Berkeley Innovation

This SFgate article discusses the reinvention of silicon valley as a place where technology, innovation and touchy-feely creativity meet as the place to be for innovative consumer products and startups. We're on the right track.

"We are shifting from an economy that is industrially focused to one that relies on creativity for the consumer,'' said Mountain View economist Doug Henton, principal author of the report. He cited the iPod as the sort of hit Silicon Valley is uniquely positioned to create thanks to the talent available here.

Some form of Google talk/tour thing posted on video.google.com :
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3383042311441257769
or click the link in the title

Source: December 2005 Popular Science

Toy maker Tim Kehoe spends 11 years trying to invent colored bubbles, and he finally succeeds. The product called "Zubbles" is supposed to come out in February.

From the article, it sounded like he was pretty innovative guy, with lots of ideas, not just about bubbles. He worked out of his kitchen most of the time trying to brew his own stuff.

The best part is, instead of staining everything it touches, the bubbles' color disappears automatically after a short time.

-Bowen