tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-200392562024-03-23T14:05:18.034-04:00Notes from the Technology UndergroundThe Technology Underground Blog: Extreme Tinkering and Radical Self Expression Through Technology
This blog covers events where things that go whoosh, boom, or splat are featured. On-Topic examples include events that have rockets, pulse jets, tesla coils, magnaformers, homemade subs, pyrotechnics, railguns, catapults, etc . . .William Gurstellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504155694151207039noreply@blogger.comBlogger268125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20039256.post-31833485827444956242012-08-30T10:05:00.000-04:002012-08-30T10:05:00.966-04:00Backyard Ballistics NEW EDITION now available<br />
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<img height="142" id="il_fi" src="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTbqQg519SV0KGcXZAEVLR5NwqoE5heH3sDc6meIZerRme9XVRF&t=1" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="320" /></div>
<br />
Well, it's been 10 years since Backyard Ballistics has been published. During that time, I've had a lot of new ideas for projects and now, here they are! The second edition contains a ton of new stuff and new projects. <br />
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Here's a short description: <br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
This bestselling DIY handbook now features new and expanded projects,
enabling ordinary folks to construct 16 awesome ballistic devices in
their garage or basement workshops using inexpensive household or
hardware store materials and this step-by-step guide. Clear
instructions, diagrams, and photographs show how to build projects
ranging from the simple match-powered rocket to the more complex
tabletop catapult and the offbeat Cincinnati fire kite. The classic
potato cannon has a new evil twin—the piezo-electric spud gun and the
electromagnetic pipe gun has joined the company of such favorites as the
tennis ball mortar. With a strong emphasis on safety, the book also
gives tips on troubleshooting, explains the physics behind the projects,
and profiles scientists and extraordinary experimenters such as Alfred
Nobel, Robert Goddard, and Isaac Newton. This book will be indispensable
for the legions of backyard toy-rocket launchers and fireworks fanatics
who wish every day was the fourth of July.</blockquote>
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You can get it at any good bookstore. Or, just click on the link:<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=backyardballi-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=1613740646" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>
William Gurstellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504155694151207039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20039256.post-73055656184607604012012-04-26T15:38:00.003-04:002012-04-26T15:38:51.228-04:00Ow, this makes my brain hurt. . . .<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHVLBXYbc7kZBBaSW3c4v-K74KDxW5o1FOy8X0lWYdp_VrZHYdPtewgPVqGl1n9AONEgymcCoM_62YZ5Zko3YB1iY-Zr1QKSP8s32-tKsoUtsa16AhkfZjCNUnVWf4x1SLivYq/s1600/square-snakes.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="568" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHVLBXYbc7kZBBaSW3c4v-K74KDxW5o1FOy8X0lWYdp_VrZHYdPtewgPVqGl1n9AONEgymcCoM_62YZ5Zko3YB1iY-Zr1QKSP8s32-tKsoUtsa16AhkfZjCNUnVWf4x1SLivYq/s640/square-snakes.png" width="640" /></a></div>
Rotating Snakes Optical Illustion by Akiyoshi Kitaoka of Japan. More how and why this illusion works in an article on <a href="http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2012/04/24/how-our-brains-set-the-world-spinning/" target="_blank">Discovery Magazine,</a> available here. William Gurstellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504155694151207039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20039256.post-44890981752774433602012-04-26T15:29:00.001-04:002012-04-26T15:40:04.077-04:00News: Now I am a contributor to Gizmodo, the world's most popular gadget blog! Here's post number 1:<br />
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<a href="http://gizmodo.com/5902773/build-an-awesome-high+flying-dirt+cheap-rocket-out-of-stuff-lying-around-the-house" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikB_vBSQVIZ_e50YJY1_0CKO8ZZGu6sxBNPGBaK_D335HwIc_3j3oQFMXz6lgVvPAxMBR6htdeFhAQpU3vyno-h7DOmPMJxdpuqHPtd3hJ7uI2Ztp7KHiB-SZw0qOQcVcbqY0q/s400/sugar+high.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
First post: SUGAR HIGH<br />
http://gizmodo.com/5902773/build-an-awesome-high+flying-dirt+cheap-rocket-out-of-stuff-lying-around-the-houseWilliam Gurstellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504155694151207039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20039256.post-56084847934121243202011-08-12T15:07:00.007-04:002011-08-15T15:18:57.893-04:00Announcing the winners of the Practical Pyromaniac Clerihew Contest!<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">The winners have been selected in Chicago Review Press’s Practical Pyromaniac Clerihew Contest.<a href="http://amzn.to/BuyPracPyro"> The Practical Pyromaniac</a> is a new book from William Gurstelle (Popular Mechanics Magazine’s “Pyrotechnics and Ballistics Editor.”) </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">A clerihew is a four line, eccentrically metered, rhyming biographical poem. Easy to write and fun to read, entrants were asked to write a clerihew that describes a famous scientist or other person, or event closely associated with fire.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">The Winner:</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Rudolf Diesel's <br />
As German as measles,<br />
But his engine stayed mobile,<br />
So his legacy's global.</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;"> --Kelly Robinson</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">The Runners Up:</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">The Great London Fire</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Destroyed St. Paul's choir.</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">The nave and transepts were burned to sticks</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">On the 4th of September, 1666.</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;"> -- Chris Kaiser</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Catherine O'Leary's cow</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Would probably disavow</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Her role in the blaze of 'seventy-one...</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Too bad the witness is Well Done.</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;"> -- Erik Stearns</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;"> Well over a hundred entries were received. It was a difficult task selecting the winners because of the number of excellent entries. Points were awarded for topic relevance, style, and cleverness.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">The following entries have been singled out for Special Mention:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; margin-left: 4.65pt; width: 445px;"><tbody>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border: 1pt solid windowtext; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 203.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="271"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">The Philosopher Empedocles<br />
Thought there were four elements, and these<br />
Were earth and water, fire and air<br />
He was wrong, *but* they made a square.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 130.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="174"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Nick Muellerleile</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 203.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="271"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Sir Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford<br />
Showed heat made when gun bored.<br />
This example of friction,<br />
a conservation of energy prediction.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 130.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="174"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Ben Brockert</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 203.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="271"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Baybars, Sultan of Egypt<br />
Into his hand cannon, gunpowder tipped.<br />
But how many klutzes lost a foot<br />
shootin' in the Battle of Ain Jalut?</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 130.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="174"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Elissa Malcohn</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 203.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="271"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Mrs. O'Leary<br />
Hated the theory<br />
That it was her cow<br />
That started that row.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 130.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="174"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Yossef Mendelssohn</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 203.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="271"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Thanks to William Crookes<br />
And his love of science books,<br />
We now have faithful records<br />
Of Faraday’s Candle Lectures.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 130.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="174"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Roger Kilbourne</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 203.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="271"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Isaac Watts<br />
Observed a lot.<br />
He observed that observation<br />
Is learning's firm foundation.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 130.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="174"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Michael Hahn</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 61.6pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 61.6pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 203.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="271"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Had Herostratus<br />
Gone on hiatus,<br />
The shrine in Ephesus<br />
Would not be in pieces.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 61.6pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 130.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="174"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Brandon Burt</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 203.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="271"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Sir Joseph Priestly<br />
Looked at "airs" uniquely.<br />
Phlogiston he spurned<br />
And with O2 burned.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 130.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="174"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Jim Fenwood</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 203.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="271"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Antoine Lavoisier<br />
Had a flawless dossier.<br />
Hydrogen and oxygen he bred,<br />
right until they chopped of his head.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 130.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="174"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Ben Brockert</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 76.9pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 76.9pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 203.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="271"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Sir Humphry Davy,<br />
