# What is "Ginger"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 31, 2001, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-ginger/74355 "2001-07-31T17:48:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-ginger/74355/1 "2001-07-31T17:48:21Z")
A few months ago there was a whole lot of hype about a new invention code named “Ginger”. Everybody who had seen it said things like “It’ll change everything!” and “It will be bigger than the internet!” Web serches usually lead to sites about either “Gilligan’s Island” or spices. Has anybody heard anything since the first run of stories? Does anybody have any theories on what “Ginger” is? My personal theory is that it has something to do with a Stirling Engine, sometimes called an external combustion engine. Feedback? -Beeblebrox “Ford, you’re turning into a penguin. Stop it.” ---
**Author:** ![bluecanary](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bluecanary/32/3614_2.png) [@bluecanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluecanary)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-ginger/74355/2 "2001-07-31T18:06:47Z")
There were loads of threads on this topic at the beginning of 2001. The inventor is Dean Kamen, and the likeliest identity of Ginger (also dubbed ‘IT’) was eventually thought to be some sort of motorised scooter. Hope that helps you to search this out. ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-ginger/74355/3 "2001-07-31T18:10:36Z")
Ginger is the bane of the Race from the Turtledove novels, a spice from Asia. Really, i have heard the motor scooter/wearable car theory as well, but i don’t think it will change the world, hydrogen fuel cells will do that. ---
**Author:** ![Wildest\_Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Wildest\_Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wildest_Bill)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-ginger/74355/4 "2001-07-31T18:19:59Z")
I thought it was the good looking chick from “Gilligans Island”. ---
**Author:** ![don\_Jaime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b4bc9f/32.png) [@don\_Jaime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_Jaime)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-ginger/74355/5 "2001-07-31T19:17:01Z")
I’m ginger, but only in Great Britain! ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-ginger/74355/6 "2001-07-31T19:21:06Z")
It is a hydrogen powered scooter. [http://archive.nandotimes.com/healthscience/story/0,1080,500460745-500701974-503823293-0,00.html](http://archive.nandotimes.com/healthscience/story/0,1080,500460745-500701974-503823293-0,00.html) ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-ginger/74355/7 "2001-07-31T19:27:43Z")
Thanks, IJGrieve. Why the @#$! didn’t I think to do that? Xizor, your link didn’t seem to take me to the right place. Can you recheck it? don Jaime, please, PLEASE don’t make another movie with those other chicks. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-ginger/74355/8 "2001-07-31T19:28:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Wildest Bill \* > \*\*I thought it was the good looking chick from “Gilligans Island”. \*\* No, that’s Mary Ann. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-ginger/74355/9 "2001-07-31T19:44:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by xizor \* > \*\*It is a hydrogen powered scooter. > [http://archive.nandotimes.com/healthscience/story/0,1080,500460745-500701974-503823293-0,00.html](http://archive.nandotimes.com/healthscience/story/0,1080,500460745-500701974-503823293-0,00.html) \*\* Figured out the problem. This board can only take so many letters/numerals in a link. You have to cut and paste the rest to get to the site. Next question, how the Hell is a F’ing scooter supposed to change the world? ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-ginger/74355/10 "2001-07-31T22:09:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Beeblebrox \* > \*\*Xizor, your link didn’t seem to take me to the right place. Can you recheck it? > \*\* Try [this one](http://www.siliconvalley.com/docs/news/svfront/015725.htm) then. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-ginger/74355/11 "2001-08-01T01:29:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Beeblebrox \* > Figured out the problem. This board can only take so many letters/numerals in a link. You have to cut and paste the rest to get to the site. Naw. It just doesn’t like commas and such. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-ginger/74355/12 "2001-08-01T05:22:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by manhattan \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Wildest Bill \* > > \*\*I thought it was the good looking chick from “Gilligans Island”. \*\* > > No, that’s Mary Ann. \*\* Y’all don’t think much of me, do you? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-ginger/74355/13 "2001-08-01T12:49:27Z")
There, there, darlin’. ((( **GingerOfTheNorth** ))) 😃