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1. 2010

1.1 November

1.1.1 About (2010-11-10 12:11)

One idea per day. Thats my goal.

The point is not to have great ideas flushed out. Nor to find something thats going to get me rich and famous. Butrather, that I get used to delivering things quickly, being happy with 30 minutes of rough work.

So this is an exercise about delivering concepts for no apparent reason. Ge ng them out there and not being worriedabout how exactly right or not right they are. An exercise at wri ng. An exercise at comple ng, even if only complet-ing a rough dra .

Ill focus on ideas because, like most people, I have them alot when commu ng, si ng in mee ngs, or exercising.Then I kick myself later when I see people espousing, selling, and/or receiving government grants for ideas that I havehad in the past but didnt act on it. But thats the point isnt it? I didnt act on it. The reason why I didnt act on itcould have been due to many reasons:

1) I have a life. A family, a house and a job in a foreign language that I am s ll, and will always be, learning

2) I think that the idea is so obvious, that its not worth perusing. It must have been already inves gated by peo-ple smarter than me. These are the ideas that when I see them later being perused really get my goat, if I may usethat phrase.

3) I want to think it all the way through, research, draw sketches out, etc... before I do anything. This is the engi-neer in me, as well as a fear of looking stupid because I forgot some obvious thing like porcupines are allergic toraisins. This is probably the biggest issue. I mire the idea down in details that I dont have the me to deal with in onesi ng, and then due to #1 never get around to doing.

Will they be original ideas? Original to me. Maybe someone else already had it, but if I write it down I had nono on of the previous work.

Will these be good ideas? Hopefully a couple.

Will these be researched? Maybe. But my goal is less than an hour of work per day on this (see #1).

Will these be complete ideas? Unlikely, but I may go back and edit them as I think more on it.

Will it really be one per day? Im going to try, but realis cally not. I doubt I will publish while traveling, forexample. But an average of one idea per day, and each idea assigned a specific day (even if generated onanother day) goes a long way to making this seem more legit.

Will they have a theme? no

Can I have one of your ideas? Really?! Just contact me and Im absolutely sure we can work something out,assuming its not for evil purposes. These ideas can always be developed further if I had a reason to focus on it(i.e. government grants)

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Can I steal one of your ideas? Who would ask that? Well thanks for asking but no.

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2. 2011

2.1 February

2.1.1 Lets try this.... (2011-02-01 02:33)

Date of Idea: Nov 8

One idea per day. Thats my goal.

The point is not to have great ideas flushed out. Nor to find something thats going to get me rich and famous. Butrather, that I get used to delivering things quickly, being happy with 30 minutes of rough work. Its about clicking thatPublish bu on.

So this is an exercise about delivering concepts for no apparent reason. Ge ng them out there and not being worriedabout how exactly right or not right they are. An exercise at wri ng. An exercise at comple ng, even if only complet-ing a rough dra .

Ill focus on ideas because, like most people, I have them alot when commu ng, si ng in mee ngs, or exercising.Then I kick myself later when I see people espousing, selling, and/or receiving government grants for ideas that I havehad in the past but didnt act on it. But thats the point isnt it? I didnt act on it. The reason why I didnt act on itcould have been due to many reasons:

1) I have a life. A family, a house and a job in a foreign language that I am s ll, and will always be, learning

2) I think that the idea is so obvious, that its not worth perusing. It must have been already inves gated by peo-ple smarter than me. These are the ideas that when I see them later being perused really get my goat, if I may usethat phrase.

3) I want to think it all the way through, research, draw sketches out, etc... before I do anything. This is the engi-neer in me, as well as a fear of looking stupid because I forgot some obvious thing like porcupines are allergic toraisins. This is probably the biggest issue. I mire the idea down in details that I dont have the me to deal with in onesi ng, and then due to #1 never get around to doing.

Will they be original ideas? Original to me. Maybe someone else already had it, but if I write it down I had nono on of the previous work.

Will these be good ideas? Hopefully a couple.

Will these be researched? Maybe. But my goal is less than an hour of work per day on this (see #1).

Will these be complete ideas? Unlikely, but I may go back and edit them as I think more on it.

Will it really be one per day? Im going to try, but realis cally not. I doubt I will publish while traveling, forexample. But an average of one idea per day, and each idea assigned a specific day (even if generated onanother day) goes a long way to making this seem more legit.

Will they have a theme? no

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Can I have one of your ideas? Really?!

So lets try this.

2.1.2 Curling Ice (2011-02-02 12:57)

Original idea: like forever ago

I used to curl. I s ll would but curling clubs are rare in the U.S. and even rarer in my part of Europe. But back whenI was part of a club there was a debate over spending money, good money, thousands of money, to have the stonescored. That means to take the stones we had at the me, made of a granite that is good for knocking off each other,core them out and replace the center part with granite that is be er for the running surface (which is really only a 5diameter ring on the bo om). There were previous debates about when to get the stones resurfaced, which was apolishing of the running surface. The discussion would always center around whether it was needed or not.

To know if it was needed there were opinions and tests, like throwing the stones a bunch of mes and seeing whathappens. This is difficult because the ice condi ons change with every throw. Some players know how some rocksbehave because they play so o en, but thats at best a couple rocks per sheet (and theres 16 total per sheet). Thereseven a guy I heard about that comes in, puts all the stones on a big ramp and lets them go. Records how far theygo, resets the thing, but with the rocks all shi ed to remove some unknown variable from the test and redone. All ofthese methods rely on manual exper se to evaluate something that has many many variables affec ng it.

My idea is to strap an accelerometer to a stone and throw it normally. A Wiimote would work. Then just collectthe data as to how the stone is curling (in the side to side direc on) as well as how fast it slows down a er the point ofrelease, there will be a peak in the accelera on where it will turn abruptly to decelera on. Throw a stone normally afew mes and do it for every stone (mixing the stone order and going back and doing earlier ones again). Sta s callyall the stones should sit on top of each other, outliers can be seen. Do this every twomonths and see it, over a seasonor two, anything significant changes.

Perhaps throwing it through the house overcomes alot of the variables. That is throwing it so hard that it willnot stop before it someone catches it (before it hits the back wall). The accelerometer should s ll record its behavior,and the ice will have less effect. I actually have a lot of ideas to work this out, both in terms of technology and dataanalysis, but just dont have the need to record it all.

This is an example of an idea that was so simple to implement, I never got around to doing anything other thanthinking I should do it. Ah well.

2.1.3 Muscial Cri que (2011-02-03 12:22)

Original date of idea: Today

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Bon Jovis You give love a bad name would be be er with a drum solo.

2.1.4 Congressional Corrup on (2011-02-04 13:19)

Original Idea Date: Oct 28, 2010

With all the talk of lobbyists and other influence peddlers this elec on season, and the vast sums of money drummedup to try and get elected, there is always talk of reforming the system. Ive heard all sorts of things from new laws fortransparency tomanda ng only public funding of candidates, but all of these sugges ons back into the same problemthat makes it hard to crack down, the 1st amendment and freedom of speech. How can you tell someone that theyare not allowed to support a candidate of their choice, regardless of their mo va ons? You cannot. So how about amove from the environmental playbook: The solu on to pollu on is dilu on. If my memory serves correctly, thereare 535members of congress (435 house + 100 senate). Expand congress. Triple the house (1305) and add another 50to the senate. The influence per $ spent will go down, since you would conceivably have to spend at least as much asyou do now, but each candidate has less power. The representa on levels are not unprecedented, look at Germany.They have 622members for 81million people, over 4 mesmore representa on. If each candidate represented fewerpeople, they would have that much more me to deal with the issues specific to their (smaller) district and it wouldbe that much easier for cons tuents to keep an eye on who is actually being represented.

While were having fantasy fun with the governmental structure, a er adding 50 new senators (3 per state now),make the vote in the senate along state lines. That is, 26 states would be needed to carry a vote. And each statewould have to internally vote amongst the three to get that one vote out. The power dynamics would be very inter-es ng, s ll with some swing senators yielding lots of power (although there could be as many as 50 swing senators inthis scenario), to senators with absolutely no power (where the other 2 from the state always vote as a block).

Of course, having more poli cians as a rule is not necessarily a great idea.

2.1.5 Fuel Economy Indicator That Teaches Proper Braking (2011-02-05 13:14)

Actual Date of Idea: About 2 years ago on the way to work.

On many cars there is an indicator that tells you your mileage. It shows some value from 0 to lots and is updatedconstantly. If used as a gauge, it can help people learn how to drive more efficiently. A problem with it is that itdoesnt give specific feedback as to what you can do, and there are many variables. One of the biggest ones is touse the brakes as li le as possible. When brakes are used, it turns momentum into heat (in the case of regenera vebraking with electric motors, it captures some of it, but there are s ll losses. Never braking is and will always be moreefficient than regen). I think of it as burning gas. It would be possible to es mate, from the vehicle characteris cs anddecelera on rate, the amount of energy lost into the brakes, and combined with the fuel economy es mate wouldindicate how much gas, in gallons, has been spent by braking.

