F. S. Pantalone’s Weblog

Last year I found this new “sport” called slackling; yeah I’m one of the guys tightrope walking out on Old Main’s back lawn. It is a lot more fun and much harder than it looks.  It was started on chains in California by some climbers, eventually the climbers started using their webbing to do it and it slowly progressed into what it is now.

Here are some websites of videos and places to buy premade sets:

Buy the Gear 

Videos

Wiki

Housing – 400

Heat – 20

Water – 0

Electricity – 20

Car insurance – 225

Gas – 150

Medical insurance – 125

Food – 500

Entertainment, bars, extras – 150

Clothing – 40

Cell-phone – 10

Cable – 10

Internet access – 10

Total – 1660 $/month = 19920 $/year = 25896 $/yeah before tax

My dad just got sold to Michelin and in his introduction to the company he saw their Tweel. Yeah, its the combination of a tire and a wheel, really innovative name I know. Never the less, I found it very interesting.

They are composed of a glass reinforced rubber and flexible polyurethane spokes. they are still in development but are on track to be in general use by 2015. With higher lateral strength than normal tires they have better turning abilities. They also have applications in heavy machinery and military vehicles.

When I think failure one huge one comes to mind, Sony’s Betamax. With the on going battle between Microsoft Corporation’s HD-DVD and Sony’s Blue-Ray, I thought reflecting on Beta Tapes would be a good. JVC released VHS in 1980 and by 1988 Sony conceded defeat when it too began producing VHS recorders. Betamax and especially SuperBetamax had a higher quality than VHS but the battle was won in the marketing. Sony set the standard and controlled the market with their U-matic. So, JVC (Victor Co. of Japan) had a great idea to create their own and compete, which as we know didn’t turn out well for Sony.

• 350×240 (250 lines): Video CD
• 330×480 (250 lines): Umatic, Betamax, VHS, Video8
• 400×480 (300 lines): Super Betamax, Betacam (professional)
• 440×480 (330 lines): analog broadcast
• 560×480 (420 lines): LaserDisc, Super VHS, Hi8

• 670×480 (500 lines): Enhanced Definition Betamax
• 720×480 (500 lines): DVD, miniDV, Digital8, Digital Betacam (professional)
• 720×480 (400 lines): Widescreen DVD (anamorphic)
• 1280×720 (700 lines): D-VHS, HD DVD, Blu-ray, HDV (miniDV)
• 1920×1080 (1000 lines): D-VHS, HD DVD, Blu-ray, HDCAM SR (professional)

In Japan, Betamax had a little bit more success and eventually evolved into Enhanced Definition Betamax with more than 500 lines resolution. It is clear that Sony had the better product, which just shows with out good marketing you will fail.

Goolge and Specialized Bicycle’s “Innovate or Die” challenge.

The challenge is to invent and build machines that transform pedaling energy into new and useful forms.

At first glance, the winner of the innovate or die contest, The Aquaduct Team, seemed to be one of the only contestants who had a somewhat original useful idea and actually went ahead and built it. Most other contestants with original ideas basically posted their drawing board.

I believe that The Aquaduct Team truly deserved to win the contest but don’t necessarily have a fool proof idea. Their product is great as long as they and be easily distributed and maintained in third world countries.

Some of the other idea were very interesting, but didn’t have explanations of how they worked. For example, the human-electric hybrid vehicle has this crazy idea but they don’t really show the mechanics of how this is a bike and how it even works. So, I’m not sure what their steps would even be to put their concept into production, or if it is even possible; it may just be an idea that looks fancy with the wheels going over your head.