"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

categories

360 (2)
advice (93)
AI (6)
Apple (50)
architecture (9)
art (41)
beer (1)
bloody quotations (61)
blue wobbly stuff (19)
can't make it up! (68)
charts (1)
clothes (24)
cycling (202)
daren't parent (21)
empires flux (26)
energy (7)
facebook (31)
family (29)
film (50)
food (27)
friends (14)
Gallery of the bleedin' obvious (43)
Global Guerillas (17)
Google (33)
graffiti (2)
gravity life (29)
Hackney (14)
health (5)
heroes (16)
hills (110)
iPad (28)
iPhone (38)
kaffs (1)
learning (2)
LFC (3)
Lingo (12)
lists (10)
location+ (25)
lyrics (17)
maps & mapping (37)
music (33)
Nerds (90)
nothing new under the sun (13)
one world (78)
peak district (14)
photography (36)
prognosticators (42)
scofflaws, tolerated crime and hypocrites (69)
social media tools (20)
space (6)
Sport? what sport? (29)
stage (1)
stuff (243)
swimming (20)
tank life (16)
the law (18)
the new 'priest class' (97)
the state we're in (281)
thinkers (3)
time (4)
transport (43)
travel (55)
tribal (13)
twitter (18)
waffle (104)
Wales (47)
weather (3)
women (9)
world of work (14)
writing (35)

WP Cumulus Flash tag cloud by Roy Tanck and Luke Morton requires Flash Player 9 or better.

"Like I always say, there's no 'I' in "team". There is a 'me', though, if you jumble it up."

respice prospice

We would worry less about what others think of us if we realized how seldom they do.
Wisdom - that part of knowledge that isn't only true, but also happens to be helpful.
writetothem.com
Wisdom speaks softly... Thereafter the volume increases proportionate to the level of ignorance
A punctured bicycle
On a hillside desolate
Will nature make a man of me yet?
All designed objects are propaganda for a certain way of life.
Sometimes we need to stop analysing the past, stop planning the future, stop figuring out precisely how we feel, stop deciding exactly what we want, and just see what happens.
We are not the same persons this year as last; nor are those we love. It is a happy chance if we, changing, continue to love a changed person.
"Never ascribe to malice that which can be explained by incompetence." --Napoleon Bonaparte

BMI Calculator

unit  
age  
sex  
height ft in
weight lb
height cm
weight kg
by calculator.net
The best designed clothes: invite being removed but reward being kept on.
It's that you just can't take the effect and make it the cause

It's official!

Russian subs stalk Trident in echo of Cold War

A specially upgraded Russian Akula class submarine has been caught trying to record the acoustic signature made by the Vanguard submarines that carry Trident nuclear missiles, according to senior Navy officers.

Russian subs stalk Trident in echo of Cold War – Telegraph.

Jeremy Hunt: when only the freshest information will do | Bloggerheads

Jeremy Hunt has recently suggested that hooliganism caused the Hillsborough disaster in which 96 people died, then apologised “IF his comments caused any offence” (which many regard to be a more offensive gesture than his original remarks). There are, at the time of writing, 150 comments published under the short apology on his website.

But the people leaving comments on Jeremy Hunt’s ‘blog’ deserve to be warned that Jeremy’s apology is scheduled for deletion (probably within a month) along with any comment(s) they contribute.

No, I am not extrapolating wildly from Jeremy Hunt’s recent mass deletion of tweets; [

continue reading Jeremy Hunt: when only the freshest information will do | Bloggerheads

]

Redbridge council: suppressing cycling and promoting car dependency

On this street every single house has off-street parking for at least two vehicles. Baron Gardens is a very wide street, four to five lanes wide, which could easily be converted to a cycling-friendly street on the Dutch model. Instead the ‘cycling-friendly’ council has re-allocated road space to car parking. Not only are there parking bays at the side of the road, parking bays have even been created down the middle.

This is car dependency gone mad. It also deters cycling, because it creates lengthy pinch points where cyclists are forced into conflict with vehicles approaching from [

continue reading #Redbridge council: suppressing #cycling and promoting #car-dependency

]

over land or sea or foam, the English Channel

Road violence against children in Britain

The extraordinary level of road violence against Britain’s children is underlined by a new report. This report will, of course, be totally ignored by the Department for Transport, politicians, the medical profession, the new ConDem petrolhead government, and the Association of Chief Police Officers, all of whom are full committed to the car supremacist status quo. By tomorrow this report will be forgotten and will recede into the mist.

One child in every class is killed or injured in a road accident by the time they are 16, new figures show.

During their childhood one [

continue reading Road violence against children in Britain

]

1960's MERCIAN ADVERT

Chris 531 has added a photo to the pool:

(CLICK HERE FOR MORE »» Mercian Cycles , owners frames and bikes Pool 1960′s MERCIAN ADVERT: .)

