SCIENCE for unhurt
From http://www.alankennington.com/ideas/ratsled.html
rat sleds
I haven't fully worked out this idea yet, but...
On 25 December 1998, just after noon, I looked out the kitchen window and saw a very healthy-looking, well-fed large brown rat with nice smooth fur walking down the tree from the neighbour's garden into my garden. At first, I saw this in a negative light. But then I thought about the pet mice I used to have, and the laboratory rats used by psychology students at the uni.
It then occurred to me that garden rats could be tamed (as I once very successfully tamed a possum in 1983 in North Adelaide). One could tame a team of four rats to pull a sled like huskies. This occurred to me when I was running out of milk, but was not dressed suitably for going down to the local deli. Therefore, if I already had a trained rat-team, I could have put some money on the sled and sent them down to the deli. In case of robbers, the rats would bite anyone who tried to take the money along the way. The deli owner would take the money and put a litre of milk on the sled, which the rats would then bring back to me. I would reward the rats with a nice saucer of milk upon their return, and some sunflower seed, or some cheese with peanut paste, which is their favourite.
This would be a win-win situation. Unemployed people could develop this idea as a business opportunity. Using skinnerian training techniques, they could train large numbers of rat-teams to collect milk and bread from the local deli. Deli owners could have their own teams. Pizza places could use rat-sleds instead of young persons in cars to deliver pizzas. The rats would benefit by being given a good home and a basic education.
Many people have raised the question of what happens if the rats scarper with the milk or pizza. This is easy to answer. First, if they don't come back, you don't give them any more milk, money or pizza. If they do come back, you give them a good spanking and tell them off severely. When they have recovered from this, you tell them that you're going to trust them just one last time, and that if they do it again, you won't trust them again ever. You should then follow them down to the deli and make sure they do it all correctly this time, embarrassing them in front of the neighbourhood as much as possible.
Note for non-Adelaideans: We Adelaideans use the word "deli" to mean a small local grocery store, typically (but not always) run by a migrant family, and featuring especially the food of their country (e.g. Italy, Greece, Vietnam, Germany, France). The Melbourne concept of a "milk bar" is similar. The word derives from the German "Delikatessen", meaning "fine foods".
Apparently `rat sleds' already exist. I received this comment from Pequot Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce:
"A rat sled is an old sled that hasn't been restored to look like it did when new. It is just an old sled that still runs. I think it has to be in the vintage group which is 1969 and older."
See Brainerd Lake Rat Sled for photos.
2004-9-26: Another use for rats is disaster rescue.
http://news.scotsman.com/weirdoddandquirkystories/Rescue-rats-will-sniff-out.2566374.jp
rat sleds
I haven't fully worked out this idea yet, but...
On 25 December 1998, just after noon, I looked out the kitchen window and saw a very healthy-looking, well-fed large brown rat with nice smooth fur walking down the tree from the neighbour's garden into my garden. At first, I saw this in a negative light. But then I thought about the pet mice I used to have, and the laboratory rats used by psychology students at the uni.
It then occurred to me that garden rats could be tamed (as I once very successfully tamed a possum in 1983 in North Adelaide). One could tame a team of four rats to pull a sled like huskies. This occurred to me when I was running out of milk, but was not dressed suitably for going down to the local deli. Therefore, if I already had a trained rat-team, I could have put some money on the sled and sent them down to the deli. In case of robbers, the rats would bite anyone who tried to take the money along the way. The deli owner would take the money and put a litre of milk on the sled, which the rats would then bring back to me. I would reward the rats with a nice saucer of milk upon their return, and some sunflower seed, or some cheese with peanut paste, which is their favourite.
This would be a win-win situation. Unemployed people could develop this idea as a business opportunity. Using skinnerian training techniques, they could train large numbers of rat-teams to collect milk and bread from the local deli. Deli owners could have their own teams. Pizza places could use rat-sleds instead of young persons in cars to deliver pizzas. The rats would benefit by being given a good home and a basic education.
Many people have raised the question of what happens if the rats scarper with the milk or pizza. This is easy to answer. First, if they don't come back, you don't give them any more milk, money or pizza. If they do come back, you give them a good spanking and tell them off severely. When they have recovered from this, you tell them that you're going to trust them just one last time, and that if they do it again, you won't trust them again ever. You should then follow them down to the deli and make sure they do it all correctly this time, embarrassing them in front of the neighbourhood as much as possible.
Note for non-Adelaideans: We Adelaideans use the word "deli" to mean a small local grocery store, typically (but not always) run by a migrant family, and featuring especially the food of their country (e.g. Italy, Greece, Vietnam, Germany, France). The Melbourne concept of a "milk bar" is similar. The word derives from the German "Delikatessen", meaning "fine foods".
Apparently `rat sleds' already exist. I received this comment from Pequot Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce:
"A rat sled is an old sled that hasn't been restored to look like it did when new. It is just an old sled that still runs. I think it has to be in the vintage group which is 1969 and older."
See Brainerd Lake Rat Sled for photos.
2004-9-26: Another use for rats is disaster rescue.
http://news.scotsman.com/weirdoddandquirkystories/Rescue-rats-will-sniff-out.2566374.jp