Frank Arcilesi

Frank Arcilesi is a graduate of Towson State University with a B.S. degree in Mass Communications; and Mathematics. He has business and financial experience, and has written several eBooks available on various sites.

All articles on this website have been written by him and other material is listed on the sidebar. He is a current member of the Maryland Writers' Association. He has been a Comptroller, a CFO at a law firm and a former member of the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA). He received a NASA group achievement award as a contractor employee. 

Snowboarding is Becoming a Popular Sport

Snowboarding is a sport, which has gained in immense popularity over the last ten years. It was officially proclaimed an Olympic sport in 1994 and the first Olympic event was held in 1998. Currently 97% of all U.S. ski resorts allow snowboarding, which initially had been banned.

In the Olympics three events are held: the halfpipe, the parallel giant slolem and the snowboard cross

It may not overtake skiing yet but the body of enthusiasts is growing. Snowboarders represent 30% of the people who attend resorts.

History

Although Jack Burchett experimented with something resembling a snowboard in the 1920’s made out of a plank, the beginning of modern snowboarding is credited to a chemical engineer, Sherman Poppen who in 1964 crudely slapped two kids' skis together with a rope in front to control it, in an effort to make a new ski toy for his daughter to use.

It became very popular with his daughter’s friends and the following year he licensed it for production. This toy turned out to be the famous Snurfer, which became a hot seller with over a million units sold in the next ten years before its popularity died out. The problem with the Snurfer was that it had no bindings and was hard to control. It was dismissed as a toy.

In 1969 Dimitri Milovich started making surfboards inspired by skiing down hills on cafeteria plates from his college cafeteria. He is considered a pioneer for his development. His company “Winterstick” is considered to be the first snowboard company. He used technology based on how skis work. His boards resembled today’s boards and he was written about in several national magazines.

In 1970, Jack Burton, a Snurfer enthusiast got into the business by making snowboards out of laminated hardwood and fiberglass with the first bindings which made controlling the board much better. He also used P-Tex in the construction of his snowboards. This is an extremely durable polyethylene material, which is easily repairable and accepts wax for better gliding. Modern snowboards are constructed of P-Tex. Burton also incorporated designs used today such as metal edges to make the board turn better and was the first to place graphics on the boards. His company is the largest manufacturer of snowboards today. Burton was also instrumental in promoting the sport in competitions to what it is today.

In 1977 Tom Sims, a skateboard champion got into the business and with the help of his employee Chuck Barfoot manufactured what was called the “Flying Yellow Banana” which was a skateboard glued onto a plastic shell. They went on to incorporate skateboard technology in the development of their products. Sims also began using P-Tex in the boards.

These are the some of the pioneers in the 1960’s and 1970’s who developed the designs and equipment for the modern snowboards, which have resulted in this popular sport today.

Why People Snowboard

It’s difficult to come to a conclusion as to why people snowboard. After all it is more dangerous than skiing according to injury figures. Perhaps that is part of the enticement however.

Another reason may be that the snowboard experience is more of a challenge that skiing and for those individuals who want to step up to the next challenge so to speak, snowboarding is the perfect sport for them.

Of course some are just curious as to why others would want to ride in an awkward position over snow, and don’t mind taking a risk to find out.

Finally, the snowboard rider can perform more tricks and jumps than can be performed on skis. This can be quite an exhilarating experience for those who seek thrills.

 

Board Basics

Snowboards are about the width of a human foot or wider and are assembled in layers.

The most important layer is the core, which is constructed of wood or fiberglass, although other materials such as foam and aluminum are used. The wood is laminated for strength and then shaped by milling and planing. Inserts are drilled for the bindings. Sidewalls usually made of plastic are also bonded to the core to help protect it.

The core is attached to a base made of a strong polyethylene material called P-Tex, which is porous and absorbs wax for a slippery base. The P-Tex base may be made with different processes and sometimes graphite is incorporated to help the base reduce friction. Edges are put on the base running the entire length to help with friction on ice and maneuverability. Fiberglass sheets are sandwiched in between the base and core for added strength.

A top sheet made of fiberglass or other materials is put on the core to further strengthen it and this sheet also contains the graphics.

The snowboard is assembled in layers and then put into a mold and then into a heated press. This allows all the binding materials to dry and the board to retain its shape.

Bindings are attached so that the rider stands transverse to the longitude of the board.

 

Styles

There are three basic styles, freeride, freestyle, and freecarve/race although there is overlap among the styles.

The freeride is the most popular. Riders go down any hilly terrain and may perform tricks. Many types of snow may be encountered such as deep powder or ice so a stiffer boot is required. This style is good for beginners

The freestyle is more advanced. In this style the rider performs tricks using objects such as jumps, rails and boxes. It may incorporate flips and spins. These objects may have slick tops so the snowboard will glide over them. A more flexible boot is required for the required maneuverability.

Free-carve style, known as alpine snowboarding takes place on groomed runs with packed snow and focuses on carving turns as in skiing. A stiffer boot with binding allowing for quick turns is required.

Snowboarding injuries are twice those of alpine skiing so caution is advised.

Conclusion

Snowboarding is a relatively new sport. Inspired by surfing, sledding, skiing and skateboarding, it has become a very popular snow sport after several pioneers perfected designs and helped develop it the 1960’s and 1970’s.

Various styles are used in snowboarding although there is overlapping.

In the U S snowboarding cultures have arisen in Alaska, Utah, California, New England, Colorado, and the Pacific Northwest and competitions are held worldwide.

Pawn Stars Review

This is a fun show to watch although it may not represent a typical pawnshop. Apparently the format was tweaked by the producers to showcase the more exotic items that come into the pawn shop which are not typical of a run of the mill pawnbroker’s operation. A typical operation loans money on ordinary items like watches and jewelry. This series however showcases a never ending stream of people bringing in some of the most fascinating and exotic items one can image.

Background and Stars

Rick Harrison and his father Richard, known as the Old Man, are the original co-owners and started the shop in 1988 but it was Rick’s idea to try to sell the idea of a TV series filmed around their operation, which of course eventually happened. Although there are about 30 employees involved in the operation of the shop, the action surrounds Rick, his Corey who is being groomed to take over the shop, and Corey’s childhood friend known as Chumlee (Austin Russell) who’s worked in the store for a few years.

Chumlee, an overweight young man with a sad looking face is the butt of many jokes and insults about his supposed lack of intelligence. Rick is sometimes seen trying to educate him on various artifacts brought into the store since the only items he appears to have any knowledge about are pinball machines and basketball shoes. The producers have obviously tagged Chumlee to provide the comic aspect of the show.                             

Part of the attraction of the show is the interactions and arguments provided by these individuals as they work with each other. Corey and his father Rick are at odds sometimes when Rick thinks his son has paid too much for an item, such as a boat, which he believes they will have trouble selling. In the case of the boat, it was taken to an expert who restored it to a pristine condition for a reasonable price so that they made a nice profit and Corey was vindicated.

Not a Typical Pawn Shop 

Although a pawn shop will make loans and hold merchandise as collateral and buy some items, most of the individuals filmed for the series want to sell their items outright. Toward that end the staff is seen negotiating with the customers on price. It’s surprising how much they know about a variety of pieces and values. Rick is quite impressive when he is are able to give a little history lesson to a customer about a piece that's been brought in. When his knowledge on any item is rather shallow, an expert is brought in for an evaluation.

This is another aspect that’s entertaining but probably not something that happens in an ordinary operation. A squad of 15 or more experts is available for Rick and the others to call upon for advice on any particular item. Each has his or her own field of expertise. We watch as an expert is brought in to evaluate a piece and carefully examines it then declares its authenticity and value. Sometimes the expert just states it’s a worthless reproduction and the cameras don’t miss this opportunity for a close shot of the customer and some serious jaw tightening.

Anything and everything comes to the doors of this pawn shop open 24 hours a day in Las Vegas Nevada.  Cars, truck, boats, old guns, coins, toys, old letters signed by former presidents, old photographs, signed guitars, items that belonged to famous personalities, and many other items are brought in from a variety of people. Their reasons for coming to the shop range from needing money to just not having enough room to store the thing anymore.                  

