blah blah blah

Dirksen Press Pen

2011-06-07T01:00:00.001-04:00

Lynwood, IL

2011-06-06T00:41:00.005-04:00

2011-04-13T22:14:00.001-04:00

A knife, a fork, a bottle and a cork. That's the way we spell New York.

SWRVE Jeans

2011-04-12T12:58:00.002-04:00

Since I first took a gamble with the Outlier 4Season OG pants and won, and won a second time with the Rapha trousers, I have been sold on the idea of cycling specific casual pants. I only ordered a few pairs of Levis 527 Boot cut Jeans because my beloved old pair was falling apart. Unfortunately I found that the Levis were much too tight in the thighs, and I could barely lift my leg high enough to get over the saddle. They were shortly sent back.

Their replacement is a pair of Swrve Jeans. Of course, having learned my lesson, I went for a pair of cyclist-oriented pants. You can read all about the details on the Swrve site, but a few highlights: A gusseted crotch keeps things clean and simple on at your saddle contact point. Slightly articulated knees create a shape more natural to the bike. High back and low front fit nicely with the cyclist on the bike posture. The right leg has a nice reflective strip on the inside which shows when the cuff is turned up.

The denim feels high grade, and looks very nice. The pants seem to run a tad big, however. On me, the size 32 Levis were a real squeeze. With the Swrve pair, a 32 is a little bit looser than I would like. A 31 might fit me better.

Overall, I'm pleased with these jeans.

2011-04-09T13:07:00.002-04:00

I heart Metronomy.

2011-04-06T03:48:00.004-04:00

Nice tune. Good video. Killer break at 2:37.

N. Broadway Avenue, Chicago.

2011-02-28T01:32:00.003-05:00

I got a nice shot right before we did our live shot. Police were keeping tabs on a crew of toughs, but didn't get to them before they killed two in an Edgewater apartment, likely over drugs. There was a car chase through the area and by the time it was done, a cop had been shot in the leg, a fleeing bad guy was shot and killed, and two more bad guys taken into custody. There were three separate scenes. This one is where the officer, a 39 year old with 12 years on the force, was shot.

2010-11-11T04:02:00.002-05:00

Listening to Deodato.

Life in Vivo Barefoot: Week 1.

2010-04-08T12:36:00.004-04:00

The first pair arrived about a week ago, and within 48 hours I had ordered a second pair. The design options have broadened and gone in a more classic direction. Simple, minimal, and elegant looks are now available in addition to the tackier sneaker-ish designs of last year. The first pair were all white slip-ons. Boy they look nice. And they feel nice. My first impression: the sole is stiffer than I anticipated. But the same was true for the Vibram Five fingers, and they eventually got broken in. I also noticed a little more than the advertised 3mm puncture proof sole inside. There is also a odor controlling and slightly cushy insole. Though it’s one more step away from the minimal ideal, I left the insoles in place (they are easily removable) for the added comfort and odor control. I will be going with out socks most of the time.

Walking in the Vivos didn’t seem to require any great changes in my thinking. It came naturally. Less impact on the heel, more reliance on the ankle to bend with footstrike, reducing shock. Mechanically, it really is like walking barefoot. There are of course different muscle stresses. Waking up on the morning after Day One in the Vivos, I did have a mild soreness in my calves. No pain, just that strangely pleasant sensation that is the natural response after you’ve given your muscles a bit of a wake up call.

On one occasion, while loading a truck for work, I did come down out of the truck and impacted a little too hard on the ball of my left foot on the cement floor of the garage. No apparent harm though, just the instant sting that says “don’t do that again.” Learning to tread more lightly is part of the learning process with these shoes.

I liked the white slip ons so much that when I found a online coupon for 30% off, I ordered a pair of black lace-ups, a la Chuck Taylor.

The slip ons were just a touch on the roomy side, but the fit improves as I wear them, and I chose the same size for the next pair. With the the lace-ups I was able to get a perfectly snug fit.

Now as I walk through town, my feet bend and flex and get exercise. I can feel changes in the pavement and I’m getting a much richer sensory experience. Yesterday I could feel tendons in my left foot as I walked along the sidewalk. From ball to heel I could feel my facia ligament tight and hot. Felt like it needed a good stretch. This morning my feet feel great.

Everything Acid Is New Again

2010-03-18T04:20:00.005-04:00

Mix: 3/17/10
Everything Acid is New Again.

2/25/10 Mix

2010-02-26T06:03:00.002-05:00

1/10/10 Mix

2010-01-12T00:55:00.004-05:00

Mellow, late night, deep.

the Birds

2009-10-14T00:26:00.000-04:00

My piece today. I had fun with these folks.

Patrick's Excellent Adventure

2009-09-16T19:54:00.001-04:00

My youngest bro, Patrick, is a few weeks into a trip around the world as a staff member on a Semester At Sea cruise ship. He's having quite an experience, and sharing lots of juicy details on his blog, "seeing the world one blog at a time." Take a trip right from your browser!

Taking More Photos

2009-09-14T13:43:00.008-04:00

I've retired my trusty beige Nokia brick. and replaced it with the best camera phone out right now, the Samsung Memoir.

I'm not saying so to shill for Samsung, but to announce the coming deluge of photos. In fact, it has already begun! Over at BPOTD, there are two shots up (bowling and U2), and I've put up a bunch of images at flickr too. This weekend, at U2 and on the 22nd floor patio of the Tribune Tower, I've been trying out the cameraphone's panoramic mode and it works quite well! I'm less adept with page layout here on blogger, however.

Hey A*****e

2009-09-11T14:31:00.001-04:00

Whitney Houston - Million Dollar Bill

2009-08-31T00:26:00.002-04:00

Never said this about any other Whitney Houston song, but this one is my jam of the week. Listening on repeat. Where are the remixes? Sony will surely take down this youtube soon.

throwthefdown2

2009-08-29T03:42:00.001-04:00

throwthefdown2
Originally uploaded by technochick

One of us went on to Techno stardom.

Do Kids Still Read?

2009-08-29T00:06:00.002-04:00

In more "to hell in a handbasket" news, Reading Rainbow, after a 26 year run, is being canceled.

Are You There, Door? It's Me, Cyclist.

2009-08-27T20:09:00.015-04:00

It was quite a memorable meeting we had today, wasn't it? Very exciting! I wish I could say it was a pleasure, but perhaps a little more notice before our next meeting would lead to less shouting and blood loss.

It all began when I was pedaling happily through Wrigleyville today. Suddenly you popped out and surprised me!

"Oh!" I exclaimed.

"Oh!" said the man in the car to which you were attached.

Thud!

Then came the second surprise when I realized I was still on my bicycle! Oh, but what is that stinging sensation? That must have been where you poked me! Right on the first knuckle of my right index finger it was: a warm and runny souvenir of our brief rendezvous! Red, just like you! It looked like the beginnings of a Jackson Pollack! How pretty!

