World's most pointless inventions

[Artman]

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?

 

[Archon]

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?

Note that this is also the purpose of the bureaucrat.

 

[motai]

What are some other wasteful or pointless inventions?

Exercise balls, compared to regular inflatable balls. Same with those step-things used in aerobics programs... it would just be easier to just get a few bricks and make your own step, or find a step already available.

 

[JamesU]

anything from ronco...

anything but the pocket fisherman

 

[jimmie]

pointless inventions

How about a ball?

Ooo... tough crowd, tough crowd

well to begin, its difficult to think of one due to the fact that because it is what it is, crappy, and most likely not needed, it has a tendency to not mentally stick, and rightly so.

Besides, there's enough wasteful and pointless info in people's heads to begin with.

However, on the flip-side, I think that online forums are one of the better creations. A forum allows multiple individuals to learn about a particular subject and exchange information at or near real-time, in text-only (a la Gutenberg), which eliminates all of the usual social red-tape (politics).

Finally, after giving it a bit of thought, what about battery-operated air fresheners? It was bad enough they had to pump out 500 types of sprays and gels that "freshened" the air, then they had to pump out 'new & improved' fresheners, that need batteries. Or need to be plugged in.

Give me a break. Just open a couple windows.

 

[Townsend]

Note that this is also the purpose of the bureaucrat.

oh...that was too good...

 

[cronxeh]

I hereby declare chopsticks to be the world's most pointless invention

 

[KingNothing]

I'd have to agree with the aerobics steppers. I remember seeing a simple 8" platform on sale at target for $45. Wow.

Chopsticks are a close second, what a stupid way to eat things (from a practical standpoint).

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Ties.

G-Whiz: I haven't seen a commercial in quite a while

Ink erasers: Most of the time they destroyed the paper before erasing the ink

One thing that gets me are people who have less of a lawn than we get by accident, but they buy riding mowers.

All cat toys that don't contain catnip. A paper bag keeps their attention better.

 

[Moonbear]

I'd have to agree with the aerobics steppers. I remember seeing a simple 8" platform on sale at target for $45. Wow.

I definitely agree on that! If they want to climb stairs, I have plenty around here...I'll even hand them a basket of laundry to carry while they're at it.

Chopsticks are a close second, what a stupid way to eat things (from a practical standpoint).

I'm sure Asians would say the same about a fork. We should all just eat with our fingers anyway; that's what they're there for! (Where are the etiquette police? )

 

[Echo 6 Sierra]

Electric nose-hail trimmers.
Hot water heaters in Texas in the summer.

 

[Townsend]

Electric nose-hail trimmers.
Hot water heaters in Texas in the summer.

I don't think water heaters were invented with Texas summers in mind...

 

[Loren Booda]

Left-handed screwdrivers.

 

[DeadWolfe]

http://www.schockwellenreiter.de/images4/TPaperChindogu.com.jpg

 

[KingNothing]

Is it just me, or does it seem like in threads like this, you always see crazy asian women and men?

 

[JamesU]

I saw a comercial for a pad that goes on the handles above car windows because "when you hold the handles and take sharp turns, it can severely burn your hand". they threw some paint on someone's hand and tried co call it a burn..

http://www.schockwellenreiter.de/im...hindogu.com.jpg[/quote]

 

[Mattius_]

I remember a website dedicated to stupid inventions. I can't remember the URL but I remember a couple of inventions.

One was a wind-powered bicycle with a triangular sail. I remember below the picture blueprint of the bicycle the website had a caption that read "need to stop? Find something and ram it!"

Another was a death clock. You fill out one of those surveys that will approximate how long you have to live, and send it into a company which will in turn send you back a wrist watch counting down the seconds, hours, and days until your projected death.

 

[matthyaouw]

My dad bought some solar powered garden lights. The only time when they get enough light to charge the batteries enough for an hours worth of glow is when it stays light so late you wouldn't want to be outside at that time anyway.

 

[Mk]

I saw a comercial for a pad that goes on the handles above car windows because "when you hold the handles and take sharp turns, it can severely burn your hand". they threw some paint on someone's hand and tried co call it a burn..

You think the actor would have burned himself for the commercial?

 

[moose]

Ink erasers: Most of the time they destroyed the paper before erasing the ink

And the ones which did erase had the worse ink I've ever seen

My dad bought some solar powered garden lights. The only time when they get enough light to charge the batteries enough for an hours worth of glow is when it stays light so late you wouldn't want to be outside at that time anyway.

I hate those! They glow an extremely unnatural dim yellow color

 

[Artman]

Did I mention that with a leaf blower the motion to use it is exactly the same as you would employ to use a broom or rake? The thing has got to weigh more than either of those! What is the point? I mean really!

 

[matthyaouw]

I hate those! They glow an extremely unnatural dim yellow color

These ones glow blue-ish white. It's a shame that even at their brightest, they illuminate nothing.

 

[DaveC426913]

Pointless inventions:

Any blade razor to hit the market in the last 20 years (Did you know they're up to five blades now? Ooh, and how about Gilette's new battery-powered manual blade razor! Gotta love it).
Any toothbrush to hit the market in the last 20 years.


My favouraite has always been flea poison. You take a pinch of this powder and, holding the flea in one hand, you force-feed the flea the powder. Guaranteed to kill it.

Ummm. Yeah...

 

[DaveC426913]

These ones glow blue-ish white. It's a shame that even at their brightest, they illuminate nothing.

Tried em for two years. Switching back to low voltage lights.

 

[Francis M]

I remember a website dedicated to stupid inventions. I can't remember the URL but I remember a couple of inventions.

One was a wind-powered bicycle with a triangular sail. I remember below the picture blueprint of the bicycle the website had a caption that read "need to stop? Find something and ram it!"

