Yes, says Sir Koski, Zometool'll give us an octet-truss if we use the twisted greens. I've been checking out the patent on those zome hubs (4701131, Paul Hildebrandt), cool. The process for their manufacture is likewise a miracle. Respect the factory, not just the inventor: a lesson I learned from Stu Quimby & Co.
From my on-line resume:
Design Science Toys, Tivoli, New York (2005): Consulted on-site and remotely with the owner of an educational toy factory regarding the design and packaging of Strange Attractors, a geometric construction kit. Exchanged spreadsheets with the lead designer regarding the dimensions and color coding of the plastic rods with detachable magnetic cone inserts. Tested successive factory prototypes for quality and usability. Developed a custom Python library of spatial geometry programs for outputting Scene Description Language to POV-Ray, a free and open source ray tracer. Collaborated with the instruction booklet author and lead marketer to supply high definition color renderings of the product in various stages of assembly, for use in the instruction booklet and on the commercial packaging.
The twisted green addresses the Zome hubs pentagon facets, but not straight on, at a slant. This gives five possible positions per strut and reconciles the exploded pentagonal dodecahedron (the 12 facets of said hub) with more FCC-like capabilities, taking advantage of the "five cubes" phenomenon.
I'm hoping Laughing Horse Books has or will get this new movie The Garden, about an oasis community in LA, deliberately undermined by the city to keep a success story from continuing. Of course the saga is ongoing, as the news spreads.
LW is trully concerned about Muddy's, isn't clear to what extent they might have a real business plan. She strode off to their recently called meeting, a reconnaissance mission.
I'm always thinking tourism could save the day, like people would venture through Portland precisely to seek out and savor subcultures like SE Belmont's. But that's probably out of date thinking.
People come to Portland on business, for meetings, not for uncompensated fun in the sun. That turns some coffee shops into media centers, more like CubeSpace, or into co-working zones.
Live musical performances, including karaoke, have an integral role in keeping wheels turning, especially when working cross-culturally, as often happens given our Pacific Rim situation. We saw James Jameson doing karaoke awhile back, and I acknowledge he's good at it, as good as he'd claimed.
So, if you're already in Portland on business, are from out of town, check out Muddy Water's on SE Belmont. Check out Red Cap, Three Friends.... No reason to be afraid of SE Portland, including the Hawthorne District (Bagdad Theater etc.)
Also check out (and consider giving a donation to) St. Francis Dining Hall. Quakers volunteer there sometimes, including myself and my daughter. Check out Laughing Horse Books. Then visit Dignity Village on your way back to the airport? It's close to Ikea.
