Head Fake

I wish that I could have a conversation with the late Dr. Randy Pausch, the Carnegie Mellon professor of computer science and design and co-founder of the Entertainment Technology Center (ETC). Also, Dr. Pausch was the presenter of the infamous “Last Lecture.” I had some correspondence with him and the Entertainment Technology Center at Carnegie Mellon University in 2004-2005 in response to a traumatic lawn mower injury that resulted in the partial amputation of my left foot. I recognize that the traditional consumer and industrial product safety manuals were not effective in communicating how to properly use a product or equipment safely. Actually, I believe that the actual number of people who even read owner’s manuals is a very small percentage. Therefore, I shuffled to Pittsburgh on several occasions to search out the world-class Carnegie Mellon computer science, drama, psychology, and business departments to pursue my vision of edutainment yard safety software in order to educate and entertain the millions of users of outdoor power equipment how to operate yard equipment in safe manner. Furthermore, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that 200,000 individuals get hurt each year using outdoor power equipment. It is a serious complex problem. I remember sending emails, having conversations, and dropping-off Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man leaflets with various individuals at Carnegie Mellon, including the Entertainment Technology Center. Despite a valiant effort of hitting several Randy Pausch “brick walls,” I learned that Carnegie Mellon launched a spin-off company called Etcetera Edutainment to focus on workplace safety applying gaming and simulation technology. I am still trying to figure-out the proverbial Randy Pausch “head fake” related to this evolution without me. Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man is a yard safety super hero that is here today so that yard accidents go away. I wish that I could talk with Dr. Randy Pausch because I know that he would tell me the truth and be fair with me regarding my concerns. Why the brick wall? What is the head fake? Also, I have pasted a wonderful story about Dr. Randy Pausch and his Last Lecture that appeared on the The Tartan Online (Carnegie Mellon newspaper) website http://www.thetartan.org/2007/9/24/news/pausch

Randy Pausch: How to achieve your dreams. Professor tells students to never give up, despite the odds.

News Tara Moore

Within the first few statements of his lecture, titled “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams,” Randy Pausch illustrated that he plans to live the time he has left to the fullest. “We can’t change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand. If I’m not as depressed as you think I should be, I’m sorry to disappoint you,” said Pausch, who was diagnosed a little over a year ago with pancreatic cancer.

Doctors recently told him he only has five months to live.

Pausch, a professor of computer science and design and co-founder of the Entertainment Technology Center (ETC), stressed that everyone can achieve their childhood dreams if they try hard enough, but that it is more important to help others achieve their dreams also.

The lecture contained both humor and wisdom as Pausch explained that others can get past the “brick walls” (things that get in the way of their dreams), just as he did, and, like him, achieve all their goals.

Pausch’s determination to help others is reflected in the impact he has had on his students and all students who went through the ETC program. Laura Pliskin, who will graduate in December with a master’s degree in entertainment technology, said she might still be working in retail were it not for Pausch, though she never had him as a professor.

“I had earned my undergraduate degree in art, but had a hard time finding a job,” Pliskin said. She met Pausch when he was shopping for an anniversary gift for his parents at the store where she worked, EngraveYard. Pausch told her about the ETC, a graduate program that he had co-founded with Don Marinelli, the executive producer, in 1998.

The ETC, as Pausch said in his lecture, involves “artists and technologists working in small teams to make things,” meaning that the ETC strives to create media that focuses on both its artistic and technological qualities. In addition to the ETC, the professor also developed Alice, interactive software that helps students learn computer programming in a hands-on and engaging manner.

Although Pausch had a hand in many of Carnegie Mellon’s classes and programs, in his lecture the professor encouraged students to “focus on others, not [themselves].” “Randy encouraged us to be forces for good. There are enough people out there making zombie extermination games,” said Phil Light, a student of Pausch’s who graduated last spring from the ETC.

Light and two teammates started Electric Owl Studios, a company devoted to making electronic toys that entertain children while they are undergoing a hospital visit or cancer treatment.

Another of Pausch’s students, Mark Tomczak, who graduated in 2005 with a B.S. degree in computer science, took Pausch’s class Building Virtual Worlds as an undergraduate student. He currently works to create training worlds for occupations such as firefighters and police officers.

“Randy believes people are capable of more than they think they are, and encouraged us to push as far as we could,” Tomczak said.

