From time to time I post on inventions I would like to see and discover from the comments that some either already exist or have been made unnecessary by an
I've never owned a motorcycle that didn't have a 'reserve'. Usually it's just one tap with two different positions. It's a great system. Fuel warning lights and gauges are also good, of course, and you don't risk suddenly coming to a stop in the middle of the road.
As someone who has more than once forgotten to reset the reserve tap after filling, I'm happy that warning lights have replaced the old system, but for the time it was a great way of achieving a similar goal. I'm sure I've seen old tractors (probably paraffin or kerosene fuelled) with a reserve tap, don't know if old cars also used them at any point?
I like the upside down squeeze containers, but not all contents benefit. The traditional yellow mustard, for instance, apparently separates with thin watery stuff on the bottom; I have to shake the bottle before using, which makes it no better.
I have tried the edge can openers which cut around the side and take off the whole top, and while they do eliminate the sharp edge on the removed top, the removed top no longer drops down inside the can, and the top is still sharp enough to cut open trash bags. I gave up using mine after a week or two.
Hey David I’m a really big fan of yours and absolutely loved your book the Machinery of freedom. A bit off topic but I think it’d be interesting to hear your insight on Dave Shapiros “post labour economics” series on YouTube and Substack. It’s one of the few non dystopian attempts I’ve seen to explain what our world might look like post an AI takeoff and how a labour centric economy will shift to a property centric economy.
I came up with something similar to the two tank system for my teabag supply.
Reaching into the box and making tea has become automatic, so I never registered when they're getting low until they ran out.
My solution was to have a 'secret' tea supply in a different tin, enough for maybe 3 days. When I run out of my main supply my routine changes and it signals to me that it's time to buy more. Now I rarely end up with 0.
I think it might, if enough people could describe well enough things that frustrate them. Much of the difficulty of solving such things always seemed to me to being able to accurately pinpoint and describe the exact cause.
And of course any problem can be solved by the application of enough brute force and/or money, so the AI would need to be told to avoid excesses.
We are looking for elegant solutions to minor problems.
In my experience the upside down ketchup bottle still needs a shaking, not to get ketchup to the opening but to re-combine the more and less viscous components of the liquid, which naturally separate while the product is sitting. Same goes for mustard. Otherwise, the separated liquid part can sometimes be squeezed through past the more solid part even if the more solid stuff is closer to the opening, soaking the bun/fries/etc. and leaving a puddle on the plate, and don’t nobody want that.
The separation problem that bothers me is peanut butter, specifically the "old fashioned" varieties that are just peanuts. I am happy to have them leave out the sugar but they need an emulsifier to keep the oil from separating from the solids.
With respect to Shower Design, I think the real problem you’re identifying is that hot water cools in the pipes, so you have to wait for fresh hot water from the heater to reach the shower. The manual diverter solution you noted works but wastes water and time.
There are better options. Here are three, ranging from very inexpensive to moderately expensive:
1. Install a temperature-activated pump at the far end of the hot water line that pushes the cooled-down hot water into the cold water line, pulling fresh hot water into the hot water line.
2. Install a hot water recirculation loop that continuously pumps hot water through your hot water pipes.
3. Install tankless electric heaters near each sink for nearly instant hot water.
These each deliver hot water more quickly with less wasted water than the manual diverter approach.
TBH I HATE the upside down bottles because they added a pressure release to it which means it's hard to control the flow, placement, and amount. Never has a problem for years just putting the ketchup bottles in upside down without leakage, not sure why they "innovate" that.
BTW I never knew that about the ridges in those cups, just thought they were decorative/grip. Also never heard of your plastic egg, I had to look that one up. My problem with the zip bags is I find they fail to actually seal most of time. It's an idea great in theory but fails in practice IME as most manufacturers seem to do a bad job of it; could really use some improvement on that one.
Speaking of dumb but useful kitchen gadgets, anything that cores fruits from apples to strawberries to pitting cherries. You might only use them once or twice a year but will always be happy you bought one on impulse for $3 years ago when you do.
Are you sure there's a pressure release? I've sure noticed the symptom of being hard to start slowly; I have to squeeze harder just to get it started, then immediately back off. I always thought it was dried content in the nozzle.
It's some sort of mechanism. Your method works if you want a lot (in my books) but try just getting a single drop sometime or something like 1/8 a teaspoon. It's def not dried blockage, I've tested that before. There is a tension you have to initially overcome, I assume it's to prevent leaks or because many people actual like the squirting power.
I tried an experiment, running a toothpick through the nozzle. Went like a breeze. But when I squeezed it, same thing -- lot of squeeze necessary to start it going. So I think you are right. I'll have to see is can take it apart when it's empty.
Regarding boiled eggs I'm not sure that the plastic egg is necessary, I find the timer method perfectly satisfactory. At sea level (or close to it) if you put your egg in boiling water and set the timer for 6 minutes you get the perfect egg. I guess adaption may need to be made for people in Denver and the like but I don't live there and don't expect to need to boil an egg at altitude
There are some advantages to putting the egg in and then bringing the water to a boil. It saves a little time and is less likely to crack the egg — but how long it takes then depends on how fast the stove heats the water.
I've never owned a motorcycle that didn't have a 'reserve'. Usually it's just one tap with two different positions. It's a great system. Fuel warning lights and gauges are also good, of course, and you don't risk suddenly coming to a stop in the middle of the road.
