Let’s hope that ads eventually make all Internet sites free. But now you’ll find publications like magazines that charge dollars for reading current articles, or for accessing archives. How about some ecoonomy of scale? Charge way less, so you get more customers, producing as much revenue if not more. Here’s a way for Paypal, or someone other online paying Read More …
Often you’ll hear expressed the idea that all roles are equally arbitrary. And, frankly, I bought into this for years. But now I realize: Yes, all the world may be a stage, but some roles are more real than others. Being a mother, for example, is based on giving birth, having a body that can breastfeed, and a baby’s Read More …
Rush-hour gridlock is as much fun as doing taxes. Especially peeving are those drivers who slide into the intersection before there’s room on the other side. “Don’t block the box,” say signs. But drivers do it anyway. Then the cars don’t move because of block-boxers at the next intersection, so everybody’s jammed. Here’s my solution: Sensors Read More …
We’re so bombarded with ads, news, messages, airplane and traffic noise, rudeness, and tempting sights and smells, here’s a prediction: Someday we’ll have personal high-tech force fields that selectively screen out undesired sensory experiences. No, not some combo earplug-blindfold-noseplug deal. But a kind of programmable Sensory Sentry or Filter Field — a Globe of Obliviosity? — that lets you have peace and Read More …
Play with your food: On a box of special tea leaves, include instructions for how to read tea leaves to foretell the future. I’m especially thinking these little leaves should have shapes like letters and words like “buy” so when the letters float together into abbreviations for stocks, presto, instant stock tip. (Probably should call it Instant Read More …
Seriously, why should a big-time TV event like this fail to generate any revenue for anybody? The networks run no ads, the government gets no rights fees, and a handful of major networks alienate chunks of their TV-addicated audience. So revamp the speech to have commercial breaks, and sell the exclusive rights to one network, or one broadcast and Read More …
As the world changes more and more rapidly, why should buildings be so fixed and permanent? I already see ]perfectly good houses and office buildings get torn down to make way for some new and improved and more profitable endeavor. So why not buildings that can easily be dismantled, altered, modified, moved or otherwise rebuilt? Maybe Read More …
No, I’m not talking about burning off calories by talking. Just seems that exercise would be more fun if it had an element of socializing. Noisy machines, regimented classes, the need to grunt while weightlifting, the love of quiet in yoga … they all work against talking. So why not design routines to be compatible with conversation? First, have participants stand in Read More …
Wonder what the top causes of death would be if listed according to ultimate responsibility. Might be something like: 1. Failure to heed advice or pay attention. 2. Reckless or careless behavior of others. 3. Enviro-social dangers and afflictions. 4. Genetic or inherently human shortcoming or weakness. 5. Malevolence and/or greed of others. 6. Plain Read More …
Go to yougraffiti.com (available!), pick from a wide selection of walls (even photos of real buildings), pick your can of spray paint, and leave your message or art for all the world to check out. Of course, have a voting/rating system so folks can find the best. Here’s a cartoon I once did related to graffiti. Read More …
“Hello, Peter and Anne can’t come to phone right now, but if you have a question, just ask.” Well, where the heck are they? And you wouldn’t have a cellphone number I could try, would you? “Actually, they are home but they’re just too lazy and/or rude to answer the phone. So it wouldn’t do any Read More …
Just as some people need help being neat, perhaps some obsessive types need help being sloppy. Business-wise, the great thing about this service is employees would be a snap to find. Then again, such help is probably widely available for free. Everybody has a friend who’d be only too happy to come and leave stuff Read More …
Intriguing and funny, Mental Floss the magazine bills itself as “Where knowledge junkies get their fix.” But the name made me wonder: Is there a way to have a floss that really is mental? How about whenever you pull out some floss, the container talks? (Like a a talking doll or action figure. We had a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Read More …
By themselves, logical statements don’t persuade. And neither do examples or metaphors. But put all three together, especially if the statements are short and memorable, and maybe you have a three-part formula for making a little magic happen. Jesus told parables, and his ideas sure caught on. He had some snappy sound-bites, too, like “He who shall save Read More …
By all accounts, Pluto Nash was one of the all-time stinkers. Yet Eddie Murphy is one of the all-time funniest people. Which suggests to way the producers could have made lemonade out of this lemon: Borrow a page from Mystery Science Theater 3000 and have Murphy unreservedly rip his own movie. Could be a riot. Just the cranberry Read More …