Future Poltergeist

This is my 30th post in 30 days and I've fulfilled the task.  True, some of the posts have been bare but I got many of the 'ideas' posts out.  I've still got some more so I'll post them in the next week or two. Did this restart my blog?  I doubt it.  It's hard to blog day in and day out without any audience.  And to be honest, almost all of that audience has fled to Facebook or elsewhere.  That's just how it is.

[Sorry, I got nothing.]

I fell asleep on the couch last night while watching a movie.  The cats woke me at 6a so I fed them and turned the thermostat.  I returned to the couch, half listened for the furnace to kick on and fell back asleep.  Around 7a the FP Gal came down and asked if I wanted to head up to the bed.  I did.  About 45 min later she woke me and told me that the furnace wasn't working. It got cold.  The lowest the thermostat read was 52 degrees.  I came down stairs and all three kids were bundled up on the couch, under about fifteen blankets.  The FP Gal called some repair people and made an appointment for the afternoon.  We watched some TV and then I took them to the Y.  After we were done there, the FP Gal told me to take the kids out for lunch. We got home at the same time as the repair guy.  He only needed about twenty minutes or so and he had it fixed.  We need to do a larger repair down the road, but this one wasn't too bad....

We went down to Austin today for Thanksgiving.  (When we told LL this morning he said, 'Austin? I like Austin!'.)  So we loaded up the car for the trip.  Apparently today was the coldest Thanksgiving in decades.  The windchill was below zero.  It made the trip seem much more like Christmas than Thanksgiving.  Hopefully the climate control will be adjusted soon as it's much too cold. We made it down there without any problem.  We could see plenty of tire tracks in the median.  I'm guessing that yesterday was an eventful day for the tow-trucks.  Once we were down to Austin we went immediately to Pop Pop's church.  We missed it on the last trip and DF was very angry with me.  We made up for it here.  The boys love the nursery room there so they played for a bit.  We had some small snacks. Then we headed to David and Donna's for another quick visit and then out to the 3B Eatery for the real meal.  Oh, Amy is such a goo...

It's late in the month and I don't want to break my streak but I don't have the energy to write up another idea.  So please, enjoy this picture from Bavaria.

For the start of the ideas series, go here . We used to have a mini-SUV but when we got pregnant with our third, we had to upgrade to a mini-van.  The van is fine, though it is often too big for simple parking or for mileage concerns.  But we had to go bigger, our car seats mandated it. Those with small children know what I'm talking about so let me explain it for everyone else.  When kids are very young (less than a year old) you can put them in a seat much like a basket.  You strap them in and then carry the basket out to the car.  This basket locks into a plastic base which is strapped in tightly.   The next step up is the more traditional car seat.  It's a full seat that is strapped in place.  It has a full back that extends up to the head and arm rests.  After a certain age (or weight gain) they go to a booster which is a much smaller piece that rests on the car seat and raises them to a height where the regular seat belt ca...

For the start of the ideas series, go here . Sometimes I fantasize about winning the lottery.  If this ever happens, I have some ideas of what to do with the money (including a great one about a giant map that I'm NOT going to share).  This idea would be kind of my way of giving something back to the world at large.  Since I'm unlikely (odds at least 4-1 against) to win the lottery, any wealthy person or group of people can feel free to rip off this idea. This is an idea about a high school for writers all over the country.  The student body would literally be selected from all 50 states and various territories and districts.  Each year of students would be around 220.  This would mean four from each state, two boys and two girls.  One of the intentions of this would be to create something of a support group for each incoming student.  The other twenty students would represent DC and other 'at large' students.  It would be a four year sch...

For the start of the ideas series, go here .  (I'll admit up front that I'm coming at this one from a place of ignorance.  I tried searching to see if this was being done and I couldn't find anything.  If I'm wrong, please let me know in the comments.) Sometimes there are special children who don't fit well in our school system.  I'm talking about the geniuses that skip through school and wind up in college as young teens.  In fiction, this is well represented by Sheldon Cooper but they exist in real life as well. It's my understanding that we don't really have a good set up for these prodigies.  I'm thinking of people like Ted Kaczynski and James Dallas Egbert III here.  Each of them started college very early and their lives became very messed up.  One of the obvious issues here is that college is set up for people aged 18-22.  That's a tough place for a 14 year old, especially if they have some socialization issues (again, think of Sh...

