The Rapture

A friend of mine sent me a link to this ‘form’ that he found it randomly on the net. I have no idea who’s the originator, so I can’t give credit even though I’d really like to. Seems like it’s from someone’s Tumblr page.

Anyone who knows me reasonably well will know that I’m not a big fan of religion and what it has done to the world, so I guess I was a rather obvious choice of person to send this to.

Seems like some people actually believe this ‘rapture’ thing will happen — well then, good for you and good luck! Personally, I think the whole thing is rather hilarious and I totally feel like printing a bunch of these forms to hand out. Who knows, someone might sign over their possessions to me. Haha!

Happy rapture day. Not many hours left…

Childstore på TV

Alltså inte Childstore TV, utan det handlar om ett reportage som gäller Göteborgspolisens högst tvivelaktiga sätt att stoppa Childstore från att sälja fullt laglig sprayfärg. Det gör de med motiveringen att “det kan ju hända att den används till olaglig graffiti.”

Polisen har också visiterat Childstores kunder och beslagtagit färg. Helt absurda handlingar från en myndighet som skall förhindra och lagföra brott — inte hindra försäljning av något som är fullt lagligt bara för att det kanske kan användas till något olagligt.

Det finns så många exempel på andra saker som borde stoppas från försäljning med exakt samma argument…

• Köksknivar
• Motorsågar
• Golfklubbor
• Rep
• Tegelstenar
• Bilar
• Helikoptrar
• Bensin
• Kreditkort
• Alkohol
• Tändstickor
• Kassaskåp (man kan förvara olagliga saker i dom)
• Skruvmejslar
• Kaustiksoda
• Spikar
• Spadar (kan användas till att begrava lik)

med mera, med mera… listan kan fortsätta i all oändlighet.

Om polisen fortsätter så här och dessutom får stöd av högre myndigheter och övriga polisdistrikt i Sverige, så är steget inte långt till att Sverige blir någon slags polisstat där allt man köper måste godkännas av något slags departement som skall avgöra om det acceptabelt eller inte. Kanske ett bisarrt scenario, men fullt möjligt om utvecklingen fortsätter.

Hela saken blir definitivt inte bättre av att, som man kan se i reportaget, att försäljning av samma vara (sprayfärg) är helt acceptabelt på andra håll i Göteborg, det större varuhus som besöks har minsann inte stoppats. Hur var det nu med devisen ‘alla är lika inför lagen’? Den kanske inte gäller småhandlare?

Fullständig partiskhet från en myndighet som skall agera för folkets bästa, inte trycka ner mindre näringsidkare som enbart gör sitt bästa för att tjäna sitt levebröd genom laglig försäljning av cyklar, tillbehör och ja, sprayfärg. Tycker inte att det ser bra ut, inte bra alls.

Här är reportaget:

ISP woes

As mentioned in the previous post I’ve had some problems with my ISP. The way internet works here in Australia (FYI to all you who are not familiar with Aussie internet) is that most of the time the connection is not very fast and you also have a download quota — which means that if you’re on the net too much you either get charged more, or they cut your speed right down. It’s not like back home in Sweden where you just pay for the connection and leech away.

Anyway, the deal we got was not for the fastest connection, but it had unlimited downloads. It was also supposed to be the best value for money as it was an exclusive deal to the building where we live, so we decided to go for it. Then the problems start…

First I notice that the speed is way lower than advertised (not too fast to begin with) and I examine the modem. Turns out they’ve provided me with one that is not even capable of delivering the speed we pay for. Not an excellent start. After a few lame excuses they replace it. Next thing that happens is that they double charge the account. I tell them about it and they give me a credit for the next month. Fair enough, mistakes happen. A few months later, they contact me to let me know the I will get more credit. Because the double charging had continued for 3 months!

During all the time I was with this ISP there was always a speed problem, it was good for a few days, then it went down. I contacted tech support about it a few times and the speed magically increased right after, only to slow down a few days later. There must have been some problem with their hardware or software, or maybe they just did it on purpose, hoping that people are too lazy to complain.

Next thing that happens is that the connection just starts cutting out intermittently. Of course the tech guys refuse to admit that it’s a problem on their part and blames it on my router. Mind you that I have a high end router that cost a fair bit of money, and the modem provided is some unkown $20 piece of plastic. I discussed the issue with a friend of mine, who happens to be a network expert at a university, and he told me that the problems I experienced are in no way router related. After some more contact with the ISP, they finally tell me that they will come over and have a look at it and we make an appointment for them to come a coule of days later. But surprise, surprise! The service tech (who also just happens to be the director of the company) never showed up! Giving them the benefit of the doubt I wait until next week. In case there was a misunderstanding of the date, but nope. No service tech that week either.

