British motocross rider Jason Rennie has set a new record for jumping a bike, clearing nearly 134 feet on a Kona Stab Supreme in Llandegla Forest. He was pulled up to 80 mph by a motor bike before being released to hit the ramp. More info here, and video here.

via Blue Collar Mountain Biking

Hopefully the first of many more. The only problem (apart from the usual one of drivers being on my road and slowing me down) is that the chain slips on the fifth cog. It’s probably a wear issueas that bog was part of my old favourite ratio. The new chain hasn’t worn down in sympathy to fit the hook shape. So i’m working with the ratios one higher and one lower than i’m used to, so my legs are spinning wildly or grinding harder than they’d prefer.
I’ll get used to it, the important thing is that i’m back on my bike. When i start working from home i’ll have to make up random reasons to go for rides.

My sister got me a coffee grinder for my birthday. Not just any coffee grinder, but a vintage stainless steel Rubis Inox Peugeot (almost exactly like this one). A car boot sale treasure find.

The only problem was, it didn’t work. The blade turned in slow jerks. There was no way it was going to be grinding any beans, it might succeed at pushing them around a little though. So I did what any self respecting Steam Geek would, and took it apart.

It’s a simple enough vertically mounted electric motor with a spring released on/off button. No safety interlock- this was built back in the day when companies didn’t assume their customers were all idiots.

The problem was, as I’d suspected, carbon deposits, and maybe a little oxidation, on the contact surfaces. I flipped the carbon bushes around so they were presenting a flat rather than curved surface and cleaned the commutator up with an emery board. After a little bit of slapstick getting the feed springs for the bushes back in place it all went back together again simply.

The blade now spins so fast it scares me and there’s an interesting smell of ozone after each spurt. What I really need are some coffee beans to test it properly.

Filed under Must Read Later.

via a comment on this Treehugger post came a link to the Rocky Mountain Institute. The first entry under nuclear power is an article entitled Mighty Mice (pdf). The description reads-

The most powerful force resisting new nuclear may be a legion of small, fast and simple microgeneration and efficiency projects. In this guest article in the UK-published Nuclear Engineering International, Amory Lovins explains to the industry who its most formidable competitors are: not central coal- or gas-fired power plants, but micropower and efficient use. These are already adding more than ten times as much global capacity per year, and, being much cheaper, provide more climate solution per dollar and per year. (29 December 2005).

Technorati tag: Nuclear, Micro-generation

Ouch. Anyway, a collection of fonts based upon film and TV titles.

Technorati tag: Fonts

Dubya’s a politician, so you expect him to lie. So it comes as no surprise that his State of the Union speech pledge to wean the US off foreign oil was “not meant to be taken literally”.

Technorati tag: USA, George Bush, State of the Union

I was idly fantasising about what I’d do with the massive Euro Lotterry roll over prize (very idly as I’m not dumb enough to waste money on it) and came to the conclusion that I’d build an eco community. I’ve been beaten to it, as Arthur Street in Penrith has become Britain’s first eco-street. The initiative was led by residents and has become a great way to build community as well as saving money and promoting environmental technologies.

Technorati tag: eco street, Penrith

The Canberra is the RAF’s oldest serving plane, with three PR9 photo reconnaisance planes still flying 55 years after they were introduced. However, the planes are finally being phased out this July.

Technorati tag: Canberra, RAF

An enterprising director in South Africa has made the first ever feature film shot entirely on phone cameras. SMS Sugar Man is the tale of a pimp and two high-class prostitutes cruising around Johannesburg on Christmas Eve. Director Aryan Kaganof says the tiny images still look fine when blown up to full screen size, though viewers can choose to watch the film as thirty three minute downloads on their phones.

Technorati tag: Mobile Phone, Film