Author Topic: My Research Paper on Flatland is Finally Done. Read it if you like!  (Read 9127 times)

Offline zraigy7

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                             Views and History of Flatland BMX Since it’s Beginnings
   Flatland BMX is a very unique sport. It is different than most other BMX disciplines. It takes time, dedication, and talent. It does not require a person to have to use any obstacles at all to perform tricks. The rider changes the bike’s position and his/her position the bike to perform various tricks. Many BMX riders who ride a different style than flatland usually ride in more than one style. Flatlanders tend to only ride flatland. This is because it takes more dedication to learn a flatland trick and a flatland bike is not built to handle the force of jumps. The bikes built for flatland are also not stable enough for jumps due to the shortness of them. (“Flatland BMX”)

   According to Adam Taylor, an editor for Ride BMX, flatland BMX is the “outcast” for many reasons. One of the reasons, Adam states, is because this style of riding is difficult on many levels and very few people have the desire and dedication to start riding flatland and stick with it. He also states some difficulties of starting to ride flatland. One reason is that a flatland bike setup is very specific and is more expensive than most other style of bikes. Next, the most basic flatland trick is more difficult than the most basic street riding, ramp riding, or dirt riding trick.  Most people do not get satisfaction when they first begin flatland riding, because they feel like they are not “going anywhere”, because beginners tend to stay in a very confined space. Adam Taylor also states, that even after a rider becomes more advanced with his/her tricks they still do not get the rush from other action sports or other disciplines of BMX. Most riders do not get an adrenaline rush from flatland because it is not as fast paced or exciting as the other styles of BMX. “It takes a very special kind of person to ride flatland and the truth of it is, in our American society, we do not have many kinds of those people.” says Adam.

   Adam Taylor also speaks of how flatland bikes have changed and progressed over the years. He says that the bikes have evolved as the sport has grown. Also, that the technology is just starting to come along since flatland is under fifty years old and is still young. Technology has allowed engineers and designers to decide which areas of the frame and parts can be lightened or removed without risking breakage under the most strenuous riding conditions. Frame geometry is another thing that has evolved, according to Taylor. “After analyzing for so many years the types of tricks people do, designers could see where a rider’s feet, legs, and hands wanted to go and where the frame would prevent them from going. Now frames are designed so the rider can move around the bike into different positions and ticks without the frame getting in their way.” says Taylor. Finally, he speaks of what flatland BMX means to him. Taylor says, “Well it means something different to every person, so that is a huge part of what it means to me—that it is individual. Even the most beginner rider will come up with a trick, link, or position that no one else has ever done before. The possibilities of what can be done with a BMX bike are absolutely endless. For me, flatland is a technical challenge. Since I ride street also, I enjoy street for the high speed factor. But flatland is fun because of the challenge it creates. So the satisfaction of a trick isn't the scared before and adrenaline rush after, but it is the mental satisfaction of doing something difficult like solving a puzzle—but a puzzle that also involves being physical.”

   Now, onto the contest perspective of how flatland BMX has changed over the years. If audiences saw flatland on television many years ago when flatland was first growing, they saw a huge slab of blacktop under the scorching sun with one guy in the middle of the vast openness. Most viewers could never make out an audience in the background. There was very little excitement in the sport and it was presented to the public in what may have been the worst way possible.  Now days, most contests or events put the audience as close to the rider as possible. The contests now days also hire announcers that interact with the audience and that understand the riders competing. If people are looking for the “danger” factor, now days flatland BMX has more of this “danger” factor. The riders spin and roll their bikes fast enough so if they fall it can hurt just as bad as falling while ramp or street riding. (“More Than Just The Riding - The Modern Progression Of Flatland”)

   Now, the image-based side of flatland. According to Adam Taylor, flatland BMX is image-based to an extent. Kids want to be cool. They may try to be like a rider that they admire because of they way he/she dresses. “Having pros that younger riders admire and may actually want to imitate is a huge step in the right direction for a sport like ours.” (“More Than Just The Riding - The Modern Progression Of Flatland”)