A second later, I was glad when my finger performed as hoped. It was then that I decided there was no need to draw out an otherwise very to-the-point and impactful get together. I turned my head to give you one last look and saw that the man who had been inside the car was now out and ministering to you, concern in his eyes. I hope you are okay!

How close we had come to a much more sorrowful exchange! How was it avoided? Had I swerved just out of the worst danger? Another inch and I surely would have lost control of my steed and been redirected pavement-ward. I was counting my lucky stars, but also wondering: had the lovely Alpha King I communed with only a quarter-hour earlier left me spellbound?

These thoughts and the surge of adrenaline were more than enough to keep me from being bored on the bike, but unfortunately the open wound and messy blood drips, no matter how pretty on my index finger, required heed. Forlorn, I cut short my ride and turned home, where I could properly attend to your gift! But on the way, I sure felt rough and tough to be seen riding with an open wound!

That didn't seem to make the drivers take any more notice of me, sadly. As I approached my street I was nearly force-hugged by one of your colleagues! My head was turned to check traffic (I needed to get into the turn lane) and when my gaze was redirected forward, I saw nothing but the rear hatch of an SUV that apparently wanted to try the bike lane on for size - right in front of me! This heartbreaker's rear door was full of happy glowing red lights and he must have liked the bike lane a lot, because he was stopping in it! What a flirt! But I pretended not to notice Mr. Bikelane McBrakeLights and slipped along to the left side without even a nod.

It was as if I was wearing a very door-friendly fragrance, because before I got home, I was approached by yet another! This time I coyly dodged a passenger side door of a car that was turning without using any of those festive lights! I hope I wasn't rude in my aloofness, but I'm gentleman and don't tap just any door that comes my way. You understand, of course.

Finally I got home, and after a very civil exchange with my apartment door (we have a very open relationship), I proceeded to put my Boy Scout first aid training to work! A good refresher! And now, I've earned the right to wear that t-shirt I've been admiring!
So, door, thanks for the memories! Next time though, a little heads up would be appreciated.

8/24/09 mix

2009-08-27T02:55:00.004-04:00

A little disco, a little acid, and a little deep, all house. Enjoy.

megaupload link

Radio Lab 16: Moments

2009-08-23T13:57:00.004-04:00

This video was a nice surprise from the folks over at the Radio Lab podcast.

It's worth the HD and full screen.

What kind of cyclist are you?

2009-08-23T13:44:00.003-04:00

Bike Hugger's Guide to Bike Culture
Originally uploaded by Hugger Industries

Had a laugh today viewing the new Bike Hugger's guide to Bike Culture. As for me, I do have three bikes, but I haven't yet shaved my legs, and I also commute, so where does that put me?

Clothes Line Movie!

2009-08-20T19:36:00.002-04:00

Text from the post over at Treehugger:

We should reconsider if living electricly is still better for us, as we spend $5 billion every year drying clothes in the US. Since the dryer is responsible for 6% of the average household bill, drying clothed on a line is common sense, but not a right everyone has. Drying For Freedom follows the fight for the right to dry clothes naturally and reveals how drying clothes became a life threatening, environmental social catastrophe. The film is made by WL:DOCS, producers of documentary and factual programming. ::Drying for Freedom

Andy Kessler RIP

2009-08-14T00:27:00.004-04:00

I didn't know anything about Andy Kessler before his death this week. He suffered a fatal allergic reaction an insect sting at age 48.

I wish I could embed this lovely video of him skating and talking about skating. I recommend following the link to remember what the simple pleasures are all about. (video at the bottom of linked page)

Bret Anthony Johnson wrote these poetic words in the NYTimes:

Think not of swimming in a pool, but of becoming the ocean itself. Think not of flying, but of floating in a place where the ground or gravity has never existed — a place
where, at long last, there is no irony, no pain or struggle, where there’s no such thing as falling.

Running Good For Knees?

2009-08-12T10:30:00.001-04:00

I love reading stuff like this.

From NYTimes:

Instead, recent evidence suggests that running may actually shield somewhat against arthritis, in part because the knee develops a kind of motion groove. A group of engineers and doctors at Stanford published a study in the February issue of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery that showed that by moving and loading your knee joint, as you do when walking or running, you “condition” your cartilage to the load. It grows accustomed to those particular movements. You can run for miles, decades, a lifetime, without harming it. But if this exquisite balance is disturbed, usually by an injury, the loading mechanisms shift, the moving parts of the knee are no longer in their accustomed alignment and a “degenerative pathway” seems to open. The cartilage, like an unbalanced tire, wears away. Pain, tissue disintegration and, eventually, arthritis can follow.

It's all about Performance

2009-08-12T10:00:00.001-04:00

Lusine - Two Dots

2009-08-11T00:13:00.000-04:00

Right To Dry

2009-08-10T11:05:00.006-04:00

Watch CBS Videos Online
(this video is sometimes uncooperative - there's an unembeddable you tube version here.)

I line dry. I do it indoors, because I don't have a yard. It works fine. I may never use a dryer again!

And here's an interesting set of data. Apparently, fewer people are considering the items listed below - including the very unnecessary clothes dryer - necessities, the exceptions being the ipod and flat screen. (?) I could live (and do live) without many of these things. Yes, I need my cell phone, computer, and internet. I could live without the rest (though to be honest, I would miss the TV a tiny bit). Click the image for a bigger version. (link to Pew Study report)

REMI!

2009-08-08T23:33:00.003-04:00

Take one part Borat, one part Jackass, and one part Marcel Marceau, and you get Remi, the crazy art/prank/stunt/clown of France. His schtick is juvenile, rude, irresponsible, and hilarious. I especially love how he particularly targets golfers. In this video, Remi and ~~friends~~ ~~cohorts~~ accomplices do the Pac Man thing. Yes, it's been done before, but not quite this ~~destructively~~ hilariously. Plus, in this skit, Remi really suffers for his art/prank/disturbance. If you like this, check out Remi's other vids - hilarity!

No Impact Man

2009-08-06T20:39:00.003-04:00

No Impact Man is a man, a blog, a movie, and maybe a book. He's a man after my own heart. His movie is being released (everywhere?) on Sept 11.

Here's his blog.

Medium Cool

2009-08-06T07:22:00.001-04:00

Pedaling

2009-08-05T12:02:00.006-04:00

Europe is the example we need to follow, bike lanes encourage more cycling, and the more cyclists on the road the safer things become.

More and more, it seems to me that that 80's were an aberration in the natural evolution of society that we have been playing catch up from ever since. The deregulation of the financial system, the birth of the "war on drugs," the willful ignorance of the lurking energy crisis, and as detailed in this volume, the turning away from the bicycle, are the legacy of the decade that we are paying for today. But now that the hangover from the financial crisis is settling in, it seems to be the perfect time to reconsider those choices.

Jeff Mapes went far and wide to chronicle the ongoing resurgence of the bicycle and the result is a must-read for anyone interested in promoting cycling. The history of the bicycle lobby in the US, the burgeoning urban bike culture, European bike meccas and more are examined. Mapes tell tales of riding through NYC in a critical mass herd, navigating the choreographed chaos of Copenhagen by bike, and commuting in Portland, OR, and along the way introduces lawmakers, industry types, academics, activists, and just plain everyday folks who happen to ride bikes.

