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 Things that Do Exist - But Shouldn't
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard

USA
4907 Posts

Posted - 01/02/2005 :  22:20:40  Show Profile  Send Ricky an AOL message Send Ricky a Private Message
Coming off the topic here, what is there in this world that exists today which is just completely and utterly useless?

I'll start off with the item which first inspired this post. I went to the bathroom, and sure enough there were automatic paper towel dispensers. You would put your hand in front of it and it would have a sensor, then unroll part of the towel for you to take. Who exactly needs this? How lazy are we?

So what else do we have that we don't need?
[Edited to fix link - Dave W.]

Why continue? Because we must. Because we have the call. Because it is nobler to fight for rationality without winning than to give up in the face of continued defeats. Because whatever true progress humanity makes is through the rationality of the occasional individual and because any one individual we may win for the cause may do more for humanity than a hundred thousand who hug their superstitions to their breast.
- Isaac Asimov

satans_mom
Skeptic Friend

USA
148 Posts

Posted - 01/02/2005 :  23:15:57   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Send satans_mom an AOL message  Send satans_mom a Yahoo! Message Send satans_mom a Private Message
Men have people to give them towels in fancy restaurants so they don't have to do it themselves, and to give them cologne after they take a stinky poop.

Yo mama's so fat, she's on both sides of the family.

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filthy
SFN Die Hard

USA
14408 Posts

Posted - 01/03/2005 :  03:55:06   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send filthy a Private Message
The Q-ray bracelet.

Parking meters, spycams, speed bumps, the Bush family, and that wretched, little alarm in your car, that sounds like either a door chime or a sick goat.


"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)

"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres


"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude

Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,

and Crypto-Communist!

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Siberia
SFN Addict

Brazil
2322 Posts

Posted - 01/03/2005 :  06:52:16   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Siberia's Homepage  Send Siberia an AOL message  Send Siberia a Yahoo! Message Send Siberia a Private Message
lol.
Can I add woo-woo freaks to that list?

"Why are you afraid of something you're not even sure exists?"
- The Kovenant, Via Negativa

"People who don't like their beliefs being laughed at shouldn't have such funny beliefs."
-- unknown
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Gorgo
SFN Die Hard

USA
5310 Posts

Posted - 01/03/2005 :  07:30:33   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Gorgo a Private Message
Any type of work or pain.

I know the rent is in arrears
The dog has not been fed in years
It's even worse than it appears
But it's alright-
Jerry Garcia
Robert Hunter



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Wendy
SFN Regular

USA
614 Posts

Posted - 01/03/2005 :  08:21:08   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Send Wendy a Yahoo! Message Send Wendy a Private Message
Mondays. Particularly the first Monday back at work after the holidays.
quote:
Originally posted by Ricky

I went to the bathroom, and sure enough there were automatic paper towel dispensers. You would put your hand in front of it and it would have a sensor, then unroll part of the towel for you to take. Who exactly needs this? How lazy are we?

My theory is that all these sensors in public restrooms are to make it possible for people to touch as few surfaces in there as possible. I recently observed a woman bring toilet tissue from the stall to cover the lever on the paper towel dispenser. I myself often use the paper towel I dried my hands on to open the door as I exit. (Who knows how many people didn't wash their hands?! )

Millions long for immortality who don't know what to do on a rainy afternoon.
-- Susan Ertz
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Renae
SFN Regular

543 Posts

Posted - 01/03/2005 :  20:03:41   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Renae a Private Message
Reality TV.

Remote controls for car stereos.

TVs/DVD players IN cars. (Like we need something else to distract drivers.)



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filthy
SFN Die Hard

USA
14408 Posts

Posted - 01/03/2005 :  20:31:40   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send filthy a Private Message
Rush Limbaugh.

Ann Coulter.

Bill O'Reilly, and Fox News in general.

Edit: Sorry 'bout that; but it seemed so right!

Boom boxes that eat batteries like cheap burgers and are carried about by people that also eat lots of cheap burgers and play them at full volumn.


"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)

"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres


"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude

Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,

and Crypto-Communist!

Edited by - filthy on 01/03/2005 20:37:01
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard

USA
4907 Posts

Posted - 01/03/2005 :  21:52:48   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Send Ricky an AOL message Send Ricky a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Renae

Remote controls for car stereos.

TVs/DVD players IN cars. (Like we need something else to distract drivers.)



I like the first one, there is no need for that at all. But in defense of the TV/DVD players, they are situated for the back seat (at least mostly if not all the time) for children.

