Showing posts with label video. Show all posts
Showing posts with label video. Show all posts
7.09.2010
Empire of the Sun
Empire of the Sun. from Elle Carcamo on Vimeo.
...just found out about these kids, I like their sound a lot...
7.05.2010
7.02.2010
check out what you missed
Le Tour!
©A.S.O. from www.letour.fr
Don't miss it. Prologue is tomorrow in Rotterdam, an ITT... While I certainly hope Fab-man Cancellara does well, though it is a rare thing for the one wearing the maillot jaune on stage 1 to keep it until the Champs Elysees in three weeks.
So check it out, I'm a nice guy so I'll save you a "spot by the finish" so to speak, by directing you to places that show it for free or otherwise. While I'm usually chagrined to pay for anything, really, it's way more entertaining to watch the grand tours with Phil Liggett (2 ligget 2 quit) and Paul Sherwen commentating than watching it in silence, another wacky language, or, as I've become fond of doing, playing a smattering of Slayer, Anthrax, Metallica, Cannibal Corpse, and Megadeth really really loud. I reccommend the last approch the most.
Anywho, I can't find links to live sites yet because today is only the teams presentation and I think that's over with by now... Of course you can go check out Universal Sports (with "non-ligget" commentary) or Versus (with "ligget" commentary), though it's entirely possible that you'll have to fork over like $20, which considering the quality of coverage and the fact that you can log in on the site from anywhere, including your telephone is a negligible cost.
Oh, and have a yoke-casting-off-y independence day if I don't get back to y'all before then...
12.08.2009
... Teitelbaum v. Teitelbaum and the Birth of Responsible Cycling
If you live in Brooklyn and ride a bicycle, it is likely that Bedford Avenue is not only convenient for you, but downright necessary. That's why when the city had 14 blocks of it ripped up from Flushing Avenue to Division Avenue last week, pretty much everyone on two wheels got pissed.
A lot of strong words and sweeping accusations were made as to the reasoning behind the bike lane's removal, but in the 'end' nobody's gotten a straight answer from either the Hasidic community through which the lane passed, or any city agencies (It should be noted that the stretch of removed lane lies squarely within the portion of Williamsburg most densely populated by the Hasids) directly responsible.
The silence of the City, to say the least, is rather troubling. I for one don't like knowing that the government (at any scale) has the blatant disregard for its own citizenry to refuse to explain what it is doing, especially when what it is doing has a dramatic and adverse effect on its "green" ambitions and public safety.
For better or worse, hundreds if not thousands of cyclists ride this road every day to access both manhattan via the bridge and North Williamsburg; so it is to be expected that some bored hipsters would get it in their heads to retaliate with the only weapons they have -- art supplies and oodles of free time.
Rumor had it that these "gorillas" (whatever that means) were stopped by the Hasid community watch (Shomrim) who then notified the NYPD, who then arrested those involved. Of course, that rumor came from a Hasidic blog and turned out to be completely false. While both the Shomrim and NYPD showed up, nobody was arrested and nobody was even issued a summons. then again, nobody ever said Hasids held ideals of virtue and truth too high...
Despite what I just wrote, I don't like to pass judgment on a people before I know all I can about them and their customs. I have spent a great deal of time trying desperately to understand the mentality of Hasidic Jews and why they do the seemingly illogical and anti social things they do...
Unfortunately, I have had little to no luck on this front, thanks in large part to the tradition of strict isolationism they practice; so I am left only with speculation. However, there are a few things one can surmise peering in on their society from without:
First, Hasids have a deep-seated belief in "god" (aka yaweh), and must be so convinced both that he exists and that they are his chosen people, they have absolutely no fear of death, which is evidenced by the alarming frequency and heedlessness with which they jaywalk on every roadway that may stand in their way.
What's even worse is the fact that cavalier attitude toward very dangerous traffic sets an extremely bad example for their children, who flit in and out of the roadway with even less care than do their parents.
This is annoying because their principal argument for the Bedford Bike lane's removal is safety for their children, which given their pedestrian habits (pun very much intended) is complete bullshit. Their other argument is that girls on bicycles riding through their neighborhood dress in too racy a manner for their taste, and that for the preservation of their chauvanistic culture, the lascivious display of ankles and shoulders must stop, lest it give their women some crazy idea that they have a right to make decisions for themselves.
Secondly, Hasidic Jews openly dislike anyone falling into their "goiyem" category, and are socially encouraged to extort, defraud, and generally cause indirect financial hardship for anyone not like them.
For people so concerned with persecution and acceptance (nearly every jewish holiday has something to do with their ancestor's problems in Egypt, Palestine, Europe, etc...) they're really quite blind when it comes to reflecting on their own actions.
At any rate, what I found interesting in my research into these religious zealots is that within their hermetic enclave, they have divided into rivaling factions that have such animosity that they can be expected to vote against anything the other votes for. Roughly half of the Hasids in this neighborhood identify either with this guy, Zalman Teitelbaum;
Or this guy, Aaron Teitelbaum.
The particulars of these brothers' connection is complex and largely apochryphal, so i'll just leave it that Zalman, the usurper, hates the Bedford ave bike lane and so naturally, Aaron loves it. So it turns out that several members of the A. Teitelbaum sect were slated to come out to help the hipsters reinstate the bike lane, but made only a token appearance.
Since there is no clear way to make cyclists, hipsters, and Hasids happy; I wonder if something drastic could at least help move things in a positive direction.
What if there were no such things as bike lanes? I had previously tried mightily to rate and explain the pros and cons of bike lanes, though quickly came to the realisation that all bike lanes everywhere suffer from the exact same problems, no matter how they are designed or where they are implemented:
Bike-Salmon,
Double- or otherwise illegally- parked cars,
and pedestrians,
If you think about it, cordoning off a stripe of roadway is extraordinarily convenient for everyone except the cyclists it is supposed to be for. It is a secure area for salmoning where if it did not exist, the salmon might be too frightened to ride upstream. It is an out-of-the-way spot for taxis, delivery trucks, and the Police to park while conducting their business. It is a great place for pedestrians to walk while waiting to jaywalk or hail a cab.
In short, all of these problems might be at least partially solved if bike lanes simply didn't exist. People who double park might feel more self conscious about blocking a dedicated traffic lane as opposed to a bike lane since bikes apparently don't belong on the road anyway. Pedestrians might stay on the sidewalk or at least be more cautious about leading out from between parked cars to jaywalk...
Of course this would stymie our collective effort to get as many people on bikes as possible (as a "green" initiative only), as many riders inexperienced with riding in real traffic would simply opt to take the subway instead out of fear. But imagine for a moment if, due to the lack of bike lanes, thousands of people continued to ride their bicycles, though in traffic and not cowering at the roadside waiting to get sideswiped.
I think it would literally force drivers and pedestrians to once and for all take us seriously as legitimate road users. Also, motorists wouldn't be able to bitch that we're robbing them of a lane anymore, so we'd simultaneously be disarming our most vocal opponents of their most tired tirade.
Though this will never happen. Bike lanes are now the barometer of "green-ness" and if the government can't fool people into thinking it has their best interests in mind with sad little bike lanes, how will we then be fed self-satisfaction?
Sorry about the rant.... and the title-bomb... just had to get this off my chest
A lot of strong words and sweeping accusations were made as to the reasoning behind the bike lane's removal, but in the 'end' nobody's gotten a straight answer from either the Hasidic community through which the lane passed, or any city agencies (It should be noted that the stretch of removed lane lies squarely within the portion of Williamsburg most densely populated by the Hasids) directly responsible.
The silence of the City, to say the least, is rather troubling. I for one don't like knowing that the government (at any scale) has the blatant disregard for its own citizenry to refuse to explain what it is doing, especially when what it is doing has a dramatic and adverse effect on its "green" ambitions and public safety.
For better or worse, hundreds if not thousands of cyclists ride this road every day to access both manhattan via the bridge and North Williamsburg; so it is to be expected that some bored hipsters would get it in their heads to retaliate with the only weapons they have -- art supplies and oodles of free time.
Rumor had it that these "gorillas" (whatever that means) were stopped by the Hasid community watch (Shomrim) who then notified the NYPD, who then arrested those involved. Of course, that rumor came from a Hasidic blog and turned out to be completely false. While both the Shomrim and NYPD showed up, nobody was arrested and nobody was even issued a summons. then again, nobody ever said Hasids held ideals of virtue and truth too high...
Despite what I just wrote, I don't like to pass judgment on a people before I know all I can about them and their customs. I have spent a great deal of time trying desperately to understand the mentality of Hasidic Jews and why they do the seemingly illogical and anti social things they do...
