Watch this amazing Ted talk about photosynth. The software can pull information from around the web and create multidimensional images that you can view from nearly any point. Really cool. As a part of the demo, he showed some pictures of climbing at Grassi Lakes, and it’s easy to show multiple images of the climber moving up the same spot. I need to get a new computer, because I can’t run photosynth.
I was watching New Police Story starring Jackie chan and saw some interesting rappelling techniques with a hand-cuff or pipe. These techniques only work in movies with an invisible cord, so don’t use them! With the really thin cord, it looked like you would basically fly down the side of the building.
Here’s the building.
And the handcuff.
Don’t forget the twist.
Here’s the start of the rappel. His arm would be in a different direction if there was no hidden wire.
No handcuffs? Use a pipe.
It’s a little bit more uncomfortable.
No idea why, but the Long Beach paper Press-Telegram has rock climbing listed as one of their favorite alternative sports. That’s not the odd part. It’s listed under the poverty section. For some perspective though, you can read about the working poor in Long Beach.
Jim Collins thought Stanford was cool because of the great sandstone in the Quad that you could builder. The Daily Cal has an article about buildering at Cal. Apparently Chris McNamara buildered at Cal as well, but I guess he’s climbed El Cap more times than some of the routes on campus.
You can build and inspect cell phone towers, just like this guy:
What I Do: Tower Climber: I help build and inspect towers
Finance site thestreet.com writes about climbing in their good life column Get Hooked on Rock Climbing. They highlight Yosemite as a climbing mecca, but also include Acadia National Park in Maine with pink-granite sea cliffs.
You can read about the history of climbing at Monkey face. There are a couple of good photos too. I just wished that when they described the difficult route “Just Do It” they would tell you its rating too (5.14c). Instead, I had to look at Rockclimbing.com’s database.
Instead of weaving a rug out of your old climbing rope, you can make huge pieces of art. Orly Genger has an exhibit at the Larissa Goldston Gallery in New York City which features over 250,000 ft of old climbing rope.
Links:
Orly Genger creates ‘MASSPEAK’ at Larissa Goldston Gallery.
Brief analysis of piece: ORLY GENGER: MASSPEAK
Photos of another work by Orly Genger called Puzzlejuice.”
Puzzlejuice description
Yvon Chouinard — climbing, surfer, author, Patagonia founder –spoke at the Stanford Graduate School of Business in October of 2006 about Patagonia’s business practices and environmental responsibility. Much of it comes from his book Let My People Go Surfing, but there are some interesting new points from the discussion.
A few of his opinions are worth examining a bit more, but certainly refreshing to hear in a business school setting.
You can listen, watch, or read more about the talk :
Article about the speech
Video of Yvon Chouinard at the Stanford Graduate School of Business
Podcast of Yvon Chouinard at the Stanford Graduate School of Business
One half of the climbing couple Steph Davis and Dean Potter has a new book out, HIGH INFATUATION: A Climber’s Guide to Love and Gravity. This article from the Coloradoan briefly mentions Davis’ background as a law school drop out and living in her car. More interesting is her discussion about challenges of balancing the climbing projects of the couple (you may just need to find someone else to help you on the project…), read more in Reaching new heights.
