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Introducing... Scott Square?

Scott Circle has always seemed kind of useless to me and I like the idea of more green space. My one gripe as an occasional driver is that Mount Vernon Square is already a traffic nightmare - do we really want another one on Mass Ave? At the end of the day, what is worse wasted space or wasted time?

Join the conversation: http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post.cgi?id=7600

Behind the Fall of Swivel.com

Thank you for getting this information out there!

There are some important lessons in here for entrepreneurs, journalists and dreamers of all stripes.

First and foremost, a great idea is just the beginning. Getting wide recognition - just baby steps. You've got to seal the deal and show people how and why they will use your product - whether it is a service, a visualization tool or something else.

If you are for profit, you've got to sell something that people want to use so badly that they will pay for it. I was shocked to learn that the paid users were in the SINGLE DIGITS. Was the service that expensive or are people just not that into what they had to offer?

Swivel was one of the first visualization tools that I had ever used. I had my gripes with the user interface and the occasional bugs, but it was good enough to get the job done. They are still prominently featured on the Minor Ventures homepage: http://www.minorventures.com/

I am sad to see them go without any warning and I know lots of Swivelers are fuming now that an untold number of visualizations are dead and have to be rebuilt from scratch.

You quoted John Bolton and his words ring true now more than ever: 'These free tools on the web are easy to use, easy to lose. A cautionary tale.'

Join the conversation at: http://eagereyes.org/criticism/the-rise-and-fall-of-swivel

New Airwar Over Afghanistan

Afghan Air Strikes Up 172 Percent: http://t.co/YG2NabN via Wired's Danger Room. Thanks for linking to the airpower stats!

Join the conversation: http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/10/gloves-come-off-afghan-air-war-strikes-spike-172/

Get the stats here:  http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/dangerroom/2010/10/30-September-2010-Airpower-Stats.pdf

Taking Aim at Solar Power

An interesting post on how the inventor of the Super Soaker wants to make the dream of affordable solar power a reality.
Also includes this inspirational quote from a lesser-known U.S. president: 'Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education alone will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.'

Join the conversation: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2010/11/shooting-for-the-sun/8268/