   There is not much of a history of flatland BMX, because flatland BMX is still under 50 years old. Safety is something that every one should take into consideration. In 1985, flatlanders used the same helmets as people who rode BMX on ramps. These riders both used the helmet of choice, the Echo helmet. In 1986, flatland contest started to come into play. The AFA introduced the Masters series in 1986. This was a nationwide freestyle contest that had four classes. These classes were: Novice, Intermediate, Expert, and Pro. This series held a ramp and flatland contest. Again in 1986, two men named Lew and Gork of Freestylin’ Magazine wrote “Freestylin II: The Book”. This was a how-to manual with the latest flatland, wedge ramp, and aerial moves. In 1987, rap music was the choice of music for flatlanders when competing. Some of the popular artists in this time were the Beastie Boys, Run DMC, and LL Cool J. (History 1980-1989)

   In conclusion, flatland is something people do because they love it. It takes dedication, time, and frustration. Flatland is the outcast of all the BMX disciplines; this is what makes flatland riders unique. Flatland is life. Just do what you love and do it for fun. Dave Alden in his story about flatland says,  “Responsibility and adulthood can suck, but as long as I have my bike, there's a part of me that will always be riding.”  ("Rage against the cube”)

Offline DaviD (dave0)

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good job man  :beer:

Offline ASC

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« Last Edit: May 18, 2009, 08:02:58 PM by ASC »
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Offline Stereolab

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The paper is by no means perfect, but keep in mind he's only in ninth grade.

Offline zraigy7

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this paper was too see if we could gather research and knew how to cite it.

Offline cmc

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Not to be a jerk, but you're probably going to need to re-write that paper.  If your teacher doesn't ask you to and gives you an A or a B, then you're not getting an education.

The main problem is the lack of a thesis and organization.   Any paper or essay should have a point. Something you are arguing.   You've got a bunch of points under the surface, but you don't actually come out and pick one.  Or, if you want to have several points, you need some kind of umbrella thesis statement at the beginning that lays them all out.

A secondary problem is you quote a person with one opinion, but don't quote any contrary opinions.  SO, you also need to quote someone who disagrees with Adam Taylor. Then you need to evaluate and make a conclusion.

For example, a thesis could be "Despite its current status as the least popular discipline of BMX bike riding, the BMX specialty known as flatland merits praise for three main reasons: the difficulty of flatland riding, the technological advancements found in flatland specific bikes, and the excitement of modern flatland competitions.

Or, "This paper will evaluate three main arguments about why flatland is the least popular of the BMX disciplines and what can be done to increase its visibility and participation.  The three assertions of flatland naysayers are (1) it is too difficult to be popular (2) flatland contest are not entertaining and (3) flatland bikes are too specialized for general riding."

HAH, once again I'm not being a jerk. I had to write TONS of papers through high school, in college as an English/Philosophy/History major, and now in my profession.  Writing is hard. The sign of a good writer is that they are willing to re-write.
If you learn to write well in 9th grade you will be way ahead of people. A lot don't learn till college, if ever.


Offline NAIRATATALF

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Not to be a jerk, but you're probably going to need to re-write that paper.  If your teacher doesn't ask you to and gives you an A or a B, then you're not getting an education.

The main problem is the lack of a thesis and organization.   Any paper or essay should have a point. Something you are arguing.   You've got a bunch of points under the surface, but you don't actually come out and pick one.  Or, if you want to have several points, you need some kind of umbrella thesis statement at the beginning that lays them all out.

A secondary problem is you quote a person with one opinion, but don't quote any contrary opinions.  SO, you also need to quote someone who disagrees with Adam Taylor. Then you need to evaluate and make a conclusion.

For example, a thesis could be "Despite its current status as the least popular discipline of BMX bike riding, the BMX specialty known as flatland merits praise for three main reasons: the difficulty of flatland riding, the technological advancements found in flatland specific bikes, and the excitement of modern flatland competitions.

Or, "This paper will evaluate three main arguments about why flatland is the least popular of the BMX disciplines and what can be done to increase its visibility and participation.  The three assertions of flatland naysayers are (1) it is too difficult to be popular (2) flatland contest are not entertaining and (3) flatland bikes are too specialized for general riding."