Unfortunately, I have had little to no luck on this front, thanks in large part to the tradition of strict isolationism they practice; so I am left only with speculation. However, there are a few things one can surmise peering in on their society from without:
First, Hasids have a deep-seated belief in "god" (aka yaweh), and must be so convinced both that he exists and that they are his chosen people, they have absolutely no fear of death, which is evidenced by the alarming frequency and heedlessness with which they jaywalk on every roadway that may stand in their way.
What's even worse is the fact that cavalier attitude toward very dangerous traffic sets an extremely bad example for their children, who flit in and out of the roadway with even less care than do their parents.
This is annoying because their principal argument for the Bedford Bike lane's removal is safety for their children, which given their pedestrian habits (pun very much intended) is complete bullshit. Their other argument is that girls on bicycles riding through their neighborhood dress in too racy a manner for their taste, and that for the preservation of their chauvanistic culture, the lascivious display of ankles and shoulders must stop, lest it give their women some crazy idea that they have a right to make decisions for themselves.
Secondly, Hasidic Jews openly dislike anyone falling into their "goiyem" category, and are socially encouraged to extort, defraud, and generally cause indirect financial hardship for anyone not like them.
For people so concerned with persecution and acceptance (nearly every jewish holiday has something to do with their ancestor's problems in Egypt, Palestine, Europe, etc...) they're really quite blind when it comes to reflecting on their own actions.
At any rate, what I found interesting in my research into these religious zealots is that within their hermetic enclave, they have divided into rivaling factions that have such animosity that they can be expected to vote against anything the other votes for. Roughly half of the Hasids in this neighborhood identify either with this guy, Zalman Teitelbaum;
Or this guy, Aaron Teitelbaum.
The particulars of these brothers' connection is complex and largely apochryphal, so i'll just leave it that Zalman, the usurper, hates the Bedford ave bike lane and so naturally, Aaron loves it. So it turns out that several members of the A. Teitelbaum sect were slated to come out to help the hipsters reinstate the bike lane, but made only a token appearance.
Since there is no clear way to make cyclists, hipsters, and Hasids happy; I wonder if something drastic could at least help move things in a positive direction.
What if there were no such things as bike lanes? I had previously tried mightily to rate and explain the pros and cons of bike lanes, though quickly came to the realisation that all bike lanes everywhere suffer from the exact same problems, no matter how they are designed or where they are implemented:
Bike-Salmon,
Double- or otherwise illegally- parked cars,
and pedestrians,
If you think about it, cordoning off a stripe of roadway is extraordinarily convenient for everyone except the cyclists it is supposed to be for. It is a secure area for salmoning where if it did not exist, the salmon might be too frightened to ride upstream. It is an out-of-the-way spot for taxis, delivery trucks, and the Police to park while conducting their business. It is a great place for pedestrians to walk while waiting to jaywalk or hail a cab.
In short, all of these problems might be at least partially solved if bike lanes simply didn't exist. People who double park might feel more self conscious about blocking a dedicated traffic lane as opposed to a bike lane since bikes apparently don't belong on the road anyway. Pedestrians might stay on the sidewalk or at least be more cautious about leading out from between parked cars to jaywalk...
Of course this would stymie our collective effort to get as many people on bikes as possible (as a "green" initiative only), as many riders inexperienced with riding in real traffic would simply opt to take the subway instead out of fear. But imagine for a moment if, due to the lack of bike lanes, thousands of people continued to ride their bicycles, though in traffic and not cowering at the roadside waiting to get sideswiped.
I think it would literally force drivers and pedestrians to once and for all take us seriously as legitimate road users. Also, motorists wouldn't be able to bitch that we're robbing them of a lane anymore, so we'd simultaneously be disarming our most vocal opponents of their most tired tirade.
Though this will never happen. Bike lanes are now the barometer of "green-ness" and if the government can't fool people into thinking it has their best interests in mind with sad little bike lanes, how will we then be fed self-satisfaction?
Sorry about the rant.... and the title-bomb... just had to get this off my chest
11.24.2009
...the weekend madness (installment 14)
I guess as long as the AutoCAD is fired up at the office, you may find the frequency of posting relegated to the "whenever I get a free moment/have something worth saying" status.
In a rare turn of events this weekend past, I actually went out and socialized with other people!
Three bars in two nights, check.
$150.00 of bike-stuff money spent on booze instead, check.
Splitting headache both Sunday and Monday mornings, check.
Seems like it was a pretty fun time, unfortunately I can't seem to recall the last and middle parts of those evenings. Since I typically stick with beer and am frequently broke as a joke, going to a bar or saloon (which only occur in the Southwest US and are marked by their double acting entry doors and unsavory clientele) is for me a rare opportunity to remind myself why I don't drink liquor.
I wouldn't go so far as to say I get blacked-out, but I definitely wake up in the morning panicking that a lamp shade may still be affixed to my noggin, or wondering how many people I offended with my tomfooleries. Since I'd consider myself fairly mild-mannered, the answer is likely none, but that doesn't stop me from ruing my decision to down that fifth or tenth shot of Jameson and shakily ride several miles home after reassuring the pensive crowd that I am actually quite skilled at handling a bicycle (that's the booze talking, just to keep you up to speed... And the "crowd" was probably just one disinterested stranger).
At any rate, I went out for a ride in the park Sunday afternoon and as usual, after five or so laps I noticed I had four remoras in my slipstream. I don't really mind if people want to subvert their workout by letting me work out for them, but I do find it pretty irritating when those guys (female cyclists, I find, are much more docile) decide it's alright if, after sucking my wheel for a few laps, to start yelling and generally ruining my nice, Sunday ride.
This particular instance really got me pissed:
As I crested a minor hill, remoras all still attached, I saw, about 100m ahead of me in the road, a couple lazily pedaling along on heavy looking cruiser bikes. I gave a friendly whistle and they turned, noticing the five of us bearing down on them from behind. Being gracious park-goers, they attempted to move to the left to allow us to pass on their right, which unfortunately is the wrong side for passing. Since I was already well to their left I called out, "on your left!" which caused the lady to wobble a bit and frantically veer to the right (well out of our way, mind you).
At this point the dickhead sucking my wheel decided to verbally abuse the poor woman who was only trying to be friendly and lend us some road space. I can't remember word-for-word, but I think his curt tirade went something like this: "GAWDDAMMIT! STRAIGHT LINE! AWWW JEEEEZ! FUCKIN BITCH!"
The reason I'm relating this unpleasant experience here is that it typifies precisely what happens every time I happen to be deeply interested in a given sport, hobby, profession, etc...
When I was a skater in my more youthful years, this same shit happened. Invariably I'd go to Southside Skatepark or the local spot, and there'd be a bunch of archetypal skate-rats fucking up a good time for everybody by living up to our negative stereotypes of malfeasance and anarchy.
When I decided to pursue the trade of architectural design, I likewise found that If my colleagues weren't metrosexual, sophomoric, orange-shoe-wearing, ninnies; they were likely to be of the bribe giving/taking, hooker-employing, government-bureau-cheating, architect-way. (that's right, I just called you out)
Now having to deal with this crap in cycling, I'm getting fed the fuck up.
Fortunately I'm not alone, someone called Steevo recently cobbled together this humorous tete-a-tete between two hipsters looking to break into the cyclocross scene with their haughty sense of entitlement and fixed gear bicycles:
This reminds me of another alarming subcultural phenomena, hipsters ultimately destroying other esoteric activities like cyclocross.
Though I take solace in the fact that where I want to go in cycling is where hipsters are unwittingly coming from; namely, track racing. I guess actually using an object or tool for it's intended purpose is against the hipster code of ironic conduct, so I can feel confident that they will be delightfully absent from the velodrome come springtime (fingers and toes crossed, I don't wanna be lumped in with anyone anymore, least of all noobs or freds, even though technically I am one).
Hopefully these territorial conflicts will be resolved more civilly than are rear end real estate disputes on the subway.
Speaking of track cycling (and of sitting around waiting to be accosted), I was delighted in the past few days to see that "TC" over at Fyxomatosis posted some sweet pics of the UCI Track Cycling World Cup in Melbourne, just at the time when my patience for roadies was wearing to it's thinnest yet.
If you're like me, and require your computer's desktop-way (which one never really sees any-way) to be cool and ever-changing, these two images are in super large format for just such a purpose. Check out the rest of the eye candy here, here, and here.
At any rate, it seems as though the anniversary of my birth is a mere seven days away, so if you feel compelled to congratulate me on being that much closer to death, please e-mail me directly or send a self addressed and stamped deep-fried turkey (ironically, deep-fried turkeys have a longer lead-time than 14,000 cubic feet of concrete, so good luck).
