Still, it is a lot better than most. From Sheldon Comics.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
This definitely matches my last airline experience
Remember, you're not made of legos
A good reminder that cyclists should NOT run red lights. Even when it seems safe.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Mod-Blog Welcomes "Baby EEG"
All of us here at Mod-Blog want to extend a BIG congratulations to Quizwedge and Mrs. Quizwedge on the birth of their daughter, Baby EEG. May she be a joy to you both every day of her life.
Obama: Make the School Year Longer
If President Obama had any hope of recovering his approval rating among teens, he probably just lost it when he announced support for making children go to school longer each day and each year. The reasoning given is that schoolchildren in other developed nations have longer school years, and are learning more than Americans.
"Now, I know longer school days and school years are not wildly popular ideas," the president said earlier this year. "Not with Malia and Sasha, not in my family, and probably not in yours. But the challenges of a new century demand more time in the classroom."This is not a new idea. When I was in high school, they were talking about year-round schooling and experimenting with alternative school schedules. Very few showed any concrete results. Then again, it does seem strange that we're still observing school schedules based on the corn harvest in parts of the country where you can't find a corn stalk.
"Our school calendar is based upon the agrarian economy and not too many of our kids are working the fields today," Education Secretary Arne Duncan said in a recent interview with The Associated Press.
Remembering my first days on two wheels
I have only been cycling for a little over a year now. I started in June 2008 with the intention of using my bike as nothing more than an exercise tool to lose weight (which worked VERY well, by the way). A year and 4 months later, I am in nearly the best shape of my life and love cycling for its own sake. I love the cool kiss of the wind in my face, the sense of complete freedom that is found on two wheels. So, it was an interesting experience this past weekend when an old friend visited and decided to ride along with us along the Stratford Shoreline. It was like looking back in time to my first few weeks on the bike as I watched him remember how it all worked, and watched the miles grind at his legs. Of course, he is in much better shape than I was back then, but still I was reminded that my first ride was about 2 miles long and exhausted me. Nowadays, I sometimes ride 20 miles without becoming that tired.
Here is hoping that I can keep this up and be even more fit in 2010. And that I can share my joy in cycling with more friends.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Three felonies a day?!
In politics, there is much hay to be made by passing laws and very little to be made by repealing them. This is often seen in my home state of Connecticut where many so-called "blue laws" exist, which are regulations put into place back in the Puritan era for specific reasons which no longer are relevant today, but which the legislature can't find the votes to repeal.
A civil liberties lawyer has begun an analysis of the U.S. legal system which has found that between this propensity to pass laws and never update or repeal obsolete ones, added to a new trend in American law to remove the idea of "criminal intent", has lead to a situation where he estimates the average American commits 3 felonies a day.
Technology moves so quickly we can barely keep up, and our legal system moves so slowly it can't keep up with itself. By design, the law is built up over time by court decisions, statutes and regulations. Sometimes even criminal laws are left vague, to be defined case by case. Technology exacerbates the problem of laws so open and vague that they are hard to abide by, to the point that we have all become potential criminals...
Other misunderstandings of the Web criminalize the exercise of First Amendment rights. A Saudi student in Idaho was charged in 2003 with offering "material support" to terrorists. He had operated Web sites for a Muslim charity that focused on normal religious training, but was prosecuted on the theory that if a user followed enough links off his site, he would find violent, anti-American comments on other sites. The Internet is a series of links, so if there's liability for anything in an online chain, it would be hard to avoid prosecution.
Magnetic Pedals
In the last year, I have learned a lot about the "standard" technologies that serious cyclists use. Some make perfect sense to me, like the jerseys and shorts. But others just seem like a bad idea to me. At the top of the "bad idea" list is clipless pedals - pedals that snap into a connector on the bottom of specially-made cycling shoes. Why are these a bad idea? Because you have to learn exactly how to detach the shoes from the pedals using a very specific motion. I have not yet met a cyclist who has used these who does NOT have a horror story about a needless crash because they failed to get their feet off the pedals in time.
That being said, the purpose behind these pedals is clear - they keep your feet on the pedals even in ice or rain, and they keep your feet attached at the position best for transmitting power.
