American Genius

 American Genius

I. Edison vs Tesla in electric current

Electricity, at the end of 19th century, unlocking the power of nature, is as tempting as dangerous.

Edison, with the motto of "Persistence, Patience, and Persiverience", aged 31, has owned the nickname of the "Wizard of Menlo Park" by inventing a lot.

In Oct, 1879, he found the carbon as the stable material to light the lightbulb. 

Well, in Austria, Tesla got the idea of AC (Alternating current).

Pearl St. Station in Manhattan is the first electricity power station in the world. It provided electricity for radius of 800m!

Beliefly worked for Edison as the one to fix somethings, Tesla provided hus alternating current motor to Edison. But only being buffed by Edison. 

So, Tesla decided to work against Edison!

After a short period of unemployment and hard labour work, Tesla got the chance to demonstrate his AC idea to Westinghouse.  

AC travels in waves wig gaps between the peaks. Tesla thought the second wave signal to travel between the gap, so as to boost his AC motor which can and was aimed to electronically power all machines and benefit people all around the world.

It's the power without friction! Such a game-changer.

Westinghouse secured the patent of Tesla' s AC. 

To solve the long distance transferring brought problem such as high volts. Tesla need the transformer to step-down the volts to a safe level.

On Edison's side, he did something going negative--the Smear Campaign!!! The demonstration of a killing a dog, and the execution of a prison publically by AC……Just to show how gruesomely AC was a deadly way!!!

The ultimate show-down came to he Niagara Falls.  The company there was seeking ways to harness over 225,000 cubic feet of water falling down the cliff every second and generate the power equivalent to millions of tons of coal a year.

At the same time, Edison was kicked out of the company he founded…… The be company is the General Electricity!

It's Tesla's AC won the battle.

Well, to keep Westinghouse from bankruptcy from the legal fees in battling with Edison and save his vision for AC, Tesla decided to abandon/give up his license fee he was entitled to!!! A move the cost him fortune!!!

Thus, others could capitalize on his achievement……

Tesla died with his vision and dream in a hotel room in 1943……

Today, 99.99% electricity is powered by AC!!! 

II. Wrights Brothers vs Curtiss in airplanes

Two brothers are doing/running a bicycle shop. One has the idea, on can put it into execution. 

After observation, the key in birds' flight is the "Balance"--birds shift the wings in flight in order to bank.

An aircraft, in order to be stable, has to instable!!!

So, if one can twist the wings in flight, he can control the flight--the wing wrapping.

After 3 years of designing the glider, in 1902, the Wrigts brothers got their first flight trial.

On the other Sid of the continent,  Glnn Curtiss, a motor engine manufacturer is doing the same thing.

On Dec. 17th, 1903, Wrights' new design was put on trial.

It's the first human controlled flight over 260m in 59sec; it's the combination of motor and human control system.

Their filing for its patent was approved.

The rival between Weights and Curtiss was formed by the turn-down Curtiss' offer for cooperation from the Wrights side.

Curtiss has to come to a different design as the Wrights patent was on the way.

So, he got the different idea--"aileron"--a hanged flag attatched to the wing of the airplane; by moving the flag up and down, one can control the plane. The method that is still used today.

His "June Bug" went on its first public flight (even though it's crunched in the test flight the day before).

The Wrights brothers were invited to the show. But they refused due to low profile nature/ploy.

Curtiss flight 1600m on the show. And it's claimed as the "first in flight".

Then, the Wrights brothers came out with gun flazing: 1908, 9, 25,000$ contract with US Army.

On Sep. 9th, a 62 straight minutes flight in that week-long demonstration.

But the tragic cruching occurred when the officer was on board.

There was the flight show in New York 1909 where 90% people had never seen an airplane.

The Wrights' lawsuits against Curtiss stiffled their innovation.

On the verge of losing his all, Curtiss got Henry Ford who supported Curtiss' legal battle by alternating small by small every time and let them sue again and again to keep the suing in perpetuity.(suing infringement of every perspective of the other's front) 

Thus, Curtiss built navy-catering planes with bombs.

1912, April, Wilbur Wright died.

On Jan 13th, 1914, the Wrights brothers' patent got approved. Now, he can charge competitors a 20% royalty. But he refused the license to the man who drove his brother to he grave.

1917, US entered the WWI, and the patent issue was solved once for all. The war forced the Wrigts to share his patent. 

Thus, the Wrigts retired from the competition, and witnesssd it from the sideline.

The Wrights might invented the airplane, but it's Curtiss who made it into industry. 

III. Samuel Colt vs Edward Wesson in Revolver

As a young nation, US hurdles from one war the the next. With each of the conflict, the art of war changes and grows.

With no formal education, aged at 16, Colt was sent on a boat bonding to India.