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Perhaps having a real me display you watch while braking isnt as safe as youd think. So instead how about acalcula on that shows your total gasoline lost per the trip and/or another display with what your fuel economywouldhave been had you not done any braking. Its very rare to get anywhere without braking, but learning to look far downthe road and coas ng as o en as possible will make for quick gains, and the display proposed here will give you anindica on of whether its making a difference or not.

Could other feedback sugges ons be made by computer. Something that es mates vehicle weight and tells you toempty the trunk might be good, but would be hard to calculate that from the inexactness of the variables. A displaythat shows where the engine is opera ng with regard to efficient zones is nice, but difficult to deal with in real mewhile also safely driving, and having an automa c tranny or an indicator of when to shi a manual helps keep thingsin line. Something that tells you to slow down, especially when cruising on the autobahn at over 110 mph would help,but it would be very naggy.

2.1.6 E-Shoes (2011-02-06 11:33)

Date of Idea: Back in the summer when electric bikes were out front of the bike shop.

Electric cars are, in popular press, be er than non-electric cars. Electric bikes are marketed much the same. Thenext logical step is of course, electric shoes.

A small motor with a cam built into the hell that rotates to help push off the ground for you. Regen capable either bycapturing your heel-strike or with a sole that allows you to slide forward a bit spinning the motor through a linkagewhile going down hill. Ba eries are packaged on the top of the foot, addi onal ba eries can be strapped to the legor waist for longer treks. Lights on for safety at night.

Think globally, act locally.

2.1.7 Economic Modelling (2011-02-07 07:45)

Date of Original Idea: Today

Im not an economist, Im an engineer. But everyone seems to have their own take on the economy thesedays what went wrong, why it went wrong, whos fault it is, who should pay, and so on. My favorite are analogiesmade by people, especially economists. They try to break it down to some example at your local supermarket or akid running a lawn mowing business. But no one, that I know of anyway, has taken the engineering approach to it. Sothats todays idea, to use not a dumb-ed down analogy, but an analogy that requires some engineering backgroundto get.

So first. The economy is represented as a shape. I like circles:

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[1]

And economic ac vity will be thought of as economic energy. I dont want to use energy too much since itsounds kinda new-agey for people that dont normally use it in the sense of work integrated over me. So this is, ina simple form, the farmer buying tools from the blacksmith to grow food and the blacksmith buying food from thefarmer with the money used to buy the tools.

[2]

But of course, its more complicated than that. It is actually a large network of flows. Ill keep with the circu-lar analogy and not go with a network model such as youd find in an electrical or a thermal model. So each li le bluesectors, be it automo ve, finance, real estate, movies, what have you, doesnt stay only in the li le area, but feedsinto each other: a person working for the automo ve sector spends some of his money on housing and groceriesand entertainment and so on. Ok, we all get that. In my model the aggregate of this makes for one giant flow thatkeeps moving around. This is harder to measure and harder to define, but it is the fundamental economic ac vity ofthe system.

[3]

Thats a good example of real energy, but there are forms of complex energy. Electrical engineers knowthis stuff, its voltage, power, energy whatever that is not seen or used to do real work, but the effects of it ismeasurable and takes real energy away. But its there. Credit is similar. Its not real wealth, but it allows parallelpaths of work of the economic units. It requires some overhead and on the bo om line it only the real partscontribute (or should contribute) to actual wealth. In this simple model, it is represented by flows in the thirddimension (in and out of the screen). But really I dont need to discuss it much more so just the one picture:

[4] So a very big economy with all sorts of ac vity is really complex. Flowsbreaking, spli ng, reforming. Much like the gaseous swirls in the surface of Jupiter. Every so o en a Great Red Spotforms. It feeds on itself as well as suppor ng, and being supported by, many smaller swirls. It is s ll in the overallflow but it has much more influence than many around it.

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[5]

But some mes, o en actually, it gets too large to be self sustaining and requires alot of influx from other sec-tors. Problem is, this cant last since to do so would consume the ac vity of all the rest of the economy. Where is theac vity going? Its going into the complex plane, the 3rd dimension of this analogy. That dimension is ge ng out ofpropor on from the real plane and it is causing a great inefficiency in the system. It is at this point in an electricalnetwork that someone steps in and adds or subtracts complex components to the system to bring it back in line. Inthe economic analysis that is similiar to adjus ng the credit supply. But if it is done incorrectly, things get very veryout of whack.

[6]

And that part of the system must be shutdown and restarted, but you cannot do that to the economic systemand things just go nuts. The popping bubble leaves a void and disrupts the overall flow. Sectors immediatelydownstream of the flow are hit first, then sectors that require much more trust and credit (e.g. autos). No one knowswhere the flows are actually moving to and from so containment of the problem is as impossible to guarantee asfixing the problem.

[7]

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The empty voids mean the economy has less going on, and the whole thing must shrink to fill the voids. Newer voidsopen up here and there while the original shrinks (in reality, voids are forming and dissipa ng o en, like cavita onsin a fluid, all the me, but they dont have much impact outside their immediate area as they dont disrupt theaggregate flow too no ceably). We just now have to wait for the aggregate flow to get stabilized again before we canfeel comfortable.

[8]

1. http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/economicloops1.png2. http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/economicloops2.png3. http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/economicloops3.png4. http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/economicloops4.png5. http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/economicloops5.png6. http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/economicloops6.png7. http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/economicloops7.png8. http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/economicloops8.png

2.1.8 Learning whats best (2011-02-08 07:46)

Date of Original Idea: Since I was 3

People should listen to me.

2.1.9 Clean (and Fresh Scented) Energy (2011-02-09 13:05)

Date of Original Idea: A couple years ago

Idea: Dryer sheets remove the sta c cling from clothes. Where does it go?

Next Steps: Research is needed into harves ng that sta c electricity from the used dryer sheets and conver ng it

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http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/economicloops1.pnghttp://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/economicloops2.pnghttp://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/economicloops3.pnghttp://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/economicloops4.pnghttp://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/economicloops5.pnghttp://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/economicloops6.pnghttp://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/economicloops7.pnghttp://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/economicloops8.png

into useful energy. Added benefit: the dryer sheets can be re-used several mes before they begin to fall apart phys-ically. I could sell small devices that recharge your iPod with the used sheets.

2.1.10 Thanks, I got it (2011-02-10 20:42)


We need a socially recognized and accepted signal to indicate to someone that whatever he or she is explaining isalready understood by the listener. By making the signal, the speaker is politely informed that they can move on tothe next subject or just plain stop talking, without feeling insulted or interrupted.

I find that a good deal of my working life and also a great deal of my interac ons with other people is spent lis-tening to people explain in detail things that I already know. Similar to some standard clause about cancella ons thatsomeone at the airline must tell you every me you call, regardless of how many mes youve booked this monthalready. I dont mean to sound conceited, like I already know everything, and trying not to be so is one of the reasonswhy I get caught so o en in these situa ons. I usually give the benefit of the doubt that if someone is going throughthe trouble of formula ng concepts and drawing li le pictures that they are telling me something new, however I amo en disappointed and find myself confused as to why someone is explaining something to begin with. Am I missingthe point? No they just want to tell me stuff, to instruct and inform. They are usually friendly about it, but are notkeyed into the li le clues Im giving out to try and expedite the discussion, such as saying understood or I got allthis. I could use a li le signal like crossing my arms in an X or s cking a finger in an ear or something subtle but notso subtle as to be missed.

2.1.11 Passing Time Produc vly (2011-02-11 21:57)


An idea for a business plan: A combina on publishing house and temp agency. The company hires aspiring writ-ters with talent but who need to put the me in to hone their cra . They wont find the me to do it working 9 to 5busy work. So instead, this temp agency focuses on jobs where the person is 90 % of the me idle. Night watchmenis a perfect example, but also cell phone store worker in dull periods or parking a endant on Sundays, or so on. Withall the free me on the job, they write. And the good stories/wri ers move on while the ones without the talent anddrive get placed in jobs where more ac vity is required.

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2.1.12 A short story idea (2011-02-12 21:00)

Date of Original Idea: Couple months ago in a car trip to Paris

A rough idea for a story:

A man goes to sleep in a hotel room and wakes up well refreshed. Had a great night sleep, puts on his glasses andstarts to get ready to a end a business mee ng he is traveling for. But something seems odd. Packs all his things up,cant quite put his finger on the problem. Wanders down to check out and get a receipt (oddly, the quick checkoutwasnt slipped under the door or hanging on the door handle) and the hotel has no record of him staying there. Heand a few other people standing around the front desk. They all have their stuff and a similar morning but none ofthem actually checked into this hotel. They all checked into another one across town, and come to think about it, sodid our hero. They were checked into the Maplethorpe, not the Hya Regency. They go to find their rental cars butthey are not in the parking lot. Together they jump in a cab and go to the hotel they checked in. When they arrive, thehotel is gone. The parking lot is s ll there with their cars. But the hotel, which stood in the middle of the parking lotis gone and the parking lot is not now larger, or with an empty space, it simply filled in the place where the hotel was,but didnt get any bigger. As if the very space that the hotel existed in was deleted and the edges of the remainingspace closed in and sealed up. There were a few other people standing around perplexed. Some employees, somevisitors, a bakery delivery truck. Our hero wonders how this will go on his expense report, no receipt but probablyvery likely the charge is already on the credit card. Should have raided the minibar last night.

