It’s quite an experience. It is not as hard as I’d expected to go without food everyday. I haven’t died, or staggered about, or had difficulty speaking, reading, or talking. I don’t even have a horrible pain in my belly. There’s been no greater discomfort then when I’m really hungry after a long surf. I’m marveled to find even the fact I am fasting can be completely forgotten with any half decent distraction.
Read more…
I went car camping recently. In case you don’t know this is the kind of camping which doesn’t require you to carry stuff on your back; you just load up the car, drive, and set up camp next to the car somewhere nice.
I have a few pointers for myself, and maybe you, for the next time.
Essential items to take car camping…
A domain name database that goes through every word in the dictionary and shows which words are not currently registered as domains and who owns the ones that are.
I’ve got a little beef with the local coles regarding the scales they provide to weigh. Because they’re selling by weight the laws require that the measurement is true. But I suspect there is nothing to say where exactly the scales must be located.
You’re in the nightclub but you can’t hear anyone. Product is a nearly invisible hearing piece which you have in your ear (secret service style). It has a small, very directional, wireless microphone you wear it on your collar, earring, on your finger, whatever (accessories). You could just move it into someone’s voice projection to hear them, but that’s going seems a geriatric piece, kinda the stealth/lurker model. No money in that.
So to market this we have a version which is more visible, more social. Your microphone/broach has a red/green light on it. If you like the look of the boy/girl approaching you press it to set the light to green; they press theirs and the two systems connect. You can hear each other talk. Range is 50 centimeters so you have to stay close to stay in radio contact or it drops out. The game is to keep ‘pressing each others buttons’.
Flashpoint California. Last week. Tensions continue to rise as the railway system fails to cope with the volume of commuters seeking to combine rail with cycle. Cyclists are left on the platform with their bikes as uncrowded trains pull out. They’re getting increasingly aggressive about claiming an officially sanctioned spot on the train. This guy sees an empty slot for his bike and takes it. The conductor tells him to leave the train. He ignores the conductor and takes a seat. This is what happens at the next station…
There’s already a website for this incident of course… here. And here I was complaining about the poor facilities on our ferries… at least we don’t get arrested - well not yet.
To be judge:
The rule for 16 bikes max. is presumably based on the conclusion that there are 16 slots for bikes and this is the only safe and authorised way for bikes to travel. I think the conductor is unreasonable in denying a bike which can travel in the safe and approved manner to do so. If the conductor is concerned about conforming to the 16 bike maximum he should be passing judgment upon the bike traveling not in a rack.
However the cyclist is not arrested for putting his bike on the train, but for failing to be a submissive citizen and follow orders. Clearly the problem has been escalating for I can’t imagine he’d be so determined to make this stand just on the basis of this one incident. He’s made his point and hopefully the publicity will contribute toward solving the problem. The trauma of being arrested is punishment enough for his defiance.
No penalty. No record. Case Dismissed.
I moved house which interrupted things a bit.
Today’s evacuation notice in New Orleans was surprising in its force and conviction.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7590332.stm
Should be interesting to watch what happens this time.
I liked this little loop of the storm to date (I think this link is live data so it will date quickly)
http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/goes/east/gmex/loop-vis.html
Someone’s done a nice job on this one too. (also live I expect)
http://www.ibiseye.com/
Whilst pushing bytes around to free up some space I stumbled over some old photos I wasn’t all that excited about at the time. Perhaps not so bad afterall. I thought they might brighten up the place and give us a break from geeking…
My brother has just started riding his bike to work… in San Francisco.
Sausalito Ferry Bike Room
The Manly Ferry Bike Rack
The mind boggles. Am I getting this right..?
TEN TIMES THE DEMAND!!
Compare those facilities again.
This is what you want… this what you get… this is what you want… this is what you get…
Now don’t tell that the Sydney CBD is so not-bicycle-friendly that there’s no point in taking it with you. That kind of thinking is exactly the problem. How far you can get from the Quay with a bicycle? An office near Town Hall, Surry Hills, Ultimo, or Pyrmont? Central Station for the Blue Mountains? Darlinghurst for fashion? Kings Cross for a night out? Newtown for freaks? Uni of Sydney or UNSW? Should I continue?
Everyone knows its faster to walk up George St in peak hour than sit on a bus. Mmm… bike?
Are you dreaming of a day when an old lady can roll down to the ferry, sit admiring the harbour with her knitting, then perhaps cruise the botanic gardens, or power up to Newtown for tea with her good friend Betty? I know I am 
A flick through minutes of the Ferry Passengers Advisory Committee it looks like they actively encourage people to ride to the ferry. Sydney Ferries are more likely discourage it simply because they can’t cope with the demand?! Can I roll my eye’s now please?
Thanks Andrew for the photo as I don’t actually take the ferry with my bike. I can ride there in about the same time and earn some chocolate. I agree its not nearly as peaceful; but I do like chocolate.
John is a freelance programmer living in Sydney Australia. He blogs whatever takes his fancy; computing tips, travel letters, and random stuff from his life. He does it primarily to learn and demonstrate the running of a website.
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