Nikola Tesla birthday!

[FISH_MAN]

I think this great inventor would have owned a pair of Martin Logans if he where alive today they would appeal to his style in my opinion.

his contributions are very overlooked by the mainstream public he has made huge contributions to society.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Tesla

or go to google as they are recognizing his birthday today.

 

[FISH_MAN]

BTW could one of the mods move this to off topic not sure I can now once it's been posted sorry about that.

 

[miljac]

One of (if not *the*) greatest mind of the modern epoch.

Marginalized too often and totally ripped off by the greedy.

 

[aliveatfive]

I've read at least 2 biographies about the man and he was truly a genius. While Marconi was credited with the discovery of radio waves, Tesla's knowledge of them far outdistanced his competitor. He pioneered alternating current, invented the AC motor, etc., etc., etc.

 

[JonFo]

Yep, a great man.

Now, where did I put that Tesla coil?

Time for for some sparks and arc's

 

[Dreamer]

his contributions are very overlooked by the mainstream public he has made huge contributions to society.

Well, I think it would better described as he has been intentionally expunged from history by the followers of Edison and the military-industrial complex.

Almost every single "invention" that Edison is credited with was in fact a development of Tesla's.

AC power, the telephone, wireless, sound recording, the lightbulb--all were ideas that Tesla had developed years before Edison.

Edison, like Bill Gates, didn't have a creative, innovative bone in his body--almost every one of his "inventions" were ideas that he stole from other inventors and then used his contacts in industry to market and popularize them.

He was however, a MASTER of public relations, and very adept at manipulating the patent system and the courts.

When I was a small child, the first biography I read was about Edison, and I was fascinated. But once I hit college, and had access to some REAL libraries, I found out that Tesla was the REAL innovator, an Edison was nothing more than a thief, a liar, and a master manipulator.

The only REAL innovation that Edison contributed to society was the Electric Chair. And THAT is the TRUE legacy of Edison that should be taught in schools...

--Richard

 

[aliveatfive]

Well, I think it would better described as he has been intentionally expunged from history by the followers of Edison and the military-industrial complex.

Almost every single "invention" that Edison is credited with was in fact a development of Tesla's.

AC power, the telephone, wireless, sound recording, the lightbulb--all were ideas that Tesla had developed years before Edison.

Edison, like Bill Gates, didn't have a creative, innovative bone in his body--almost every one of his "inventions" were ideas that he stole from other inventors and then used his contacts in industry to market and popularize them.

He was however, a MASTER of public relations, and very adept at manipulating the patent system and the courts.

When I was a small child, the first biography I read was about Edison, and I was fascinated. But once I hit college, and had access to some REAL libraries, I found out that Tesla was the REAL innovator, an Edison was nothing more than a thief, a liar, and a master manipulator.

The only REAL innovation that Edison contributed to society was the Electric Chair. And THAT is the TRUE legacy of Edison that should be taught in schools...

--Richard

Edison never had anything to do with AC. He spent years and lots of money trying to disparage Tesla and his AC generator. He went so far, in fact, as to electrocute an elephant at Coney Island in order to alert his customers of the dangers of AC. I also believe it was he who popularized the electric chair with its use of AC as a means of execution. Westinghouse, who was one of Tesla's proponents, made boatloads of cash on Tesla's innovations. Tesla, however, did not fare nearly as well.

 

[Rich]

AC power, the telephone, wireless, sound recording, the lightbulb--all were ideas that Tesla had developed years before Edison.

Edison wasn't credited with inventing the telephone, either. That was A.G. Bell (although there is controversy surrounding that, too). Edison is credited with inventing the carbon microphone that improved the sound transmission of the telephone signal over long distances. I don't think Tesla came up with the telephone either, although he did design a telephone repeater, which amplified the signal. But that was after Bell had already invented the telephone.

Not to take away from Tesla's achievements, which were incredible.

 

[User211]

Read the Wiki link in it's entirety - fascinating.

Make sure you see http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0482571/, with David Bowie as Tesla. Excellent movie.

In fact, a dedicated Tesla movie would be brilliant, I am sure. Come on Hollywood!

Just searched IMDB for Tesla - looks as though something has been done this year...