Columnist Lisa Ferguson: Sun Lite for August 9, 2004

Lisa Ferguson

Monday, Aug. 9, 2004 | 8:11 a.m.

It doesn't get any easier

These are amazing times in which we live: Vacuum cleaners can navigate the house on their own. Some sofas come with built-in refrigerators. With gizmos like these, there's hardly a reason for the average person to expend more energy most days than is required to blink.

Of course, the execs at Smarthome Inc. know there are plenty more ideas for making life even less taxing (if that's possible) where those came from. The Irvine, Calif., gadget-making company is sponsoring its Automate This! contest, and will award a $1,000 shopping spree of its products, of course to the brains behind the winning entry that offers "the best new idea for improving everyday life in the home through automation."

If you have visions of, say, the next great can opener or a remote-controlled doorknob turner, visit www.smarthome.com/contest.asp by Aug. 31, fill out the entry form and describe "an automated home improvement" you'd like to see on the market. The grand-prize winner will be announced Sept. 13.

'Wich to choose

If, however, your brilliant invention is a device for making grilled-cheese sandwiches with ease, don't bother entering the contest. The masterminds at DuPont long ago beat you to the punch.

In fact, the company developers of the nonstick DuPont Teflon coating found on a slew of products was set to give Teflon-coated American Sandwich Makers to the first 500 entrants of its Search for the Greatest Grilled Cheese Sandwich in America contest that runs through Aug. 20.

Recipe entries are being accepted in six sandwich categories: Gourmet, Kid's Favorite, Most Original, Best Culturally Influenced, Best Regionally Inspired and Low Carb. The first-place winners in each category will be awarded getaways to locales relevant to the theme (owner of the top kid's entry gets a Disney World vacation; the Regionally Inspired winner will embark on a Vermont Cheese Country tour). An overall grand-prize winner will take home a $10,000 cash prize and be whisked away to the wine-and-cheese mecca of Sonoma, Calif. For contest entry info, visit www.teflon.com/grilledcheese.

Half-century of smiles

While we're on the subject of fromage, the big cheeses at Disneyland in anticipation of the theme park's upcoming 50th anniversary celebration on May 5 have put out a worldwide call for submissions to be included in "The Happiest Faces on Earth ... A Disney Family Album" project.

The series of photo collages are slated to be displayed for 18 months at Disney's Anaheim, Calif., amusement-park complex. Mickey and his cohorts have requested that people send in black-and-white and color photos, snapshots and/ or digital images of "their most cherished Disney memories" particularly those captured at Disneyland by Dec. 31 for consideration (not all submissions will be included in the collage).

Have a picture preferably not an original copy worthy of a place in Disney history? Go to www.disneyland.com/photos to obtain the photo release form that must accompany each submission. Photos may be sent online; via the U.S. Postal Service in care of the project (P.O. Box 30464, Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0464); or through FedEx or UPS to the project (c/o Data Services Direct, 2841 S. 1560 West, Woods Cross, UT 84087). The owners of photos that make the final cut will be notified next spring of where in the collages their snapshot is situated.