A Look Inside Cicli Devotion

Never before has an entry on this blog merited over twenty photos and never before has there been as much beauty in a single entry. Bicycle fanatics are some of the most eccentric people on the face of the Earth. Their passion unites generations of cyclists and their love for two wheels makes the world a healthier place. I’m sure every town has one and in NYC, there are dozens. Most of which are in their 50′s leaving a few in their 30′s. Cicli Devotion is run by the latter. Matthew Devotion has one of the [

continue reading A Look Inside Cicli Devotion

]

The CTC: suppressing cycling

Let’s say it again. Among the greatest obstacles to the development of mass cycling in Britain are the nation’s two leading cycling organisations, the Cyclists’ Touring Club and the London Cycling Campaign. They both deeply damage the prospect of cycling ever really taking off in Britain.

Both are fundamentally committed to the doomed strategy of ameliorating the conditions of vehicular cycling. Cycle lanes are a perfect example of this campaign strategy, supposedly delivering an improvement in conditions for cycling. The fact that cycle lanes have failed to raise cycling’s modal share is of no interest to the [

continue reading The #CTC : suppressing #cycling

]

Golden Era or Flash In the Pan?

After witnessing such heady exuberance within the bike industry during last summer’s “bike boom”, it’s no surprise that few could foresee the current industry downturn, probably brought on by lower gas prices and the deepening recession. Those who were prudent should weather the winter, but it’s going to be a tough road for those dealers who were carried away by the promise of a new golden era of cycling and over-bought for the coming season.

(CLICK HERE FOR MORE »» EcoVelo » Blog Archive » Golden Era or Flash In the Pan?: [

continue reading Golden Era or Flash In the Pan?

]

rolling

News Flash: Bike Commuting is NOT Base Jumping

People often use the fact that they don’t have showers at their work as a reason for not bike commuting. This is a silly excuse. I assume your work has a bathroom? If so, all you need is a towel, a change of clothes, a hair brush, and some deodorant to get you through the day. Also, bike commuting is not bike racing. Leave 5-10 minutes earlier and slow down to a pace that keeps your heart rate comfortably below the point of huffing and puffing; about the same as if you were taking a casual walk. [

continue reading News Flash: Bike Commuting is NOT Base Jumping

]

Cyclists: claim your lane, says IAM

The IAM, the UK’s largest independent road safety charity, recommends cyclists:

Take up a primary position around 75-100m before reaching a junction, in the centre of the lane, providing it is safe to do so. This move will mean that drivers exiting the junction will be more likely to see the cyclist as they are in the same traffic flow as more hazardous vehicles. Take the “secondary position” when cycling along a straight stretch of road which is clear of junctions [

continue reading Cyclists: claim your lane, says IAM

]

be an ARSE and email while driving with Text'nDrive Pro for iPhone (!!! you what?)

Well this is rich isn’t it? “If the app stops you having one ‘bad’ accident” – what is the sliding-scale and what would be accidental!! SHAME ON YOU TUAW – AND APPLE© FOR ALLOWING IT ON iTunes.

Is Text’nDrive Pro worth $19.99? If you avoid even one traffic citation for “texting while driving,” you’d probably come out ahead. If the app keeps you from having a bad accident while you’re distracted by your iPhone, then it’s worth every penny you pay for it, and more.

(CLICK HERE FOR MORE »» TUAW review: Email while driving with Text’nDrive [

continue reading be an ARSE and email while driving with Text’nDrive Pro for iPhone (!!! you what?)

]

To Boldly Go … | Video channel on TED.com

At TED, the spirit of adventure runs deep. An explorer’s tale can move us, enrich our knowledge and awaken the wanderer within.Through pictures and words, we accompany Ben Saunders on his incredible journey to the North Pole — on skis, alone. Planetary scientist Carolyn Porco takes us along the spacecraft Cassini‘s voyage to Saturn and its mysterious moons. And adventurer Bill Stone talks about his exploration of the deepest caverns on Earth — and how his experiences there will help his mission to discover life in the outer reaches of the solar system.

To Boldly Go … | Video [

continue reading To Boldly Go … | Video channel on TED.com

]

The #bike #wheel that’s too clever for its own good

File this cycling invention under “solution in search of a problem”. A team of design engineers at MIT, led by Christine Outram and Carlo Ratti, last week won the US national round of the James Dyson award for their “Copenhagen wheel”.

Effectively, it’s a wheel that turns a normal bike into an electric one and throws in some “cycling 2.0″ web elements, as Jack Schofield described it when it was unveiled during the Copenhagen climate summit last December. It stands to win £10,000 if it goes on to win the international prize of the design engineering awards, and [

continue reading The #bike #wheel that’s too clever for its own good

]

Mid-life crisis? Enter the ‘MAMIL’

“The past three years have seen the rise of the uber-techno, super-flashy, full-carbon fibre, bobby-dazzler road bike. The market for these bikes has expanded faster than a 45-year-old’s waistline, partly thanks to the success of the British cycling stars at the Beijing Olympics. Marketing departments have produced smart advertising messages that encourage a bit of freedom, elite performance and memories of teenage derring-do.

