'your car's bucked, could you give us a call?"

[ARW]

"bucked"?

Never heard that one:-)

[Mr Pounder]

It was a typo. Replace "b" with "f". HTH.

[Toby]

It says buckled now, did they change it?!?

[Graham.]

I wonder if the original architect plans were submitted to an optical expert who would be able to predict that an efficient solar furnace was being constructed?

On a different "note" we have a building near here that hums a B natural on windy days, I don't think it has caused anybody or anything any actual harm though

[ARW]

Yes. The use of the Print Screen button and the use of John Rumms webspace is the proof.

I prefer Pounders change of letters to the word:-)

Adam

[Dave Liquorice]

Must have done. It said "bucked" when I read the story earlier this afternoon, I remember thinking "what polite builders". B-)

As for the design, it's a concave surface it *will* focus the light/heat. Might not focus it very well but something that size doesn't need to to produce a "hot spot" hot enough to melt plastic.

[Steve Firth]

Buckled.

[Steve Firth]

One of Arthur C Clarke's "Tales from the White Hart" covers the same ground. Programmes with a reflective cover issued to supporters at a cup final. Supporters try to dazzle the ref reflecting the sun into his eyes using the programmes. Ref explodes in greasy puff of smoke.

[fred]

[The Other Mike]

Can see the whole thing being pulled down as a fire hazard.

[Tim Watts]

On Tuesday 03 September 2013 12:29 The Other Mike wrote in uk.d-i-y:

I can see Pilkington getting very excited about devloping a new non reflective coating as a custom job and selling f*ck knows how many 100's m2 of glass!

[Jethro_uk]

Or of course there's the Mythbusters presidential special: "Archimedes death ray" which turned out to be a crock ....

and

[GMM]

I was impressed by the driver's self restraint in his response - 'crickey'. Not sure that would have been the phrase I'd have used if it was my new Jag....

[dennis]

They already exist, on camera lenses, etc.

Now does anyone have a vacuum chamber big enough?

They can just fit external blinds on the bits that matter.

[Chris Holford]

In article , ARW writes

A building which intrigued me was the Sperry building on London's North Circular Road a little way before you get to the Hanger Lane gyratory system a from the east.

The two blocks are curved with the convex sides facing each other. In plan view it looks like a venturi; -and it is aligned a little south of west, so prevailing winds would blow straight through the venturi.

I always imagined that they must have problems with window panes being 'sucked' out......or was the deliberately done to provide ventilation?

[Part Timer]

There was a funny story a few years ago - someone made a giant parabolic stainless steel dish in the name of art (lottery funded IIRC). Someone else worked out that it could instantly incinerate seagulls which happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. More money needed to be spent on a tent-like covering.

Sorry I can't find it by googling. Definitely under the dear leader Blair's time like many other lottery funded ideas. (Not that I've ever played the lottery).

[Sam Plusnet]

Good excuse to not wash the windows until winter.

That'll save a few bob - maybe enough to pay out on a few damage claims.

Question: If you reckoned that their building had damaged your car, how could you prove it?

I'm assuming that the building owners would shift claims off onto their insurers (after the headlines die down a bit) and insurance companies aren't going to pay up without "proof".

[Davey]

Going by the TV reports, there is no shortage of proof. Just download the TV News bulletin!

[Chris J Dixon]

Nottingham Sky Mirror

Typical contemporary comment:

Chris

[fred]

Countered with some real facts by the astronomer quoted in the article below:

" . . . during the risk period, the sun's rays would be concentrated into a funnel shape projected upwards towards the theatre bar. Several inches wide and stretching for six metres, the beam would be as hot as

40 single-bar electric fires."