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

Fried Chicken.

fiery irnbru - seriously it's like bad ginger beer

There was a man named Thomas Midgley, who invented both leaded petrol and freon. He's one of the bad guys of the 20th century I'd say.

Cut the guy some slack. He solved engine knocking with a creative solution. He wasn't to know the health consequences.

Furthermore, refrigeration was DANGEROUS before freon - it used nasty explosive gases. Freon had the right combination of thermodynamic properties, but at ground level was almost entirely inert and therefore very safe. Again, he solved a real global problem and had no way of knowing he was creating another. NOBODY knew about the problem for decades.

Also, in fairness, both those problems have now been solved in other ways, and the effects of both are going to go away in time.

The freon thing is true, he didn't have much chance of knowing. When it comes to leaded petrol though, my impression is that even after the health effects were known, he was still trying to claim it was harmless even though he knew it wasn't.

Sliced bread.

PP

What's so bad about sliced bread?

How about paint in spray cans. How often is that used for anything other than graffiti?

They are used for marking out potholes so that the workers that come to fill them it know where they are. Admittedly, given that the workers should be able to recognise a hole themselves does make this use somewhat redundant, but used it is.


Geggs

If it's made by the Chorleywood process there isn't much bread in it.

Other bread is always too thin to make truely satisfying marmite on toast.

PP

Just eat some proper rye bread instead.

Washing up liquid that says it is gentle on your hands, moisturing etc, but which takes the skin off your palms because it contains limonene, that cheap ubiquitous natural* degreasing ingredient that a lot of people are allergic to.

In fact I would go so far as to say that limonene is so over-used now, being found in almost every product from hair conditioner to floor cleaner, it is on my list of 'worst things'.

*natural in as much as it is derived from citrus peel, in industrial quantities.

The Chorleywood process, sliced bread, mass-produced keg beer and lager, instant coffee, ready meals... traffic light junctions, MDF, electric cooker hobs... filter-tip cigarettes...

>How about paint in spray cans. How often is that used for anything other than graffiti?<

It's the best way to prime my Warhammer minatures. Chaos Black if you're interested...

Cigarettes

Trans-fats

deep-fat frying equipment

[I'm on the fence about amplification systems. People who are hard of hearing need them. Opera singers *don't* need them. They get misused by some rock and roll groups, contributing to hearing problems for their audience members. My rule of thumb is that if you're a singer, and people can't hear you, then go get proper vocal training.]

VX nerve agent. No use whatsoever for anything except killing large numbers of people who are unprotected out in the open.

The Coca-Cola Company.

Really just their drinks actually.

I think spray cans are useful for painting cars? Good thread though.

Airbrushing can be used for something good, painting cars or making cheesy artwork on the side of trucks. Spray cans though, I can't find many uses for other than vandalism.