1000 Readers! March 23, 2007
Posted by Brian Pfeifer in Amusement, News and politics, Uncategorized.add a comment
I know that this is a bit off topic, but I’ve just reached a personal goal. Digital sprocket has just had its 1000th visitor. This may not be a lot compared to some high-powered sites, but it validates the work I’m doing. In the first six months of operation he number of views per month is continuing to increase steadily. Viewership increased from less than 50 hits in the first month, to over 250 in the past month.
For this, I thank you.
Now it’s my turn to ask you for a little help. I would like to move Digital Sprocket to a professional web hosting service, and you can make it possible. If you appreciate the news, analysis, and historical perspective, please consider making a donation. Your contribution will help assure the quality of Digital Sprocket continues to improve. To make a donation via Paypal or credit card, just click on the button below.
Thank you for your generosity.
Microgravity Sports November 19, 2006
Posted by Brian Pfeifer in Amusement, NASA.1 comment so far
When Mikhail Tyurin steps outside the Piers airlock on November 22, he will become the second space flyer to swing a golf club in space. He’ll perform a promotional stunt knocking a special lightweight golf ball off the ISS for a Canadian manufacturer. Alan Shepherd holds the title as the first astro-golfer when he struck three balls during an EVA on the Apollo 14 lunar mission.
Golf is not the only sport played in outside the Earth’s atmosphere. Christer Fugleman, a Frisbee enthusiast will ride to orbit on Shuttle mission STS-116 in December. While aboard, he plans to capture the world’s record for time aloft. To snag the record, Christer plans to gently release a Frisbee inside the orbiter, and then watch the clock until he establishes a record that is unbeatable by earthbound players.
In January, Bill McArthur showed his stuff by turning in a respectable 1:54:32 time in the Houston Half Marathon. He participated by running on the TVIS treadmill aboard the ISS at the same time his friends ran in the race on the ground. As we move out into space, we will certainly take our sports and games with us.
It will be interesting to see how they evolve in the new environments. Will the Mars Basketball Association place the nets higher and push the free throw line out further in the lower gravity? Will the Guinness Book of World’s Records start tracking separate records for each planet, or will they simply keep the Guinness Book of Solar System Records? And most intriguing, what sports will we create that are impossible for earthbound humans to play?
New Book: The Dogsoldier Codex October 3, 2006
Posted by Brian Pfeifer in Amusement, Uncategorized.add a comment
I know this is completely off topic, but I’d like to take a moment to announce the release of my first book, The Dogsoldier Codex: a Guide to heavy Combat for Fighters, Teachers, and Commanders.
I wrote it for the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism), re-enactors, and other medieval living history enthusiasts.
Today you can buy the book or PDF from Lulu.com, but soon I hope to have it up on Amazon US, UK, and Canada.
And now back to our regular diet of spaceflight and high technology.
Thank you.