Now, a company has invented a new system of magnetic pedals that attach to the bottom of pretty much ANY shoe to which a metal plate has been attached. This is a GREAT idea to provide all the advantages of clipless pedals, without the risk of getting tangled up during a sudden stop. I hope the cost of these comes down quickly for consumer/hobbyist models.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Gyroscope to replace Training Wheels?
This works far better than I ever imagined. They put a gyroscope into the front wheel of a children's bike to provide enhanced stability similar to training wheels.
iPhone-powered Heads-Up Display
The iPhone is quickly evolving from a musical cell-phone into the center of a connected lifestyle. These Japanese developers have put together an iPhone-powered system for bicyclists, which provide a GPS-enabled heads-up display. It flips out on command to give you a cyclist's-eye-view of the road overlaid with nearby landmarks and points of interest. This kind of technology really has the potential to change the way we ride and the way we live.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Lawyer's Advice for a Bike Crash
Everyone hopes that they'll never be in a crash. But as with most things, you have to prepare most for the things you most hope will never happen. So, as cyclists, we wear helmets, we carry cell phones, we wear Road IDs, and (when possible) we ride in groups. But what do you do if you are in an accident involving another vehicle, especially a motor vehicle? How do you take care of yourself, while also protecting your rights? A lawyer in Ohio who is also a cyclist has some good tips.
- Don’t Move.
- Call the POLICE at 911.
- Seek medical attention.
- Take Photos.
- Keep a Journal.
- Don’t fix your bike right away.
- Stay Organized.
Fair warning, the site is also an advertisement for the lawyer's services. But the advice is still sound.
Biking Update - September 26, 2009
Back pain all week this week - not sure if it started as physical or emotional - meant no biking. Stayed strictly on plan for eating, but weight fluctuated wildly. I am still in my range, but nowhere near where I'd like to be. Hopefully, this weekend I can get back on the bike and start losing again.
Friday, September 25, 2009
H1N1 changing the church... again
This happened in the late Winter when H1N1 first really was a new scare, but it is worth noting the return of significant changes to the ways that churches allow their members to interact. Priests and pastors are asking people not to shake hands, to stay home if they are sick, and banning celebrations of the Eucharist/Communion with shared goblets.
These are pretty much common-sense ways to fight the spread of a virulent disease, but here is hoping church leaders and members are wise enough to realize the limits of these measures. People who are not attending church sometimes go into the "out of sight, out of mind" part of our collective consciousness, and we may easily lose out on the chance to help someone out in need. Likewise, needless touching may be avoidable, but we should keep in mind that sometimes we NEED a loving contact and a hug can make all the difference for someone who is suffering... even if it raises the chances of flu transmission.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Sabbath Days really work
Once upon a time, the Sabbath Day's Rest - one day a week totally free from work - was considered a core American value. It came out of the Judeo-Christian heritage but was observed by pretty much all walks of life. But as the 20th century washed over us, it became harder and harder to take off any time from work. And the 21st century has made it even worse with cell phones and Blackberries that make it virtually impossible to avoid your coworkers when they want to reach you. In some areas of my company, workaholics think nothing of sending an e-mail at 2 AM and castigating a coworker for not responding immediately.
But new studies are indicating that days off are not only a "good thing", but key to productivity. Consulting companies are finding if they enforce "time off" provisions and require workers to be home for dinner, their other work hours are more productive and their stress levels are reduced. Those with poor work habits are exposed, highlighting the need to learn basic time management skills. And, it forces project teams to communicate, because they all know that the "expert" will be unavailable at least one day a week.
This is a lesson that America needs to learn quickly. We've always valued hard work, but in the Recession it is starting to look like we ONLY value hard work. But there are many other things that make life worth living.
Bicycle Vocabulary
As with any new hobby, one of the first hurdles to get over is the jargon that surrounds it. It can be quite intimidating for the new cyclist to hear the many complicated questions asked at a bike shop using unfamiliar words like "crank set", "derailleur", and "drop tube". This little video can be a lifesaver, as it walks you thru the basic anatomy of your bicycle and gives all the basic terms you'll need to talk about it intelligently.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Bike Lanes may be counterproductive
One of my great joys when visiting Ward and Muse in Delaware - and yes, I had my GREATEST joy from seeing them and Baby E - was seeing actual Bike Lanes. Connecticut has few to no bike lanes. There are sidewalks and shoulders, but that is it. It was so nice to find a space on the road reserved for cyclists. But it appears that bike lanes may not be the great thing that I think they are, as a new study shows that automobile drivers actually give cyclists less room in bike lanes than riding on the road.