At this point I decide to cancel the service and the notice I get from the tech support/director that “we never made an appointment”, when in fact I have the e-mail to prove it as they did confirm the appointment, but apparently just decided that it wasn’t their problem after all. Great service for $79 / month. Fucking waste of money I say.

Now I’m using my iPhone as a modem. Got an extended data plan via Optus and it has so far worked better than the so called “broadband” I had before.

So a word of warning. If you ever come across Evolve Integration or want to sign up for a contract with Evolve iNet. Don’t do it. Stay away.

The Goodness of People

Ok. So we all know that there are some not-so-good people out there. But sometimes it really surprises me to hear to what lengths people go to bad-mouth others and come up with blatant lies to try to make themselves look better. It’s especially weak when it’s common knowledge that the originator(s) of the bad-mouthing and lies score pretty low points on the “how-to-treat-people-nicely-and-be-a-good-human-being” scale to start out with. Which kind of points to show that it’s all a desperate attempt to try to rid themselves of their bottom-feeder status. When in fact the result is quite the opposite — kind of like struggling too hard to get out of quicksand — you just get dirtier and even more stuck where you are…

…and eventually you suffocate.

Baggage Claim Rage

Again I stumbled upon some blog that I’ve never seen before, and the latest post covers something I can fully Identify with. I’m sure that anyone who’s traveled by air at least once or twice can see where he’s coming from.

Basically he’s bashing the travelers at airports who move up and hog the space around the baggage claim belt thinking they’ll get their bag(s) so much faster because they’re 3 feet closer. He’s even made an illustration to further shine a light on the situation.

Read the post here:
Baggage Claim Rage

Do it again — Do it right!

Just stumbled on some news from back home in Sweden. Apparently they’ve built a new concrete skatepark in Sollentuna. Not too far away from where I used to live.

The park was basically completely finished, and then they had to tear it down and move it because it was built under some power lines. And they don’t think about stuff like that before starting an expensive project like that?! Amazing.

Spam, but not so Spam

I usually never read mass e-mails that end up in my inbox after circulating on the net about 13 times. However, this one was quite funny so I’ll even post it here so it can live on a bit longer. Third last question and it’s answer is a classic!

The following is the full body of the text in the mail:

These questions about Australia were posted on an Australian Tourism Website — a Melbourne University Tourism Studies Major working in the summer holidays answered.…

Q: Does it ever get windy in Australia? I have never seen it rain on TV, so how do the plants grow? (UK)
A: We import all plants fully grown and then just sit around watching them die.

Q: Will I be able to see kangaroos in the street? (USA)
A: Depends how much you’ve been drinking

Q: I want to walk from Perth to Sydney — can I follow the railroad tracks? (Sweden)
A: Sure, it’s only three thousand miles, take lots of water…

Q: Is it safe to run around in the bushes in Australia? (Sweden)
A: So its true what they say about Swedes.

Q: It is imperative that I find the names and addresses of places to contact for a stuffed porpoise. (Italy)
A: Let’s not touch this one.

Q: Are there any ATMs (cash machines) in Australia? Can you send me a list of them in Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville and Hervey Bay? (UK)
A: What did your last slave die of?

Q: Can you give me some information about hippo racing in Australia?(USA)
A: A-fri-ca is the big triangle shaped continent south of Europe. Aus-tra-lia is that big island in the middle of the pacific which does not… oh forget it. Sure, the hippo racing is every Tuesday night in Kings Cross. Come naked.

Q: Which direction is North in Australia? (USA)
A: Face south and then turn 90 degrees. Contact us when you get here and we’ll send the rest of the directions.

Q: Can I bring cutlery into Australia? (UK)
A: Why? Just use your fingers like we do.

Q: Can you send me the Vienna Boys’ Choir schedule? (USA)
A: Aus-tri-a is that quaint little country bordering Ger-man-y, which is…oh forget it. Sure, the Vienna Boys Choir plays every Tuesday night in Kings Cross, straight after the hippo races. Come naked.

Q: Do you have perfume in Australia? (France)
A: No, WE don’t stink.

Q: I have developed a new product that is the fountain of youth. Can you tell me where I can sell it in Australia? (USA)
A: Anywhere significant numbers of Americans gather.

Q: Can I wear high heels in Australia? (UK)
A: You are a British politician, correct?

Q: Can you tell me the regions in Australia where the female population is smaller than the male population? (Italy)
A: Yes, gay nightclubs.

Q: Do you celebrate Christmas in Australia? (France)
A: Only at Christmas.

Q: Are there killer bees in Australia? (Germany)
A: Not yet, but for you, we’ll import them.

