Wouldn’t it be nice if politicians could pay a price for distorted campaign ads? Besides tossing them in the clink for deception (the best idea), how about you take away one vote for each time a voter might have seen that lie? One lie broadcast 50 times to 200,000 homes would be a loss of 1 million 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 …
Eye for an eye never works because the cycle never ends. So instead of retaliating, set an example for a better way to behave. It’d take some “vigilante” group to set this up, because no government ever will. But instead of deadly bombs, explode tasty ones. KABOOM! Candy’s rolling all over the streets. Ultimately, kindness strategies will win more hearts and minds and sympathy Read More …
First of all, there’s no need for dollar coins at all, if the Treasury adopted my “FREE MONEY!” proposal for putting ads on the dollar bill. But say the powers that be opt for Plan B, switching to dollar coins, to save millions on frequently replacing bills, which wear out more rapidly, then the answer’s Read More …
Seriously. Instead of dropping a bomb on your nasty neighbor, you drop some gas that makes them happy. Laughing gas. Or an anti-depressant. Or some kind of wonder enlightenment tonic to drop in the water. Or could this be the worst weapon of all, because it could be a way to quell all resistance to invaders? Not Read More …
Hello! Why is a cutout fine for many companies, but others insist on adding unnecessary plastic to the recycling of paper? Ban it.
Ever use that algebra and calculus you learned in high school? Most people don’t, I’ll bet. But every day we make decisions or encounter information involving odds and numerical evidence. Play poker? Buy a lottery ticket? Decide to fly or drive? Read a story about how married people live longer? Or how a drug cuts the risk of a rare Read More …
We have days for honoring military heroes, but why not a holiday to honor other people who risked their lives to protect and save their fellow man? Police. Fire fighters. Transplant donors. Rescuers from accidents and disasters. Extend gratitude to doctors, teachers, parents, too. If as a society we’re not going to pay these people as well Read More …
The presidency’s too much for any one man. Or woman. So divide it up. Besides, the more responsibilities a leader has, the more failures are accepted, and the more elections focus on likeability instead of issues. So suppose there were multiple “presidents,” (or commissioners) each independent with only one problem-solving job: Improving education. Winning the war on drugs. Making Americans Read More …
“Vote for Me! My ugly opponent’s pro-death and he wants to raise everybody’s taxes! This ad, brought to you by the Committee to Re-Elect Joe Jerkweed at Any Cost, not only just wasted $20,000 that could have gone for several children’s health-care premiums, but it may cause headaches, nausea, vomiting, gullibility, insensitivity, and major regret. Read More …
New line item on federal income-tax returns: Number of $1 chances you’d like to buy to have all of your income taxes refunded. Bet 50 million people would buy at least a single chance. You’d keep drawing tickets till half the pot is awarded. Profit for feds: $25 million or more. Earmark for a worthy Read More …
Here’s my nightmare: I’ll buy a winning lottery ticket but forget to ever check it. Here’s my solution: Lottery ticket subscriptions. It’s like having season tickets to a sporting event. Every game, or every so often, you get the same numbers. If they ever hit, this computerized system automatically contacts you. No waiting in line, Read More …
Could charities parlay tax breaks into bigger donations? Scenario: Generous Jill is in a 15 percent tax bracket. If she donates $1,000 directly to her favorite charity, she saves $150 on her taxes, right? But say the charity is also supported by Benefactor Bob, who is in a 30 percent bracket. He could give the Read More …
Imagine if our currency had a little “Brought to you by” section. Sell enough sponsorships, and voila, free money! Blasphemous! Sacrilegous! Tacky! you say. But this could be an ideal form of welfare. Free money for the poor, at no cost to taxpayers. Couldn’t possibly raise a dollar per dollar-bill? OK, how ads on coins. Read More …
Junk mail drives me crazy! Don’t you wish there was a way to stop it from coming? Best would be a National Do Not Send Unsolicited Mail List. But, failing that, how about a Return to Sender Stamp? You slap one on an unwanted envelope not only to have it sent back, but to deliver Read More …