Apparently, they trick drivers into thinking they can ignore cyclists so long as they stay out of the bike lane. This means drivers no longer pay any attention to cyclists, and provide less room for the unexpected (like swerves to avoid broken glass in the road).
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Bicycle Laws by State
We started off the day with bicycle safety and general rules for good riding. Let's end off the day with the specific laws that govern bicycles in your state! This handy-dandy list has links to the local biking laws in virtually every state in the Union. This has been extremely useful for me when I travel, although to be honest the laws governing bikes don't vary much and if you wear a helmet and generally stay off the sidewalk and off of highways, you cover most of the laws.
More Government Waste
Thanks to Mod-Blog reader and friend "Nick" for letting us know about "The Airport for No One". Waste, no matter which political party it is, is still waste. We, the taxpayers, are subsidizing the Johnstown, PA airport at a cost of about $100 per passenger since fewer than 30 passengers per day use the airport. On top of this, they recently received money to build a second runway when the first one is barely being used! The reason some voted against stopping funding? It singled out that one airport. While I am sure that there are other federal subsidies that need to be cut, better to cut one than none at all.
Interactive MRI Scan
If you know me outside of the blog, you know that my father died of brain cancer. In the course of his treatments, he had many MRI - magnetic resonance images taken of his head. It brought about an interest in me for the art. Now one blogger has put his own MRI online for others to see. Click on over. It is fascinating to see all the slices of his brain, to see the structure of the home of our thoughts.
Road Rules (for Bikes)
My own story - losing 75 lbs in a year by bicycling - has inspired a number of my friends to take up cycling as a hobby or weight-loss plan. Many have not been on a bicycle since childhood, and thus figure the "rules of the road" for bicycling is "stay in the driveway". But bicycling has matured a good deal since then, and the roads have also gotten more crowded and less safe. It is important when riding as an adult to know the rules of the road and the laws that govern how we ride. "Bicycling Street Smarts" is a good introduction to riding on town and city streets. It lays out the laws that govern cyclists in most states, and the best techniques for staying safe. It is 100% free, as well.
Of course, every state has its own unique laws. Be sure to check out the laws where you live.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Yet Another Trojan Horse on the Web
If you have forgotten, let me say it again: "Always be careful of what sites you visit and what software you download." A trojan horse dubbed "CLAMPI" first came out in July of this year - hiding in the code of malicious websites - and has begun spreading again in earnest in the last month.
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article6841779.ece
What is unusual about "CLAMPI" is that is specifically targets banking and gambling sites. Once it has installed itself onto a system, it remains hidden until the user visits a known "high value" site. It then goes active and will steal any financial information it can gets its hands onto including bank account numbers, credit card numbers, usernames, passwords, etc.
This virus targets Windows computers specifically. If you are running a version of MacOS X or Linux, you appear to be safe. It is unclear if Windows 7 is vulnerable. If you are running Windows, be sure to upgrade your antivirus software ASAP, and be watching your statements for any suspicious charges.
http://www.symantec.com/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2008-011616-5036-99
If Bosnia is headed back toward chaos...
...then what are our hopes to create a long-term democracy in Afghanistan? Such is the question George Will is asking in his newest column. Bosnia was the unique challenge of the Clinton years, and an unprecedented commitment of resources by Western nations funneled over $14 billion into the small country. But already, we are seeing the fragile peace beginning to fray.
Today, the centrifugal forces of the rival ethnic nationalisms of Bosnia's Muslims, Croats and Serbs have, McMahon and Western say, stalled reform and the economy -- unemployment is 27 percent, 25 percent of Bosnians live in poverty, and the public sector, with a ludicrous 160 ministers, swallows almost half the GDP. International organizations, suffering Balkan fatigue and eager to declare "mission accomplished,'' are withdrawing, leaving Muslims isolated and vulnerable, and, as Bosnia is, McMahon and Western say, "drifting toward chaos."This humbling news is a good reminder to us that the creation of a new form of government is NOT a matter of money. Or even of military power. It is a matter of changing minds and hearts. And this seems to be something we have done in Iraq, but are failing to do in most of the other hot spots around the world.