Fascinated by guns, he decided to make it better from the single-shot musket--loaded from the top, and take the whole carried of ingredients which was powder, the carridge and paper, and end up bringing it down the barrel with a rod.

Inspired by the wheel of ship, he set firearms cylinder that turns each rotate and locked; then fire again. The beginning of revolver.

When back in U.S., such a comsumate salesman he is, Colt collects investment and starts to manufacture.

In 1836, he got the patent.

While, in Massachusetts, Wesson brothers, the rifle manufacturer, have their gun project too.

The revolver is going to war (The war between U.S. and Mexico). It ushered he beginning of new warfare. Colt' s business soars.

While, Wessons are designing and building their own revolver--one with the cylinder advances every time the hammer is pulled back.

With the patent of Colt's I go in to be expires, they are about to launch their own.

Colt also built the manufacture streamline.  And he got his patent extended for 7 more years.

1846, Wessons lost one brother and the business.

It's the time when Horace Smith stepped in.

Horace has the new idea of how the gun fires. (In order to fire a lead ball, Colt's firearm ignites gunpowder by striking a percussion cap. There are three separated pieces for every shot.)

Horace has the idea with three steps combined in one self-contained bullet.

Combined with another innovated idea from Colt's former employee and investment from Horace, Wesson got the new edition produced.

At the breaking point of American Civil War. Colt, in 1860, sold millions contract of gun to the South; Wesson's partner refused such deal.

1862, Colt died of gout. Two years later, his factory, run by his wife, was distroyed by a big fire.

So, Wesson and his partner got the upper hand.

After the civil war, the general population started to keep revolvers.

IV. Oppenheimer vs Heisenberg in Atomic Bomb 

Heisenberg, a German patriot, devotes himself into Quantum Physics and won the Nobel Prize in 1933 by the thesis "Uncertainty Principle".

Oppenheimer is a collage professor.

To split the urium atom is a nuclear reaction which produces 50 millions times more energy than chemical reaction. It will be an unprecedented weapon, a horrowing revolation.

In early 1939, when Hitler had been on stage, there was a conference held in US, and Oppenheimer and Heisenberg got met.

On Dec, 1939, Heisenberg proposed his idea and principle of building a super bomb to Nazi.

Mainwhile, Einstein got he news and wrote a letter to U.S. president warning such a weapon.

In Oct, 1940, then American president Franklin Roosevelt command the undertaking.

To build such bomb requires a large amount of refined urium; and then pull-off it through  a chain of reactions; and control it.

An experience of proofing such a chain of reaction is possible has been conducted  successfully by Hersenberg.

 In America, an isolated town, Los Almos, in Mexico is selected by Oppenheimer.

The ultimate race with Germany is to end the war.

Oppenhermer realizes that only urium is not enough. Plutonium is needed.

The further experience by Heisenberg caused s fire. But the message went to US carrying the fear for Germany got the advantage.

Implosion--squeeze it, implode it to reach the critical mass, is the solution from Oppenheimer's mind.

In Dec, 1944, Hersenberg attended a conference in Swizerland. He escaped an assassination by an American agent who deduced that he had no progress/breakthrough in atom bomb.

On 3ed, May, 1945, Hersenberg was captured by Allies.

On 16th, July, 1945, after three years and 20b$, the "Gadget" got its successful test.

Three weeks after the test, they were dropped on Japan, two at three days' intervals.

Hersenberg was doing theoretical work after the war as the symbol of peaceful science. While, Oppenheimer was regret about his work and took the blame.

              

V. Farnsworth vs Sarnoff in the Creation of TV

TV is the most revolutionary invention of our time. The story of its creation is the ultimate David and Goliath tale. 

In the early 20th century, a new invention has catured the imagination of the world--the radio.

1923, Sarnoff wants to dominate it. His company RCA, by dominating19th tech I read by licenses and patents, made soaring profits.

Farnsworth, a son of potato farmer, I dreaming of adding moving images in the radio by capturing a picture electronically as a microphone dose with sound.

The inspiration from the plow lines of the farm--to scan the image line by line as the same the eyes scan the page of book, made Farnsworth's dream possible.

Then, a device that could scan an image electronically dozens of times per second, then transmit that image across the airwave at the speed of light has formed in his mind. 

He shared this idea with his high school science teacher.

Later, he set out to California to get his dream realized.

In a small laboratory, a prototype of TV has been built. But first attempt failed. His Dr hang in the balance.

It's the element cesium this pulled the trigger.  And a press conference of demonstration was followed.

On the other hand, work in with a Russian engineer, Sarnoff tried to decelop his TV.  

Aug, 1930, Farnsworth got his patent for 17 years. 

Farnsworth, seeing the heating up race, licensed his patent to a radio manufacturer Philco which, like every other radio company, had been controlled by RCA.

