What’s in a name

Published 12:01 am Thursday, July 21, 2011

After a prototype was inadvertently published on the Web last week, the world learned that Microsoft is working on a social-networking system code-named “Tulalip,” prompting inquiries from officials of the Tulalip Tribes.

Since Microsoft’s probably going to have to think up a new name for this thing, here are a few suggestions:

“LateBook”

“Too Bad We Didn’t Think of This Five Years Ago”

“I Can’t Believe It’s Not Facebook”

Wall Street debutante: Investors went mad for Zillow, valuing the Seattle-based real estate website at nearly $1 billion at its initial public offering Wednesday — even though the firm has never made a profit and the housing market’s in the toilet nationwide.

Traders were especially bullish on Zillow after noting that the Zestimates for their weekend homes in the Hamptons had just increased by 2.3 percent.

Please Mr. Postman: The U.S. Postal Service’s ongoing financial difficulties could lead to five-days-a-week mail delivery within the next 15 to 20 years, the postmaster general says.

Two days of no junk mail or past-due bills, guaranteed? The future just got a little bit brighter.

— Mark Carlson, Herald staff