World's most pointless inventions

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of "pointless inventions," with participants sharing their opinions on various items they consider wasteful or unnecessary. The scope includes personal anecdotes, humorous observations, and critiques of specific products.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants argue that leaf blowers merely move debris rather than eliminate it, questioning their utility.
  • Exercise balls and aerobics steppers are criticized for being less practical than simpler alternatives like regular balls or steps made from bricks.
  • One participant humorously suggests that chopsticks are impractical for eating, while another agrees, comparing them to forks.
  • Battery-operated air fresheners are deemed unnecessary by some, who suggest that opening windows is a simpler solution.
  • Participants mention various other inventions, such as electric nose-hair trimmers, solar-powered garden lights, and multi-blade razors, as examples of pointless products.
  • One participant recalls a website featuring absurd inventions, including a wind-powered bicycle and a "death clock," which humorously critiques the concept of predicting one's lifespan.
  • There is a mention of the inefficiency of riding lawn mowers for small lawns, and the impracticality of certain cat toys.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a variety of opinions on what constitutes a pointless invention, with no clear consensus on specific items. Many agree on certain examples, such as aerobics steppers and chopsticks, but others introduce new ideas that lead to further debate.

Contextual Notes

Some claims about the effectiveness or practicality of specific inventions are based on personal experiences and may not reflect broader consensus or factual accuracy.

  • #91
Ivan Seeking said:
Ties.

xunxine said:
I thought the paper shredder was a really unnecessary invention. You can shred the papers yourself.
But it helps to shred large amounts of papers faster and more cleanly. And other people to piece together parts of the papers you've shredded more easily.

Shredders are good for shortening your tie.
 
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  • #92
:rolleyes: The "Stepper" exercise thingy...


[PLAIN]http://www.mrc-epid.cam.ac.uk/Unit/How/FunctionalTeams/pictures/StepTest.jpg


God I hate that thing. Usually when I get one of these sorts of useless thingamabobs, I try to justify its existence (just not to throw it out and hurt somebody's feelings) by making it into a Christmas ornament or something like that. Hard to do though--I mean basically with what might have been a staircase; now missing 10 or 12 of its buddies.
 
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  • #93
...
the "snuggie", which is simply a bath robe worn backwards
the shake weight...
and
jersey shore, (the show)
 
  • #94
Mathnomalous said:
Brassieres.

Seriously, what's the point? :-p

Isn't that two points?
 
  • #95
Max™ said:
[URL]http://www.gifbin.com/bin/012010/1262868901_useless-machine.gif[/URL]

Do I win?

Also: leaf blowers are easier to use than a rake for gathering leaves into a pile, particularly those on porches/decks/carports/curbs/sidewalks/etc.

OMG, I have to build one of those! :smile:

Ooh, http://www.instructables.com/id/The-Most-Useless-Machine/"!
 
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  • #96
Borg said:
OMG, I have to build one of those! :smile:

Ooh, http://www.instructables.com/id/The-Most-Useless-Machine/"!

Starting work right away! :smile:
 
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  • #97
[URL]http://www.gifbin.com/bin/012010/1262868901_useless-machine.gif[/URL]
Borg said:
OMG, I have to build one of those! :smile:

Ooh, http://www.instructables.com/id/The-Most-Useless-Machine/"!
Everything is harder than it looks. I haven't experimented with anything like this in years and anything that can go wrong does. Destroyed a DPDT switch while trying to unsolder a dumb wiring arrangement, struggled with the arrangement of the arm, and then when I finally had something that I could test, the motor wasn't strong enough to flip the switch or even lift the lid. I think that I know how to finally get it to work but, I guess that I'll have to actually buy the correct motor rather than use the ones that I pulled out of VCRs and DVD drives.
 
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  • #98
Lightning Bug gummy candy that glows when you pick it up with the magic tongs



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjDFmCRQP5g

Pointless or not, they're fun, taste great, and make you feel better about yourself for having eaten glowing gummy candy.
 
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  • #99
Artman said:
I was going to lunch and saw a guy using a leaf blower. Think about it, the entire purpose of a leaf blower is to move a mess from one place to another, without really getting rid of it.


What are some other wasteful or pointless inventions?

10. The trouser-cushion
UK patent application No GB2267208, 1993

You may need to sit down for this one. British inventor Michael Bayley decided to put an end to standing nightmares by creating portable seat that you wear on a waist-belt. OK, it’s a somewhat convoluted version of having a cushion with a loop that goes through your belt. “The seat cushion is pivotable between a stowed position and a seating position in which it hangs down so that you can sit on it,” says the patent application. I can see one possible practical use: musical chairs, though you may get beaten to death by indignant toddlers.
 
  • #100
How to eat ice cream the easy way:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UX1IDMKMocQ
 
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  • #101
Robo Stir.

http://www.infomercial-hell.com/blo...have-we-really-gotten-too-lazy-to-stir-a-pot/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tqvxBdBI9rs?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tqvxBdBI9rs?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>
 
  • #102
i made an account because i have topped all of these.


The treadmill bike

Treadmill-Bike1.jpg



For people who like running but don't like touching the ground



officially the DUMBEST thing ever invented in the history of time
 
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