Until next time friends, steer clear of the zealots.
In a rare turn of events this weekend past, I actually went out and socialized with other people!
Three bars in two nights, check.
$150.00 of bike-stuff money spent on booze instead, check.
Splitting headache both Sunday and Monday mornings, check.
Seems like it was a pretty fun time, unfortunately I can't seem to recall the last and middle parts of those evenings. Since I typically stick with beer and am frequently broke as a joke, going to a bar or saloon (which only occur in the Southwest US and are marked by their double acting entry doors and unsavory clientele) is for me a rare opportunity to remind myself why I don't drink liquor.
I wouldn't go so far as to say I get blacked-out, but I definitely wake up in the morning panicking that a lamp shade may still be affixed to my noggin, or wondering how many people I offended with my tomfooleries. Since I'd consider myself fairly mild-mannered, the answer is likely none, but that doesn't stop me from ruing my decision to down that fifth or tenth shot of Jameson and shakily ride several miles home after reassuring the pensive crowd that I am actually quite skilled at handling a bicycle (that's the booze talking, just to keep you up to speed... And the "crowd" was probably just one disinterested stranger).
At any rate, I went out for a ride in the park Sunday afternoon and as usual, after five or so laps I noticed I had four remoras in my slipstream. I don't really mind if people want to subvert their workout by letting me work out for them, but I do find it pretty irritating when those guys (female cyclists, I find, are much more docile) decide it's alright if, after sucking my wheel for a few laps, to start yelling and generally ruining my nice, Sunday ride.
This particular instance really got me pissed:
As I crested a minor hill, remoras all still attached, I saw, about 100m ahead of me in the road, a couple lazily pedaling along on heavy looking cruiser bikes. I gave a friendly whistle and they turned, noticing the five of us bearing down on them from behind. Being gracious park-goers, they attempted to move to the left to allow us to pass on their right, which unfortunately is the wrong side for passing. Since I was already well to their left I called out, "on your left!" which caused the lady to wobble a bit and frantically veer to the right (well out of our way, mind you).
At this point the dickhead sucking my wheel decided to verbally abuse the poor woman who was only trying to be friendly and lend us some road space. I can't remember word-for-word, but I think his curt tirade went something like this: "GAWDDAMMIT! STRAIGHT LINE! AWWW JEEEEZ! FUCKIN BITCH!"
The reason I'm relating this unpleasant experience here is that it typifies precisely what happens every time I happen to be deeply interested in a given sport, hobby, profession, etc...
When I was a skater in my more youthful years, this same shit happened. Invariably I'd go to Southside Skatepark or the local spot, and there'd be a bunch of archetypal skate-rats fucking up a good time for everybody by living up to our negative stereotypes of malfeasance and anarchy.
When I decided to pursue the trade of architectural design, I likewise found that If my colleagues weren't metrosexual, sophomoric, orange-shoe-wearing, ninnies; they were likely to be of the bribe giving/taking, hooker-employing, government-bureau-cheating, architect-way. (that's right, I just called you out)
Now having to deal with this crap in cycling, I'm getting fed the fuck up.
Fortunately I'm not alone, someone called Steevo recently cobbled together this humorous tete-a-tete between two hipsters looking to break into the cyclocross scene with their haughty sense of entitlement and fixed gear bicycles:
This reminds me of another alarming subcultural phenomena, hipsters ultimately destroying other esoteric activities like cyclocross.
Though I take solace in the fact that where I want to go in cycling is where hipsters are unwittingly coming from; namely, track racing. I guess actually using an object or tool for it's intended purpose is against the hipster code of ironic conduct, so I can feel confident that they will be delightfully absent from the velodrome come springtime (fingers and toes crossed, I don't wanna be lumped in with anyone anymore, least of all noobs or freds, even though technically I am one).
Hopefully these territorial conflicts will be resolved more civilly than are rear end real estate disputes on the subway.
Speaking of track cycling (and of sitting around waiting to be accosted), I was delighted in the past few days to see that "TC" over at Fyxomatosis posted some sweet pics of the UCI Track Cycling World Cup in Melbourne, just at the time when my patience for roadies was wearing to it's thinnest yet.
If you're like me, and require your computer's desktop-way (which one never really sees any-way) to be cool and ever-changing, these two images are in super large format for just such a purpose. Check out the rest of the eye candy here, here, and here.
At any rate, it seems as though the anniversary of my birth is a mere seven days away, so if you feel compelled to congratulate me on being that much closer to death, please e-mail me directly or send a self addressed and stamped deep-fried turkey (ironically, deep-fried turkeys have a longer lead-time than 14,000 cubic feet of concrete, so good luck).
Until next time friends, steer clear of the zealots.
10.26.2009
...the weekend madness (installment 12)
Unfortunately, I never made it to the Goldsprints Friday. I got home, armed myself with marshmallow essentials (bicycle, beer, and bud), and was all set to head over to hipster central when the sky opened up and a deluge of precipitation came down on NYC for the next 24 hours or so...
I really need some fenders.
Anywho, since Saturday was a flop for riding (for the aforementioned reason), I packed my sparse belongings into boxes, preempting my move back to Bed-Stuy, and watched youtube vids of bike races all day.
As I mentioned recently, I'm becoming quite the track racing fan and can't wait 'til I've got a bike worthy (and legal) for the velodrome. So of course I'm spending countless minutes in front of the computer watching races, studying tactics, and drooling over impossibly pretty bikes.
We all know (or if you don't you will soon) that track racing originally gained popularity right here, in NYC, over a hundred years ago; and Madison Square Garden, in its original 'sportway', was a velodrome that garnered widespread attention and created it's own event, called of course, the madison.
Sadly, track cycling lost much of it's popularity with the american public in favor of newer, more intense "sports" like Nascar and football. Fortunately, the sport held fast in other parts of the world like Japan, where it has enjoyed the status horse racing holds in the west, as a venue for state-run betting.
They organized thier own special event called the Keirin (ケイリン) where 6-9 cyclist sprint for 600m or so after being paced by a motorized bike for the first 3/4 of the course.
Needless to say, its a ripping good time and really fun to watch the color-coded racers muscle for position behind the pacer before all hell breaks loose and they fly to the line.
Like this:
I don't read Japanese, but I'm pretty sure all the writing is just betting odds and finish times.
Of course, like all state approved vices, gambling won't maintain continued financial success without manufacturing some desire... Check out these commercials I found for Keirin from Japan:
Pretty seductive, huh? I wish I could understand the speech and text to know if it's cheesy, epic, or epically cheesy.
Anyway, if that doesn't get your pistons pumping for some high-cadence action, just check out this viddy of a Keirin racer training:
Wow. The Japanese will conquer us all... on the track, at least.
I really need some fenders.
Anywho, since Saturday was a flop for riding (for the aforementioned reason), I packed my sparse belongings into boxes, preempting my move back to Bed-Stuy, and watched youtube vids of bike races all day.
As I mentioned recently, I'm becoming quite the track racing fan and can't wait 'til I've got a bike worthy (and legal) for the velodrome. So of course I'm spending countless minutes in front of the computer watching races, studying tactics, and drooling over impossibly pretty bikes.
We all know (or if you don't you will soon) that track racing originally gained popularity right here, in NYC, over a hundred years ago; and Madison Square Garden, in its original 'sportway', was a velodrome that garnered widespread attention and created it's own event, called of course, the madison.
Sadly, track cycling lost much of it's popularity with the american public in favor of newer, more intense "sports" like Nascar and football. Fortunately, the sport held fast in other parts of the world like Japan, where it has enjoyed the status horse racing holds in the west, as a venue for state-run betting.
They organized thier own special event called the Keirin (ケイリン) where 6-9 cyclist sprint for 600m or so after being paced by a motorized bike for the first 3/4 of the course.
Needless to say, its a ripping good time and really fun to watch the color-coded racers muscle for position behind the pacer before all hell breaks loose and they fly to the line.
Like this:
I don't read Japanese, but I'm pretty sure all the writing is just betting odds and finish times.
Of course, like all state approved vices, gambling won't maintain continued financial success without manufacturing some desire... Check out these commercials I found for Keirin from Japan:
Pretty seductive, huh? I wish I could understand the speech and text to know if it's cheesy, epic, or epically cheesy.
Anyway, if that doesn't get your pistons pumping for some high-cadence action, just check out this viddy of a Keirin racer training:
Wow. The Japanese will conquer us all... on the track, at least.
