The top ten most popular inventors as determined by your reader usage and research demands.

• Disagree Then Tell Me Who Your Favorite Inventor Is?

And please don't vote for yourself. That is unless you are an inventor. Photo: Getty Images

In 1899, after Wilbur Wright had written a letter of request to the Smithsonian Institution for information about flight experiments, the Wright Brothers designed their first aircraft: a small, biplane glider flown as a kite to test their solution for controlling the craft by wing warping. That was the beginning, the Wright Brothers went on to invent the first true airplane.

• Visual Timeline
• Introducing The Wright Brothers
• Wright Brothers - First Flight
• Biography of Wilbur Wright
• Biography of Orville Wright

Brainstorming is a process of spontaneous thinking used by an individual or by a group of people to generate numerous alternative ideas while deferring judgment. Brainstorming is the crux of each of the stages of all problem-solving methods; and good brainstorming is great skill for inventors to have. Next time you get inventors' block try brainstorming your way clear.

How to Brainstorm

• Suspend Criticism
  
  Solo or in a group - people tend to automatically evaluate each suggested idea their own as well as others. Both internal and external criticism are to be avoided while brainstorming. Neither positive nor negative comments are allowed. Either type inhibits the free flow of thought and requires time which interferes with the next rule. Write ideas down as they presented/created and move on.
• Work for Quantity
  
  Quantity breeds quality. People must experience a "brain drain" (get all the common responses out of the way) before the innovative, creative ideas can surface; therefore, the more ideas, the more likely they are to be quality ideas.
• Hitchhiking Welcome
  
  Hitchhiking occurs when one idea produces a similar idea or an enhanced idea. All ideas should be recorded.
• Freewheeling Encouraged
  
  Outrageous, humorous, and seemingly unimportant ideas should be recorded.

Philip wants to reproduce and sell copies of two airline posters he has collected, one is dated 1951 and includes copyright notification, and the other is dated 1940. Philip asks if he can legally do so and if the copyrights have been renewed, and how he would know.

Philip, I have this handy article, "When Copyright Protection Becomes Public Domain." You may also want to read, "Can I Search The Copyright Office?" to learn how to check on a work.
You have entered that grey area of works dated between 1923 and 1964. When the answer is no or maybe, and the burden of proof is on you, and don't risk it for commercial ventures. In your case there is a company name on the posters, and you might have to contact them under copyright law to find out what the status of the rights are, that's called diligent search. So for you the answer is no, not without checking and/or asking permission.