Bikes these days are all about fashion. The fashion changes just like anything else. Just look at sloping geometry. Carbon seat stays. Ergo bars. Compact cranks. White carbon and painted white carbon. Integrated seatposts. If you want to be a fashion victim, go with the flow. Mrazek aim to be different. To not follow fashion. I think they’ve achieved that.
Mrazek is art. And like art, whether it pleases you or not is very subjective. It’s your choice, and there are thousands of other “cookie-cutter” frames to choose from. Some people say that they ride as well as they look. On the other hand, if you don’t like the way they look, you might not like the way they ride. And vice versa. [Read more →]
The band is Powderfinger. No it’s not from Tenerife, not even from Spain or Europe… but all the way from Australia (like me). This is the sort of music that gets me going… it just rocks and nothing more needs to be said.
Amaral is a very famous Spanish pop/rock band almost unknown outside Spain. Amaral originated in 1997 in Zaragoza, in the North-East of Spain. The band consists of Eva Amaral and Juan Aguirre. The following videos are in fact the first three tracks of Amaral’s third album, Estrella de mar (2002).
Sin ti no soy nada (without you I am nothing), music videoclip:
Moriría por vos (I would die for you), music videoclip:
Toda la noche en la calle (All night in the street), acoustic version:
OK, he’s finally added me to my myspace profile after a loooong delay, so here’s my tribute to Mario Cipollini! I’m not going to bore you with his long list of race performances which you can easily get elsewhere. Wikipedia cites the following:
Mario Cipollini is an Italian professional road cyclist most noted for his sprinting ability, the longevity of his dominance (his first pro win came in 1989, his last in 2005; 191 victories in all) and his colourful personality.
Although he was an adept sprinter, climbing was not Mario’s forté; despite entering the Tour de France 8 times and winning 12 stages, he always dropped out before the race even hit the mountains, casually slipping into the back of his team support car… no, he was never going to be a real overall contender.
His competition results aside, he takes top honours for the best dressed cyclist both on and off the bike. When riding, he is well known for his outlandish lycra skin suits… my personal favourite is the zebra pattern he wore in the days when he was sponsored by Specialized. Off the bike, he has extravagant taste in designer clothing, owning literally hundreds of formal suits, ties and shoes. Yes it seems to be true: Italians must have a 6th sense when it comes to STYLE!
Those that have met or interviewed Mario Cipollini say that he is very charming, tall (190cm) and handsome. Along with that long fringe of hair, he is reputation as both the ”Lion King” and “Super Mario” are well deserved.
ITER refers to the windmill farms as “Parques Eólicos” not “Molinos” as you might think. And unlike the fake, stationary molino that was built not far from my place last year, these ones actually work! There are three such wind parks located at Grandailla & Arico in the South of Tenerife, with a combined annual energy production of 36.764 MWh/year. These are enough to effectively reduce the petroleum consumption by 3170 tonnes per year, which is what would have been used to generate the same amount of energy from conventional means.
They may all look the same, but ITER uses aerogenerators which are supplied from several different manufacturers: Vestas, Ecotecnia, Made, and Enercon. They’re currently experimenting which ones are the most suitable (offering least noise & superior performance).
Interestingly, Spain already generates the highest proportion of it’s energy from wind energy (compared to other countries) and the new industry is booming. [Read more →]
It’s not often I post an article in both the “Inspiration” and “Island Life” categories simultaneously. But looking out the bus window earlier last month, I noticed a strange series of dark, tilted platforms located in an arid coastal region of Granadilla. They’re only visible from freeway TF1 for a few seconds. To my eyes, it appeared to be a vast series of solar-cell panels forming one giant array.
Well after doing a bit of investigating, the project turns out to be called “SOLTEN“, constructed and operated by the Instituto Tecnológico y de Energías Renovables (ITER). My hunch was correct: SOLTEN is reportedly the biggest photovoltaic solar power station in Europe, so I’m really suprised I haven’t heard about it before!
The SOLTEN solar installation was initially expected to consist of 150 solar energy modules; each module was comprised of 576 photovoltaic solar cell panels distributed in 24 rows and yielding up to 100 kilowatts of electricity. The installation was expected to generate a total energy capacity of 15 Megawatts of power. Source.
