Abstract: A marble race game is made such that tracks for marbles to roll along are formed by a V-groove between flexible tubes that are held side-by-side. The racetrack starts at a higher elevation and transverses downward sloping such that gravity accelerates the marbles along the racetrack. Since the racetrack is made of flexible tubes it may be bent into any form that the imagination can conjure such as curves, loops, hills, figure eights and other convoluted shapes, as well as over, around and through objects. The fun for the game player is in designing a convoluted track where a marble will reach the end of the track successfully. If three or more tubes are placed and held side-by-side, a racetrack is formed where two or more marbles can be raced together. This racing action increases the enjoyment and allows for multiple players.

Abstract: An article of footwear has ventilation and shock absorption provided by a mechanism which may be constructed within or added to the footwear. A first chamber beneath the heel draws external air through a conduit which includes a one-way valve. As a wearer walks, the heel compresses the first chamber, forcing the air through a special second valve causing directional airflow to a second chamber in a controlled manner thereby absorbing the shock of the heel strike in the same manner a shock absorber functions in an automobile. As weight is transferred from the heel to the ball of the foot, further cushioning is provided by the second chamber. Specifically designed vents connected to the second chamber allow air to be forced into the region of the shoe around the foot. Expansion of the air from these vents affects cooling and drying of the foot through evaporation and convection.

Abstract: A method for making semiconductor devices includes selectively simultaneously and momentarily irradiating a semiconductor substrate surface by a pulsed laser through a mask positioned between and spaced away from laser and substrate to briefly melt sub-regions of that surface. An optical beam reducer system is interposed between the relatively large separate mask and the substrate. An optical expander system is interposed between the laser and the mask to further increase the possible mask size and further reduce the radiation density at the mask. Wet photolithographic processing may be eliminated for selective diffusions of dopants, for selective epitaxy, for selectively converting polysilicon layers over silicon substrates to monocrystalline silicon layers and for selectively etching the substrate by a plasma induced by the patterned laser energy. Semiconductor device manufacture may thereby be greatly simplified.