LA Times:
They might never get as big as chocolate-chip cookies, which supposedly were invented during the Great Depression, but most of these inventions came about because the people behind them were laid off during this economic downturn.
– The iTie. Joe Sale of Tampa, Fla., invented it after he was laid off from his sales job. It holds iPods, credit cards and bills in a pocket in the back of the tie. It can also be attached to your shirt so it doesn’t whip around in the wind.
– Squishy Toes the Biodegradable Shower Mat. Rebecca Berrigan of Newark, Calif., invented this biodegradable shower mat after she was laid off from KB Home.
– LidPunch. Don McCammon of Orlando, Fla., was laid off from his job as a mental health counselor. He took $100,000 out of his 401(k) and licensed his LidPunch invention, which helps open jars, to Viatek Consumer Products.
Photo by Viatek.