28/11/2011 Ideas man
I know I haven’t blogged in a while but thought I better put something on record.
Sometimes I can be a little bit like Hamish & Andy‘s friend ‘Horgs’. Horgs is what can be referred to as ‘an idea’s man’. Every now and then Horgs appears on air to discuss his latest invention or business idea and pitch it to the listeners. He is always coming with new, revolutionary ideas. However, it seems that there is often a glaring flaw to his idea which is quickly pointed out to a dejected Horgs. Yet back to the drawing board he goes and will again, with full confidence, pitch a new idea another day.
I too have come up with some ideas. Some with glaring flaws like Horgs’, others with little or no merit. One of my more recent ideas I believed quite strongly in and still do. It was a little left of field but could really work. Anyway, over a beer I pitched it to a few friends. While some entertained the idea briefly, others flatly rejected as ridiculous.
So the idea.. It originated when I was in England. Many of the urinals in pubs have targets or mini soccer goals to encourage accuracy and give somewhere for wandering eyes to focus. I thought it was a novel idea and provided a small amount of entertainment while making room for another pint or two. I didn’t think anymore of this novelty urinal until I was at the Royal Melbourne Show.
At the Show there was a game at the arcade whereby participants fire water pistols at a target. As the target is hit and water pressure applied, a stuffed Spiderman doll attached to a rope moves up on a pulley system. The first person to get their Spiderman to the top wins a prize. It required accuracy and an ability to maintain consistent and forceful water pressure.
So I put the two ideas together. Imagine a urinal where men line up having paid a fee to enter. After a countdown they urinate at a target. Using a similar mechanism, the first player to reach the top wins a prize (free beer or similar). I think it could work. Sure there are a few things that would need to be ironed out and a few questions to answer, but I think it could be very popular. I reckon there would be plenty of blokes prepared to test their accuracy and urine pressure.
Anyway, after hearing some criticism and negative feedback, I put the idea on the shelf.
This evening though, I received a text message. It said, “Dude your idea was just on 7pm project. Urinals set up as a video game you control the race with your flow haha!”
There are some minor differences in technology, but essentially, it is my idea. I’m claiming it! I should have backed myself and gone with the idea rather than like Horgs, dejectedly shelving the idea and going back to the drawing board.
Here is a news report on the video game urinal.
So what do you think? Would my idea work? Is it too late?
But at least let it be known that I came up with it first.
Tags: Hamish & Andy, Horgs, ideas, invention, urinal
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