Desperate for cash, the state of California is looking for ways to generate new revenue. One option that is being explored is to monetize license plates by adding digital advertising to them. Is this a smart, forward-thinking move or is it a far-fetched attempt to get funds?

Advertising is certainly a way that a lot of individuals and businesses generate income these days. Heck, Google‘s made a big business off of the money-making properties of advertising. Mobile advertising is one of the hottest new emerging ways to make money. So it’s not too far off to think about the potential for generating revenue through digital ads elsewhere in the world.

But on license plates? Not surprisingly, the idea comes from Los Angeles (having been proposed by Sen. Curren Price), a city where people spend a whole lot of time sitting in traffic. The thinking surely has to be that instead of that time being totally wasted, you can use it to advertise what you want others to buy. It is possible that this would help to generate significant, much-needed income for the state. The new technology used to digitize license plates could also end up saving money for the state in the long-run if it streamlines the process of car registration.

Anticipating the arguments, it has already been established that the advertising would only happen while the car was not in motion. While the car was actually driving, only the license plate number would show. However, there are surely other kinks that would have to be worked out with this technology. After all, if you’re digitizing license plates then you may be opening up a whole new can of hacking worms that we aren’t prepared to deal with.

Still, it’s an interesting idea, isn’t it? Nevertheless, the proposal itself won’t be finalized until early 2011 so it will be a long time before this actually gets realized.

Tags: california advertising, digital advertising, digital license plates, license plate advertising

Non-compliance. It can refer to a lot of things but we most often hear it when we’re talking about taking your medications. People who choose not to take their prescribed medications as their doctors have ordered are guilty of non-compliance. Some say that’s their problem since they’re the ones who get sick from not taking their meds. Others, however, see it as a bigger social problem because these people who opt not to keep themselves well can end up costing the government a lot more in health care treatment down the line.

A lot of different things are being done to try to limit patient non-compliance. Enhanced education to alert patients about the importance of taking their medications correctly is one common approach. Sending text message alerts to patients when it’s time to take their meds is an increasingly common option. And now we’re starting to see patients get paid for taking their meds when they are supposed to.

One controversial new program uses a computerized pill dispenser system to enter people into a lottery system when they take their medication. Names are randomly drawn and money is awarded to the winner. This serves as an incentive for people to remember their meds. Of course, there is always the chance that these non-compliant folks aren’t ingesting the meds because they don’t believe they need them but the general idea is that forgetful patients will be more likely to remember their meds if there is monetary incentive to do so.

The controversy comes from the idea that you shouldn’t have to pay people to take their medication. Adults should take their meds because it’s what’s good for them. However, the programs seem to be successful in increasing medication compliance which could end up saving money for the government down the road. So is it a smart idea?

Prevention of disease is always smart. It’s a lot better to prevent it at a low cost than to have to pay a lot of money to treat it whether you’re the patient or the government’s health care program. There are probably better options for encouraging long-term medication compliance than paying people but there’s no doubt that money gets people to do things faster than most other things will. So maybe it’s not a great solution but it might be a smart one after all.

Via Neatorama

Tags: health, medication compliance, patients won't take meds, pay patients to take meds

I’ve recently started checking out the details that are available on Jetsetter, the travel section of the Gilt Groupe website. Gilt Groupe is a deals site similar to Groupon except that the deals are immediately available (rather than requiring a minimum number of purchases before going live) and the deals are for high-end luxury items.

For example, the deal that’s happening right now is a deal that gives you a low cost on rooms at La Valencia in La Jolla (just outside of San Diego). La Valencia looks like a stunning resort with ocean views, lush landscaping and a history of association with Old Hollywood stars like Greta Garbo. You’re the one that will feel like a star with plush accommodations like these though. The deal allows you to book a room starting at $205 / night which is low for the San Diego area especially for a nice hotel like this one.

Amenities at this hotel include:

• Amazing rooms, many of which have ocean views.
• Whirlpool tubs in some rooms.
• Plush linens that you can sink into for comfort.
• Pool and jacuzzi on site.
• Fitness center.
• Aromatherapy toiletries.
• Concierge services.
• On-site massage therapy services.
• 3 terrific restaurants on-site.
• Walking distance to the beach.