A er that I dont know where to go. Or should it go any further. Maybe just flush that out, but I dont think I can getmore than another paragraph out of it. There needs to be more missing buildings or spaces. Maybe half an airportand a road that is now much shorter. Thats probably enough for an ABC TV drama, but thats not good enough.

2.1.13 Wearable Blood O2 Sensor (2011-02-13 19:56)

Date of Original Idea: A few years ago.

This is another idea for an idea, but maybe I can get two out of it. One general idea now and later an idea of how torealize it. Maybe [1]this is the way.

For exercise there are heartrate monitors that give a good es ma on of how hard the body is working, but if youwant to know when you go off the cliff of aerobic (or is in anaerobic?) having an blood O2 monitor might be helpful.They have them in hospitals that just clip on your finger and use a light sensor and get a 0...100 % measurement ofthe O2 in your blood. If there was a way to get it to be more firmly affixed and have the accuracy to measure theblood O2 level, thatd rock.

1. http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20927943.800-smart-contact-lenses-for-health-and-headup-displays.html

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http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20927943.800-smart-contact-lenses-for-health-and-headup-displays.htmlhttp://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20927943.800-smart-contact-lenses-for-health-and-headup-displays.html

2.1.14 Wearable Stress Monitor (2011-02-14 19:58)

Date of Original Idea: Dec, 2010 sounds good.

Working off the Feb 13 entry, why not also measure stress? Can that be done without drawing blood? Is theresomething electrical or a combina on of blood pressure and jaw ghtness that can be combined into a stress mea-surement. There are certainly physical symptoms of mental stress, so those must be measurable somehow. Can it bemeasurable in a strap-it-on=and-look-at-your watch way like is done with heart rate monitoring?

This would be useful for running, racing, driving, working, and dealing with the kids.

Oh, a quick google search says that this is not a new idea. I wonder if any of these things work. One clips on yourearlobe, which I would think cannot be both secure and comfortable during exercise.

2.1.15 Just a thought... (2011-02-15 19:42)

The louder you get the righter youre not.

2.1.16 Flag Burning (2011-02-16 19:41)

Date of Original Idea: some me ago

I see photos on the news of people burning pieces of cloth colored in ways that they think they are burning American,Bri sh and Israeli flags. 10 stripes. 18 stars. Green. One of the great ironies about these demonstra ons is thatit doesnt bother me nor many Americans (though there are many prominent Americans that dont deal well withfreedom of expression) simply because they are doing something that the flag stands for the ability to do, if you canfollow that. What bothers me is that they didnt get the flag right. Im all for self-made stuff, but put a li le pride intoyour work if you know what I mean. So for those people that want to actually insult the touchy Americans but donthave me to get the flag right, I want to provide a service. Cheap, flammable flags. A global chain of stores that sellAmerican, Bri sh and whatever flags current events calls for, all made in China of course. People can buy as manyflags as theyd like and hold huge bonfires. Ill take the profits back to fund an an -flag burning amendment lobby onthe logic that if the flag burners think theyre ge ng people pissed off, theyll burn more.

The trick is to build stores that themselves dont burn down. And to hire employees that dont torch the merchandisebefore the store opens.

I just dont look forward to ironically tes fying on Capitol Hill to my Unamerican behaviors (the irony is that Im sellinganything I can for cash, and theres nothing more American than that)

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2.1.17 Gas Tax (2011-02-17 20:51)

Date of Original Idea: A while ago, but lets say today for con nuity of this blog

Gas Tax. Thats right I said it, and Ill do it again: gas tax.

Ok the idea of a gas tax is not new, however with the past 3 years of financial turmoil, due in part to vola le oilprices should make the ground more fer le for these ideas. The larger problem is the inability of fixed costs (pur-chased cars, loca on of houses, etc...) to correct themselves quickly. It is also a problem for automakers to planseveral years ahead knowing that if the oil prices are volitale the market will want small cars but if stable, the marketwill chose large cars. Whichever automaker guesses right looks smartest.

This specific idea is raising the gas tax $0.05 every 4 months for 10 years. By no measure is this alot. $1.50 over10 years. However psycologically it will play a huge role. As weve seen in the past year, the stable oil prices haveallowed a complacency to come in to peoples choices of cars. And likely in other places too. However if it is knownthat gas prices will definitly not stay this low, whomever is to blame, it will influence the next 10 years of choices insize of car, length of commute and so on. Automakers can have a li le more confidence in smaller cars as the futureand people will learn that they dont really need a big car all the me (and for the few mes they do need it, they canrent one cheaper than buying and maintaining a bigger one).

2.1.18 Roman c Comedy Story Concept (2011-02-18 18:58)

This story could fall into the lucra ve roman c comedy genre, or maybe just with some added graphic descrip ons ofglistening members, just a cheap trash novel. Or maybe it could be an actual news story in the coming years.

Poli cal incumbent is married to girl. Girl used to date boy, but like long me ago and they havent been in con-tact for that amount of me. Boy now is running as a grass-roots candidate against the poli cal incumbent, for somerighteous reason that the movie buying public will instantly associate hero with him and villain with poli cal incum-bent. Boy learns of girls connec on, and of course he s ll loves her despite his rocky rela onship that has been goingon for years without any real commitment from him. Boy and girl have arguments, then hidden dinner but only asfriends but get caught by press and it doesnt look like just friends and causes boys girlfriend to leave. Meanwhileincumbent has affair with some other hooker type woman that crowd will find villainous, perhaps a lobbyist for BabySeal Hun ng or something equally despicable. That results in her ge ng divorce and incumbent, who stood on familyvalues, loosing. Then a er the swearing in of the boy to office girl turns up and they have a happy ending full of happyendings.

A twist could be that the politcal incumbants lover is boys girlfriend. It would even less believable so might playwell on the screen.

Lousy story I know, but when it breaks $40 million on the opening weekend youll be envious of my ability to con-cept this shit. Or has this one already been made? Ive lost track.

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2.1.19 Radiator Bed (2011-02-19 17:03)

Date of Original Idea: In a cold winter bed between 2010 and 2011

Electric blankets have numerous problems surrounding the durability of the wiring and the need to clean the blanketfrom me to me. Waterbeds have the ability to be warmed up and keep the sleeper(s) warm, but there are issueswith durability here too. Not to men on weight problems in some houses, etc. So how about...

Between the bed and box spring goes a slightly-flexible-but-mostly-s ff plas c that is a series of tubes for water,warm water to flow through. The tubes, in and out, are either connected to the building hot water hea ng system, inparallel with a local radiator, or to a small space heater plugged into the wall (the trick here would be ge ng a pumpto be either very quiet or or with just enough white-noise). Minimal wear on the large tube ma ress part (whilesleeping anyway), while all sensi ve connec ons and any electrical connec ons are made exterior to the bed wherethey will not take so much abuse.

Even be er. If it is a ached to an external device for heat and pumping then we can also add a leak detector. Aroundthe series of tubes is another plas c encapsula on. This has a single connec on to a li le pressure pump and sensor.When turned on and/or periodically the thing can pressurize the encapsula on and check the leak rate of the air outof the area. The idea being to catch small leaks in the air bag before further damage can happen and cause largerdamage to the water containing network. Obviously this would be an up-sell as the added costs would be significant.

2.1.20 Truly invisible and func onal finger bandage (2011-02-20 16:28)

Date of Original Idea: Dec 2010

I recently had a cut on my finger that required a bandage to be wrapped around the p of it. It was awkward totype with and frequently got mangled by day-to-day stuff. What I wanted was a full finger sized bandage, somethinglike two half shells of bandage that form fit around my finger, flexing at the right places of course. Then it would beintact and not have any li le edges around the p to catch on things. It would have to come in different colors fordifferent skin tones, or some people would look like they had some weird finger disease. I suppose it would also haveto be specific for each finger and person. Maybe a sizing device at the store that you stuck your finger into to get areading.

Come to think of it, really too much trouble. Bandages work just fine.

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2.1.21 Toll Road Pricing to Encourage Desired Behavior (2011-02-21 21:28)


Toll roads are typically priced in distance. Somemagic formula that the thruway commission uses. The pricing schemeis stuck in some sort of a me warp, where it is assumed that clocks cannot be synchronized. This simple proposal isto charge a rate based on the average speed. To discount slower driving and charge a premium on faster driving...within limits on both ends.

Say the current rate on your local toll road is 1.0 mes the magic formula. That is, if youre in the U.S. probablyfor an average speed limit of 60 to 70mph. If you average 60 to 70 mph then you will pay the fee you are used to. Ifyou average 50 to 60 you will pay a li le less. If you average 70, 80 or 90mph, you will pay significantly more, but notactually be in viola on of any speed limits. Naturally there will be some speed limit (as well as a minimum speed),and driving faster than it at any me or more amazingly, averaging it, will result in your usual conversa on with thepolice.

