I threw out a scenario that I thought could be a hit for decades to come. Plant a kiosk across the street from an ML-branded screen where tourists could line up, have their image broadcast in one of the world's most most-visited areas and walk away with a souvenir photo of their experience.

Eventually, I thought, that spot could be as much of a New York attraction as the Empire State Building or the Statue of Liberty. What group of ham-and-eggers wouldn't want a keepsake of its minute of fame on camera in Times Square? And what company wouldn't want its logo planted on an 8x10 or poster-sized photo of such a must-have NYC souvenir?

Merill Lynch didn't go for it — and I'm pretty sure the idea was never presented to them — but I shared this idea for years with anyone who cared to listen. Everyone thought it was money.

Unfortunately, I knew absolutely zero about broadcasting on billboards and couldn't offer more than just the idea. I was an Internet content guy, still am. So, after leaving JWT shortly thereafter, I waited for someone with the know-how to pull it off. And waited. And waited. Till now.

My former TIME.com coworker Mark sent me an e-mail with the subject line "Six years later..." (actually, it's a little more than five) with a link to a Verizon initiative, where people can have their "Broadband Stories profile" broadcast in Times Square and "receive a photo of [their] moment of fame."

Damn, that sounds familiar. I hope it takes off, though I think it would have a better chance if they just allowed people to do the "friends forever" photos that are to Shutterfly and Ofoto what slot machines are to Las Vegas.

Today's Web Finds:

• Huffing Cans of Dust-Off Can Kill You — True story: I've got this computer keyboard jet air-duster, and I tried to go all Dizzy Gillespie by shooting it in my mouth. Then I read on the canister: "First Aid for Ingestion: SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY." I fucking freaked. Forget the toxins; I almost died of a heart attack. I was 31 years old when I tried this, by the way. (Thanks, Shumpy)

• The Phat Phree's 50 Coolest On-Screen Rides — I was thinking the Genral Lee for No. 1, but it's not even close. Then again, I love the pick for the top spot, the NYC subway. And the National Lampoon Family Truckster rocks.

• Redneck Deluxe Trailer Vacation Getaway Attracts No Bids on eBay — Were you guys sleepin' on this or what?

• Live 8 Video Downloads — Videos of every song performed in the multi-city Live 8 concert, from U2 to Snoop Dogg to Bon Jovi to Toby Keith to Tami the HIV-positive Muppet. This is high-quality stuff; broadband at its best. (Found on GorillaMask.net)

• Hooters Shooters — Fake-titty liquor shooters. Talk about a photo-op. Get these things in the French Quarter when I hit the Sept. 18 Giants-Saints game, damnit.

• How to Get Laid at a Sex Event — A Village Voice article on erotic etiquette. Not that any of you knuckle-draggers need any help.

• PBase Magazine — A 28-page, free, quarterly magazine from one of the Internet's most popular online photo hosting services. Save yourself some ink and print this out at work. And while you're at it, mail me a copy.

• My "Sunrise, Sunset" Photo Contest Entry on Fotki.com — My shot of a sailboat crossing the horizon in Key West's Mallory Square looks similar to my Water contest entry, huh? BTW, everyone and his brother has a nice sunset photo and is entered in this contest, which is ridiculously biased toward the entries listed on the first page (of 22), considering it's based on total votes and not average votes.

• Practice Makes Perfect? — My buddy Joe Concha of RealHoboken.com on relationship stuff. Let's play a game of Does Paul Ever Link to Relationship Articles or Is He Just Doing This as a Favor to Joe?