And now my birthday!  Another good year!

A big happy 40th birthday to my dear wife, the FP Gal.  I hope that this next year is simply wonderful!

For the start of the ideas series, go here . This idea was inspired by this story , about a company that uses a 3D printer to make cars.  If I understand it correctly (and I might not), they make a basic framework of machinery and then a shell is created to be on top of it.  And if I don't have that right, well, that's the way I'd do it. The idea is to make about half a dozen different basic car 'frames'.  These would differ a bit in size, with some being longer than others or perhaps a bit wider.  This would allow for smaller cars and recreations of some of the longer cars of the past.  Yep, the past.  Because the inspiration for the shell on top would be the classic cars of yesteryear. Just take a look at these cars from the 30's .  Gorgeous.  Simply gorgeous.  Some of them would have to be updated for safety reasons, no doubt, but the clean outside lines could be kept.  A recreation based on one of these would turn heads and brin...

While driving in the car with the boys... DF: Dad, do bugs poop? Me: Yes. DF: Where? Me: Oh, wherever they happen to be. LL: In their diapers? Me: No. Bugs don't wear diapers. LL: No diapers? Me: No. No one puts diapers on bugs. LL: (outraged) They . . . just have BOTTOMS?

For the beginning of the ideas series, go here . This idea is something of a take on 'American Idol', a show that I've never watched.  It's also inspired by various other shows that a) have people compete on creative output and b) kick one person out each week.  This would include shows that have focused on interior design, clothes making and dog grooming.  Much of the gamut of creative possibilities have been covered but AFAIK there is one big gaping gap. We need a show where commercials compete against each other.  This could go in one of two directions, or possibly both.  In one direction, you'd have aspiring folks that would make commercials for a product.  A panel of judges would talk about what they like and what they don't.  Then the audience would call in and vote for a winner (or a loser, depending on how you look at it).  Each week, one person (or team?) would be ousted.  Eventually a winner is crowned and given a gold ticket of ...

Winter has arrived and I'm having trouble adjusting. 

For the start of the ideas series, go here . Remember back when AFI did their 100 years series ?  They polled their membership, which included a broad sampling of movie people in Hollywood, and created a list of the 100 best movies in American cinema history.  The list generated a lot of interest and many people worked their way through it to see all of the movies.  It was a great idea, but it was only a first step. Someone should make a Movie Hall of Fame.  It would work in a similar way to the various sports HOFs.  Each year, selectors would vote on worthy movies and put them in the hall.  A building would be made and each movie would get its own exhibit.  This could mean a small collection of memorabilia and a poster and plaque.  People would come from all over to see the Hall itself, but the true value would be in the annual selection. Who picks the movies?  How many movies per year?  Would they be in different categories (drama,...

I've spent the past day playing this for the kids. They described it as 'powerful' and 'should be played at a funeral'.  I love that last idea and I'm going to add it to my funeral wish list.  Just picture the scene.  It's moving music, sure.  Unsettling, yes.  And at any moment you expect something dramatic to happen like the appearance of the putative corpse.  But set that aside.  Good lord, this is powerful music.

For the start of the ideas series, go here . This next idea is one that a movie studio would have to do.  The basic idea is simple.  The studio would build a mansion in which it would shoot a number of mystery movies.  Movies about a mystery in a remote mansion used to be fairly popular but they've fallen off in the horror craze.  These are stories of a group of people, often strangers, who end up at house on a stormy night.  A murder happens and they struggle to figure out who among them, has done it. The studio would build its own mansion.  This would allow them to make interesting rooms and territory.  It would let them add in unusual spaces to allow for extra lighting and cameras.  It would also give them control over the mansion when it wasn't being used.  I'll return to that. Our hypothetical studio would commit to making (and releasing) one movie from this mansion per year.  They would invite top directors to make these movies...

For the start of the ideas series, go here . It's hard to overstate how much better TVs and TV shows look now than they did before the HD flatscreens.  The first time I really noticed this was when I watched the 'Planet Earth' series from the BBC a few years back.  The shots are gorgeous.  You could turn off the audio and still enjoy what you're watching.  As far as I can tell, no one has really taken advantage of this. This idea is somewhat inspired by various music channels carried by cable companies.  The channels are divided by genre and they largely serve as radio stations.  You turn one on and go about the rest of your business.  In other words, it uses the TV in a different way than the general intent.  This idea would act in a similar way. The idea is that you'd have a set of channels that would be nothing but nature scenery.  One channel might be an endless series of beach shots.  Another would be different views in a forest...

