The answers to the questions PM'ed to me last week.
I saw the TV show Robotwars for the first time on BBC, and was hooked on the idea. I had already done various things with pneumatics and hydraulics because of my agricultural background (I grew up on my uncle's farm) and was a adequate fabricator so I wanted to give it a go. So I got a few of my friends together and after we all agreed I registered and applied for series 4 of Robotwars in the UK. We did not get in the first time, because there were already over 600 teams that had registered from the UK alone, plus dozens of other teams worldwide.
But that same year we got a call from BNN, a TV station here in the Netherlands, said they'd gotten my application for the UK series, and they wanted to do a Dutch series, which would be filmed and produced in England in the same arena as the UK series. That got the ball rolling and I have competed both in the Dutch and UK series of Robotwars since then. After the BBC and Five TV cancelled the show on national TV, we kept on competing at live events all over the UK, and started the Dutchrobotgames foundation in the Netherlands. We still compete live in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, UK (England, Scotland and Wales), and one time in Ireland. We also shipped a robot to the US once to compete in Battlebots and had an American drive our robot for us there, but that wasn't a success.
Apart from the occassional cuts and bruises which are normal is you build and work with metal parts, I've been pretty lucky.
My teammates however were less fortunate. The most horrible one was when we were testfiring the axe of our first robot and the axe fired on its own and landed in the belly of my teammate Philip as he walked into the line of fire. Another member Barry broke his index finger as it got caught in a moving belt drive of a linear actuator.
A fully equipped workshop with easy access for my van. Now it is a huge undertaking to get my 100kg/220lbs robots loaded in the van as neither my workshop which is a garden shed in the backyard or my teammates workshop which is in the back of the house and we need to maneuver the robot through the house and the front door to load or unload it.
Cattle, cows in particular always have been my favorite animals. My most hated animals are Turkeys.
I rarely watch DVD's or movies online. I love going to the cinemas, though the whole 3D thing nowadays is not my thing. Unfortunately with my job and hobbies it is getting less and less often that I go, there was a time when I went to see movies 2-3 times a week.
None, I do drink alcohol but I don't like beer. I've never had a beer I liked.
Next one is a combo:
and
Leo is the easy part of course, my name is Leo van Miert. I always sign any post online with my real name, I don't care for anonymity.
RCC stands originally for Roosendaalse (place I used to live, Roosendaal, near the Belgian border) Computer Club.
For the robotwars group that was formed from RCC members, we used the acronym RCC to make the link to the computer club, and name it Radio Controlled Carnage.
It has nothing to do with eating lesbians (though delicious), or cocks, or the Roman Catholic Church.
Even if a woodchuck could chuck would there is no reason to assume a woodchuck would chuck wood so a woodchuck would probably not chuck wood.
No but I do have a big afro on my head.
No, none whatsoever.
I am opposed to it.
Underline the number in red.
Lotus double ply.
I'd become a Christian for the duration of the gunpoint.
If it is dry, save it for later, a wet one I want to exchange.
Quote:When and how did you first get into robots?
I saw the TV show Robotwars for the first time on BBC, and was hooked on the idea. I had already done various things with pneumatics and hydraulics because of my agricultural background (I grew up on my uncle's farm) and was a adequate fabricator so I wanted to give it a go. So I got a few of my friends together and after we all agreed I registered and applied for series 4 of Robotwars in the UK. We did not get in the first time, because there were already over 600 teams that had registered from the UK alone, plus dozens of other teams worldwide.
But that same year we got a call from BNN, a TV station here in the Netherlands, said they'd gotten my application for the UK series, and they wanted to do a Dutch series, which would be filmed and produced in England in the same arena as the UK series. That got the ball rolling and I have competed both in the Dutch and UK series of Robotwars since then. After the BBC and Five TV cancelled the show on national TV, we kept on competing at live events all over the UK, and started the Dutchrobotgames foundation in the Netherlands. We still compete live in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, UK (England, Scotland and Wales), and one time in Ireland. We also shipped a robot to the US once to compete in Battlebots and had an American drive our robot for us there, but that wasn't a success.