Road ID - Help the EMTs Help You
I love to bike, both alone and with groups. But when I ride alone, I have one big worry - that I'll have a crash and be unable to call for help. I do my best to prepare by keeping a cell phone with me, carrying my wallet with my driver's license, and following well-known routes when biking alone. But there is always the chance of the psycho driver, or the hidden pothole which could flip me over the handlebars and knock me out. Then the EMTs would be forced to treat me with only the clues about my identity they can find quickly.
The answer is Road ID. This simple product is a high-strength metal tab that you wear either on a wrist-band (shown below) or as a dog tag. The tab is laser-etched with personal information that you provide (I give my mother and brother's phone numbers) and is likely to stay with you even when your cell phone might go flying or be cracked. A MedicAlert-like service is also offered which provides a phone number that First Responders can call to get up-to-the-minute personal contact info, but personally I stick with the simpler version.
In my opinion, this is a must-have to ever serious cyclist who rides alone.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Bike Mount for your iPhone
I love to bike, but I also love my iPhone 3GS. The device is the best PDA I have ever owned (speaking as someone who has owned wireless-connected PDAs since the Palm VII, and PDAs back to Windows CE-powered Phillips Niño), as well as a great tool for computing with a good GPS. I bring it along on all of my rides, but until now it has always been kept in a back pocket of my jersey (sealed in a zip-lock bag when it is wet out). Finally, Dahon is making a good, solid bike mount for the iPhone. The mount locks in place to the handlebars, is silicon-based to hold the phone without scratching, is waterproof, allows full interaction with the screen while sealed, and can be rotated to take advantage of the different functions of portrait and landscape mode. When this comes out, it may well replace my dedicated bike GPS altogether.
It will be out in January for 49 Euros which is about $70.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Zero Miles Per Gallon
I am no "Activist" when it comes to bicycles, but I do enjoy that slightly self-righteous feeling of burning no gas and losing weight while going places. So, I was happy to discover a place with a number of clever sitckers, t-shirts, and other products which advertise the advantages of cycling. Even if you're not a cyclist, you may enjoy stopping by for a chuckle.
Biking Update - September 19, 2009
No biking this week, due to a combination of pulling my back and having very few nights without activities. But weight stayed in a reasonable range. I am hoping that this next week will be better for my life on two wheels.
Friday, September 18, 2009
WWE CEO Running for Senate
No, we don't mean Vincent Kennedy McMahon. It is his wife Linda McMahon who is running for the Republican nomination for the Senate from Connecticut. Should she be successful she would run against Senator Chris Dodd in November of 2010. Linda McMahon has been on many government boards and is one of the most prominent businesswomen in Connecticut. She has said that she will self finance her campaign.
ASCAP tries to Squeeze Apple & iTunes
The music makers are in a quandary. By failing to embrace digital downloads early on, they failed to create a revenue stream on their own terms via the internet and are now dependent on Apple. When they want to increase their revenue stream, they can only do so with the help of a company that only sells music in order to sell iPods and iPhones. They have been trying to get Apple to raise rates and increase royalties, and have failed. So now they are taking their fight to Congress to charge even for previews.
Songwriters, composers, and music publishers are making preparations to one day collect performance fees from Apple and other e-tailers for not just traditional music downloads but for downloads of films and TV shows as well. Those downloads contain music after all.While I appreciate the pressures the Great Recession is having on the music industry, they need to be more careful or they may unwittingly drive customers back to BitTorrents. Creative workers need to be paid, but they also need to be wise.
These groups even want compensation for iTunes' 30-second song samples.
At a time when many iTunes shoppers are still fuming over Apple's first-ever increase in song prices, the demands by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI), and other performing-rights groups, would likely lead to more price hikes at iTunes. For many, this would also undoubtedly confirm their perception that those overseeing the music industry are greedy.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
10 "Best" Folding Bikes
Ending out "Folding Bike Day" here, I thought readers might be interested in The Independent's "Top 10 best" folding bikes on the market. I am sad to see no Dahon model out there, but it may be indicative that they were looking at the high end (price) of the market. Personally, I am still not ready to spend over $1000 on a bike, when one for much less will do just as well. I could buy 3 Dahon Matrixes for the price of some contenders on this list.
