 Facts/inventions |
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Every now and then, a great invention comes along
that transforms the world and makes our lives easier, if not better. The plane, invented a century ago, gave people the freedom to travel anywhere in the world. It also created the need for large airports, where thousands of passengers could stand in line, waiting for their next flight to be cancelled. The television, invented some 80 years ago, allowed people to invite a variety of guests into their homes, guests who would never expect any food. The Internet, invented more recently, gave people the ability to chat with strangers around the world, visit thousands of interesting websites and download pictures of actors and models, while pretending to be working. It's no wonder people get excited when they hear rumors of another great invention. Such wonderment was rampant in recent months with the news that Dean Kamen, a prominent inventor with more than 150 patents, had created something called "Ginger," expected to be more revolutionary than the World Wide Web. Even I was excited. "More revolutionary than the Web?" I asked. But unfortunately Kamen's invention isn't that revolutionary. Though he has revealed little about it, Inside magazine apparently did enough investigating to conclude that "Ginger" - also known as "IT" - is nothing more than a hydrogen-powered scooter. What a disappointment, especially to Americans, who couldn't care less about scooters, whether they're hydrogen- powered or hyena-powered. Scooters are just too small to get Americans excited. The average American has gained 30 pounds in the last few decades and is now large enough to EAT several scooters. And what about all those Americans who don't want to be just average? So maybe Dean Kamen needs to go back to the drawing board. If he's intent on inventing something that's hydrogen-powered, I'd be willing to invest all my money - every last penny - in a hydrogen-powered PMS-Detector. Even if I had to make all the hydrogen myself. |
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