I've been at Pop!Tech for less than 48 hours and have to sign off soon. Ah, the memories. Meeting other bloggers, seeing sweet new gadgets, robo-toys and machines (REPLICATORS!), and having my brain nearly explode.

Also, having beers with out-of-staters while cheering on the Red Sox was an interesting experience.

But before I sign off, here's a few last things.

This morning Pop!Tech Curator Andrew Zolli announced two new initiatives coming out of this year's conference.

The Pop!Tech Accelerator - When you look at Pop!Tech, in spite of all the cool people, new ideas and general geekiness that is going on, it shares some similarities with your every-day conferences. (Workshops/speakers/finger food/schmoozing/etc) But the real idea behind Pop!Tech, as Zolli describes it, is to push thought and people forward in making change.

At a conference people can talk all day long about the world's problems, but that's not going to actually help feed starving people, get needed medications to disease ravaged villages, or help illiterate children read.

The Pop!Tech Accelerator will change all of that. The Accelerator would essentially be an incubator for organizations and programs that come out of the yearly conference.

In the same way Pop!Tech brings together a diverse group of thinkers, it will use those people to create philanthropy groups, health care programs, sustainable agriculture businesses and more.

Pop!Tech would sort of work as the middle man, helping line up the people with the ideas with those in need and those with resources.

The Pop!Tech Fellows - In the same concept of taking things past the talking stage, they also announce the creation of the fellows program. A select group - just 50 people - will be chosen in the next year to take part in Pop!Tech programs and mentor with people in the Pop!Tech community. Here's the cool part, about a 1/3 will be under 35, 1/3 will be from the U.S., and they'll can be nominated by people in the Pop!Tech community.

That about wraps things up for me, but check out Ethan Zuckerman's blog to get a better idea of how these new programs would work.

Before we go, I would hate myself if I did not give a real quick look at a few things going on this weekend:

Tonight

Geno's - The Pontiff's, Katzenjammer, and Boston-based Lyres, starting at 9 p.m.

SPACE - Melissa Ferrick is playing two shows, 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.

The White Heart - j.hjort is spinning tonight starting at 9 p.m. A reminder that he and plenty of other beat heads are up for a WPB-y in the WePushButtons.com awards. I as well am up for an award. Make your own conclusions.

Saturday

It's the return of 24 Hour Comic Day...ah, sweet memories. It was this time last year I decided to try my hand at creating a comic in 24 hours. I had what you might call mixed results.

The idea is simple in its premise - create a comic book complete with pictures and dialogue, in 24 hours. The idea
came from oracle of all things comics, Mr. Scott McCloud.

There's a lot of different approaches to it, but if I can make a suggestion from my experience...don't spend to much time messing with the little stuff. In the end its not going to matter if it's all perfect, or the dialogue is just right. Also, have fun.

If you're interested, check in with Casablanca Comics, which is hosting the event again this year. It starts at 10 a.m. today, ending Sunday morning.

The Big Easy - Phantom Buffalo, the Dregs and John Nolan Hokum tonight at 9 p.m.

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