Q: Are there supermarkets in Sydney and is milk available all year round? (Germany)
A: No, we are a peaceful civilisation of vegan hunter gatherers. Milk is illegal.

Q: Please send a list of all doctors in Australia who can dispense rattlesnake serum. (USA)
A: Rattlesnakes live in A-meri-ca which is where YOU come from. All Australian snakes are perfectly harmless, can be safely handled and make good pets.

Q: I have a question about a famous animal in Australia, but I forget its name. It’s a kind of bear and lives in trees. (USA)
A: It’s called a Drop Bear. They are so called because they drop out of gum trees and eat the brains of anyone walking underneath them. You can scare them off by spraying yourself with human urine before you go out walking.

Q: I was in Australia in 1969 on R+R, and I want to contact the girl I dated while I was staying in Kings Cross. Can you help? (USA)
A: Yes, and you will still have to pay her by the hour.

Q: Will I be able to speek English most places I go? (USA)
A: Yes, but you’ll have to learn it first.

Frame design & hubguards

Yesterday I got a question to my e-mail why I don’t draw the Simple frames with slightly bigger spacing between the dropouts to accommodate for hubguards. The standard is 110mm and making it bigger might make sense at first glance. Below, I’ll go into the details of why it’s a bad idea.

Personally, I had never even considered adding bigger spacing as a “feature” of a frame before, and after I spent a very short time thinking about it I came up with the following reasons why to stick to 110mm.

First off, a standard is a standard and it’s always better to stick to that (unless you plan to make everyone else change at the same time). Just look at all the problems, misunderstandings and confusion that has been caused by the BB sizes in BMX. US, Mid, Spanish (and maybe soon Spanish V2), Mexican, Euro and the latest on the board — German (KHE showed something ridiculously small at Interbike). Where will it end?
Do we need the same confusion when it comes to dropout spacing? I would think not.

Secondly, more spacing between the dropouts also means there is a risk that you will need to add spacers on your crank spindle as to not let the crank arms hit the chainstays. Maybe not the biggest problem, but there are already clearance issues on some frames out there, so it would not make sense to make matters worse. Also, adding spacers on the spindle weakens the crank arm/spindle interface by reducing the amount of material in contact. This might be a very miniscule loss of strength, but a loss nonetheless and that is undesireable.

Third… a guard that adds to the overall width of the hub will also offset your wheel in the rear triangle. This has to be compensated for by either making the frames wide enough (or stretch them open even more) to allow extra spacers on the drive side to center the wheel, or you have to “dish” the wheel by tightening/loosening spokes on either side of the wheel as required.

The fourth argument is that the people who do not want/don’t have to run a hubguard would have to make up for the extra spacing by adding spacers on the inside which does not make sense at all. You’d have an inferior contact surface, maybe throw the chain alignment out of whack and it would just look plain stupid, like the frame or hub didn’t fit properly — which would actually be true. Also, many people wouldn’t put any spacers in there and just tighten the axle nuts and that way put unnessecary stress on the frame. Then some would argue that spreading the rear end to fit a hubguard will also put stress into the frame — this is true, but there are good ways to avoid it. And this brings me to the fifth argument:

Get a properly designed hubguard instead! There are already a number of hubguards on the market that are actually designed in a way so that you do not have to spread your frame to fit them. BSD, Mutiny and Profile all have guards that are designed that way. BSD’s “Jersey Barrier” has a high grade aluminium core that is threaded and completely replaces the locknut hardware on the non drive side of the hub. The first version only fits Odyssey and similar hubs, but I assume more versions that will fit other hubs are coming. Version 2 of Mutiny’s “Hub Buddy” works in much the same way and you get a good instruction manual and all the bits you need to fit it onto several different hubs. Profile have got their own guard made specifically to fit their hub. It slides over the locknut and wedges up against the cone spacer on the hub. Very efficient.

So I guess my conclusion is that instead of frame manufacturers adapting their frames to fit inferior hubguards, the hubguard manufacturers should adapt their products to the already existing standards.

Intelligence…

I never cease to be amazed at the level of intelligence flourishing on the internets. Just saw the above bike thing, the see-saw bike, on TheComeUp. Checked the post out and read some of the comments… and fukin hell! Some people seem to think it’s an actual product and not just a “conceptual” or “artistic” project.

2 examples:

Basicvisual
4:28 PM on Mon Nov 24 2008

Not for stunting?

I work at a bike shop. There I spend a lot of time building BMX bikes, ranging from low end beginner completes, to $3000 top of the line customs.

Today I spotted this sticker on one of the bikes from a company who’s got their debut with completes this year.

I know that it’s probably the factory where it’s made and assembled who’s got some kind of policy to put these stickers on there. But seriously? Since when is a freestyle BMX bike, no matter the price, “Not for stunting”?