[1] The keys are the two end areas to keep things bounded, and the sharpup ck in the rate above the speed.

This has the following advantages:

Police can concentrate on only the really fast drivers. No need to make everyone hit their brakes when they seea cop at the last minute. Fewer police will be necessary.

It gives incen ves for slower driving.

It gives incen ves for stopping for breaks on long drives.

Rest stops and the items they sell, gas, food, etc... could be marketed as carrying a discount since stopping andbuying results in a lower cost for the toll road (yes yes, it really doesnt work that way, but so much of what isadver sed really is what they are trying to convince you it is)

It allows fast people to drive fast and get to where they are going if it fits their budget.

People will pay what they are comfortable paying, but many will pay just to drive fast bringing in more chad forthe road authority.

It does require something that I have failed to find in the U.S., proper lane discipline. Stay as far right as possible (nocruising in the not thinking lane which is always the second from the le ), no passing on the right and look beforechanging lanes le ward.

1. http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/thruway2.png

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http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/thruway2.png

2.1.22 Office Worker Exoskeleton (2011-02-22 21:07)


Exoskeletons are these futuris c like things that always seem to be just on the horizon for disabled people or sol-diers or dock workers. Its a robo c looking device that someone climbs into or a aches to the body and is used walkfar (or at all) or pick up heavy things or carry lots of stuff. [1]Some of them are becoming more and more realis c ev-eryday. Todays idea is an extension of that into thewhite collar workforce, as if we got toomuch physical exercise as itwas. So a device that you climb up into and strap yourself it. It has to make big whopmp-bumhp noises when walking,have hidden li le places for storing office supplies all over it, like Robocops gun holster but with a three-hole-punch.A laptop can dock into it. A person could carry all the necessary binders and different parts and pieces that they workon all day (I had to lug around 3 transaxle adapters the other day and I could have used this). Eventually desks couldbe eliminated and you just work in the last loca on you whopmp-bumhpd to, presumably near the coffee machine.No need to search out a wheely-cart for the big items, just a charging plug during the down me.

The obvious challenges:

Preven ng serious hacking of the devices (not a bad idea by itself, but prevents work from being done)

Keeping them running. Think what its like now when you have a computer problem, imagine if youre stucksomewhere yelling for help.

Preven ng the necessary arm wrestling and hallway races from turning into the office into some futuris cMechwarrior-like landscape through warring fac ons and furniture throwing.

1. http://berkeleybionics.com/

2.1.23 Bridge to Teribithia: The Rough Years (2011-02-23 15:15)

Date of Original Idea: Back in Dec

What we need is a sequel to Bridge to Teribithia where that kid is now 28 years old, estranged from his fd up family,just coming away from yet another failed rela onship, cannot hold down a job and always dwelling on the death ofthat girl. Having flashbacks over the past 14 years of opportuni es lost or decisions poorly made due to fears and guiltfrom the crappy day. Somehow he needs to change in the end, learn that it wasnt his fault, but that cannot happen.So I have no idea how it should end

2.1.24 Towards another idea (2011-02-23 18:05)

Date of Original Idea: Today/Last Night

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http://berkeleybionics.com/

Ok, this feels like a cop-out but my idea is to get an idea for recording those ideas that I have in the middle of thenight or morning. When, just a er coming through a vivid dream, Im grudgingly awake with some terrific idea oreven cra ed sentences for a story. I convince myself that Ill remember this since its so good and dri off again. Thenlater Im le with some vague memories about a gorilla as a a orney and just how bad off youd have to be to seethat as be er than represen ng yourself. I even had a tle for that, but its gone. So my idea is like an improved andautomated alterna ve to paper and pencil at the bedside table, because that just doesnt work for me.

2.1.25 Her name is Lola (2011-02-24 20:55)

Date of Original Idea: October 2010

Know the Manalow song Copacabana, or Kopakobana, or Kuppecohana, or whatever its called? Its a nice li le storyabout a cocktail waitress and some violently jealous men. Wouldnt it make for a great ride at DisneyWorld?

Heres the pitch: A [1]dark ride (which isnt what it sounds at first) where you mount up on a moving vehicle thatjust keeps going round and round, but instead of a vehicle it is a li le pla orm for you to stand on, lean slightly for-ward, and put your hands on the hips of either the next person in front of you, or a plas c person installed to reducethe creepiness of dark rides and touching other people, so that you form a long conga line. Then you ride throughthe rooms describing the different scenes of the song, hearing the song cycle and cycle. And during the catchy li letune between the parts of the song, while you conga through to the next room, the pla orm that your standing onwaggles. Le right le right. Making your tush, along with all the other tushes in the conga, do the conga.

It will be a hit! Del Monte could sponsor it.

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_ride

2.1.26 Package Opening Security Robot (2011-02-25 21:02)

Date of Original Idea: Dec 23, 2010

In regards to [1]this story.

A series of machines that will open packages for you. It will handle the package with care while at the same mecontaining any possible detona on. Maybe even an op on to check for chemical or bio agents. Then when the pack-age is opened, the contents and packing material can be retrieved and the next package loaded for opening.

Different sizes for different packagesDifferent styles for loading (the delivery guy loads them into a hopper or you do it yourself on the cheaper models)Outdoor or indoor op onsFully contained for chem and bio agents, or just blast walls for other concerns.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_ride

Different protec on levels for containing different levels of explosions.

Camera.Laser posi on scannerSome sort of device that can rotate the package to the correct posi on, like from baggage handling or pop bo lereturn sor ng machines.and a box cu er on a 2 axis placement machine.and one of you need to be head of homeland security for awhile to make sure these become required.

1. http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2010/12/23/exp.exp.rome.embassy.bombings.cnn?hpt=T1

2.1.27 Ki y Cannon (2011-02-26 20:15)

Date of Original Idea: One night where the cat wouldnt let me sleep

The tle is quite descrip ve. A cannon that you can load a cat into and launch it into another neighborhood.

[1]

The trick is to calibrate the angle and launch power to get the cat far enough away that he doesnt come back un lbreakfast me, but not so far that he doesnt come back at all, cause that would be cruel.

1. http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/kittycannon_sm.jpg

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http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2010/12/23/exp.exp.rome.embassy.bombings.cnn?hpt=T1http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/kittycannon_sm.jpg

2.1.28 Rain Powered Car (2011-02-27 20:39)

Date of Original Idea: Few years back

A bathtub on the roof, a spout through the drain down to a li le water wheel, a chain around the water wheel goingover to a differen al. Green propulsion at its best, good in the northwest.

No I dont think it will work, but Ive always wanted to make a web page with a series of photos from a develop-ment session. A car with a roof-mounted bathtub perched at the top of a slightly sloped but short driveway. Afearless test driver in helmet giving a thumbs up. Another photo of the car 3 feet down the slope, water all over theground behind it, driver clenching the steering wheel and looking as if wai ng for a rocket launch. A third photo withthe car 7 feet from the star ng posi on, the ground soaked in water, the driver with his head out the window lookinginto the sky. A final photo of two addi onal people entering the scene, each in a white labcoat with a clipboard. Thetall one making notes near the drive unit the other holding out his hand as if checking for rain while the driver isyelling something at the shorter engineer and poin ng to his watch.

Why havent I done it? Cause I dont have a bathtub handy.

2.1.29 Listen to me Garmin (2011-02-28 20:46)

Date of Original idea(s): many runs ago

I have a watch that I wear when I run with built in GPS. It tells me how fast Im going and how far Ive gone. Itcan tell me other things too like eleva on, but really just the first two are important. It has alot of li le features init, but not everything I can think of. What Garmin needs to do is release a DevKit for this watch and let people likemyself experiment with new ideas. They can also host a forum where others can upload new concepts of what theyhave done with the watch. It will add value to this piece of hardware. Really. Here are some of the ideas that I wantto have my watch do... simple things:

Display both metric and non-metric units at the same me. I want to see miles and km.

Let me set a target distance and count down to it.

When coun ng down to a target, do gross and fine levels so that its eventually coun ng off the last 1000m ofa marathon in 100m increments. (which seem like eterni es)

Let me set a target distance and me and con nuously show me what my average pace should be to ensurethat I reach it.

Have it so when I hit the lap bu on, it corrects the distance covered to be to the nearest round mile/km. Itgets off a bit over a long distance, maybe 100 to 200m or so depending on buildings and so forth, and I find itannoying. But if the distance shows 22.04miles and I hit the lap bu on, I want the total distance to be correctedto 22.00 miles.

When it auto-laps, it puts a li le screen up with the average pace of the past lap. a) that screen should go awayif I hit a bu on and b) that li le screen, if its going to block out all the other data on the screen, might as welltell me other stats about the last lap

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I want to change the beep it makes for auto-lap (although it is cool in a race when passing a mile marker thereare all the same beeps)

I want to be able to record heart rate before and a er recording distance/ me. A er is important info forchecking fitness levels and before is interes ng to see how prior condi ons affected your race

But mostly I just want control of the hardware I own.

