Overheard: I need to take this call — it’s from my parking meter

“Imagine your parking meter being able to send you a warning that it is about to expire - or being able to add time to your parking meter from wherever you are just by calling your cell phone. And wouldn’t it be so much more convenient if you could just slide your credit card through the meter instead of searching for the right coins and inserting them?” Duncon Solutions, Excuse Me, My Parking Meter Is Calling

Donald F. Duncan Sr. (1892 - 1971) was an interesting guy. In addition to being the parking meter king, he was the co-patent holder for the four-wheel hydraulic automobile brake. He was also the genius behind the ice cream truck, the Good Humor bar (ice cream on a stick), the popularization of the yo-yo and the concept marketers call “premium incentive” — asking customers to collect proof of purchase (box tops) and redeem them for prizes.