for miners so gravely<br />
created a light<br />
never to unexpectedly ignite.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 76.9pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 130.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="174"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Jonathan Hammler</span></div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><br />
<br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">MORE-</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">We received a surprising number of entries involving the mythological bringer of fire to humans, Prometheus. Evidently, his story captured the imaginations of quite a few nascent poets. </span></div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; margin-left: 3.9pt;"><tbody>
<tr style="height: 49.9pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border: 1pt solid windowtext; height: 49.9pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 204pt;" valign="top" width="272"><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Prometheus</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Stole the God's fire for us,</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Made Zeus pretty bitter,</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Now his liver's an eagle's dinner.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt medium; height: 49.9pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="top" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Timothy Schmidt</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 49.9pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 49.9pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 204pt;" valign="top" width="272"><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Prometheus</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Burned Zeus.</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">His reward, that fire giver?</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Chopped liver.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 49.9pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="top" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Les Clay</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 56.4pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 56.4pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 204pt;" valign="top" width="272"><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Greek Fire</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">sparks a funeral pyre</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Prometheus' gift</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">workin' the graveyard shift</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 56.4pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="top" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Travis Dynes</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 57.75pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 57.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 204pt;" valign="top" width="272"><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Prometheus the Titan</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Mankind’s burden would lighten</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">He was the fire giver</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">But an eagle ate his liver</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 57.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="top" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Beth Shively</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 53.25pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 53.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 204pt;" valign="top" width="272"><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Eagle-pained Prometheus</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">his days remain so tedious.</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Perhaps his aquiline pest might fancy</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Some fava beans and a nice Chianti?</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 53.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="top" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Jake Krakovsky</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 57.75pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 57.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 204pt;" valign="top" width="272"><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Prometheus we thank for fire</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">But Zeus responded with ire</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">To a rock, He tied the Giver</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">So an Eagle could chew his liver.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 57.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="top" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Raymond Nakamura</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 57.75pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 57.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 204pt;" valign="top" width="272"><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Prometheus the Titan</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Sought all the world to lighten</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">To the proles he was of fire a giver</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">And now an eagle dines on his liver</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 57.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="top" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Matthew Gordon</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 53.25pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 53.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 204pt;" valign="top" width="272"><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Fire was gifted to mankind from Prometheus</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">From raw food and chilly homes it would free all us.</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">The fate of the Titan was grainier;</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">He had the first case of acute pyrokleptomania.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 53.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="top" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Casey O'Connell</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 53.25pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 53.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 204pt;" valign="top" width="272"><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Prometheus</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">What? Fire. Why? Aeschylus</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Knew, no doubt, his intent.</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Only the spark is extant.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 53.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="top" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">John Anderson</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 49.9pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 49.9pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 204pt;" valign="top" width="272"><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Prometheus</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Was a bit of a wuss.</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Aside from fire, he could only deliver</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Chopped liver.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 49.9pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="top" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Andreas Orphanides</span></div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">There were also quite a few clerihews written about the author of The Practical Pyromaniac, William Gurstelle. Hoping for extra contest points by using a bit of flattery, no doubt. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; margin-left: 4.65pt; width: 439px;"><tbody>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border: 1pt solid windowtext; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 203.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="271"><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">William Gurstelle,<br />
of fire does tell.<br />
In demos quite hot, now<br />
"am I missing an eyebrow?"</span></div></td> <td colspan="2" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Ben Brockert</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 203.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="271"><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Fire, fire, huh huh!<br />
Chem teach says nuh-uh.<br />
Gurstelle declares<br />
how not to burn off hairs.</span></div></td> <td colspan="2" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Ben Brockert</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 203.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="271"><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">William Gurstelle<br />
Spent a night in a well<br />
'Till he found in his pocket<br />
Stuff to make rockets</span></div></td> <td colspan="2" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Robert Sanford</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 203.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="271"><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">William Gurstelle<br />
While otherwise quite swell,<br />
For his practical pyromania<br />
Was kicked out of Moosylvania.</span></div></td> <td colspan="2" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Craig Wittler</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 203.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="271"><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">William Gurstelle<br />
Musing about Bill Tell<br />
Traded his bow<br />
For a little C4</span></div></td> <td colspan="2" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Joe Lupe</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 203.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="271"><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">William Gurstelle<br />
Along with the flames of hell<br />
Has provided a book barrage<br />
To blow the roof off your garage</span></div></td> <td colspan="2" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">David Cooper</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 68.35pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 68.35pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 203.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="271"><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Mr William Gurstelle<br />
May have never been on tele.<br />
But of fires and flame, <br />
Seems he now has some fame.</span></div></td> <td colspan="2" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 68.35pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Mr Kim Chaisson</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 66.1pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 66.1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 203.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="271"><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">William Gurstelle<br />
A name I know well.<br />
His books inspire,<br />
