MAKE: Blog: Are U.S. innovators losing their competitive edge?

Are U.S. innovators losing their competitive edge?

Interesting stories and challenges for Makers and inventors in the USA - "When James E. West was 8 years old, he propped himself on his bed's brass footboard one afternoon and stretched to plug the cord of a radio he had repaired into a ceiling outlet. It was one of his first experiments. West's hand sealed to the light socket as 120 volts of electricity shimmied through his body, freezing him in place until his brother knocked him from the footboard and onto the floor. Like more storied inventors who preceded him, he was quickly hooked on the juice--even as he lay shivering from that first encounter..." Link.

Posted by Phillip Torrone | Nov 14, 2005 12:42 PM
Science | Permalink | Comments (0)

Comments

Oldest comments listed first.

Subscribe to MAKE Magazine!

Subscribe today, save 42% and get web access to MAKE free. MAKE Digital Edition is available only to subscribers.

$34.95 / 1 year
(4 Quarterly Issues)

Subscribe now

Void your warranty, violate a user agreement, fry a circuit, blow a fuse, poke an eye out... Welcome to the Make Blog!

Features and more @ MAKE!

MAKE @ The NYC Toy Fair 2008 - Covering DIY!
HOW TO - Build the arms of assistance.

MADE in Japan - Part I.
MADE in Japan - Part II.
MADE in Japan - Part III.

Make store - Blinky bug kit - Blink!
Make store - Loud Objects Noise Toy Kit

Makers - MAKE Flickr pool contest. Win cool stuff!
Makers - Join the MAKE Facebook page - Meet other makers.
MAKE on Twitter - Tweet! Tweet!
What you're reading in MAKE - Data!
Add MAKE to your RSS reader - Real simple.

Why advertise on MAKE?
Read what folks are saying about us!

Click here to advertise on MAKE!

Phillip Torrone
Senior Editor
Tel: 707-827-7311

Gareth Branwyn
Robot Maker

Jonah Brucker-Cohen
Researcher

Suggest a Site!

Natalie Zee Drieu
Senior Editor
CRAFT

Becky Stern
Culture jammer

Collin Cunningham
Sound Maker

Marc de Vinck
CNC Maker

Current Podcast

AHAB High Altitude Ballooning - Best of Weekend Projects mp4|mov|hd|3gp|3g2|itunes This week on Best of Weekend Projects, we look back at part two of the AHAB (High Altitude Balloon Adventure). In this epic Bre & Co. travel to Eastern Washington to launch a GPS and camera enabled balloon... More...

Get the Make blog sent via email

Enter your email to receive the Make blog each day:

WOW! Thanks to everyone involved with Maker Faire Austin: attendees, makers, exhibitors, sponsors, volunteers, and crew...it was AMAZING! Over 350 Makers and 20,000 attendees! Be sure to check out the photos @ Flickr, and our Maker Faire posts for all the action! Next year, scheduled Maker Faire's are: Bay Area: May 3rd & 4th, 2008 - San Mateo County Fairgrounds and Austin: Oct. 18th & 19th, 2008 - Travis County Expo Center!