HAH, once again I'm not being a jerk. I had to write TONS of papers through high school, in college as an English/Philosophy/History major, and now in my profession.  Writing is hard. The sign of a good writer is that they are willing to re-write.
If you learn to write well in 9th grade you will be way ahead of people. A lot don't learn till college, if ever.



can you describe vision to the blind
can the deaf appreciate music
you do not know anything about flatland
but you wish to describe flatland to people who know nothing of it
you choose words to describe flatland
you will be unsuccesful
you deserve an F

Offline cmc

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can you describe vision to the blind
can the deaf appreciate music
you do not know anything about flatland
but you wish to describe flatland to people who know nothing of it
you choose words to describe flatland
you will be unsuccesful
you deserve an F

Sure, write a poem about the inexplicability of flatland. That's cool with me!
"Words cannot describe" however is not poetry. It's a cop out.  Poetry means putting the inexplicable into words. Try harder next time.

As for the research paper advice, I was tellin a brutha how to make an A in a class.  That's the sum of it.




Offline NAIRATATALF

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can you describe vision to the blind
can the deaf appreciate music
you do not know anything about flatland
but you wish to describe flatland to people who know nothing of it
you choose words to describe flatland
you will be unsuccesful
you deserve an F

Sure, write a poem about the inexplicability of flatland. That's cool with me!
"Words cannot describe" however is not poetry. It's a cop out.  Poetry means putting the inexplicable into words. Try harder next time.

As for the research paper advice, I was tellin a brutha how to make an A in a class.  That's the sum of it.





you do not anything about poetry either
you wouldnt know poetry if you were to meet W.B. Yeats and Oscar Wilde
you wish to be an intellectual
you are infact ineffectual
you are truly comprised of inferior genetic material
« Last Edit: May 19, 2009, 04:21:47 AM by NAIRATATALF »

Offline ASC

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Poetry ;D

W.B. Yeats and Oscar Wilde: That's limiting.
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Offline NAIRATATALF

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Re: My Research Paper on Flatland is Finally Done. Read it if you like!
« Reply #10 on: May 19, 2009, 04:28:16 AM »
Poetry ;D

W.B. Yeats and Oscar Wilde: That's limiting.

tsk tsk tsk
neela has been crushed
her feelings have not been spared
her true love has been rejected
i'll let you take that cheap shot for
i have done far worse to you

Offline ASC

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Re: My Research Paper on Flatland is Finally Done. Read it if you like!
« Reply #11 on: May 19, 2009, 04:30:51 AM »
True love? Go On I'd like to more on this...N







"pulling the plug all the way out".
« Last Edit: May 19, 2009, 05:01:53 AM by ASC »
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Offline NAIRATATALF

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Re: My Research Paper on Flatland is Finally Done. Read it if you like!
« Reply #12 on: May 19, 2009, 04:40:51 AM »
True love? Go On I'd like to more on this...N

oh do not be in denial my dear
you had lost your appetite
eating only bread and butter
thoughts of flatatarian would make your stomach curdle
and your heatbeats flutter
i like you but lets just be friends
you need to move on
i am not the one for you
find someone else

Offline ASC

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Re: My Research Paper on Flatland is Finally Done. Read it if you like!
« Reply #13 on: May 19, 2009, 04:56:04 AM »
First to the original postee. Sorry that your topic is being crashed.

NIRATATALF/(lower caps-flatatarian) is bent on bringing my name into his game... "tell me who your friends are and I'll tell you who you are."  Go On...N
« Last Edit: May 19, 2009, 05:13:22 AM by ASC »
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Offline NAIRATATALF

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Re: My Research Paper on Flatland is Finally Done. Read it if you like!
« Reply #14 on: May 19, 2009, 05:06:27 AM »
First to the original postee. Sorry that your topic is being crashed.

NIRATATALF is bent on bringing my name into his game... "tell me who your friends are and I'll tell you who you are."  Go On...N

my friends are the beasts of the lands
my friends are the birds of the sky
my friends are the fish in the sea
now "go on", tell me who i am