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Cartoon Law I

All principles of gravity are negated by fear.

Psychic forces are sufficient in most bodies for a shock to propel them directly away from the earth's surface. A spooky noise or an adversary's signature sound will induce motion upward, usually to the cradle of a chandelier, a treetop, or the crest of a flagpole. The feet of a character who is running or the wheels of a speeding auto need never touch the ground, especially when in flight.

Cartoon Law II

As speed increases, objects can be in several places at once.

This is particularly true of tooth-and-claw fights, in which a character's head may be glimpsed emerging from the cloud of altercation at several places simultaneously. This effect is common as well among bodies that are spinning or being throttled.

At manic high speeds, the wacky guy may ricochet off walls to achieve the velocity required.

Cartoon Law III

Certain bodies can pass through solid walls painted to resemble tunnel entrances; others cannot.

This trompe l'oeil inconsistency has baffled generations, but at least it is known that whoever paints an entrance on a wall's surface to trick an opponent will be unable to pursue him into this theoretical space. The painter is flattened against the wall when he attempts to follow into the painting. This is ultimately a problem of art, not of science.

Cartoon Law IV

Any violent rearrangement of feline matter is impermanent.

Cartoon cats possess even more deaths than the traditional nine lives might comfortably afford. They can be decimated, spliced, splayed, accordion-pleated, spindled, or disassembled, but they cannot be destroyed. After a few moments of blinking self pity, they re-inflate, elongate, snap back, or solidify.

Corollary: A cat will assume the shape of its container.

Cartoon Law V

Everything falls faster than an anvil.

Cartoon Law VI

For every vengeance there is an equal and opposite revengeance.

This is the one law of animated cartoon motion that also applies to the physical world at large. For that reason, we need the relief of watching it happen to a duck instead.

Source: "laird@cs.byu.edu"

Three Ways to Say 'NO'

Guarding your time and energy—and staying on good terms with others—could depend on saying "No" to requests in one of these ways:

"No" plus a reason. When you don’t want to come across as difficult or uncooperative, say something such as, "I can’t help you because…" Then offer an acceptable reason.
"No" with an alternative. Use this approach for your boss or other person in a higher position than you. Example: "I can’t promise that I can finish it by then. But here’s what I’m sure I can do…"
"No" and "no" and "no." Resort to the broken-record method when you’re sure someone is trying to manipulate you or make you feel guilty with repeated requests or an aggressive approach.
Example: "No, I can’t change my plans." "I realize this may be important to you, but I still must say ‘No’ because I can’t change my plans." "I understand what you’re saying. But because I can’t change my plans, my answer has to be ‘No.’"

How Do Your Ideas Rate?

Running your ideas through this checklist can help you decide which ones offer the biggest benefit:

Viability. Can we easily carry out the idea? What are its risks and benefits? Can we market it?
Impact. What waves would the idea create in our organization? Our industry? Our world? How will our customers react?
Cost. How much do we need to carry out this idea, and can we afford that? Can we lower the cost?
Effectiveness. How well does the idea mesh with our goal or goals? Is now the right time for this idea? Can we simplify it?
Intuition. Do we feel this is the right idea for us? Does it appear to be the best idea for us?
Note: You might find it easier to get an overall rating score if you make each category count 20 points.

Source: The Basics of Idea Generation, by Donna Greiner, Quality Resources, 902 Broadway, New York, NY 10010.