From The Mind of Merc - Inventions (Accidental)

Sometimes I find my mind wandering over various eclectic topics and occasionally I am inspired to write some of them down. Today, following on from last month's post about killer inventions, I was thinking about inventions that came about by accident.
It's amazing how many familiar products came about by sheer fluke.

Here are a few examples of those lucky enough to create something successful by accident:

Slinky – Inventor: Richard Jones
– He was actually trying to make a meter to monitor power on battleships using tension springs
Penicillin – Inventor: Alexander Fleming
– He was actually trying to make a wonder drug - penicillin was discovered on a dish he threw away
Choc chip cookies – Inventor: Ruth Wakefield
– She was actually trying to make normal chocolate cookies but the bits didn't melt
Crisps – Inventor: George Crum
– He was actually trying to make a plate of fried potato that a customer insisted needed to be thinner
Pacemaker – Inventor: John Hopps
– He was actually trying to make a way to use radio frequency to restore body temperature
Silly Putty – Inventor: James Wright
– He was actually trying to make a rubber substitute out of silicon during WWII
Microwave – Inventor: Percy Spencer
– He was actually trying to make a radar related project
Saccharin – Inventor: Constantine Fahlberg
– She was actually trying to make a oxidisation experiment - a chemical spill lead to a sweet discovery
Fireworks – Inventor: chef in China
– He was actually trying to make a new cooking experiment using charcoal, sulphur and saltpetre
Scotchgard – Inventor: Patsy Sherman
– She was actually trying to make a rubber material that would be resistant to exposure from jet fuels
Cornflakes – Inventor: John and Will Kellogg
– They were actually trying to make boiled grain but they left it on the stove too long
LSD – Inventor: Albert Hofmann
– He was actually trying to make lysergic acid derivatives and accidentally swallowed some
Post-its – Inventor: Spencer Silver
– He was actually trying to make a strong adhesive and ended up with the opposite result
X Rays – Inventor: Wilhelm Rontgen
– He was actually trying to make advances in cathodic ray tube experiments
Inkjet printer – Inventor: Canon engineer
– He was actually wasn't trying to make anything - he was on a break but rested his hot iron on his pen

Who knows what other coincidental creations will be made in the future 

Companions song - !!!NEW!!!

And then an equally complex Whovian parody of the Monarchs song from Horrible Histories:

Monarchs Companions Song not from Horrible Histories
My name is Susan Foreman I’m the doctor’s granddaughter
You never will forget me and, you never should oughta
I was the first to travel in the TARDIS with my gramps
Against all of our enemies we always were the champs
To help remember all his friends, I've come up with this song
A simple rhyming ditty, for you all to sing along, oh...
Susan!
Bit short, innit? We need more names! Who came next?

Bar-bra Wright, a teacher
Followed Susan, grave error
With her colleague, Ian C
Both worked (at) Coal Hill, you see
Then came Vicki, ‘cause Susan’s gone!
And Steven Taylor a hanger on
Sara Kingdom joined the fight
Dodo Chaplet? Yes, that's right!
Oh Katarina, what a tragedy
Gave her life so that they could flee

Chorus:
Susan, Bar-bra, Ian, Vicki
Steve, Sara, Dodo, Kat! 

If you are new, we’re not near through, Troughton’s where we’re at

Next Polly a secretary
And Ben Jackson too
Then we have Jamie McCrimmon, a Scot och aye the noo
Victor-ya a loyal daughter, she’s forced to face all her fears
Next Zoe H she joined the team
Then Liz Shaw she appears
We’re on to three, then you’ll see
The companion’s Jo Grant (tada)
Had to earn the Doctor’s trust
‘Til Sarah Jane arrived (hurrah)
Harry S, Leela then
Romana one and two
With K9’s help on board and Adric’s
A stowaway in the crew
So Nyssa then five’s begun
A new regeneration
Tegan Jovanka too, who speaks indigenous Australian
Vislor Turlough, just let him go
Then an android
Yes!
Kamelion, asked the doctor
To help end his distress

Chorus:
Susan, Bar-bra, Ian, Vicki
Steve, Sara, Dodo, Kat!
Pol, Ben, Jamie, Vic, Zoe
Liz, Jo, SJ’s where we’re at
Harry, Leela, Romana
Adric, Nyssa, Tegan then
Then Turlough Kamel-yon

We now lose Davison

Peri Brown’s in the TARDIS
'Til she leaves to wed a king
When things resume, it’s now Mel Bush
The one with a big grin
We then get Ace before some space
Because they’ve gone off the air
In the movie it’s Grace you’ll see
Then Rose Tyler is who’s there
She and Mickey, who met one day
Captain Jack Harkness - immortal
And so from then, we’re following ten
Still we’ve not reached Clara Oswald! 