Instead, SOLTEN has been conceived in two steps, SOLTEN I and SOLTEN II. The photovoltaic solar units ultilised in the SOLTEN project are fabricated by Kyocera, ITER, Yingli and Solarworld. The good news is that the energy that is generated will be connected to the local electricity grid, which is managed by Unelco-Endesa. [Read more →]
You’ve probably already seen this as it is one of the most watched videos on youtube. I really love this video! I lived in Sydney for 28 years so it is even more special for me as I recognise all the locations where it was filmed.
People often ask questions like: “Who is your idol?”. I don’t have any true idols, but yes I do find inspiration in some people. Sarah Ulmer is one such person. A New Zealand track cyclist legend, Sarah Ulmer broke the world record in the qualifying event for the women’s 3km pursuit time trial competition. She then came back to smash the world record during the race. Announcing her retirement from professional cycling in November 2007, Sarah Ulmer now focuses on her own online business, after launching sarahulmerbrand. This is a very comprehensive website with its own line of clothing plus lots of other quality content for cyclists.
The aim of trials riding is to jump over obstacles (either natural or artificial) with only the bikes’ tyres touching the ground. Think of it like those dog trials you sometimes see on television, except with humans on bikes! Points are deducted if any part of your body or the bike touch the ground. Some competitions allow the underside of the bike and pedals to touch the ground. During observed trials, each rider attempts the set course with . The duration of each event is usually around 180 seconds; points are also deducted for going over that time limit. The winner is the rider who has the least number of accumulated points at the end of the competition.
Bicycle trials riding originated in Spain in the 1980s. The modified class of trials riding uses a special-purpose single-speed bicycle, built with small 20″ wheels and extremely low gearing, no saddle, no seatpost, and little else. The frame itself is built with a long wheelbase while the wheels utilise a high number of spokes and fat tyres. Trust me, these guys make it look easy - it takes HOURS of practise to reach this level of skill and ability:
It’s a new 100% electric car which is very inspiring indeed! I think this is the way of the future. The aptera type 1 100% electric vehicle will hit the market in 2009, at an expected market price of only US$30,000. I would however like to see Aptera annouce a solar-powered recharging module that could be installed on the roof of your home.
Of course some will say that we’re moving the pollution from the car to the source of the electricity (power stations). But in the future, we can always choose where our electric energy comes from. If we can reduce the number of vehicles which rely on fossil fuels, it will also substantially cut down on the cost of transportation of petroleum associated with their use. I imagine that there are much fewer losses in transferring electricity throughout national electricity grids than the energy required to transport petrol for cars. While we stick with vehicles that use fossil fuels, we’re never going to make any real progress.
Some poeple have already commented that it looks like something straight out of the Jetsons. But if you’re a fan of Space Quest, you’ll aready know that the Aptera TYP-1 electric vehicle introduced in late 2007 shows an uncanny resemblance to the Timebuster 2000 SUX time machine as reviewed in Space Piston Magazine (pictured below).
This is a dual-part article on the how and why of travelling light. This part inlcudes some pertinent facts about travelling light which you might not have thought of. Part 1 offers some very sage advice.[Read more →]
Between 1999 and 2005, I was fortunate enough to travel to many foreign countries. In the year 2000 I bought a round the world ticket offered by Oneworld visiting more than 10 countries throughout my journey. In 2005, I went and did it again. This time there were 21 different countries on my itinery and I visited continents in both Winter and Summer.
Yet each time, I was able to travel with only a 23L backpack! I chose to use the Berghaus Freeflow 23L model. This weighed between 5-7kg, so I never checked in any luggage either. Many people I met were amazed at how I was able to manage this feat. Check-in staff were especially in awe when they inevitably saw all the places I was going. Some others thought I was just plain crazy. How is it possible? Well it’s suprisingly easy, if you know how and are prepared to make a few sacrifices… [Read more →]
Meridian Zero is a local ‘homegrown’ metal rock band based in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. They do give me a lot of inspiration, especially when I see the individual band members playing separately in the videos below. How they manage to create new music by melding all the sound contributions together never ceases to amaze me. Meridian Zero is fast gaining popularity which is also good to see.
