the blog quebecois

From a page of amateur inventions. This looks to be the most useful of the bunch -- frankly, most of the others are either obvious or unfathomable.

I've heard of these guys, but this is the first time I've seen one in action. I don't know who originated the idea, but that first attempt must have been heart-stoppingly intense, no matter how sound the theory.

Warning: Music, commentary

Via kottke.org

Dark Roasted Blend:

There are over 7 million patents registered in the United States, a great number of which describe practical inventions designed for use by everyday, ordinary human beings. Then there's the "guy" stuff, ideas so lunkheaded and irrational they could only have come from that tiny portion of a guy's brain not dedicated to scratching himself. The following inventions have received actual patents from the United States government - proof positive that heavy drinking is not being discouraged at the patent and trademark office. The illustrations are those submitted by the inventors themselves, whose surnames have been withheld as an act of mercy.

The principle is simple - two guys, disguised in a cow suit, amble out into an open field, conducting themselves in a cow-like manner (the guy in back may find ambling a bit difficult due to the placement of the udder). When the moment is right, the courageous sportsmen burst from various secret cow openings and blast away to their hearts' content. As an aside, should the hunter in front wish to play a tremendously humorous prank on the hunter in the rear, he can amble seductively into the holding pen of Farmer Johnson’s prize Brahma bull.

One hopes the thing is armor-plated for those unfortunate times when hunting season and beer season coincide.

The Telegraph:

Mr Stender's creation, which he has dubbed 'The School Time Jet-Powered School Bus', also fires out 80 foot flames from the back creating massive clouds of smoke.

Mr Stender, 43, said: "I built the bus for two reasons. The first is to entertain people because, come on, it's a jet bus.

The second, is to keep kids off drugs. Jets are hot, drugs are not."

Spoken, obviously, by a man who has never driven a jet-powered school bus while on drugs. It's everything you've ever heard, kids, and so, so much more.