Chorus:
Susan, Bar-bra, Ian, Vicki
Steve, Sara, Dodo, Kat!
Pol, Ben, Jamie, Vic, Zoe
Liz, Jo, SJ’s where we’re at
Harry, Leela, Romana
Adric, Nyssa, Tegan then
And Turlough Kamel-yon
Peri Brown, Mel, Ace and then
Grace, Rose, Mickey and Captain Jack

There’s still some key ones that we lack

And so began Tennant’s rebound gang
Donna and Martha
Jones!
Then Amy Pond she tags along
So Smith’s not on his own
Her husband too he joins the crew
Is he just a third wheel?
Hang on!
He’s actually the Centurion
And is really a big deal
Bang on!
And River Song she is fam-ly
You what!
It's time for a new tale to be told
When the Ponds are gone then just look who comes
Yes it is Clara Oswald!

Chorus:
Susan, Bar-bra, Ian, Vicki
Steve, Sara, Dodo, Kat!
Pol, Ben, Jamie, Vic, Zoe
Liz, Jo, SJ’s where we’re at
Harry, Leela, Romana
Adric, Nyssa, Tegan then
And Turlough Kamel-yon
Peri Brown, Mel, Ace and then
Grace, Rose, Mickey Captain Jack - hurrah
Don(na), Marth(a), Am(y), Ror(y)
River, then Clara
Now it’s Clara, now it’s Clara, now it’s Clara

She’s the impossible girl, you know

Nardole, and Bill
Graham, Ryan, Jaz
Dan Lewis joined the team
And so our companions song
Is brought up to fourteen

Chorus:
Susan, Bar-bra, Ian, Vicki
Steve, Sara, Dodo, Kat!
Pol, Ben, Jamie, Vic, Zoe
Liz, Jo, SJ’s where we’re at
Harry, Leela, Romana
Adric, Nyssa, Tegan then
And Turlough Kamel-yon
Peri Brown, Mel Ace and then
Grace, Rose, Mickey Captain Jack - hurrah
Don(na), Marth(a), Am(y), Ror(y)
River then Clara
Nardole, Bill, Graham, Ryan 
Then Yas and Dan help reach the end

Let’s not forget the Brigadier
The one who we now all should cheer

Supercalifragilisticexpialitimelord - !!!NEW!!!

Having a stinking cold unfortunately delayed the proper upload of September's creations. But here they are now for you to enjoy. The first one a tongue-twisting Whovian parody of the classic Mary Poppins song:

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocioustimelord not from Mary Poppins
It's Hartnelltroughtonpertweebakerdav-sonbakermccoy
They’re who started off the whole regeneration convoy
When it comes to aliens now who else would you deploy
Hartnelltroughtonpertweebakerdav-sonbakermccoy
From-galli-frey yes-from-Galli- frey
From-galli-frey yes-from-Galli- frey
From-galli-frey yes-from-Galli- frey
From-galli-frey yes-from-Galli- frey

Way back in nineteen sixty three on your old TV set
Came a brand new programme like the world hadn’t seen yet
An old but clever traveller in as big strange blue box
Is here to save the world that is just how the doctor rocks 

Oh, Hartnelltroughtonpertweebakerdav-sonbakermccoy
They’re who started off the whole regeneration convoy
When it comes to aliens now who else would you deploy
Hartnelltroughtonpertweebakerdav-sonbakermccoy
From-galli-frey yes-from-Galli- frey
From-galli-frey yes-from-Galli- frey
From-galli-frey yes-from-Galli- frey
From-galli-frey yes-from-Galli- frey

He travelled all through time and space but despite all his deeds
At avoiding being cancelled sadly didn’t succeed
But we can’t get enough timelords and ninety six’s when
We got another lot who started it all off again (woo)