How folded can you go?
Yes, I guess I am on a folding bike kick this week. I believe this got posted on Twitter, but is worth posting again. A Royal College of Art student has created what may be the most fold-able bicycle on the planet. Dubbed "The Contortionist", this model can fold to fit entirely into the circumference of its 26-inch (i.e. full-sized) wheels. And, when folded, it can be rolled around like a piece of rolling luggage. If we ever wanted a bicycle that would be practical to take everywhere, this is likely it. The cost for a mass-produced model would allegedly about 400 British Pounds, which is equivalent to about $700 in the USA.
Adventures in Folding Bikes
When I picked up a folding bike, it was for a fairly mundane reason - I wanted to be able to keep up my bicycle exercise even when traveling or when a bike rack was impractical. I have ridden my folder in Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, and hope to ride in upstate New York in a few months. But for others, a "foldy" is more than a practical choice, it is a philosophy and a way of life. Bicycling Magazine has a Woody Allen-esque story of nihilism and alienation in the big city, starring one man and his new folding bike. I wouldn't call it "uplifting", exactly, but a life on two wheels did show the author a way out of his bleak existence.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Senate Health Care Reform Plan Mandates Insurance
The Senate Finance Committee has finally released its Health Care Reform Bill. The good news? No "public option" to seize control of the system. The bad news? Every Amereican will be required to purchase insurance, and will be fined $950 per year of non-coverage.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/16/health.care/index.html
It also provides for Health Care Cooperatives to give small business and self-employed individuals more power to negotiate with the insurance companies.
House Guidelines: You can't call the President a Liar
The "You Lie" fiasco was in horrible taste, simply wrong, and bad strategy. But it has been amusing seeing the Democratic Party falling all over themselves to condemn the outburst, after having spent most of the last 8 years calling President George W. Bush a liar on the floor of the House over the Iraq War. The latest is a new "primer" which specifically admonishes congresspeople to NOT call the president a liar. Here's hoping the same rule is put forth by the Democrats when a Republican is president. But I doubt it.
Have you discovered BicycleTutor.Com yet?
While I am now two years into my bicycling hobby, in most ways I am still a novice. And one of the areas that I still struggle with is repairs. I am not exactly a handyman. BicycleTutor.Com has been an invaluable resource in understanding how to take care of my ride. It is full of great videos showing how to upgrade and repair your bicycle, step by step. Click on over and check it out.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Fall's the time to buy a bike!
I bought my new bike last year in June, giving me many months of warm, sunlit riding. But FitSugar reminds us that the Fall is an excellent time to get into the hobby of bike-riding. Why? The air is cool and yet any muscles built from summer exercise are still strong. Plus, most of the major bike shops are having Fall Clearance sales to get out the 2009 line of bikes to make room for the 2010 line that people will be buying as Christmas gifts. Last year, I got my folding bike over Thanksgiving (admittedly late autumn) for nearly 1/2 price. If you've been waiting for the right time to get into cycling, now may be that time!
Death Star as 9/11
I can't decide if this is the funniest thing I have seen in months, or the most offensive. Or both. Either way, enjoy.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Illegal Immigration Raids Help Legal Americans
A n article on USA Today talks about the results of many of the recent illegal immigration raids around the country. In the end, these raids have not caused these businesses to go close. Instead, other legal Amerians are filing the void. In some places they are white Americans, some are African Americans and some are legal Hispanic Americans. This is a good example of how the idea that there are jobs that Americans "won't do" is not as true as people think.
Poll: Faith in Media at Lowest in 20 years
File this one under "obvious to everyone else". A Pew Research study shows that trust in the media is at a 20-year-low, with most Americans believing that the press does not get its facts straight or bother to be politically neutral in reporting.
http://people-press.org/report/543/
I find it strange that as the media finds funds more and more scarce, they are NOT turning back toward restoring the faith of the public. Instead, news directors seem to be looking for ways to further erode public trust by relying more on news services, report uncorroborated facts, inserting editorials into news, and cross-promoting with various corporations. And yet, these kinds of actions are the reason people now trust a comedian (i.e. John Stewart) more than any of the major news anchors.