10.19.2009
10.13.2009
...oh no (and other things)
I recently stumbled across this frightening news about an amendment to bicycle road-use law in England. Apparently, due to the teeming British salmon populations, the government has relented and is allowing cyclists "to ignore no-entry signs"(aka ride against traffic) in an effort to promote cycling to people who are annoyed by having to ride an extra 500 feet to safely and legally arrive at their destination.
I have to say, encouraging cycling by allowing people to salmon is as good an idea as discouraging obesity by handing out free cocaine or promoting healthy eating habits by handing out fast food coupons.
My fear of bike-salmon, combined with the fast-approaching winter months, has led me to gain a considerable interest in Goldsprints. I always liked the idea of having a game to play or sport to watch when imbibing myself with booze at the local saloon, but never jived with the typical crowds at sports bars.
Thankfully, roller races and goldsprints offer marshmallows like me an opportunity to get wasted at a bar while watching a sport I actually give a shit about.
Here's how goldsprints typically look:
Hey all you marshmallows! get outta the way, I'm trying to ride here!
Anyway, If you bothered to read through the article I linked above, you likely noticed that mention was made of bike-salmon appeasement in other European countries, which the English misguidedly took as a "standard."
Since New York City, Manhattan especially, is rife with euro-tourists possibly cycling, I feel it to be my duty to arm you with these handy phrases from some of our guests' native tongues.
I have to say, encouraging cycling by allowing people to salmon is as good an idea as discouraging obesity by handing out free cocaine or promoting healthy eating habits by handing out fast food coupons.
My fear of bike-salmon, combined with the fast-approaching winter months, has led me to gain a considerable interest in Goldsprints. I always liked the idea of having a game to play or sport to watch when imbibing myself with booze at the local saloon, but never jived with the typical crowds at sports bars.
Thankfully, roller races and goldsprints offer marshmallows like me an opportunity to get wasted at a bar while watching a sport I actually give a shit about.
Here's how goldsprints typically look:
Goldsprints CMWC Tokyo from kymberly Perfetto on Vimeo.
Live-er than live coverage... Roller races can also be combined into strange indoor cyclocross races like this one Rapha put on a while back:RAPHA Cross Roller Race - Oregon Manifest 2008 from RAPHA on Vimeo.
However, considering my aversion toward obstacles while cycling (which means cyclocross would only serve to piss me off) I might lash out in pavlovian fury when "racing" someone facing this scene:
Hey all you marshmallows! get outta the way, I'm trying to ride here!
Anyway, If you bothered to read through the article I linked above, you likely noticed that mention was made of bike-salmon appeasement in other European countries, which the English misguidedly took as a "standard."
Since New York City, Manhattan especially, is rife with euro-tourists possibly cycling, I feel it to be my duty to arm you with these handy phrases from some of our guests' native tongues.
- French: manière fausse, abruti!
- German: falsche weg, du arschloch!
- Spanish: ¡manera incorrecta, Baboso!
- Portugese: ¡caminho errado, imbecil!
- British: Kind sir, do try to mind the local traffic regulations; It would greatly please meh.
9.10.2009
...keepin it real Thursdays
Today I found a video of the realness I had discovered and re-posted on Tuesday evening which was quickly removed from YouTube for what I can only imagine are legal reasons.
Well, that's all the realness for today because I actually have (for a change) things to work on for a job interview in Long Island City tomorrow afternoon.
While I desperately need gainful employment, I worry (as one always will) about a number of things in the event that I like the place and they offer me the job.
First, I fear it may be a bike-hating office that will either frown upon my cycling to work, or demand that I lock it up outside in a shady industrial waterfront area, which needless to say, I'd be none too stoked about. Though with a little luck, I may wind up with (gasp!) job satisfaction and a place to park my bike (and shower, but there's a snowball's chance in hell of that being the case). Interestingly, I found out recently that the bicycle accessibility law that was passed (a) doesn't go into enforcement until December, and (b) only applies to New York County, not the outer boroughs.
Also, This may afford me the opportunity to expand my BLRI and LBSR reports since LIC isn't a place I frequently visit; and I'd have two opportunities daily to observe the goings on of hipster culture in all its hues as my commute would necessarily cut straight through the heart of Williamsburg.
I suppose the downside of all this would be that the bloggin' would likely have to be placed on the back burner unless I can find time after work or on lunch breaks to post things.
Anywho, wish me luck; I'll report on it all tomorrow. 'Til then, ride safe and don't forget your fenders this weekend, it looks like it'll be a bit soggy out.
Well, that's all the realness for today because I actually have (for a change) things to work on for a job interview in Long Island City tomorrow afternoon.
While I desperately need gainful employment, I worry (as one always will) about a number of things in the event that I like the place and they offer me the job.
First, I fear it may be a bike-hating office that will either frown upon my cycling to work, or demand that I lock it up outside in a shady industrial waterfront area, which needless to say, I'd be none too stoked about. Though with a little luck, I may wind up with (gasp!) job satisfaction and a place to park my bike (and shower, but there's a snowball's chance in hell of that being the case). Interestingly, I found out recently that the bicycle accessibility law that was passed (a) doesn't go into enforcement until December, and (b) only applies to New York County, not the outer boroughs.
Also, This may afford me the opportunity to expand my BLRI and LBSR reports since LIC isn't a place I frequently visit; and I'd have two opportunities daily to observe the goings on of hipster culture in all its hues as my commute would necessarily cut straight through the heart of Williamsburg.
I suppose the downside of all this would be that the bloggin' would likely have to be placed on the back burner unless I can find time after work or on lunch breaks to post things.
Anywho, wish me luck; I'll report on it all tomorrow. 'Til then, ride safe and don't forget your fenders this weekend, it looks like it'll be a bit soggy out.
9.08.2009
...YES!
I just had to re-post this late-breaking video of street justice in action.Judging by the surroundings, it looks like it went down somewhere in LES, a known stomping ground of messengers and the fixed scene in general... not people you really want to fuck with, to say the least.
Video via Prolly... thanks Prolly
While i generally deplore outright violence and vigilantism, I have to applaud these guys for standing up to a bike thief and teaching him a lesson. The NYPD pretty much doesn't give a damn about cyclist's rights, and as I've noted before, filing a 'police report' does more for insurance and proving your tardiness to your boss than it does justice.... At least not as effectively as a fist to the kisser and a stern warning, "DON'T STEAL BIKES!"
Bike Thief vs Street Justis from triple on Vimeo.
Video via Prolly... thanks Prolly
While i generally deplore outright violence and vigilantism, I have to applaud these guys for standing up to a bike thief and teaching him a lesson. The NYPD pretty much doesn't give a damn about cyclist's rights, and as I've noted before, filing a 'police report' does more for insurance and proving your tardiness to your boss than it does justice.... At least not as effectively as a fist to the kisser and a stern warning, "DON'T STEAL BIKES!"
8.19.2009
...Video Wednesdays!
I came up with a brilliant post to write this morning on my commute in, but forgot what it was by the time I arrived at work. As I've said before, coming up with new material on a daily basis taxes my vocabulary and humorabulary equally.
As I read through my blogroll every morning, I have come to realize that blogs come in many different color-ways and shape-ways, though the prevailing style-way that I encounter on my daily travels is what I like to call the SPASM (Small-Posts-About-Singular-Matters) blog.
While many notable bloggers utilize this method of abundance (wwtdd, prolly, inhabitat), my personal preference is toward the ODE (Once-Daily-Entry) blogs such as my personal favorite, Bike Snob NYC, and the less verbose Velodramatic. I have nothing against blogs that post new things constantly, but I definitely tend toward the lyrical and paced ones where the writer earns a rapport amongst his readers by consistently bringing quality ideas and material to the fore.
As a man of principle, I take issue with the semantics of behavior; forthrightness on the internet not excluded. It usually doesn't bother me all that much when I see the same invention or idea repeated on more than one site on the same day (you gotta cut the news blogs some slack on this though, only so many noteworthy things happen each day), though it's when there is a several day or week long gap between re-postings that I get a little annoyed. I'm not sure why, but it bugs me to be re-fed images and opinions that have long been old news (or conjecture, the two are easily confused).
That said, I present for your general amusement three videos about bicycle dorks as they are in the wild:
First, the Steam Boat Willy; a hovercraft powered by a recumbent bicycle. Weird, I know...
And this next one is just silly...
I hate to say it, but this seems like a self-defeating invention because the water you purify (mind you using a $200+ CycleOps trainer) would be immediately needed for rehydration, right?
Lastly, this guy is a maniac. You may have seen this before, but in case you haven't...