After releasing their debut album “Doors of Creation” in late 2007, Meridian Zero is holding several concerts in the Canary Islands later this month to promote sales of their compact disc. One concert will be held in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria on the 15th of March, 2008; two concerts will also be held in Tenerife - one on the 29th of March in Los Realejos and the other on the 25th of April right here in La Orotava! Check www.Meridian-Zero.com for more information.
Here’s their video “Fighting to Arrive”:
Here’s the lead guitarrist and good friend Ivan “Scalpel” Ruiz playing the solo from “Fighting to arrive”:
I’m pleased to announce that I have recently become an official sponsor of www.pedaltheocean.com! As a part of the pedal the ocean team, my designiation is ‘Canary Islands support advisor’.
One of my current tasks is to help Greg Kolodziejzyk find a dedicated support boat + skipper to aid him on his -trans Atlantic quest. His aim is to break the Human Powered Boat record for crossing the Atlantic Ocean. I have already joined 3 or 4 online sailing forums to post this request. Here is the official message we would like to spread:
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Be part of a WORLD RECORD!
We are attempting to set a record for the fastest HUMAN POWERED Atlantic crossing and are in need of a support/safety boat for a December/January, 2008 attempt from the Canary Islands to the West Indies. We can pay your costs and provide some crew if required. www.pedaltheocean.com contact greg@pedaltheocean.com for more information.
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Ciamillo dropped out of engineering school in his third year, but that didn’t stop him from becoming an engineer in his own right. In his 6,000-square-foot cypress-framed workshop in Nicholson, Georgia, he and his staff develop and market a series of bicycle components using various CNC (computer-numeric controlled) machines. The 0G (Zero Gravity) TI, Ciamillo’s invention and the company’s signature product, is described as “a precision-crafted, superlight–road braking system” that is produced from “superior materials, optimized geometry, and a patented cam lever system.”
As a machinist, Ciamillo has developed an interest in biomimetics, which is the study of mechanical devices that mimic the biological construction of animals. To design the propulsor of the Subhuman, his 15-foot-long human-powered submarine, he’s looking to the shapes and movements of aquatic creatures for inspiration.
Biomimetic submarine propulsion
Biomimetics (“mimicking biology”) is a field that brings biologists and engineers together in a collaborative effort to incorporate nature’s wisdom into product design. Velcro is the most famous example of biomimetics in action. Velcro was developed when a scientist figured out how burrs stuck to dog fur. Today, engineer and machinist, Ted Ciamillo, and Dr. Frank Fish, professor of biology at West Chester University (West Chester, PA) are applying the principles of biomimetics to underwater propulsion. Their goal is to unlock and duplicate the secrets of fast-swimming whales and dolphins.
In addition to being a way to uncover the secrets of how swimming creatures move so seemingly effortlessly, Ciamillo is now incorporating the findings into the propulsion system of a human-powered submarine in which he will cross the Atlantic Ocean. [Read more →]
In Dec. of 2008, Greg is planning on pedaling his human powered boat “WiTHiN” 3000 miles across the Atlantic ocean in less than 43 days setting a new world record for the fastest human powered Atlantic crossing. Pedal The Ocean explores the limits of what is possible with human power.
2700 miles from Canary Islands to Barbados
Greg will start at the Canary Islands off of the West African coast. The Canary current is a southwestward flow that will take him onto the North Equatorial current which is a broad westward flow. It is fed by the Canary current and its waters eventually end up in the Gulf Stream system, via the Antilles current which should deliver Greg and WiTHiN to one of the islands near Barbados.
The average distance that various ocean rowers covered over this route is 2700 to 3000 miles. Rowing times from the Canary islands to Barbados range from a record of 43 days by Emmanuel Coindre to over 100 days. Ocean Rowing statistics are here.
Our modern sedentary lifestyle is putting our kids at risk of becoming the first generation that will have a life expectancy shorter than that of their parents. Worldwide, between 10 and 15% of our children are obese and 60% of the general population is overweight. Obesity in childhood often leads to obesity in adulthood. Most parents want the best for their children - including the chance to lead a long and healthy life. For obese children this goal is seriously threatened. The solution is education.
GREG’s MESSAGE:
3 million years of evolution has produced an animal whose natural environment probably consisted of walking the distance of a full marathon each and every single day*. Now take that animal (also known as a “human being”), and stick him in a small cage, rob him of natural sunlight, make him sit in a chair all day and feed him a steady supply of chemicals and refined foods.
