Green - The Woulda Coulda Shoulda Guide to Canadian Inventions

This book is a bit of a puzzle. Its not all fact, but its not all fiction either. I guess its whats known as faction. Many of the inventions featured in here are bona fide, authenticated and factually based innovations. Others come from rumours and stories and urban myths. And rural myths. And myths that have no geographical setting at all.

To avoid confusion and legal action, Ive identified the real, actual inventions in a certain way. Im not going to tell you how, but if you cant figure it out, its unlikely that youd be able to mount a convincing case against me. The other stuff, the inventions Im more or less guessing about, are marked either differently or not at all. Another thing for you to figure out.

I did this on purpose. (My wife says I do everything on purpose.) I did it partly for fun and partly because I think its good to exercise your imagination, but mainly I thought it would give you, the reader, a sense of what it means to be an inventor.

To get the most out of this book and get to the end successfully, youll need to stay focused and pay attention to the information youre getting and, most important, be able to sort the solution from the pollution. Have fun and learn somethingand, above all, keep your stick on the ice.

I dont think the rest of the world completely understands Canadians. We have a reputation for being nice. Were tolerant, apparently. We dont whine about everything, we give people the benefit of the doubt, we dont spend our days looking for an argument, we go along to get along.

I think thats all more or less true, but its not the whole picture.

When a person doesnt complain, it doesnt mean they think everything is perfect. When were not looking for an argument, it doesnt mean we agree with everything. When were not looking for a fight, it doesnt mean we wont fight. When we go along to get along, thats us extending the hand of friendship.

When you live in a country thats bigger in size than the U.S. but with only the population of California, you need to get along with everybody or youll run out of friends in a hurry.

The world has been reminded on a few occasions that they shouldnt mistake our kindness for weakness. Take the World Cup of Hockey, for example.

Along the same lines, just because we dont brag doesnt mean were not proud. And thats where this book comes in.

Were proud of our inventors. And for a country with so few people, our ability to generate so many world-class inventors tells me we must be doing something right. When we see flaws in the world around us, instead of whining about it, we figure out a way to make it better. I like that about us. As you go through this book, think about how all of these inventions, from the paint roller to the cardiac pacemaker, have made life better for all of us.

Give yourself another reason to be proud of Canada. Just dont tell anybody.

ALKALINE BATTERY

Lewis Urry

L ewis Urry was born in Pontypool, Ontario, in 1927 and was the first guy to be able to make an alkaline battery that could last longer than the zinc-carbon battery everybody was using in their three-pound metal flashlights.