A book has recently been released called, Why Didn’t I Think of That? :101 Inventions that Changed the World by Hardly Trying, it’s a modern encyclopedia of all those great/crazy (and now necessary) inventions you just wish you’d thought of – effortless geek if you will. It isn’t until you start reading the book that you realise how many great inventions people with no particular credentials have made. One scenario that springs to mind is that crazy guy who traded a red paperclip for a house. The book doesn’t mention that pioneering genius – but it does reference; Post-Its, the Heimlich Maneuver, the Pet Rock, the Smiley Face Icon, Sliced Bread, “Happy Birthday to You” and other money-making creations. Read it and weep, or perhaps be inspired to make something that forces everybody else to ask that golden question.