Is it any wonder that 60% of North Americans are over weight? Described by the World Health Organization as an “escalating epidemic”, obesity is “one of the greatest neglected public health problems of our time with an impact on health which may well prove to be as great as smoking.” Being overweight leads to many serious medical problems like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and many other health related issues.
An unnatural sedentary lifestyle causes chemical imbalances in our bodies which can lead to a host of psychological problems. Population studies have shown an inverse relationship between physical activity and depression, and there is evidence that active people who become inactive are more at risk of depression that those who remain active. According to a study from Duke University, aerobic exercise was MORE effective than antidepressant drugs in treating depressive symptoms in three study groups.
The cause of the obesity epidemic and skyrocketing rates of depression is obvious in my opinion. We need to become reacquainted with our “natural environment”. Break out of your cage. Get outside and get ACTIVE! Ride your bike, run, walk, swim, climb - whatever it takes.
This just in: a historic moment in Australian history -Priminister Rudd from the new Australian Government delivers a formal apology for the mistreatment of Indigenous peoples of Australia, in particular “the stolen generation”. Yes he actually uses the words “we apologise” and “we say sorry”!
TEXT of the formal apology to Indigenous Australians to be made in federal parliament by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd at 9am (AEDT), Wednesday February 13.
“Today we honour the Indigenous peoples of this land, the oldest continuing cultures in human history.
We reflect on their past mistreatment.
We reflect in particular on the mistreatment of those who were stolen generations - this blemished chapter in our nation’s history.
The time has now come for the nation to turn a new page in Australia’s history by righting the wrongs of the past and so moving forward with confidence to the future.
We apologise for the laws and policies of successive Parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians.
We apologise especially for the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, their communities and their country.
For the pain, suffering and hurt of these stolen generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry. [Read more →]
Above all else, we strive for a minimal environmental footprint.
While air is free, we don’t use disposable CO2 cartridges.
We reuse inner tubes by first repairing them. There’s a long lost skill in patching butyl innertubes which will definitely be covered in another article. We continue patching them until the valve no longer functions or until they are deemed unsafe… then we either use 700c sized inner tubes like the two metre rubber hose they really are to tie stuff up with or we make rubber bands out of them!
We recycle tyres into belts. (truth be told, we copied the idea from www.velo-re.com and we’re stockpiling them until we can find someone who can locally make a similar item). Chains & sprockets, etc will eventually be used to create one-of-a-kind metal sculptures.
We never pour oil or grease down the drain
We avoid the use of plastic bags
We don’t print anything unnecessarily
We turn off equipment after use (computers, lights, etc)
Where possible, we buy locally grown food & other products made in Tenerife.
We think small is beautiful. Contrary to what most people think, we don’t have a big petrol-guzzling van.
I really really like this advert… it’s an anti drug campaign created by the program “twelve months twelve causes”, broadcast by channel 5 here in Spain. As the title of the program indicates, for each month of the year there is a new cause - awareness of an important issue.
In translation, the slogan that the man says is: “to enter is easy; it’s difficult to leave” (’entrar es fácil, lo difícil es salir’). “For a youth without drugs” is displayed at the end of the advertisement (Por una juventud sin drogas). I think it speaks for itself:
Ecotonoha is a project to nurture a virtual tree collaboratively, and at the same time contribute to the actual environment to cope with global warming. As one makes Ecotonoha’s leaves, by leaving a message on the virtual tree, it keeps on growing. And as Ecotonoha grows, real trees will be planted by NEC.
We received 107,054 messages from around the world in the year 2006. As a result, 1,070 eucalyptus seedlings will be planted on Kangaroo Island ,Australia.
We accept your entries until Febrary 13, 2007,and next season will start soon.
For every 100 signatures on Ecotonoha, we planted another tree in addition to those planted during the Kangaroo Island project.
In 2005 we had 84,539 entries, that is, 845 trees will be planted.
I’m very pleased to say that we recently surpassed 11,500 homepage visits!! Here’s the exact number-
For the past four months, we’ve received an average of 5000+ monthly web-visits and this figure continues to climb steadily.