Tomczak couldn’t have taken Building Virtual Worlds without Pausch’s help, he explained. It was Pausch who convinced administrators that undergraduate students were capable of handling the course’s graduate-level coursework and should be allowed to have access to the course.

“The only reason there are undergrads in there is because Randy believed in us,” Tomczak said. “It was the single greatest experience I had in my educational career.”

At the end of the lecture, Pausch posed a final question to the audience.

“Have you figured out the head-fake?” he asked.

A ‘head-fake,’ he explained earlier, occurs when someone is taught a deeper lesson under the pretense of learning something simple — when a high school football player learns determination, teamwork, and perseverance while seeming to learn a proper three-point stance, for instance.

Give up?

“It’s not about how to achieve your dreams,” Pausch said. “It’s about how to lead your life.”

THANK YOU DR. RANDY PAUSCH!

Richard T. Mudrinich

Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man

http://www.rescuerick.com/

Yard Safety Awareness Day

Today is Sunday, June 21, 2009. It is the First Day of Summer 2009. It is another Yard Safety Awareness Day (YSAD). YSAD? I am sad because I am thinking about all of the people who had yard accidents and got hurt or died. I celebrate because I want to create awareness so that other people can be rescued from yard accidents and live safe lives. Actually, Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man celebrates Yard Safety Awareness the first day of each season. Yard safety awareness exists all year long across all different season throughout the world. Please take a moment and learn more about yard safety. Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man is here today so that yard accidents go away. Think before you cut. It hurts! Be yard safe!

Richard T. Mudrinich
Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man
http://www.rescuerick.com

Father's Day

It is FATHER'S DAY this Sunday, June 21, 2009. It is important for FATHERS around the world to teach their children about yard safety. HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Also, I want to offer my condolences and sympathies to those individuals and families whose fathers have passed away.

In particular, I want to take a moment and reflect and pay tribute to my dad, Robert N. Mudrinich (December 22, 1930 - November 13, 1995). My dad died November 13, 1995. My dad was the greatest man that I have ever known. He was Christ-like in many ways, and he was very resourceful and patient. He reached out to those less fortunate as well as those more fortunate. He was self-taught on many levels. He was an innovative and inventive genius. My dad really was a super hero. Therefore, it is no wonder that I want to save the world from yard accidents. My dad would have been the biggest fan and ingenious supporter of the Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man yard safety advocacy. Now, my dad lives with Jesus; his body rests in Morefield Cemetery located in Hermitage, Pennsylvania. My dad was a saint. He would have worn a Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man T-Shirt around town with pride until it was threads. In many ways, I do not think that my dad would be surprised by my passion to reach out to other people. He would embrace Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man, while some others think I am just an idiot. I wish that he still lived on Earth. I miss my dad. I really loved my dad. He was a great man. Before I die, I want to ride a lawn mower across America and then continue around the world. I want to be buried in my Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man super hero costume.

If my dad was alive today, the Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man yard safety campaign and its various products and services would have already reached the entire world. Please visit the Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man website http://www.rescuerick.com for additional information.

In short, I want FATHERS to learn about yard safety. I want MOTHERS to learn about yard safety. I want FAMILIES to learn about yard safety. I want CHILDREN to ask their PARENTS about yard safety. Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man is here today to promote yard safety awareness and rescue individuals, families, and institutions from yard accidents.

In addition, Richard Mudrinich is a father as well - a father and pioneer of various yard safety characters, products, and services. His nickname is Mud. Some people think that he is backwards, yet he is not Dum(b). He is Mud - Man of Unexplained Desire.

Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man (Richard T. Mudrinich) is the father and inventor of yard (garden grass grounds landscaping lawn mowing turf) safety footwear, including boots, galoshes, overshoes, and shoes. He is the father of yard safety educational concepts, tools, and venues, including apparel, artwork, coloring and activity books, comic books, software, media, etc.

Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man has given birth to a family of characters to educate and entertain folks on his yard safety awareness message. It all started with Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man after Mud had a severe lawn mower accident that resulted in the partial amputation of his left foot. Next, Tripod the Dog become the faithful sidekick of Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man. Tripod has three legs after experiencing a yard accident as well. Furthermore, MowBoVatar was born as an ambassador to the technology communities and venues as part robot and part avatar programmed with the mission to broadcast the yard safety message. The Twin Blades were introduced to represent the economic, environmental, and humanitarian challenges that exist between commerce, health, and public interest with regards to the fragile balance of saving the people versus saving the company. Army Armadillo was born to highlight the need for personal protective equipment. Toxy Turfy advocates yard chemical safety. Shaky focuses on health and machine vibration concerns. Zilch is a number man who keeps count of yard accidents and dreams of the number zero when the goal of zero yard accidents is finally achieved. There is still work that needs to be done. Moreover, Mud is the father of Yard Safety Crusaders - a growing group of concerned citizens around the world who want to communicate the yard safety message.

In addition, Mud is a serial social adventurer and father of festive informative characters. While in college, Mud created Captain Junk Food and the Four Food Groups to promote healthy nutrition and a balanced diet.

Furthermore, Mud is Richard Mudrinich as well - probably the biggest most complex character of them all. Think. Dream. Think some more. Be whatever character you want to be. Be yourself first. Live.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! I MISS MY DAD!

Richard T. Mudrinich
Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man
http://www.rescuerick.com

Carnegie Mellon

Richard “Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man” Mudrinich graduated from the Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business in May 1993. I was a marketing and entrepreneurship major with a natural passion for small business. Since graduating, I have maintained my passion for Carnegie Mellon University and its collaborative environment across all academic disciplines. In essence, Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man is a renaissance yard man who utilizes various art forms to promote yard safety awareness and advance various innovative yard safety products and services. For instance, Carnegie Mellon is a leader in many academic fields, including business, computer science, drama, engineering, psychology, robotics, etc. I had a vision to collaborate with Carnegie Mellon on Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man yard safety initiatives. I contacted a few key individuals over the past few years with my entrepreneurial inspirations. I wish that I could talk with Dr. Randy Pausch about my interactions with Carnegie Mellon. It appears that on several occasions Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man was the inspiration for several projects, including the spin-off of an edutainment workplace safety software company without me – not very nice.

(February 2004)
Carnegie Mellon University – President Jared Cohon
I have corresponded with President for several years since I had my lawn mower accident.
In addition, I was a volunteer with the MIT Enterprise Forum of New York City for a decade. (President Cohon received his PhD from MIT.)
Also, I got to know Dr. Dave D’Appolonia via the MIT Enterprise Forum of Pittsburgh.
I have contacted President Cohon several times with regards to various products and services related to RRtGCM yard safety, including yard safety footwear and yard safety software.

(February 2004)
Carnegie Mellon University – Dr. Thomas Emerson and Dean Ken Dunn
I graduated from the Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business.
I contacted Dr. Emerson and Dr. Dunn to ask for their assistance in developing my various RRtGCM yard safety products and services.
In particular, I sent them emails to notify them that I was developing yard safety footwear.

(May 2005)
Dr. John Lehoczky – Carnegie Mellon University – Dean, College of Humanities and Social Sciences
I sent Dr. Lehoczky an email (May 4, 2005) to explore the possibility of working with Carnegie Mellon University on a research study to find a cure for yard accidents with a focus on cognitive psychology.
Dean Lehoczky:
I want to find a cure for outdoor power equipment accidents. I graduated from the Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business (MBA 1993), and I have become an advocate and promoter of yard safety, featuring my character Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man (sm). Incidentally, I had a lawn mower accident about a year ago that resulted in the partial amputation of my left foot.
It is the Spring Season. Each year, there are about 100,000 lawn mower and 400,000 garden-tool-related accidents, as well as over 200 fatalities. During the past year, I have developed some relationships with various organizations with an attempt of spearheading a collaborative effort to finally solve this problem. During some preliminary conversations, I have been told that the majority of outdoor power equipment accidents could have been prevented; they are the result of “stupid human tricks” and “lack of common sense.” Apparently, there is a significant disconnect between human behavior and the real danger of the outdoor power equipment. I liken my observation to the electric bug zapper lights; the bug does not think it will get hurt until it is fried to a crisp. For some strange reason, most people are very careless and lack awareness with regards to the frequency and severity of these often times brutal and life-altering accidents. They do not think that they will get hurt until it is too late. My new life goal is to reduce outdoor power equipment accidents to zero.
I recognize that Carnegie Mellon University has one of the top psychology programs in the world, especially in cognitive psychology. I would be thrilled to speak with the appropriate individual regarding this significant phenomenon that results in so many yard accidents each year.
Furthermore, I am an advocate and promoter of yard safety, featuring my character Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man (sm). Please visit my website http://www.rescuerick.com for additional information and my BLOG http://rescuerick.blogspot.com for interactive feedback. Also, I strive to educate and entertain. Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man (sm) is a renaissance yardman utilizing various art forms to communicate the yard safety message.
I appreciate any insights and suggestions that you may provide. Furthermore, since my accident, I have had significant difficulties trying to find more traditional work. I appreciate any introductions that you might provide to facilitate a new career opportunity. I can be reached at (724) 347-4078. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Richard T. Mudrinich
Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man
2122 South Hermitage Road
Hermitage, Pennsylvania 16148

