Monday, June 8, 2009

Wondering

In 1894, Rudolph Diesel filed for a patent for his new invention, dubbed the diesel engine. His engine was the first to prove that fuel could be ignited without a spark. He operated his first successful engine in 1897.

In 1898, Diesel was granted U.S. Patent 608,845 for an "internal combustion engine".




As I am wont to do, I began to wonder the other day, what if Rudolph had not invented the diesel engine. What if Joe Smith, or Ron Jones, or...JadedJ had done so? What if? Would the fuel then been named, Smith...Jones (give me 10 gallons of Jones), or JadedJ. Would we see signs all over the world like this?

And then of course that lead to other thingies that are named after people. Here are some of them. Just insert your name in front of the thing.

I particularly like Guillotine. "He faced his demise on the scaffolds of the JadedJ."
Or, this one...Molotov Cocktail. "The tank was destroyed from above by a thrown JadedJ Cocktail (gasoline mixed with copious amounts of vodka)."

This is a partial list, for sure.

What struck me about this useless exercise is, the names usually fit the thing. Whereas, Jones, Smith and JadedJ do not. Or, is it that I am so used to the names, that the thing fits the name. Does anyone understand what the hell is going on in my mind regards this?

Oh yeah, I forgot. If your life is so miserable that this post interests you, and you would like to follow up with further study, try this site HERE.

You're welcome.

16 comments:

Utah Savage said...

Finally someone with a mind that spins like mine.

Xanadu said...

Ditto what Utah said. I'm glad that I'm not alone in my twisted little world. HA! This entry was quite humorous, when I put my last name in front of some of those. Fun little exercise. Lol. Hugs.

jadedj said...

Utah---this is depressing...that there is more sickness out there.

X---this is ditto depressing that...

Hee, hee, hee...it was wasn't it?

PENolan said...

Mae West invented the inflatable vest? Now that's funny

jadedj said...

PE---looked that one up because that just didn't sound right. Here it is: "The nickname refers to the actress Mae West and was popular during the Second World War era with US and British Air Force servicemen who were issued inflatable Mae Wests." It was actually invented in 1928 by Peter Markus. I guess the servicemen were fantasizing, being a long way from home, etc.

Punch said...

What if the nations capitol were named after you. Jadedj D.C. Those guys up in Jadedj can't find theirs ass with both hands. The president said today from Jadedj that FEMA was on their way to help. works for me.

Lou said...

The possibilities are endless (my life is obviously miserable as this got me thinking) - what about the big burger crowd? Or the big car marques?

A big j with fries or a jadedj corolla

Simon Butler said...

I don’t agree at all! When a person’s name becomes associated with an invention, or is incorporated into the name of a town, or whatever, we simply get used to them. If the diesel engine had been invented by someone called Jones, we would readily adapt to ‘the Jones engine’. The only reason it sounds odd is your familiarity with ‘diesel engine’. We may or may not have called the fuel ‘jones’, but it may have been. After all, people outside the US remain perplexed by the way Americans fill up their petrol tanks with ‘gas’, despite the fact that it’s a liquid.

What is curious is that only a couple of hours ago (and before seeing this) I had been considering writing a blog post made up of spurious name-associations, such as:

Contrary to popular belief, the use of the word ‘hoover’ to mean a vacuum cleaner comes from the late J Edgar Hoover, who earned a reputation for his skills in giving fellatio, claiming he could ‘suck it all up’ better than anyone.

Now I feel unable to continue. And it’s your fault.

Good one about the Mae West, by the way. Indeed, the provision of inflatable sex dolls to servicemen is a much-overlooked act of compassion by the armed forces of our two countries.

mo.stoneskin said...

Earl of Condom? Brilliant. Of course the condom was originally invented as a wetsuit for gerbils, it was actually called the Gerbilsuit. When The ol' Earl of Condom cottoned on to its potential he changed the name, Gerbilsuit wasn't very marketable.

becomingkate said...

LOL at Hoover! Thanks Simon. You should write it anyway.

JJ - My last name is Peterson, which works well with a lot of things, like the Peterson Office System, or the Peterson Paper Shredder. I read last year that the inventor of the Egg McMuffin died, his name was Herb Peterson.

Doug said...

There is a sofa design with my last name, and no, it isn't because I spent a lot of time sleeping on one.

Even if I did. I'm jus' sayin'.

jadedj said...

Punch---this works with isms also. For example, if you had been that "Last Supper" guy...the one in the middle---This from the AP wires: "Jerry Falwell today announced that the Conservative Punchians in support of the Second Amendment, endorse Sarah Palin for the Vice Presidency of the United States."

Lou---A Big MacLou with fries?

Simon---I did offered that possibility, albeit, timidly.

The gas thing is short for gasoline. We Americans like to shorten things, thereby wasting no time getting to the goal, be the goal verbal or physical...except sex, of course...depending on whom one is with.

As to being "scooped"...I totally know what you mean. A couple of weeks ago I was going to do a post regards British and American word counterparts. Such as, hood = bonnet in GB, Truck = Lorry, Elevator = Lift...that sort of thing. No sooner than the idea popped into my head, a certain British Gentleman posted the same thing. And what a fine post it was too. I just didn't have the heart to finish out my day without purchasing a large jug of Merlot and drowning my blogging sorrows.

You do know that the J in J. Edgar stood for John, do you not? John being the American slang for a prostitute's client. It all comes together, so to speak.

o.stoneskin---Har har har. And I might add, this is why we have a teeming population of gerbils in the world.

Kate---I thought Basil was named after Herb.

Doug---your last name is Sectional?

Doug said...

No, but it gives me an idea...

jadedj said...

Doug---I love ideas. I had one back in '83 I think it was.

Doug said...

Sorry, wasn't paying attention, I meant to say yes, but I spell it in parts, Sec Tio Nal.

I shall strive to pay attention next time.

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