Subject: BS: Worrying firm name. From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler Date: 18 May 11 - 04:07 AM 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. |
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name. From: GUEST,BobL Date: 18 May 11 - 05:05 AM 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? |
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name. From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler Date: 18 May 11 - 05:24 AM Looking at their web site they are basically an air-conditioning firm, but their title implies that they have ideas above their station! |
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name. From: Jack Campin Date: 18 May 11 - 06:09 AM In most public toilets here I find a machine made by the World Dryer Corporation (as recommended by users on Mars, Venus and Mercury?). |
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name. From: Bee-dubya-ell Date: 18 May 11 - 06:24 AM 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. |
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name. From: GUEST,Eliza Date: 18 May 11 - 06:44 AM 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.) |
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name. From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler Date: 18 May 11 - 07:25 AM 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. |
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name. From: DMcG Date: 18 May 11 - 07:52 AM 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 ... |
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name. From: Midchuck Date: 18 May 11 - 08:23 AM 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. |
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name. From: Rapparee Date: 18 May 11 - 09:19 AM 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. |
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name. From: BrooklynJay Date: 18 May 11 - 09:29 AM 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 |
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name. From: Amos Date: 18 May 11 - 09:39 AM 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 |
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name. From: GUEST,John MacKenzie Date: 18 May 11 - 09:48 AM Pass me the universal joint, I need a quick blow man! |
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name. From: Jack Campin Date: 18 May 11 - 09:55 AM 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 |
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name. From: Don(Wyziwyg)T Date: 18 May 11 - 10:45 AM Beaver removals seems like a good idea to me. Saving all those trees will do wonders for the ecology. Don T. |
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name. From: GUEST,Patsy Date: 18 May 11 - 11:08 AM 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. |
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name. From: Musket Date: 18 May 11 - 12:29 PM What about Universal Exports? They specialise in ham acting, killing for Queen and country and wonderful escapism. |
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name. From: EBarnacle Date: 18 May 11 - 01:34 PM 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. |
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name. From: gnu Date: 18 May 11 - 01:59 PM 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. >;-) |
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name. From: Bainbo Date: 18 May 11 - 02:05 PM 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. |
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name. From: GUEST,John MacKenzie Date: 18 May 11 - 02:23 PM The high streets of this country are dotted with Family Butchers, always scared me. |
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name. From: catspaw49 Date: 18 May 11 - 03:08 PM Does Beaver Waste handle your village of "Box Hill?" Spaw |
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name. From: JHW Date: 18 May 11 - 03:43 PM 'The Walking Shop' in Leyburn N.Yorks never seems to stray far |
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name. From: Rusty Dobro Date: 18 May 11 - 03:47 PM 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. |
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name. From: ClaireBear Date: 18 May 11 - 03:58 PM 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. |
Subject: RE: BS: Worrying firm name. From: Gurney Date: 18 May 11 - 04:27 PM 'Yeah, that's entropy, man!' Michael Flanders. |