My garage is on fire.</span></div></td> <td colspan="2" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 66.1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Jason Goodowens</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 203.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="271"><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Sir William Gurstelle<br />
Was half-way to hell<br />
He still hasn't learnt<br />
That pyros get burnt</span></div></td> <td colspan="2" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Michael Dare</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 203.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="271"><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">The mother of William Gurstelle<br />
told her son "Write a novel that will sell!"<br />
To her never-ending ire<br />
Willie wrote about fire</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="162"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Liz Dorman</span></div></td> <td style="border: medium none; padding: 0in;" width="6"><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext; border-style: none solid; border-width: medium 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 203.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="271"><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">William Gurstelle<br />
Burns brightly and well<br />
A master of the arts<br />
Of incandescent farts</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid none none; border-width: medium 1pt medium medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="162"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Samuel Stackman</span></div></td> <td style="border: medium none; padding: 0in;" width="6"><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 60.75pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 60.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 203.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="271"><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">William with fire,<br />
will never tire,<br />
to be forever lit,<br />
with wisdoms wit.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 60.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="162"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Anonymous </span></div></td> <td style="border: medium none; padding: 0in;" width="6"><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Other entrants’ clerihews spanned the gamut of scientific genius from Nicola Tesla to Thomas Edison, from Tim Berners-Lee to Madame Curie. There were also clerihews written to fete and illuminate the achievements of several lesser known scientists including Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner, Claude Edward Shannon, Robert Sapolsky, and Henning Brand. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; margin-left: 4.65pt; width: 463px;"><tbody>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border: 1pt solid windowtext; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Robert M. Sapolsky,<br />
follows baboons closely.<br />
Darting is an art,<br />
and unconscious alpha's fart.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Michael Sorel</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 78.25pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 78.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Albert Einstein<br />
Well he had a fine time<br />
With E=mc^2<br />
gosh what a lot of hair!</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 78.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">David Ragg</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Nikola Tesla, <br />
with Serbian chutzpah,<br />
wished to save the day<br />
with a good old-fashioned Death Ray.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Daniel Harrigan</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">When Nikola Tesla said<br />
"AC is the best bet yet"<br />
Replied Thomas Edison<br />
DC Rocks, the fight is on</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Jiri Vyslouzil</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 75.1pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 75.1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Antoine - Laurent Lavoisier<br />
Knew less than Priestley about the air<br />
He was however finely read<br />
Until the guillotine cleaved his head</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 75.1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Joseph Hinchliffe</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Thomas Edison<br />
Never was reticent<br />
World in delight<br />
'cuz of his bulb of light</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">HutcH Hutchison</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 75.1pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 75.1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Alfred Noble<br />
Was known fairly well<br />
But his fame did rise<br />
Once he offered his prize</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 75.1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Paul Krebs</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 77.35pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 77.35pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Alfred Nobel<br />
Who we all know well<br />
Worked till he got it right<br />
Because he was dynamite!</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 77.35pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">J-Mag Guthrie</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 76pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 76pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Charles Darwin,<br />
his patience ran thin.<br />
Tired of the stupidity of our race,<br />
created Darwinism to put them in their place.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 76pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Ryan Zindorf</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 75.1pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 75.1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Galileo Galilei,<br />
Made a telescope so he could see.<br />
Left school without a degree,<br />
yet became the father of modern science and astronomy.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 75.1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Ryan Zindorf</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 97.15pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 97.15pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Tim Berners-Lee,<br />
with out him this poem you wouldn't see.<br />
His files, while away, he could not get.<br />
Thus he invented the internet.<br />
<br />
</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 97.15pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Ryan Zindorf</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Marie Curie,<br />
interested in physics and chemistry.<br />
She won a noble peace prize,<br />
for starting in on cancers demise.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Ryan Zindorf</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 133.6pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 133.6pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">In the subject of gasses<br />
That shock and offend the masses<br />
A tiny spark is what’s needed<br />
For awe and wonder completed<br />
<br />
Thoughts for Pyros by Alex Willis, Author of Wisdom from the Toolbelt</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 133.6pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Alex Willis</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 261.4pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 261.4pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Nikola Tesla, with moustache,<br />
sent energy with panache<br />
via wireless transmission,<br />
and now measures magnetic induction. <br />
<br />
J. Robert Oppenheimer<br />
quoted the Vedic rhymer<br />
having unleashed nuclear force<br />
and afraid of its future course.<br />
<br />
Thomas Edison’s electrification<br />
of his Burl Street, NY station<br />
was a triumph of science made actual<br />
by J. P. Morgan’s capital.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 261.4pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Kat Inman</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Phlogiston<br />
Aether of Serafeim<br />
Cremated to ash, reduced to dust<br />
Worldly life left to rust</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Linnea M. Willing</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Hennig Brand yearned<br />
To distill from his urine<br />
The stone of philosophers<br />
But only got phosphorus.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Daniel Chamudot</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Doctor von Braun<br />
Rocket's head don.<br />
Launched to the moon<br />
an Air Force goon.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Ben Brockert</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Robert Stirling<br />
Clever gas curling.<br />
As gasses expand,<br />
Piston moves in hand.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Ben Brockert</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Thomas Edison<br />
was a man of no medicine<br />
he made artificial light<br />
there was no more night</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Jonathan Pedoeem</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">the caveman<br />
was a very brave man<br />
he invented fire<br />
and probably the first wildfire</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Michael Pedoeem</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 49pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 49pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Angelina Jolie<br />
isn't very boney<br />
neither is she fat<br />
Jolie is all that</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 49pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">gerry kessler</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Mark Frauenfelder<br />
His wife, he held her<br />
To make things worth doing<br />
They gave us the bOING bOING</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Mark Gerl</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 79.6pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 79.6pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">To Robert Oppenheimer let's make a toast,<br />
For his nuke work at Los Alamos.<br />
Though he queasily quoted Hindu divinity,<br />
When he saw what happened with Trinity.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 79.6pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Eric Constantineau</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 62.5pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 62.5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;"><br clear="all" style="page-break-before: always;" /> </span> <br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Edmund Clerihew Bentley<br />
Should not have written frequently<br />
Unless perhaps he failed at guessing<br />
That slipshod scansion is entirely distressing.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 62.5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Ari Multhauf</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Henry Cavendish<br />
Sadly never got his wish<br />
To define the elements<br />
Without any audience.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Craig Wittler</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 98.5pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 98.5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Richard Feynman was the man, or one might say, the bomb;<br />
He was supercool like liquid helium, and his contributions live on -<br />
Whether to the path integral formulation of quantum mechanics<br />
