Author Archives: Paul Reali

Novel Idea of the Week: the “Eggschange”

Here is how I (and most people I have observed) buy a carton of eggs: Select a carton. Open the carton and check every egg in it. If a broken egg is found, open another carton, and exchange the bad egg for a good one. When finished, put the intact dozen in your cart. Leave [...]

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A Tale of Two Adhesives

In the annals of creativity, we hear frequently of the creation of the Post-It Note, used as an example of how creativity happens. A similar example is the creation of Super Glue. (The man known as the inventor of Super Glue, Harry Coover, died this week.) Here’s one thing these stories have in common: they are both [...]

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Novel Idea of the Week: How to Stop People from Texting & Driving

Every now and then, without trying, at least once a week, my brain arrives at an idea. I’m going to try and share it here. Note that I’m not calling this a “creative” idea. That’s because it’s just novel at this point. I haven’t done the hard work of seeing if it works, of improving [...]

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A Creative Way to Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions

There are many ways to help one keep a new year’s resolution (e.g., no resolutions that contain the words “every day” or “never again”), but here’s one I’ve not heard elsewhere. It’s novel, then, and also useful, which makes it de facto creative. Ready? Here’s an excellent way to help you keep your new year’s resolution. Start [...]

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Creative Problem Solving and Other Trends for 2011

If the rise in social media has you distressed or confused or feeling left out, perhaps this will help: a vision of where we’re going with it. From Psychology Today, one of the web’s best sites, comes a list of “techno-cultural” trends for 2011. Pamela Rutledge, director of UCLA’s Media Psychology Research Center, provides 15 [...]

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Incrementalism

“Incrementalism is the enemy of creativity.” – Nicholas Negroponte, on NPR’s Science Friday, October 15, 2010

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The Future of Ambiguity

In a compelling set of short videos, Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Helen Haste discusses how new technological tools are reshaping education – or should. According to the page linked below, Haste “offers some provocative views of the implications for education that stem from new means for accessing information, communicating with others, and participating in [...]

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The Age of Collaboration

An enduring myth of creativity is that of the lone genius, toiling away in a garage or laboratory or workshop, unknown and misunderstood (and possibly crazy – but that’s a myth for another day). In fact, most creative achievements come about through collaboration: people working together. Thomas Edison didn’t do it alone, and neither does [...]

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Bananagrams: Creativity is More Than an Idea

It is likely you have never heard the name Abraham Nathanson, who died this week at age 80. But you may know his creation: Bananagrams. It’s that game that comes in a banana-shaped pouch, found hanging in bunches in book and toy stores. It’s a simple game, essentially Scrabble without the board and without the [...]

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Two Creativity Conferences

There are two creativity-related conferences on the near horizon, with registration or early bird deadlines approaching. I’ll be attending and presenting at each, and would be happy to answer questions you have about them. The descriptions below are from the conference organizers. Expert-2-Expert May 17-19, 2010, Buffalo, NY International Center for Studies in Creativity, Buffalo [...]

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