I’ve never actually stayed in La Jolla but I’ve spent time there when staying in San Diego and definitely think it’s a great place for a vacation. The last time that I was in San Diego I went kayaking on the ocean at La Jolla, a popular activity here along with surfing and other water activities. La Jolla also offers shopping, golfing and other resort-style activities.

This is just an example of the types of deals that are offered on JetSetter. They’re offered for a few days at a time (this one can be purchased for another three days or so). They are available in exotic locations as well as easy-to-reach American cities. For people who want to enjoy luxury travel, this seems like it could be a smart buy. What do you think of Jetsetter so far?

Tags: gilt groupe, jetsetter, la jolla, luxury hotel deals

I’m adoring this new high-tech vending machine technology that’s been launched by a company called Unilever. It uses advanced facial recognition technology to offer free ice cream to happy people (or at least people who are willing to fake a big smile in order to get their ice cream). It’s quirky and unusual and different and I love the idea.

The vending machine is designed to recognize smiles on the faces of people in front of them. It also recognizes age and gender but all that the consumer really cares about is that the machine can see how happy they are at the prospect of getting free ice cream. If your smile is big enough, the machine gives you the ice cream that you’re seeking.

What’s so smart about this? It caters to several different things that are appealing to consumers including advanced new technology, free stuff and happiness. Studies have shown that smiling even when you aren’t happy can increase happiness. One would assume that getting free ice cream also increases happiness. A company that can so easily increase consumer happiness is clearly doing a great job of selling itself.

Unilever’s marketing slogan for this product is “Share Happy”. It taps into the power of social media advertising by allowing you to share your winning smile via the company’s Facebook page. Although social media marketing is relatively new, it’s already becoming a must for businesses so companies like this one that do something creative to start setting their Facebook advertising apart from others immediately are definitely on the cusp of innovation.

The video here in the post shows the Share Happy ice cream machine in action. However, the commercial for the machine is actually way cooler and can be seen here.

via Springwise

Tags: high tech vending machine, unilever ice cream machine

I recently received a terrific little pannier from The Bicycle Muse in exchange for a review here on the site. That’s my disclosure but of course there was no promise along with it that I’d give the bag a favorable review. The Bicycle Muse has nothing to worry about, though; their products are wonderful and this one is no exception.

Some of the things I adore about this bag:

• The bicycle clips are easily accessible but also hidden. My favorite thing about this bag is that the clips that are used to hold the pannier to a bicycle are zipped into a pocket on the side of the bag. They’re super-easy to access when you need them but they can be hidden away so as not to snag on anything when the bag is off the bike. Genius design.
• Super cute design. As you can see from the photo above, the design on this bag is super cute. It’s got a great flirty retro feel. I chose a red bag but they come in blue and black. If you fancy getting one from The Bicycle Muse’s sister store, Cyclechic, then gold and green are also options. It’s made from a shiny waterproof material that is easy to clean which is a nice bonus. It’s got a firm design so it sits well on a bike, protecting what’s inside. Pocket space keeps smaller items from getting lost in the big bag.
• Perfect size. This pannier is perfectly sized to hold a lot inside of it without being too bag to easily carry around. Right for taking writing / reading materials to the coffee shop or stopping at the farmers market. Notably, this a single-pannier design rather than a double-pannier; I think a single is sufficient; don’t you?
• True to the trends in female cycling. Girls who like feminine touches are increasingly common in the commuter bike world. A few great accessories designers are starting to recognize this fact. This pannier is a great example of that.
• It comes from two great stores. This product is sold through The Bicycle Muse but it comes from Kitsch Kitchen, a product manufacturer from the Netherlands. This company, too, is worth mentioning. From the pictures on their site, the store looks like terrific fun to shop in. And I have to admit that I’m currently coveting their umbrellas along with this pannier.
• It appears to be durable. Of course, I won’t know for sure until I’ve had it for awhile. And I suppose it’s not as durable as a good old-fashioned metal basket (which isn’t nearly as stylish!) but upon first inspection it does seem to be durable which is an earth-friendly, cost-effective thing to know.

