The most frequent question I am asked about this column is where I get my ideas.

My inspiration comes from daily life. Like all of you, random thoughts frequently zip through my cortex.

Unlike many of you, I have an outlet for these thoughts through this column. Not a bad gig, right? I think of something and get paid for putting my thoughts to paper and at the same time giving you something to ponder.

Here's an example.
After I heard about the most recent Canadian combat fatalities in Afghanistan (our total so far is 116) I wondered how many of the enemy we have killed.

While that number may not be an indication of whether we are winning the war or not, knowing that we inflict casualties on the Taliban would make me feel a little better about our mission.

But we never hear about that side of the war and it makes me wonder why not.
And there's nothing funny about any of that.

However, here is something I do find humourous ... having a laugh at the expense of someone else without them knowing about it. If they know you are laughing at them I think it can be hurtful and I'm not a hurtful kind of guy.

But if they never know, you get to enjoy the joke and they go on their oblivious way noticing nothing.

Here's a couple of gags you can use the next time you are in the Big Smoke. Wander along Front Street in Toronto (best done with a couple of friends) and pause near the base of the CN Tower.

Look up, look waaaay up, and in a loud voice proclaim, “Geez Jethro, that there thing is movin'.” Then race away down the sidewalk.

The sophisticated Hogtown natives will chortle and get a free laugh at what they think is your expense as they believe they have witnessed a group of goofs from Tweed on their first visit to the city.

A variation on this gag is to go to the Eaton Centre, stand at the foot of an escalator and shout, “Look Goober, movin' stairs!” This also works at Pearson Airport, but is phrased, “Look Goober, movin' sidewalk!”

I have tried these out for real with some pals of mine and it's a hoot.

We also went to the extreme one time when we had a team entered in a media curling bonspiel. One of our team members wore a goalie mask throughout the event. When other curlers asked us what the deal was, we explained this guy had been in an auto crash and as a result, was horribly disfigured.

As our buddy was also 6'7” tall and drank all his beers through a straw during the bonspiel, it added some variety to the tale.

With a little imagination and an extra dose of nerve, it is easy to see you can have a whole lot of fun at the expense of others.

And as far as I can tell, having fun should be the definition of the meaning of life.