Nice little story, and a good counterpoint to the standard stereotypes of French people you hear ’round here.
I wonder how well that would work worldwide as a way to meet neighbors. My experience is that neighbors are more likely to come to you when they think you’re the cause of the problem…
Just read The Google Story. If you’re fascinated by Google from a technological, financial, or entrepreneurial perspective, it’s worth a read.
It’s clear that the authors really like Google, Larry and Sergey, so if you want ‘balance’, look elsewhere as well (clues for further research are provided).
To me, it’s a pretty inspiring yet somewhat sobering look at the process of taking a big idea and realizing it in a big way. I see lots of little lessons about things to try and not try, and ways to get away with pissing off the established order via execution of compelling ideas.
I never really thought about it before, but colored bubbles aren’t a bad idea. Check out the PopSci article for a story of persistence, entrepreneurship, and chemistry.