For the start of the ideas series, go here . This next idea is a fairly new one so there are probably angles I haven't thought of yet.  Like many people, our family has 'cut the cord' so to speak and gone without cable.  We still get half a dozen broadcast channels but our main source of TV is through our Apple TV.  That means we get some sports and a whole bunch of Netflix.  Lately, most of the major broadcasters have added access to parts of their shows through 'widgets' (not their technical name, I'm sure).  This is nice, but very limited. As I said, we watch a bunch of Netflix.  What do we watch?  TV shows.  Full series, sometimes in binge mode.  From what I've read, this isn't an uncommon occurrence.  So what's the idea? A Syndication Channel The idea is simple.  This would be a Netflix style portal through which you could watch old TV shows.  The channel would cast its net far and wide for content.  This would...

For the start of the ideas series, go here . Now that I'm done with the ideas for Austin, I'm going to move on to ideas for profit.  These are things that I think would work well but I don't have the capital or expertise to make them happen.  This idea is an old one for me.  In fact, it's the idea that got me into the travel industry.  History Tours for Schools The basic idea is simple.  This would be a company that works in connection with a college or university.  There would be a course, say French History.  At the end of the teaching, the class would then go on a guided history tour in France.  The tour would connect with things that were taught, reinforcing the lessons with actual experience of the locations. The company would provide the guides and accommodations.  A guide would meet the class at the airport, fly with them and help them through customs.  They would help them to the sites and lodging.  They would help th...

(View from our backyard.)  The forecast says that we're going to get 6-12 inches of snow tonight and tomorrow.  I'm not sure when our first snowfall was last year, but it was too early.  In fact, the past two winters have been fairly brutal.  Here is to hoping that we have a mild one this year!

For the start of the ideas series, go here .  Links to parts one , two , three and four . 1. A Moveable Maze This is my favorite idea.  As far as I can tell, no one else is doing this.  It's a maze, of course, but let me describe its features. Picture a grid of poles.  Each pole has rings placed near the top.  The rings allow wooden slats to be hung between the poles, creating temporary walls.  The walls, of course, are designed into a maze.  The design allows the maze to be recreated into new configurations at regular intervals.  There would be a new maze to explore every year.  Perhaps a few times a year, simply depending on how often you wanted it changed. The maze could be placed in one of the areas cleared for the flood plain.  If the grid was 16x16 and the poles were placed ten feet apart, then you would only need an area 150 feet on a square.  That's the distance from the goal line to the 50 yard line, if that helps y...

For the intro to the 'ideas' posts, go here .  For the rest of the Austin series links for one , two and three . 3. Movies at the Bandshell I'm honestly not sure how much the bandshell in Austin used, but I'm positive it could get more use.  One simple use would be to show some older movies there.  In the summer, on Friday or Saturday nights, they could project them on a screen under the shell and encourage people to bring chairs and blankets to put on the grass.  They could even do a double feature and pitch the later film more towards teens and twenties to give them something to do. 2. Carols at the Bandshell Does anyone else miss Christmas caroling?  What if Austin set up a mass gathering to carol at the bandshell each winter?  They could plan something for the week before Christmas each year.  A projection screen could be used to help people with the words.  Perhaps, the school choirs in Austin could work on songs of their own and the...

For the start of the ideas series, go here .  For parts one and two for Austin MN, go here and here . 5. An Open Plaza I see in the Austin 2020 project , a push to make downtown Austin something of a destination.  "Establish downtown Austin as a premier small city center, with development of a park/plaza gathering area to host outdoor events throughout the year."  I think this is an excellent idea.  Allow me to offer some specific recommendations.  A plaza would be excellent, but make it open.  A plaza suggests a wide stone or brick area.  The corners will have shaded areas, with benches.  Perhaps a statue or sculpture at some place.  All fine.  But leave the middle open.  Don't put a fountain or more benches there.  If you want to have outdoor events, then keep in mind how something in the middle breaks up the event.  A concert only has half the space, as does any public gathering where people are trying to see ...