h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Metal detector soles. You clip them onto the bottom of your shoes. Instead of carrying a 'hoover' round with you, you simply walk about normally.

Telphones with a straight cable instead of useless coil. How many people actually need a phone that stretches 3 metres away from the main unit?

id like a personnal stereo,compleatly waterproof,for wearing whilst swimming.....sort of a sony swimman

For a number of years I've been playing with the idea of designing an alternative mechanism* for Mousetrap game. I think that would be cool.

Is there a name of those Heath Robinson/Wilf Lunny things?

"Is there a name of those Heath Robinson/Wilf Lunny things?"

I think Heath Robinson contraption is more or less and accepted term amonst those who would design/use/talk about such devices!

CHawke

'An alarm clock with an alarm that starts very quietly and gradually gets louder'

The alarm on my mobile does that, don't use a clock or a watch any more (same as many people thesedays)

On the subject of optician's/mini-screwdrivers - I have one that has inter-changeable bits, similar to a drill. The different sized bits are stored in the body which is about the size of a short ball-point pen. Well, it's in my fencing kit at the moment, wherever that is (you wouldn't believe how many tiny screws go into a ing sword thesedays)

There should be a 998 (or in the US 910) 'not quite an emergency' number for people who need help or advice but which doesn't warrant a 999 / 911 call.

This would reduce the abuse of the emergency number service for things like cats stuck in trees or burst pipes by giving panicking callers an easily remembered helpline. The operators could be trained in advice giving - even first aid - and have a list of plumbers, 24 hour garages, the RSPCA etc whom they could connect to the caller. Not sure who would fund it but if it was made a premium rate number it could well be self financing. Selling hilarious recordings of the calls to TV networks would also generate some income to pay for the service.

F

There is an intermittent tone on the phone when you have a new 1571 message. There should be another tone for when the last 1471 has been replaced.

Fisherman's Friend toothpaste.

Victory V toothpase.

the less urgent 999 thing has been suggested.

http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/ld199900/ldhansrd/pdvn/lds03/text/30324-03.htm

The first mention I could find on a quick google (suggested 555) a furhter search shows that most local authorities are pointing people to Crime Stoppers ( 0800 555 111) for less urgent police calls.

Wonder if it will happen?

CHawke

Many supermarkets have on-line shopping which saves driving to the store but loses the 'hands-on' element and reduces the value of the instore marketing. It also requires the shopper to possess a computer and internet access.

A compromise would be a supermarket which gave you a barcode reader instead of a trolley (US - cart). You could wander round the store having a proper look at the goods and this week's special offers but instead of loading a trolley and heaving it around you just scan the products you want. The goods are delivered on a specified day and time in a refrigerated truck leaving you free to go to the pub or to another shop. There would be fewer trolleys to crash into in the shop and shorter queues at the checkout. They would just download the reader, agree the delivery time & date, swipe your credit card (or accept your cash/cheque) and check out any items you wanted to take with you at the time.

This could be very useful to any elderly or infirm people who are a bit technophobic (some are, some aren't - no offence intended) or can't afford a computer but would like their purchases delivered.

F

Self-scanning supermarkets are already in the UK, though only a handful, I know it's been tried in Milton Keynes

And the government's giving everyone a computer soon, so they can keep tabs on us

We have 211 for help, and being directed to all government services ,and reporting numbers for complaints.
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I think there should be big straws that take excess water from the flood plains near larger rivers to nearby reservoirs. It would cut down on pollution during floods, erosion and save massive amounts of water for droughts

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Instead of ugly tables with unbrellas why not have nice looking fake trees around pools and other public areas for shade. Only where live ones could not be of course and where shade is scarce but valuable to save energy or shield humans and animals. Dog kennels could use them for shade and they would not kill them. They could double as lights at night.

I think Fathom's idea was different from self scanning shops in the UK, where you scan then pay and take home your shopping all in one day.

I think it was a modern version of the delivery boy from the corner shop that was being suggested - you go to the shop say what you want then get it delivered at a time/day of your chosing. I think it is a top idea.

As to the straws on flood plains, you can get ground water recharge schemes where water is spread over a large area and allowed to recharge groundwater. Plus many of the UKs largest reservoirs (including Europes biggest - Rutland) are pumped storage, they pump their supplies from nearby rivers rather than damming an existing one - at time of high river flow these pumps work flat out.

CHawke

Thanks for the support C Hawke.



Is Rutland really Europe's largest reservoir or just the largest pumped reservoir? I would have expected that Kielder was larger than Rutland. You live and learn.

F

Mmm, untill earlier today I'd said yes, but heard something on TV - I think it was that Keilder was the biggest impoundment reservoir.

When I worked for Anglian Water they did say Rutland was the biggest, a bit of a google coming on.

BRB

CHawke

http://www.bbc.co.uk/leicester/aroundleicester/facts/facts3.shtml

"Rutland Water is the largest man-made reservoir in Europe."

On a BBC site so must be true

But

http://www.kielder.org/

", beautiful Kielder Water is the largest man-made lake in Europe"


Mmmm I feel a email t the two water pLCs coming on - a reservoir fight!

CHawke

Mmm
#AW official site say Rutland is biggest in Western Europe

http://www.rutlandwater.net/ at 3100 acres where as the only figure I have found for Kielder is 2,684

But

http://www.cphrc.org.uk/news/guardian-080202.htm at 100 square miles (Rutland is about 5!) would dwarf Rutland and Keilder.

Sooooo - I think the water companies are playing a bit of a game with these facts.

CHawke

Surely the biggest is the one that holds most water? i.e. we should be using a volume measure, not an area one?

Or you could say length, or depth, or width, you'd get a different answer each time and of course, everyone would chose the most favourable answer for their piece of water without actually naming what they're measuring

The 'fact' that Birmingham has more miles of canal than Venice was invented by an ad-man in the late 60's - it's never been measured as far as I'm aware, so it might even be true. Who knows?

Thanks for the links C Hawke, I'll have to look those up at home. Not a lot of difference between the two lakes and I've been to both; my impression was that Kielder looked bigger but the settings are very different. The Kielder dam is very impressive as well.

We've drifted a bit off topic now - perhaps this could lead to an invention to measure the size / area / volume of a lake?

F