Steal My Ideas, Please

Few newspapers ever do the kind of nitty-gritty detail surveys that really reveal what readers actually read. Oh sure, there are phone surveys and focus groups, but who’s going to admit, “Well, I always read the comics and horoscopes, never the national news”? And with so much content to cover, what survey gets into this columnist vs. columnist, this […]

Think of it like a mini-scoreboard on the back of a car. You can use it to (a) display messages to tailgaters to back off, (b) speed in front of a hot babe and ask her out, (c) politely ask if someone would let you into line, (d) share jokes and political comments, (e) share […]

Sorry, can’t pay. At least not just yet. But if you’re looking for some illustrating credits, or a link to your site, or a chance to practice some website-building skills, or just be part of this creative endeavor, I’m extending an invitation. In return, I’m always open to sharing ideas and what I know about writing, publishing […]

One worry I have is that many of the ideas here are tricky to turn into a business. But here’s a way to make money right away, have income to write off expenses, get feedback, find possible collaborators, and collect information that could become a book: Teach an evening class at a local high school. Want to write a […]

My wife, Anne, like Jujyfruits, but only the reds, oranges and yellows. No green or black ones, thank you. So one Christmas, for fun, I took two boxes, pulled out the greens and blacks, and filled one box with her favorites. Also cut and pasted pictures from the second box so only the kinds she liked were […]

We’re all busy. Too busy to read. Too busy to exercise. Too busy to cook. Too busy to be smart shoppers, better lovers, better parents, etc., etc., etc. So why not a magazine for us? Everything in it is one page or less, and even that is presented in glanceable graphics form. Lots of briefs […]

It’s getting paid again and again without doing extra work.
1. The Royalty Route. No, I don’t mean being related to kings and queens. That’s getting paid for doing no work. I mean you write a book, invent a game, record an album, and you could be collecting checks for years.
2. The Tycoon Track. Make money off […]

I read about this in the Philadelphia Daily News. It’s a creativity test.
How many ways can you think of to use a paper clip?
An excellent score, as I recall, was more than 50 ideas in two minutes.
Let’s see how many people can post here. Some, for starters: A spring. A spitball catapult. Eyeglasses screw replacer. […]

Today’s airplane bombing plot, supposedly involving mixing chemicals on board a plane, resulted in the banning of all sorts of liquids and semi-liquid substances in carry-on bags. If this possibility is real, the threat could last. So what’s the permanently mandated security measure? No carry-ons? No bottles of shampoo or soda or perfume, no tubes of hair gel or toothpaste, no […]

OK, I’ve found on the Web exploding golf balls, clubs that deliberately snap, nudie tees, and bark-backed hillbilly putters. But how about these ideas? The I-Didn’t-Touch-It! putter that, at the push of a button, blasts enough air to send that one-inch gimme right into the hole. A club shaped like a foot, just for laughs, or kicks. A club […]

Ingredients: One house, with two upstairs windows; big black trash bags or large pieces of cardboard or poster board; large white, yellow or orange trash bags (for eyes). Simple idea: Block out the entire window using dark trash bags or cardboard EXCEPT for holes cut in the shape of giant eyes. Cover the eye cutouts […]

Size and shape of a napkin, but thicker, like a triple-thick paper towel. Cook on it. Use it as a cover. Then use it to pick up hot food. Pre-dampening helps cooking, prevents  paper from sticking. Thicker and made not to shred, it can absorb some moisture without falling apart. Need? Maybe Micro Mitts or Micro Grabbers. Or Potholder Napkins. Bet a […]

Starting a Creativity Consultant Business

“Fix this.” ”Return to …” ”Put Away.” ”Water Me.” “Start Me Up.” OK, maybe only an aging, memory-challenged quasi-coot like me would this is a good idea, but isn’t the country more full of quasi-coots every day? You have this tall, wide book, and on each plastic or vinyl “page” are many little stacks of stickers, or Post-Its, with preprinted instructions. […]

Could hotels do a midday business? You work downtown, but got too little sleep. You’re a traveling businessperson who justs needs a shower, a shave and Internet access. You really just want to use the workout room and the indoor pool.  You want a spot to get ready for an important meeting or interview. Or maybe you’re a tourist driving […]