Things you've always wanted to know......

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jastons
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Re: Things you've always wanted to know......

Post by jastons »

How much electricity could a person generate by cycling on a static bike, connected to an alternator etc, in four hours?

Would it be legal to make every prisoner generate electricity in this way for four - eight hours a day, seven days a week? They could work in shifts to provide electricity 24/7.
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DasNutNock
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Re: Things you've always wanted to know......

Post by DasNutNock »

jastons wrote:How much electricity could a person generate by cycling on a static bike, connected to an alternator etc, in four hours?

Would it be legal to make every prisoner generate electricity in this way for four - eight hours a day, seven days a week? They could work in shifts to provide electricity 24/7.
I've always felt criminal power should be an option. Bradley Wiggins managed something like 600W for an hour, an average lag ought to be able to do 150-200W no problem.
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Re: Things you've always wanted to know......

Post by Monkeybubbles »

Assuming they could sell the power into the grid at 5p/kWh, and the bike and generator costs about 300 quid, it would take about 20 years worth of four hour shifts to pay for the bike, without even factoring in maintenance costs or grid-coupling inverters and power storage etc etc.
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Tenbury
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Re: Things you've always wanted to know......

Post by Tenbury »

Whip them long enough, it'll show a profit then.
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Re: Things you've always wanted to know......

Post by Clucking Bell »

jastons wrote:How much electricity could a person generate by cycling on a static bike, connected to an alternator etc, in four hours?

Would it be legal to make every prisoner generate electricity in this way for four - eight hours a day, seven days a week? They could work in shifts to provide electricity 24/7.
DasNutNock wrote:I've always felt criminal power should be an option. Bradley Wiggins managed something like 600W for an hour, an average lag ought to be able to do 150-200W no problem.
You'd be surprised how little power most people can produce. A good amateur cyclist can push out between 300 and 370-ish watts for an hour or 4.5 - 5 W/kg of body weight. Someone who cycles recreationally can maybe produce 3 - 3.5 W/kg. If you're new to cyclingl, you'll do well to produce 2W/kg for an hour and you'll probably get off with a sore arse long before that.

Still, it's probably the least worst way of getting a sore arse in prison :D
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Re: Things you've always wanted to know......

Post by 'Appy 'Ammer »

^^^^^^^^

Great Scott!!!

An Arse Flux Capacitor
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mumbles87
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Re: Things you've always wanted to know......

Post by mumbles87 »

Hammers Dad wrote:Every car I have owned has had a spider living in the wing mirror....why?
It’s how quick they set up home is odd

Got a new car last month

Day 2 of owning webs on the wing mirror
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Denzil
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Re: Things you've always wanted to know......

Post by Denzil »

Is there actually any noticeable difference between regular and premium unleaded petrol?
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Johnny Byrne's Boots
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Re: Things you've always wanted to know......

Post by Johnny Byrne's Boots »

The price.
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The Collector
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Re: Things you've always wanted to know......

Post by The Collector »

Monkeybubbles wrote:Assuming they could sell the power into the grid at 5p/kWh, and the bike and generator costs about 300 quid, it would take about 20 years worth of four hour shifts to pay for the bike, without even factoring in maintenance costs or grid-coupling inverters and power storage etc etc.
In the Spike Milligan film, The Bed Sitting Room, a man sat on a bike and generated enough power to run a train on the Circle Line. Are you suggesting that he made it up?
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Tenbury
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Re: Things you've always wanted to know......

Post by Tenbury »

Not at all. It goes a long way to explain the service on the underground.
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the celestial insect
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Re: Things you've always wanted to know......

Post by the celestial insect »

Period poverty.

Maybe I'm being thick, but how is this different from not being able to afford shaving stuff every day for chaps (which is a necessity, even if you have some facial hair)? Also, if you or your family are in absolute poverty (something I completely sympathise with), why would it not be covered by benefit entitlements for basic living essentials?
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delbert
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Re: Things you've always wanted to know......

Post by delbert »

the celestial insect wrote:Period poverty.

Maybe I'm being thick, but how is this different from not being able to afford shaving stuff every day for chaps (which is a necessity, even if you have some facial hair)? Also, if you or your family are in absolute poverty (something I completely sympathise with), why would it not be covered by benefit entitlements for basic living essentials?
On the odd occasion I have had reason to use the ladies bog at work (it's OK, I self identified as a female first), there's always been a special bin containing second hand tampons and gusset pads, weren't these for the poor?

Anyway, does science fiction influence science fact? If so how much?
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Re: Things you've always wanted to know......

Post by DasNutNock »

Any excuse to rage against the patriarchy, eh.
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Greatest Cockney Rip Off
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Re: Things you've always wanted to know......

Post by Greatest Cockney Rip Off »

the celestial insect wrote:Period poverty.

Maybe I'm being thick, but how is this different from not being able to afford shaving stuff every day for chaps (which is a necessity, even if you have some facial hair)? Also, if you or your family are in absolute poverty (something I completely sympathise with), why would it not be covered by benefit entitlements for basic living essentials?
I haven't shaved for years. I wouldn't shave, even if the razors and gel were free. I wouldn't have thought that jam rags can compare
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Johnny Byrne's Boots
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Re: Things you've always wanted to know......

Post by Johnny Byrne's Boots »

delbert wrote:
Anyway, does science fiction influence science fact? If so how much?
In 1945 Arthur C Clarke predicted the geostationary orbit, long before the first satellite was launched. Twenty years later Early Bird was launched to a geostationary orbit.
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the celestial insect
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Re: Things you've always wanted to know......

Post by the celestial insect »

Greatest Cockney Rip Off wrote:
I haven't shaved for years. I wouldn't shave, even if the razors and gel were free. I wouldn't have thought that jam rags can compare
It would be contentious, I'm sure. But in every job I've ever had, not shaving or keeping facial hair neat would be unacceptable. I would have thought it would be expected at job interviews as well. It'd be rare to get away with it completely. What I don't get is that a lot of basic things are essentials and yet this now seems to be highlighted as a particular problem. I'd be happy to support the idea if I understood why it isn't just counted along with essentials like toilet paper, say, or soap/shampoo/shaving stuff.
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sendô
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Re: Things you've always wanted to know......

Post by sendô »

Isn't it more the point that they have to blob it every month, and yet get VAT' on their blob sponges, which aren't cheap?

A similar thing to razors I guess, but then I suppose there's more options for us chaps than the bear attractors...
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sendô
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Re: Things you've always wanted to know......

Post by sendô »

Anyway, painting etiquette:

Gloss the skirting, then emulsion the walls; or

Emulsion the walls, then gloss the skirting?

:eh:
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Johnny Byrne's Boots
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Re: Things you've always wanted to know......

Post by Johnny Byrne's Boots »

I'm not a professional but I always do the highest first, so when it drips it doesn't matter so much.
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