I didn’t realize the fear of Japanese manufacturing went back to the sixties. I wonder what flavor it was. “All this cheap crap is made in Japan” or “Oh my god Japan is 20 years ahead of us, pretty soon they’ll own all of America and we’ll all be living in a William Gibson novel.” [...]
WITH two Pepsi cans and a scrounged piece of aluminum channel you can build our Pepsi Light for under $5. It uses high-intensity bulbs like the mini lights but operates on 117 volts and needs no transformer, as do the minis. You could use beer or other soft-drink cans but then you might have a Bud Light or a Coke Light.
ROBOT mower cuts grass within signal-wire perimeter around lawn. It automatically turns around when it hits wire. Quiet, virtually maintenance-free, battery-powered unit random cuts up to 7,000 sq. ft. on one charge; $795. MowBot. Inc., North Tonawanda. N. Y. 14120
CITY CAR built in England by former RAF pilot Mike Forrest is only 6 ft. long, has a tiller instead of a steering wheel, grip-type throttle and brakes; 750cc engine gives it 40-50 mpg and a top speed of 50.
INVENTIONS WANTED! TUNEFUL phone ring instead of shrill one we’re used to hearing. Mrs. Wertko, Carthage, Mo. WAKE-UP pills to arouse snoozer at a predetermined time. Jeff Crawford, Levant, Me. TIME-CHANNEL changer to turn on TV at set time. Joanne Gadin, Chateauguay, Que. FRAME with several pictures on a roll to permit quick change of [...]