And for all the rest of you, let me restate the title:

Things that Do Exist - But Shouldn't

Not people, not places, but things.

Another one that I find useless are side view mirror defrosters.

Why continue? Because we must. Because we have the call. Because it is nobler to fight for rationality without winning than to give up in the face of continued defeats. Because whatever true progress humanity makes is through the rationality of the occasional individual and because any one individual we may win for the cause may do more for humanity than a hundred thousand who hug their superstitions to their breast.
- Isaac Asimov
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dv82matt
SFN Regular

760 Posts

Posted - 01/07/2005 :  15:32:35   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send dv82matt a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Ricky
And for all the rest of you, let me restate the title:

Things that Do Exist - But Shouldn't

Not people, not places, but things.

In the spirit of being a total nitwit.

Um... How about France

But seriously, what's up with those tiny little windshield wipers for car headlights?
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filthy
SFN Die Hard

USA
14408 Posts

Posted - 01/07/2005 :  17:00:52   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send filthy a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Ricky

quote:
Originally posted by Renae

Remote controls for car stereos.

TVs/DVD players IN cars. (Like we need something else to distract drivers.)



I like the first one, there is no need for that at all. But in defense of the TV/DVD players, they are situated for the back seat (at least mostly if not all the time) for children.

And for all the rest of you, let me restate the title:

Things that Do Exist - But Shouldn't

Not people, not places, but things.

Another one that I find useless are side view mirror defrosters.

If you ever drive big truck, you will fall in love with them!

The metric system.


"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)

"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres


"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude

Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,

and Crypto-Communist!

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Ricky
SFN Die Hard

USA
4907 Posts

Posted - 01/07/2005 :  18:04:02   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Send Ricky an AOL message Send Ricky a Private Message
No, no, no, the Imperial System has to go. The metric system is so nice and neat.

Why continue? Because we must. Because we have the call. Because it is nobler to fight for rationality without winning than to give up in the face of continued defeats. Because whatever true progress humanity makes is through the rationality of the occasional individual and because any one individual we may win for the cause may do more for humanity than a hundred thousand who hug their superstitions to their breast.
- Isaac Asimov
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filthy
SFN Die Hard

USA
14408 Posts

Posted - 01/07/2005 :  18:45:40   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send filthy a Private Message
The metric system is is the work of the devil! Also it's duller than road apples. Imperial system, now that's interesting!

Hummers; not the antique Harley nor the BJ, but the asinine automobile. And screw that teutonic turkey; Arnie can damn' well learn to live with it.


"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)

"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres


"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude

Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,

and Crypto-Communist!

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Chippewa
SFN Regular

USA
1496 Posts

Posted - 01/07/2005 :  22:09:52   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Chippewa's Homepage Send Chippewa a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by filthy

...Hummers; not the antique Harley nor the BJ, but the asinine automobile...

That came to my mind when I first read the title of this thread! I see them occasionally around here, usually parked at supermarkets and often with "W" stickers on the back. (If I wanted a gas guzzler an old Harley, Moto Guzzi, or even a Ferrari is more honest. Machines that aren't pretending.)

On a lighter note, the Japanese have created some splendid useless inventions, which can be viewed on this link:
http://www.ezines4all.com/pics/japanstart.htm

Just keep clicking "Next" for each picture.

Diversity, independence, innovation and imagination are progressive concepts ultimately alien to the conservative mind.

"TAX AND SPEND" IS GOOD! (TAX: Wealthy corporations who won't go poor even after taxes. SPEND: On public works programs, education, the environment, improvements.)
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Dave W.
Info Junkie

USA
26020 Posts

Posted - 01/07/2005 :  22:27:37   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Dave W.'s Homepage Send Dave W. a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Ricky

No, no, no, the Imperial System has to go. The metric system is so nice and neat.
An old roommate of mine was once holding forth on the wonders of the Metric System, talking about how tenths was "easier" than eighths, sixteens, etc.. So I cut him a piece of string about a meter long, and said "okay, quickly show me 875 mm on this string." That stumped him. It took me just a few seconds, though, to show him 7/8ths of the string.

Of course, neither of us could have gotten 100 mm or 333 mm as quickly, as accurately, but them's the breaks. At least, I've never heard of a fast way to quintisect (or trisect) a piece of string, besides winding it around something about five times and then wiggling 'til it looks right (but it rarely is). Of course, this is pretty much true for all fractional denominators which aren't powers of two.

- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too.
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tkster
Skeptic Friend

USA
193 Posts

Posted - 01/09/2005 :  17:15:16   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send tkster a Private Message
Abortion.

tk
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