Quote:Did you ever get hurt by your own creations (i.e. by the robots that you build)? If so, then how did it happen?
Apart from the occassional cuts and bruises which are normal is you build and work with metal parts, I've been pretty lucky.
My teammates however were less fortunate. The most horrible one was when we were testfiring the axe of our first robot and the axe fired on its own and landed in the belly of my teammate Philip as he walked into the line of fire. Another member Barry broke his index finger as it got caught in a moving belt drive of a linear actuator.
Quote:If you could have anything for your hobby, something that has been either financially out of your grasp or doesn't exist yet, what would it be?
A fully equipped workshop with easy access for my van. Now it is a huge undertaking to get my 100kg/220lbs robots loaded in the van as neither my workshop which is a garden shed in the backyard or my teammates workshop which is in the back of the house and we need to maneuver the robot through the house and the front door to load or unload it.
Quote:What is your favourite animal?
Cattle, cows in particular always have been my favorite animals. My most hated animals are Turkeys.
Quote:Last time we hung out, you said you were leaving to go see a movie. Do you still like going to the movies as an experience, or has it lost appeal since DVD's now come out so quickly?
I rarely watch DVD's or movies online. I love going to the cinemas, though the whole 3D thing nowadays is not my thing. Unfortunately with my job and hobbies it is getting less and less often that I go, there was a time when I went to see movies 2-3 times a week.
Quote:What's your favorite movie to have seen in theaters?Lola Rennt (english version "Run Lola Run" 1998). I was going to see a different movie at first but it was already fully booked so I took a gamble and watched this movie instead. I was very surprised and pleased. Also Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet was a great movie to see.
Quote:What's your favorite beer?
None, I do drink alcohol but I don't like beer. I've never had a beer I liked.
Next one is a combo:
Quote:Is it true what the conspiracy theorists say about you? That "LEO-RCC" actually means:
Lesbian
Eating
Oralistic
-Dash - A fucking "DASH" man!!!11!1ELEVENTYONE!!!
Remote
Controlled
Cock
and
Quote:What is the significance of the name 'leo-rcc' ?
Leo is the easy part of course, my name is Leo van Miert. I always sign any post online with my real name, I don't care for anonymity.
RCC stands originally for Roosendaalse (place I used to live, Roosendaal, near the Belgian border) Computer Club.
For the robotwars group that was formed from RCC members, we used the acronym RCC to make the link to the computer club, and name it Radio Controlled Carnage.
It has nothing to do with eating lesbians (though delicious), or cocks, or the Roman Catholic Church.
Quote:How much wood could a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood?
Even if a woodchuck could chuck would there is no reason to assume a woodchuck would chuck wood so a woodchuck would probably not chuck wood.
Quote:Are you really a lion, as your name suggests?
No but I do have a big afro on my head.
Quote:If so, would you eat me?Sure, just add some honey-mustard sauce and you are dinner.
Quote:If I said "Would you eat me PLEASE?" would that have made a difference in your previous answer?
No, none whatsoever.
Quote:How do you feel about the Death Penalty?
I am opposed to it.
Quote:You walk into a restroom and see these words written in thick magic marker; "For a good time, call Leo-Rcc at 555-6666." What would you do if that was your actual phone number?
Underline the number in red.
Quote:What kind of toilet paper do you use? Is it double ply?
Lotus double ply.
Quote:Someone is holding a gun to your face. He says "Become a Christian or die!!!". What do you do?
I'd become a Christian for the duration of the gunpoint.
Quote:A cashier hands you back you change. On the paper bill is an obvious booger. How do you react?
If it is dry, save it for later, a wet one I want to exchange.
Best regards,
Leo van Miert
Horsepower is how hard you hit the wall --Torque is how far you take the wall with you
Leo van Miert
Horsepower is how hard you hit the wall --Torque is how far you take the wall with you