Night Vision Eyedrops?
As a teenager, I was an avid reader of comic books and even today I enjoy shows like HEROES where people can do extraordinary things. So I love hearing about ways to make people more than human. Scientists may have discovered a way to give humans enhanced night vision using eye-drops full of chlorophyll - the substance that makes plants green.
n the 1990s, marine biologist Ron Douglas of City University London discovered that, unlike other deep-sea fish, the dragonfish Malacosteus niger can perceive red light. Douglas was surprised when he isolated the chemical responsible for absorbing red: It was chlorophyll....[The] latest experiments in mice and rabbits suggest that administering chlorophyll to the eyes can double their ability to see in low light. The pigment absorbs hues of red light that are normally invisible in dim conditions. That information is then transmitted to the brain, allowing enhanced vision.This is very exciting. Although I will admit I am hoping they soon discover the eye-drops for X-ray or heat vision.
Carbon Fiber doesn't bend... it shatters!
When I was first considering taking up bicycling for weight loss, I consulted with the one cyclist I knew - the Weekend Adventurer. While discussing different kinds of bikes - road, mountain, hybrid - he gave me one piece of sage advice: "At your level of skill - and weight - do NOT buy a carbon-fiber bike. Under stress, aluminum or steel bend. But carbon fiber snaps." I took that advice and have been enjoying both my Trek Navigator 3.0 and Dahon Matrix folding bikes. Both have aluminum frames. Still, I never knew how right my friend was, until I saw this video, where a racer has a crash and the bike just shatters!
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Jill Homer: "Bikecstacy"
I am a big fan of Jill Homer's "Up In Alaska" blog where she recounts her adventures in endurance cycling and snow biking in the Alaskan countryside. She is a much more extreme cyclist than I am, but has a wonderful way of putting the thrill of the two-wheeled experience into words. I really enjoyed a new term she invented in her latest entry, "Bikecstacy". It encapsulates one of the experiences that keeps me coming back, even when I am over-tired or the weather is less than optimal. Her description of the experience...
"Everything went quiet. It was right at that moment that I blasted out of the fog, with a sweeping view of the canyon and the mountains across the Channel, through a curtain of sideways rain that made everything look like it was shimmering. All around me, tree branches were whipping; grass was flattened against the ground; and I was floating through a bubble of calm. I felt weightless, freed of all friction and resistance, riding in perfect harmony with the wind. My odometer registered 43 mph. My heart pounded. I sucked in fast gulps of air. My whole body vibrated, consumed by an almost overwhelming feeling of elation ... bikecstacy."
Even though my rides have been far less extreme than hers, I have had this experience many times. The wind in your face, the stillness surrounding you, and the beauty of nature flooding into your eyes. There is nothing better.
Animals with Lightsabers
There are a number of cute animal blogs and picture photoshop blogs out there. But this one is my favorite yet. Pictures of cute animals with lightsabers! The jedi order is not just for humans, anymore.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
I can ride a bike... Canoe?
Our good friend, the Weekend Adventurer, has a penchant for inventing new ways of getting into the wilderness by any means necessary. And he loves to bike. So, when he e-mailed this new invention to me, I knew I had to share it with our readers. Now, he can indulge his love of biking and his love of water-sports at the same time. Of course, one must wonder if he'll have the strength to get it all home after a long ride to the river, and then a long day on the river. But we all must make sacrifices for the ones we love.
Kent confirms IKEA bags perfect for Dahons
After hearing rumors all over the interwebs Kent of Kent's Bike Blog went out and tested cheapo IKEA bags to see if they worked as dirt-cheap carrying bags for Dahon folding bikes. The verdict? Just about perfect, and at $0.59, $69 cheaper than their closest competitor. Now if only they made one large enough for my Dahon Matix full-sized folder...