The reasons to ride a bike today are legion, but Mapes seems convinced that the only one that really sticks is that it's just plain fun. And so is reading his book. A mellow optimism infuses each page, and I suppose it would be hard not feel otherwise when you learn about all the blood, sweat, tears, gears, beers, and laughs that have been had pushing the bike movement on.

the good life

2009-08-04T13:27:00.003-04:00

Few things in life taste as good as a well crafted ale after a grueling bike ride, at midday.

Of course I would wait in line for this.

2009-08-04T01:53:00.003-04:00

Daft Punk on the soundtrack puts this firmly in the "no-brainer" decision category.

Good Beer

2009-08-04T01:24:00.004-04:00

Half Acre Beer is the latest brew out of the Chi. I'm going out on a limb and saying that Half Acre's Over Ale is my new favorite. I'm not one for flowery descriptions, so I'll leave that up to the craftsmen.

Half Acre Over Ale is what we call an American Style Bitter. This deep brown beer is brewed with six varieties of malted barley and balanced with three generous hop additions. You’ll find a mild malt body with bitter bones. Enjoy this beer.

I don't know if this is available anywhere outside the city. I get mine at the Jewel across the street from the headquarters on Lincoln Ave.

Half Acre gets super bonus points for sponsoring a local cycling team.

Chill Out, Pyros.

2009-07-05T00:03:00.004-04:00

Holy Roman Candles! I've never seen such pyrotechnic debauchery as I've been subjected to this evening. My street resembles one of those fake houses that the fire department pumps white smoke into and has kids crawl around in to simulate death by smoke inhalation.* And it sounds like a gosh dang WAR outside. Walk outside and there are what I presume to be illegal fireworks going off into the sky all around. I rode my bike home fearful of being targeted by one such projectile and losing a sense or two. Am I officially old because I'm annoyed by all this? It's hella EXTREME! Good God make it stop!!!!!!!!!!!

*These exist, right? I've never actually been in one.

MJ

2009-06-26T10:21:00.002-04:00

It just wouldn't be right to let MJ's passing go overlooked in this space.

MJ has been a presence in my life for all of my life. I was 5 when Thriller came out, and it was one of the first tapes I was bought. I can still remember listening to it on a Sony Walkman on family vacations when I was a kid, when even the baby tiger in the cover art blew my mind. His music is still as powerful today as ever. Music from the early Jackson 5 work, Off The Wall, and Thriller are all still in my ears regularly. I don't think any other artist ever achieved the kind of perfection I hear in much of Michael's music. His music truly has made me a happier person.

I'd just take this time to say, from the bottom of my heart, thank you, Michael.

C.I.C.L.E.'s Bicycle Lifestyle Guide

2009-06-20T00:38:00.005-04:00

If you've been thinking about really adopting a bike routine into your lifestyle, there are some good nuggets of info and advice here. This is being printed and given out for free in Cali, but the rest of us can see it online. (C.I.C.L.E. stands for Cyclists Inciting Change through Live Exchange - a little contrived, but they get an A for effort)

Sansa Aggravation

2009-06-19T11:16:00.003-04:00

I picked up a little 4 GB Sansa Clip about a month ago. It's a tiny little mp3 player that also features an FM receiver and voice recorder. It also has a screen, unlike my trusty first gen iPod Shuffle.

It's worked as expected, and overall I am pleased with the purchase, with one glaring exception: the clip attachment itself. On the bike tour that was the impetus for buying the thing, the clip broke. The tolerances on that plastic attachment were exceeded by simply removing the clip from an armband. Now the thing has no tension, and therefore functions less as a clip than a hook.

To be concise, I've gotten the run around by Sansa's tech support, and resorted to shelling out another $20 for a pack of three replacement clips. Now why would Sansa only sell replacement clips in packs of three? Seems like an admission of a flawed design, no? If that's the case, why not put an extra clip in the original package?

Of course the clips are backordered. Seems like this is a common problem! I put an order in anyway, and my credit card was billed. Today, two weeks later, I noticed that the funds had been refunded back to my account, and the clips are still on backorder.

Sansa, you annoy me.

See how the Genitals make use of the Gap.

2009-06-18T22:50:00.002-04:00

CKLW - Radio Revolution

2009-06-14T02:43:00.003-04:00

As a radio junkie and a Detroit kid, I ate this film up. I knew CKLW growing up as an AM talk station, but in the 60s and 70s it was one of the most influential rock stations in North America. The entire documentary is fascinating and had me glued to my TV when it came on PBS this evening. This chapter on the news department is deliciously outrageous. If you like radio, Detroit, or rock music, hunt this doc down. Radio Revolution: The Rise & Fall of The Big 8

The Closest I'll Get To My DJ Fantasies.

2009-06-07T20:55:00.005-04:00

I might play this.

DJ Hero trailer E3
Uploaded by MangeTonPad_TV. - Watch game reviews, trailers, and walkthrough videos.

DFW on RF

2009-06-07T11:48:00.003-04:00

I didn't see it, but Roger Federer won the French Open this morning. The NYTimes reports that someone accosted the athlete during the match. I think the word "accosted" is ready for retirement.

In honor of the historic event, I hereby repost a link to the fabulous David Foster Wallace (R.I.P.) essay which appeared in the NYTimes Play magazine almost 3 years back.

Pee, The Way Nature Intended.

2009-06-07T01:31:00.009-04:00

I know just a hair this side of zilch about soil chemistry, so it's no surprise I was struck dumb by Andrew Leonard's piece in Salon about phosphorous and, well, pee. Andrew does the heavy reading of the source material in Scientific American, and boils it down to this - the phosphorous we ingest is a critical element of healthy soil that we rely on to produce our food. It's fertilizer. Thing is, it seems that phosphorous is becoming a thing of some scarcity.

"How can I help?" you are surely asking yourself. All you need to do is remember what you learned in kindergarden: to put things back where they belong when you are done with them. It still applies, though we still haven't learned our lesson. When we are done using phosphorous, we tinkle it away down the drain (and eventually to the ocean).

Besides all the water wasted in every flush of our modern toilets, here's another good reason to reconsider the water closet's status quo. Leonard proposes an evolution of the basin as we know it from a evacuation tool to a seperation tool, but as far as I'm concerned, his solution is needlessly complicated. Is it time to get over ourselves and resume doing things the old-fashioned way? Cut out the middle man!

I googled "urine compost" and found this quote:

The best form of liquid addition for compost is what some composters primly call Household Compost Activator. Other people call it urine. Don't be coy about it -- this is what should happen to urine rather than wasting it by flushing it down the toilet.

I can think of at least one group of professionals that are leading the way. In cycling, it's called a "nature break."

Recession Skateboarding

2009-05-09T03:03:00.004-04:00

A fun ride

2009-05-07T21:26:00.002-04:00

I'm hoping to make it to Detroit this month by bike, so this is a little inspiration

Chicago to Rothbury 2008 from Daniel Shaughnessy on Vimeo.

