Thanks Robert, great post. I'm sure the fact that you seem to be a nice guy and the real deal yourself helped make Mark feel comfortable in talking to you.
@94 - What if you tried contributing something positive? Maybe it would come back around to you.
All they did is create an image and say it was "limited edition". If anything the lack of winning bid is a sign that Web 2.0 and Facebook apps are not a bubble, and that people actually care about ROI.
How do international patents work? It appears you don't have to be a US citizen to get a "patent pending" in the US... but can't someone in another country still rip off the idea?