Biking Update - September 12, 2009
Not a bad week for biking, until the flu came back to knock me down later on. We started out the week with a ride on the Airline Trail up in East Hampton - a gorgeous rail trail and a near-perfect ride (aside from CRChair's short-lived loss of his rear breaks. We rode 23 miles total (about 11.5 miles each way), which is definitely one of the longer rides this year. I then had a poorer day on Sunday when I tried to ride to church, 
but only made it a mile up the road before back and leg pain forced me to turn back. Then, a great night of riding on Tuesday for Guys Nite Out - including out first truly pitch-black ride home where my 25-watt headlight was invaluable. The temperature is great this time of year for riding, and the scenery could not have been more beautiful.
As for weight loss, it was a weird week. I spiked up significantly early in the week after eating out more than usual on Labor Day. Then I came back down significantly and ended off the week pretty much where I ended off last week. Hopefully, this upcoming week will provide some biking opportunities between the downpours, and will provide a more even keel for weight-loss
Friday, September 11, 2009
Anti-abortion Protester Killed in Michigan
There are many who say that the abortion debate is only an emotional issue for the anti-abortion forces. But clearly, it is an emotionally-charged issue for both sides, with extremists on either end willing to cross the line. Today, an anti-abortion activist appears to have been murdered for his views and a protest he was mounting outside a local high school. To the credit of everyone in the area, witnessed took the license plate of the killer's car and quickly called the police.
Here is hoping both sides condemn this action and the police can quickly make the case against the killer.
Pigeon with a Thumb Drive beats ADSL
In college we had a joke about "Sneaker Net." Back in those days, the joke was that it was faster to load a file onto a floppy, walk it down the hall in the dorm, and copy it off the floppy onto another computer, than it would be to transfer the same file over the school network. Of course, those were the days of dial-up and things have come a long way.
But perhaps not so much in Africa, where a carrier pigeon carrying a 4 GB thumb drive delivered a large file 60 miles faster than the local ADSL. By the time the pigeon arrived, the file had only transferred 4% across the network
Bike for Pie!
I am still relatively new to the bicycling community, but I have to say this looks like the kind of event that we'd all like to see in other cities. The "Bike for Pie" event where pies are served before the event to provide ride energy, and then pies are served afterward to reward the riders for their effort. Start strong and end strong. Of course, it is not exactly great for the weight-loss side of the activity. :-)
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Dahon Releases MP3 Charger for Your Bicycle
Most of my memories of bicycle generators from my youth are not fond ones. They added considerable friction to your ride, made biking up a small hill difficult, and barely put out enough wattage to light up 10 feet in front of you. But technology moves on and now Dahon has announced a new-and-improved bicycle generator capable of powering your MP3 player. The key enhancement (besides what is hopefully a better overall generator) is a module between your generator and the MP3 player that smoothes out spikes and valleys in the generation of power on the ride. It is unlikely to be enough to recharge your iPhone while biking to the market, but it may be enough to keep things running and not lose power on that hour-long ride.
President Obamas Health Care Speech
Like most Americans, I was out living my life during most of the president's speech on Health Care, so I missed it. And this morning, all I am finding is coverage of the "You lie!" outburst on the floor that was bad etiquette but otherwise irrelevant to the speech. So, in the interest of clearing things up for the rest of us, here is the transcript of the speech and here is the online video taken by CNN.
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Happy 9/9/9
Yes, today is ANOTHER chance to celebrate a coincidental confluence of numbers in our arbitrary calendar dating system. It is 9/9/9! Are you impressed? Do you want to go out, dressed to the nines? Consider this list of 9 things to do on 9/9/9 for tips and tricks on what to do on this day of mathematical irrelevance.
Group seeks to ban Bicycles from roads
Some days, it is great to be a cyclist. You feel the wind in your face, you feel the burn as fat is consumed and you become more fit, and you realize you are out and about in the real world instead of sealed inside a metal capsule on wheels. Other days, it ain't so great. For example, when a group in Iowa tries to ban ALL BICYCLES from roads in the name of safety.
http://www.northlibertyleader.com/article.php?id=769 The basic argument seems to be that "shared roads" are unsafe for both cyclists and automobile drivers, because of their significantly different travel styles (speed, maneuverability, etc.) But the attitude is nothing new to anyone who has ridden their bike on any road. Some car drivers believe the road belongs to them alone, and anyone else - on foot, on bicycle, on horseback, even in a stroller - is fair game.You Wonder If This is What a Government-Run Health System Might Be Like
It certainly is the kind of thing that Conservatives are afraid of.
