Zap! Cartoonist Raises $1 Million For Tesla Museum

The Oatmeal

So far The Oatmeal has helped raise over $986,000 to save Tesla's lab, Wardenclyffe, in Long Island, New York.

The only remaining laboratory of one of the greatest American inventors may soon be purchased so that it can be turned into a museum, thanks to an Internet campaign that raised nearly a million dollars in about a week.

The lab was called Wardenclyffe, and it was built by Nikola Tesla, a wizard of electrical engineering whose power systems lit up the Chicago World's Fair in 1893 and harnessed the mighty Niagara Falls.

"He is the developer of the alternating current system of electrical transmission that we use throughout the world today," says Jane Alcorn, president of a nonprofit group called The Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe, which wants to buy the site and preserve the lab by making it a museum.

In his time, Tesla was world-famous. But today, his name is kind of obscure. Alcorn, who is a retired teacher and librarian, says she had never heard of him until her neighbors in Shoreham, N.Y., on Long Island explained what the old industrial site was, just down the street.

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  At a laboratory in Colorado Springs, Colo., Nicola Tesla worked with a magnifying transmitter, a device he used to conduct experiments in sending electricity without wires. This image, from around 1900, is a double exposure; the man sitting in the chair wasn't present when the electricity was discharged.

  Bettmann/Corbis

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  In his time, Tesla was world famous. He was a wizard of electrical engineering. His power systems lit up the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. He's seen here circa 1895.

  Library of Congress

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  Tesla reads in front of the spiral coil of his high-frequency transformer at his lab on Houston Street in New York.

  Marc Seifer Archives

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  In this photo from 1898, Tesla is sending 500,000 volts through his body to light the lightbulb as he spins it around above his head.

  Dickenson Alley/Marc Seifer Archives

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  Wardenclyffe, Tesla's lab on Long Island, was supposed to be his crowning achievement. Behind it, he wanted to build a 187-foot tower he could use to transmit messages and pictures wirelessly. Frank R. Paul drew this illustration of the tower, which was never completed.

  Marc Seifer Archives

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  A view from inside the Wardenclyffe lab on Long Island in 1904.

  Dickenson Alley/Marc Seifer Archives

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  This 1904 photo of Wardenclyffe was taken so that Tesla could go back to J. P. Morgan to try and get the additional funds he needed to finish the tower. Today the Wardenclyffe site is derelict.

  Dickenson Alley/Marc Seifer Archives

Tesla's old brick building is now behind a six-foot high chain link fence topped with barbed wire. There's No Trespassing and For Sale signs. The windows are boarded up, and there are vines and weeds all around.

"It looks lost and neglected," says Alcorn. "It looks abandoned. Its appearance right now is very derelict."

Wardenclyffe was supposed to be Tesla's crowning achievement. Behind the lab was a 180-foot tall tower that reportedly shot sparks into the night sky.

"Tesla dreamed of having this site be a place where he could transmit messages and pictures wirelessly," explains Alcorn. "This is over a hundred years ago, something we're doing now but that he envisioned way back then." Tesla also hoped to wirelessly transmit electric power, free to everyone in the world.

Tesla's downfall began when Guglielmo Marconi beat him in the race for wireless communication. Marconi sent the first radio signals across the Atlantic in 1901. Tesla's funding disappeared. The tower was torn down. Tesla lived out his last years as a recluse in New York hotel, tending to pigeons and getting a reputation as a mad scientist.

"I think had he just invented the hydroelectric power system, we might have still known his name. But because he went on to get involved in wireless and lost in that race, his name disappeared from the history books," says Marc Seifer, author of the book Wizard: The Life and Times of Nikola Tesla.

Wardenclyffe became a processing facility for a photography company and eventually, it turned into a Superfund hazardous waste site that took years to clean up. Sometimes Tesla fans would make a pilgrimage. Seifer says on his first visit, he snuck onto the property and got chased off.

Alcorn says she's been hoping to acquire the site for a science museum for about 18 years. It's currently owned by Agfa Corporation, which is asking $1.6 million for the 16-acre parcel. Alcorn has worried that a developer might raze the lab to build retail space or condos. And a couple weeks ago, she heard that a potential buyer had emerged.