That's all for tonight folks, ride safe tomorrow...
As I read through my blogroll every morning, I have come to realize that blogs come in many different color-ways and shape-ways, though the prevailing style-way that I encounter on my daily travels is what I like to call the SPASM (Small-Posts-About-Singular-Matters) blog.
While many notable bloggers utilize this method of abundance (wwtdd, prolly, inhabitat), my personal preference is toward the ODE (Once-Daily-Entry) blogs such as my personal favorite, Bike Snob NYC, and the less verbose Velodramatic. I have nothing against blogs that post new things constantly, but I definitely tend toward the lyrical and paced ones where the writer earns a rapport amongst his readers by consistently bringing quality ideas and material to the fore.
As a man of principle, I take issue with the semantics of behavior; forthrightness on the internet not excluded. It usually doesn't bother me all that much when I see the same invention or idea repeated on more than one site on the same day (you gotta cut the news blogs some slack on this though, only so many noteworthy things happen each day), though it's when there is a several day or week long gap between re-postings that I get a little annoyed. I'm not sure why, but it bugs me to be re-fed images and opinions that have long been old news (or conjecture, the two are easily confused).
That said, I present for your general amusement three videos about bicycle dorks as they are in the wild:
First, the Steam Boat Willy; a hovercraft powered by a recumbent bicycle. Weird, I know...
And this next one is just silly...
I hate to say it, but this seems like a self-defeating invention because the water you purify (mind you using a $200+ CycleOps trainer) would be immediately needed for rehydration, right?
Lastly, this guy is a maniac. You may have seen this before, but in case you haven't...
That's all for tonight folks, ride safe tomorrow...
8.12.2009
... Video Wednesdays
I'm feeling kind of lazy today so thank goodness for video Wednesdays. I found this video of MC SpandX rapping about being a roadie and talking smack about hipsters which always provides some comic relief.
There has been some speculation as to whether Performance Bike secretly produced and distributed this video, though I don't really care. What I do care about is that MC SpandX is obviously ignorant of some of the finer points of both cycling and video-editing.
Firstly, during the chorus when he's lubin' his chain, he sprays his 'super loob' on the top run of the chain, which is incorrect (when lubricating a bicycle chain, always remember to apply oil to the bottom run to minimize the chance of oiling the braking surface of your rim and to flush grime toward the outside of the chain-links).
Also, he's wearing what appears to be the Australian National Champion Jersey, which annoys me.
As I mentioned earlier, I'm not usually inclined to critique one's style or manner of dress save egregious errors of wardrobe, but the widespread 'palping' of national or world champion markings 'rubs' me the wrong way.
Take note of the above rainbow pattern. This 'colorway' is reserved exclusively for use by people who have become a world champion in one cycling discipline or another (road race, TT, match sprint, etc...). Unfortunately, since most people on bikes are not racers (myself included, as of yet anyway) they are not subject to the stringent rules of USAC which would fine or disqualify a rider for misrepresenting him(or her)self as a national or world champion.
Similarly, national champions are accorded the honor of wearing their national jersey at races during the year of thier win, and may have all subsequent jerseys trimmed with that national 'colorway' for the rest of their career.
You may think that I'm going a little overboard by attacking the misappropriation of these 'colorways', but if everyone started wearing the rainbow jersey (and they have), it wouldn't hold any special significance for the few that actually earned it by being the absolute best cyclist in the world. I think it would be really exciting to see someone wearing the rainbow jersey and to know without a doubt that they're the best instead of wondering why they feel it necessary to masquerade as an ideal.
Unfortunately for my rigid principles, all sorts of cycling prody has become available with the rainbow trim. Helmets, pedals, rims, and caps alike have been emblazoned with it and risen accordingly in price (one noteable exception is with bicycles themselves. when a bike brand is ridden to victory by a world champ, the company is allowed to use the rainbow on frames of that year as is the case on all 2008-9 Specialized bikes, thanks to the likes of Paolo Bettini and Alessandro Ballan).
Little do these poseurs know, like salmon, those who don the rainbow jersey are a cursed population.
Then again, there have been much more brguiling trends amongst cyclists as evidenced by these strange handlebar grips forwarded to me by a reader:
Gives new meaning to screwing the guy next to you doesn't it?
There has been some speculation as to whether Performance Bike secretly produced and distributed this video, though I don't really care. What I do care about is that MC SpandX is obviously ignorant of some of the finer points of both cycling and video-editing.
Firstly, during the chorus when he's lubin' his chain, he sprays his 'super loob' on the top run of the chain, which is incorrect (when lubricating a bicycle chain, always remember to apply oil to the bottom run to minimize the chance of oiling the braking surface of your rim and to flush grime toward the outside of the chain-links).
Also, he's wearing what appears to be the Australian National Champion Jersey, which annoys me.
As I mentioned earlier, I'm not usually inclined to critique one's style or manner of dress save egregious errors of wardrobe, but the widespread 'palping' of national or world champion markings 'rubs' me the wrong way.
Take note of the above rainbow pattern. This 'colorway' is reserved exclusively for use by people who have become a world champion in one cycling discipline or another (road race, TT, match sprint, etc...). Unfortunately, since most people on bikes are not racers (myself included, as of yet anyway) they are not subject to the stringent rules of USAC which would fine or disqualify a rider for misrepresenting him(or her)self as a national or world champion.
Similarly, national champions are accorded the honor of wearing their national jersey at races during the year of thier win, and may have all subsequent jerseys trimmed with that national 'colorway' for the rest of their career.
You may think that I'm going a little overboard by attacking the misappropriation of these 'colorways', but if everyone started wearing the rainbow jersey (and they have), it wouldn't hold any special significance for the few that actually earned it by being the absolute best cyclist in the world. I think it would be really exciting to see someone wearing the rainbow jersey and to know without a doubt that they're the best instead of wondering why they feel it necessary to masquerade as an ideal.
Unfortunately for my rigid principles, all sorts of cycling prody has become available with the rainbow trim. Helmets, pedals, rims, and caps alike have been emblazoned with it and risen accordingly in price (one noteable exception is with bicycles themselves. when a bike brand is ridden to victory by a world champ, the company is allowed to use the rainbow on frames of that year as is the case on all 2008-9 Specialized bikes, thanks to the likes of Paolo Bettini and Alessandro Ballan).
Little do these poseurs know, like salmon, those who don the rainbow jersey are a cursed population.
Then again, there have been much more brguiling trends amongst cyclists as evidenced by these strange handlebar grips forwarded to me by a reader:
Gives new meaning to screwing the guy next to you doesn't it?
8.06.2009
... Video Wednesdays (on Thursday)
I think bicycle races are really exciting but I know that like golf, lots of people find it tests their patience to watch them. Frankly, I'm with them on that; for the most part, bike races are pretty boring until the last ten km or so.
I only like to watch the grand tours to report on them here and to hopefully be lucky enough to witness rare or possibly news-worthy action like crashes, attacks and my personal favorite, the sprints.
When you see a bike race as filmed from a motorcycle keeping pace with the peloton or a helicopter overhead, the speed with which the riders are traveling loses its impact somewhat. That's why i was glad to have stumbled across this video of the Post Danmark Rundt at Copenhagenize earlier today:
Though I'm reposting this video for an entirely different reason than Mikael did; I really enjoy the angle and anonymity of this video. I'm not so interested in the reactions of passing Copenhageners as I am with how it shows how brutally fast the end of a road race can be... a blur of wheels and smooth claves, gone in little over 7 seconds (save the stragglers, of course).
I only like to watch the grand tours to report on them here and to hopefully be lucky enough to witness rare or possibly news-worthy action like crashes, attacks and my personal favorite, the sprints.
When you see a bike race as filmed from a motorcycle keeping pace with the peloton or a helicopter overhead, the speed with which the riders are traveling loses its impact somewhat. That's why i was glad to have stumbled across this video of the Post Danmark Rundt at Copenhagenize earlier today:
Tour of Denmark 2008 - Bicycle Race from Colville Andersen on Vimeo.
Though I'm reposting this video for an entirely different reason than Mikael did; I really enjoy the angle and anonymity of this video. I'm not so interested in the reactions of passing Copenhageners as I am with how it shows how brutally fast the end of a road race can be... a blur of wheels and smooth claves, gone in little over 7 seconds (save the stragglers, of course).
...back from nowhere
Sorry about the recent lack of posts. I've been pretty busy for a change, working on getting my parent's beach house to a build-able state and hunting for new employment as I had mentioned last week.
