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 Read More …
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 Read More …
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 Read More …
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 Read More …
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 Read More …
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 Read More …
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 Read More …
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 Read More …
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 Read More …
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 Read More …
“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. Read More …
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 Read More …
“Perhaps we could work together on something one of these days,” said a kind note from Drew Anderson of MoHDI, another ideas blog. Which gave me an idea: How about a game of Idea Tennis? You know how one idea can inspire another? Why couldn’t I lob one up, and then the ball’s in Andy’s court, to come Read More …
Sure. Why not? Now, I’m not talking about informative blurbs, like “Pirates Steals Box-Office Booty. Page C1.” I’m talking about “wouldn’t you like to know?” come-ons, like “When Will This Hot Weather End? Page A3.” Horrors! It’s tacky, it’s annoying, it’s not serious and dignified! True. But: (1) You could tease many more stories on Page One. (2) You’d hook people into buying Read More …
Inspired by an idea at ShouldExist.org, calling for a free or very cheap online college. Now some colleges do offer online degrees, but how about getting one from Wikipedia? It’d work like this: People add comprehension tests at the end of Wikipedia items. Each time you pass one, you’re get a score that’s stored in a database. Attain a designated Read More …