(Bike) Crash

2009-05-03T20:59:00.002-04:00

Is it a bug in my mental software that makes me want to race more after watching this? Looks like a BLAST to me!

Running Green

2009-04-30T21:21:00.007-04:00

First day of new running kicks today. These are the END (Environmentally Neutral Design) running shoe. I've been wearing Asics for years, but when I heard about these, I wanted to check them out.

I heard the company was started by former Columbia and Nike folks, so there's a certain amount of gear know-how behind these. You can check out the website for the details (warning: turn down your speakers first!) but these shoes are made of a bunch of recycled bits in the sole, and if the upper was any more sparsely constructed, they'd be sandals.

None of which matters if they don't feel right on a run. I went out for the first time today on regular 5 mile run and felt really nice in these. Light and unobtrusive. I ran fast. I had no idea my ankles were so pale.

Red Meat

2009-04-29T11:15:00.002-04:00

heart disease
cancer
environmental pollution
global warming
depletion of potable water
artery-damaging cholesterol
elevated blood pressure
carcinogens
nitrosamines
colon cancer
prostate cancer
ovarian cancer

Inspired. Awesome.

2009-04-22T22:58:00.003-04:00

Has it been a while since you've seen something new? Feast your eyes:

The Hottness of the Trent Abbe Mix

2009-04-22T01:06:00.002-04:00

Trent Abbe, my friend and personal DJ hero, is emerging from his secret hideout to grace the decks at the DEMF (or whatever it's called these days) after-event to be at, on Saturday May 23rd. The lovely people at Blank Artists have made a classic mix available on the internets which you should listen to if you appreciate quality and goodness.

A Plumb With Aplomb

2009-04-22T00:42:00.003-04:00

I fixed the leaky kitchen sink faucet, and I'm feeling pretty awesome about it. The hot water has had a drip since I moved into my apartment a month ago, but NO MORE! So I'm patting myself on the back, and I'm gonna let the back of my pants hang just a little bit lower tonight. I've earned it.

We Are The Jailingest Country On The Planet

2009-04-20T00:59:00.003-04:00

I have a short list called "If I Were King Of The World, I'd. . ." and somewhere near the top is the decriminalization of drugs. I could try to wax poetic about why I feel that way, but David Simon's take is a better listen. He's the creator of one of the best TV shows ever produced - "The Wire" -, a former crime reporter for the Baltimore Sun, and he's the most recent guest of Bill Moyers, and the best interview I've heard there in a while. The poor, the working class, the press, drugs, politics, David Simon's gig is looking straight in the eye all the things most of us would probably rather pretend don't exist, and finding ways to make us get it.

The guy is a bit of a pessimist and a crank, but maybe that's because he's not averting his eyes or deluding himself. Things may or may not be this bad, but it seems that few people have framed the issues in as compelling a manner as David Simon.

Wheel Gymnastics

2009-04-08T12:30:00.000-04:00

I had no idea this existed before today. Apparently Chicago is a hotspot for this, and the national championships were held here a few weeks back. This girl in this video is German and apparently one of the best in the world! It gave my brain a pleasant tweaking to see this. There were a few moments where I thought she'd get smushed!

Urgency

2009-04-08T11:13:00.007-04:00

The White House has reportedly been discussing, as a last resort, massive climactic engineering projects, a la spewing a bunch of sunlight-deflecting pollution into the air to keep the planet cool. (AP blurb)

Finally a tone of urgency that belies an understanding of the scope of the problem.

Only slightly less alarming: Obama's Energy Secretary said the Earth is like the Titanic and on a collision course with disaster unless we make changes.

NYT on "Ran"

2009-04-07T13:15:00.003-04:00

Perhaps my favorite film, by my favorite filmmaker - Akira Kurosawa's Ran - get the mini-essay treatment from NYT's A.O. Scott. The end is given away though (Spoiler Alert!), so if you haven't seen it, I think you should set some time aside and watch it. I'll never forget watching Ran for the first time. Kurosawa is my favorite master of the big truths, and in this film he really nails the big visuals.

Here's a non-spoiling trailer:

Line Dry Nation

2009-04-07T11:59:00.003-04:00

Last month I moved into a new apartment and I'm settling in nicely. Today I saw the owner of the building (very accessible, as he lives directly above me) and I asked about a clothesline for line drying laundry. We have a nice little green space in the back of our building that would be the perfect spot for one. He said he hadn't ever thought of it, and I was the first who had ever asked, but yeah, sure! The owner of the building is cool.

Yehuda Moon Comics

2009-04-05T00:41:00.006-04:00

Recently discovered the lovely Yehuda Moon comic strip. It's not about me, though it's not much of a stretch (except that I wear a helmet). It nicely captures a lot of the lovely bits about the commuter lifestyle.

(I didn't drive to work at all this winter!)

Electrifying Mojo

2009-04-04T02:40:00.002-04:00

As long as it's on topic (awesome old school Detroit, that is) here's some Electrifying Mojo. Not hard to see why he was so influential. Hard to find DJ's like that anywhere. Personally, since moving to Chicago, I've really enjoyed weekend afternoons with Herb Kent on 102.7. A good DJ needs excellent taste in music, a good voice, and a great personality. All three together, and, well, listen for yourself.

New Dance Show on Boing Boing

2009-04-04T02:26:00.003-04:00

The Boingers are going crazy over old school clips of the Detroit TV afternoon dance shows. As a kid in the Detroit burbs, watching that stuff was alluring and vaguely unsettling at the same time. I remember thinking it was so low budget, I doubted anyone was really watching, but on day in eighth grade, my English teacher referenced the guy in the cape on the New Dance Show. The class ate it up, and he won the day. One thing is for sure, it left indelible memories. If you tube had nothing other than clips from The Scene and The New Dance Show, it would still be a smashing success. Follow the link.

Spartans are doing it.

2009-04-04T01:52:00.001-04:00

Osborne is doing it.

2009-04-04T00:45:00.003-04:00

New EP's title cut is funky and spacy and fresh and groovy and feel good and dancey and modern and retro and timeless and puts a smile on my face, in other words, just as good as you would expect. And the recent Ghostly podcast is the freshest mix since Coldcut's.

Dr. Bronner is doing it.

2009-04-04T00:41:00.002-04:00

When it comes to soap, I buy in bulk. Peppermint sucka!

KutiMan is a YouTube Genius

2009-03-12T19:28:00.002-04:00

There is an entire album's worth of this stuff, each equally as good as the last, and different styles to boot. Check it!!!

Space Conservation

2009-03-11T01:15:00.002-04:00

I look at the first picture and get a tiny headache. I look at the other two and feel very relaxed.

Found through Carfree USA

Ashes of American Flags

2009-03-10T01:11:00.002-04:00

This premiered in Chicago tonight and I was able to make the second showing. Wilco is the best. The film was great. Brendan Canty (Fugazi) is one of the filmmakers and was in attendance to answer some questions afterwards.