She posted a message on her group's Facebook page, asking for help from anyone who could "send out the word to celebrities or people with deep pockets or anyone they thought might be able to give us assistance."

Several Facebook contacts sent her SOS to an online cartoonist named Matthew Inman, also known as The Oatmeal. He'd published a comic about Tesla called "Why Nikola Tesla was The Greatest Geek Who Ever Lived."

Inman agreed to help, and posted a funny but serious plea about Wardenclyffe on his popular website.

"And within the first six hours, we had raised a quarter of a million dollars," says Alcorn. "Incredible."

Alcorn and her friends were glued to their computers day and night, watching the numbers go up and up on a fund raising site. There's been over 20,000 contributors from more than a hundred countries.

"They're everywhere! It's almost like an untapped underground of Tesla fanatics," says Alcorn. "I think it's absolutely outrageous and wonderful."

Enlarge Marc Seifer Archives

Tesla's Wardenclyffe lab building, seen in 1904. Tesla wanted to deliver free, wireless power to everyone in the world.

Marc Seifer Archives

Tesla's Wardenclyffe lab building, seen in 1904. Tesla wanted to deliver free, wireless power to everyone in the world.

In less than a week, The Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe reached their goal: over $850,000, enough to get a matching grant from the state of New York ? which means they could meet the seller's asking price.

On Thursday, Alcorn said she and her colleagues were talking with their lawyer about how to make an offer ? something she wants to do soon.

"It's clear from this crowdsourcing effort that there are a lot of people that are very serious about Tesla, and we hope his name becomes much more widely known in the years to come," adds the group's treasurer, Mary Daum. She says professionals like architects have also been writing to offer their pro bono services.

And the money is still coming in. Alcorn says additional funds will be used to start the work of turning the ruins into a science center, and perhaps building an on-site replica of the tower that once stood for Tesla's dream.

Source: http://www.npr.org/2012/08/24/159925435/zap-cartoonist-raises-1-million-for-tesla-museum?ft=1&f=1007

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Who is to blame for UFC 151 cancellation?

Plenty of anger bubbled up after UFC 151 was canceled. From UFC president Dana White to fans who posted on Cagewriter's Facebook page, people are angry there won't be fights in Las Vegas next weekend. Anger quickly turns into a search for blame. Who do you blame for UFC 151's demise?

Jon Jones: When an injury happens, fighters often have to make sacrifices to still be able to fight. Ask Rich Franklin about the many times he has stepped up when the UFC needed him to, and how he's been rewarded. Jones didn't do that, and missed out on an opportunity to win a ton of fans. He made a business decision, but now will have to face the business consequences for how fans react when fights at UFC 152.

The UFC: In planning a top-heavy card with UFC 151, they were playing with fire. Main event fighters are injured all the time. Even Jones has had to postpone fights for an injury. Putting a holiday weekend pay-per-view on the backs of two fighters was begging for a problem, as was hoping for a late replacement after a very busy summer of MMA.

Greg Jackson: UFC president Dana White threw some blame towards Jackson, Jones' coach.

"Jones's trainer, Greg Jackson, told Jon that taking the fight with Chael would be the biggest mistake of his life. That's what he told Jon Jones. Let me tell you, this guy (Greg Jackson) is a sport killer," White said on a media conference call.

"When you are a champion, much less one of the guys who is supposed to be one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, you are supposed to step up. Jon Jones is a guy a lot of fans don't like, and I don't think this is going to make him any more popular. Lorenzo Fertitta (UFC chairman and CEO) and I are disgusted with Jon Jones and Greg Jackson."

Dan Henderson's knee: And here we come to the real culprit behind the cancellation of UFC 151. How dare you become injured when training in a brutal, dangerous sport, knee?

Canada: Always blame Canada.

Does any one person or group deserve the blame for UFC 151 being canceled? Tell us in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/blame-ufc-151-cancellation-120222893--mma.html

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England-South Africa one-dayer starts after rain

Rain reduced the first of five one-day internationals between England and South Africa to a 23 overs per side contest at Cardiff on Friday.

After South Africa one-day captain AB de Villiers won the toss and fielded, rain prevented what should have been a 50 overs per side match from starting as scheduled at 10.15am local time (0915GMT) and several hours were lost before the first ball was bowled at 3pm (1400GMT).