2.2 March

2.2.1 Land-Based GPS (2011-03-01 19:27)

Date of Original Idea: Feb 3, 2003 (really! I found an old note)

Wouldnt it be cheaper for land-based GPS points? Some cel phones already use cel-towers to do some triangula-on. So with some added sophis ca on in the signal sent by the towers the cost of launching a new satellite every

few years could be avoided (GPS satellites have only a few years of life in them before they are burnt-up in the atmo-sphere and replaced).

I suppose it wouldnt work well in the oceans. And if you need to have satellites wizzing around for the ocean cover-age you might as well use them for land. But what if there were really powerful shore based transmi ers? Like sopowerful people that cancer clusters developed in the side-bands of these towers, miles and miles of clusters. Wouldit work?

2.2.2 Wind Powered Ferris Wheel (2011-03-02 19:32)

Date of Original Idea: 17 Jan , 2011

Eco-Friendly Fun! A giant ferris wheel, much like the London Eye, but bigger. With turbine blades in the middleand a generator on it just like a wind turbine. Control the loading of the generator to slow down the ride to an ac-ceptable level. People enter the loading structure and either take the elevator or climb the stairs (something like theEiffel Tower to the first level). From there they can shop, eat or ride. On days when the wind isnt blowing they canbuy a t-shirt that says I went to the EcoWheel and all I got was this lousy T-Shirt

[1]

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When the wind is blowing in the right direc on and people are willing to drive out to it, this thing will rival otherregional sight-seeing des na ons!

1. http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/windpoweredferriswheel.jpg

2.2.3 Noisy Upstairs Neighbor Combat Device (2011-03-03 19:57)

Date of Original Idea: Dec 28, 2010while some lady in heels walked around on her uncarpeted floors in the unit aboveme.

[1]

A device that allows a person to strap in a bucket from around the house and a handle from a broom. Then the personcan place the bucket against the ceiling with one hand while pulling and releasing a cord with another. The ac onresults in a loud bass thud that resonates into the upstairs apartment, much the way their thuds resonate down. Forwhen they wont answer the door or youre just too passive aggressive to even knock.

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http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/windpoweredferriswheel.jpg

Can be sold at drug stores or discount general in a small box:

[2]

Big words printed on the side though: Cau on, this will make them cause more noise and then no one will get anysleep. Maybe also include a book of tac cs like ge ng up at 2 a.m. and doing this when they are sleeping. Youresure to win with these tac cs!

1. http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/noisyupstairsneighbortop1.jpg2. http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/noisyupstairsneighborbottom.jpg

2.2.4 The Crapper Napper (2011-03-04 20:57)

Date of Original Idea: A few years ago stuck in Cleveland airport

A portable hammock with 5 hooks. The hooks clip on to the top of stall walls in the bathroom, 2 on each side and 1on the door.

[1]

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http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/noisyupstairsneighbortop1.jpghttp://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/noisyupstairsneighborbottom.jpg

It gives you a place to sleep or rest that is clean, if not pleasantly scented. I argue that it is cleaner than the flooranywhere in the airport (men stand at the urinal, then wander all over the place), cleaner than the seats. It is as cleanas the inside of the storage bag you keep it in. Air freshener can be included in the bag and you can put a swipe of it,from a vapor rub sort of can, under your nose if necessary.

The door hook works to hold the door closed when your weight is in the hammock. A quasi-feature is that it willnot work on the corner stalls, ensuring that there is always a stall available for regular business and no urgent threatto airport func onali y.

Available at airport kiosks:

$29.99 for the Sport

$39.99 for the Comfort (with air freshener and a li le pouch that hangs down for you to put your shoes into)

$59.99 for the Execu ve (all the features of the Comfort plus a pouch for your laptop and Blackberry

I figure one manufacturing run and theyll be in all airports across the country. One or two years later they will findtheir way into goodwill bins and in 3 to 5 years bus sta ons will be plagued by the homeless to ng the Crapper Napper

1. http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/crappernapper.jpg

2.2.5 Santa Transponder (2011-03-05 17:57)

Date of Original Idea: Dec 2005?

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http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/crappernapper.jpg

Hey Kids! dont read this.

Years ago we were planning on visi ng family for Christmas. This involved a drive and stay in another state. Mykids were concerned that Santa would not be able to find them, or worse yet, deliver the goods on Christmas morn-ing to our house pu ng a week-long delay in the receiving of said gi s. We tried to calm their fears, but they keptbringing it up. We found the answer at Target. They had gi cards that were the size of fat credit cards and if youpressed the bu on a bunch of LEDs on a christmas tree would twinkle. On the back was all the regular gi card stuff,a unique bar code and disclaimers. We bought two gi cards (then used them on regular purchases) and passedout the cards to the kids with the informa on that these were Santa Transponders. The bar code was registered tothem and if they pressed the bu on on Christmas Eve, Santa would be able to reroute the gi s to the loca on thatthe bu on was pressed. You could tell it was working cause the LEDs twinkled in response. This worked well.

My idea is to commercialize this idea further. The gi card design and the electronics inside cant cost that much.The bar code can be just randomness. Just add a web site where the kids can register their transponders (for secu-rity sake, just first name and first le er of the last name and maybe a process where you press the bu on once, clickenter on the computer, then press it again for confirma on). Sell them for $6/apiece or 2 for $15 in Target check-outaisles. Of course you need a new one every year because as we all know, the more stuff you buy the be er the worldis.

2.2.6 6 Under (2011-03-06 19:22)

Date of Original Idea: Oh so long ago

I was driving along a beau ful lakeside road in the thumb of Michigan once and I passed two things that weresandwiched between me and the water. 1) a golf course and 2) a cemetery. And I thought that it was such a wasteto have such a beau ful area, a wonderful view that makes you think it is great to be alive, taken up by dead peoplewho cannot appreciate it. Somehow my mind went from that to what if we could combine these two vast wastes ofspace, golf courses and cemeteries? (how inspira on works I will never know).

The details:

Picture a regular golf course. Fairways, tee-boxes, etc...

Those that are to rest in piece are cremated and cast into a cylinder with a li le plaster-of-paris. Picture 6 indiameter and 18 to 24 in height.

The res ng places are on the edge of the fairway, just before the rough. A post-hole digger sinks a hole.

A funeral is book for 6 or 8 4-somes, depending on the desired length of the service.

Several black stretch-golf carts are used. Classy ones.

Ceremony is done, cylinder sunk, family moves on to the wake at the clubhouse.

Hole is filled in. A 6 marker is set complete with yardage info:

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[1]

When a surviving family member wants to grieve, they can book a foursome, come through leave flowers at the tee-box.

Guys who like to golf would choose this, as would their wives who hope for visits from their husbands a er death.Every Saturday morning he can leave some flowers and play through.

Addi onal up-sells could be specific loca ons on the golf course and wedding/wake combo discounts at the club-house.

The name of the place (thanks Gary) is: 6 Under.

1. http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/johndoemarker1a.gif

2.2.7 Home Hea ng from Fracking Failures (2011-03-07 20:41)

Date of Original Idea: Feb 28, 2010

Weve seen the news reports and videos of failed a empts cleanly fracking natural gas. The gas and other secretingredients get into the drinking water of the people living nearby, who subsequently video themselves ligh ngtheir tap on fire.

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http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/johndoemarker1a.gif

IFRAME: [1]h p://www.youtube.com/embed/U01EK76Sy4A

Theres energy in them pipes! Now all we need is a furnace that separates the gas from water and uses it to heat ahome or, more ironically, heat water. It is apparently a low gas flow volume and the supply is probably not too stable,so a low flame, much like a mutli-stage furnace on low se ng. It would be excellent for hea ng a volume of wateras in a boiler system, where a low but fairly constant hea ng would get the system warmed up eventually and thenkept at the temp, the thermal capacity of the system would deal with lapses in the gas supply. In very cold climatesit would probably need to be supplemented by other hea ng sources. The problem might be that you have to keepthe water running to get the gas to flow, and then youre running a well pump that is not meant for such con nuousduty, so a beefing up of the pump might be necessary too. The water could be recirculated back down the wellitsnot potable anyway.

Need to get cracking on this one, with gas prices going up there will be a big demand for this type of device in just afew years!

1. http://www.youtube.com/embed/U01EK76Sy4A

2.2.8 Enough Already (2011-03-08 19:47)


Chubby Checkers The Twist should be re red. Nothing good can come from it being played anymore.

2.2.9 Waist Scarf (2011-03-09 18:29)


A scarf doesnt just keep your neck warm, it keeps wind from blowing through the neckhole of your jacket whileyou move around. I need something like that at the other end too. My belly is cold.

2.2.10 A Store for Scrooge (2011-03-10 18:32)


In the story A Christmas Carol old man Scrooge has a change of heart during Christmas Eve and wakes up a newman. He immediately employs a poor kid who happened to be walking by to buy him a goose and later shows up at

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http://www.youtube.com/embed/U01EK76Sy4A

his employees house bearing gi s. Where did he get those gi s and where did the boy get that goose? I dont knowof any store open for such things Christmas morning, and unless your city isnt endowed with a strong non-Chris ancommercial base, you probably dont either. Imagine how that story would have ended if the impulsive new feelingshad to be delayed a day or two, not quite the same ending.