And just to ensure equal time...
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
While we've been focussed on health care reform...
...Congress has been preparing a bill to allow the Federal Government to dictate virtually every aspect of your banking experience, and reduce or remove competition and choice from the landscape.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203946904574302213213148166.html
Check it out, as this is one bill that could easily pass without comment, while we're all arguing single-payer vs private-pool health insurance plans.
Florida is a "Ponzi Scheme"
CRChair found this first, but let me have the honor of posting it. NPR has up an interesting story claiming that the economy of Florida is one big Ponzi Scheme that has been relying on constant immigration into the state by tourists and new residents. Now that the Recession has hit, and Florida has seen its first net loss of residents since World War II, the state is wondering if it can survive with its current policies
It was bound to catch up with us. Gary Mormino, a distinguished historian of Florida, says our whole economy is more or less a big Ponzi scheme. The state funds its roads and schools by bringing in new investors — that is, new residents — to pay sales taxes and property taxes. When nobody can afford a condo in Boca, when tourists stop coming even for a week at Disney World, the Ponzi scheme collapses.I have only been to Florida once for a Christian youth conference. I loved EPCOT and enjoyed the many anoles (small chameleon lizards) that infested the hotel windows. Otherwise, I never really understood the charm of living somewhere that is hazy, hot, and humid 365 days a year.
Now it seems as though everybody here knows somebody who has left, is leaving or wants to leave. Even the governor wants to leave — for Washington, D.C. He's running for the U.S. Senate after one term.
Monday, September 07, 2009
Buck at the Birdfeeder
Hat-tip to frequent commenter Shadowmom for this photo of a deer feeding at her bird-feeder the other week. Interesting to see these beautiful animals invading suburbia... even if they are eating all the flowers.
Commodore 64 reborn... on the iPhone!
Despite my current status of an Apple Fanboy, my first computer had no relation to Steve Jobs or Steve Wozniak. It was a Commodore 128 (a minor upgrade to the classic Commodore 64) - arguably less powerful than some Apple or IBM PCs of the day, but also far more affordable. It served me well until it was destroyed by careless use of the cartridge slot. It also took forever to load even simple games. But the simple games that it had were ground-breaking for the time in both graphics and playability, easily outdoing the gaming consoles of the day.
Now, the iPhone is bringing back the old days of the Commodore computer with a new third-party app that emulates these venerable computers and brings back some of the classic games. And unlike the original C64, these games load instantly. They even will be selling new games with in-app purchasing in the future.
Sunday, September 06, 2009
Riding the Airline Trail
Yesterday, CRChair and I rode along the Airline Trail - a beautiful rail-trail that starts in East Hampton, CT and continues almost to the Massachusetts border. I thought my Mod-Blog friends might enjoy sampling a few of the sights. Click on the image below for the whole set.
Saturday, September 05, 2009
Biking Update - September 5, 2009
Not a bad week for weight loss. Everything again stayed between 208 and 206 lbs. Not much biking got done outside, but plenty was done in the attic. We're hoping to bike on the Airline Trail today, so we may see more weight loss over the weekend.
Friday, September 04, 2009
Blogger attempts to get The "Express Written Consent of Major League Baseball"
C'mon, admit it. When you hear those warnings during baseball games about not allowing any rebroadcast "without the express written consent of Major League Baseball", you wonder what exactly it would take to get it. The Simpsons even made of this by stating they only had "implied verbal consent." Well, one blogger who wanted to describe a game to a friend on his cell, decided to find out.
I explained my situation to her and asked how to go about getting express written consent. She wanted to know if I was going to blog about the game or do a podcast, and I said no, I just wanted to describe the game to someone while sitting on my living room couch.At the risk of spoiling the punchline, he never did get his "express written consent."
"How could anyone stop you from talking about the game in your own living room?" she said, taking my request as a joke.
I reassured her that it wasn't. While I doubted the MLB spies would be able to get to me, the disclaimer made it very clear that I'm not allowed to give my account of the game, so I wanted express written consent that gave me permission to talk about the game, and I would post a blog about how I went about attaining the consent. She said someone else from MLB would be calling me.
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