Algorithm to Design "Green" Font - Uses Less Ink While Remaining Readable

Originally from my twitter post: http://twitter.com/newdaynewidea


The Idea:
Create an algorithm that produces ECOnomical fonts: Fonts that are both easy to read and require little ink. According to estimates, ink accounts for 60% of the cost of a printed page. If we decreased our ink consumption we could save money and help the planet.

Background:

• Printer ink can cost $10,000 per gallon. 
• Century Gothic is apparently the most economical font, although it was never produced to be such.
• The University of Wisconsin - Green Bay (UWGB) recently made the switch to Century Gothic as the universal campus font. According to gizmag.com, UWGB has rolled the change last semester (Spring 2010), saying it uses 30 percent less ink than its default font Arial when printed.

Implementation:

• Computers are exceptional at finding 'best-fit' solutions, oftentimes using evolutionary algorithms to pin solutions against one another in a survival-of-the-fittest battle. 
• Additionally, they can institute variation (mutations) in order to produce even better solutions from which to choose.
• It would require little effort for one to characterize the attributes of the desired font. Some examples are: Each letter does not look too different from its original shape, each new font letter must not be too similar to any other new font letters, must use less ink than currently available fonts, etc.
• Additionally, the algorithm will weight each letter's ink importance by the frequency in which each letter appears. This would mean different fonts for different languages.

Date In A Box: The Single Guy's Savior

From my twitter account: NewDayNewIdea.

Idea: Offer pre-package, pre-portioned ingredients for a homemade meal. Package with a DVD that shows you how to make a meal. Co-market with cooking shows. Allows you to brand daily food consumption while also promoting cooking shows. Everyone either has a tv in their kitchen or a phone to watch videos. Watch corresponding cooking show at home while making your meal. Cooking shows have become very popular amongst the mid-to-late 20's crowd who have money to spend, an interest in cooking, and are looking for a fun activity. Single men do not have the pantry necessary to make a GOOD home-cooked meal. There is always one or two ingredients that are too obscure to actually keep around. These packages will have ALL of the necessary ingredients.

Implementation: Go to the supermarket, find the box for the meal you want to make, locate the matching box in the refrigeration section, bring home and be the man. Cook with your girl while watching the lesson on tv or your phone. Eat well and play better.