Maybe it was just me, but I really wanted to clap and yell at the end of some of the songs. . . I felt like I was watching the band live. If you like Wilco, you hopefully already know that they always put on a satisfying show. This is a great document of 10 days on tour, stopping in some historical venues. Long live Wilco.

By they way, the film is worth watching to see the entirety of that bridge shot alone.

Yup, that sounds about right.

2009-03-08T03:21:00.004-04:00

Boing Boing points to an article about the state of affairs in Detroit from the Financial Times. I thought the article sadly rang true. In his description at Boing Boing, however, Cory Doctorow touched on how the decay of Detroit holds a strange fascination:

From Boing Boing:

I was at Confusion, a science fiction convention in the Detroit area recently, and I got to thinking that Detroit may be the most science fictional city in the world -- if sf is about the way that technology changes society (and vice-versa), then Detroit, the first New World, world-class city built around a high-tech industry that collapsed, is about as science fictional as it gets.

From FT.com:

For decades, scribes from America’s coasts and beyond have been parachuting into Detroit to marvel at its horrors. The city never fails to deliver colourful copy: the urban decay, the $1 houses that still go unsold, the tragicomic city politics. Jerry Herron, a writer and scholar at Detroit’s Wayne State University, likens journalists’ morbid delight at Detroit to that of Victorian travellers reaching Pompeii. “City of the dead, city of the dead,” Thackeray wrote. The words might as well apply here.

. . .

Detroit may be the archetypal down-and-out rust-belt city, but to call it “dying” masks a more complex reality. Greater Detroit still has three to four million residents, a world-class university next door in Ann Arbor and the bone structure of a great city, as a car-industry consultant with the ear of a poet put it over lunch one day. Why, then, the relentless focus on its failings? Nearly everyone you meet is either weary or angry at seeing their home town made the butt of jokes on late-night television and the subject of anguished political commentary. But no one denies that the region’s property market is abysmal, its finances a mess and its industrial base shrinking at an alarming rate.

Instead, Michiganders, despite being self-deprecating to a fault, make a point their countrymen won’t want to hear: Detroit is no longer the nation’s worst-case scenario, but on its leading edge, the proverbial canary in the coal mine. “It’s like the rest of the country is getting to where Detroit has been,” said Peter De Lorenzo, who writes the acerbic and very funny Autoextremist.com blog. That means that smug mock-horror is no longer the appropriate reaction to the frozen corpse. Instead, get ready for a shock of recognition.

my first party

2009-03-07T00:46:00.005-05:00

What was I doing 14 years ago? Making raver silhouettes in front of multibeam lasers.

My neighbor's alarm.

2009-03-06T11:12:00.006-05:00

Just keeps going and going and going and going. It's up the street. Is it a car alarm, and house alarm? It sounds like there's a police siren up the block. For the past 18 hours. It's having a detrimental effect on the day. The first time this year the weather is nice enough to open a window, and you can't because that alarm every five minutes will steal your sanity.

UPDATE, 10:42am: I went out to the street, identified the vehicular source of the infernal racket (while resisting the nearly overpowering urge to grab a baseball bat and swing for the fences all over the grill) and called the city. They say they will send an officer out.

UPDATE, 1:14pm: On the way out on the bike to make an appointment, I was pleased to see a ticket on the windshield of the offending SUV. When I got around the block, I saw a squad car stopped in the middle of the street, so I approached and mentioned to the officer that I had called in the complaint about the noise and that it was driving us all crazy. He said that, yes, he had written the ticket, and it even he became highly annoyed as it stopped and started as he wrote the ticket. He told me that he had checked the address listed on the registration (which was on the next street over) and no one was home. He said that he would give them some time, and check back later. He promised to have it towed if it wasn't taken care of by tomorrow. He seemed like a nice guy, but tomorrow? I'm back home now and It's still going off like crazy. I wonder if anyone else has called this in. I hope so.

Where's the Rectifier when you need him?

UPDATE, 11:16 pm: Just home from work, and the SUV has (been?) moved. No more audible disturbance, thank goodness. I wonder what happened to it? Did it get towed? :) I would have taken a distinct satisfaction in seeing that.

Fixie Blues

2009-03-06T00:36:00.002-05:00

I bought a fixed gear bike this week. A track bike, to be more specific. I thought I could use one as an around-town beater and keep my regular bike nice and clean for longer rides. The lack of derailleurs and stuff is appealing as far as simplicity and less maintenance goes, and it's said that riding a fixed gear will improve bike handling skills generally.

Well, all that may be true, but the problem is when you try to stop. You see, my bike has no brake. Brakes on track bikes are kinda against the point. But most Bianchi Pistas are drilled for a front brake, and I thought to myself that I'd put on one after I bought it. The unfortunate thing, which I didn't realize until I had already gotten the bike (bought second hand on CL) home is that is has an aftermarket fork with no brake mount.

Without a brake, the only means of stopping is resistance on the pedals, which are fixed in relation to the rear wheel. This means that today, after just a few trips on the thing, I've almost been thrown off of it more than once, I've probably looked like an idiot trying to stop a dozen times, and my knees are hurting.

I'm not sure this bike is a good idea. Even this guy has (way) more skills than me right now.

Clues in the case of the mystery stench

2009-03-03T01:51:00.006-05:00

What I saw in my entryway this morning:

Sentra For Sale

2009-03-03T01:49:00.001-05:00

I just offered to sell my car to someone. It's officially for sale. What follows is my e-mail to one interested party. Feel free to make me an offer!

Prabhjot,

How much? well. . .

Its an SE with the Performance package - bigger wheels, better handling, suspension etc. I googled that and found this:

"On winding roads, it offers sporty handling that makes it fun to drive. Stiff suspension tuning and big 16-inch wheels with Firestone Firehawk GTA tires give the SE with the Performance Package the abilities of a European sedan." (http://www.carfax.com/car_safety/ratings/SRR.cfm/year/2001/make/NISSAN/model/SENTRA/trim_id/2001NISS4DFSENTRA_SE)

I can vouch. It's a fun ride to drive, especially on the windy roads.

In recent years we've seen new starter, serpentine belt and battery, (12/07) new front and rear pads and rotors (7/06) fresh tires at 62427 miles (11/04) (I have the records). Clutch has never been replaced, but still passes clutch test last I checked. (stalls in first when clutch let out).

6 disk changer and 7 speaker sound (all stock). Interior is clean, intact.

On the minus side. . .

She's got a dented front passenger bumper - might be able to pop it out easily, but I've never really tried. It's the result of a minor fender bender. Also a fingertip's worth of rust on corner of hood where just barely tweaked from same ax. It's a subtle dent and easy to overlook You can see it (barely) in the wide shot below. The car has been in no serious accidents. I can supply a CARFAX report. There are some smallish dents and widespread shallow surface scratches across the car from when a tree fell on her last summer. There are two photos below from when the tree fell. Hard to see the paint scratches in wide shot. Radio antena bent too. Of course the windshield and side view have been replaced. The parking brake can get sticky in the winter (I'm guessing there's moisture in there that freezes), and the check engine light is on, due to what I think is a bad O2 sensor, but unsure.