But no sooner had Morne Morkel started the innings with a wide, then the umpires took the players off the field only to re-emerge minutes later to a chorus of boos from understandably frustrated spectators.

If South Africa, who on Monday replaced England at the top of the world Test rankings with a 51-run victory at Lord's, win this series or achieve a 2-2 draw they will also take over from England at the head of the one-day standings too.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/africa-win-toss-field-against-england-105131662--spt.html

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Editorial Board: Florida election laws threaten the vote in a key swing state

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Source: http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/click.phdo?i=4861532cd373878f79a17ef561bb64a6

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The Benefits of Quick, Fast and Hassle Free Logbook Loans | 50 ...

Loans (Photo credit: zingbot)In UK all the vehicle owners are given a legal document which is a proof of his or her ownership over the vehicle. This document is known as the logbook or the V% book of the car. It is an extremely important document as it contains necessary information about the individual and his vehicle. The name and some other personal details; the date and number of registration; the chassis number are mentioned in this book.

The Necessity of Logbook Loans

Today, at any point of tine one might be in a desperate need of some ready cash. In such situations one?s logbook will come to immense use. It can be used as collateral against which a certain amount of loan can be obtained. All one will have to do is walk in to a logbook lender?s office and avail the loan. This is the fastest form of short term loan that one can avail. It is faster than even pay day loans.

Since, the conventional loans can be availed only after all the formalities have been done, which might take weeks most people cannot afford to spend all that time. They need immediate cash. For instance, say a small business owner cannot wait for such a long time if it is a question of him investing on a project.

Benefits of Logbook Loans?

One who avail a logbook loan will not even have to be worried about his car either, since he will have all the liberty to keep his car to himself and ride it on his wish. Another interesting fact about this loan is that the lenders would never ask to check the applicant?s credit history. They understand that the financial condition of every individual isn?t the same always. So if he hasn?t been able to repay any loan at any point of time, that fact wouldn?t keep them from availing a logbook loan.

Things to be kept in Mind before Availing a Logbook Loan

One who avails the loan will have to keep certain points in mind. A lender would ask for certain documents. A proof of income is must, since that would ensure that the applicant will be able to keep on paying his repayments. Secondly, the applicant must be of 18 years or above in age, so he would require to come up with the age proof. This is necessary to prove that the car belongs to the applicant himself.

There must not be any debt against the vehicle against which one hopes to obtain a loan. All the documents regarding insurance premium clearance should also be submitted to the lender. The lenders would not lend money against a car which is more than 8-10 years old. The applicant will need to provide an ?age proof? for the car as well.

After all the documents have been provided, the total value of the car will be estimated. The loan amount provided will be a percentage of this estimated value. A lender generally offers a loan of 5000 ? to 50000 ?.

To conclude, one can say that to meet any kind of immediate fiscal need, logbook loans will be the best mode. They are quick, easy and hassle-free.

Author?s Bio

Steve Irons has written several quality articles on logbook loans. He suggests his readers to visit logbookmoney.com to avail more information on the same.

Source: http://www.50plusfinance.com/2012/08/the-benefits-of-quick-fast-and-hassle.html

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China?s Economy Besieged by Buildup of Unsold Goods

The severity of the country?s inventory surplus has been masked by the blocking or adjusting of economic data by the government.

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Posted by sskarthik on August 24, 2012

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Source: http://sskarthik.wordpress.com/2012/08/24/chinas-economy-besieged-by-buildup-of-unsold-goods-7/

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UO grad running for Portland mayor had license suspended 5 times

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) ? Portland mayoral candidate Jefferson Smith has acknowledged that his driver's license was suspended while attending college at the University of Oregon in the 1990s.

The Oregonian newspaper reported Friday that Smith has had his driver's license suspended four times since 2004.

Smith acknowledged the fifth suspension in an e-mail to the newspaper over the weekend.

Smith told the newspaper he has done "a terrifically bad job" of keeping a clean driving record and responding to tickets.

He added that he has never driven under the influence and his driving problems have not resulted in injuries.

___

Information from: The Oregonian, http://www.oregonlive.com

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press

Source: http://university.kval.com/news/news/258439-uo-grad-running-portland-mayor-had-license-suspended-5-times

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