Tags: cute bicycle accessories, kitsch kitchen, pannier

Today’s quiet artsy post is just a combination of a few of my favorite .gif animation files of butterflies from around the web:

Tags: .gif animation, art, butterflies, pretty pictures

Rape-aXe is a product that is designed to help prevent women from being raped. It is also designed to assist in catching rapists. But is it the right product for most women? There’s some controversy about it but it probably has a place in the world.

Some information about Rape-aXe:

• It’s a female condom. It is inserted much in the same way that a tampon is inserted. Inside of it, however, is a barbed-wire style device that will latch on to a male who tries to penetrate the woman wearing it.
• The barbed wire device is designed so that it can only be removed by the help of a doctor. This means that men who have attempted to rape a woman are more likely to be caught since they’ll have to seek medical assistance.
• The device helps to prevent STDs and HIV contracted from rape.
• The initial shock of the situation could give women a chance to get away from their attackers. This may buy them the time they need to escape even if the attacker isn’t caught.

Tags: anti-rape condom, female condom, smart sex

Just a quick share here to say that I only recently discovered the blog Book Lovers Never Go To Bed Alone and I’m adoring it. It’s just a photo blog where each picture is worth a thousand words. The photos are of books on display whether they’re stacked in a doorway or covering the walls of an entire room.

Any reader knows that you can’t see a stack of books like these without wanting to know which books they are. The photos make you curious. They make you long to read. They make you dream of luxurious days curled up with more than one book in hand.

Or am I the only smart chick who feels that way looking at this blog?!

Tags: book lovers never go to bed alone, books as design, smart chick

We've come a long way from mood rings!

I read an interesting article earlier this month about so-called Smart Clothing. This is clothing that would be able to determine what your mood is and then improve your mood by responding to you. It’s still in prototype form and is debuting in museums while it’s being worked on but the basic idea is this:

• Moods are programmed into your clothing based on responses to what’s happening in your body. For example, an increased heart rate may be one sign that you are getting anxious.
• The clothing is pre-programmed to respond to these moods. Responses may include a text message, image or video that displays on a sleeve or an audio recording of the voice of a loved one.
• Your clothing is set to read your mood throughout the day and to respond with the pre-programmed responses. For example, if your clothing believes that you are feeling anxious, it may provide an audio tone that you’ve recorded of a calming affirmation.

Smart clothing original article

Tags: depression cure, interactive clothing

The FDA has warned that the consumption of a coffee-based sexual enhancement aid that contains an ingredient called hydroxythiohomosildenafil is not something that a smart person would choose to take. Hopefully that sounds obvious and you don’t need additional information but just in case:

• The product, called Magic Power Coffee, contains an ingredient called hydroxythiohomosildenafil that is very similar to the main active ingredient in Viagra.
• The problem with hydroxythiohomosildenafil is that it interacts with many other medications. The main risk that it poses is that it can rapidly decrease your blood pressure levels to levels that are dangerously low.
• The risks of low blood pressure are many and range from the fairly innocuous problem of feeling lightheaded to more serious issues like temporary organ failure.
• The biggest problem is that this product is an over-the-counter product that is labeled as an all natural dietary supplement. This causes people to think that it is safe when it may not be. This is a big problem with many over the counter medications supplements that are not fully regulated by the FDA.
• Another clue that Magic Power Coffee may be a questionable product is that it is sold in large part by average people who are looking for a money-making sales opportunity. You can go on their website and get your own it to start selling this product. That’s not necessarily always bad but it’s definitely iffy.
• In fairness, the FDA does not have any record of this product causing any serious health problems for anyone to date. However, they do recommend against taking this product due to the fact that it contains ingredients that are known to be unsafe.
• And I do have to confess that the company’s marketing of the product as the world’s first passion coffee is intriguing even if the product itself turns me off. I don’t buy that you can improve your love life and your finances with this magic coffee but the advertising idea is certainly intriguing.

Tags: creative marketing, fda, health, natural supplements, weird products