With that in mind. . .

Kelly Blue Book at "Fair" condition is $4360 (cut and paste link below for full info)

http://www.kbb.com/KBB/UsedCars/PricingReport.aspx?YearId=2001&Mileage=97000&VehicleClass=UsedCar&ManufacturerId=35&ModelId=239&PriceType=Private+Party&VehicleId=4824&SelectionHistory=4824%7c30124%7c60613%7c100%7c10%7c186406%7ctrue%7c186402%7ctrue%7c186406%7ctrue%7c186402%7ctrue%7c186406%7ctrue%7c186414%7ctrue%7c186461%7ctrue%7c186477%7ctrue%7c186468%7ctrue%7c186468%7cfalse&Condition=Fair&QuizConditions=

I'm imagining a number like $4500.

Carfax is clean, and I can supply you with a copy. Not sure if it's a good idea to give the VIN out, so I will hold off for now.

I'll admit that she's got some age lines, but she still knows how to get a fella excited.

Joe

Did something die in here?

2009-03-02T01:48:00.002-05:00

There is a horrible smell in the entryway of my apartment. It hit me like a brick wall when I returned home from work. I can still catch a nose of it from my apartment 2 floors directly above. What is it? I've never had the occasion to take a whiff of a flaming bag of human scat, but I think I've just come close enough. I have no idea what it is or where it's coming from, I just want it to go away.

Kindle, Paper, and Newspapers

2009-02-11T00:49:00.001-05:00

I think the Kindle is gonna catch on. I scoffed at first, but with the news of the new and improved model, I think I'm sold. Here's why: my life is cluttered with paper. Magazines, newspapers, they are piling up in my place, creating another chore. I wouldn't be that sad to say goodbye to paper. Really, I think I'm over it. The romance and nostalgia of the paper? It's a waste.

I think that Kindle may even have the potential to revolutionize the newspaper business model. A fee based subscription service could be used, and the paper could automatically load onto the Kindle every day. Imagine reading a book at night on the Kindle, setting it the bedside stand, and waking up with to see the front page of your favorite newspaper there. That's worth a buck a week. I'm watching the Amazon stock very closely. . .

If you haven't seen what the buzz is about, here.

What Is It?

2009-01-31T01:41:00.003-05:00

This is in my bathroom, near the sink. It's not very good as a towel rack. Should I be using it for another purpose?

Mr. Oizo

2009-01-30T03:37:00.005-05:00

There's a new Mr. Oizo record out. I like it. Here's a hit from a few years back.

Sexy Veggies

2009-01-29T11:50:00.002-05:00

Some of the reasons that a sexy pro-vegetarian PETA ad was rejected for the Super Bowl by NBC:

Licking pumpkin
Touching her breast with her hand while eating broccoli
Pumpkin from behind between legs
Rubbing pelvic region with pumpkin
Asparagus on her lap appearing as if it is ready to be inserted into vagina
Licking eggplant
Rubbing asparagus on breast

You can watch the vegetable debauchery here

Great Video

2009-01-28T01:39:00.002-05:00

Just head this band for the first time tonight. Metronomy - A Thing For You.

My Winter Biking Experience, Part 2

2009-01-18T00:45:00.006-05:00

Today we hit a high temp of F 24° and it felt pleasant! I was an enjoyable alternative to the sub zero trend we've been in of late. I rode balaclava-less to work under sun and calm winds.

My bike is 20 plus years old, but it's a quality machine with quality components, and as far as I can tell, it has aged well. This year I have devoted more attention to it than ever before. I've taken axles apart and greased bearings, I've overhauled caliper brakes, replaced cables, touched up chipped paint, taken the toothbrush and citrus solvent to the bike with new found vigor, and, of course, replaced the bar tape. Most of these things don't really require much skill, but there is a right way and multiple wrong ways to do them. It's been a learning process along the way, and I'm looking forward to taking a stab at disassembly and reassembly of my freewheel and headset for some cleaning and lubing.

I ride a steel frame. Steel frames are said to provide a smoother ride than those made from other popular materials like aluminum or carbon. I haven't really ridden enough other frames to vouch for this with any authority, but my bike does roll really nicely. Steel frames are also supposed to retain their ride quality longer than those made of other materials. Maybe some bikes just get stale. The trade-off is that steel is heavier than other materials. Of course, steel will also rust.

Now, as this bike is 20 years old, and as I got it for a steal, (and it's the only bike I own) I don't feel too bad about taking it out in some pretty harsh conditions. Ice and gunk can be slippery and messy, but it's the salt that does the most damage, isn't it? The salt that the city lays down will rust out my bike if I don't take steps to stop it.

Here's how I prep: I use a lot of two fluids - ProLink chain lube, and Boeshield T-9 Rust and Corrosion Protection/Waterproof Lubrication. They do just what they sound like they should. This weather does a number on my chain. But keeping it lubed up will keep it running smooth and fight rust. In these conditions I lube the chain a few times a week. I should probably do it everyday. For the rest of the bike, I'm pretty generous with the Boeshield. I'll spray it on vulnerable spots on my frame and on my cassette, hubs, and bottom bracket. When things warm up, I'll use it more sparingly, as it has a bit of a tackiness that retains dirt and grime, which is unappealing cosmetically, but in the winter I'll sacrifice looks for longevity. Of course, when I'm at home I keep the bike inside my apartment.

When it's time for a ride, I expect my baby to take whatever I dish out. The bike lanes get slushy, and the side streets stay snowy and there is salt all over the place. In winter conditions, it doesn't take long for ice to accumulate all over the lower parts of the bike the same way it might on the fender of a car. Ice on the hubs, the spokes, the frame, just about everywhere except the chain. If I'm headed to work, I lock the bike up like that outside, and when work is over, it's more of the same on the way home. But once I'm back at the apartment, priority number one is putting my baby in the bathtub for a nice shower. I bought a spray extension that mounts between the shower spigot and the shower head. It's convenient and the perfect thing for a quick wash. The pressure is enough to get the ice and gunk off, but hopefully not enough to push water into spots it shouldn't really go, like inside hubs and the bottom bracket. It takes a minute or two for a rinse, and then it's a rag to the frame to dry it off. When I'm done, the bike is still a far cry from clean, but hopefully most of the really nasty salty bits have been neutralized.

Afterwards, I might reapply some lube, spin the freewheel a few rotations to keep it loose, and set it aside until it's time to head out again.

My Winter Biking Experience, Part 1

2009-01-13T01:50:00.007-05:00

It only takes a few seconds. I'm a few steps outside my door, and no matter how I'm feeling, within one full rotation of a crank my mood is lifted.

I live and work in Chicago and I always commute by my road bike. The last time got to work by mode other than bike was in May, when I had a mildly injured foot from running.

