| Submit your comments on this article |
| -Short Attention Span Theater- |
| World's 12 Worst Inventions |
| 2004-10-07 |
| From the "gold standard" in major media credibility, Weekly World News: Wacky genius slams... WORLD'S 12 WORST INVENTIONS By Vickie York Scientist Reginald Powtley calls himself an "uninventor" -- instead of inventing gadgets, he identifies stuff that should never have been created in the first place! "There are many inventions that are unnecessary, stupid or even dangerous," the London expert says. Yeah, like hippies and alphabet news networks, both products of ad industry research. Here, from Powtley, are 12 of the worst inventions of all time: 1. Pay Toilet. A great idea unless you really have to go and have no change in your pocket. |
| Posted by:Atomic Conspiracy |
| #8 Ah kind of like a Darwin Award for bad designs. Check out: http://www.baddesigns.com/ |
| Posted by: John (Q. Citizen) 2004-10-07 2:56:09 PM |
| #7 "The metal teapot Standard in US restaurants, a tiny metal cylinder containing soon-to-be-tepid water, with teabags dunked in it." The teabag is the world's 14th worst invention. I mean, all that extra time and effort involved to break it open and pour the tea into the teapot so you can brew yourself a decent, piping-hot cup of tea! And if you use it as it's intended to be used, it won't draw sufficiently unless you actually BOIL it. And there are few sights less attractive in a kitchen than a limp, cold teabag in a saucer. (I became Groluck Grunter5311 briefly while typing this post before reverting to my original self). |
| Posted by: Bryan 2004-10-07 12:49:05 PM |
| #6 Angie - some of the ATMs in my area are now verbal. Really. My office building has braille instructions next to the the light switches. ?! My contribution: Genuine Draft beer in a bottle!! NO. IT. ISNT!!! That one makes my head want to explode. ARRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGG! |
| Posted by: Doc8404 2004-10-07 12:06:39 PM |
| #5 Mesh umbrella Surely a shade umbrella, rather than a rain umbrella. The metal teapot Standard in US restaurants, a tiny metal cylinder containing soon-to-be-tepid water, with teabags dunked in it. I don't know about the spout curvature, since only freaks drink their tea hot. (My grandfather did, and you should see some of the looks he used to get. "Hot tea? Well, all right, if you say so...") Braille instructions at the Drive-Thru ATM Hell, Braille instructions on any ATM. How do you read the screen? Does it talk? |
| Posted by: Angie Schultz 2004-10-07 10:52:53 AM |
| #4 ...The Lockheed AH-56 Cheyenne (http://www.vstol.org/wheel/VSTOLWheel/LockheedAH-56.htm) also had ejection seats that functioned after another charge blew the rotors away. Of course, what that might have done to other helos in the flight or friendly troops on the ground can only be inagined. I've seen one of the prototypes up close at Ft. Eustis, VA, and there are definitely ejection seats mounted in there. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2004-10-07 10:19:10 AM |
| #3 a la George Carlin, I'd add the Braille instructions at the Drive-Thru ATM |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-10-07 9:56:13 AM |
| #2 World's 13th worst invention: The metal teapot. The South African version of this strange creature typically comes in a set with a smaller hot-water pot and a little milk jug and is found in train-station eateries and small, quaint, inexpensive 3-star small-town hotels. All three members of the set have a short spout with no curvature. This makes it impossible to pour from them without some of the liquid running down the outside of the spout and onto the tablecloth - unless they are fairly empty, by which time the tablecloth will be quite wet and you'll have nowhere to put your elbows. |
| Posted by: Bryan 2004-10-07 9:18:35 AM |
| #1 For #4, helicopter ejection seats. See: http://www.aeronautics.ru/archive/vvs/ka52-01.htm from article: Another unique Ka-50 feature is the ejection seat - the main rotors are jettisoned before the pilot's seat is ejected. |
| Posted by: Jim K 2004-10-07 8:06:09 AM |