Another was a death clock. You fill out one of those surveys that will approximate how long you have to live, and send it into a company which will in turn send you back a wrist watch counting down the seconds, hours, and days until your projected death.

...and by consistently watching it over the years, you convince yourself that you're going to die on that date, and your mind kills you (when that date arrives) thereby constantly making the clock work (it's a Twighlight ZOne kinda' thing)

hey just a thought but what happens if (when) the battery runs out and you can't remember what day you were going to die? "oh well it's a big surprise again, I'm back to guessing like the rest of the world"

 

[Danger]

When I was about 10, I invented an electric spaghetti fork. Figured that was probably way too dumb a thing, so I forgot all about it. Then a few years later some bugger in the States started selling the things and made a fortune.
There probably isn't such a thing as a truly useless invention if you consider the acquisition of money for the inventor as a purpose, but I know that's not the focus of the thread.
As mentioned, most excercise equipment is a joke. Treadmill? Try walking, you dolt!
There's one that I can't for the life of me figure out. My razor blades (Sensor) have a 'lubrication strip'. Not a bad idea in general, but it's behind the blades. What the hell good does it do to lubricate your skin after you've nicked it?

 

[Artman]

How about flower scented facial tissues? The last thing I want next to my nose when I am having an allergy attack is a floral scented piece of paper.

 

[Averagesupernova]

Did I mention that with a leaf blower the motion to use it is exactly the same as you would employ to use a broom or rake? The thing has got to weigh more than either of those! What is the point? I mean really!

Your imagination must not go much past the end of your nose or something. Leaf blowers are quite useful for a host of things besides blowing leaves on a flat surface.

 

[Artman]

Your imagination must not go much past the end of your nose or something. Leaf blowers are quite useful for a host of things besides blowing leaves on a flat surface.

Yeah, with my limited imagination, I can't envision how the world got along as long as it did before they were invented.

 

[Artman]

Your imagination must not go much past the end of your nose or something. Leaf blowers are quite useful for a host of things besides blowing leaves on a flat surface.

I've come to the conclusion that you are right. I've decided to list some of the many uses for a leaf blower.

You can blow your leaves from here to there,
Blow it at somebody's hair,
Blow some dirt, or sand, or dust,
Scrape some metal then blow the rust.

You can make yourself a hovercraft,
From your blower and a rubber raft.
You can go out on a blowing spree
And cover your neighbor's lawn with debris!

And if that isn't quite enough,
There's lawn ornaments that you can blow up.
You stick your blower up your chimney
And blow the dust from here the eternity.

So to bring a little smile,
Completely make your life worthwhile,
Take things just a little slower,
And get youself a new leaf blower.

 

[Averagesupernova]

OMG...



LMAO

 

[KingNothing]

Lets keep fighting to a minimum here, the question is about useless inventions. The world existed before any inventions. Some are useful and some are not. To some people, moving leaves from one place to another means a lot.

 

[Artman]

Averagesupernova and I have come to an agreement, I think.

 

[Averagesupernova]

Lets keep fighting to a minimum here, the question is about useless inventions. The world existed before any inventions. Some are useful and some are not. To some people, moving leaves from one place to another means a lot.

Who says you have to use them to move leaves?

 

[KingNothing]

Who says you have to use them to move leaves?

Who says that I says this? ;)

 

[edward]

Ig Nobel prize

Presented each year at Harvard by the Annals of Improbable Research Magazine.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 2005 winner:

Neuticles are prosthetic testicles for neutered dogs. Creator Gregg Miller has recently won the Ig Nobel Prize for medicine for this invention. Miller has sold more than 150,000 of this product.

 

[arildno]

The wheel.

 

[Lisa!]

Phone! You just fall asleep and it suddenly rings. You're having a nice time out of home, and youre mobile phone rings...

 

[matthyaouw]

If you don't want to be bothered, turn your mobile off, and unplug your landline.

 

[pattylou]

What are some other wasteful or pointless inventions?

LOL ...

I opened up GD and saw this sitting at the top - but my brain read it "World's most pointless invasions."



-Patty

p.s. not trying to derail the thread...

 

[Danger]

You've been spending entirely too much time in the Politics section, Patty.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

You are all completely missing the point of how a leaf blower works: You blow the dirt and debris onto your neighbor's property. Once it crosses the property line the debris no longer exists. Duh!

And I think my first answer is still the best. Everything else listed does at least have a claimed purpose, but what pupose does a tie serve? My theory is that the tie was invented by a woman - a mother or wife. That is, ties seemed to be designed to allow someone else to grab and pull.

 

[Danger]

My theory is that the tie was invented by a woman - a mother or wife.

I believe that it was a downsizing of "wearing one's colours".

 

[Loren Booda]

I thought ties protected shirts from sloppy eaters.

 

[Mk]

the tie was invented by a woman - a mother or wife. That is, ties seemed to be designed to allow someone else to grab and pull.

I only let them grab one thing that's attache to me.

 

[Mk]

There's that warning bar again...

 

[Lisa!]

If you don't want to be bothered, turn your mobile off, and unplug your landline.

1 of things everyone is nagging about it, is why I always turn off my mobile even when I promise I'll turn it on!

 

[Pyrrhus]

Check the picture...

 

[Cosmo16]

Check the picture...

I love it!

My favorite useless invention. Those stupid desks they use in school that have a bar on one side. Way to small for an armrest, keeps you from reclining and makes you have to use one only on aisle.

Oh, my other favorite, stilletos, (I think that's how you spell) I ask you, why do girls buy shoes to wear to a school dance, then take them off as soon as they get inside? Kinda defeats the purpose, don't you think?

 

[Townsend]

Check the picture...

Whats so stupid about that? It appears that the solar panel is for recharging and not required for use at night...