This idea is for a store that is ONLY open on Christmas morning for those newly minted Scrooges dont need to delaygra fica on, and the a er-lastminute shoppers can get the goods. The storewould only sell a few items at respectablemarkups, but its there for you- and who cares about prices anyway when the ghost of Christmas Future scared thecrap out of you. Either buy the $60 goose or get a pack of old baloney at the gas sta on, your choice.

2.2.11 The World without the Americas (2011-03-11 21:09)


Story idea, one of those alternate reality/history ones. This one is that the space where north and south Americais just open water. European explorers found nothing. The rise and fall of the Spanish and Portuguese empires neverhappened, including all papal interven ons . Frances huge war expenses of the 17th and 18th century never hap-pened, and therefore the king had cash to keep his people happy and Napoleon busy with menial jobs. The Europeanwars of the mid 1800s didnt happen, Germany didnt unify, didnt get involved as a unit in WWI, wasnt fodder forHitler to rise to power in. Japan and China were able to keep out the European colonialists, Australia stayed Asian.What does 2011 look like now?

2.2.12 Coming to a theater near you... (2011-03-12 10:57)

Sit and Spin: The Movie

A li le fun can turn deadly.


2.2.13 Secure Warmth (2011-03-13 19:26)


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Electrically heated seatbelts. Like heated seats, but in front of you too. Bands of warmth.

2.2.14 USB Rechargeable Electric Car (2011-03-14 07:36)


The tle says it all. Instead of bulky cables and inconvienent loca ons, you can just plug your car into your laptopwith a nice slim cable. Sure it might take longer to charge, but if you put the charging cable in the cabin of the car youcould charge while youre driving. You wouldnt have to stop un l the laptop ba ery was also dead. Of course, thereare power limita ons on the amount of current through a USB connec on so you might need to have more than onecable. And laptop ba eries are small so maybe more than one laptop. I envision a cable that plugs into the car onone side with a hole bunch of USB connectors on the other side. Then a trailer full of laptops if need be.

It probably wont not work well, but the photos of the prototype and the stories of the manager who wanted itmade would be priceless.

2.2.15 Mo on Sickness Correc on So ware (2011-03-15 20:12)


My daughter gets sick while reading or working on a computer in a car. The reasons for this, as I understand it,involve a disconenct between what the brain is sensing as mo on and what the eyes are perceiving, specifically onsmall bumps and turns (which transport modes like airplanes and trains lack and dont cause this problem). An iPad(or similar device) brings the same results. But an iPad (or similar device) has a accelerometer. Could so ware for theiPad (or similar device) be developed to correct this by moving the image on the screen with the bumps and turnsever so slightly? If so, it would be a pre y cool app.

Or it just make people even sicker.

2.3 April

2.3.1 Fail (2011-04-02 11:46)

Fail!

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3. 2012

3.0.2 Restart (2012-04-02 18:42)

Date of Idea: Today

The idea is to do this again. Restar ng exactly one year a er declaring failure on the first a empt. What has changed,you ask, that this me it will be be er? Have you been laid-off, or learned to live on 3 hours sleep or invented ame machine that can only take you back 3 hours in the past and this is the best applica on I can find for it? No, I

havent been laid off, in fact Im working more hours now. No, I s ll need many hours sleep. And no, if I had inventedsuch a me machine I could find a much be er applica on for it. No, I dont have a good reason for it. Perhaps Imcon nuing to do the same thing with hope of a different outcome.

3.0.3 Harves ng Remaining Energy from Ba eries (2012-04-03 18:49)

Date of Original Idea: a couple months ago

Most ba ery powered devices stop working when the voltage on the ba ery drops too low, but theres s ll energyin there. As I see it, the only useful way to get all the energy out is to take it out as heat, as that would be the onlyuseful voltage independent and cost effec ve method. So if youre in a part of the world where you heat your homefrom external sources (wood, gas, oil, electricity), you just save your almost dead ba eries for the winter. Then youjam them in a bucket of BBs. They will short out the ba eries, drawing every last Joule of energy out and supplementthe hea ng of your house.

If you saved up a couple dozen ba eries and jammed them in a li le pouch of BBs, you could wrap it around yourneck or where ever and enjoy the heat directly.

Is it alot, no. Is it free, yes. Is it easy, yes.

3.0.4 Creapy Sound Generator (2012-04-04 20:10)

Date of Original Idea: not too long ago, while indisposed

There is a new device in the bathrooms at work. It dispenses air freshener periodically. I was wondering what thatli le grrr-schuus, click sound was, then I found it. To make this even creepier, it should have a li le MP3 soundgenerator in it with sounds like camera click and hard grun ng.

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It would crack down on employee loafing around in the bathroom me. And would be a be er solu on than anyof [1]these.

1. http://www.hazards.org/toiletbreaks/

3.0.5 Ma ress That Wakes You Up By Being Uncomfortable (2012-04-05 21:00)

Date of Original Idea: A couple weeks ago

A bed that changes from comfortable to uncomfortable to wake you up.

Possible implementa ons:

something inflatable like the Sleepnumber bed that changes to a lousy number, or just plain vents all the air,about 30 minutes before you want to get up.

Something that heats up un l youre swea ng. Of course youll have to wash the sheets more o en.

Something that cools off un l the thought of a shower gets you out of bed.

Even if you need to use an alarm clock to actually wake up at the right me, at least you wont have trouble wan ngto get out of bed.

3.0.6 Book Idea: Fake Replies (2012-04-06 19:25)

Date of Original Idea: Jan 14, 2012

A book of reply le ers from celebri es. The ini al le er that was sent to the celebrity is not on hand, only thesereplies and the reader has to read between the lines about what was ini ally said, suggested or proposed. Comedy,naturally, is the goal.

Example:

Dear Mr. Salmiho,

Thank you for the le er dated March 3. I truly enjoy ge ng feedback from fans, but as you can imagine the volumeof mail I get is quite high so I ask your forgiveness in this reply. Thank you for the kind words about the poor showing

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http://www.hazards.org/toiletbreaks/

of Mission Impossible 3, I agree that the franchise has been pushed too far, but you never can tell when somethingwill reignite!

To your ques ons:

1) no, I dont think it is a good idea. Your mother has made those rules for a reason and I think you should follow themso long as you con nue to live in her house. Respect your mother.

2) boxers

3) When Im travelling I do use an assumed name at hotels, and I thank you for the sugges ons, but I dont feel thatany of those on the list are either appropriate or respectable.

Well thanks for wri ng, and please dont miss Mission Impossible IV, in theaters next June!

Sincerley,

Thomas CruiseBut much be er than that.

3.0.7 Back seat kid dividers (2012-04-07 10:22)

Date of Original Idea: the last me I went anywhere with the kids

A sturdy, yet crash-friendly, L-shaped block that seat belts into the middle of the back seat. It is thick enough that noone can cross my side and has cup holders as well as other storage areas individual for each kid. It can be easilyremoved.

That way the kids never have to learn to get along with other people and theyll fit be er into society.

3.0.8 Blister Bandage Dispenser (2012-04-08 19:06)

Date of Original Idea: March 28

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Like the [1]Post-it highlight dispensers;, but filled with bandages to cover a blister on the back of the heel. Everymemy wife or kids have a blister there they put a band-aid on it and it just rubs off in under an hour, but a dispenser

built into the shoe it could con nuously replace the bandage.

Of course, as I like to remind them, they could just wear socks.

1. http://www.3m.com/us/office/postit/promos/flaghighlighter/

3.0.9 Post Office Help (2012-04-09 16:54)


Ok, its almost not completely my idea. Some guy says as much in this ar cle [1]here. But he was saying it like itwould be ridiculous if USPS sold adver sing that got slapped to your le ers and/or packages. Sort of sneaking thejunk mail into the keep pile at home. A small s cker on the back side of a le er or the side of a box would get somebad press at first, but it wouldnt do any real harm so people would ignore than. Then later you can build up to largerads without much hassle.

Of course, it s ll requires that something of value is being sent through the mail to begin with....ad s ckers on junkmail just weighs down the recycling bin.

1. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/06/courtyard-marriott-wifi/

3.0.10 Pi Table (2012-04-10 17:55)

Date of Original Idea: Mar 25 (came to me in a dream)

Self explanatory. For pies.

[1]

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http://www.3m.com/us/office/postit/promos/flaghighlighter/http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/06/courtyard-marriott-wifi/

1. http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Pi-Table.jpg

3.0.11 Carnival Hotel (2012-04-11 18:26)

Date of Original Idea: April 10, 2012

There are hotels that are converted this-and-thats. Planes, harbor cranes, fallout shelters, wine casks, castles. Howabout a bunch of converted carny rides. All set up inside a big hanger (a converted airplane hanger!). Vomitproofseats removed and replaced with semi-comfortable bedding, at least as comfortable as possible while retaining theoriginal characteris cs of the ride. Some of the rides would operate in order to be useful, such as the ferris wheel.Some would operate, but very slowly, such as the carousel or the lt-a-whirl, and some would stand idle such as rollercoasters.

