Just got this today from Avaaz, a group I support.

https://secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/iran_rb/?cTkNlcb

Things are bad and getting worse in Iran. Please add your signature/support for the ordinary people of Iran.

Mike

Just got this today from Avaaz, a group I support.

https://secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/iran_rb/?cTkNlcb

Things are bad and getting worse in Iran. Please add your signature/support for the ordinary people of Iran.

Mike

Hi Guys,

I've got some great feedback on the stuff I have been working on and would like your thoughts on KinderKalc, an early math aid for kids, 3/6 year olds.

What put me thinking about making the KinderKalc was when I saw how one of my grandsons was being taught math at school and how he got somewhat frustrated when he was required to memorise a lot of basic stuff. He had no difficulty putting complex lego models together though! The difference from what I could see was the lack of a 'fun element' / creativity. Lego Making = Fun, Math = Pain!

I have come up with, what I hope is, a simple board and token system that I think works quite well with very young kids trying to figure out maths. I have completed quite a few tweeks to the design since getting the initial idea but am now happy enough with the end result as it can be produced at very low cost and packaging / postage will also be low. I have submitted a UK patent application which has been accepted, hopefully it will work out.

I am making a promo video which will be finished shortly and will post it here if there is interest in viewing it, but for the time being I am posting two images which I hope explains itself on how the KinderCalc works, the KinderKalc Board and Tokens (cut out board). Hint!, the key to the idea are the redesigned / modified numerals with token holding baskets.

Questions, comments / suggestions most welcome.

Mike

I hope I didn't depress too much with that last post.

Hi Guys,

I did a quick catchup read since my last comments. I see this thread is going strong with all sides having their say.

Even here is Ennis (a small town in the West of Ireland where I live ..... currently!) is showing the effects of the mess in Ukraine. I have met with a number of people that have fled the Ukraine and I welcomed them. They are just ordinary people like you and me trying to get by the best they can!

Until we see the World being run by 'ordinary people' we will never have peace and real prosperity. From what I see the World has and is being run by the elites from their cushy and safe positions. This has been the situation for many years. Does anyone seriously think that Hitler would have got into power and stayed for as long as he did without the backing of the elites?

So, until we see something that resembles Direct Democracy happening Worldwide nothing will change and we will see 'business as usual' for the Elites. As Major General Smedley Butler said ..... 'War Is A Racket'. I think it's a great racket if you are part of the Elite group that finances it and profits hugely from it. By the way, the real Elites have no country and they don't want one! It's just a case of profit and lose for them. I imagine they would be totally happy living in outer space if they could have all the creature comforts they are used to. From this position they could really treat us like pawns on a chessboard. I would include, Biden, Jinping, Putin, Jong-un, Johnson etc etc in the group of pawns even though may feel otherwise.

So you may as well start being happy being a pawn as it's not going to change anytime soon.

Hi Liam,

From what I've read it still in the early stages of development, but it looks promising. Used tires are a major pollution problem these days and concrete production has some red line issues in the manufacturing process so this could be a huge winner.

@gullfo said:

i'd probably done something a bit different - the opening is into the garage or other non-direct home access point - then a fixed size box which once the opening door is shut, a conveyor moves the package out and into the non-home room. video monitor warnings. etc. to try and prevent mischief. as a small edit - re-purpose some robotic vacuum/sweepers to perform the conveyance...

Thanks Gullfo for thee comment / suggestions. I take your point as regards installing the ParcelShute in a garage door of other position in the property walls.

My initial thinking was that it would be easier for the property owner to just upgrade toe front door and have a new front doo with a ParcelShute installed. However, I will give the options you mention some thought.

@box said:

Given almost a week to think and consider your product in relation to a single door environment.
And having consulted with quite a few of the security and safety authorities that I have worked with over the last 30 years, not to mention the average man and wife with a kid or two and a simple unbiased explanation of your expanding box(brilliant) and how you can easily open the box and remove the blockage...
none of them, not one, thought I was joking about the difficulty of getting out of a room when gasping for breath.
not one, none of them, thought it was a simple matter to open and remove the package while attempting to escape a burning building.
Your comment about the height of the doorhandle just left me speechless.

I have personally experienced this and have trained many people how to help people survive this sort of horror. Have you ever tried a fire evacuation simulation.
I seriously hope you have to convince a 'Fire Safety Office as strict as you' or you may find yourself living with the consequences.

Hi Box,

Thanks for the reply and your thoughts. BTW, I am not trying to be flippant even if it sounds this way.

The point you raise in the case of a single door environment must be taken very seriously and I do take it so.

The ParcelShute should not be full while the property is occupied. If a parcel has been delivered while to occupant is out, they remove it on their return before entering the property. If the occupant is on the property when the parcel is being delivered the courier hand delivers it to them in the normal fashion and the ParcelShute is not used.

I appreciate your comments as they have been / are great food for thought. Through your observations / comments I have included the emergency release for the ParcelShute front door which I feel makes for an safety improvement. I am sure there would be other improvements to the ParcelShute as its developed.

I suppose the bottom line is that if a ParcelShute could in any way hinder property evacuation it should not be installed.

Just learned about a project being worked on by scientists at Australia's RMIT University in which they have found / developed a way of using tire rubber in concrete. It looks very promising and maybe the project could 'kill two birds with one stone', not that I endorse killing birds in any fashion.

The bottom line is that we reuse tire rubber and mine far less and that has to be welcomed. The link to the article is here,
https://newatlas.com/materials/concrete-100-percent-tire-rubber-aggregate/?ref=thefuturists

As long as the building wouldn't be prone to wobbling. But again maybe a wobble capable concrete might not be such a mad idea in earthquake zones?

@box said:

@mike lucey said:

A person escaping from the inside would be able to simply lift the inner door (which is not locked in) and remove the contents of the box in seconds so I think there would be no issue here.

I doubt this would get by most safety inspectors. Anything that can hamper access is frowned upon.
Suggesting that someone crawling on the floor gasping for air can simply open the box and remove the package would not be an acceptable solution in most cases.

Box, I had to laugh at your comment (in good nature of course), "someone crawling on the floor gasping for air can simply open the box" ..... I hope I don't meet a Fire Safety Office as strict as you

Now, to continue the debate! I imagine that the poor sod crawling on the floor grasping for breath would also have little chance of even managing to pull himself up to actually open the Main Door in order to escape? As the lock opener is normally located 1.2M (on average) above ground he could easily do the business with the parcel removal on his elevation to the main door lock!

Maybe there might be a case for some kind of a safety escape button on the bottom of the main door or nearby that would automatically open the main door! Now there's a thought!