Have you tried the Pilot Friction pen? Great for Dyslexics.
I love innovations and pens, so felt compelled to buy this new one from Pilot. I’m very impressed. However I need a Four colour version.
Olympic cycling on Box Hill
Despite having an amazing day watching the I still can’t help feeling gutted and disappointed for Mark Cavendish and Team GB.
Sarah and I left Stratford early and cycled to Box Hill to catch the 9 laps of the Road cycling. We didn’t cycle the entire way, we cheated used the train from New Cross Gate to Redhill.
From Redill we managed to cycle to the foot of Box hill, park the cycles and scramble up the steep paths to the road at the top. It was a stunning day and I was pretty knackered and we were walking only walking. I have no idea how they did it 9 times on cycles.
The support at the top was fantastic. A small stretch of the road was ticket but most was open to the public. Large crowds formed all the road side, Union flags were everywhere and it felt like a huge road party.
Apparently the flag is officially only a Union Jack when its attached to the Jack flag pole on the ship! Other wise it’s a Union Flag.
Team GB looked so strong at the head of the main peloton. Their matching white hats, blue gear and position at the head making them look so strong.
Just outside Redhill station there is a road called Cavendish road and I couldn’t resist taking a photo. Possible the closest I will ever get to Cavendish on a cycle!
We were so close to the action you could clearly see the riders. For this video I was actually too close and very nearly got in someone’s way. Think I was looking at the amazing equipment too much! Ps sorry for my language.
Having seen 9 laps at Box Hill we ran down the paths, picked up our bikes an headed to the big screens at Dorking.
Having seen how strong Team GB were, I honestly couldn’t believe they wouldn’t win. But the more we watched the more it became clear that it was too big an ask even with the heroic efforts of Wiggins, Froome, Millar and Stannard. They were just too far back and could not get Cavendish where he needed to be.
Following such a great day and opening ceremony the night before, I left feeling very proud but dejected.
Reading the articles today it seems other teams were riding defensively and maybe Team GB were a victim of their own success. Which makes me feel even more disappointed for them and Cav.
Stratford - 27th
Invention - Cycle bottle holder
Bike bottle holders only work for certain size bottles. They are perfect for some bottles, but totally useless for most. This means you have to use, remember, find or clean out your ‘bike’ bottle if you want to drink when you cycle. Which in reality never can. My bike bottle holder is therefore pretty pointless and I end up putting my drink in a ruck sac or pannier and can’t reach it when I want to drink. Very annoying.
Idea: A flexible or adjustable bottle holder able to hold any size bottle.
It could be stretchy like a tube or adjustable in diameter a bit like a cycle helmet. It would need to be strong enough so you could push a bottle in, but I think this is pretty easy to do.
The most important questions are:
- has it been done before?
- would you buy one?
- how much would you pay?
Kitchen Invention - Soft Whisk
Metal whisks grate the side of the mixing bowl making a horrible noise. They can also damage porcelain bowls.
Invention: How about whisk bits with soft plastic or silicone blades.
These flexible blades would be soft against the mixing bowl reducing the noise and grating. Being flexible they may even be easier to clean.
The Soft whisk blades, could have a metal piece down the middle to give them strength. This would also enable them to work with your standard whisk.
The plastic could even come in a range of colours.
What do you recon?
Does the grating noise of whisks annoy you?
Do you have lovely mixing bowls that have been damaged by whisk blades?
Invention - Toddler tissues
Staying with my nieces the following invention popped into my head.
When toddlers have colds it’s miserable. Their little noses stream all day which makes breathing difficult and parents are constantly wiping or smearing snot from their face. Usually ends in screams and tears.
Toddlers can’t hold tissues or blow their own nose. The best they can do is wipe a sleeve across across their face. All this really does is make their face red.
How about special toddler tissue bands which go around their wrist. Sort of like sweat bands made from tissue. The tissue could either stick onto their clothes or hold around the wrist. It could keep their clothes a little cleaner. When the toddler wipes their nose, they would be wiping it with a soft tissue rather than their clothes. The bands could be removed or tear away to leave a fresh new one below. They could even be wet wipes to help sore noses.
Not sure if this is the solution but it’s certainly a problem worth solving.
What do you think? Please let me know below.
Tom
NEW – Stylfile Collection 2012
Lord Sugar and I are proud to announce that the Stylfile Collection 2012 is now available in Sainsbury’s stores and online. I’ve literally been working night and day to develop the range and I really hope you enjoy the massively improved S-file, completely new S-buffer and revolutionary Emergency File. A huge amount of work has gone into every aspect of these inventions to give you, or a loved one, fantastic looking nails without the hassle.
Thank you so much to everyone who has helped bring this product to market. Please let me know what you think by posting message here or via Twitter @inventor_tom