I started Sweet Ideas last fall for any story ideas that would come to me while working on something else.
Here is what’s actually written in the folder followed by a brief description of what I planned to do about it.
McDonald’s Scholarships
Always suspicious of how much the fast food joints are really giving back to the community (students, polar bears etc.) I decided I should find out which fast food restaurant hands out the best scholarships to its employees and how much they’re worth. After looking at the McDonalds website, talking to a Tim Hortons employee and writing to A&W I found the answer to be “who cares” and “not much.”
I had real hope for this piece. I though it would spark a revolution in the industry where grease chains were in a race to the bottom fueled by outrageous scholarships to attract employees. That was dumb.
Downtown Parking Garages
This started not long after I arrived in Halifax. I was up at the top of this Halifax parking garage with a nice view of the harbour when this very large, laces-tied-tight security guard comes up all out of breath and tells me to leave, I’m curious as to why he’s so flustered and insistent on me leaving so I started asking him some questions. He obliged and told me about all the weird wild stuff that goes on up there — sex, drugs and suicide. I thought Tales from the Parkade would be a big hit, and I still think it could be, however this guy was clearly NOT interested in going on the record with his stories.
But that’s not all, I had several more run-ins with this huffy guard. I did a story on skateboarding where I needed somebody in the security racket to tell me about all the skaters up to no good in the city. AND two more times I went back just because I liked the view from up there (it’s right across the street from the MEC and better than most tourist attractions if anyone’s interested). Finally I gave up on the garage when the guard took my photo so he could “send it to his boss” ... not that I was afraid.
Why Are Cell Phone Cases So Hard To Find For Older Phones?
I got a new-to-me phone this winter and was angered by how hard it was to find a case. I was so angry that I decided it must be a conspiracy. Behind this conspiracy were the phone companies, the case companies, the oil companies, everyone. The Fifth Estate has not picked this one up. Also I found a case.
Better Business Bureau
Also in the realm of the semi-delusional. There was a stinky case in which the BBB gave a food delivery company that was ripping off seniors a high rating. I phoned around to a few businesses for opinions on the BBB. I talked to the wife of a utility arborist for over an hour and even conducted an interview with a marketing person. Nothing lead me anywhere but you have to question the value of the BBB when we can just go on the internet and find out for ourselves.
Facebook Confession Pages at High Schools
If you can believe this, students have been using the internet not for learning, but for hurting each other.
....
I don’t know why I wrote this, I don’t even know what a Facebook confession page is.
Get People To Sit Down While They’re Being Interviewed On Camera, This Will Make Them More Comfortable
Not a story, but it’s a nice idea.
The Sweet Ideas folder has now been cleared, thank you.