As someone who has more than once forgotten to reset the reserve tap after filling, I'm happy that warning lights have replaced the old system, but for the time it was a great way of achieving a similar goal. I'm sure I've seen old tractors (probably paraffin or kerosene fuelled) with a reserve tap, don't know if old cars also used them at any point?
I like the upside down squeeze containers, but not all contents benefit. The traditional yellow mustard, for instance, apparently separates with thin watery stuff on the bottom; I have to shake the bottle before using, which makes it no better.
I have tried the edge can openers which cut around the side and take off the whole top, and while they do eliminate the sharp edge on the removed top, the removed top no longer drops down inside the can, and the top is still sharp enough to cut open trash bags. I gave up using mine after a week or two.
Mustard separation is a problem I have also observed.
Hey David I’m a really big fan of yours and absolutely loved your book the Machinery of freedom. A bit off topic but I think it’d be interesting to hear your insight on Dave Shapiros “post labour economics” series on YouTube and Substack. It’s one of the few non dystopian attempts I’ve seen to explain what our world might look like post an AI takeoff and how a labour centric economy will shift to a property centric economy.
https://daviddfriedman.substack.com/p/how-can-ai-make-us-worse-off
I came up with something similar to the two tank system for my teabag supply.
Reaching into the box and making tea has become automatic, so I never registered when they're getting low until they ran out.
My solution was to have a 'secret' tea supply in a different tin, enough for maybe 3 days. When I run out of my main supply my routine changes and it signals to me that it's time to buy more. Now I rarely end up with 0.
I wonder if AI will be able to come up with similar inventions.
I think it might, if enough people could describe well enough things that frustrate them. Much of the difficulty of solving such things always seemed to me to being able to accurately pinpoint and describe the exact cause.
And of course any problem can be solved by the application of enough brute force and/or money, so the AI would need to be told to avoid excesses.
We are looking for elegant solutions to minor problems.
In my experience the upside down ketchup bottle still needs a shaking, not to get ketchup to the opening but to re-combine the more and less viscous components of the liquid, which naturally separate while the product is sitting. Same goes for mustard. Otherwise, the separated liquid part can sometimes be squeezed through past the more solid part even if the more solid stuff is closer to the opening, soaking the bun/fries/etc. and leaving a puddle on the plate, and don’t nobody want that.
The separation problem that bothers me is peanut butter, specifically the "old fashioned" varieties that are just peanuts. I am happy to have them leave out the sugar but they need an emulsifier to keep the oil from separating from the solids.
With respect to Shower Design, I think the real problem you’re identifying is that hot water cools in the pipes, so you have to wait for fresh hot water from the heater to reach the shower. The manual diverter solution you noted works but wastes water and time.
There are better options. Here are three, ranging from very inexpensive to moderately expensive:
1. Install a temperature-activated pump at the far end of the hot water line that pushes the cooled-down hot water into the cold water line, pulling fresh hot water into the hot water line.
2. Install a hot water recirculation loop that continuously pumps hot water through your hot water pipes.
3. Install tankless electric heaters near each sink for nearly instant hot water.
These each deliver hot water more quickly with less wasted water than the manual diverter approach.
Those do indeed solve a problem but not the problem I was discussing solutions to.
TBH I HATE the upside down bottles because they added a pressure release to it which means it's hard to control the flow, placement, and amount. Never has a problem for years just putting the ketchup bottles in upside down without leakage, not sure why they "innovate" that.
BTW I never knew that about the ridges in those cups, just thought they were decorative/grip. Also never heard of your plastic egg, I had to look that one up. My problem with the zip bags is I find they fail to actually seal most of time. It's an idea great in theory but fails in practice IME as most manufacturers seem to do a bad job of it; could really use some improvement on that one.
Speaking of dumb but useful kitchen gadgets, anything that cores fruits from apples to strawberries to pitting cherries. You might only use them once or twice a year but will always be happy you bought one on impulse for $3 years ago when you do.
Are you sure there's a pressure release? I've sure noticed the symptom of being hard to start slowly; I have to squeeze harder just to get it started, then immediately back off. I always thought it was dried content in the nozzle.
It's some sort of mechanism. Your method works if you want a lot (in my books) but try just getting a single drop sometime or something like 1/8 a teaspoon. It's def not dried blockage, I've tested that before. There is a tension you have to initially overcome, I assume it's to prevent leaks or because many people actual like the squirting power.
I tried an experiment, running a toothpick through the nozzle. Went like a breeze. But when I squeezed it, same thing -- lot of squeeze necessary to start it going. So I think you are right. I'll have to see is can take it apart when it's empty.
Regarding boiled eggs I'm not sure that the plastic egg is necessary, I find the timer method perfectly satisfactory. At sea level (or close to it) if you put your egg in boiling water and set the timer for 6 minutes you get the perfect egg. I guess adaption may need to be made for people in Denver and the like but I don't live there and don't expect to need to boil an egg at altitude
There are some advantages to putting the egg in and then bringing the water to a boil. It saves a little time and is less likely to crack the egg — but how long it takes then depends on how fast the stove heats the water.
Whoops did not mean to past that 3 times apologies
I have now removed the surplus copies of your post.