This pretty incredible

The first ascent of the north face of Eiger, a mountain in the Swiss Alps (13,025 feet tall), happened in 1938 and took three days. Watch as Ueli Steck climbs it in 2 hours, 47 minutes, and 33 seconds

Source: kottle.org

Imagine if a private company could nark on you for speeding and you could be banned from using the roads for up to six months as a result of such an accusation. Well, the internet equivalent of this what was passed into law last week.

Seems crazy until you take a look inside the sausage factory and see some of the people who are making our laws.

Heres one:

Shit! if thats who's driving the boat I guess we are lucky they didn't make it illegal for Kangaroos to enter barbers shops on Sundays.

Here are some other commentators with better articulated view points than my own:
Juha Saarinen
Colin Jackson
Vikram Kumar
Someone from NZOSS

Auckland, I am looking at you.

Moving Beyond the Automobile: Road Diets from Streetfilms on Vimeo.

Mountain bike designs are largely variations on a theme but this one looks interesting.

They use a Shimano Alphine as a centrally mounted gearbox, this has the maintence advantages of hub gears but doesn't put so much weight toward the rear wheel as the usual rear hub placement.

The central mount means reduced pedal bob because the chain goes straight up not back to the rear wheel.

well thats what they are claiming, but both those claims certainly make sense and it'd be interesting to take one for a spin...

Heres a video, bike description is at 1m:00s.

Demdike Stare: Hashshashin Chant from The Wire Magazine on Vimeo.

According to an article over on Patently Apple Apple have filed for a bike computer / ipod integration patent.

On August 5, 2010, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals various concepts behind a newly advanced Smart Bicycle System in development. The premise is rather like Apple's Nike + iPod system for runners except for cyclists. While the system is for individuals, it's also designed to work with teams of cyclists so that they could communicate with each other on-the-fly about course difficulty or perceived problems. The Bicycle system monitors speed, distance, time, altitude, elevation, incline, decline, heart rate, power, derailleur setting, cadence, wind speed, path completed, expected future path, heart rate, power, and pace. The system could utilize various sensors built-into the iPhone in addition to working with sensors already built-into the bike itself. Apple's patent is extraordinarily detailed and packed with interesting twists that the sporting cyclist will really appreciate

I wonder if the developers of the existing cycling apps are pissed? (more likely pleased to receive attention).

Seems apple are making a habit of patenting app developers ideas, here is a side by side comparison of an app and an apple patent application.

None of the mainstream news stories I read covered the story with enough detail for my liking. So here it is from the horse's mouth

Scrapertown from California is a place. on Vimeo.

Found via lastfm.