Project Icewalker
Bamboo Leaf Discovery In late October 2004 two things came together About four years ago I noticed my sister Sue Robben Bisanzo had Bamboo Trees growing in her yard in Riverside, Connecticut. She allowed me to take some trees which I transported and replanted in my yard. A couple of years later Sue asked me to design baby bedding artwork with a Noah’s Ark animal theme. So I bought a book about animals to learn how to draw them. Laurie Stoltenhoff Robben told me about an ice skating party at Dorothy Hamill Ice Rink…to bring my daughter Bailey to…but I wouldn’t be able to skate with her. I thought that if I put something attached to the bottom of my shoes I could walk on the ice with Bailey. The book about animals had a section about the Polar Bear that said Polar Bears are able to catch their prey because they have a non-slip grip on ice, not because of their claws but because of the shape of their paws and their fur. So I went to the freezer grabbed a piece of ice and went to my back shed. Inside the shed I rubbed the ice on a decorative piece of synthetic Polar Bear fur. It didn’t work. I left the shed and picked up the nearest thing I could find, a Bamboo leaf. I rubbed the top of the leaf with the ice, but it was slippery. Then I rubbed the underside of the leaf and it gripped!
The Shed in my Backyard
Polar Bear Fur (synthetic polarbear fur)
Bamboo leaves on the ground
United States Patent 7,475,499 Robben January 13, 2009 Device for neutralizing the slipperiness of wet frozen surfaces Abstract Traction on wet slippery icy and/or snowy surfaces is improved by the use bamboo leaves which are disposed on articles which engage the slippery surfaces. The bamboo leaves are disposed on the articles in question with the underside of the bamboo leaves oriented so as to engage the slippery surfaces. The bamboo leaves are preferably cut into shaped forms such as circles, squares or the like, which are releasably secured to the articles in question. The securement can be accomplished with releasable adhesives or releasable hook and loop devices. Articles to which the bamboo leaves can be secured include footwear, gloves, crutches, canes, walkers, vehicle tires and any other articles that would benefit from improved traction on slippery icy and/or snowy surfaces. When the hook and loop securement option is used, one sheet of the hook and loop material will be secured to a surface of the bamboo leaf shaped forms and a complementary sheet of the hook and loop material will be secured to the article in question. Inventors: Robben; John Ferris (Riverside, CT) Appl. No.: 11/338,370 Filed: January 25, 2006 Current U.S. Class: 36/86 ; 2/16; 2/62; 36/59R; 428/98 Current International Class: A43B 1/06 (20060101); A41D 13/08 (20060101); A43C 15/02 (20060101); B32B 5/00 (20060101) Field of Search: 36/86,59R,59C References Cited [Referenced By
Microscopic Image of a suction cup found on the underside of a Bamboo Leaf.
Sound Shore Road, Cos Cob Water Main Break Photos
Steps to the RR Platform with bicycles at the right.
The Orange machine is a pump.
A view toward the RR Bridge on Sound Shore Road.
The messy scene with waste making foamy lines.
Lots of Rain in Greenwich
We're getting steady showers here in Riverside today. A school bus comes to a stop on Sound Beach Avenue North and Hoover Street.
The Patriots
Putnam's Men Align (All line)
Present Arms
Aim
F I R E
Snow and Wind in Binney Park
1st Snow in Old Greenwich at Binney Park.
This sudden breeze was brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...look at the ripples down there on the water. Earlier I was driving with my assistant near Pizza Post when a strongly rotating miniature tornado about 5 feet in diameter violently pushed our car around. You know the bumper cars at Playland?...it was like getting hit by multiple bumper cars but more gently or smoothly.
The Stone Hut on an Island in Binney Park. It has a fireplace.
Binney Park
A woman jogging in Binney Park. The book, Running was written by the late Jim Fixx a former Greenwich Resident. An image of his legs was the powerful image on the cover. His book made Jogging very popular in the mid 70's and the trend is ongoing.
My assistant notice 4 Robins in Binney Park (2 at the bottom of this image), something not typical for this time of year, this is her photo. These photos were taken two days ago, today the snow is gone. I wonder if the Robin's flew in on a warm front. Do they follow warm fronts? There is a myth that a large Hawk named the Thunderbird flies at the front edge of Thunderstorms. The mythological bird of prey watches from above at small animals flee in fear and become easy targets.
While driving to my parents something hit the side of my car. I got out of the car to see if I got tagged by a snowball. Nothing there. So for dramatical purposes I made a snowball, froze my hands, and threw it at my own car for this photo. Now you know what it looks like when your car is pummeled by a snowball.