It's cold outside, but I'm equipped. Most of the things I wear on the bike were collected piecemeal as I felt I needed them. Perhaps my most important clothing isn't clothing at all, but my fenders. I have recently replaced a seat post-mounted rear fender with a set of fork (front) and seat stay (rear) mounted low profile fenders. They do a fantastic job keeping me seperate from the majority of the road spray and gunk my tires throw around. But before I had a front fender, it only took a few rainy days of wet pants and soaked feet to convince me of the necessity of the following: a waterproof shell over my jeans, with velcro straps at the ankles to keep things nice and tidy and away from the chain. Simple and effective.

For the ever-critical feet, I have a system - I wear wool socks and size 11.5 Sperry Top-Sider slip ons inside some size 13 neoprene booties. The slip-ons make good cycling shoes because they are not bulky and they have no laces to get tangled up in the drivetrain. I comfortably wore them all spring and summer, the exception being wet days. The uppers are one layer of cotton canvas and when they get wet, whatever is inside them gets wet. It is a happy accident that they are so at home in the booties I bought to keep them dry.

My Performance brand booties are the only pair I have seen with a full sole. Most have holes for cleats, but mine come hole-less and the user may cut holes according to the type of cleat they use, or leave the sole intact. After riding for a while with full soles, I cut out a piece so that I could also wear the booties with my cleated bike shoes. They function very well with either shoe. Now the soles of my street shoes are exposed only at the contact point with the pedals which in most cases is ideal. My ride is not really long enough to justify clipping in with cleats, but the top-siders fit perfectly in the booties. So perfectly, in fact, that I usually leave the slip-on shoes inside the booties, and when I arrive at work, I put my dry and warm feet into other footwear that I keep there.

I layer it up on top. I prefer a light jacket under my thicker (but not "thick") biking jacket with the special cut (a little longer in the back to compensate for a riding posture) and subtle reflectiveness. Of course I often also layer with a long sleeve shirt and sweater as weather dictates. On my hands, I have a thin pair of wool liners underneath a pair of regular fleece gloves. On my head, a knit cap and some sunglasses with exchangable lenses (clear for after dark) plus my helmet. Next to the skin is a baselayer of merino wool. I have a balaclava I have not yet worn.

It may be in the single digits, it may be 30 below wind chill. The body at work is an oven. If I'm covered up, I don't get cold. (My ears did take it hard on that 30 below wind chill day. That's why I bought the balaclava)

My commute is short. Too short. I'm off the bike before I get my fill most days. My route, when I'm not running late, is on the side streets. The main roads between my home and my work don't yet have bike lanes. Side streets take a little longer, but they are less trafficked, and auto traffic moves at a speed much closer to cyclist speed. In the winter, these roads are also the last to get the attention of the Streets and Sanitation department and often go unplowed.

Ah, but this is a lovely thing! Riding through the snow is a joy!

Atheist Bus Ads in UK

2009-01-06T11:23:00.003-05:00

I think Darwin has something to do with this too.

BBC Radio Darwin Doc.

2009-01-06T11:13:00.003-05:00

The patron saint of freethinkers is getting the deluxe treatment from Melvin Bragg of "In Our Time" on BBC radio. Part one of four on Darwin hit the web yesterday, and the successive parts are to podcast today through Thurday. Part 1 was pretty good!

Update: The podcasts are available on iTunes. I should have mentioned that.

Another, er, "cool" thing about Japan

2009-01-06T02:23:00.007-05:00

I've been a little fixated on Japan lately. I'm reading Samurai books. I'm watching films about Samurai. I just saw a good three-part documentary about the Tokugawa Shogunate that you can stream instantly if you got the Netflix thing happening. I was walking around work this week saying "Omedeto" because someone told me a while back that it means "Happy New Year" in Japanese (although as I've repeated it, I've grown suspicious, and learned that well, no, it doesn't exactly).

Well, allow me to direct your attention to something else cool about Japan. Via No Impact Man, it's an account of an American's first winter in Japan. I think that we Americans could learn a lot from it.

There's another reason I appreciate this new experience, too. It is what the Japanese call "Gaman." It means "endure," or "tolerate" but there's more to it than that. It ascribes value to enduring something difficult. To Gaman is a principle, its a virtue. It's a cross between hanging in there and fighting the good fight.

There are times when gaman is a pain. Sometimes enduring hardship as a virtue when the situation could just as easily be made more comfortable seems nuts. But as a cultural value, doing your best and enduring hardship is refreshing. I won't speak for other Americans, but my experience has often leaned too far the other way when it comes to putting up with difficulty without complaint.

I like finding the easy way, I seek comfort, I reach for whatever might soothe the least bit of discomfort I feel. This wouldn't be so bad if it actually worked. But too often I've emerged woozy from another day of escapism and wondered if there wasn't another way. The connection between comfort, consumption, and happiness seems to be more tenuous than I once thought. Here I am in Japan, my fear of a heatless winter come true, and I'm happier than I've been in years.

Another New Year's Resolution

2009-01-04T23:55:00.004-05:00

To keep up with this. At the very least it should get me out of the apartment.

New Year Resolution

2009-01-01T22:27:00.010-05:00

Make my car superfluous.

Click pic for full size and stare.

Been there, done that.

Photo: James Haygood via www.bikecommuters.com

Self Control and Religion

2008-12-30T23:54:00.002-05:00

Highly interesting article by Tierney from the Times about the correlation between religious participation and self-control. I'm a big fan of self-control, but not so big on self-delusion. On a side note, I went to Christmas services with the fam. Of all the stuff that gets said in a Catholic mass, nothing sticks with me as much as "lead us not into temptation" - there's some self control for you.

I'm intrigued by this connection and it resonates on the intuit-o-meter, but I'm finding from my own experience that a godhead to whom one sucks up is not a required element in the equation. A quasi-religious discipline like yoga or meditation - I've been varying degrees of devout about both, but I'm currently mad for yoga - works for me, but the key has been a disciplined approach - Which begs the chicken and egg question I suppose.

From the Times:

So what’s a heathen to do in 2009? Dr. McCullough’s advice is to try replicating some of the religious mechanisms that seem to improve self-control, like private meditation or public involvement with an organization that has strong ideals.

Religious people, he said, are self-controlled not simply because they fear God’s wrath, but because they’ve absorbed the ideals of their religion into their own system of values, and have thereby given their personal goals an aura of sacredness. He suggested that nonbelievers try a secular version of that strategy.

The New Sobriety

2008-12-16T00:39:00.005-05:00

Does it have something to do with the economy? Maybe the days of excess are once again in the rear view. Two articles I've read in the past few weeks (both [1, 2] by now-abstaining former drinkers) in the Times are resonating. In the past few weeks I've personally found that a few cups of chamomile tea are a much better night cap than the few beers I have grown accustomed to over the years. Used to be I rarely went a few days without a drink. These days I've cut the booze out at home, and I've recently gone as far as ordering only a coke at the bar. You know what? I feel pretty good.

It was one part of the Buddhist bit that really got under my skin. You know, I kinda fancied myself a bit of a Buddhist, yet I still drank on the regular.