Or to a little thing called the theory of quantum electrodynamics.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 98.5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Robin Bernstein</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Nicolas Léonard Sadi Carnot<br />
Modeled thermodynamic flow.<br />
No heat engine (he saw) can aspire<br />
To transcend the motive power of fire.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">John David Stone</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 89.5pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 89.5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Alexander Bogdanov stopped confusion<br />
about the vitalities of blood transfusion<br />
his final discovery in this area-<br />
it was fatal to inject malaria.<br />
<br />
*I submit that mayhem gone wrong might involve a safe transfusion of blood. i.e. Relevant.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 89.5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Charlie Callahan</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Johann Joachim Becher<br />
who lived in the aether,<br />
did get his combust on,<br />
using only phlogiston</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Seth Raphael</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Did Fire come from America?<br />
Is Canada to blame?<br />
Rule predudiced no expats<br />
Inherent not same-same.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Jim Meier</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Joseph Priestley<br clear="all" style="page-break-before: always;" /> </span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Carbonated not yeastly.<br clear="all" style="page-break-before: always;" /> </span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Beer gas killed mice,</span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><br clear="all" style="page-break-before: always;" /> </span> <br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">But in water tastes nice.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Ben Brockert</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">The commonplace dove<br />
Must reliably love<br />
B. F. Skinner's<br />
Favorite dinners.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">David C. Oshel</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Billy Joel,<br />
His fire burns out of control.<br />
Though he swears it's been burning<br />
since the world's been turning</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Maximilian Vanlancker</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Joan of Arc<br />
Died on a spark<br />
For supporting a rival coronation<br />
Created a great conflagration.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Seth Brown</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Edward Teller<br />
Funny old feller<br />
Look what he done!<br />
He made a new sun.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Matthew Gordon</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 94pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 94pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">It's said that great Sir Isaac Newton<br />
discovered gravity from fruit on<br />
If just an apple can do that<br />
Consider Ms. Miranda's hat!<br />
<br />
</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 94pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Emily Bond</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Prometheus<br />
Played thief for us<br />
Now we don't shiver<br />
But pity his liver.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Elizabeth Bailey</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Sir Isaac Newton<br />
Discovered the laws of motion.<br />
What he failed at, we are told<br />
was in converting mercury to gold.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">kalyanaraman durgadas</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 63.75pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 63.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Gurstelle’s book is all the rage<br />
A bit of fire as you turn its page<br />
How flames and kindling are tamed to toil<br />
A mystery for even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 63.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Nanette Avery</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Asimov, the Great Explainer,<br />
tackled no subject without a disclaimer:<br />
the progress of science has hiccups and hitches*<br />
*but, as always, Science Works, bitches!</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">David Christensen</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Phineas Gage<br />
Worked the rail for wage<br />
A blast advancing neurology<br />
From his rod no apology</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Timothy Missal</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">The late chemist Thomas Midgley, Jr<br />
Made two startlingly big bloopers.<br />
Leaded gas was slow poison,<br />
While Freon holed our ozone.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Mark Martel</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Chalres Darwin did say<br />
All these changes came from DNA!<br />
And boy did this make news<br />
When he got back from his cruise.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Jack Sterne</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 63.75pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 63.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">The canonical Zeppelin<br />
Is just canvas envelopin’<br />
Some gas that’s combustible<br />
Which is why they’re not trustable.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 63.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Brian Upton</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 51pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Sir Alfred Nobel<br />
blew things to Hell.<br />
For this you would surmise,<br />
he should win some sort of prize.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 51pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">John Owen</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 63.75pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 63.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Johann Wolfgang Dobereiner,<br />
a coachman’s son but not a whiner,<br />
studied the elements on many an all nighter<br />
and made for the world it’s very first lighter.</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 63.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Rachel Hoyt</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 76.5pt;"> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 76.5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Solenopsis<br />
A sting come with your kiss.<br />
Why do you desire<br />
to set my skin on fire?</span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 76.5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.75in;" valign="bottom" width="168"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Mari Stephenson</span></div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table>William Gurstellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504155694151207039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20039256.post-55647066234283547672011-06-30T21:27:00.000-04:002011-06-30T21:27:00.944-04:00Now Posting on Makezine.com - Nobody doesn't like molton boron!<div class="asset-header"> <h2>Nobody Doesn’t Like Molten Boron</h2></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvgfM7i6vMIkdIb60BQeHKhbGtqL5lAmaM6_g1ahpxYZvbvfl9SEpUM56us8myjqtY1Ps8WJ9DOXIFkfIX60WgvBLBRTFMsPdFymG2NtRfiEoG12RHrOfozH_FRJui5kKu6gsL/s1600/molton+boron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvgfM7i6vMIkdIb60BQeHKhbGtqL5lAmaM6_g1ahpxYZvbvfl9SEpUM56us8myjqtY1Ps8WJ9DOXIFkfIX60WgvBLBRTFMsPdFymG2NtRfiEoG12RHrOfozH_FRJui5kKu6gsL/s1600/molton+boron.jpg" /></a></div>Here’s an excerpt from my new book, <a href="http://www,thepracticalpyromaniac.com/">The Practical Pyromaniac</a>. It’s a bit different than a lot of the other projects because it deals with making things NOT catch on fire. It’s a pretty simple chemistry project. By the way, it makes paper fire resistant, not fire proof.. . . . <br />
<br />
<b>Full post at <a href="http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2011/06/nobody-doesnt-like-molten-boron.html">http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2011/06/nobody-doesnt-like-molten-boron.html</a></b>William Gurstellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504155694151207039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20039256.post-67618133222536268712011-06-30T21:23:00.000-04:002011-06-30T21:23:23.805-04:00Now Posting on Makezine.com - The Kukri Knife of Nepal<div class="asset-header"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipixgrxoMV4kGmLi_VJbuVv4zuxjgN2SoBBlbUDcCXhTv5CwisGkOADgROHo8PGZLxwYzbwy1YH_xLdwtxGMnBYFBLAkoZCr0viHgrplWqtFbx3l_evCEyKVxOukDGSCRmrkvs/s1600/DSC_0013+resize.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipixgrxoMV4kGmLi_VJbuVv4zuxjgN2SoBBlbUDcCXhTv5CwisGkOADgROHo8PGZLxwYzbwy1YH_xLdwtxGMnBYFBLAkoZCr0viHgrplWqtFbx3l_evCEyKVxOukDGSCRmrkvs/s200/DSC_0013+resize.jpg" width="185" /></a></div><h2>The Kukri Knife of Nepal</h2></div>I’m a sucker for things on the Interwebs that are either interestingly made or good for making other things. I’m really jazzed about my new Nepalese kukri which qualifies mighty well on both counts. <br />
A kukri is the incredibly large and heavy knife carried by Gurkha soldiers. Real kukri knives are handmade by knife smiths in primitive village forges in the Himalayan foothills of Nepal. I ordered mine from a knife maker in Kathmandu. Even with shipping, for a handmade item such as this, the cost was surprisingly reasonable (well under $100). It’s made from recycled materials as well.. . . . .<br />
<b>See full post at </b> <a href="http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2011/06/the-kukri-knife-of-nepal.html">http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2011/06/the-kukri-knife-of-nepal.html</a>William Gurstellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504155694151207039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20039256.post-70556018016418282282010-02-22T16:04:00.007-05:002010-12-30T12:28:07.175-05:00Welcome Boing Boing ReadersWelcome Boing Boing readers and thanks for taking a minute to look around my blog. I generally focus on science, technology, and DIY topics although there's more here than that. Please use the links to the bottom right or type a topic such as "animal" or "DIY" to get to some interesting subjects.<br />
<br />
Is your organization looking for a speaker for an upcoming event? Visit <a href="http://www.williamgurstelle.com/">www.WilliamGurstelle.com</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm6KvPzXO-VuQqxhTzPKM-OCRvd6QR9Jx6r7e2UTiXaL-UAoP-vreTXrEAC7WuVfNWGQKCjwslL2DtPdZq3q-4xqCqG8oHBkjWpVyNz3Y208lhoSQvPIk49K2w8hV1uqcSJSzL/s1600-h/flamethrower+web+site+header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm6KvPzXO-VuQqxhTzPKM-OCRvd6QR9Jx6r7e2UTiXaL-UAoP-vreTXrEAC7WuVfNWGQKCjwslL2DtPdZq3q-4xqCqG8oHBkjWpVyNz3Y208lhoSQvPIk49K2w8hV1uqcSJSzL/s320/flamethrower+web+site+header.jpg" width="212" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<br />
Also, here are links to some of my favorite NFTTU posts:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://nfttu.blogspot.com/2005/12/1000-dead-men.html">1000 Dead Men:</a><br />
A description of the Gerry Report, perhaps the most grotesque bureaucratic report in all of American history.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://nfttu.blogspot.com/2005/12/wired-magazine-best-10-north-american.html">The 10 Best North American Geek Fests</a><br />
A link to a recent article I wrote for Wired Magazine<br />
<br />