Possible converted rides

Ferris wheel

Carousel

Tilt-a-Whirl

that one that spins and holds you against the wall (would have to operate to keep sleepers from falling over)

Bumper cars

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http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Pi-Table.jpg

Tunnel of Love (aka the honeymoon suite)

Demon drop type things, have you dangling free

Can get started by watching for deals [1]here. Although it looks like itd be cheaper to buy an old Motel 6 and letpeople sleep in the elevator.

1. http://www.amusementtrader.com/category/186/New-and-Used-Rides.html

3.0.12 Nu y (2012-04-12 19:07)


Peanut bu er perfume

Says it all.

3.1 May

3.1.1 Piss Powered (2012-05-22 19:26)

Date of Original Idea: May 20, 2012

Li le turbines in the drain of urinals. Must be constructed so that that aim results in no splash-back, as well aspreven ng spin-out due to the turbine itself. The energy collected from such a device could be used to run an LEDsomewhere. Get enough urinals together and you could light several LEDs for a short period of me.

3.2 June

3.2.1 Even more with the pee (2012-06-09 18:06)

Date of Original Idea: somewhere in the last couple weeks

Take that last idea, the one with generators in the urinals, and turn it into a game. Based on the energy captured,

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http://www.amusementtrader.com/category/186/New-and-Used-Rides.html

award points and display them on a screen. See how you compare with the other guy. Lets take this a bit farther andadd a bluetooth device. It scans and picks out the SSID of your phone and couples that informa on with the scoreyou have in a database (can you do that, I mean with the bluetooth? it doesnt require a connec on, just a uniqueiden fier. Without connec ng, can you get a unique iden fier? I would think there would be all sorts of privacy issuesaround that, but then again, Im not sure how it works). Then it canwelcome you back and compare your performancetoday with previously. You can collect points. You have evidence to brag to your friends about how big a pisser youare.

3.2.2 enough with the pee (2012-06-10 18:07)


No more ideas involving pee. At least for awhile.

3.2.3 Poli cal Might (2012-06-24 19:00)

Date of Original Idea: the other day

In poli cs, cash is access, and as individuals or even grassroot groups most of us dont have it. But the companies thatare already sinking lots of money into lobbying efforts of varying degrees do. It has been successfully proven (recentlySOPA), that by complaining to companies and not your representa ve. The company has a finanical incen ve to getsomthing done at the govermental level. So why write your congressman while you could convince a company thatit is in their best interest to back your ideology? Boyco Walmart if they dont support your stance on X, organize acampaign to let movie theaters in-masse understand your feelings on what RIAA is doing. Even as a small group, acongressman, or more specifically, his/her staff (those that set the schedules) has minimal self interest in helping you.But if an organiza on that has at least the illusion of being able to scratch some backs in return (they will not alwaysbe staff or congressmen/women you know), then it is more likely that your opinions will be heard.

Companies become the amplifier of poli cal might.

3.2.4 Marketocracy (2012-06-25 20:36)


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Although this idea came first, it really goes one step further star ng from yesterdays idea. We replace elected repre-senta ves in congress with appointed reps from businesses. (cut out the middleman, so to speak)

When people dont like the way things are going, the business gets bad press and possible issues in the marketplacewhich can provide pressure to change things. It would be structured so that when theyre doing a bad job, it willimpact the companys bo om line. Transparency would be achieved cause there would be no ques on about whyyoure wri ng certain laws or vo ng a certain way. It would be difficult for companies to ram stuff through since theywill have li le to no influence over most of the other reps (where now, one company can be funding mul ple reps atthe same me). Companies that make money from star ng wars would have to nego ate with companies that losemoney from star ng wars, for example. It would have to have some rules about the percentage of companies with$x of worth, and percent with $y of worth, etc.. to prevent an -market pressures that come from monopolies. Andsome sort of controls about them vo ng themselves a raise (corporate taxes = 0), but thats not too different thannow.

3.3 July

3.3.1 Weekend Racers (2012-07-02 19:47)

Date of Original Idea: June 30, 2012

Goat-Cart track. thats right, a goat-cart track. Like a go-cart track but with fewer greenhouse gases and a moreanimal rights issues. Easy to create in a few straigh orward steps: Outline a track in recycled res, hook goats up towagons, put helmets on the kids, and hire a guy to clean up a er the goats.

oh, and build a fence high enough so that people dont see that youre serious un l a er they pay.

3.3.2 Spaghe s (2012-07-31 20:32)

Date of Original Idea: July 30, 2012

Regular Spaghe Os plus some riso o.

pronounced spaa - geeh- T - oues

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3.4 August

3.4.1 Keyboard Cleaning Aid (2012-08-31 17:11)

Date of Original Idea: Aug 31, 2012

Keyboards should have a li le door on the bo om, very much like toasters do, to let all the crumbs out that collectunder the keys over the years.

icky.

3.5 September

3.5.1 Burrito Printer (2012-09-08 19:00)

Date of Original Idea: Sept 8, 2012

Theyre 3-d prin ng everything now. cars, houses, candy, cats (I read it online I think). So why not Burritos? Amachine pulls the shell from the storage bin and then proceeds to dispense other ingredients all according to a verydetailed order sheet. The calories can be accurately counted (cause people ea ng Burritos are generally pre y calorieconscious right?) and the ingredients will be put in the RIGHT PLACE in the RIGHT ORDER. Then it gets shoved off forcooking.

It could be used for other tor lla based foods as well: so tacos, gorditos, etc. or combined with a nacho arrang-ing machine (you know, a machine that puts the nachos in the RIGHT ORDER into the RIGHT PATTERN to hold thecheese).

3.5.2 3-Zone Tires (2012-09-09 19:00)

Date of Original Idea _ July 31, 2012

Tires with 3 inflateable zones to adjust for corning or straight driving. Useful on motorcylces? Can make centerzone flater to make the whole thing to go straight or inflate the center zone to make cornering smoother. two otherzones could be connected by communica ve tubes to really just be one (would air flowing through the tubes to the

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other side during turns be a good or bad thing? ). Issue would also arise around the sides pressing into the under-inflated center. Maybe a new re technology is necessary, non air based. Foam or pudding or something thicker butpumpable.

3.6 November

3.6.1 Daily Commute Podcast (2012-11-27 21:00)

Date of Original Idea: Nov 27, 2012

A podcast that is simply the recording from inside my car during my commute, to and from work. Published daily.People can download and hear me listening to other podcasts, or singing along to some 80s classics, maybe prac cingmy German accent by repea ng the news radio, or if the condi ons are right and there are no ac ve speed limitson the autobahn (and I s ll have my Golf GTD) you can hear me laughing manically and cursing various vehicles thatwont get out of my way.

3.6.2 Pacman Navi (2012-11-28 21:11)

Date of Original Idea: Nov 28, 2012

An op on on the nav where the li le symbol that is your car is changed to an animated pacman. And the line thatis your route is changed to white dots. And if there is an accident or construc on or something that shuts down theroad could be a colored ghost just wai ng for you (but be er to avoid it)

3.7 December

3.7.1 Daily Power (2012-12-11 21:07)


Story idea. Guy gets random superpower daily. Some are cool (flying), some are lousy (immunity to gravity, he

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wakes up and just floats around all day trying to get to his kitchen while never being sure if he has to pee or not),some are disrup ve (demobilizing electronic devices with his touch, but not being able to turn it off, or rather, nothaving the power long enough to learn to control it), some are not even no ceable (having super memory, but onlyfor the day), some are cool but you have no idea that you have it (being able to breath underwater, but how o en doyou encounter the need for that?). They come and go with sleep. Maybe they repeat, cause how many new superpowers can a crea ve writer generate. Maybe he gets be er at the ones that repeat. When hes trying to save theworld/girl/city he can never really be sure if today is the day or if he waits for tomorrow hell be be er equipped.He keeps a journal to chart it all out- said journal can fall into the wrong hands. Weaknesses come and go too, sohes never really sure if he has a weakness or just a bad day. He follows horoscopes and having these powers justreinforces his belief, although theyre s ll random, and he starts ge ng heavy into astrology, but thats just a sidestory to show that hes got qwirks maybe one day he has powers that let him realize that astrology is crap but thenthe next day cannot remember the logic behind it. Hes not terribly smart, but not stupid either.

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4. 2013

4.1 January

4.1.1 Boom!ana (2013-01-23 19:22)


A pinata that gets opened up by the kids, one-by-one, a aching firecrackers to the side and being exploded. Thepinata might have to be constructed differently to make it last more than 2 or 3 pops, and of course a rule that thenext fire cracker has to be some minimum distance away from the last one. And of course youre going to have to getyour neighbors buy-in, cause thats going to be annoying.

Of course youd need to get a responsible adult to do the ligh ng. And any adult that would allow this is not go-ing to easily fit into the responsible category.

