Innovation Incubator

Here's how Microsoft is going to take a bite out of Apple:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid932579976?bclid=932553050&bctid=933742930

Mailbox Map is a tool that I could have used dozens of times over the years. What did we ever do before Google maps?

There is a huge article in this month's Wired (not yet online) about "Google Maps and the Rise of the Hyperlocal Web."

At least we're on the cutting edge, homies...

Build one yourself.

I came across a Facebook app today that seems like a reasonable starting point for what we could do with a letter writing application.

The application is called "Causes," and it allows users to create a cause they're interested in (Darfur or the death penalty, for example) to their Facebook as sort of a "cause group." Other Facebookers can then join the "cause group" they're interested in to support it. Think of it like an online petition that you join rather than sign.

If we could modify the application to include names of congressmen, commissioners or newspapers to write in to (in accordance to the user's geographical Facebook location, or wherever) as well as include a text box, you could then write a letter to somebody and let your friends be a part of it. It could spur some interest among your friends who then might join the cause and write in their own personalized letter.

It takes the "causes" and puts them in action. And what better way to send a letter to a congressman than to include your facebook picture? Ooh, ahh, personable traits, behold! Maybe I'll send my avatar instead.

-BLJ Beerbaum

Found another company similar to Capitol Advantage. The software GetActive is owned by the company Convio. It provides a similar service as Capwiz, but with a different interface and based on the little I've played with it, may be a little less powerful and have access to less information. You can see examples of their tool at StopIranWar.com, Defconamerica.org, and The Humane Society of the United Sates.

Congress.org (run by Capitol Advantage) has some free banners people can add to their sites. The banners link to Congress.org's database of lawmakers, allowing users to quickly look up their representatives. They also have another banner that lets people look up media outlets that serve their area. You can see examples at ethanzuckerman.com.

The ACLU has its own letter writing tool.

I still haven't seen a functionality in any of these where users can share their letters with one another.

I had figured most people probably knew about this site, but in case not, checkout petitiononline.com. It's for petitions, not letters, but it's one of the only sites I know of that lets individuals organize and share their own letters/petitions on issues.

This is yet another idea you mentioned that is not well executed due to the profit motive. From Lifehacker:

Web service eSnailer's out to bring back snail mail: eSnailer prints, envelops, stamps, and mails actual dead-tree letters free of charge within 24 hours. You enter the recipient's mailing information, your return address and compose your letter using a rich text editor and send it off all at eSnailer. The catch: eSnailer forces (yes, forces) you to "sign up" for a special offer, using the information entered in the return address. Your call on whether or not the extra "special offer"/junk mail's worth it.

The LJ World has a piece on efforts to improve access to information about hospitals and medical services.

At the bottom of the story comes this:

"The CMS Web site is not the only one that compares hospitals. It’s become a growing industry. The Joint Commission, HealthInsight and Total Benchmark Solution LLC all have Web sites that rank hospitals."

Did anybody see the Kansan article about Boycott Wa? I checked out the guy's site and he has a local letter writing campaign going.

Backfence.com is no more. Does this impact your thought process?

I don't think this will make an impact for any of you vis-a-vis this project, but this is more reason to learn this skill.

Whew! I don't recall who said it wasn't worth trying to beat Google to the punch, but whoever it was deserves a cookie.

Scene 1: Person reading newspaper, flipping through pages slowly
Scene 2: Person throws away the paper
Scene 3: Person scrolls down computer screen news
Scene 4: Person watches television, turns it off

Text:

Nowadays, consuming news is a passive experience.

We receive information, but what do we do with it?

How do you use your news?

Scene 1: Quill writing on parchment
Scene 2: Pencil writing on paper
Scene 3: Typewriter
Scene 4: Computer screen

Text: People have used letters historically to communicate with their leaders

Scene 1: Wax stamping a letter
Scene 2: Putting normal stamp on letter
Scene 3: Putting letter in mailbox
Scene 4: Email sent button

Text: In order to represent their electorate, politicians need to know where people stand on issues.

Then go to the soundbytes.