So, Farnsworth decided to take legal method.

1933, who was the original designer of TV was the focus in court.

It's that high school teacher who brought the drawing done when Farnsworth was 15 years old ended such back and forth deliberations which almost drove Farnsworth to the limit.

Powerless, Farnsworth was blocked at every turn by Sarnoff. The mental and phisical toll was heavy.

1939, on the world's affair, Sarnoff announced the birth/emerge of TV.

The up-graded version of TV used Farnsworth's patent. So, RCA had to pay Farnsworth.

But the war came in--U.S. was involved in the WWII on 7th, Dec, 1941.

Farnsworth's patent was expired after the war. So, there was a mass production of TV set.

1969, TV summoned the human history--the historical event of moon-landing.

Sarnoff's TV empire NBC broadcasted scince 1937. 

VI. Jobs vs Bill Gates

The digital age emerges from bitter rivalry!!! Mainly, between Steve Jobs, the charismatic innovator and Bill Gates, the computer prodigy!!!

1969, Gates hacked a school computer, Alter 8800. 

1974, a Harvard student, Gates, with his friend, used early form of programming in which holes are punched in spools of paper in patterns that form commands. 

They took it to the makers of Alter.

1975, Jobs, a collage dropout, back from spiritual quest in India.

His friend got adding two key ingredients onto Alter-like computer--a keyboard and a screen. So, the programming could be typed directly onto the screen!!!

Jobs just got into in how he could sell it, instead of how it works.

Then, 19-year-old Gates dropped collage to establish Microsoft. And, Jobs's Apple was also formed.

The first Appple computer Apple I was an unsuccessful sell, which pushed Jobs' re to make computer faster and with more appealing appearance. It must be a fully contained machine with a revolutionary easy-to-use design.

1977, 6, Apple II was released and summed 8m $ in sale.

Gates upgraded the soft card on Apple II and made it into a bussiness computer and PC. 

Gates made a deal with IBM even with the operating system IBM required. He then purchased an operating system from a small company for 50,000$ and renamed it into Microsoft DOS.

A non-exclusive licence was dealed with IBM, which made Gates a fortune!!! 

Meanwhile, Xerox Park got the visual innovation, based on which was the idea of Macintosh computer.

Jobs invited Gates to join in. But……Gates thought for himself……

1983, Windows got the advance to launch first--it's user-friendly, graphical interfaced Windows system.

The war began……

1984, Macintosh was on. But sales were not good. Jobs was "kicked in the gut" and out.

Gates was building a software empire dominating 80% of the market. Soon, it got into criticism of monoplay.

On the brink of collapse (in 1996), Jobs was back!!!

To keep a competitive market, Gates agreed to invest in Apple.

Then, the iMac, iPlayer, iPhone……

With the desire to get his name in the Pantheon of great men and with the effort to redeem his legacy or reputation, Gates established Fundation and went into philanthropy. 

2011, Jobs resigned for health reason and died……

VII. US vs USSR in Space Race

Man's conquest of space is born out of war and a rivalry between two superpowers: U.S. and USSR.

In the closing days of WWII, US alliance from the west and the Soviet Union from the east wanted to get their hands on Nazis' most powerful weapon--a long-range rocket V2-the first humanmade stuff to go into the space and the genius who created it--the German scientist Wernher von Braun whose passion is the space.

In the Mittelbaur Dora, a vast V2 underground factory, those blueprints were hidden.

Braun, driven by his expensive hobby, turned to US.

On the other side, USSR's Siegel Koroleo found something left by US scout.

Koroleo elongated the body, so that it could hold more fuel, bigger engine, and he put 19th own guiding system. Soon, there were R1, R2……R5.

With much more powerful thermal nuclear weapon had been developed, the payload of the rocket had to be doubled. 

There came the daring innovation--R7 which will be five rockets in one. To ring the core, there will be four powerful booster rockets which will lift the core rocket pass the hold of earth's gravity; then, they will be jettisoned to cree the core to the target. It's a multi-staged rocket.

Meanwhile, Braun was in Texis, having been kept on the sidelines for nothing for five years.

During which, his article on spacecraft caught the eye of Disney who wanted his Theme Park fantastic.

 

Soon, the first inter-continental bullistic missile was built giving the Soviet ability to attack U.S..

While the American spacecraft was at its initial stage, Eisenhower didn't want Germans involved.

Soviet, then, sent a humiliating and warning massage to US by putting the first satellite into obit--Sputinik (weighing less than 200 pounds, it contains only a radio transmitter, thermometer and batteries).

So, Soviet is the first in space!!!

In response, Eisenhower ordered US' own satellites launch by U.S. Navy. The mission was "Vanguard". 

On 6th Dec. 1957, US' first live public launch……but failed!!! It's not even leaving the launch pad!!!

