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T.C.B.O.R. Tapes

Subject:  T.C.B.O.R. Tapes
  Date:   Sun, 4 May 1997 13:33:35 -0400
  From:  "Thomas McGahee" <tom_mcgahee-at-sigmais-dot-com>
    To:  "Tesla List" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>


Fellow coilers,

I recently purchased several items from TCBOR. The items I received
included two video tapes on Tesla Magnifiers and Richard Hull's
commentary
on the Colorado Springs Notes of Nikola Tesla.

The tapes are EXCELLENT! Oh, there are minor cosmetic flaws that some
people might notice. One of my tapes had the introduction music wavering
all over the place (the rest of the audio was fine), and once in a while
a
scene would be slightly fuzzy (but not for long). But any such *minor*
cosmetic imperfections are totally *swamped* by the CONTENT of the
tapes. 

These tapes are not attempts at professional video production. They are
attempts to share knowledge and enthusiasm. They do what they attempt to
do
ADMIRABLY WELL. Viewing one of the tapes is a much more enjoyable and
absorbing experience than reading dry data tables in a book. I showed
one
of the tapes to my senior electronics students, and when they found out
that I had another, they BEGGED me to see that tape too! Of course, it
is
true that I have conditioned them to drool over such things as big long
nasty sparks, so maybe they are not your average audience of
teenagers...
but all I can say is that they and I ENJOYED the tapes immensely, and
that
it gave us much fruitful topic material for animated discussion.

Richard Hull has used video tapes as one means of recording the
day-to-day
experiments that he engages himself in. While there are a few scenes
where
the action is what you might called "staged" in the sense that Richard
KNOWS what the result is going to be, there are also candid shots, (and
I
like these particularly), where it is evident that we are observing him
and
other fellow coilers observing things that are unexpected. One of the
things I like most about the tapes is the sense of ENTHUSIASM that
breaks
out every minute or so. This is especially so when the tape is recording
an
actual test run. It is almost worth the price of admission to see and
hear
Richard when he is breathless with excitement!

On another plane entirely, I personally enjoyed being able to see and
hear
Richard Hull. I have enjoyed his frequent posts here on the Tesla list,
and
it was GREAT to finally be able to put a face and a voice with the name.
The experience of viewing his tapes has been one that helps me to
appreciate the man just that much more.

I recently purchased the Colorado Springs Notes of Nikola Tesla, and
also
Richard Hull's commentary on the Colorado Springs Notes. Again,
EXCELLENT!
It is the kind of commentary that is very useful to anyone who is
interested in Tesla's work with Magnifiers (such as ME!). If talk of
Magnifiers makes you comatose, then read something else. But if
Magnifiers
interest you at all, then this book is must-reading. 

Another work that I just read is Leland Anderson's book Nikola Tesla and
His Work with Alternating Currents... For anyone who is interested in
what
*Tesla* thought was important about his own work, THIS is a must-read
book!
This has nothing to do with TCBOR, but it is a jewel of a book that
should
be in the library of anyone who is really interested in Tesla and his
work.

Just as an aside: I purchased my CSN commentary directly from Richard
Hull
even though I could have purchased it from several other sources where I
was also purchasing Tesla-related books. My motivation in doing so was
two-fold. I wanted the author to perhaps be a bit more financially
compensated than some book store, and I wanted my copy autographed.

Bottom line. The tapes and book are well worth the asking price. Don't
expect commercial perfectionism. Be prepared for something only a coiler
could love. (I feel sorry for non-coilers... don't you?)

My thanks to Richard, and all the other coilers out there who go out of
their way to share their enthusiasm and knowledge with the rest of us.
I,
for one, am grateful for this Tesla list (thanks, Chip), and for things
like the TCBA and TCBOR. Even those of us who are not *members* of these
groups have benefited immensely from the work their members have shared
with the rest of us.
 
Fr. Tom McGahee