Re: Jolts & Volts

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "W.R. Langston by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <blangsto-at-iwvisp-dot-com>

What I am writing here is not intended to be patting myself on the back... 
publicly ;-) Honestly, I am not bragging, I just want to encourage others 
to realize just what simple people, little frogs in little ponds, can 
accomplish if they (you) are willing to personally work hard and alter what 
you spend your time and money on.

My son and I have been demonstrating interesting things around town, over 
at Cal Poly, wherever we are wanted for years now. I started back in 1978, 
my son has grown into sharing the project with me. We just finished 
rebuilding a 15 kW, 3 phase propane powered engine/generator and are 
currently designing and constructing a 24", 15+ kW coil. Last year we had a 
6" and then a 12" coil running (consistent 12.5 to 13+ ft. arcs at ~10 kW) 
We also include lasers (150 mw, 3 watt, 5 watt 532nm, and when we finish 
putting it back together, a 70 watt, doubled to 546nm unit), an 8000 person 
in attendence yearly July 4th. show, and various HV and vacuum effects, 
photography, writing, and mountain hiking and climbing.
We have never made a dollar on any of it. We charge no one, because of the 
wonderful help we've had (and good mates), it is all completely free. 
Because of a wonderful wife, and now he has a very patient wife as well, 
the two of which have allowed us to pour literal thousands of dollars into 
our projects-- we pay personally for much of the stuff, and we have many 
who have helped us out for the last 12 years, there are many people who 
know that there is much more to life than drugs, sex and TV.

Once folks found out we were stable and for real, many people have been 
kind enough to donate, or at least lower costs, for our equipment (several 
of them on this list group, and companies like Sun Belt Power in 
Bakersfield and Shank Generator Repair in Hisperia). What we cannot buy, we 
build... we try to include young people and community people in that phase 
as well. The results? Well, several young people are now working physicists 
and engineers (and, believe it or not, a couple of artists and two writers) 
who trace their chosen life's vocation and avocations directly to our 
including them in building and studying and doing stuff for others (without 
allowing complaining about do it). It has been grand, expensive, 
time-eating, and wonderfully refreshing. I would not have missed it for the 
world. Best of all, it looks like our son and his wife, and our daughter 
and her husband (medical field and Air Force pilot) are going to keep this 
going long past my wife and my fade out.

My son looked at Cal Tech for his education (some years ago, we went for 
interviews there in Pasadena), but for his own reasons (most likely the 
lack of personal confidence in his teen years?) decided on Cal Poly for 
physics. He is now in a top research lab with the government (proud father 
here!). He married a physicist/writer/painter (double degree, a strange 
combo of interests at that... change painter to photographer and her 
interests are same as my work and interests have been) and they chose to 
live near his mom and me (what a blessing). We constantly get calls from 
young people who in years past were excited by the things we taught them to 
be confident to try building, studying, and how to include others in the 
efforts and rewards.

The whole point of this note is simply this, it is worth the effort and 
expense. Whatever you have to offer, give it. Your own life will be vastly 
the richer for having done so. I know, first hand, that many of you who 
would be on a list like this already know what I'm talking about; but, we 
do live in a sadly ignorant, self-centered and selfish generation. So for 
those who were burned out by the low-level "values" of most of our culture, 
or let down by the educational system in the western cultures.. don't go 
with your feelings. Rise up! You just haven't found out yet how great your 
life and enjoyment can be doing your scientific or technical "thing" 
including and teaching others who might not ever have had the chance... Go 
for it, and don't forget to include your own kids and wives (or 
husbands)  in all this. It is worth every bit of energy, time and money you 
put into it.

Besides, when you die, you most certainly will not be taking any of that 
stuff with you wherever you may be heading... will you?

Have a wonderful day,
Bill Langston

Tesla list wrote:

>Original poster: "S & J Young by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" 
><youngs-at-konnections-dot-net>
>
>Coilers,
>The link below is to an interesting article about how one person uses Tesla
>Coils to inspire young people to be interested in science.  More of us
>should do the same.
>--Steve Y.
>
>http://www.eetimes-dot-com/issue/tp/OEG20030407S0055
>
>