The Jupiter C designed by Braun who is a one-man designing machine that can look at a rocket from head to toe and know where every single piece fits into the big picture!!!

1958, Jan, Braun's rocket was a success!!!

On Soviet side, they had already up-graded the game--to put human being in space (after several successful tests, famously and notoriously the dog).

Yuri Gragarin, the most promising young pilot was chosen. 

On the returning journey, the re-entering capsule failed to detetch from the service module!!! 

He might be killed by the extreme heat when entering the atmosphere. But the cables tethering Gagarin's capsule burn away first…… So, he landed miles away from targeted area. (108m for 20,000 miles)

In U.S., JFK aimed to land on the moon!!! The lunar mission started.

The largely classical physics: build rockets that can produce this much thrust, and run the numbers…… the calculation suggested it's achieveable.

Braun comes up a way to build a lunar lander in space. More than a dozen of rockets rendezvous the obit forming a space station where a large lunar lander would be constructed!!!

A young engineer, Tom Kelly, noticed the huge fuel burden.

Instead of launching into earth's obit, Tom's rocket would enter the moon's orbit where small landing craft would detatch and land on the surface of the moon; then, launch back to the mother shop and return to earth--the rendezvous I moon's obit.

It got the approval from Braun in June 1962.

Soviet was left behind……

Satun V, 9th Nov, 1967, trail was a success in US. 

Dec 1968, Apollo VIII obited the earth and back safely.

1966, Seigel died at age 59. Soviet was losing the game……

16th July, 1969, under Nixon's presidency, Apollo XI launched and on 20th the first man on the moon!!!

Totally, 12 astronauts have been on he moon during the following up journeys. 

1998, a joined launch of U.S. and Russia.

VIII. Hearts vs Pulitzer in Journalism and Newspaper

The newspaper redefined how American telk stories. 

But its rise and progress were fueled by teo rivals between Josoph Pulitzer, a man built himself from nohing, and William W Hearst, a wealthy son of business tycoon in mining.

1868, St. Louise, from his early days as reporter, Pulitzer has been the voice of poor people. He carries his dream from his humble origin--a young immigrant from Hungary.

He has the first-hand view of he devide between the rich and the poor.

Journalism provided an unique platform where he could or poor people from exploited by the rich and powerful.

1883, New York, on the base of St. Louise newspaper, Plitzer went for New York and bought the New York World--a declining one so that he could put his unique stamp on it.

"Our work of faith must be accuray, expose all frauds and shame, fight all public evil, dedicate ourselves to the course of poor people!!!"

His mission is to create a newspaper for immigrants and working class and for those new comers who don't know what to expect and how to nevigate in America.

Newspapers then were boring and drab and exclusive to up-class people. They were grey; the hypophysis were the some; no a little more than a propaganda sheet and often supported by political party. 

Pulitzer innovated the paper--by emphasizing the bold headlines.

1895, Plitzer has been the newspaper giant. Such success also gained him the poeer and influence.

In the western coast, inspired by Plitzer, Hearst gets the Sanfransisco Examiner from his father.

He reshuffled the newspaper from scratch, and turned it into a sort of yellow paper.

His money-based success drives him to compete the New York giant. 

He bought the New York Journal.

There were star journalists and big news then to attract purchase and reading.

When Plitzer was on vacation, Hearst started to poach his staffs. Those the best newspapermen that money could buy.

Hearst's stage II was to put bombshel, scandle news on the front page; and charged only half the price of Plitzer's New York World. 

Plitzer, the King of newspaper, was in danger of being throwed. And his pride was involved and hurted.

Plitzer has to cut the prrice.

Hearst took a story as unfolding as a soap opera to grab readers.

 

1895, 15th Feb, a U.S. warship staff provided Hearst the opportunity to dramatize on it……Hearst jumped to the conclusion that it was the treatrery of Spain. Thus, impendingly trigered the war against Spain!!!

Plitzer faced the crisis of his contiancious: either holding on journalist's integrity or competing on Hearst's level!!! 

Plitzer chose the later and got himself into the battle.

After two months, Congress decided to go into the war.

When the war was over in Aug 1898, Hearst's paper dominated the market. 

While Plitzer's circulation dropped. Plitzer had to cut somewhere. So, he chose those people who don't have the power to protect themselves--the newspaper boys (newsies) to stay on par with his rival.

1899, newsboys were on strike and in protest on large scale. It cost Plitzer's reputation, apart from his money, by holding hostage of those boys.

Agu. 1899, strike ended.

 

In the fear of such event would tarnish his legacy, P,itzer donated 2m to Clumbia University as the Plitzer Prize!!!

Hearst had his problem too. He retreated from journalism ……into Hollywood!!! The Citizen Ken is based on his story.