A rather specialist product this, for all the British Ex-pats living in sunnier climates. Relentless sunshine is obviously going to get a bit tiresome for a true-Brit living somwehere nice. Hence I propose an umbrella with a reservoir of water which is pumped out from nozzles at the edge of the umbrella, and falls all around the user. The water could be recirculated somehow (don't want to waste any in rain-starved countries), and have different settings for Light Shower, Squall, Downpour, Cats and Dogs etc. It could also randomly blow itself inside out. This gives the user something to complain about, thereby making conversation easier
-- Bedford Van, May 24 2001

A nice idea, but I suspect that one of the reasons people move from UK is to escape the British weather. I will withhold my vote pending comment from an ex-pat.
As a minor design modification, the grip has a tube which connects to the reservoir, and the 'rain' (which has optional, regionally-inspired, pollutants included) is pumped gently up the handle to a single nozzle at the top whence it flows down the canopy. This way, if the material develops a split, the rain drips onto the user's face or down the back of his neck, completing the sensation of pissed-off-ness.
-- angel, May 24 2001


I don't live there (I've been there several times), but no one beats the Chicago/North Indiana area for bad weather. I swear I don't know how folks live there.

There's the story of the founders of Notre Dame University setting out on their trek west in 1842 with the intention of setting up their institution in Southern California. They got to a spot where they hit bad weather and said, "OK, we'll set up here for now, then we'll move on when the weather improves." They've been there since.
-- globaltourniquet, May 24 2001


Actually it doesn't just have to be for "Colonialist Scum", it could also be marketed as "Good old days Umbrella". For those Brits (like meself) who prefer to stay in Britain, but with the effects of Global Warming, miss all those old rainy days. Not that I have seen much evidence of global warming causing less rain.
-- Bedford Van, May 25 2001



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