dotPlan.org

I read an article today on google reader shared by Dave. The gist of it was that, *gasp*, Google made an app that was a clone of another app. It seems Google has since taken down their version of this. What baffles me about this is how anyone is shocked. I mean, it’s not like Google hasn’t cloned any other web application before. Maybe I’m wrong and Google was the first to make an online email service. Oh, and of course I can’t forget when Google was the first to unveil an online service to get maps and directions online. They were also very innovative in being the first to provide a suite of office products online. Also, being the first to market with their social networking service, they’re now the top social networking service in the world.

Google is successful not because they came up with the best ideas but because they have a large brain trust that can better execute existing ideas. They didn’t invent the search engine, they made it cleaner. They didn’t invent online email, they made it easier. They didn’t invent online maps, they made it sleeker. Google didn’t invent a lot of the online products you use: Google made the online products you use better.

On May 15 of last year, I was contacted by Carrie Woodward of Brains on Fire for a marketing campaign for Jason’s Deli.  In a series of email exchanges, Carrie/Kari offered me Jason’s Deli gift cards in exchange for the rights to use five of my pictures in their marketing campaign.  I never received said gift cards and subsequent emails to Carrie/Kari were ignored.  Recently, a number of our friends have indicated seeing the pictures featured on the Jason’s Deli web site.  In the center of the page, on the bottom, there’s a picture of my sister.  If you click on the pictures, it takes you to the Jason’s Deli Flickr page with 28 pictures, five of which are mine.  There’s no reason to question my claim, since all five pictures have been on my Flickr page for quite some time.  Just to drive the point home, however, you can find my name featured in the EXIF data of 3 of my pictures under the field “Owner Name”.  Granted, I never expected to make money off of any of my pictures on Flickr - that was never the intent.  They did, however, offer me a gift card in exchange for the rights to use my pictures.  So, since they offered, I’d really like to have my gift card.  Not sending me a gift card must be some sort of breach of contract or something, right?

Interesting article comparing differences between a conservative and a liberal brain.

It really makes you wonder, did Toyota pay him to do this?

Our site is up.

I just got a Treo 650 thanks, in no small part, to Jordan’s influence. This post is coming to you, Sean, through Vagablog, a palm blogging utility.

Dr. Robert Bussard gave a speech last month at Google on Inertial Electrostatic Confinement Fusion. This could be the answer to all our problems, and in the 11th hour no less. Had I $2 million, I’d write him a check right now.

We’re going to Vegas, Red Rock Canyon, and the Hoover Dam.  Email me your address if you want a postcard.