To Thread - Forum Home

The Mudcat Café TM
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=137941
26 messages

BS: Worrying firm name.

18 May 11 - 04:07 AM (#3156149)
Subject: BS: Worrying firm name.
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler

I spotted a rather worrying firm name on a van whilst on my way to work: "Universal Cooling".
Several different thoughts vied for attention in my mind on seeing this.
1.        I thought that the universe was cooling itself without help from anyone.
2.        Is this firm sanctioned by the world's governments?
3.        What mechanism are they employing to do this? Perhaps a wormhole and a big fan?
4.        What's going to happen to the other universe that's receiving the heat?
5.        Is it that another universe is already dumping heat into ours and that is why this action is needed?

Now a firm called "Global Cooling" would make more sense to me, as they could deal with the global warming issue, but I'm not sure that I want the whole universe cooled and I wouldn't want to upset another universe by dumping our excess heat on our neighbours.

Your thoughts please.


18 May 11 - 05:05 AM (#3156158)
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name.
From: GUEST,BobL

I'm not a heating engineer (or a cooling one come to that), but could the term "universal" be a technical term, in the same way as "universal joint" in mechanics?


18 May 11 - 05:24 AM (#3156167)
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name.
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler

Looking at their web site they are basically an air-conditioning firm, but their title implies that they have ideas above their station!


18 May 11 - 06:09 AM (#3156189)
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name.
From: Jack Campin

In most public toilets here I find a machine made by the World Dryer Corporation (as recommended by users on Mars, Venus and Mercury?).


18 May 11 - 06:24 AM (#3156201)
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name.
From: Bee-dubya-ell

They probably chose a name beginning with a "U" so they could be the last listing in the classified business advertising section of the phone book. There's so much competition to be the first listing, with stupid made up names like "AAA+ Air Conditioning & Heating", that crotchety old fuckers like me automatically go to the last listing. We figure anyone who would give his business an idiotic name just to be first in line is probably an unqualified hack.


18 May 11 - 06:44 AM (#3156209)
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name.
From: GUEST,Eliza

A quick look at our local phone book shows 'Universal Cars' and 'Universal Plumbing and Heating'. One imagines a couple of space-suited chaps setting off in their Universal Car to see to a dodgy boiler on Mars. (The 'Universal Cars' is actually a taxi service to and from airports, presumably only on Earth. And the 'Universal Plumbing' firm, despite its ambitious name, is based in School Lane, Little Melton, rather a disappointing address.)


18 May 11 - 07:25 AM (#3156229)
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name.
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler

So far Universal Cooling is the only name that implies that there is something extenal to the universe, after all you've got to dump that unwanted heat somewhere.


18 May 11 - 07:52 AM (#3156237)
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name.
From: DMcG

after all you've got to dump that unwanted heat somewhere.
Ah, but since E=mc2 you might be able to convert into into a few kilos of lead. Gold would be better, but people have been trying that a while, so maybe something less ambitious ...


18 May 11 - 08:23 AM (#3156251)
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name.
From: Midchuck

This will only make sense to those who are fully familiar with both British English and US English.

A young lady I know came back from a visit to England with photos which include one of her pointing, with a look of terror on her face, to a truck which had, painted on the side, "Beaver Removals."

P.


18 May 11 - 09:19 AM (#3156283)
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name.
From: Rapparee

So. Now we know. This firm is responsible for the cooling of the Universe that has been going on since the Big Bang. This will lead directly to the heat death of the Universe.


18 May 11 - 09:29 AM (#3156287)
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name.
From: BrooklynJay

GUEST, BobL: "...but could the term "universal" be a technical term, in the same way as "universal joint" in mechanics?"

As a child of the '60s, I can assure you that "universal joint" had absolutely nothing to do with mechanics! ; - )

Jay


18 May 11 - 09:39 AM (#3156295)
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name.
From: Amos

Oh come on. Universal means applying to everything within a universe of discourse, not just the physical universe. Attributes which are common to all elements of a set are universal.

A


18 May 11 - 09:48 AM (#3156300)
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name.
From: GUEST,John MacKenzie

Pass me the universal joint, I need a quick blow man!


18 May 11 - 09:55 AM (#3156312)
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name.
From: Jack Campin

A young lady I know came back from a visit to England with photos which include one of her pointing, with a look of terror on her face, to a truck which had, painted on the side, "Beaver Removals."

I see a lot of this firm's bins around locally:

Beaver Waste


18 May 11 - 10:45 AM (#3156335)
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name.
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T

Beaver removals seems like a good idea to me.

Saving all those trees will do wonders for the ecology.

Don T.


18 May 11 - 11:08 AM (#3156345)
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name.
From: GUEST,Patsy

On my way to work in the morning I regularly pass a van with 'Beaver Maintenance' written actoss it with a cute little picture of blue beaver on the side.


18 May 11 - 12:29 PM (#3156375)
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name.
From: Musket

What about Universal Exports?

They specialise in ham acting, killing for Queen and country and wonderful escapism.


18 May 11 - 01:34 PM (#3156405)
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name.
From: EBarnacle

We don't have to worry about moving energy to other universes. There is a constant factor called entropy.

Now, I wonder how that ties to the concept of Dark Energy.


18 May 11 - 01:59 PM (#3156417)
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name.
From: gnu

BWL.... my engineering company was AAE Services Ltd. AAE = Architectural And Engineering = Anything And Everything = Adult And Elderly (a future plan) and some others. However, a buddy of mine, a senior engineer with a company I once worked for came up with the "best"... Almost An Engineer. >;-)


18 May 11 - 02:05 PM (#3156420)
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name.
From: Bainbo

I was in a supermarket in the UK today when I heard an announcement: "Would the space engineer report to customer services."

I just had to go over to customer services to find out what they needed a space engineer for. Imagine my disappointment when a grizzled little chap turned up wearing a jacket bearing the legend Space. Engineering services. Problem with the drains or something.


18 May 11 - 02:23 PM (#3156438)
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name.
From: GUEST,John MacKenzie

The high streets of this country are dotted with Family Butchers, always scared me.


18 May 11 - 03:08 PM (#3156466)
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name.
From: catspaw49

Does Beaver Waste handle your village of "Box Hill?"


Spaw


18 May 11 - 03:43 PM (#3156490)
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name.
From: JHW

'The Walking Shop' in Leyburn N.Yorks never seems to stray far


18 May 11 - 03:47 PM (#3156495)
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name.
From: Rusty Dobro

A quick google tells me that the estate agents Lecher and Scorer seem to have gone to the great innuendo in the sky, but Gascoigne Pees are still going strong.


18 May 11 - 03:58 PM (#3156503)
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name.
From: ClaireBear

I have often wondered why a local firm called D&D Electric chose as its emblem the profile of a lamplighter lighting a gas street lamp.


18 May 11 - 04:27 PM (#3156526)
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name.
From: Gurney

'Yeah, that's entropy, man!'
Michael Flanders.