Bad Idea Factory

Bad idea: How NOT to secure your wirecutters.

Ian Monroe — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 15:16:12 +0000

this one is via Reddit.

Idiot.

Bad idea: Warning signs for imaginary problems

Ian Monroe — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 17:10:28 +0000

Don't be afraid of unicorn feathers, either.

This traffic warning device, photographed in Indianapolis, Indiana, serves no conceivable purpose.

Unless, of course, your community is filled with paranoid schizophrenics, all of whom regularly drive, and have forgotten their tinfoil hats at home.

I wonder how much signs like this cost to make? I can’t imagine they’re cheap, right?

Anyhow, this one comes courtesy of io9.com.

Bad Idea: Custom credit card with robbery threat

Ian Monroe — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 14:32:26 +0000

This little beauty comes from Boing Boing today.

Capital One will let you upload images to their system, which they will then use as the background image on your credit card.

So some genius came up with the bright idea of printing a robbery threat on it. Presumably for the lulz that will undoubtedly occur when you slide it over to the cashier at a convenience store.

Great job!

Bad idea: Picking a dumb pseudonym

Ian Monroe — Fri, 13 May 2011 19:17:06 +0000

First of all, don’t build bombs.

Second of all, if you must build bombs, don’t order the supplies under your own name.

Third of all, when you pick a pseudonym for buying bomb supplies, DON’T choose “Timothy McVeigh” as your alias. You WILL get caught.

Apparently, this Clarkston, Wash. man didn’t think through his ingenious plan very thoroughly.

Bad idea: Brainwave-controlled cat ears

Ian Monroe — Fri, 06 May 2011 16:37:55 +0000

Brainwaves are cool, and using brainwaves to control things is really cool. Like for instance this guy, who generates beats from his brainwaves.

But it’s just stupid to use brainwaves to control your fake cat ears.

This is the first instance of so-called “neurowear”, which I take to mean clothing which responds to your neurological system. Couln’t they have picked something less stupid?

Via boing boing, the nerdist, and japantrends.

Bad idea: ironing on the interstate

Ian Monroe — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 22:02:09 +0000

There aren’t many “sports” more stupid than “extreme ironing”.

Via Laughing Squid.

Bad idea: Viagra Beer

Ian Monroe — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 21:55:55 +0000

Brewdog, a brewery famous for it’s way-out-in-left-field beers, has said that they’ll release a beer containing “herbal Viagra” to celebrate the upcoming (*cough*) Royal Nuptials in England.

A limited-edition beer containing herbal viagra to mark the forthcoming royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton on April 29th. Brewed using various well known aphrodisiacs, the limited edition artisanal beer will only be available to buy from the BrewDog.com website.

According to the specially commissioned label, the Royal Virility Performance contains herbal viagra, chocolate, Horny Goat Weed and ‘a healthy dose of sarcasm’. The beer is a 7.5% ABV India Pale Ale and has been brewed at BrewDog’s brewery in Fraserburgh.

That’s almost as stupid as FourLoko

Bad idea: liver loaf

Ian Monroe — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 18:48:29 +0000

"Tounge Loaf" might possibly be worse.

This one comes via boingboing today.

Grody to the max.

Bad idea: Zombie product placement at a funeral home

Ian Monroe — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 14:55:50 +0000

I wish there was a gun store next door.

Personally, I think the juxtaposition is really strong here, but apparently, some people were offended.

Mourners really tend to have no sense of humor, you know?

This one comes from the Daily Mail, via the Consumerist

Bad idea: Bring your bear to work day

Ian Monroe — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 15:24:09 +0000

This one comes via Gizmodo:

He's got a case of the mondays.