It's been four years since our last economic bubble and eleven since our last technology bubble, so it's possible that another one is coming soon. Or not. Your guess is as good as mine. I suppose I could pontificate about why one is coming (hint: see Instagram @ $1B), but that doesn't help anybody. Instead, I've decided to create an open plan to take advantage of the existing hype in the market, across multiple vectors.



So I've decided to write an open letter to Tom Scott, creator of Klouchebag.

Dear Tom,

Big fan of Klouchebag. Built in just a few hours. Hosted in the Cloud. Leveraging APIs to access realtime data. All the checkboxes for success in today's web. And it came at just the right time, since Klout has obviously jumped the shark with this article in Wired magazine. Not only does Klouchebag boldly claim dominion as "The Standard of Asshattery", but it plays the yang to the ying that has become social media. But this is not a fan letter, it's a blueprint for potential riches as we potentially near the next bubble.

"Social" and "Big Data" are two of the hot buttons in technology these days. Klouchebag is clearly at the intersection of those tsunami trends. It has potential, but it needs the right type of guidance. Here are my suggestions to properly take advantage of the buzz you've created.

1. Several years ago I wrote several suggestions for how Facebook could monetize their services. With a potential $85-100B valuation at IPO, they are going to look for new ways to monetize the platform. Klouchebag has a play here. So many new friend requests on Facebook are from old friends. Maybe they were a friend before, but what have they become? Klouchebag could enhance my ability to decide if that guy from 11th grade English class should grace my timeline going forward. It could also provide users with real-time feedback on their level of asshattery as they post drunken photos, lunch photos, or requests to help grow organic cabbage on Farmville. Advertisers could tap into this knowledge to offer counseling services, resume updating services, or designated driver services. (Value: $250M)

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