Just finished reading a book called 'The World's Greatest Ideas'. It is collection of ingenious ideas for improving society on a large scale - and a small scale.
The subtitle of the book is 'An Encyclopedia of Social Inventions'.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Worlds-Greates...0865714436
Anyway - the book didn't really grab me. But there were a few very good ideas. And I thought it would be neat to pass them along here:
1) CANCEL CAR INSURANCE - AND INSTEAD ADD AN INSURANCE PREMIUM TO THE PRICE OF FILLING UP THE TANK WITH GASOLINE.
2) SAN JOSE GEOLOGIST HAS PREDICTED OVER 270 EARTH TREMORS AND EARTHQUAKES BY WATCHING FOR SUDDEN INCREASES IN THE NUMBER OF LOST PET ADS IN LOCAL NEWSPAPERS.
3) WHEN VISITING A SICK PATIENT WHO IS ASLEEP ALOT. HAVE A VISITING BOOK FOR VISITORS TO LEAVE MESSAGES AND STORIES IF THE PATIENT WAS NOT AWAKE WHEN THEY VISITED. THAT WAY THE PATIENT CAN STILL RECEIVE SOME COMFORT EVEN IF THEY WERE NOT AWAKE WHEN THE PERSON CAME TO VISIT.
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The book above reminds me of another great idea I heard once. It is simple proposal to eventally ensure everybody in the world stops smoking.
You simply increase the age at which people can smoke.
By one year.
Every year.
In 90 years time. No more smokers!
The subtitle of the book is 'An Encyclopedia of Social Inventions'.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Worlds-Greates...0865714436
Anyway - the book didn't really grab me. But there were a few very good ideas. And I thought it would be neat to pass them along here:
1) CANCEL CAR INSURANCE - AND INSTEAD ADD AN INSURANCE PREMIUM TO THE PRICE OF FILLING UP THE TANK WITH GASOLINE.
2) SAN JOSE GEOLOGIST HAS PREDICTED OVER 270 EARTH TREMORS AND EARTHQUAKES BY WATCHING FOR SUDDEN INCREASES IN THE NUMBER OF LOST PET ADS IN LOCAL NEWSPAPERS.
3) WHEN VISITING A SICK PATIENT WHO IS ASLEEP ALOT. HAVE A VISITING BOOK FOR VISITORS TO LEAVE MESSAGES AND STORIES IF THE PATIENT WAS NOT AWAKE WHEN THEY VISITED. THAT WAY THE PATIENT CAN STILL RECEIVE SOME COMFORT EVEN IF THEY WERE NOT AWAKE WHEN THE PERSON CAME TO VISIT.
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The book above reminds me of another great idea I heard once. It is simple proposal to eventally ensure everybody in the world stops smoking.
You simply increase the age at which people can smoke.
By one year.
Every year.
In 90 years time. No more smokers!