Here is the breakdown of project types:
2) Inventions that are socially beneficial
4) Massive planet engineering schemes
8) Recreational/exercise devices (some projects are both 2 and 8)
9) Education and public service
13) Farming
The numbers I left out are projects that are not really innovative concepts or inventions, such as Sarah Tonin and the Mood Swings, which is simply a concept for a band.
Project of the day: Portable Homeless Shelter/ entertainment/retail guild.
Problem area: Homeless people not having a place to call their own, begging at stoplights with no skill to barter. While the urban campground idea previously posted overlaps this somewhat, this would be a more social, interactive and portable solution. So the homeless people would be given this sort of a covered rickshaw (where they could sleep, but with a microbathroom incl.)and they could sell things from it (at the stoplight, off ramp, venue of choice) . Each contractor (Homeless individual) would have to write a brief biography which, along with a tasteful line drawing, would become a homeless trading card (collect all 600!). These they could sell for 50 cents ea. They would also be allowed an assortment of chimichangas, Edith-goes-south oatmeal molasses cookies, the daily paper, zines on approval. There would be a platform on which, for a dollar, they could perform folk songs, interpretive dance or other tasteful exhibits. This project would be a pyramid scheme of sorts, with successful participants being given the chance to "advance" into the construction, distribution, grantwriting or administrative areas of the project (you can only guess!).
Project of 5 wks ago(I forgot to post this one): Secret Nude Frisbee Golfathon Anti-war Fundraiser.
This is pretty much self-explanatory except that it would be widely publicized, the "secret" part being entirely facetious. And it would be promoted by a totally self-serving publicity stunt lawsuit based on the (predicted) unwillingness of the authorities to grant a parade permit for the event. Anyway, I already have the frisbee golf goals, which were barely used at the first peace festival, so it seemed like an obvious followup. Without some headliner like this, a peace festival is basically a pathetic, useless, self-congratulatory smugfest. Mea maxima bonehead culpa, etc.