(August 2006)
Carnegie Mellon Entertainment Technology Center
Carnegie Mellon West Campus
Etcetera Edutainment – CEO, Jessica Trybus
Over the previous few years, I contacted several individuals (Jared Cohon, Don Marinelli, Randy Pausch, etc.) at the Carnegie Mellon University Entertainment Technology Center about collaborating on various education entertainment projects related to yard safety awareness.
Apparently, Carnegie Mellon decided to create the spin-off company Etcetera Edutainment to focus on industry safety applications.
I received a phone call from Jessica Trybus to discuss RRtGCM and yard safety.
Jessica Trybus spent time at the Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business entrepreneurship center seeking some guidance regarding business problems to apply entertainment technology applications.
At Tepper, Jessica Trybus was enlightened on the existence of Richard Mudrinich and the innovations of Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man in the world of yard safety – an inspiration for workplace safety and the eventual lauch of Etcetera Edutainment.
I have followed-up with Jessica Trybus about collaborating on yard safety edutainment software – to no avail.
Also, I contacted the Carnegie Mellon West Campus in Mountain View, California to introduce the concept of edutainment related to yard safety, including yard safety footwear.
I really believe that Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man influenced their decision to pursue the safety educational market niche.
I would be thrilled to collaborate with Etcetera Edutainment (as well as Electronic Arts and others).
I wish that I could talk with Dr. Randy Pausch about this situation.
I feel that Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man should receive an equity stake in Etcetera Edutainment.
Also, Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man wants to collaborate on developing yard safety edutainment software.

Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man recognizes that Carnegie Mellon has developed some existing relationships with various players in the green industry. Richard Mudrinich wants to collaborate on advancing his various genius yard safety initiatives that appear to be advanced without him.

Richard T. Mudrinich
Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man
http://www.rescuerick.com

Lawn Safety Footwear

Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man has designed yard landscaping turf grass lawn safety footwear. Incidentally, Richard Mudrinich (Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man) is the first person in the world to conceptualize and design yard safety footwear. He is driven to promote yard safety awareness and promote various products and services to rescue individuals from yard accidents. He had a severe lawn mower accident that resulted in the partial amputation of his left foot.

He has received a divine direction (patent) from God to continue to promote the concept of yard safety footwear. He recognizes that other individuals have taken his idea as their own. He wishes that those individuals would acknowledge that Richard Mudrinich (Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man) is the inventor of yard safety footwear. Furthermore, there are some individuals who exhibited unethical, unprofessional, and maybe illegal behavior with regards to private discussions, especially involving some federal, federal affiliated, and commerical organizations that exist to help an entrepreneur development his idea into a business, including protecting intellectual property.

Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man lives in pain every day because of his lawn mower accident. He is obsessive compulsive about yard safety awareness. If not for his yard accidents and promotion of yard safety awareness, including products and services, there would not be any focus of developing the niche market of yard safety footwear. Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man suggests that individuals consider their respective situations with regards to their entry into the world of yard safety footwear. It is not appropriate to steal from others. It is a violation of one of the Ten Commandments!

Nonetheless, Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man recognizes that yard safety gear is just one aspect of the overall yard safety wellness program. He realizes that most yard accidents can be prevented. Therefore, Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man stresses the importance of yard safety tips, involving suggested human behavior, so that people think and act with regards to yard safety.

Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man is the inventor of yard safety footwear (landscaping safety footwear, turf management safety footwear, lawn safety footwear, grass cutting safety footwear, yard safety footwear, etc.) Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man believes that God will provide Richard Mudrinich (Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man) the means and resources in order to complete His work. In God We Trust!

Richard T. Mudrinich
Rescue Rick the Grass Cut Man
http://www.rescuerick.com