For Jun - Dec 2007, ~82% of people visited www.Tenerife-Training.net more than once. The average number of pages per visitor was 9.2.
We also received a record number of visits recently on the 9th of January - 437 in one day!
The latest trends show that, on average, 75% of visitors add one page to their favourites folder. To date I can estimate that there have been 17,501 instances of people adding a page to their favourites folder.
When you get what you want in your struggle for self,
And the world makes you King for a day,
Then go to the mirror and look at yourself,
And see what that man has to say.
For it isn’t your Father, or Mother, or Wife,
Who judgement upon you must pass.
The feller whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the man staring back from the glass.
He’s the feller to please, never mind all the rest,
For he’s with you clear up to the end,
And you’ve passed your most dangerous, difficult test
If the man in the glass is your friend.
You can fool the whole world down the pathway of years,
And get pats on the back as you pass,
But your final reward will be heartaches and tears
If you’ve cheated the man in the glass.
Almost every week I’m inspired something. This week I’m inspired by Rosemary Crane of the United Kingdom. Back in September ‘06, we rode together for one whole week, all over Tenerife. She’s the only cyclist who I can confirm has ascended over 10,000 vertical metres in less than a week of riding. She also takes the honour of being the first client to cycle with www.Tenerife-Training.net!
Rosemary is a self-confessed cyclo-tourist addict. She’s been everywhere from the French Alps to the Himalayas, and never fails to take a bike with her. Pictured here is her and with her beloved DeRosa road racing bicycle at a place called “Casas de la Cumbre” (Houses of the Peak), in the Anaga Mountains. She says it’s the best way to see a foreign country…
Here’s what she had to say via e-mail afterwards:
THANK YOU for all the brilliant rides and for being so patient with such an old woman and I hope it wasnt as bad as you thought it might be having to spend 5 days with a grandmother and that you did not hate it too much having to go so much more slowly than you like to go …… the ride to Taganana was lovley as they all were a brill selection all different and yet all with their esoteric attractions. So many people just go to Playa de las Americas and that is ablout the only place I did not see and never want to. I feel sure I saw all the best parts. — Rosemary Crane, 62. September 2006.
And seeing how she was the first ever client, I had to get her to sign my personal guestbook on her latest return visit:
I have had such a BRILLIANT 5 days cycling with “Tenerife Training” been up & down such spectacular hills + enjoyed scenery that 99% of visitors to Tenerife never see. Leslie, you have been amazing. So kind and considerate… to an old grandmother cycling fanatic. THANKS — à bientôt or hasta luego
— Rosemary
Despite the arduous terrain here, she never complained, not once. Not even when the grades reached 10% or more! Rose, honestly, it’s been a pleasure riding with you. Have a great christmas, and I wish you all the best in 2008. Also, thanks because you’re an inspiration to us all!
I thought some of your readers might like to know that the local rock band Merdian Zero just released their first CD entitled “Doors of Creation”. Here’s their proffessional-quality video-clip.
To celebrate the release, they’re holding a concert in La Orotava this friday, and attendance is FREE!!!!!;
They’re quite a talented new band, and the lead guitarrist is none other than my good friend Iván “Scalpel” Ruiz. In fact it was me who came up with the nick-name:
If only he could teach me to play like that! Thanks for the inspiration, Scalpel!!
This famous fish, who lives in the Marine Reserve known as Mar de Las Calmas, has become an icon of El Hierro and is now well-known all throughout the archipelago. The fish with big lips is apparantly a gentle giant, making friends easily with new local scubadivers. The grouper, affectionately named “Pancho”, is over 40 years old and weighs 40kg!
Unfortunately, spear fishermen recently killed his long-time partner, Natalia. So to ensure that Pancho doesn’t suffer the same fate, local restaurants have incited a verbal agreement not to serve grouper on the menu in a move of respect for Pancho. Likewise, the municipal government of El Hierro has advised all to respect the coastal pools where groupers lay their eggs. Paco remains a proud symbol of the fight to preserve this rich marine ecosystem.
www.Tenerife-Training.net now caters for extra small riders! We’ve recently purchased some 16″ extra-small MTBs. These can be easily converted from a WSD hybrid style of bike (pictured below) to a conventional cross-country MTB.
