: At the end of the rollercoaster is the pot of gold. …

Expectation #11: Enjoy the trip

A friend of mine went on a “boys’ trip” to Vegas last year. Instead of enjoying the company of friends, he spent the entire weekend mad about all the work he had waiting for him back at the office. Later, he admitted missing everything that should have been great about his vacation.

If you simply focus on being out of a job (or trying to land a job), you will miss out on the experiences that make networking so enriching. Think of it this way: at what other point in your life will you take this much time to meet so many people again? Certainly not when you’re working.

Expectation setting #11: Enjoy the people you meet, you may not get this chance again. …