Mcgannhurtecclestontennantsmithcapaldiwhit-ker
A new series came on the back of that motion picture
The doctor is here to stay on that we can all concur
Mcgannhurtecclestontennantsmithcapaldiwhit-ker
From-galli-frey yes-from-Galli- frey
From-galli-frey yes-from-Galli- frey

You know you can say it backwards which is
Raxacoricofallapatorius
But that just doesn't sound quite right, don't you think?
Indubitably 

So when the Daleks threaten or the cybermen are here (they’re here?)
There’ no reason for panic so please just allay your fear
But encountering the doctor well that could change your life 

For example
Yes?
Since I first met the doctor my whole world is filled with strife
Oh, but I wouldn’t want to change that
It’s 

Hartnelltroughtonpertweebakerdav-sonbakermccoy
Mcgannhurtecclestontennantsmithcapaldiwhit-ker
Hartnelltroughtonpertweebakerdav-sonbakermccoy
Mcgannhurtecclestontennantsmithcapaldiwhit-ker

From The Mind of Merc - Inventions (Lethal)

Sometimes I find my mind wandering over various eclectic topics and occasionally I am inspired to write some of them down. Today, following the Titan disaster, I was thinking about inventing and how it can be a dangerous thing.
Everyone wants to come up with the next big thing but what if you don’t survive it.

Here are a few examples of those unlucky enough to be killed by their own inventions:

Stockton Rush

Oversaw the design and construction of the Titan.

Craft imploded during a trip to the Titanic wreck site killing everyone on board.

Francis Edgar Stanley

Joint creator of the Stanley Steamer automobile.

Whilst driving he swerved to avoid an obstacle which caused a car accident which led to his death.

Sylvester Roper

Creator of one of the first ever motorcycle – the Roper Steam Velocipede

He fell off the bike a 40 miles an hour and by the time anyone could get to him he was dead.

Horace Hunley

Creator of the first submarine to successfully sink a warship.

Unfortunately, during a dive, the vessel became trapped on the bottom of a harbour and all aboard perished

Henry Winstanley

Built the Eddystone Lighthouse to combat the loss of ships.

In 1703 the Great Storm of Southern England destroyed the lighthouse… with Winstanley inside it.

Max Valier

Creator of a rocket powered car.

The car used an alcohol-based fuel which exploded in his workshop killing him.

Jean-Francois Pilatre de Rozier

Made the first manned balloon flight.

Crashed his balloon whilst trying to cross the Channel.

William Bullock

Bullock came up with improvements to the pre-existing rotary press.

While installing one of these machines, his leg became trapped and he died after developing gangrene.

Thomas Midgley Jr

Created a pulley system to help get him out of bed.

One day he got caught up in the device and was strangled to death.

Franz Reichelt

Developed a full body parachute suit.

Tested the suit himself, it failed and he was killed instantly.

Ismail ibn Hammad al-Jawhari

Made a set of wooden wings covered in feathers.

Jumped off the roof of a mosque to test them – they didn’t work.

Henri Thuille

Inventor of a high-speed steam locomotive.

Died during a test run.

Percy Pilcher

Developed a hang glider called the Hawk

The craft suffered a structural failure during a flight and he was killed as a result of the crash.

Charles Lugeti

Creator of the Lugeti Stratos aircraft.

Lost control during a test flight and was killed in the crash.

William Nelson

Invented a way to motorise bikes.

Fell off his prototype during a test drive and died.

Alexander Bogdanov

One of the first to experiment with blood transfusion.

Died when he used the blood of a TB and malaria victim on himself.

Michael Dacre

Created a flying taxi.

Died during a test flight.

Mike Hughes

Made a steam powered rocket.

Killed when the parachute failed to deploy during a crash landing.

Karel Soucek

Developed a shock absorbent barrel for surviving Niagara Falls.

As a result of an accident he hit the rim after falling 180 feet.

Henry Fleuss

Created a rebreathing diving suit.

He was killed while testing his creation as the pure oxygen he used was fatal.

Henry Smolinski

Created a prototype flying car.

On the first and only flight the wings fell off and he was killed in the crash.

Valerian Abakovsky

Developed a high speed railcar.

On a return trip the train jumped the track at 70 miles an hour.

Otto Lilienthal

Created a glider with a 23 foot wingspan.

The glider stalled during a test flight and crashed to the ground.

Robert Cocking

Designed a parachute.

