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I spotted this warning “poster” on the side of a rented inflatable.
Thank goodness the kids didn’t see it. It would sort of take the fun out of it.

This reminds me of some websites I’ve evaluated lately.

vs. A Purposeful, Prioritized Design

photo credits: unknown. If these are your photos, contact me for attribution and a link.

I’m not making this up. But since my kids have a dog, it caught my eye. straight from 3 Dendy Road in South Devon - probably attached to one of the cleanest patches of turf in the whole of England, if this pans out - a talented industrial designer has created The Poop Swoop . Roughly a canine version of the Diaper Genie (an absolutely genius product, I’ll say from experience) the thing is meant to keep you from using your hands (through a bag, surely) to remove the waste. Very civilized.

From the Poop Swoop site:

“Yuk! We all hate dog poo! But we love our dogs!!!!! That’s why we went away, dreamt up, and patented - The SWOOP. The SWOOP really is your second best friend. It’s patented design GRABS and BAGS your pooch’s poop in a single action, concealing it away, leaving you free to dispose of it in a hygienic and responsible manner. ”

I’d like something more passive or at least entertaining. Where you push a button and a light blue glow and fresh pine scent marks the end of terds. Or perhaps a second button on this thing that would hurl the payload at cars driving too fast in the neighborhood. But I digress.

Surely NASA could provide a little insight since they’re spending tax dollars to extract electricity from crap already. Wouldn’t it be short leap to turn fido into a cell phone charger for my Blackberry? Short of that, like many, I’m sorely tempted to let natural biodegration take it’s course.

But Poop Swoop’s site lays on the guilt:

Do you walk down the street risking the paparazzi catching you, swinging your plastic bag above your head like a medieval weapon. Or do you do the unthinkable, something that only the Late Great Barbara Woodhouse would do and the hardiest of abattoir workers, that is: pocket it!

Perhaps I’ll not go to Paignton on holiday after all.

All of these inventions are based on a vertical tying business model, where the costs of production and marketing are made up later in costs of bags. The bags for the Swoop run about $0.25-0.28 each. Similar human versions of these bags are about $0.12-$0.15 as long as some blogger doesn’t ruin it for them they stand to make a shitload.

Postscript: Then there are people more creative who figured out how to entertain kids and take care of the problem, too.

The Yellow Bikes concept is a community sponsored, all volunteer program dedicated to providing human powered transportation to residents, workers and visitors in and around downtown Lexington, Kentucky.

There were originally around 80 Yellow Bikes meant to be shared among all members of the community for use in and around the downtown area - then people started STEALING THE BIKES. A lot of the bikes are now gone - acquired by private individuals and locked in the bylands far from their intended use - probably far from Lexington by now. Or so I thought…but as David Hohney’s article pointed out that outrage about the bikes’ disappearance has been categorized as one big “meh” so they could be in the sheds and garages of ‘burbs all around town.

But now, we have Christopher Rowe, Bike Wrangler. There’s a new Sheriff in town, folks. But we need to deputize this guy. Take him to the gun range. Arm him with some serious firepower. Give him the power to lock people in stocks downtown, or at least make them ride the bikes on Vine Street or along Main Street between Midland and Ashland … nah, that would be cruel and unusual punishment.� I suggest that you bring the bikes back and quietly lock them somewhere downtown and slowly leave without drawing his attention.

Ok, Christopher … time to get serious now.� put away the spoke clickers and choose your weapons - it’s you against the world. The six shooters will fit in the basket, but the rifles will help at long range. And if you can learn that cool trick where you cock the rifle one-handed while in motion, I’ll bet the intimidation factor will speak volumes. I recommend a warning shot,� ONE warning shot.

But really, people admire Lexington’s efforts here. Take some pride in this effort and bring the bikes back downtown. Otherwise, Christopher cannot guarantee your safety.

Perhaps we should have a Yellow Bike “Hall of Shame” collection of photos and a Google Map. Thoughts? I’ll set it up if people will snap photos of the Yellow Bikes OUTSIDE city limits on PRIVATE property. Let me know what you think. We could send the photos to Christopher . “Turn over the bike and nobody gets hurt.”� � People… do you really want to tangle with this guy?

I’m hopeful that we can proceed with a trust-based system soon, or perhaps a European style rental solution or call solution because downtown is not that big, but just big enough, for a bike to help.

 

…hey, you want the time of the story to be accurate!

ok, perhaps it’s not that funny. Oh well.

(for non Lexingtonians, these are all within a short drive of each other)