Invention Stamps Honor Man's Search for a Better Mousetrap

They start out tinkering in the garage, gradually convert the kitchen into a makeshift lab, badger their friends into becoming test subjects -- and once in a while, actually strike it rich! The life of an inventor is not for the faint-hearted. Man's quest for a better mousetrap has led to the development of a startling array of often useful and sometimes silly inventions.

Consider these actual inventions from the Invention Connection:

• Sandwich Shop: a multi-layered plastic container with separate compartments for bread, meat, cheese, tomatoes, pickles, spread, etc. Keeps ingredients fresh until you're ready to eat. The disadvantage is you have to build your sandwich before you can eat it.
• Fly Vac: A battery-operated, hand-held vacuum that stuns flies with mothball vapor, then sweeps them up for disposal. Suggested for restaurants and commercial establishments where swatted fly carcasses might ruin the ambiance.
• Mirrored Oak Toilet Seat Lid: A mirror embedded into the top and/or inside of a toilet seat for guys who want to make sure they've zipped up when they're done.
• Opti-Cool Sunshades: A do-it-yourself sunglass kit that allows you to cut special UV-reducing vinyl cling film to the shape of your eyeglasses. Just stick the film on or peel it off as needed!

Honoring some of man's most durable contraptions, Great Britain recently issued the fascinating six-stamp sheetlet shown (click the post title to order). It's one of several in a series commemorating great inventions. At County Stamp Center, you'll find other captivating stamps celebrating some of mankind's greatest inventions; just click the link. Rube Goldberg would be proud! Visit the County Stamp Center website for all your philatelic needs.