Alas, the transition from 'architect erk' to 'bike mechanic erk' isn't going as smoothly as I'd planned, especially considering the recent upswing in available freelance telecommuting positions for draftsmen such as myself. While I'd be very content doing zen shit like polishing bearing races, It would be sweet if I could snag a job where my commute is 20 feet and the local lunch spot is my kitchen, imagine the freedom!
Fear not though, soon there will be an ebb to my workload and I can resume blogging about the frivolities and tomfoolery of society and it's denizens.
One subject that has piqued my curiosity (and will surely soon be the focus of in-depth cultural analysis by yours truly) is the dramatic spread of hipsterdom throughout the country.
Only a few years ago, tight pants, day-glo throwback sneakers, and garishly patterned sweatshirts were merely a novelty of the late-eighties-early-nineties, places like NYC, and other dense urban places populated by kind-of-artsy 'twenty somethings'. Now, when taking bike trips and such to more rural locales, I notice that the hipness has been latched onto by youngsters everywhere.
This notion that it's hip to be hip ironically lies in stark contrast to what was previously deemed hip in the era to which hipsters seem to ascribe themselves. I don't usually take issue with most of the fashion faux pas I see (as I'm certain that to some, I probably look like a tool of one subculture or another), though some trends I find troublingly popular and under critiqued.
One such trend is girls wearing is 'mom-cut' jeans and shorts. You know, the ones with three extra inches of fabric above the natural waist and extra lateral room for post childbirth hip expansion?
I'm really not sure why this is becoming a 'hip' look. I can't speak for everyone, but when I see chicks in pants like this, I throw up a little in my mouth. Certainly, more shapely women can appropriate this (aesthetic?) mode to sexier ends, but for regular people with regular rumps, pants like this are just about the most unflattering thing one could wear.
I suppose if your goal is to quell cat-calls, then wearing these would likely aid in your de-sexification to positive effect. The flip side is that the wearer is rendered sexually mute and will experience difficulty securing a mate of the opposite sex; so maybe carrying mace or a rape whistle would be a bit more reasonable in everyday circumstances.
However, I am nonetheless worried about this influx of high-waisted pants. Has there been a spike in cases of Oedipus complexes amongst male hipsters? Because usually men aren't attracted to saggy butt-cheeks and cinched bellies, this must be the case. Either that or (the more likely scenario) women just don't really care what guys think and dress more so for each other in an unspoken, platonic fashion competition.
Whatever the case, please, women of the world, heed the satire of SNL!
My only hope is that like these women, hipsterdom is acting out a wardrobe deadpan comedy (WDC from now on) as opposed to truly and wholeheartedly liking antiquated failures of fashion. Who knows, Pharrell seems intent on pushing this wave of bubblegum bullshit to the breaking point by opening kitchy stores like the new BBC/Ice Cream store in SOHO.
'til next time friends, ride safe.
Alas, the transition from 'architect erk' to 'bike mechanic erk' isn't going as smoothly as I'd planned, especially considering the recent upswing in available freelance telecommuting positions for draftsmen such as myself. While I'd be very content doing zen shit like polishing bearing races, It would be sweet if I could snag a job where my commute is 20 feet and the local lunch spot is my kitchen, imagine the freedom!
Fear not though, soon there will be an ebb to my workload and I can resume blogging about the frivolities and tomfoolery of society and it's denizens.
One subject that has piqued my curiosity (and will surely soon be the focus of in-depth cultural analysis by yours truly) is the dramatic spread of hipsterdom throughout the country.
Only a few years ago, tight pants, day-glo throwback sneakers, and garishly patterned sweatshirts were merely a novelty of the late-eighties-early-nineties, places like NYC, and other dense urban places populated by kind-of-artsy 'twenty somethings'. Now, when taking bike trips and such to more rural locales, I notice that the hipness has been latched onto by youngsters everywhere.
This notion that it's hip to be hip ironically lies in stark contrast to what was previously deemed hip in the era to which hipsters seem to ascribe themselves. I don't usually take issue with most of the fashion faux pas I see (as I'm certain that to some, I probably look like a tool of one subculture or another), though some trends I find troublingly popular and under critiqued.
One such trend is girls wearing is 'mom-cut' jeans and shorts. You know, the ones with three extra inches of fabric above the natural waist and extra lateral room for post childbirth hip expansion?
I'm really not sure why this is becoming a 'hip' look. I can't speak for everyone, but when I see chicks in pants like this, I throw up a little in my mouth. Certainly, more shapely women can appropriate this (aesthetic?) mode to sexier ends, but for regular people with regular rumps, pants like this are just about the most unflattering thing one could wear.
I suppose if your goal is to quell cat-calls, then wearing these would likely aid in your de-sexification to positive effect. The flip side is that the wearer is rendered sexually mute and will experience difficulty securing a mate of the opposite sex; so maybe carrying mace or a rape whistle would be a bit more reasonable in everyday circumstances.
However, I am nonetheless worried about this influx of high-waisted pants. Has there been a spike in cases of Oedipus complexes amongst male hipsters? Because usually men aren't attracted to saggy butt-cheeks and cinched bellies, this must be the case. Either that or (the more likely scenario) women just don't really care what guys think and dress more so for each other in an unspoken, platonic fashion competition.
Whatever the case, please, women of the world, heed the satire of SNL!
My only hope is that like these women, hipsterdom is acting out a wardrobe deadpan comedy (WDC from now on) as opposed to truly and wholeheartedly liking antiquated failures of fashion. Who knows, Pharrell seems intent on pushing this wave of bubblegum bullshit to the breaking point by opening kitchy stores like the new BBC/Ice Cream store in SOHO.
'til next time friends, ride safe.
7.31.2009
...a good day for a brewski
Since around 9000 BC, man (and occasionally woman) has imbibed himself with grain-based alcohols, arguably the most popular of which is beer. Being the third most popular drink in the world (behind water and tea, apparently), beers are numerous in kind and vary widely in flavor and content, yielding very specific tastes and preferences amongst those that enjoy the foamy beverage.
This was evidenced yesterday, when our man Bam shared a chat over a cold one with Henry Louis Gates Jr. and the Cambridge police officer that arrested him for disorderly conduct, Sargent James Crowley. Also in attendance was VP Joe Biden, but he had a non alcoholic brew (either he previously had problems with drinking, or he needed to drive somewhere later), so he can't really claim participation in the 'Beer Summit'.
Gates and Crowley were in good form, choosing Sam Adams Light and Blue Moon, respectively; though Obama once again donned his 'everyman' persona opting for Bud Light of all things... Biden drank an ironic brew called Bucklers.
I must tip my hat to Obama... It's no secret that I'm a fan of his, but a chat over a beer to cool the hot hearts of those at the center of a media-hyped 'controversy' on a beautiful summer evening seems to me to be a great way to make amends and quell animosities. I have rarely been in the mood to start shit with people while drinking beer, and can attest to it's friendliness-inducing nature.
Speaking of how yummy and awesome beer is, It is important to note how nutritious it is and its recognized usefulness to athletes; cyclists in particular. One 12 oz bottle of beer typically contains about 150 calories, 13 grams of carbohydrates, and a gram of protein. It's also is chock full of vitamins and minerals essential to bodies taxed by exercise, they include impressive amounts of B3 (niacin), and B9 (folate), to name a few, and being about 90% water, beer also makes it an excellent beverage for re-hydrating oneself after sweating profusely.
This interesting 1962 Tour de France documentary, forwarded to me by a reader, is testament to this. Note the "pub raids" about halfway through.
I wondered if the fans of a given cyclist would try to bar his rival from raiding their pub in hopes of giving their man a lead...
I really admire the cyclists who competed in the tour prior to the advent of race radios, team cars, air-conditioned lodging, and high tech sports drinks. It took true grit to complete the tour back then, and doping was done more so to dull the pain than it was to increase performance. In fact, it was a generally accepted fact that professional cyclists pulled a Tom Boonen every now and again to keep going under such strenuous conditions.
After I go riding tomorrow, I can guarantee I'll recuperate with a frosty friend or two... you should too!
This was evidenced yesterday, when our man Bam shared a chat over a cold one with Henry Louis Gates Jr. and the Cambridge police officer that arrested him for disorderly conduct, Sargent James Crowley. Also in attendance was VP Joe Biden, but he had a non alcoholic brew (either he previously had problems with drinking, or he needed to drive somewhere later), so he can't really claim participation in the 'Beer Summit'.
Gates and Crowley were in good form, choosing Sam Adams Light and Blue Moon, respectively; though Obama once again donned his 'everyman' persona opting for Bud Light of all things... Biden drank an ironic brew called Bucklers.
