Posts by Jim in Phoenix

I would have raised hell if I had been in that situation. Now if I ever go to work inside one of these glass prisons, I'll take a hammer with me. Until now it never occurred to me that a 20 pound sledgehammer would be useful if one worked in IT.

Cell phone jammers are now the must have accessory for people who don't want to be disturbed by some idiot screaming into his phone a 40,000 feet.

recycled concepts

Concepts are often recycled.

How many authors over the centuries have written stories featurng a crime the authorities couldn't solve and a really clever man or woman who figures it out with a minimum of evidence?

How many stories have been written featuring a copule in love who can't be together because of hatred on the part of their families or communities?

How many country songs have been written featuring a guy who cheats on his wife, looses her and is so sad he can't forget her no matter how much he drinks? How many feature a woman expressing anger at the woman who stole her husband?

How many people painted or drew a picture of a woman before Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa? How man after him?

Almost every artist on Earth who ever drew or painted something involving plant life created a picture of a tree? How many of those trees were tall?

Over the centuries how many artists have painted pictures of naked women? Someone must file a lawsuit against Hugh Hefner. He ripped off their idea.

Doctor House is a rip off of Sherlock Holmes. Both have a drug addiction. Both do what they do because the puzzle interests them, not because they want to do good in the world. Both have a B in the addresses of the places where they live. Both had sidekicks that stayed with them despite their oddities. Holmes had Watson. House had Wilson.

I think I've proved my point that concepts and ideas are rarely new. An artist usually takes an idea he/she has been exposed to, changes it and adds to it.

Send a sample to the sheriff

I can see one potential group of large customers - Law enforcement. This can be used as another way to make life behind bars unpleasant so people don't want to go back. It has its advantages. It comes in powder form so you can store a lot of it in a small space. Also it won't quickly go off if you don't put it in the freezer. The people who mix it with water don't need to know how to cook anything. The cost of cooking (gas, maintaining the stove) can be avoided. Also there's no need for eating utensils that inmates can use to make weaons. Also there's a huge savings on dishwashing - fewer things to wash. I say the soylent people should send a sample to Maricopa County sheriff Joe Arpio with the reminder he can safely add green food dye to it.