Mono-wheel mode of travel has some interesting history

  

(Left) Swiss engineer Mr. Gerdes astride/inside his one-wheel motorcycle, 1931. (Right) The Mono-Wheel is popular for travel between remote Russian villages.

See Chinese Military in modern times enjoying mono-wheels, presumably for balance training, but maybe simply... for fun?

Some outlandish mono-wheel concepts from 1925 "Science & Invention" and "The Electrical Experimenter" in 1918.

all images from darkroastedblend.com where you can find a complete pictorial and written history on mono-wheels in their archives. Enjoy!

Critics of Global Trade don't get a lot of media time

Media Matters Action Network reported today that "scant space is given to critics" of Global trade.

Personally, I've always been against the whole concept of "free trade" or global trading. History has shown us that the whole concept has turned into a drain on the American economy. We've lost too many jobs over the years to trade agreements that only benefit corporate interests.

Academics, interest groups, businesspeople, and workers have been engaged in a vigorous debate over the impact of free trade on job loss, income inequality, wage stagnation, working conditions, human rights, environmental degradation, corporate profits, public health, transparency, democracy, national sovereignty, and freedom itself.

For more details on this subject read this and see what you think.

Fighting stopped, Gaza's smuggling tunnels reopen

Supplies flow again, possibly threatening cease-fire with Israel

Beneath the semi-desert scrub of olive groves and cactus trees traversing Egypt's border with Gaza lies a warren of crudely dug tunnels that may determine whether the cease-fires ending the 22-day war between Israel and Hamas will last.

Click here to read the whole story in the Chicago Tribune.

Palestinians hold white flags as a signal for Israeli troops after leaving their house near the area where Israeli soldiers and Palestinian militants exchange fire outside Jabaliya refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip, Monday, Jan. 5, 2009.

(AP Photo/AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)

Life under a microscope: It's a small world after all

Golden wonder: Using fibre optics, this image shows the wing scales of a sunset moth

This surreal looking image shows the micro-flow pattern in a thinning soap film.

Purple haze: This fluorescent image shows a magnified mangrove fern leaf.

images from dailymail.com

An early pictorial history of cars that fly...sort of

  

In the early 1900s some rather crazy-looking armored vehicles were used by the military; here is a "Sizaire-Berwick Wind Wagon" from 1905.

French engineer Marcel Leyat made plenty of "Helica" propeller-powered cars between 1913 and 1926 (30 were built, two still exist today). Some models had an open, unprotected propeller, good for shredding everything that might stand in their way. Other models gained a wooden protective shroud, which made them sort-of road-worthy (at least in France.

This 1932 model was pretty ugly, but boasted a maximum speed of 80 mph!

image credit: modernmechanix.com)

 

(image credit: Aerofiles)    "Taylor AeroCar III" (1965)

Lobbyists and Their Employers: Web site tells all!

Do you want to know more about Lobbyists near you?

There's a great resource for Information on Money in State Politics at Lobbyist Link, a watchdog web site.

Lobbyist Link helps you make the connection between lobbyists and their employers. Take it a step further and see what those employers give directly to candidates to exert additional influence over the lawmaking process.

Money in state politics plays a pivotal role in shaping public policy in individual states and across the nation. Lobbyist Link helps you track political donations in all 50 states. Take a look.

Posters from the Great Depression: Some things never change

 

   

Wall Street Journal staff flee building: suspicious packages found!

I just hear this news alert on CNN. It seems there's concerns over packages found in the offices of the Wall Street Journal and authorities are evacuating the building. Details are still sketchy. One commentator mentioned anthrax, but nothing has been confirmed at this time. I wonder what article brought this on?

Google image

Are you kidding me? That inaugural poem stunk!

Talk about a dud...Elizabeth Alexander's poem "Praise Song for the Day" simply didn't soar...it made me snore!

The Yale professor and author of five books on poetry didn't even come close to the talent of other poets in inauguration ceremonies, like Robert Frost (JFK's swearing in) or Maya Angelou (Clinton's swearing in).

I'm no expert on poetry, but it sure sounded like prose, and did not have the flow of a good poem.

AP photo 

What does the future hold under a new administration?

image from godlikeproductions.com

Thoughts on this day...

As I watch the swearing in of Joe Biden, my thoughts wander back to the recent presidential campaign and the growing popularity (seemingly out of nowhere) of Barack Obama. Two years ago he was an obscure senator from Illinois and now he sits waiting for the moment when her will stand up, walk over to the podium, and put his hand on President Lincoln's Bible and get sworn in as our 44th President of the United States.
I watch as the cameras keep panning on the millions of people in the National Mall, and I try to imagine what it would be like to be there.
I know, because of my PTSD, that I could never be in a crowd that big without panic seizing me like a vise. I wonder what it would be like standing among that many like-minded people.
Now, as Barack repeats the oath, I watch his wife's eyes reflecting pride...then "Congradulations Mr President" and the crowd claps deleriously. People hugging and kissing. Jumping up and down for joy. Tears running down eyes that never thought they would see this day.
A sense of hope so strong that you can taste it, smell it, feel it in your pores.
Now, as Barack addresses everyone, he calmly, in his rich voice, speaks. His eyes seem to make contact with the millions before him. He appears serious, yet, a secret smile breaks through at times, as he spells out the challenges we all now face. He points out the problems we must now tackle, and the economy is mentioned first.
He tries to make us all understand that their are many challenges, but as he said, "They can be met!" You know, by the tone of his voice he means it. He speaks, not to just Americans, but to the world which is also watching this ceremonial changing of the guard. This peaceful transistion of power is something we pride ourselves in as Americans.
Cameras walk through the mass of humanity, and sometimes they settle on a face - and we see smiles or tears.
My mind wanders back to when I was growing up in the 50s and 60's and saw the ugly face of rasicm and an oppresed people. In those days, people referred to African-Americans as niggers, and other blatantly racist terms. I was familiar with descrimination as one of the few Caucasians that lived in the barrios of La Puente and El Monte. Most of my fights were because I was different. I didn't fit in those prodominately Hispanic communities.
So you see, I have a certain prospective on race that helps me understand what the blacks in this country have gone through.
Now, everyone's clapping... he waves...and waves amid the sea of sound. Then it's over. It's official. I wait for the ground to open up and Angels to sing...
but all that happens is a woman walks up to the mics and recites a poem. The spell is broken too soon. Too soon. The rhetoric sets in now...