Amornrat “Meow” Vatanatumrak of USA now takes the record for the shortest www.Tenerife-Training.net client, measuring 5′0″ (152cm). The previous record holder was Elena Lazkano of país vasco (Spain), who stood 5′1″ (155).
To provide the most reliable, professional-quality bicycle hire service which accommodates for all manner of cycling enthusiasts and their associated needs on the island of Tenerife.
To provide an accurate, well-organised source of information about all aspects of cycling in the Canary Islands.
To effectively & courteously communicate with all of our potential clients.
To take advantage of the unique combination of Tenerife’s fantastic climate & mountainous terrain for physical training purposes.
To minimise our impact on the environment by saving energy, reducing waste, reusing, repairing & ultimately recycling materials wherever possible
To support the local Canarian culture whenever we have the choice. We firmly believe that “small is beautiful” We endeavour to show these principles to all visitors.
To inspire people the world over; if you can cycle here, you can do almost anything.
To demostrate to other businesses that you don’t have to be big, you just have to think big.
The ultimate goal of www.Tenerife-Training.net is to be known by the entire worldwide cycling community.
To demonstrate the superior efficiency of the humble bicycle whilst encouraging cycling as a simultaneous form of transport and exercise to everyone else.
That’s right. This giant german man who stand 2.03m (6′8″) tall, rented one of our XL Mrazek BOH Road bikes just yesterday. The day before, he test-rode an XL 22″ sized Decathlon MTB, but found the seatpost was still ~5cm too short.
So when this road bike became available the following day (effectively 60cm center-center; 62cm center-top), I set the pro road seatpost to the maximum allowed height “safety height” mark, which resulted in a saddle to center-bottom-bracket measurement of a whopping 96cm. He attempted to straddle the bike and said “Ahh, you got me!” and we lowered the seatpost a few more cm to make it fit correctly…
Mathias Lohse of Germany (2.03m / 6′8″) now snatches the previous height record from Andrea Delcuratoro of Italy (1.93cm / 6′4″). Congratulations Mathias, and we hope to have some extra-long cranks available for our rental bikes in future.
The principals of acupuncture are based on the stimulation of certain points throughout the body. These points are interconnected and are known as meridians. The organs and limbs along these meridians beneficially respond to stimulation, with a subsequent relief of pain and an improvement in the general sense of well-being. [Read more →]
Вячеслав Иванович Полунин (Vyacheslav Ivanovich Polunin ) has been called “The World’s Greatest Clown”. I went and saw him in Sydney in the year 2000. It was an enlightening, inspirational and wondrous experience.
Slava’s Snowshow:
As to whether he would describe himself, as others have, as an “existential clown”, his reply is typically Zen. “I would agree with that as well. Every object can have a different meaning. A maple leaf is a symbol of Canada — yet for a street cleaner it is garbage, for a child it’s a toy, for a train conductor it could be a hazard. But it’s just a maple leaf. In my show I try to present the maple leaf in such a way that each person can see each thing in it.”
“The more you want to be an anarchist, the more you have to know. There must be balance,” Slava explains, teetering on an imaginary tightrope to illustrate his point. “The more you reach out with one hand, the more the other must reach, or you fall over. So the more I want to be free, the more I have to learn.”
Benedict Allen, author, explorer, public speaker and presenter, is one of Britain’s best known explorers. He has published nine books, two of them bestsellers, and his pioneering films of his expeditions – occasionally with a film crew but more typically without – have paved the way for the current generation of TV adventurers. Uniquely in television, his philosophy is to immerse himself in extreme or alien environments, relying not on satellite phones and other “backup” but to go alone and learn from indigenous people.
His approach to exploration is exemplified by his decision to undergo the harrowing “crocodile” initiation ceremony in New Guinea – he was given extensive crocodile scars and beaten for six weeks. It was an attempt not just to report back about things never before witnessed at the frontiers of our knowledge but to understand a different perspective on the world.
“To me exploration isn’t about conquering natural obstacles, planting flags… It’s not about going where no one’s gone before in order to leave your mark, but about the opposite of that - about making yourself vulnerable, opening yourself up to whatever’s there and letting the place leave its mark on you.” - Benedict Allen.