I think though, that it all coalesced for me a few weeks back as I watched the great "Le Samourai". Our protagonist (?) enters the bar, orders a whiskey and walks out without drinking it (2:10 - 3:26 below). Watch the film sometime and let's discuss what this means. It's about self-control.

Now how do you hang out with people without having a few drinks? I'm planning on taking up Slacklining. It's also about self-control. A buzz would definitely get in the way of that pursuit. Seriously. When it gets a bit warmer, lets go to the park. (Video below gets good at 3:45)

Ron Carter and Mos Def

2008-12-12T02:02:00.004-05:00

Look alike, don't you think?

Green Gifting Tips

2008-12-10T19:17:00.009-05:00

Joe Romm, climate change pot-stirrer extraordinaire, has posted a good list of suggestions for the holiday season. It's good advice, and hopefully anyone buying for me will heed it! Am I an ingrate for feeling like I have a hole in my soul when I receive a wasteful gift? I probably am.

From ClimateProgress.Org

2. Buy gifts they will use. A gift that never gets used is a waste of materials and money. If you’re buying a material gift for someone, make sure you know them well enough to know it’s something they will use. Have people you’re shopping for prioritize their lists so you have a better idea of what they really want, or look for things they own that are wearing out and need to be replaced.

It's going to be hard for anyone to beat Mom's birthday gift last month. It meets more than one of the green gifting guidelines. It's a Mom-woven Aran sweater with wool brought back from the homeland, and it's super awesome. Check it out! Detail:She also told me something I didn't know. Irish families had signature patterns and those patterns were used to identify drowned sailors. Morbid, yes - but fascinating! And I do not doubt that fisherman wore this type of thing. It's toasty!

M.I.A. + DFA

2008-12-06T12:14:00.003-05:00

M.I.A. - "Paper Planes" (DFA remix)
I heard this on WBEZ's Radio M program last night. Top Notch!!

Winter in Chicago / Rouleur

2008-12-06T00:49:00.006-05:00

Santa Rampage: Originally uploaded by jp_ryan

It's winter in Chicago. That means below zero wind chills, 4:30 pm sunsets, and cyclists. Here's to all those who brave conditions most find ungodly. Here's to those who pity people in cars.

Here's an awesome cycling magazine I've recently discovered.

Impulse Control

2008-12-04T10:52:00.002-05:00

It's a topic I've been thinking about lately, what with Thanksgiving indulgence and Black Friday indulgence. At least, indulgence is what I called it. Impulsiveness would also be accurate. Anyway, turns out that casinos in Illinois are having a hard time, but they're not simply blaming the bad economy, nope. They say that a smoking ban is hurting cash flow. I guess like turkey and shopping, gambling and nicotine just go together.

From the Chicago Tribune

Tom Swoik, executive director of the Illinois Casino Gaming Association, had predicted a 19 percent drop in revenue when the state smoking ban was debated, based on what other states had seen. He's not happy to have been so close to the mark.

"There's a high correlation between smokers and gambling," Swoik said Wednesday. "Although the number of people coming to the casinos is about the same, the time they spend inside is down. They're outside smoking. And in this business, if you're not putting money in the machine or on the table—time is money."

I'm paying a lot of attention to where I stand as far as impulsiveness and self-indulgence go. Something about some samurai movies (1, 2) I watched recently makes impulse control seem very attractive.

Too Many Question Marks?

2008-12-01T03:14:00.002-05:00

The issue of my overuse of question marks in post titles has come to my attention (by me). I will be more mindful. Thank you for your patience.

Best Chair Ever?

2008-12-01T03:13:00.001-05:00

Deepak from 10am-3pm
Originally uploaded by nimbu

The Ikea LUNNA chair is the most comfortable chair I have ever sat in. This man might agree. I bought one (grey) on craigslist.com and now I need a matching footstool.

A bike-friendly Sec. of Transportation?

2008-11-29T01:50:00.003-05:00

Ah, I may have hit a new peak of optimism over the election of Obama. The rumored short list for Sec. of Transportation contains a lot of bike love.

From Velo News:

Yes, the nation’s attention is riveted on the economic crisis that held center stage in the historic election that took place just a few short weeks ago, and the economic team that President-elect Obama announced just this week. Less-noticed, by pundits and public alike, but eagerly anticipated by cycling advocates, is the news that the next Secretary of Transportation may well be a cycling advocate. Names rumored to be on the short list include:
• Representative Jim Oberstar — A Minnesota Democrat and nationally-renowned member of the Congressional Bike Caucus. Representative Oberstar chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
• Representative Earl Blumenauer — A Democrat representing Portland, Oregon, Representative Blumenauer—another nationally renowned Congressional Bike Caucus member and founder of the Bike Caucus—sits on the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.
• Representative Peter DeFazio — Another Oregon Democrat, and yet another member of the Congressional Bike Caucus, Representative DeFazio is a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
• Governor Ed Rendell — The Governor of Pennsylvania.
• Jane Garvey — The head of the Federal Aviation Administration from 1997 to 2002.

I haven't felt so optimistic in years.

Tammy Thomas . . .

2008-11-29T01:43:00.001-05:00

Tammy Thomas
Originally uploaded by richardmasoner

Is a woman. She's ruined her life, inside and outside of cycling, through her use of steroids. You can read more about it here, but I just thought the this pic is worth ten thousand words. That is a WOMAN!

Buy Nothing Day?

2008-11-28T12:30:00.004-05:00

Argh. I really want some new gear. There's a big sale going on, and I could really use some of this and that. Yeah, I already have one pair of those, and a perfectly good set of these, but they're dirty!

I was wrestling with myself most of the morning about whether or not to head out for a little retail indulgence. Indulgence is a spiraling sort of thing. After a fair amount of overindulgence at the dinner table last night, I'm in a weakened state, less able to fight off the temptation that I found narrowcasted right to me in my e-mail inbox. New things and stuff and gear that I really do want, all ON SALE! Oooh! Just when I'm starting to come down from the heady turkey and wine-induced high that peaked less than 12 hours ago, I can juice up those neurotransmitters again with the swipe of a card. And the bill won't show up for a month!

Yes, retailers have figured it out, boy. They've figured out that we're all fat and dumb today, and we are ready to keep the indulgence train rolling right on through the weekend.

So, I'm wrestling with the real and actual desire to spend money on things, which for me, someone whose motto is "use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without," comes with some amount of uncomfortable cognitive dissonance. I was stuck, but just about to head out the door, when I read this, and felt sweet relief. I stayed in, and put my dirty gear in the wash. It should be clean by now.

R.I.P. Breed

2008-11-26T01:05:00.004-05:00

Kidney failure at age 37. This one from the F-L-I-N-T was the jam back when the 86 Ford Tempo still prowled the streets.

Dogs and Bears

2008-11-25T03:37:00.007-05:00

What happens when a team of sled dogs and a polar bear meet in friendly Canada?

Follow the link to No Impact Man for the rest of the photos. Believe me, it's incredible. The more I think about this, the more awed I am.