I must tip my hat to Obama... It's no secret that I'm a fan of his, but a chat over a beer to cool the hot hearts of those at the center of a media-hyped 'controversy' on a beautiful summer evening seems to me to be a great way to make amends and quell animosities. I have rarely been in the mood to start shit with people while drinking beer, and can attest to it's friendliness-inducing nature.
Speaking of how yummy and awesome beer is, It is important to note how nutritious it is and its recognized usefulness to athletes; cyclists in particular. One 12 oz bottle of beer typically contains about 150 calories, 13 grams of carbohydrates, and a gram of protein. It's also is chock full of vitamins and minerals essential to bodies taxed by exercise, they include impressive amounts of B3 (niacin), and B9 (folate), to name a few, and being about 90% water, beer also makes it an excellent beverage for re-hydrating oneself after sweating profusely.
This interesting 1962 Tour de France documentary, forwarded to me by a reader, is testament to this. Note the "pub raids" about halfway through.
I wondered if the fans of a given cyclist would try to bar his rival from raiding their pub in hopes of giving their man a lead...
I really admire the cyclists who competed in the tour prior to the advent of race radios, team cars, air-conditioned lodging, and high tech sports drinks. It took true grit to complete the tour back then, and doping was done more so to dull the pain than it was to increase performance. In fact, it was a generally accepted fact that professional cyclists pulled a Tom Boonen every now and again to keep going under such strenuous conditions.
After I go riding tomorrow, I can guarantee I'll recuperate with a frosty friend or two... you should too!
7.29.2009
...Video Wednesdays
I'm in a pensive mood today, juggling work on two fronts while attempting to instigate a professional change-of-venue. I'm worried that getting away from the practice of architecture may be slightly damaging to my resume, however the employment I currently 'enjoy', leaves much to be desired on many levels, and gainful it is not.
With a little luck, I can segue my skills at spatial comprehension and the fine art of tinkering into a stint as a bicycle mechanic. Somehow I've got to logically weigh the pro's and con's of both moving away from the profession for which I was trained though am rather unhappy in, and transforming yet another hobby into a job, risking my lust for cycling.
I suppose that is the risk with every job; you can't do something you hate, but then again, if you love it too much, it will invariably end up offending your principles, causing you to become disillusioned and subsequently unpleasant to work with.
On the flip side, I can't help vain-glorious fantasies from clouding my judgment somewhat. When I dream of having a bicycle-centric job, it looks something like this:
Alas, I'm well aware that the reality is far from this idealized world of merino jerseys and syncopated arm-flailing. I have no delusions of grandeur (that my vast intelligence has made me aware of, anyway) about a job fixing and building bicycles, so I can only deduce that it must go something like this:
While I mull over the merits of such a selfless profession, I'll leave you with this video, which portrays my pensiveness about such a transition:
(As it happens, I once designed a laboratory for the mountain he's leaping off of, next to the Mardalsfossen, one of the highest waterfalls in europe.)
With a little luck, I can segue my skills at spatial comprehension and the fine art of tinkering into a stint as a bicycle mechanic. Somehow I've got to logically weigh the pro's and con's of both moving away from the profession for which I was trained though am rather unhappy in, and transforming yet another hobby into a job, risking my lust for cycling.
I suppose that is the risk with every job; you can't do something you hate, but then again, if you love it too much, it will invariably end up offending your principles, causing you to become disillusioned and subsequently unpleasant to work with.
On the flip side, I can't help vain-glorious fantasies from clouding my judgment somewhat. When I dream of having a bicycle-centric job, it looks something like this:
Alas, I'm well aware that the reality is far from this idealized world of merino jerseys and syncopated arm-flailing. I have no delusions of grandeur (that my vast intelligence has made me aware of, anyway) about a job fixing and building bicycles, so I can only deduce that it must go something like this:
While I mull over the merits of such a selfless profession, I'll leave you with this video, which portrays my pensiveness about such a transition:
(As it happens, I once designed a laboratory for the mountain he's leaping off of, next to the Mardalsfossen, one of the highest waterfalls in europe.)
7.22.2009
...double doody!
I felt bad about not posting anything yesterday, so for your reading pleasure, I present today's (rarely seen) second post!
I have to say, blogging isn't as easy as it may seem. Writing these posts taxes the limits of my wit and vocabulary; all in an effort to bring you the craftiest diatribes while simultaneously looking busy at 'work'. Like a rider of the pro-peloton, I have to be 'on', or 'in form' to opine both cynically and humorously. Yesterday's crummy weather helped to convince me that I ought to take it as a day off the bike to let my legs rest up. Unfortunately, that always results in me feeling lazy and useless, destroying any ambition I might have had for the day.
Monday, however I did ride in and enjoyed it very much! I have been noticing construction equipment accumulating at the base of the Manhattan Bridge for some time now and have been curious what the fuss is all about. That morning they were moving around plastic jersey barriers which have recently replaced the fencing that forced bridge users to use this strange switchback thing off Forsyth St. instead of riding directly onto the bridge.
I inquired about the planned construction from this fellow (who was none-too pleased that I was snapping photos of him), and he confirmed that indeed the DOT has heard the lamentations of cyclists! No longer will we be forced to strangle our brake-levers coming off the bridge! No longer will we have to negotiate four tight turns and an two traffic lights!
This may also help alleviate cyclist/chinatown tension which, as we can see from this video, is boiling over in places nearby (for the record, that video counts toward tomorrow's KIRT post in the event I can't find anything more shocking, haha).
On Gothamist there is a blurb about a City Room article regarding cycling-under-the-influence and the legality of doing so. It seems as though a group has organized a 'Bike to the Bars' event to be held in concert with Bloomberg's landmark dedication of July as 'Good Beer Month'! They will ride to 10 bars and presumably become drunk on good beer throughout the ride.
Though one should be careful when sporting and ingesting controlled substances, as we learned from noted lush and skiing enthusiast Tom Boonen recently. While not technically illegal in the US, biking under the influence (BUI), I can say from experience, is not a smart thing to do. My previous stance on booze x cycling collabo's was one of indifference, assuming that like salmon, drunk cyclists were a self-thinning population.
That was, of course, until I rode home one night in a cycling x weed x beer collabo and nearly died running a red light on Flatbush ave around midnight. Yeah, it made quite a scene and the driver rightly admonished my poor life-choices. Interestingly, the police cruiser stopped behind me at the light did absolutely nothing about it, I assume because the situation had diffused itself and my ears were already red with embarrassment without their help.
I can assure you I have, from then on, closely monitored my inebriation when a bike has been my ticket home.
Another thing to shy away from is blood doping. While I don't think transcendent experiences are the norm for blood dopers, it sure must be trippy narrowly losing the Giro d'Italia and then possibly being stripped of second-place 'glory'. That's right, you gathered correctly... Danilo Diluca, the man who wore the pink jersey throughout the beginning of the Giro this year, tested positive for EPO, namely: CERA (whatever that is).
Of course, he's vehemently denying these positives. I would too. I think the only thing more damaging to a sporting career than getting caught elevating your rate of oxygen uptake, is having to admit to having Cera in your heart. Though good thing I'm not pro because to tell you the truth, Cera's in my heart too. I loved his befuddlement when Juno told him she was preggers, not to mention his moving portrayal of a love-lorn high schooler in Superbad... man that movie was neat-o!
I have to say, blogging isn't as easy as it may seem. Writing these posts taxes the limits of my wit and vocabulary; all in an effort to bring you the craftiest diatribes while simultaneously looking busy at 'work'. Like a rider of the pro-peloton, I have to be 'on', or 'in form' to opine both cynically and humorously. Yesterday's crummy weather helped to convince me that I ought to take it as a day off the bike to let my legs rest up. Unfortunately, that always results in me feeling lazy and useless, destroying any ambition I might have had for the day.
Monday, however I did ride in and enjoyed it very much! I have been noticing construction equipment accumulating at the base of the Manhattan Bridge for some time now and have been curious what the fuss is all about. That morning they were moving around plastic jersey barriers which have recently replaced the fencing that forced bridge users to use this strange switchback thing off Forsyth St. instead of riding directly onto the bridge.
I inquired about the planned construction from this fellow (who was none-too pleased that I was snapping photos of him), and he confirmed that indeed the DOT has heard the lamentations of cyclists! No longer will we be forced to strangle our brake-levers coming off the bridge! No longer will we have to negotiate four tight turns and an two traffic lights!
This may also help alleviate cyclist/chinatown tension which, as we can see from this video, is boiling over in places nearby (for the record, that video counts toward tomorrow's KIRT post in the event I can't find anything more shocking, haha).