His belief in leaving the back-up systems often employed by adventurers – satellite phones, GPS navigation etc – at home make his solo expeditions particularly precarious; likewise, his technique of not bringing along camera-crews continues to ensure he is the only “adventurer” on TV often in very real and constant jeopardy; arguably, he has the most dangerous job seen on television. [Read more →]
Are we all making “nano-niches” for ourselves, in an attempt to fit into this new highly-customised, choice-oriented advanced consumer society? We now join online local communities such as forums, blog directories, myspace, dating sites, chat rooms. We subscribe to newsletters, RSS feeds. We can search for whatever we like with google, almost without limits. As individuals, we’re always searching to redefine ourselves, to find our life purpose.
But what happens if and when you can’t seem to find your own unique, specific niche? I’m talking about major areas of your life, like employment. Your ideal partner? Your own distinct style? Your identity? Can these two states of overchoice and underchoice lead to mental health problems? What happens to your mood when there are an infinite number of things you could possibly do with your life? Do you begin to block everything out, deny existence of something? [Read more →]
I found this particular website last month. Internet masters with more than 10 years experience know to be picky when adding newfound sites to your ever-expanding list of favourites, otherwise they can get out of control. But this is one example of a site that, once encountered, will surely remain in your favourites folder forever. If you’re lacking motivation, inspirationm have pessimistic thoughts, are depressed, etc, you won’t ever want to lose it.
“Happiness through Self Awareness; Change core beliefs, control emotional reactions, and create love and happiness in your relationships”
Anyway, normally I don’t link to other blogs directly, but everything this man writes is pure gold! I wanted to show his advice to others, especially the ones with mental health problems -I think that’s nearly everyone these days- because I really think this man has incredible wisdom, which he is so willing to share with the world in order to make it a better place.
In 1991, Mazda became the first and only Japanese car manufacturer to win the prestigous 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. Using the Wankel rotary engine, it was also the only non-piston engine car to ever win. All three Mazda 787B cars to enter the race finished the gruelling event in respectable 1st, 6th and 8th positions. Of a total of 46 entrants, only 12 cars officially finished the race, 4 did not make the required classification, 22 did not finish, while the remaining eight either failed to start or qualify.
So successful was Mazda’s entry in the 1991 race that the rules for subsequent races were changed to ban the rotary engine from competing in subsequent Le Mans endurance races. At the end of the season, the FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) banned the use of Wankel-type rotary engines in the racing series which it governed to solely allow cars with the 3.5L F1 engine to compete.
1991 was the first, last, and only time that a Japanese car has won the 24 Hours of LeMans. The victory sealed the 787B’s status as an icon with Mazda fans throughout the world. Despite the enormous success of the 787B and its Wankel powerplant, Mazda didn’t fully exploit its historic victory through marketing campaigns and advertising. However it did strengthen sales partially for Mazda’s road cars…
Simplicity of design:
The powerplant:
It used a 4-rotor R26B Wankel engine which produced over 700 hp (522 kW). Engine speed (RPM’s) were deliberately kept low for longevity under the extreme stresses incurred during a 24-hour endurance race. The 787 was reported to have a redline around 9000rpm. However, interviews with Mazda’s 787 race engineers revealed that the power of the quad-rotor increased dramatically above 9000rpm. One engineer stated that the car could develop more than 930hp with a redline around 10,500rpm.
Engineers also commented that during the post-race inspection and tear-down of the quad-rotor engine they discovered that all aspects of the engine were still in excellent condition and could have run another 24-hour race.
“I kept seeing this bumble bee appear in my rearview mirror,” - Davy Jones, one of the TWR Jaguar drivers, of the Mazda.
Advantages of the Rotary Engine:
Wankel engines have several major advantages over reciprocating piston designs, in addition to having higher output for similar displacement and physical size. Wankel engines are considerably simpler and contain far fewer moving parts. For instance, because valving is accomplished by simple ports cut into the walls of the rotor housing, they have no valves or complex valve trains; in addition, since the rotor is geared directly to the output shaft, there is no need for connecting rods, a conventional crankshaft, crankshaft balance weights, etc.