The parachute failed to open during a test flight and Cocking plummeted to his death.

Luis Jimenez

Created the 32 foot tall sculpture called ‘Blucifer’.

During installation, pieces of the sculpture fell on him severing an artery in his leg and he died the next day.

Fred Deusenberg

Created the Deusenberg automobile.

Killed during a high speed accident.

Aurel Vlaicu

Inventor of a self-built airplane.

Failed in his attempt to cross the Carpathian Mountains.

Sabin Arnold von Sochocky

Inventor of luminescent paint which contained radium.

Died as a result of a disease caused by radiation poisoning.

John Day

Developed a diving chamber.

Died during a test run

Julius H. Kroehl

Co-designer of a hand powered submersible

Died from decompression sickness after repeated dives

Cowper Phipps Coles

Designed a masted turret ship

Drowned when it sank.

Thomas Andrews

Architect of the RMS Titanic.

Insisted on going down with the ship when it sank in April 1912

Marie Curie

Marie and her husband Pierre discovered radium and spent many years experimenting with.

She died from a disease caused by radiation poisoning as a result from constant exposure to the material.

Maybe the moral of the story is that testing is good but maybe we should be thinking mannequin not myself

Doctor Doctor - !!!NEW!!!

And then putting a Whovian slant on ABBA.

Honey Honey Doctor Doctor not by ABBA
Doctor Doctor, how we need you, a-ha, Doctor Doctor                       
Doctor Doctor, you know it’s true, a-ha, Doctor Doctor
You keep saving earth from harm
Our enemies you disarm
And no matter where you are, you're our saviour
In your special blue box 

Doctor Doctor, know you’ll help us, a-ha, Doctor Doctor
Doctor Doctor, without a fuss, a-ha, Doctor Doctor
The way that you save the world
(The way that you do save the world)
When the Master’s plan’s unfurled
(When the master’s plan is unfurled)
We know that we can rejoice when we hear that noise

I do what I can for earth ‘cause
I’ve put lots of work in it
So I’ll stick around and
You know that I’ll never quit
We know we can trust you, Doctor
To rescue humanity
When we’re under attack there’s one person we want to see

Doctor Doctor, whatever’s there, a-ha, Doctor Doctor
Doctor Doctor, you’re in our prayer, a-ha, Doctor Doctor
You come from so far away (Come from so far away)
We’re so glad you’re here to stay (So glad you’re here to stay)
‘Cause whatever fear we face, trust the man from space

So I’ll stick around and you know that I will never quit

When we’re under attack there’s one person we want to see

Doctor Doctor, how we need you, a-ha, Doctor Doctor                       
Doctor Doctor, you know it’s true, a-ha, Doctor Doctor
You keep saving earth from harm
Our enemies you disarm
And no matter where you are, you're our saviour
In your special blue box

Man From Gallifrey - !!!NEW!!!

I recently joined a Doctor Who themed group so naturally I had to do some Whovian parody songs. Starting with this twist on an Adam Ant classic.

Stand And Deliver Man From Gallifrey not by Adam & The Ants
I'm the time travelling man who you've heard people mention
I’m fighting crime through space and time and relative dimensions
The Daleks want your planet Earth they’ll soon get your attention (oh-oh)
But don’t you fret ‘cause they’ll soon find I’m here to ease the tension

Man from Gallifrey I’m here to save your life
Stopping all invasions when aliens are rife

I'm the time travelling man so sick of Cyberman schemes
Those metal brutes in silver suits who want you to join their team
I don’t know why they all bother when they know I’m close at hand (oh oh)
And soon they see they can’t beat me their armies I will disband

Man from Gallifrey I’m here to save your life
Stopping all invasions when aliens are rife

And even though I beat them all
I know they will return
Return

I’m the time travelling man - I will fight the Master
‘Cause whatever he is plotting it will be a disaster
I’m the time travelling man and with my screwdriver (oh oh)
I’ll defeat all enemies and prove earth’s a survivor

Man from Gallifrey I’m here to save your life
Stopping all invasions when aliens are rife

And even though I beat them all
I know they will return
Return

Time timey wimey time timey wimey
Time timey wimey time timey wimey
Time timey wimey time timey wimey
Time timey wimey time timey wimey

Man from Gallifrey I’m here to save your life
Man from Gallifrey I’m here to save your life
Man from Gallifrey I’m here to save your life
Man from Gallifrey I’m here to save your life
Man from Gallifrey I’m here to save your life
Man from Gallifrey I’m here to save your life
Man from Gallifrey I’m here to save your life
Man from Gallifrey I’m here to save your life
Man from Gallifrey I’m here to save your life
Man from Gallifrey I’m here to save your life

From The Mind of Merc - Difference

Sometimes I find my mind wandering over various eclectic topics and occasionally I am inspired to write some of them down. Today I was thinking about the difference a few years can make. For example, in Tudor history.