<a href="http://nfttu.blogspot.com/2005/12/rise-fall-and-rise-of-robotic-combat.html">The Rise, Fall, and Rise of Robotic Combat</a><br />
Remember Robot Wars? Many are still at it.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://nfttu.blogspot.com/2005/12/hollywoods-catapult-warrior.html">Hollywood's Catapult Warrior</a><br />
Orlando Bloom's catapult fetish.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://nfttu.blogspot.com/2005/12/celebratory-gun-firing-good-idea-or.html">Celebratory Gun Firing: Good Idea or Not?</a><br />
What goes up, must come down. A lot of comments on this one.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://nfttu.blogspot.com/2006/01/nitric-acid-acts-upon-trousers.html">Nitric Acid Acts Upon Trousers</a><br />
Ira Remsen, a chemist with a great sense of humor.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://nfttu.blogspot.com/2006/01/video-fun-with-jet-engines.html">Fun With Jet Engines</a><br />
Cool video.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://nfttu.blogspot.com/2006/04/dippy-bird-power.html">Dippy Bird Power</a><br />
My idea to end the energy crisis.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://nfttu.blogspot.com/2006/03/navys-swimmer-nullification-program.html">Navy Swimmer Nullification Program</a><br />
A bizarre government defense program comes to light<br />
<br />
<a href="http://nfttu.blogspot.com/2006/03/my-name-is-bond-covalent-bond.html">My Name is Bond; Covalent Bond</a><br />
Chemistry sets ain't what they used to be.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://nfttu.blogspot.com/2006/03/water-bears-worlds-toughest-animal.html">Water Bears - The World's Toughest Animal</a><br />
Fun with tartigrades.William Gurstellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504155694151207039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20039256.post-28796454920515823672010-01-07T20:43:00.001-05:002010-01-07T20:44:48.600-05:00The DIY Chip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB-DTj6Ozx2Ehm4N_EaUiQkac3z6b1C3QM9ofFWzWOV6iqO_CYlFnoFX7qLWFZS1WYddnDh_nW6ZaDagJDp4H2tkVJtjxNImV7Ge2iNIMpPVUdQkkAVaZ11ntHsC7EaaNvLP8b/s1600-h/robot-art-wide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB-DTj6Ozx2Ehm4N_EaUiQkac3z6b1C3QM9ofFWzWOV6iqO_CYlFnoFX7qLWFZS1WYddnDh_nW6ZaDagJDp4H2tkVJtjxNImV7Ge2iNIMpPVUdQkkAVaZ11ntHsC7EaaNvLP8b/s400/robot-art-wide.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>The January 2010 issue of The Atlantic contains an article I wrote about the way small, cheap, and easy-to-program computers are turning artists into technologists and technologists into artists. It's about the concept of physical computing, or the way people use computers to sense environments and do great things with that sort of information. <br />
<br />
The entire issue of The Atlantic is available for reading online without cost. Read the whole article <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/201001/robot-art">here</a>, or browse to http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/201001/robot-artWilliam Gurstellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504155694151207039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20039256.post-51822045658657005382010-01-07T11:14:00.002-05:002010-01-08T14:21:54.525-05:00How to Build a Double Pendulum<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4W-lRO9kyqk&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4W-lRO9kyqk&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>I've written a detailed article describing all things related to building a double pendulum for Make Magazine, issue 22. When Mark Frauenfelder first suggested this project, I wasn't familiar with the device. But the more I found out about it, the more I wanted to make it! They are wonderful, mesmerizing, simple, and complex all at the same time.<br />
<br />
Full instructions are in the magazine which will be available in March or April 2010 I think. I've also produced a video that provides a pretty good introduction. Don't worry too much about dimensions: you can make them just about any size and they still look interesting.<br />
<br />
This video is posted at <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4W-lRO9kyqk">youtube</a>: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4W-lRO9kyqk">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4W-lRO9kyqk</a>William Gurstellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504155694151207039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20039256.post-82300517048302875472010-01-03T12:19:00.002-05:002010-01-03T12:22:47.018-05:00Job for the next decade: Spider Farmer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHs9y5ls_0SdGM2-D-kblvUgn4OIkcFwoPukAMm7jFzNg9ds3XooXg_Vv2gF1NfJK7DT1fBiPuTKHhXO7WXKJNIDcd9_zCaddeaGdpWrS-wnjZiZk3_CZEcjgpI4Ijsnt2K7Bm/s1600-h/cave+spider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHs9y5ls_0SdGM2-D-kblvUgn4OIkcFwoPukAMm7jFzNg9ds3XooXg_Vv2gF1NfJK7DT1fBiPuTKHhXO7WXKJNIDcd9_zCaddeaGdpWrS-wnjZiZk3_CZEcjgpI4Ijsnt2K7Bm/s200/cave+spider.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>A couple of years ago the always cutting edge David Pescovitz of BoingBoing fame gave me a book called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0679764895?ie=UTF8&tag=backyardballi-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0679764895%22%3EMr.%20Wilson%27s%20Cabinet%20Of%20Wonder:%20Pronged%20Ants,%20Horned%20Humans,%20Mice%20on%20Toast,%20and%20Other%20Marvels%20of%20Jurassic%20Techno%20logy%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=backyardballi-20%3E">Mr. Wilson's Cabinet Of Wonder: Pronged Ants, Horned Humans, Mice on Toast, and Other Marvels of Jurassic Technology</a>. It i s an interesting look at the "off-kilter scientific oddities that challenge the traditional notions of truth and fiction."<br />
<br />
Since then I've been wanting to build my own cabinet of wonders. I'm not sure where I'd put it, but I envision a big oak curio cabinet with shrunken heads, an umbrella stand made from an elephant's foot, a meteorite or two, and of course, some large, preserved insects.<br />
<br />
Meteorites are readily available on the Internet in in rock stores. The elephant stand is probably not available and the shrunken head sounds hard to get.<br />
<br />
The giant preserved insect? They're for sale on the<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1262539278105"> </a><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/REALBUTTERFLYGIFTS?section_id=6152551">etsy website</a>. They look cool. What's interesting is that their claimed to be raised on spider farms.<br />
<blockquote>The insects used in our framed shadowbox butterfly art have been raised on natural cruelty free tropical farms around the world<br />
</blockquote><br />
Wow, spider farming. That's a job for Mike Rowe if I ever heard of one.William Gurstellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504155694151207039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20039256.post-68088073400670607542009-12-31T11:31:00.000-05:002009-12-31T11:31:44.492-05:00How to Make a Leyden Jar and Electrostatic Generator<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpC52WAlxYjZp20BSKkTfqmmIQNbAl6oWUfeQYU5xjktYHAY1anF4giKNRcbFyFi3lbMj3rDfRKFwTei0kyy6pIVEBtB3MoSeNA2fsGUGqn1_ZCkxjeTRrHDfD9fPPLq3vTOjw/s1600-h/leyden-jar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpC52WAlxYjZp20BSKkTfqmmIQNbAl6oWUfeQYU5xjktYHAY1anF4giKNRcbFyFi3lbMj3rDfRKFwTei0kyy6pIVEBtB3MoSeNA2fsGUGqn1_ZCkxjeTRrHDfD9fPPLq3vTOjw/s320/leyden-jar.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>When the cold weather makes the air so dry, it's impossible to touch stuff in the house without getting a little shock. If you want to take that making a spark thing to the next level, then check out the next issue of Make Magazine (Make 21.) I show to how to create some really big-ass sparks by building a friction based static electricity generator and a Leyden jar.<br />
<br />
The longer I worked on this project, the more excited I became with it. It took me a while to figure out how to best fabricate the Leyden jar and electrostatic generator and had to go through several iterations before it worked the way I wanted it to. The jar really holds a charge and it's unbelievable how big a spark that thing makes! If you accidentally discharge it with your hand when you're not expecting it, look out! It's quite a shocking experience.<br />
<br />
All the directions are in the upcoming Make. I also made a video that's pretty detailed. See it at:<br />
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5wr1Ishmx0 or click on the thumbnail photo below.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5wr1Ishmx0" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT6xG3xLMIXniZyDrbMKiTH07r5RrVx5g1AuOI8h2WTrovVtTcijK9_hyR1avCdvFa_qiXtOoy1l9knH6NEJu1YL_ydUzjt1n7tcS0ICRhr0iV_0a5TThN7ral6zGJyA4EcJqi/s400/default.jpg" width="153" /></a><br />
</div><br />
PS Thanks to everybody who wrote me with good wishes concerning my health. I'm going to be fine.William Gurstellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504155694151207039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20039256.post-6132225941867227262009-12-03T14:20:00.000-05:002009-12-03T14:20:01.093-05:00England's Daily Telegraph's take on Absinthe and Flamethrowers<div class="storyHead"> <h1>America's DIY ballistics king Bill Gurstelle shoots from the hip about health and safety </h1><h2> Tom Leonard meets the DIY artillery king at his 'barrage garage'. </h2></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01536/p_diy-boys1_1536343c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01536/p_diy-boys1_1536343c.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
</div><br />
The above headline is from today's (Dec 3, 2009) Daily Telegraph, England's largest daily newspaper. There's an in-depth article on Absinthe and Flamethrowers and goes into depth about the importance of reasonable risk taking. The reporter, Tom Leonard, is a terrific writer and the photographer took some very interesting pictures.<br />
<br />
I'm honored and humbled to be referred to as " America's DIY Ballistics King"<br />
<br />
The article on the Daily Telegraph website<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/6711637/Americas-DIY-ballistics-king-Bill-Gurstelle-shoots-from-the-hip-about-health-and-safety.html"> is here</a>. I've also made it available on my blog, <a href="http://www.absintheandflamethrowers.com/">Absinthe and Flamethrowers.</a>William Gurstellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504155694151207039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20039256.post-90546415768802726952009-11-24T10:09:00.000-05:002009-11-24T10:09:30.330-05:00How to Build a Potato Cannon Wall Poster<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN7FWeZ82uO9yVZFM64ztokxa7j6h8Yisd-AbJReU1eehK7fN7SeXoIIrIy8jwWJWq5C3Ic1mW9efZO36uXGjZp8iVcK762-h-M61DvToG-7t6KEH9bvxSetogSOeBB2cAKEoZ/s1600/potato+cannon+6x9+150dpi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN7FWeZ82uO9yVZFM64ztokxa7j6h8Yisd-AbJReU1eehK7fN7SeXoIIrIy8jwWJWq5C3Ic1mW9efZO36uXGjZp8iVcK762-h-M61DvToG-7t6KEH9bvxSetogSOeBB2cAKEoZ/s640/potato+cannon+6x9+150dpi.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Here's another poster that looks great on the wall of just about any workshop, classroom, or bedroom: How to Build a Flamethrower. I developed this poster with my professional graphic designer colleague, Jon. Huge: 3' X 2', full color. Great to have, great to give.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The poster covers the design and construction of a powerful spud gun, and covers a variety of ignition methods including taser-powered, piezo-electric, and good ole fashioned flint and steel. I've made *lots* of these and my best ideas are all here. Enjoy a 300 foot blast! <br />
