Robert Cringely says Google has 400 ticking time bombs in the Googleplex.

That's 400 brilliant ideas created by Googlers every year during their 20 percent time, only 10 of which Google will possibly pursue.

Google has designed a working environment that provides almost everything their technical people need except a guaranteed sense of satisfaction. By design, each worker is no more than 100 feet from a bathroom or food and drink (at Google the food is always free). This creates an environment where people tend not to go home, which Microsoft discovered and leveraged decades ago. But nobody works every minute they are AT work, which means the Google Geeks are constantly talking with each other, team building, bonding and goofing off. And for 20 percent of that goofing-off time I'll guarantee you that many of these people are discussing their pet projects, 99.75 percent of which have been REJECTED by the company.

Cringely goes on to say the employees whose ideas get rejected will think the company misguided. When their options vest, they'll found their own companies. Well of course. There's been no shortage of stories exploring how Googlers are slowly weening themselves from the big G teat. But here's the real rub: Everything a Googler invents at Google, stays at Google. Don't take my word for it. Just read this excerpt from their employee agreement:

(b) Assignment of Inventions: I agree that I will will promptly make full written disclosure to the Company, withholding trust and full right and benefit for the Company, and hereby assign to the Company, or its designee, all my right, title and interest in and to any and all inventions, original works of authorship, developments, concepts, improvements or trade secrets, whether or not patentable or registerable under copyright or similar laws, which I may solely or jointly conceive or develop or practice, or cause to be conceived or developed, or reduced to practice during the period of time I am in the employ of the Company [collectively referred to as "Inventions"], except as provided in section 3(f) below. I further acknowledge that all original works of authorship which are made by me (solely or jointly with others) within the scope of and during the period of my employment with the Company and which are protectable by copyright are "works made for hire" as that term is defined by the United States Copyright Act.

In other words, everything you do here, stays here. And if you think section 3(f), referenced above, exempts that 20% time, think again. That clause simply refers to California Labor Code section 2870, which says an employee owns an invention if and only if they didn't use any of the company's resources.

So that fabled 20% free time at Google is really just 20% more time for Google. You can download the full employee agreement here (PDF).

Google knows what it's doing. And while I have no doubt that the current Google employees will go on to make wondrous companies, Google is ensuring they snatch up most of the good ideas first. In that light, working for Google could be the worst decision an entrepreneur ever makes.

Courtesy: googlewatch.eweek.com

Everyone has certain words they struggle to spell correctly. When it comes to spelling, we're not perfect—you can count on us to occasionally botch recieve (sic), accomodations (sic), and relavant (sic). With the Scripps National Spelling Bee on the horizon, we figured it was a perfect time to come clean about our erroneous ways.

The superb spellers at the Bee will rake in even more Buzz this year with the finals being televised in prime time on ABC. Searches on "spelling bee" have doubled over the last week and we've seen related search spikes on "national spelling bee," "spelling words," and "commonly misspelled words."

What are the common words that vex our searchers? We applied our best spell checking skills to the data and came up with this list of the top 20 misspelled words in Search...

1. Wallmart (Wal-Mart)
2. Rachel Ray (Rachael Ray)
3. Amtrack (Amtrak)
4. Hillary Duff (Hilary Duff)
5. Katherine McPhee (Katharine McPhee)
6. Britany Spears (Britney Spears)
7. Geneology (Genealogy)
8. Jaime Pressley (Jaime Pressly)
9. Volkswagon (Volkswagen)
10. Wikepedia (Wikipedia)
11. William Sonoma (Williams-Sonoma)
12. Tatoo (Tattoo)
13. Travelosity (Travelocity)
14. Elliot Yamin (Elliott Yamin)
15. Kiera Knightley (Keira Knightley)
16. Kelly Pickler (Kellie Pickler)
17. Brittney Spears (Britney Spears)
18. Avril Lavinge (Avril Lavigne)
19. Rianna (Rihanna)
20. Jordan Sparks (Jordin Sparks)

What words give you the most trouble? We'd love to know. Leave us a coment beelow...

Courtesy: buzz.yahoo.com