On Gothamist there is a blurb about a City Room article regarding cycling-under-the-influence and the legality of doing so. It seems as though a group has organized a 'Bike to the Bars' event to be held in concert with Bloomberg's landmark dedication of July as 'Good Beer Month'! They will ride to 10 bars and presumably become drunk on good beer throughout the ride.
Though one should be careful when sporting and ingesting controlled substances, as we learned from noted lush and skiing enthusiast Tom Boonen recently. While not technically illegal in the US, biking under the influence (BUI), I can say from experience, is not a smart thing to do. My previous stance on booze x cycling collabo's was one of indifference, assuming that like salmon, drunk cyclists were a self-thinning population.
That was, of course, until I rode home one night in a cycling x weed x beer collabo and nearly died running a red light on Flatbush ave around midnight. Yeah, it made quite a scene and the driver rightly admonished my poor life-choices. Interestingly, the police cruiser stopped behind me at the light did absolutely nothing about it, I assume because the situation had diffused itself and my ears were already red with embarrassment without their help.
I can assure you I have, from then on, closely monitored my inebriation when a bike has been my ticket home.
Another thing to shy away from is blood doping. While I don't think transcendent experiences are the norm for blood dopers, it sure must be trippy narrowly losing the Giro d'Italia and then possibly being stripped of second-place 'glory'. That's right, you gathered correctly... Danilo Diluca, the man who wore the pink jersey throughout the beginning of the Giro this year, tested positive for EPO, namely: CERA (whatever that is).
Of course, he's vehemently denying these positives. I would too. I think the only thing more damaging to a sporting career than getting caught elevating your rate of oxygen uptake, is having to admit to having Cera in your heart. Though good thing I'm not pro because to tell you the truth, Cera's in my heart too. I loved his befuddlement when Juno told him she was preggers, not to mention his moving portrayal of a love-lorn high schooler in Superbad... man that movie was neat-o!
7.08.2009
...video Wednesdays
I'm posting a little late today because I spent the morning watching the tour online at versus. Though it was uneventful for the most part, I did enjoy watching a breakaway group try and stay ahead of the peloton for the last 60km of the stage. If you're not familiar with road racing, a breakaway is when a (usually small) group of riders takes off from the front of the main group and attempts to stay away as long as possible. Usually breaks that occur before the last quarter of the stage get re-enveloped by the peloton unless the break away riders are extraordinarily strong or the course is mountainous enough to render pacelining useless.
The break earlier today saw six riders, four of whom were rookies at the tour, work together marvelously to stay away for the entire rest of the stage. Eventually the peloton did reel in most of them, but Frenchman Thomas Voeckler managed to stay ahead just long enough to beat the field by a few seconds.
Unfortunately, all of the general classification contenders (Cancellara, Armstrong, Contador, Leipheimer, etc...) all finished with the pack and as such received the same finishing time and no changes were made to the top ten standings.
Upon closer inspection of the General Classification Standings (above) I noticed that Lance is listed as being second with a gap of 00:00:00 to Fabian Cancellara (as is highlighted by hexidecimal BADA55, of course). Needless to say I was sort of confused about how they could be tied, for one, and how they determine who they call the GC leader in the event of said tie...
Researching the rules and regulations of the UCI while the middle of the race sped along in another tab, I heard the announcers explain where the discrepancy arose. Apparently Lance is back from Cancellara, though by a mere 0.22 seconds (that's less than a wheel length at race speeds).
This means that unless something goes horribly wrong for Lance tomorrow, he'll probably have the race locked. He's arguably the worlds foremost climber and time trial specialist, giving him quite the edge in the coming middle portion of the race, where the riders will race over the Pyrenees Mountains after tomorrows flat stage finishing Barcelona. Following that are a smattering of different courses, with the Alpe d'Huez somewhere toward the end of the race.
This in mind, I thought this might be an opportunity to refresh ourselves on some of Lance's accomplishments in the seven times he's won the tour.
First, the most famous 'Lance move' that you may hear cycling fans refer to is "the look". It was given by Lance to his rival in the 2001 tour, Jan Ullrich, while ascending the slopes of the (aforementioned) Alpe d'Huez a 'beyond categorization' climb (aka steep as shit and piled higher). lets watch:
That's what I call bicycle-gangster. Looks him in the eye to give him more than fair warning, and then takes off dropping the rest of the race on a road so steep they don't have a good way of classifying it.
Then in 2003, again battling Ullrich to retain the yellow jersey, he shows his true grit:
To fall like that, have a mechanical malfunction, fix it, stumble again, and then go on to destroy the lead group and win the stage is downright superhuman.
Finally, we can't exclude his famous cyclocross X Road racing collabo after getting forced off the road on a fast descent:
Personally as much as I love the 'Dish's victory salutes, I am rooting for Lance to do it again. An eighth victory at the tour would be a nearly insurmountable record that would reinforce his already cemented claim to cycling immortality. As I said before, the next stages being rather hilly; I expect my fellow Texan to pull ahead of the other GC contenders by Friday, and hold onto the yellow jersey for most if not all of the rest of the race.
Thats right, Lance is a machine... He will win again. Remember, you heard it here first, so place your bets.
Speaking of machines, and lacking much humor in the above writing, I present for your general amusement this recently discovered ad for the Murray Street machine, which according to the ad is faster than a Star Trek transporter. In the words of one Vincent Vega, "...that's a bold statement, my friend..."
Stay tuned to JSYNYC tomorrow for a gripping tale of cyclists' rights being abused and the dislocation of my most-used finger!
Pedal softly friends...
The break earlier today saw six riders, four of whom were rookies at the tour, work together marvelously to stay away for the entire rest of the stage. Eventually the peloton did reel in most of them, but Frenchman Thomas Voeckler managed to stay ahead just long enough to beat the field by a few seconds.
Unfortunately, all of the general classification contenders (Cancellara, Armstrong, Contador, Leipheimer, etc...) all finished with the pack and as such received the same finishing time and no changes were made to the top ten standings.
Upon closer inspection of the General Classification Standings (above) I noticed that Lance is listed as being second with a gap of 00:00:00 to Fabian Cancellara (as is highlighted by hexidecimal BADA55, of course). Needless to say I was sort of confused about how they could be tied, for one, and how they determine who they call the GC leader in the event of said tie...
Researching the rules and regulations of the UCI while the middle of the race sped along in another tab, I heard the announcers explain where the discrepancy arose. Apparently Lance is back from Cancellara, though by a mere 0.22 seconds (that's less than a wheel length at race speeds).
This means that unless something goes horribly wrong for Lance tomorrow, he'll probably have the race locked. He's arguably the worlds foremost climber and time trial specialist, giving him quite the edge in the coming middle portion of the race, where the riders will race over the Pyrenees Mountains after tomorrows flat stage finishing Barcelona. Following that are a smattering of different courses, with the Alpe d'Huez somewhere toward the end of the race.
This in mind, I thought this might be an opportunity to refresh ourselves on some of Lance's accomplishments in the seven times he's won the tour.
First, the most famous 'Lance move' that you may hear cycling fans refer to is "the look". It was given by Lance to his rival in the 2001 tour, Jan Ullrich, while ascending the slopes of the (aforementioned) Alpe d'Huez a 'beyond categorization' climb (aka steep as shit and piled higher). lets watch:
That's what I call bicycle-gangster. Looks him in the eye to give him more than fair warning, and then takes off dropping the rest of the race on a road so steep they don't have a good way of classifying it.
Then in 2003, again battling Ullrich to retain the yellow jersey, he shows his true grit:
To fall like that, have a mechanical malfunction, fix it, stumble again, and then go on to destroy the lead group and win the stage is downright superhuman.
Finally, we can't exclude his famous cyclocross X Road racing collabo after getting forced off the road on a fast descent:
Personally as much as I love the 'Dish's victory salutes, I am rooting for Lance to do it again. An eighth victory at the tour would be a nearly insurmountable record that would reinforce his already cemented claim to cycling immortality. As I said before, the next stages being rather hilly; I expect my fellow Texan to pull ahead of the other GC contenders by Friday, and hold onto the yellow jersey for most if not all of the rest of the race.
Thats right, Lance is a machine... He will win again. Remember, you heard it here first, so place your bets.
Speaking of machines, and lacking much humor in the above writing, I present for your general amusement this recently discovered ad for the Murray Street machine, which according to the ad is faster than a Star Trek transporter. In the words of one Vincent Vega, "...that's a bold statement, my friend..."
Stay tuned to JSYNYC tomorrow for a gripping tale of cyclists' rights being abused and the dislocation of my most-used finger!
Pedal softly friends...
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