physics, and my mouse.

Energy cannot be created, nor destroyed, it only seems that way. With this mouse of mine, it has already seemed that way twice.

Being wireless, it needs batteries. I don't know why. I'm about to feed it a second set. I say "about", because, just like the last time this happened, I'm waiting until it has No Power Left, and the mouse starts to skid around the screen like a PCP-addict on a Segway.

I have absolutely No Idea how that personal transport device found it's way into my blog, but as I look at it, sitting there, I can retrospectively begin to understand. it's all about energy.

I'm guessing, because I really don't know, that the Segway converts most of that round-and-round thing the wheels are doing back into energy that feeds the battery, which feeds the wheels, and so on. Perhaps you can already see where I'm going with this.

it's one of those ideas you have when you are stoned, and in the cold light of day, you realize that it's not some fantastical cannabis-induced flight of fancy, but that thing at the other end of the scale; something so devastatingly obvious, and incredibly simple, you have to shake yourself, look at the world again, and check you are not dreaming, because, no, really, no one has thought of this. Otherwise the world would be different.

I have loads of these Ideas. Folders and Folders. I have this other idea about selling them to corporations, and having enough money to get by on, but as time passes, I realize there are no corporations I could comfortably get into bed with, and these ideas, inventions, and all the rest could end up dying with me, decades from now. And I was so certain that this couldn't happen, too.

I was certain that when you "had" an idea, you were, in fact, only picking up on something quite outside yourself; living vibrations; and in some way, adding your unique spin to it, connexions, and pop! a new idea. But the me part being so small, I always figured that most of the ideas I have, someone else would also be having, somewhere else, because when an idea's time has come, what could stop it?

Who takes these ideas to fruition, is quite another matter; who has the most motivation, time and resources, time and place; and I've always been perfectly content to get on with my own work, confident in the knowledge that somewhere out there, someone else would come up with the same thing, and think "Jeez! that's amazing! I'm off to make it happen right now."

It looks like this isn't the case.

I googled just now, and it seems I am right about the first part, but sadly, not the second. The first part, the idea, that we all had, probably around Ten years ago, is a simple question..

why isn't there a dynamo in my mouse?

A dynamo, as you probably know, is simply a motor back-to-front. Instead of feeding it power, and getting back motion, you feed it motion, and get back power. You can test this with any DC motor and a multi-meter.

I can remember back at primary school, I had a bicycle, the lights powered by dynamos. This was almost thirty years ago, well before mice went into mass production. So I say again, why doesn't my mouse have a dynamo?

This thing travels miles every day. Miles and miles and miles. Even optical mice could have a small wheel or ball to keep the power flowing. There's simply no excuse for not having a dynamo in every mouse. Yet, where are they? I mean, show me a single mouse with a dynamo that I can buy. Anyone? Something's wrong.

I'm no fan of conspiracy theories, but one can't help but wonder if the mice manufacturers, and the battery manufacturers aren't in cahoots. Two sets of batteries already! I'll ask one more time, in case someone who actually makes mice is awake..

WHY isn't THERE A FUCKING DYNAMO IN MY FUCKING MOUSE???

And now onto Logitech LX-5 pet-mouse-hate number two*..

As I mentioned, I'm waiting until it runs all the way dry. That will likely be a few hours from now. I know this, because almost three days ago, it popped up a tray warning to let me know that the batteries were running down. From previous experience, I know this means I have three days left.

Also, at the point it realized the low state of the battery, a red LED began to flash on the mouse. It keeps this up for the entire three days! The irony is, without the constant flashing, it would probably last a full week.

Okay, it's not a flashing, per-se, more a Mac-like throbbing. But if the lights go down for a movie, you have hide the mouse (which is a bugger if you need to do something mid-film) or throw something over it; red pulsing light does have a tendency to distract.

Now, this could easily be mistaken for a "feature", but if we also consider the no-dynamo factor; this annoying red LED is most certainly part of a grander plan to get me down to the shop to buy some more batteries, right now.

Well fuck you Logitech/Microsoft/And The Rest! And your brain-dead customer support! I've got rechargables, and I promise you, if don't get off your arses and make a mouse with a dynamo in it, someone else will! And after that, no one's gonna play your environmental disaster game any more!**

Well, that's assuming "the public" get a collective conscience sometime soon; highly unlikely; we're too busy working, so we can pay for all these bloody batteries!

for now..

:o) The Writing Entity @ corz.org