The first tee at Innis Arden Golf Club. Someone did 10 runs on the very thin steep snowy hill. This is the location that I have tested my invention, shoes that use Bamboo leaves to amazingly grip to snow and ice.
Happy Holidays Greenwich!
Bears R Us?
A Female Fantasy, the Shoe Wreath at Richards! WOW WOW WOW. That is ART!
Silver and Gold
Prettier with Candles
Richard's
Leather Lust
Pier Angelo's
Subway Barbers on Greenwich Ave
Two Red Cars
One Red Car
Another Red Car at Mercedes of Greenwich
Parking it under my Christmas Tree, no need to wrap
Wheely nice
If Santa had a Car
...this would match His wardrobe
The car on the right is parked in an Handicapped space 'illegally'. A GPD Officer pulled up and asked them to move from the spot. The Officer very graciously offered to help with directions when they explained they were lost. Across from Greenwich Avenue's Starbucks.
Starbuck's on Greenwich Avenue
Corky (previously of Viscardi's Colonial Inn in Old Greenwich) is the owner of Solaria on Greenwich Avenue
The window at Beam and Barre on Greenwich Avenue. And...today is a good time to give randomly, a toy, a gift cerficate, a tip, a smile, an hug, or a Mercedes under the tree...there's a lot of people who could use some kindness in this recession.
The Day Before It Snowed
The Day Before It Snow in Old Greenwich ... above Sound Beach Avenue near Darlene's Ice Cream and Candy Shop
The Town Crew were cleaning up
leaves
the leaf pick up was followed by a sweep-up truck
directing traffic near the Perrot Library
a school bus passes the Perrot Library
the bus over the Sound Beach Avenue Stream Bridge
One of the Seven Binney Park Bridges
A couple swimming in Binney Park Pond
The trail that leads to a cliff above Binney Park is blocked by a fallen tree.
At the intersection of Forest Avenue and Sound Beach Avenue is the First Congregational Church which borders Binney Park
On the grand lawn of the 1st Congregation Church, Christmas Trees for sale. I just noticed that this year there is no shed with sheep as in the past.
A common site in Binney Park are Dogs being walked.
Some with collars but no leash
Others are tethered
Is this a Blue Heron?
Literary Lights at the Benheim Gallery
Literary Lights, 20 Authors
Marc Tyler Nobleman with his book: Boys of Steel. The book is the first-ever standalone book (for any age) on the two Depression-era teenagers who created Superman. It has received multiple starred reviews and was featured on the front page of USA TODAY. The stories behind the picture book stories can be seen at http://noblemania.blogspot.com
Gallery 1's Authors
Lulu Delacre
Beth Teitell
M.J. Rose
Gallery 2's Authors
Gallery 4's Authors
Bill Grant, My 1st Photography teacher formerly from Greenwich High School.
An Harpist playing beautiful music
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12 Kate Finn
14 Jack Cavanaugh
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One of the Puppets from the upcoming Puppet Show!
OurHistory Reinacted
Spying thru the foggy window what did I see?
It's General Israel Putnam at a collaborative dinner in Greenwich... defiant Traitor of the English King!
Listen King, we started 'thinking for ourselvses' and now this is Our land.
At Bunker Hill WE threw SnowBalls and YOU threw LeadBalls.
King Please! We've got Kids in Greenwich and you just dont realize, they want like the newest Toy for Christmas and the Taxes here could be really low if you leave us alone.
To England: With all due and honorable respect to OurMotherCountry, we, Greenwich Connecticut of New England have in this Democracy elected a Servant that will represent OurInterests as Is fit. Our Honorable Guests have just arrived at General Putnam's Tavern...please excuse me, Mr. and Mrs. Tessei, I need to take a photograph...(photography will be invented in 1827 by Mr. Alfred Neipce and maybe Mr. Talbot}.
- so…. an Hawaiian fruit became an unofficial peace gesture which is also useful to elliminate scurvy on voyages from England …let it be known.
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#4 Bea Crumbine delivering food to the Soldiers and family.
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20 One of these soldiers sang the theme song of 'Sponge Bob, Square Pants' an era modern song...an act of treason...no modern song shall be sang which will give away the reinactment of the past!...unless for Joy...which this was...so...all's cool
21 Loading the musket with black powder.
22 General Putnam ready to fire his musket rifle.
23 Putnam putting the firing cap in position
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25 Black Powder Containers' Pouch
26 Hot Apple Cider on a tray
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