</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Check out the "<a href="http://nfttu.blogspot.com/2009/11/how-to-build-flamethrower-poster.html">How to Build a Flamethrower</a>" Poster as well<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i> <br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">You can see more and buy it at <a href="http://www.ballisticom.com/">www.ballisticom.com</a></i><br />
</div>William Gurstellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504155694151207039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20039256.post-24522158249367544192009-11-19T17:32:00.002-05:002009-11-19T17:51:40.071-05:00How to Build a Flamethrower PosterI'm excited to say my new poster: How to Build a Flamethrower is ready to go! I developed this poster with a professional graphic designer. It's full color and measures 36-inches high X 24-inches wide. Everything you need to know (with a bit of web support) to build a kick-butt, working flamethrower! A flame 15 feet high!<br />
<br />
It's the perfect holiday gift for the person who loves stuff like this. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ballisticom.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ojmn5sGleU6dA4OlBe9R3L08M1hqli4pz-o8L0VrZKnmovPj5KNNrifgbcdbK-qwrBrSh7QdWTvsmk04yDbEsB562YSqNV7DaYkrd6lb5bk4rSB1Vg0xQesHq5qLJZnZUan9/s640/flamethrower+web+site+header.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
It looks cool on the wall of your workshop, bedroom, or classroom.<br />
<br />
Find out more at <a href="http://www.ballisticom.com/">www.ballisticom.com</a>William Gurstellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504155694151207039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20039256.post-31944555943004689012009-10-28T10:53:00.002-04:002009-12-31T11:35:13.975-05:00Car Launching<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBWcULJWXaqzS1YsC31_PmqeXF8agaVWRdAta18WDVgkb46ezVrp8YEuZ7akUci93P9VsgYPRerbPgrK1jlf11jhvmza3VJ7bT8lREB5AIvNdcdcUcBqXyploIL-z7zxr-Oc7w/s1600-h/car+launch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBWcULJWXaqzS1YsC31_PmqeXF8agaVWRdAta18WDVgkb46ezVrp8YEuZ7akUci93P9VsgYPRerbPgrK1jlf11jhvmza3VJ7bT8lREB5AIvNdcdcUcBqXyploIL-z7zxr-Oc7w/s640/car+launch.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="margin: 0px;">I often head to northwestern Wisconsin because my brother has a lake cabin there. Interesting place, rural Wisconsin. Go into any of the bars or taverns up there (believe me, there are a whole lot) and you immediately get the sense that the level of cultural sophistication is not what it is in say, Manhattan or West Palm Beach. Or Omaha, Peoria or Wilkes Barre either.<br />
</div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyjuBz9AheaVEDf-dGaiJ2ZDpnqWNCntNMpTZETuz4GNYk51lWRV1zkoWEC-AbvYUHpHFw4hUCiIMo6bhZXkQU7E4ba9xAyXSTRzJEar4jsIpeWZfjBD9vowiPtNSoCxlBNmpo/s1600-h/car+launching+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyjuBz9AheaVEDf-dGaiJ2ZDpnqWNCntNMpTZETuz4GNYk51lWRV1zkoWEC-AbvYUHpHFw4hUCiIMo6bhZXkQU7E4ba9xAyXSTRzJEar4jsIpeWZfjBD9vowiPtNSoCxlBNmpo/s640/car+launching+2.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="margin: 0px;">But that's not a bad thing. The locals are a quite creative lot. Here's an example. It's a pastime called "<b>car launching</b>."<br />
</div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin: 0px;">It is exactly what it sounds like. This year several cars, trucks, and two school buses were launched. I'm absolutely going to be there next year.<br />
</div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin: 0px;">See for yourself below: Special extended video of the event from my friends at KARE!11: <a href="http://gannett.a.mms.mavenapps.net/mms/rt/1/site/gannett-kare-3323-pub01-live/current/launch.html?maven_playerId=kare11immersiveplayer15282008&maven_referralPlaylistId=4f50d2556d098a63e07642392865e886f885417c&maven_referralObject=1214108242">click here.</a><br />
</div>William Gurstellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504155694151207039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20039256.post-76151573186536989282009-10-27T14:22:00.000-04:002009-10-27T14:22:18.874-04:00Marshmallow Shooter Video on Kare -11<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWFNZf13mEB-3Aq1FPaMPODNLaVpZOPgKpwc4R2rgiu1K3HdI6L7Ce15LsLGPjSwtiEqPjaMw9ZWux3qtQUJ517GomjG_v4odcXZEOZfX_udogzsRTFfRckl4vKjcpemZf6H6r/s1600-h/Copy+of+marshmallow+shooter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWFNZf13mEB-3Aq1FPaMPODNLaVpZOPgKpwc4R2rgiu1K3HdI6L7Ce15LsLGPjSwtiEqPjaMw9ZWux3qtQUJ517GomjG_v4odcXZEOZfX_udogzsRTFfRckl4vKjcpemZf6H6r/s200/Copy+of+marshmallow+shooter.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>Today on KARE-11's Showcase Minnesota show, Rob Hudson and I build a marshmallow shooter, one of the safer projects from the many available in Whoosh Boom Splat, the enthusiasts guide to making projectile shooters. <br />
<br />
Here's a link to a video of the segment - It's pretty good; we had fun nailing the camera man! Easy and fun to make, and costs about $3 to make. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.showcaseminnesota.com/show/client_article.aspx?storyid=827311">http://www.showcaseminnesota.com/show/client_article.aspx?storyid=827311</a><br />
<iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&nou=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=backyardballi-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&asins=0307339483" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>William Gurstellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504155694151207039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20039256.post-31362664998188343102009-10-26T14:00:00.000-04:002009-10-26T14:00:52.179-04:00Kurt, Roger, Ryan and David build a trebuchet - and it's a big one!<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">A few of my friends in St. Paul got together and build a really enormous trebuchet, a type of medieval hurling machine or catapult. I knew that Richard Chin, the great features writer for the St. Paul Pioneer Press would immediately understand the import of such an undertaking. I called him up and told him about it and he got out there. This story appeared in the yesterday's Sunday paper. </span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Have trebuchet, will fling<o:p></o:p><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Four friends go medieval and build a 'siege engine' (basically a catapult) because they can<o:p></o:p><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">By Richard Chin<o:p></o:p><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><blockquote>"This is kind of chancy. We've never done anything this wide and big," warned Roger Bacon. "OK. Let's do it."</blockquote><blockquote>There was a countdown, a whoosh, and suddenly a wheelchair was soaring hundreds of feet in the air, hurtling through the skies above Hugo at an alarming rate of speed.</blockquote><blockquote>That's what happens when four 30-something guys decide to build a trebuchet, a siege engine resembling a catapult originally designed in the Middle Ages to pummel castle walls with projectiles.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>There are no castles in Hugo, so the builders of this trebuchet are content with seeing how far they can fling a bowling ball. They're at about 700 feet so far. They're hoping to reach 1,000.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>They're also testing the flight and crash-landing characteristics of obsolete consumer electronics by launching old television sets, a VCR and a computer. Thanks to the Hugo trebuchet, mankind now knows that a flying microwave oven will bounce about five feet into the air after hitting the ground.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>Eventually, the trebuchet team hopes to send a clothes dryer into flight.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>Built by Bacon, of White Bear Lake; Kurt Modert, of Hugo; Ryan Krueger, of Maple Grove; and David Proehl, of New Hope; the machine is just the latest and biggest, but not necessarily the craziest, project taken on by the four friends.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>"We like destroying stuff," Bacon said.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>They used to combine snowmobiles with upholstered furniture, resulting in a La-Z-Boy mounted on an Arctic Cat and a couch that was towed on skis.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>They've shot each other with potato cannons loaded with hot dog buns and marshmallows and went golfing with a motorized golf caddy made from an old snowblower.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>Then they went through a phase in which they took plastic bags filled with a mixture of creamed corn, elbow macaroni and oatmeal and concealed them under their coats.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>They would go to bus stops or the entrances of movie theaters and pretend to feel queasy. While a friend would make helpful comments like, "I told you that shrimp wasn't cooked," they would bend over and spew a stream of pseudo-puke on the sidewalk to the horror and disgust of bystanders.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote> </blockquote><blockquote>So when Modert decided in 2008 that his New Year's resolution would be to build a trebuchet, maybe the only thing that surprised his friends was how big it would be.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>"I thought it would be a desktop model, you know, something to launch paper balls at the office," said Modert's girlfriend, Sue Ruby, of Minneapolis, who wants the record to show that she met Modert after he was done with street-theater vomiting.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>Modert actually planned to build something that would go in the back yard of his mother's 12-acre property in Hugo.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>Construction began in the spring of 2008 with the erection of a massive wooden frame capable of supporting an 18-foot throwing arm.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>It was built with construction lumber, landscape timbers, recycled aluminum plates and salvaged panels from a garage door.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>"It's stuff you can get at any Menards," Bacon said. "Kurt doesn't have much of a life, so he was working on the trebuchet all the time."</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>The swinging counterweight used to propel the arm was fashioned from an old 265-gallon fuel oil tank they got for free off Craigslist.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>They spent a lot of time with calculators trying to figure out what to put into the tank to get the best performance. Water leaked. Navy beans weren't very heavy. Mercury would give more than enough heft, but "it turns out it would be difficult to get a large amount of mercury," Krueger said.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>They ended up putting sand in the tank, about 1,300 pounds so far. For more power, they can get it up to 3,750 pounds.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>The arm is moved with an electric hoist, and it's released by a trigger mechanism that was fashioned from a device originally used to hold and release a theater curtain rope. That piece of hardware cost less than $5 at an Ax-Man Surplus store.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>At one point, Modert's mother asked where they were going to move the trebuchet when they were done.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>But the machine, situated only a few yards from the house, is anchored with lengths of pipe driven several feet into the ground.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>"This one is permanent. It's too big to move," Modert said.