The elimination of these parts not only makes a Wankel engine much lighter (typically half that of a conventional engine of equivalent power), but it also completely eliminates the reciprocating mass of a piston engine with its internal strain and inherent vibration due to repeated acceleration and deceleration, producing not only a smoother flow of power but also the ability to produce more power by running at higher rpm. [Read more →]
On 17th July 1993, the scottish cyclist Graeme Obree stunned the international cycling world when he emerged form obscurity to smash Francesco Moser’s World Hour Record, which had stood for nearly a decade. His new record, 51.596km in one hour, achieved at the Hamar velodrome in Norway, was celebrated as a triumph for the ordinary rider, for the outsider over the establishment. He had eclipsed Moser’s record by 445m. Even more impressive was that he did it at sea level (which cost him a kilometer per hour in speed).
Graeme Obree’s first attempt at the one hour record was unsuccessful, missing Moser’s record by nearly 1 km. Normally, weeks of recovery are needed after such a demanding effort, but Graeme Obree wanted to try again immediately following the failed attempt! Although that idea was not permitted, Obree was determined to try again the very next day. Most journalists had left and Obree had to beg the officials to let him have another go. This time he was successful.
Obree’s achievements were seen as remarkable since his riding had been largely at amateur events, and he did not have major sponsorship and development support. Instead, he developed a unique riding position (the “crouch”, or “tuck” position) and constructed a unique bike frame to use.
Obree created his bicycle “Old Faithful” with the aim of reducing wind resistance and instability, while increasing pedalling power. He reduced air resistance from the legs by designing a very narrow bottom bracket and dispensing with a top tube to prevent his knees from hitting the frame. The bike also had chainstays at 45 degrees rather than horizontal to allow for the cranks to pass with such a narrow bottom bracket. He placed the handlebars so that his shoulders were almost touching them, with his arms folded by his side as he cycled: this reduced air resistance on his head and torso. The seat was placed so that his legs exerted maximum force on the pedals. Later a single-bladed front fork was added, designed by Mike Burrows to be as narrow as possible. The main bearing was taken from a washing machine, a fact that Obree later regretted revealing to journalists as they thenceforward always referred to this before any other of his innovations and achievements, reducing the likelihood of team sponsorship deals. Although he made his first (failed) hour record attempt on a similar carbon fibre frame, Obree used “Old Faithful” to break the hour record.
“To take the record I’m going to have to grit my teeth and then grit them some more and spit blood to make the difference. And, after doing all that, I’ll either just break the record or just miss it. I might only add 10 meters to it, because I think the record is now at the edge of human ability.” - Graeme Obree (Cycling Weekly)
On the way to breaking the World hour record, he created major controversy in the professional cycling world over his unique riding style and his pioneering construction techniques. He famously had to use washing machine parts to complete the building of his ‘Old Faithful’ machine. Graeme’s story starts with his tough upbringing in the Ayrshire valleys, where he found his escape by taking to the roads. From there he tells an inspiring story of what it takes to become a world record breaker, of his thrilling head-to-head duels with Chris Boardman and how he became a major international star on the European circuit. The story ends with Graeme’s searingly honest account of his battle against manic depression which drove him to attempt suicide.
His full name was Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Clito Ruiz y Picasso!
By Robert Hughes - TIME magazine art critic
To say that Pablo Picasso dominated Western art in the 20th century is, by now, the merest commonplace. Before his 50th birthday, the little Spaniard from Malaga had become the very prototype of the modern artist as public figure. No painter before him had had a mass audience in his own lifetime. The total public for Titian in the 16th century or Velazquez in the 17th was probably no more than a few thousand people–though that included most of the crowned heads, nobility and intelligentsia of Europe. Picasso’s audience–meaning people who had heard of him and seen his work, at least in reproduction–was in the tens, possibly hundreds, of millions. He and his work were the subjects of unending analysis, gossip, dislike, adoration and rumor.
He was a superstitious, sarcastic man, sometimes rotten to his children, often beastly to his women. He had contempt for women artists. His famous remark about women being “goddesses or doormats” has rendered him odious to feminists, but women tended to walk into both roles open-eyed and eagerly, for his charm was legendary. Whole cultural industries derived from his much mythologized virility. He was the Minotaur in a canvas-and-paper labyrinth of his own construction.
“Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.”
He was also politically lucky. Though to Nazis his work was the epitome of ̶
They may all look the same, but 
