Okay, re the Flintstones:

[CanuckAmok]

What's the deal with this:

In Episode #2, Barney invents the flying machine (the Barneycopter, aka the Flintstone Flyer), which is a kind of eggbeater cum helicopter.

And by Episode #6, there are fully-functioning airports, four-engine (pteryodactyl) airliners, and even economy class.

So, what the fuck?

[evlbstrd]

1. And what keeps the car going after the running start?

[yvr girl]

3. momentum

duh!

[evlbstrd]

8. But Fred was very fat.

And Barney always rode to work with him. So you'd think they's slow it down (without dragging feet).

[yvr girl]

22. Wheels are magical things

I think they'd have to do some spot running.

[evlbstrd]

23. I found the answer!

Actually, this guy called Mike Molly's show.
http://www.open.org/~davidc/

[CanuckAmok]

4. Centrifugal force.

The large stone drum wheels are filled with smaller rocks, which are thrown outward by centrifugal force.

It's not perpetual motion, but it's very efficient.

[evlbstrd]

10. Aaah.

I'd like to see a special on the technology of the Flinstones.

[tjdee]

2. Bedrock's government was farsighted enough to fund Barney?

Or, Barney obviously set off a bunch of copycats.

There wasn't much to do in Bedrock, so all the menfolk either had to work at the quarry or figure out how to work flying machines and such.

Simple lives, LOL.

[yvr girl]

6. and bowling

don't forget the bowling

[Tom Kitten]

9. Did we ever really know what Barney did for a living?

Where exactly was Fred dropping him off every day?

[tjdee]

14. Once, he was Fred's boss at the quarry.

Turns out, he couldn't hold down a job. What was Betty doing with him??

"What was Barney Rubble's job?"
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_398a.html

[Salviati]

18. You'll have to watch Harvey Birdman to find out...

... the episode called "The Dabba Don"

[Left Is Write]

5. Barney should have been a rich sonofabitch.

[CanuckAmok]

11. "I'd say my biggest handicap is living next door to Fred" - Barney

That's why he never "made it".

But he was happy. What with being married to Betty and all.

[Zuni]

12. I wonder if Fred stole his patents

:freak:

[Left Is Write]

21. Okay, time for me to get some sleep.

I thought that said, "I wonder if Fred stole his pants."

[CanuckAmok]

25. Well, neither of them seem to have any.

Somebody stole them.

[Zuni]

7. Is it possible that the pterodactyl airliner

already existed in episode 2, but was not referenced at said time? Barney could have been too cheap to shell out for a seat on the pterodactyl line and instead tried to make his own (horribly flawed) flying machine.

[CanuckAmok]

13. "Horribly flawed"?!

It worked great! As long as you peddled and flapped, it was more than adequate. It was even powerful enough to carry two men (one fat) and their bowling balls.

[Zuni]

15. If he built it for a bowling trip

perhaps they did not even need to consult said airline and arrange for seats--for as if I recall correctly, there was plenty of first class bowling (including duckpin bowling for the kiddies) in Bedrock.

Perhaps this makes the whole thread a moot point?

[Tom Kitten]

16. For that matter...

How come in the episode where they meet and adopt Dino he could talk and is very intelligent and from then on all he did was bark?

[CanuckAmok]

17. That should be obvious...

He found a sweet gig. Why talk and do the ironing if you don't have to? You get fed either way.

[ThoughtCriminal]

19. This is how the universe works

when you accept "Intelligent Design"

[driver8]

20. Why did Fred and Betty have those big eyes, yet Wilma and

Barney had those tiny little dots for eyes?

What is up with that?

[CanuckAmok]

24. Sounds like a certain driver8 is doing some prehistoric ethnic profiling.

n/t

[driver8]

27. I might be -- but this has always bugged me!! n/t

[JimmyJazz]

26. Dude. I have to tell you something.

The Flintstones aren't really real. :crazy: