One of the most challenging aspects of running any business boils down to the opening line from that famous song: “How much is that doggy in the window?” Nothing can cause as many sleepless nights for a small business as trying to figure out exactly how much to charge for their [...]

Business has its ups and downs, but one thing they all have in common is the need to find new ideas for old problems. There’s a quote attributed to Einstein that lays this out well: “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking that created them.” The same thought processes, [...]

Here’s a problem I never thought would exist… At a site near Bordeaux, France – known for fine wines the world over – a small startup is running tests on a tent packed with tomato plants. The goal is to find a way to keep this tiny crop (and eventually crops [...]

Remember the famous film, “Home Alone,” where kid actor Macaulay Culkin was left stranded at home for the holidays while his family took off on an overseas vacation? Even though left on his own, the kid did pretty well fighting off would-be robbers in this film and its subsequent sequels. Being [...]

What’s the #1 favorite song of summer for all time? HINT: It’s a golden oldie you probably won’t think of… Done guessing? Well then, here you go… “The Ice Cream Truck Song!” I bet you didn’t see that coming. But it’s so true, ask any kid anywhere in America, and they’ll [...]

Mornings. Humbug. Unless you’re one of those lucky few who can hit the ground running as soon as your eyes snap open, the worst moment of every day begins with the shrieking of your alarm clock. And when it comes to HOW you get alerted to the fact that it’s time [...]

Dog… Cat… Which do you prefer? And the more interesting question: Why? Apparently, Popular Science magazine couldn’t get this question out of their heads, so they dug into the research and discovered that YES, there are some clear distinctions between cat people and dog people. The distinctions fall into a group [...]

In a country where it sometimes seems nobody agrees about anything, going to the dentist is something just about everyone agrees on. Nobody likes going to the dentist.  Sure, every six months or so, we dutifully hop in the car and make our way there. But it’s not something anyone looks [...]

One of the classic toys of yesteryear was “Creepy Crawlers.” Highly regarded by kids far and wide, it enabled you to customize and create rubbery toy bugs, causing only a few superficial burns in the process. What made this so much fun was that you could give mom or little sister [...]

STUFF happens. But it’s not always bad. In fact, many of the amazing things in our lives that make them safer, more productive, and simply more fun happened by accident. For example: In 1943, James Wright, an engineer for General Electric spent hours working to find a cheap alternative to rubber [...]