The IOWA STATE FAIR! It’s such a big deal you must use caps lock. My Pal over at rarerborealis.com was with me and wrote a couple nice companion articles with more photos.

I took a ton of photos in 3-D myself, so I figured out a better way to display them. Click on the images and they should start appearing as a slide show of sorts. You can advance to the next with a little arrow that appears on the far right of the image when you roll over that area. About halfway through the pictures they repeat in cross-eye format. You can skip to any of the pictures by clicking the thumbnails here:

Dont forget: If you want free 3-d glasses let me know!

How did that lumber that built yer great grandparents’ house get cut? How did they wash their clothes, pump their water, and churn their butter? Well, if they were well-to-do they probably had portable engines like these to run simple machines.
I went to the Mid-Iowa Antique Power Show this past weekend and shot some video of the machines in action. And in-action is my favorite way for antiques to be. I mean, it makes me a little sad when I see an old fireplace in disuse, or an antique camera being used as a bookend. That’s why I admire hobbyists like these who keep history alive. I shot video here because if you see still images of these, you’re only getting half the picture.

If you know anything about engines this may seem like “duh”: but I asked my dad why some of the engines make that put put bang bang sound. Well basically each bang is the little explosions being set off by the spark plug or whatever, and in between explosions the wheel is just coasting. With some of the engines youd hear a bang then the wheel would go faster, start to slow down, and another bang! the closer together the explosions I guess the more consistent the speed. The engine in yer car is doing that in a way but it’s just more controlled.

This show was pretty good but if you really wanna see some awesome engines you HAVE to go to the Old Threshers Reunion. They’ve got these tractors that look more in shape and size like early 19th century steam powered trains. Which is basically what they are except they don’t need tracks to run.

ps. I just realized that adding “&fmt=6;” to the end of a youtube video address makes it higher definition. So I’ve gone back and done that to previous videos I’ve posted!

Yesterday I went to the American Museum of Natural History here in New York and checked out the Exhibit called Race to the End of the Earth. It is about how Roald Amundsen of Norway and Robert Falcon Scott of England were both trying to reach the South Pole at the same time in 1911. It was an epic race (although it didnt start out as a race). Quite a story, and rather than trying to retell it myself you should visit the American Museum of Natural History’s Race to the End of the Earth Site. Or listen to NPR’s story about the exhibit on Science Friday. I’ll just say, one team had an easier time than the other.

Scott saw the trip as a scientific expedition. So he took along about 60 men, many of them scientists, and planed to collect specimens and document what he saw.  Here’s a camera Scott took along.

And a movie camera:

He brought materials to build cabins. The museum had a replica of part of Scott’s office/bedoom.

Amundsen had different ideas about how to explore the arctic. As a Norwegian, he had confidence in his men’s skiing abilities for one thing. But he also decided to use techniques of inuit peoples he had previously encountered to his advantage. instead of cabins his living spaces and basecamp looked more like Echo Base on Hoth.

Scott thought he had technology on his side. He brought along several motorized sledges.  This diorama depicts a sledge breaking down and the men realizing they’d have to haul this stuff with man-power.

Scott also had the great idea of using the noble pony as the pack animal of choice. Ernest Shackelton had used ponies, and what was good enough for Shackelton was good enough for Scott. This miniature depicts the little coats the had to give the ponies and the snow wall they had to build to block the wind to protect the ponies from the extreme cold.

I won’t tell you what happened to the Ponies.

Amundsen, of course had learned that the real pack animal you have to have in this climate is the rough and tumble sled dog.

This little scene gives you an idea of how miserably cold it was. These men are storing supplies along the route to use on the trip back.

I won’t tell you how it turned out. I will tell you not all of those return supplies were utilized. Go visit the museum if you can or check out these links:

American Museum of Natural History’s Race to the End of the Earth Site

NPR’s story about the exhibit on Science Friday

My band Paper Fleet played a show last saturday and Bruar Falls in Brooklyn, and I took some pictures of the bands we played with. I didn’t take any pictures of myself while I was playing.

First up was Jenny and the Holzers, singing songs that compel you to google their titles.

Then we played. Like I said. I didn’t take pictures of us.

Then Hollows played. They’re from Chicago. They were rad. Go listen to them on myspace, check them out live if you can and buy their record. I did. It rocks.

Lastly was Loneliest Monk. I will be honest. When I heard they were a duo featuring cello, I wasn’t expecting to stay awake for long, but they really won everyone over with their uptempo dynamic sound. Some said they were great except the drummer’s mask. Some said the mask was the best part. I will stay neutral on the subject of the mask and let you decide for yourself.

Here’s some footage of my friends’ band Bloodweiser. The 3-d effect is also difficult to see because of the low light. Again all of my videos can viewed by crossing your eyes, or clicking through to youtube for more viewing options.