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>The builders are not sure how the $2,500 project will affect the home value.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>"The tax assessor did come out earlier this year, and we're waiting to see what he says," Bacon said.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote> </blockquote><blockquote>Bacon said when asked if any changes had been made to the house, Modert's mother told the assessor, "Well, there's less shed and more trebuchet."</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>"At every step, it was like 'Let's take it one step bigger than we originally planned,' " Proehl said.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>"It kind of got a little carried away," Modert said. "Why do it if you're not going to do it big?"</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>"Most people who build stuff like giant catapults are doing what they're doing because they're seeking a challenge, the challenge of creating something big and wonderful in a physical, tangible way," said William Gurstelle, a Minneapolis author of books such as "Backyard Ballastics" and "Absinthe & Flamethrowers: Projects and Ruminations on the Art of Living Dangerously."</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>The original ammunition used by Modert and his friends were defective bowling balls, acquired for free at local bowling alley pro shops. They started arcing over the field behind Modert's boyhood home in August.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>"They haven't told you about the mistakes they made," Ruby said.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>Once, a bowling ball was tossed about 150 feet in the wrong direction.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>"Toward where my car was parked," Ruby said.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>The team uses a number of safety measures to make sure no one gets hurt. But when asked if it's dangerous, Bacon said, "Yeah. Well, no. Yeah."</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>"There's the potential for things to break," Modert said.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>During a recent hurling session, a bowling ball was launched almost straight up in the air, sending everyone ducking for cover.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><blockquote>"All right. So let's not do that one again," Krueger said.</blockquote>William Gurstellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504155694151207039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20039256.post-9508178530836530922009-10-23T10:45:00.001-04:002009-10-23T10:50:01.170-04:00Tricked Out Motorized CouchA guy in northern Minnesota built a way cool, tricked out, motorized couch and drove it to the local bar. But he got so drunk that he crashed it into a parked car.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwWNBx4Py3Ji7fciyOB7i68F-j4D7oIedKdBWCzo5R8F8aYTHx3fAB7HLINtjBwUvJ1xHjjRrPotm0Kud56fBSw6dCFrz1138uQAJVN6ALfOuq0OWRxiSHXKCjz6XS4z-mWum/s1600-h/1lazyboy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwWNBx4Py3Ji7fciyOB7i68F-j4D7oIedKdBWCzo5R8F8aYTHx3fAB7HLINtjBwUvJ1xHjjRrPotm0Kud56fBSw6dCFrz1138uQAJVN6ALfOuq0OWRxiSHXKCjz6XS4z-mWum/s400/1lazyboy.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<br />
Note the headlights, surround sound system and cup holders. It's powered by a lawn mower engine which makes me think it couldn't attain much speed, given how heavy it is. The police chief "estimates" it could reach 15 to 20 mph. I can't imagine that being true. Anyway, the police confiscated it. Too bad.<br />
<br />
Full story from the Star Tribune:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>The operator of a La-Z-Boy chair converted into a motorized vehicle -- complete with a stereo and cup holders -- has admitted that he crashed the piece of furniture after leaving a bar in Proctor, Minn., extremely drunk.<br />
<br />
Dennis LeRoy Anderson, 61, of Proctor, pleaded guilty Monday to hopping on the chair on the night of Aug. 31, 2008, after visiting the Keyboard Lounge, then crashing into a more traditional vehicle in the parking lot. Anderson's blood-alcohol content was 0.29 percent, more than three times the legal limit for driving in Minnesota.<br />
<br />
Deputy Police Chief Troy Foucault said Thursday that the chair is "quite decked out." Along with the stereo and cup holders, it is driven by a converted gasoline-powered lawnmower, and has a steering wheel, headlights and a power antenna.<br />
<br />
Foucault estimated that the La-Z-Boy can top out at 15 to 20 miles per hour. A National Hot Rod Association sticker adorns the headrest.<br />
<br />
The chair was impounded and will be sold at the next police auction.<br />
<br />
"We have quite a few people calling about buying it," said Foucault, who half-seriously acknowledged that he is tempted to bid on it, except that "I have kids who would take it out and drive it on the street."<br />
<br />
Anderson admitted to police that he had been drinking at home, was leaving the bar and had drunk eight or nine beers that day before getting on the La-Z-Boy and crashing it into a Dodge Intrepid parked outside, Foucault said. Anderson was treated for minor injuries and given a field sobriety test, even though he pleaded several times with the officer to "give him a break," according to the police report.<br />
<br />
"He failed everything," Foucault said, which led to Anderson's arrest and seizure of the chair. The officer on the scene checked Anderson's driver's license and determined that it had been revoked because of a previous drunken-driving conviction, according to police.<br />
<br />
Anderson, who does auto body repair work out of his home, was sentenced Monday to 180 days in the St. Louis County jail or at the Northeast Regional Corrections Center and was fined $2,000. The jail time and half of the fine was stayed for two years of supervised probation with conditions that include a chemical dependency assessment, random testing and 30 days of electronic monitoring. <br />
</blockquote>William Gurstellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504155694151207039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20039256.post-67306605240082101472009-10-17T13:50:00.004-04:002009-10-17T13:58:35.136-04:00New How-To Video on Electrostatic Generator and Leyden Jar<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5wr1Ishmx0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 244px; height: 183px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPglzoG4lDuduc8MpMqmnR-xyb_pOkhL1DZRrFhIypBPybu3mX0ehqidTktB0KPipEpnZKFiuAujveNUdxvsAFW0o2zZqPX6DGxdXdXfL9Eob7K6zaMIyfhJdASfsulcFcuSsQ/s320/1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393629119346675474" border="0" /></a><br /><img src="file:///C:/Users/william/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot.png" alt="" />I've filmed a new video showing how to build an electrostatic generator and a leyden jar. Watch it at:<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5wr1Ishmx0"><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5wr1Ishmx0</a><br /><br />If you've never messed around with Leyden Jars, you should; they are immense amount of fun. I accidentally shocked myself yesterday and it nearly knocked me over, so if you make one, don't make it too big. Eventually all Leyden Jars wind up shocking their owners.William Gurstellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504155694151207039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20039256.post-20431628413501498322009-09-22T11:02:00.001-04:002009-09-22T11:04:27.733-04:0012 Shocking Ideas That Could Change the World<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6q254aF4LkUPJFUyJijxqi9gG-7D_3bkvFKjns81KwWTJjh_eLd4RsOkgawi1_p-qa4D1GPtClJJzVS1g2TGRCv0PBIKH_MHPVNGFt4KJzE_MqxO668LHzm7dDL0BIOPQyOL/s1600-h/wired+article+art.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 226px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6q254aF4LkUPJFUyJijxqi9gG-7D_3bkvFKjns81KwWTJjh_eLd4RsOkgawi1_p-qa4D1GPtClJJzVS1g2TGRCv0PBIKH_MHPVNGFt4KJzE_MqxO668LHzm7dDL0BIOPQyOL/s320/wired+article+art.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384307699540988258" border="0" /></a><br /><pre>This month's Wired Magazine cover article is entitled "The<br />Smart List: 12 Shocking Ideas That Could Change the World."<br /><br />My essay, entitled "Take Smart Risks," is number 11, (between<br />Gregg Easterbrooks "Embrace Human Cloning" and Robert Gates<br />"Overhaul the Pentagon.")<br /><br />You can read the entire article in the new October issue of<br />Wired, or online (for free!) at<br /><a href="http://www.wired.com/techbiz/people/magazine/17-10/ff_smartlist#" target="_blank">http://www.wired.com/techbiz/people/magazine/17-10/ff_smartlist#</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%27javascript:neww%28" newbk="http://www.wired.com/techbiz/people/magazine/17-10/ff_smartlist#"><img src="http://www33.ureach.com/images/bmk2.gif" alt="create bookmark" align="middle" border="0" /></a></pre>William Gurstellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504155694151207039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20039256.post-82186799937221125902009-08-21T15:43:00.005-04:002009-08-22T00:07:50.460-04:00How to Choose a Throwing KnifeIn my other blog Absinthe and Flamethrowers, I answer a question a reader posed about how to buy throwing knives.<br /><pre><blockquote>I was just wondering which company sells the best throwing knives, or which one you trust.<br />also how much does a good set of 3 usually go for?</blockquote></pre>First, what exactly is a throwing knife? Wikipedia sez:<br /><blockquote>Throwing knives are knives that are specially designed and weighted so that they can be thrown effectively. They are a distinct category from ordinary knives.<br /><br />Throwing knives are commonly made of a single piece of steel or other material, without handles, unlike other types of knives. The knife has two sections, the 'blade' which is the sharpened half of the knife and the 'grip' which is not sharpened. The purpose of the grip is to allow the knife to be safely handled by the user and also to balance the weight of the blade.</blockquote><br />When I first started throwing I bought three fairly smallish knives and they were pretty hard to throw consistently. so, I upgraded to larger, heavier model and things were much easier.<br /><br />From <a href="http://www.absintheandflamethrowers.com/">www.absintheandflamethrowers.com</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote>So, you want to learn how to throw knives? It pays to start with good equipment. The most important thing is to use knives made for the purpose. They should be neither too heavy or too light.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4fYQCA10N7OBS6eGwC7B8e1LUDiah7tty_BpT0I_OKsBDskf5c4d5xJUjOnleGCprmtJUHPHny5H3bfwlMdAdZl2wPVE11hONs_DyI2pU6jMDrqnhh55EcBHjOmEinDdN_Lvw/s1600-h/throwing+knife.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 40px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4fYQCA10N7OBS6eGwC7B8e1LUDiah7tty_BpT0I_OKsBDskf5c4d5xJUjOnleGCprmtJUHPHny5H3bfwlMdAdZl2wPVE11hONs_DyI2pU6jMDrqnhh55EcBHjOmEinDdN_Lvw/s320/throwing+knife.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372240846495271506" border="0" /></a><br /><blockquote><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Choosing a knife. The type of knife you choose will have an incredible impact on how much you’re able to enjoy knife throwing. Keep in mind that quality throwing knives do not have a handle. The blade is the throwing knife. </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">▪ Size: Knives that are between 12”-16” are a good size. They aren’t too big and not so small that you’d have to throw harder and strain to watch them in flight. </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">▪ Weight: Knives of the above size will fly fairly undisturbed from wind and make a satisfying sound when they hit the target.