Separate interviews are thrown in showing one of the staff members and a customer as each gives their analysis of a particular transaction and whether they were satisfied with the outcome. The typical customer wishes he or she would have gotten more and no wonder. Rick, the Old Man and the other staff members are quite reserved in what they pay out since they have to make a profit at resale. One wonders why some of these people come to a pawn shop to sell valuable pieces.

Fascinating Items Come to the Shop

One individual actually hauled in a new original Shelby Cobra aluminum body he acquired. Surely this was a reproduction. This exotic car was built in the sixties by famed race car driver Caroll Shelby from aluminum bodies that were shipped to him from England. A new authentic body shell would have had some car enthusiasts fighting with each other to buy it.  After Rick had an automobile expert look at it and verify that it was the real deal and not just a reproduction, the bargaining commenced until Rick made a final firm offer. The customer momentarily agonized over the offer before finally accepting it.

Well this is not your grandfather’s pawn shop. Rick has the wherewithal to have cars, motorcycles, boats, vending machines, and other items restored. He had the shell sent to a classic car restoration shop where it was fitted and built into a complete Shelby Cobra worth many thousands of dollars, a lot more than what he put into it.

As stated, this may not represent the operation of a typical pawn shop but one learns about the history of many old items which appear on the show; sees cars, motorcycles and old vending machines restored; and is entertained in the process.

Pawn Stars airs at 10 pm Mondays on the History channel.

Pontiac GTO - 1964: The Original Muscle Car

It was sizzle from the start. The Pontiac brand has been gone for several years now but the first true muscle car it created remains firmly entrenched in the minds of car enthusiasts. It was the 1964 Pontiac GTO. The car was a groundbreaker and it soon spawned other cars of this new niche from its competitors. 

GM’s ban on factory sponsored racing put a damper on Pontiac’s ability to promote its performance image. In order to sustain this image without factory racing, chief engineer John Delorean, general manager Elliot ‘Pete’ Estes and engineers Russ Gee and Bill Collins came up with a plan to promote this image with a factory model.

With limited resources to design an all-new hot car, they hatched a brilliant plan to produce such a hot car. They would put a big V8 into an intermediate body. The engine was a 389 cubic inch V8 straight off the inventory shelf. The body was the redesigned intermediate Tempest, with a 115-inch wheelbase and a maximum weight of 3360 lbs.

Married together this combination would be a Lemans Tempest option available for the coupe, hardtop and convertible models. As an option it could get around the 300 cubic inch limit GM had imposed on standard factory production cars. Unlike other maker’s V8’s which were big physically, GM’s 389 was trim enough that it did not have to be shoe horned into the intermediate Tempest body.

This factory hot rod was named GTO, standing for an Italian term, Gran Turismo Omologoto, meaning a car was certified for Gran Touring class racing—which it definitely was not—but it was good for the image of the car, although some enthusiasts complained.

This GTO option came with a stabilizer bar, red-line tires, choices of a 3 or 4 speed Hurst Shifter manual transmission, or the Hydramatic version. With the standard 4 barrel configuration it generated 325 HP but with the tri-carb setup it reached 348 HP. Seven gear ratios were available to pick from. With the proper combination of options, the car could go from 0-60 in 5.7 seconds.

Make no mistake about it, the GTO was a street rod. It had a firm suspension, it was fast, and its dual exhausts made themselves heard and firmly announced the presence of the GTO. It was meant for the enthusiasts, the young at heart and would-be hot-rodder.

The base price of around $3,200 made the car affordable. Buyers had their choice of 15 exterior colors, six interior colors, and seven convertible top colors to create a car to their personal tastes. Total production for 1964 was 32,450 units. The two-door hardtop was the most popular, followed by the two-door coup (fixed ‘B’ pillar, and then the convertible. Pontiac underestimated the popularity of this new hot rod and could have sold more if they had been available.

 

The GTO continued as a Tempest option until 1968 when it became a separate model. By that time many competitors had put out their own factory hot rods, but the GTO was the trailblazer.