And the result can be seen on Saturday and Sunday mornings as middle-aged blokes polish the rear derailleur, lower the mirrored shades and pedal into the hills. Every couple of weeks, you’ll see a girth of [

continue reading Mid-life crisis? Enter the ‘MAMIL’

]

Russians remember Kursk submarine disaster, 10 years on

Another year gone, ” above us the waves no more”.

The Kursk – courtesy of Wikipedia

Ceremonies are being held in Russia and on board its naval vessels to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Kursk nuclear submarine disaster.

The submarine, one of the Russian navy’s most advanced vessels, sank in the Barents Sea on 12 August, 2000 with the loss of all 118 people on board.

An explosion of fuel from an old torpedo caused the disaster.

BBC News – Russians remember Kursk submarine disaster, 10 years [

continue reading Russians remember Kursk submarine disaster, 10 years on

]

This cheered me up – now for some stretching

followed on from a Kottke.org post

(CLICK HERE FOR MORE »» kottke.org Cinema of Attractions: .)

The Ross sisters came from Texas – why does Texas endlessly surprise me? Then we get Dickie Henderson and Gunnersbury cemetery – what are the chances of that?

Sobi: A Leaner, and Maybe Smarter, Bike-Sharing System

If you stripped an urban bike-sharing system down to its bare essentials and tossed in a healthy dose of technology, you might end up with SoBi, the "social bicycle system."

SoBi uses a gizmo that fastens to the back of any bike and functions as a lock, a GPS unit, and a bike computer. With a SoBi account, you can use a mobile app (of course) to find an available bike nearby. When you're done, you just lock it to an existing bike rack where someone else can pick it up. Without the need for [

continue reading Sobi: A Leaner, and Maybe Smarter, Bike-Sharing System

]

London’s Do-It-Yourself Approach to Safer Streets

Called “DIY Streets,” the program brings neighbors together to help them redesign their streets in a way that puts people, safety, and streetlife first. So far, individual streets have benefited from DIY redesigns in 11 communities in England and Wales. Recently Streetfilms got a walk through of one successful DIY project — on Clapton Terrace in London. With the people who made it happen as our guides, we saw how planners and neighbors collaborated to transform a place where speeding used to rule into a local street with calm traffic and safe space to socialize.

Streetfilms | London’s [

continue reading London’s Do-It-Yourself Approach to Safer Streets

]

Cycling to work

Nice Graphic but they forgot to write an article worthy of it!

FT.com / Magazine – The Information: Cycling to work.

Want to promote cycling? Cut back car adverts now

The outcome of all that PR for cars is more sales as well as more congestion, more pollution and a greater demand for scarce parking spaces. There would have been no need for the congestion charge in London if not for the success of the auto industry’s publicity machine and the popularity of motoring programmes.

Reversing the trend of ever-increasing car ownership and use is not as difficult as it seems. If governments were to limit car advertising, as they did with alcohol and tobacco when the health impacts were recognised, people would take decisions about their [

continue reading Want to promote cycling? Cut back car adverts now

]

the ‘Road Popper’ bicycle-mounted bottle opener

Designed by Adam Pickard, the stainless steel Road Popper fastens to the rails of your saddle to provide a luxurious bottle opening experience. Well, at least it holds the price tag of a luxury item, but the $40/€30 (inc. shipping) is justified in the product being is fabricated to order – ‘we developed for our own use and decided afterward to share’. Fair enough mate, I mean I’ll be sticking to whatever piece of rubbish opener/lighter I can get my hands on to open my brews but it’s still a cool product I reckon! available HERE

[

continue reading the ‘Road Popper’ bicycle-mounted bottle opener

]

National Travel Survey shows falling levels of youth people cycling

The government recently published their National Travel Survey, looking at the stats and patterns in the UK’s transport habits during 2009.

The campaigning department at CTC thrives on this kind of data, and Chris Peck shared some of the survey’s insights with me. It is a mixed picture.

[

continue reading National Travel Survey shows falling levels of youth people cycling

]

The Phil Liggett CTC Challenge, Sheffield 2010

The Phil Liggett CTC Challenge.

Robillard Victor – the bike frame unthunk

It all began with this question:

“If the bicycle is the standard bearer for sustainable transportation, shouldn’t the object itself communicate the same message?”

via Robillard victor.

Apple looks to make bikes ‘Smart’

The Patently Apple blog shared information today about a patent application from Apple that details development of a “Smart Bicycle System.” Here at BikePortland headquarters we recently received a GPS unit to try out from the folks at Strava, developers of an online tool that lets people share and compare their routes and times.

BikePortland.org » Blog Archive » Apple looks to make bikes ‘Smart’.

After ‘Dykes on Bikes’ is AA Gill going to go on about ‘Fairies in Fords’

In 2008, The Times columnist Matthew Parris was slapped over the wrist by the Press Complaints Commission after he used his column in The Times to write about the decapitation of cyclists.

Parris had started his article thus: “A festive custom we could do worse than foster would be [

continue reading After ‘Dykes on Bikes’ is AA Gill going to go on about ‘Fairies in Fords’

]

if you go down to the woods today

Local trails ala cx from Andy Wardman on Vimeo.