</span></span><br /><br />more at http://www.articlesbase.com/extreme-sports-articles/knife-throwing-so-you-want-to-be-a-knife-thrower-470112.html</blockquote></blockquote><blockquote></blockquote>William Gurstellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504155694151207039noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20039256.post-11346129537170976332009-08-06T10:49:00.016-04:002009-08-07T10:14:40.589-04:00Speed Week at Bonneville Salt Flats<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijoenuQoOXXu5CqRgeUEX1xi820n6gm103KwqMRv6XYUsDF_NBUYfgbALNMmnGqvJi0gXlxZBmjzUyFuE6Bnl99_-2F7PHAw7gGnSNjqY9QzldUCnJLp-WAWEaBU8nU_cuXXpZ/s400/Salt+Flat.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366866763522802690" /><br />The Bonneville Salt Flats - A whole lot of flatness!<br /><br />I'm guest blogging on Makezine.com this month. I'm excited for the opportunity because it gives me a chance to provide some additional information about some of the stories I've done for Make Magazine previously.<br /><br />In this month's Make Magazine (Issue 19) I've got a piece on Speed Week, the gathering of speed enthusiasts that meets in Bonneville Salt Flats near Wendover Utah to celebrate all things that go fast on the ground.<br /><br />The Make Magazine piece focuses on Belly Tank Racers, which are fast cars made from the aluminum fuel tanks of military airplanes (they are highly aerodynamic so they are perfect for car bodies.) The men who make them, make them from scratch, and take them to speeds exceeding 200 mph. Now that's some fine work.<br /><br />Here are some additional pictures of those way cool belly tankers.<br /><br />This is Gary Calvert's belly tank racer. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwv9XwdMxHIljUdsy_97lGoBXe_5gxnXFS1CDv4qUOfQIHmqcV1p1XWjJGrIIAEaHR2tWlp8AzxPs2fJI2wieXI17Sdu-uuh5Up6kwTKjjIlv-nnn4sivDj77U_7CMlc-QXzmp/s1600-h/IMG_0704_Medium.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwv9XwdMxHIljUdsy_97lGoBXe_5gxnXFS1CDv4qUOfQIHmqcV1p1XWjJGrIIAEaHR2tWlp8AzxPs2fJI2wieXI17Sdu-uuh5Up6kwTKjjIlv-nnn4sivDj77U_7CMlc-QXzmp/s320/IMG_0704_Medium.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367224557218791650" /></a><br /><br /> Belly Racer's Engine<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvkBLIP8nqvzIZhqMPAfJXq0hMr4MBnBCrltWzDmE9648jNOYAAI13zlORaTvEi3hya1V0HoA7huC8uaHqUL5yZCDaoZQwGQ6ommjdZf-Brk1urdwX8M_5GueXZn9JoD4iDjj/s1600-h/IMG_0701.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvkBLIP8nqvzIZhqMPAfJXq0hMr4MBnBCrltWzDmE9648jNOYAAI13zlORaTvEi3hya1V0HoA7huC8uaHqUL5yZCDaoZQwGQ6ommjdZf-Brk1urdwX8M_5GueXZn9JoD4iDjj/s320/IMG_0701.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366869905364654402" /></a><br /><br /><br />Here's the interior <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjglsM9y9TztIdfyyLTGSfu2zRNBqv2xEjYIavov0BPK9yXz_Jot6orvuA7RPxEh5y6vk9BzIQz48EHHGg_lnxaKXBPugXv98tb3CWzzX5g-Jhb8WnbdTt0f4d711WBmDftKq0X/s1600-h/IMG_0710.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjglsM9y9TztIdfyyLTGSfu2zRNBqv2xEjYIavov0BPK9yXz_Jot6orvuA7RPxEh5y6vk9BzIQz48EHHGg_lnxaKXBPugXv98tb3CWzzX5g-Jhb8WnbdTt0f4d711WBmDftKq0X/s320/IMG_0710.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366865935005827826" /></a><br /><br />Here's me inside it.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54Kjh-jbiKI2Ln_SLBsEPfROXjphyphenhyphen_aHPFBlKAyJ8_VXLwWoUzcRkd1NP-O-MetAsz4D8NvSjK3pMv9FCy4oFJdeOQMQSUllfhfVJVjIveys9ipmvwaBLqtHayH21G5_Zr4iW/s1600-h/IMG_0697.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54Kjh-jbiKI2Ln_SLBsEPfROXjphyphenhyphen_aHPFBlKAyJ8_VXLwWoUzcRkd1NP-O-MetAsz4D8NvSjK3pMv9FCy4oFJdeOQMQSUllfhfVJVjIveys9ipmvwaBLqtHayH21G5_Zr4iW/s320/IMG_0697.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366868092435665058" /></a><br /><br />Belly Tankers are "open wheel" machines meaning there is no fairing or cowling covering the tires.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitgoU-LjJ16ghAjU65J5tpZlcEL0XfGumZgtEJo3x3WuoKVjYQOO3CLZnaAA2XlWC5Q0B1pXxq2D7f1VJKFBxY7-k5Jm06tGyZOqO5wvt24mXESLsikDFSDlaaWoEc7HoJ5Ssk/s1600-h/IMG_0737.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitgoU-LjJ16ghAjU65J5tpZlcEL0XfGumZgtEJo3x3WuoKVjYQOO3CLZnaAA2XlWC5Q0B1pXxq2D7f1VJKFBxY7-k5Jm06tGyZOqO5wvt24mXESLsikDFSDlaaWoEc7HoJ5Ssk/s320/IMG_0737.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366869162128707570" /></a><br /><br />Working on Steve DiMartino's Jesse's Girl just before racing<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyESq5Okdhx5EBBvGLgF84zu75bUTT33cAImCVRyOzuDORCJRiUcJO73ZjLzvY3nCGEY5ac6Y-XdSGh4CBg6RcahVtp4POd3DUvACAoBG_ZvGrNjvC7dG-2dCWTUZZ2-m60yTo/s1600-h/IMG_0741.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyESq5Okdhx5EBBvGLgF84zu75bUTT33cAImCVRyOzuDORCJRiUcJO73ZjLzvY3nCGEY5ac6Y-XdSGh4CBg6RcahVtp4POd3DUvACAoBG_ZvGrNjvC7dG-2dCWTUZZ2-m60yTo/s320/IMG_0741.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366868432706426290" /></a><br /><br />Ready to race. The belly tanker gets a push start and then streaks across the desert.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBf8xuVk1H7BgSWTnvKweW1xI2HAfdSwT9Wd4BcEPiNE9-TXbiEa0r7cKmSALHdpRsE2DZ2z0gR6wLh5Q_mKWeBE9JPl-sh-TdwlV4rO1j94wzJinPRFEoz8kifNGSLqtF9iHF/s1600-h/IMG_0751.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBf8xuVk1H7BgSWTnvKweW1xI2HAfdSwT9Wd4BcEPiNE9-TXbiEa0r7cKmSALHdpRsE2DZ2z0gR6wLh5Q_mKWeBE9JPl-sh-TdwlV4rO1j94wzJinPRFEoz8kifNGSLqtF9iHF/s320/IMG_0751.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366871725538143522" /></a>William Gurstellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504155694151207039noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20039256.post-2945238144403973002009-07-30T18:21:00.007-04:002009-07-30T18:43:25.733-04:00How to Make a Sazerac Cocktail<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4LTx4EnD340i8zJ1LCvMkeZJLfPaMWfsbQt4v06w8HR9vMAta9MaYILVGxvqEXsoYTfTncFUgdM8oDcKZ6sx3x78Arf9ZaHR8S-sB8t7ZKNWPDSGSXd8SWDy07KquXTfYz1vd/s1600-h/drinks.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 177px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4LTx4EnD340i8zJ1LCvMkeZJLfPaMWfsbQt4v06w8HR9vMAta9MaYILVGxvqEXsoYTfTncFUgdM8oDcKZ6sx3x78Arf9ZaHR8S-sB8t7ZKNWPDSGSXd8SWDy07KquXTfYz1vd/s200/drinks.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364386269568107794" /></a><br />In 2008 the Louisiana House of Represenatives voted to make the Sazerac the official cocktail of New Orleans. It’s a great mix of flavors and packs a kick. A favorite with those who understand the art of living dangerously.<br /><br />• 1/2 cup ice cubes<br />• 1 sugar cube<br />• 3 dashes Bitters<br />• 2 ounces rye Jim Beam or Old Overholt RYE (not bourbon) whiskey<br />• 1/2 teaspoon of absinthe<br />• lemon twist<br /><br />Chill an old-fashioned glass by filling it with ice and water. In second old-fashioned glass, mix together sugar, bitters, and just enough water to dissolve the sugar. Stir. Add cognac or whiskey and remaining ½ cup ice, and stir well, at least 15 seconds. Take the chilled glass, discard ice and water and pour in absinthe. Swirl it around so the absinthe coats the interior of the glass. Add rye whiskey mixture into the chilled, absinthe-coated glass. Add lemon peel and enjoy.William Gurstellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504155694151207039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20039256.post-60666906616478278052009-07-22T10:31:00.004-04:002009-07-24T17:01:40.556-04:00How to Make an Arc Light<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtMgPTDL2ToeCJvfS07H-0qn35jAx1V992Dv3XxSyjpVNDVOzOcI7oXYsULpVvAzIp4sf6Z28D_Cu2MTxf3xRBbguNj52RwVj-MZ_FoyvgDAsMyCZuVnk6o6dunWKFZ0i5WyO1/s1600-h/arc+light.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 195px; height: 146px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtMgPTDL2ToeCJvfS07H-0qn35jAx1V992Dv3XxSyjpVNDVOzOcI7oXYsULpVvAzIp4sf6Z28D_Cu2MTxf3xRBbguNj52RwVj-MZ_FoyvgDAsMyCZuVnk6o6dunWKFZ0i5WyO1/s320/arc+light.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361294317058472610" border="0" /></a><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY06G2iSR8M">Home Made Arc Light</a><br /><br /></div>Most people think Thomas Edison invented the electric light. Nah. Edison invented the incandescent light bulb, but electric lights were invented about 70 years earlier by Sir Humphrey Davy. His device was (and is) called an Arc Light.<br /><br />Arc lights are extremely bright. Not particularly efficient mind you, but they are certainly bright. When I was going to high school in the 70s, there were arc light movie projectors in the school auditorium.<br /><br />WWII style searchlights were arc lights as well. Each search light piercing the night sky over London searching for Stukas and Junker bombers were the equivalent of a 13,000 watt incandescent bulb and were able to throw a beam on something five miles away.<br /><br />Click above on the picture above or browse to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY06G2iSR8M">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY06G2iSR8M</a> for a video of an arc light I made that uses carbon rods from a non alkaline battery and a 12 volt transformer. The video shows how it's made and more info is available in an upcoming issue of Make Magazine.<br /><br />Note: If you make one, don't look directly at the arc without eye protection -- avoid the UV raysWilliam Gurstellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504155694151207039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20039256.post-36398555110127761982009-07-14T23:46:00.003-04:002009-07-15T00:17:45.201-04:00A new television gig<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVw9sS-_18QbzLAxc2K2BYy_ZYE6pKnu0EXN6hKASICvRWhG6ansOKmFEcjJsh0d0V1mEZFsuI4m1QOY7A6GBSKk1cMzkAc_C1eJrN92SUPgBm5V43fjZYVVJO7rUnzEK2UDg8/s1600-h/kare11_bnr.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 227px; height: 53px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVw9sS-_18QbzLAxc2K2BYy_ZYE6pKnu0EXN6hKASICvRWhG6ansOKmFEcjJsh0d0V1mEZFsuI4m1QOY7A6GBSKk1cMzkAc_C1eJrN92SUPgBm5V43fjZYVVJO7rUnzEK2UDg8/s320/kare11_bnr.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358527600501396978" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxlD5o36IFOnPaHzhwkTy0sHNy8-smfk8-BsN8EBX3Tc-6lppV-RfqKGw66E5gJq73CTs9jlbPsbByyjZMob2NMip6TRWhvi6Y097YCVDJWV5g8pKQ3d21Eej1XfZSEaVeqaB/s1600-h/showcasemn_logo256.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 53px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxlD5o36IFOnPaHzhwkTy0sHNy8-smfk8-BsN8EBX3Tc-6lppV-RfqKGw66E5gJq73CTs9jlbPsbByyjZMob2NMip6TRWhvi6Y097YCVDJWV5g8pKQ3d21Eej1XfZSEaVeqaB/s320/showcasemn_logo256.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358527902015967858" border="0" /></a>I've been itching to get back on the small screen now that I've had a taste of it when I was doing Make TV. I'm getting that scratched, at least a little bit as I've become a semi-regular on the KARE-11's morning television show Showcase Minnesota. Each month or so I go on the air with Rob Hudson, one of the show's two hosts, and show the viewing audience one of the projects from my books. KARE-11 is the local NBC affiliate.<br /><br />Today (July 14) I dug out my taser powered potato cannon and demonstrated that. It worked quite well considering we were operating it outside in a driving rain. But that's show biz. The people at KARE 11 are consummate professionals and working with Rob is a treat.<br /><br />The episode can be downloaded <a href="http://www.showcaseminnesota.com/show/client_article.aspx?storyid=819518">here</a>. Next month I demonstrate the water rocket from Backyard Ballistics.William Gurstellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504155694151207039noreply@blogger.com0