http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-37062579
Lonnie Johnson was brought up in Mobile, Alabama in the 1960s, when black children were not expected to go far, but such was his talent for engineering that he worked for Nasa, and helped test the first stealth bomber. But as he explains here, the invention that made his fortune was a water pistol - the extremely powerful Super Soaker.
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Lonnie Johnson: The Father of the Super Soaker
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(Score: 0, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 27 2016, @12:15AM
He also made an android called Linex. So close! This is why spelling counts.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 27 2016, @01:28AM
Linus wanted to name it Freenix or some shit, and if he had, you'd see all the nerds telling everybody to use Freenix because M$ sucks and Windbl0ws sucks.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by GungnirSniper on Saturday August 27 2016, @12:38AM
Though the BBC story leans heavily into the racial realities of his upbringing, it barely reveals the importance of his father's encouragement.
Would he have become a tinker and an engineer if not for that seeding of the mind?
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(Score: 4, Informative) by Entropy on Saturday August 27 2016, @12:42AM
Good parenting goes quite a long way, as does bad parenting. Parenting skills are not possible to replace with any outside influence.
(Score: -1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 27 2016, @01:25AM
You're right about that, dickmunch. My parents told my teachers I shouldn't socialize in school, and now I troll social media all day. Never knew a nigger invented the super soaker. Thanks, niggernews!
(Score: 2) by butthurt on Saturday August 27 2016, @01:29AM
Your second sentence is vague. Are you alluding to what went on in ancient Sparta, the Lebensborn programme, step-parents and adoptive parents, teachers, a Lord of the Flies scenario, or something else?
(Score: 2) by GungnirSniper on Saturday August 27 2016, @01:54AM
In the context of our thread I believe he refers to the idea that no amount of outside influence, such as schools or community programs, can take the place of intellectually-nurturing parental figures. Just ask any teacher how much harder her job is trying to get through to a student with indifferent or anti-education parents.
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(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 27 2016, @01:14AM
Bainbridge reportedly told Oppenheimer "we are all sons of bitches" after the nuclear bomb test.
Of course, they had no idea - they couldn't hold a candle next to Lonnie Johnson who came along 40 years later.
(Score: -1, Redundant) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 27 2016, @01:47AM
Another millenial moron with mod points who can't handle humor.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 27 2016, @01:40PM
This is what millennial snowflakes think humor is?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 27 2016, @01:26AM
Ha... ha... ha...
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 27 2016, @01:32AM
Don't nobody tell nobody Lonnie Johnson is a bbbbbblack man!
(Score: 3, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 27 2016, @02:11AM
In the fine article/interview he goes on to say what he did with millions of dollars from Super Soaker royalties -- started a research corporation that employes 30 people. In the works are a battery with solid electrolyte, higher energy density than current Li-based batteries. And a few other very clever bits of engineering.
Worth reading through the whole BBC story, this is one clever inventor. And he must be OK at business too--not many inventors are actually able to collect royalties from licensing their patents.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 27 2016, @04:15AM
That's right, it's a business world out there! If you ain't good at business then you deserve to die in the gutter! Die and take your good ideas with you! Because nobody wants ideas! Business only cares about the money!
(Score: 2) by takyon on Saturday August 27 2016, @07:14AM
I read the entire article a few weeks ago, and i enjoyed it. Those super soaker patent diagrams are very intricate.
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