King Henry VIII - the king infamous for his 6 wives - actually got through the last 4 in the last 10 years of his life. So much so that it shows a distinct difference in the attitude of the ladies of the court to winning the king's eye and his hand in marriage, as demonstrated by the image below.

True - Henry's size, weight, appearance and temper had all worsened by the time he wed no. 6 but still - that poor woman.

Eat 'Em All - !!!NEW!!!

This time I'm using one of Miley Cyrus's numbers for a parody about Cronos - chief titan of Greek mythology. After his successful overthrow of his father, Uranus, he had a slightly odd plan to keep hold of power.

Wrecking Ball Eat 'Em All not by Miley Cyrus
We fought, we won, our dad was done
I was now boss of them all
Although we’re safe I still can’t say
I won’t share the same fall 

Don't want that to be my own destiny
Overthrown by my son
To ensure my reign, and secure my gain
One thing must now be done 

I guess I’ll have to eat em all
It’s the only way to be safe
I’ll stop them while they’re all still so small
Then they will never defeat me
They won’t defeat me

We live so high up in the sky
And no, I’m not coming down
I like being, the one true king
There’s just one thing that makes me frown

Don't want that to be my own destiny
Overthrown by my son
To ensure my reign, and secure my gain
One thing must now be done

I guess I’ll have to eat em all
It’s the only way to be safe
I’ll stop them while they’re all still so small
Then they will never defeat me
They won’t defeat me

I guess I’ll have to eat em all
It’s the only way to be safe
I’ll stop them while they’re all still so small
Then they will never defeat me
They won’t defeat me

I do not want another war
I just want to always be on top
That is what I do this for
And no-one will make me stop
I do not want another war
I just want to always be on top
And no-one will make me stop

Don't want that to be my own destiny
Overthrown by my son

I guess I’ll have to eat em all
It’s the only way to be safe
I’ll stop them while they’re all still so small
Then they will never defeat me

I guess I’ll have to eat em all
It’s the only way to be safe
I’ll stop them while they’re all still so small
Then they will never defeat me
They won’t defeat me
They won’t defeat me

Perfect - !!!NEW!!!

Today a slight twist on a Lewis Capaldi number. If you took his song Pointless and completely changed the meaning you'd get....

Pointless Perfect not by Lewis Capaldi
I brought her coffee in the morning
She just wanted to sleep
I took her out to fancy restaurants
She said she didn’t want to eat
I made her cards on her birthday
She wanted store bought ones
I took her water when she's thirsty
She said she’d prefer none 

I thought that our love was fated
But I now have come to understand
Because now I see what she really means to me and

Despite all the time we spent
I’ve discovered that it’s true
Everything is perfect without you
Now I find all of my efforts
Don’t leave me feeling blue
Everything is perfect without you

I lit the fire when it was cold out
And she just left the room
I wanted her love for forever
But it would never bloom
I took her out to the movies
She said it’s overlong
I thought she was my everything
But in that too I was wrong

I thought that we were both meant to be
And her love was all I wanted
But after all I said and after all of what I did

Despite all the time we spent
I’ve discovered that it’s true
Everything is perfect without you
Now I find all of my efforts
Don’t leave me feeling blue
Everything is perfect without you

Fine without you
Fine without you
We are now so through
Fine without you
Fine without you
We are now so through

Despite all the time we spent
I’ve discovered that it’s true
Everything is perfect without you
Now I find all of my efforts
Don’t leave me feeling blue
Everything is perfect without you
Everything is perfect without you

From The Mind of Merc - Pride

Sometimes I find my mind wandering over various eclectic topics and occasionally I am inspired to write some of them down. Today I took a trip to London where the Pride Parade was in full swing so I thought I'd share a short and simple message: