ThreatMetrix raises $30M in financing

ThreatMetrix is a San Jose-based fraud prevention startup located in Downtown San Jose at 160 W. Santa Clara Street. The company was founded in 2005 and helps authenticate consumer transactions to minimize online fraud.

So far, they have raised a respectable $84 million from investors. This latest $30 million financing round will be used to expand its data center and expand sales and marketing teams.

Source: SVBJ

Selma Olinder Dog Park will get a $20k makeover -- volunteers needed

SAN JOSE DOG PARK’S DREAMS COME TRUE WITH $20,000 MAKEOVER AND HELPING HAND FROM BENEFUL®

Beneful Dream Dog Park Project Team, Dog Lovers and City of San Jose Revamp Selma Olinder Dog Park During Volunteer Day

WHAT: On Friday, November 4, the Beneful Dream Dog Park Project team will join forces with the City of San Jose’s Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services to spruce up Selma Olinder Park Dog Park for its dog loving community. Interested volunteers are welcome to work alongside City and Beneful teams in exchange for a morning of tail-wagging fun, doggie swag and a sample of the new Beneful Originals with Real Beef recipe. Volunteer check-in will begin at 8:30 a.m. the day of the event, at the park entrance.

The $20,000 donation will be accompanied by a new piece of dog park equipment, a Beneful Doxie Tunnel – the only one of its kind in the area. The donation and volunteer day to Selma Olinder Park Dog Park come as part of the Beneful Dream Dog Park Project, a year-long program to support more than a dozen community dog parks across the country.

For more information about the Beneful Dream Dog Park Project, please visit DreamDogPark.com and follow on social media with #DreamDogPark

WHEN: Friday, November 4, 2016 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
o    Volunteer and media check-in at 8:30 a.m.
o    Check presentation at 9 a.m.
                                                                                                                                               
WHERE: Selma Olinder Park Dog Park
848 E. William St., San José, CA 95116

Wednesday Wishlist: Rebuild the Electric Light Tower! (Updated)

Few people realize just how incredible and innovative our Electric Light Tower was. Built in 1881, it was one of the 50 tallest man-made structures on earth. It stood nearly as tall as the Fairmont Hotel over 120 years ago when San Jose had a population of 12,567. It was the brightest and most technologically advanced light tower to be built and required design innovations that had never been attempted before (much like what Silicon Valley does on a daily basis today).

There is also a very exciting documentary in the works right now entitled "The Light between Two Towers" which is being driven by Tom Wohlmut from WMS Media.  I had the privilege of attending a presentation about the movie and have to say it provides compelling evidence of a connection between the San Jose Tower and the Eiffel Tower. I was certainly surprised at what was uncovered by the end of the presentation and think most people will be as well when this film is released. We'll have a lot more information on that documentary as details are released (I'll post whatever I'm allowed to), but I can already say that the Electric Light Tower could very well be far more significant than originally thought.

While the idea of rebuilding the tower has been tossed around for decades, now is the time to build a landmark that truly represents San Jose's history and culture of innovation, diversity, entrepreneurship, and sharing ideas. The Electric Light Tower is the perfect physical manifestation of those ideas.

Now for some exciting news. There is a group of people with the right experience to actually make this a reality. What I need help from everyone reading this is ideas that can be incorporated into a modern version of an Electric light tower. Here are some quick thoughts to get things started:

• Lighting
• Multi-color LED Lighting (this is a must)
• Imaging the tower turning teal and showing the score during Sharks games, or blue for Quakes games.
• Lasers
• Can be used for optical effects. Due to our height restrictions, lasers can be a way to make the tower look taller than it actually is or can even be used for concerts and events near the tower.
• Holograms / projections
• Few things look as futuristic as a hologram. A holographic showcase near the base could be an amazing display of technology by local companies such as LG as well as potentially providing advertising opportunities to help fund the tower.

• Interactivity
• Much like the lights on The 88, a new Light Tower could be dynamic allow people to interact with it. This could mean changing color based on interacting with nearby objects or by using an app on your phone.
• Ability to communicate with sister cities via the Tower, perhaps using cameras and screens along the base.

• Holiday Ideas
• It can be used as a Christmas tree during December
• Red, White, & Blue during the 4th of July
• Rainbow during Pride San Jose

Please submit your ideas in the comments and I will gladly add them to the list above. Let's make this a reality!

PAC*SJ Throw Back Thursday Movie Night

The big PAC*SJ fall event this year is going to be a movie night with a vintage bar featuring "fruit cocktails," rock tunes, and a mid-century-themed potluck. There will also be prizes for best costumes and recipes.

Steven Yvaska, Mercury News columnist and antiques expert, will be the Master of Ceremonies. Joe Melehan and Jim Zetterquist, members of the Fruit Cocktail Club, will narrate the movies. The theme will be "Lost and Found", focusing on places, practices, industries, and technology that were once a part of everyday life and now exist only on film. Throughout the evening there will be classic items for sale and auction.

The event takes place on Thursday, November 17th from 6:30 PM to 10 PM at the San Jose Woman's Club (75 South 11th Street, San Jose, CA). Parking is free on nearby city streets or $5 in the SJSU North Garage.

Tickets are only $5 per person and you can reserve your spot right over here. You can also get more details at the PAC*SJ Facebook Page.

Happy Halloween 2016!

Hope you all have a fun and safe Halloween tonight! If you have a favorite neighborhood for trick-or-treating please post it in the comments.



Update: We also just received a little treat to share--a short horror film for Halloween put together by two San Jose locals, Travis & Brandon Leland. In true Silicon Valley fashion, the film utilizes VR technology. Check it out over here!

Saturday Stats: highest paying jobs in San Jose

If you though the highest salaries in San Jose were dominated by tech, the list below provided by Zippia says otherwise. Healthcare dominates the Top 10 with six of the ten highest paid jobs in San Jose. Local surgeons pull in an average of over a quarter-million dollars a year. C-level executives, internists, physicians, lawyers, and nursing instructors also break the $200k salary threshold.

One thing this list does not account for is stock options which can easily tilt the balance of total compensation towards tech. For the full "Top 100" list, head over to the source link below.

Source: Zippia

Silicon Valley unemployement continues to drop

Our job market has been holding up quite well in 2016. Unemployment ticket up a bit in the summer months, but has now dropped back below 4%.

At 3.8%, the current San Jose metro job market is stronger than at any point in 2015. This is quite surprising given how conservative investment has become this year. Silicon Valley is significantly outperforming both the United States (4.7%) and California as a whole (5.3%).

Source: SVBJ

Eastridge Shopping Center launches Holiday Season with safe Halloween fun and dazzling tree lighting display

San Jose, Calif. (October, 2016) – Eastridge Center, (http://www.eastridgecenter.com) located in eastern San Jose, is kicking off the holiday season with safe mall-wide trick-or-treating on Oct. 31 from 4 to 6 p.m. Then, on Friday, Nov. 11 at 6 p.m., shoppers can join in the celebration of the grand arrival of Santa Claus to San Jose with a spectacular tree lighting display.

“Eastridge has been hosting friends and families for 45 years as they make holiday memories and find the perfect gifts for loved ones,” said Eastridge Center’s General Manager John Petersen. “We look forward to these annual holiday events and the chance to give back to the community through Halloween activities, the magical tree display and visits with Jolly Ol’ St. Nick.”

Halloween Activities

On Oct. 31, the fun begins at 4 p.m. as free gift bags are distributed to the first 1,000 kids, ages 2-12, who are wearing a costume.

• Throughout the entire mall, stores displaying a pumpkin in the front window will be offering treats to families.
• Halloween fun is offered online for kids with a Halloween Interactive Coloring Book (eastridgecenter.com/event/trick-or-treat-at-eastridge). The site offers 24 coloring designs, enough to keep kids busy for hours in between seasonal activities!
• Worried about too many sugary treats? Eastridge Center offers a “Candy Buy Back” event Nov. 1-5 from 4 to 6 p.m. Bring your candy to Center Court and receive $1 per pound up to $5 per person. The candy will be donated to troops.
• The Safe Trick-or-Treat and Candy Buy Back is sponsored by the dentists from Manila Dental Center & Orthodontics IV and South Bay Dental Center & Orthodontics.

Tree Lighting Ceremony

On Friday, Nov. 11 from 6 to 7 p.m., Eastridge Center guests will countdown with Santa to light a 36-foot holiday tree in Center Court. The tree stands more than 36 feet tall in center court and is wrapped with a giant ribbon spiraling around its surface and the base of the tree enclosed in an exploding gift box. Adorned with a collection of 1,000 festive ornaments featuring a modernized traditional palette and more than 300 lights, it has become a community holiday tradition.

The celebration begins at 6 p.m. with a Holiday DJ spinning music and holding holiday raffles. At 6:50 p.m., the parade starts, with a drum corps and about 100 cheerleaders cheering up and down the route. At the end of the parade, Santa and his special guest will lead the countdown to the tree lighting, followed by Santa tossing candy into the audience amidst magic falling snow. Even more importantly, Santa will stick around to hear Christmas wishes from young and old and pause for photos with those who still believe.

Celebration begins: 6 p.m.
Santa Arrival:  7 p.m.
Tree Lighting Countdown: 7:15 p.m.
Holiday Celebration and Photos with Santa:  7:15 p.m. – close

Eastridge is a major regional destination with more than 150 shops, restaurants and entertainment venues in the thriving Silicon Valley market. Set on 113 acres in eastern San Jose bounded by Tully Road, East Capitol Expressway and Quimby Road, Eastridge is a two-story, enclosed super regional mall. Among the center’s distinctive mix of retail, restaurant and entertainment destinations are a 15-screen AMC Theaters, Round 1 Bowling and Amusement, Barnes & Noble, JCPenney, Macy’s, Sears, Forever 21, Tilly’s, Bath & Body Works, Victoria’s Secret, Chili’s, Red Robin and Olive Garden.

To learn more visit http://www.eastridgecenter.com or its social media accounts
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EastridgeCenter
Twitter: https://twitter.com/eastridgecenter
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eastridgecenter/