You
will never hear Rube Goldberg's name and “labor-saving” uttered in the same
sentence. The 2004 Rube Goldberg Competition, held annually in tribute to the
cartoonist who eschewed Thoreau's admonition, “Simplify, simplify,” will begin
at 8:30
a.m., Saturday,
April 24, in Memorial Fieldhouse.
Sponsored
by Union's Engineering program, Knolls Atomic Power Lab, GE Elfun Society, and
the Schenectady Museum, this year's task will be to remove a four-inch pie
(flavor optional) from its packaging, place it on a plate, and apply whipped
cream (or non-dairy product for those on low-fat diets). The machines must take
20 or more steps, use a minimum of five different forms of energy, and
demonstrate engineering and scientific know-how, creativity, and whimsy. They
also must operate within the dimensions of five feet in height, width, and
depth.
Teams
of middle and high school students statewide and from Vermont, will vie in what may be called the
Olympics of Redundancy. In past years, the tasks have included sticking a stamp
on a letter, sharpening a pencil, making a baloney sandwich, and opening a bag
of M&Ms.
For
more details, visit http://engineering.union.edu/me_dept/rube/