It is common knowledge that three names have dominated the BIG IDEA scene for months past. Bill Gates for Microsoft, Steve Jobs for Apple, and Mark Zuckerberg for FaceBook. Each, in there own way, have demonstrated that there really is an area of the human brain that can produce an 'idea' that is unique, useful, and incredibly successful. So, the question today is: how do those brain cells collaborate to become real, not just an idea? - and, why do other brains, likely to have similar brain cells, fail to distinguish an idea worthy of a real product? 

Assuming you are still with us, ViewPoint shall reveal personal experiences that prove the theory that there really is an area of the brain that can and does function as the creative force necessary to 'give birth' to ideas. We begin as a 16 year old teenager whose curiosity may have been the activator for the brain cells!

Telephones were part of every home. But this young man wondered why any incoming calls were greeted by busy signals and thereby the intended recipient and the phone company both lost out! A bit of research produced the name of an executive at Bell Telephone labs in New Jersey. In short order a letter was sent to that person and with great detail as to why the writer was dismayed by the lack of any ability to intercept an incoming call. 

In a week the response came from the head of engineering at Bell. Yes, the reply stated. The observation was correct - but telephone wiring did not allow for additional voice transmission - only a busy signal! The writer was complementary but regretted the inability to do anything unless or until wiring was installed. 

It took about five years before the inevitable occured - as WWII was under way - and as a part of the overhaul of communications nationally, "Call Waiting" was installed. No mention was made of the letter from a bygone era! Was it the 'trigger'? - or simply a coincidence?

Of course, it was time for another letter - this time to the publisher of the Times - outlining the benefits of a move with emphasis on giving the readers extra time to check all the ads and go shopping before the weekend ended! And, you know what? - it was answered promptly by Sulzberger who devoted two pages to explaining why the Sunday Times was not only a tradition, but switching to Saturday would entail more problems than necessary. He was gracious in his rebuttal - but totally opposed to a move. One year later, The Sunday Times became the Saturday Times! It has remained that ever since!

These two separate examples of brain waves at work simply illustrate how one can produce and develop an idea - and fail to 'cash' in  because there was no real product to be manufactured or marketed. Even the absence of any credit came as no surprise. They may have received hundreds of letters from users and readers!

However, lest we indicate that those days of BIG IDEAS are over and gone, please note two pending now. 

One, is the much discussed on ViewPoint over several years, the need to bury all power lines serving the public - city by city, coast to coast. It would be the best way to end the damage and despair wraught by storms, floods, accidents, fires - all costly and time consuming for the consumers and factories, stores, and all resources using and requiring electricity. The President has been approached and acknowledged the letter. He even mentioned the need in a national speech recently. Like the network of coast to coast roads built decades ago under President Eisenhower, money was raised and the project was completed in about ten years. The same could apply to the need to 'bury the power lines'.

Finally, an  idea whose time is clearly a positive factor intended to reduce auto/truck accidents nationally and locally. Equip every vehicle intended for road travel, with rear lights similar to current red lights, with a set of three - RED, YELLOW, and GREEN. When the vehicle is in motion a GREEN light is on. When the gas pedal is rested, the YELLOW lights up. RED remains a braking 

 It would take many years of new production plus some installations on vehicles in use, to make the scene meaningful. Then imagine the positive reactions when travelers see a series of green lights ahead start turning to yellow, then interspersed with red, a DANGER AHEAD warning that does not exist today.

Yes - a letter was sent to the Federal agency responsible for Auto safety - and there was simply a response stating 'letter received'. No action indicated.

And so it goes, folks. Thank you for reading all the way. Remember. Those brain cells are there - but lie dormant for most humans. If they stir into action. Go for the use factor. That is what the BIG THREE did - and you know the rest!

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Richard Carlton

February 16, 2012

Issue No.4