4.1.2 1000 Piece Puzzles with 1200 Pieces (2013-01-24 19:36)


Puzzles with extra pieces. Should be easy for a puzzle manufacturer to take one puzzle and throw 1/5 of its piecesinto each of 5 other puzzles (same or different picture, doesnt ma er). Then you have the extra challenge of tryingto find a place for an eye here or an extra leaf there. It should only increase the price of the puzzle in the 120 % range,but you could easily charge 122 or 124 % of the normal puzzle.

4.2 February

4.2.1 Croudsourcing Time Machines (2013-02-21 07:14)

Date of Original Idea: Yesterday

The more people working towards a goal, the be er the odds that the goal will be reached, its the basic drivingforce in croudsourced development. This is especially true for out-there type research that needs many independentminds looking for breakthroughs. Unfortunately some ideas are just too out there, just as me travel, so there arepi fully few people dedica ng their lives to these goals.

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The idea here is to find a photo that is clearly from, say, the early 90s with a youngerman and an olderman or woman,and send the photo to random people around the age of 20 to 22 (men or women as the case may be) with a notethat says something of the sort:

Dear X In 1994 you and I met. You spun some tale that you were from the distant future, showed me someinteres ng technology that would seem to indicate it, predicted smart phones and the whole Charlie Sheenincident, bummed a meal off me, and posed for the enclosed photo. You are the older gentleman on the le .You asked me to send you this photo in/around 2013 to 2014 meframe to inspire you to get to work, that itwas actually this photo that got you going on the road to making the breakthrough and mee ng the peoplenecessary to develop your me travelling capabili es. To be honest, Im s ll having a hard me believing it(which, ironically, you told me I would write in this le er) and if it wasnt for the technology you brought fromthe future to show me I would have never believed enough even to write this le er and buy a stamp, so dontforget to bring some cool stuff along to show me. You also asked me to tell you

1) linear accelera ons in a *near* vacuum, with emphasis on the near and youd know what that meant

2) Do not publicize your inten ons un l at least 2019, youd know when

Take care, and dont forget to look me up again, otherwise I didnt write this le er.Sure, most people are not going to change their lives based on this le er, but send this le er to a significantly largenumber of people, but not so large that it is exposed as a hoax, and youll get lots of people dedica ng significantme to this task.

4.3 March

4.3.1 The Book of the Month Church (2013-03-06 20:48)

The number of religiously unaffiliated Americans has increased from 15 % to 20 % in the past 5 years alone (sourcePew Forum on Religion and Public Life). The religiously unaffiliated nowmake up the fastest growing religious groupin America and represents a younger demographic than tradi onal religions. In order to tap into thismarket, I proposea non-religion church. The church would serve to build communi es, offers fellowship, and do many of the charitablethings a tradi onal church does, but without the focus on money, power, poli cs or religion. Instead of being basedon the teachings of the bible, sermons would be based on topics found in any fic onal book wri en by a deceasedauthor. Each month would focus on a different author or book and well known songs would be used as hymns whiche into the topic. Show tunes would be encouraged. Cheese would be served with crackers during snack me. The

intent would be a family friendly alterna ve to church with weddings ceremonies performed on Saturdays.

4.3.2 Theme Park Ride Idea - Blind (2013-03-08 22:46)

Blindfolded par cipants navigate a large empty smooth surface. The par cipants wear headphones with posi-on/orienta on sensors and a computer system generates a realis c acous c image of a city scape. Par cipants

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must navigate construc on sites, busy streets, wild animals, and open sewers without visual input. Overhead fans,water misters, and, scent generators would be used to enhance the experience.

4.3.3 Google Glass Applica on - Beer Googles (2013-03-10 19:45)

Idea for an applica on that overlays the present image with a more a rac ve view.

4.3.4 Google Glass Applica on - Electronics Lab (2013-03-13 20:00)

Idea for an applica on that overlays the output of a small handheld probe via blue-tooth (scope, dvm, temperatureetc...).

4.3.5 Google Glass Applica on - Price is Right Trainer. (2013-03-14 19:00)

Idea for an applica on that overlays price informa on on all objects in view.

4.3.6 Google Glass Applica on - Diet Trainer (2013-03-15 19:46)

Idea for an applica on that overlays calorie informa on on all food objects in view.

4.3.7 Google Glass Applica on - Language Trainer (2013-03-16 20:38)

Idea for an applica on that overlays the name of all objects in view in languages of your choice.

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4.3.8 Smartphone Supplemental Warning System (2013-03-17 20:56)

As smartphone usages increases so does the risk of injuries related to distracted walking. Idea for a pop-up warningbased on detec on of hazards...How? Radar, blue-tooth, wifi, near field comm, rfid, visual?

[1]

Look Out!!

1. http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMGP2121-001.jpg

4.3.9 Robot Temp Agency (2013-03-18 21:00)

This is an idea for a labor services provider that places robot workers instead of people in repe ve manual laborjobs.Recent technological advances in robo cs has made automa on of many simple forms of manual labor cost compet-i ve with minimum wage workers. The robot temp agency would own the robots, provide training for the requiredtasks, handle maintenance and repairs, and maintain best prac ce strategies for each type of work the robots areengaged in. The goal would be to provide minimumwage compe ve labor with lower employee overhead costs and

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http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMGP2121-001.jpg

zero workforce turnover. The robot temp agency would employ flexible use industrial robots that are safe to workalongside people without safety cages and can be installed and removed within minutes, with the goal of providingnext day labor service for pre-learned tasks and 2 day service for new tasks. The robot temp agency would also pro-vide engineering services for special automa on projects or for interfacing legacy equipment with the robots.

[1]

1. http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/2013-03-017.jpg

4.3.10 Second Hand Smoke Alarm (2013-03-19 18:37)

This is an idea for a very annoying alarm to alert people to the presence of second hand smoke. Comes with earplugsfor the user.

[1]

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http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/2013-03-017.jpg

1. http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/SecondHandSmokeAlarm.jpg

4.3.11 Puzzling Puzzles (2013-03-22 18:49)

Date of Original Idea: Mar 21 but I had to wait a few days to post.

More to the idea of Jan 24.1) a box filled with two different puzzles2) a box filled with two different puzzles that are the same picture but cut with a different pa ern

4.4 April

4.4.1 To sleep.... (2013-04-24 19:07)


I need a wireless link from my kindle to the bedside light. When I havent touched a bu on for awhile, or it goes

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http://306wd.com/ideaaday/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/SecondHandSmokeAlarm.jpg

to sleep due to inac vity, my lamp gets the signal to turn off. Could be done through the WiFi on my kindle assumingI installed a wifi adapter on my lamp, assuming I had that kind of me to play around with, assuming I even had theWiFi on my kindle turned on.

Ok, or I just get something like the kindlewhite. But that just seems too bourgeois.

4.4.2 Tracking sleep (2013-04-25 19:07)


Going off yesterdays idea. If the kindle (or kindlewhite) could send a signal to whereever over WiFi saying whenit had gone to sleep, it could record when I had gone to sleep. That data collected over me, and with the constantse ng on my alarm, could record the amount of sleep I have been ge ng.

The only way Im going to find the me to put this together is if I give up some sleep.

4.5 June

4.5.1 Towards a Grand Unified Theory (2013-06-13 06:02)

Date of Original Idea: June 9, 2013 (a couple days ago, Ive been lazy with this stuff)

Concept for Star Wars Episode 7

[open on the last few moments of Jedi. Ewoks dancing, Leia with long hair, the ghost of the real Anikain Sky-walker glowing proudly).] [Screen fades. Fuzzy, so , blury, starts to refocus on the sleeping face of a man. Heswaking from a dream in a modern day apartment. Looks at clock, sighs and gets up.] [The man stands, we seeKeanu Reeves pulling himself out of bed, brushing his teeth, making his way to work] [work se ng, the officefrom the first fewminutes of TheMatrix. Its the day before all that stuff goes down. Somemindless stuff abouttaxa on, trade routes, Agent Smithmakes a few appearances as various characters tomake us all say oh I knowhim, he he. Generally boring bridge movie]

Like Eps 1-3 people will see it whether it is good or not. Like Alien/Predator we can meld these storylines together.I figure in another couple years Star Wars/Matrix can be quickly melded with Alien/Predator and various other scifi,while Harry Po er can be the nucleus for Fantasy, and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days the nucleus for RomComs. In100 years, if we bear down on this, we could have a grand unified story line.

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4.6 July

4.6.1 They wont know any be er (2013-07-14 01:03)


Wall decals that look like a classy nursing home, but will fit on the walls of a budget nursing home. Take advan-tage of the senility se ng in and save some cash.

4.6.2 They wont know any be er: part 2 (2013-07-15 01:07)

Date of original idea: yesterday

For your elderly family members who are losing track of what has and has not really happened: a service wherebysomeone calls them up and chats with them about some awesome adventure in the past as if they were really there.war stories, poli cal victories, race car ac on, first man on the moon, etc...

4.7 September

4.7.1 Temperature logging and displaying (2013-09-30 13:37)

Not really an idea, more of a project.

[1]

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