My ultralight showed up. I spent a half hour putting it together this
morning. The wheels are out of true (might well have been damaged
during shipping), which I can fix myself if I have to. I think the
headset's a bit loose. The brakes are right rear instead of right
front, which I don't like. I need to get a 12-27 on the rear (instead
of the stock 12-23). So I guess I'm making a trip to Cupertino Bike
Shop this afternoon.
On the other hand, here's what I'm impressed by:
The bike is light! It's really light. I know that 15 pounds is light,
but one has no idea until one lifts it. The fit and finish of the Fuji
is nice. Even though the carbon fork is carbon, when you look at where
the brake shoes are on the brakes, you can see that they are right at
the bottom of the slot, exactly where Grant would put them. The same
goes for the rear. I'm going to mount 25s on the bike, but I think I
even have room for 28s if I was so inclined.
Thursday, March 10, 2005
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Socialized Medicine Works
Surveys by the National Committee for Quality Assurance and other organizations, have reached the same conclusion. The superiority of VA hospitals is so obvious that by now it ought to be common knowledge. But it isn't, because an insane political consensus that firmly opposes turning health care over to the government--because the government is presumed incapable of doing anything well--doesn't want to hear that government hospitals are outperforming private hospitals.
Surveys by the National Committee for Quality Assurance and other organizations, have reached the same conclusion. The superiority of VA hospitals is so obvious that by now it ought to be common knowledge. But it isn't, because an insane political consensus that firmly opposes turning health care over to the government--because the government is presumed incapable of doing anything well--doesn't want to hear that government hospitals are outperforming private hospitals.
Sunday, March 06, 2005
The Silver Spike
I should really have read this right after The White Rose.
Many men admire Raven. He fears nothing concrete. He takes no crap from anyone. People who mess with him get hurt, and the hell with the consequences. But those are the only dimensions he has. They are the only dimensions he permits himself. How can I remain emotionally entangled with a man who will not allow himself emotions, however much he did for me in other ways? I appreciate him,. I honor him, I may even revere him. But that is all anymore. He cannot change that with some demonstration, like a boy hanging by his knees from a branch to impress a girl.
I should really have read this right after The White Rose.
Many men admire Raven. He fears nothing concrete. He takes no crap from anyone. People who mess with him get hurt, and the hell with the consequences. But those are the only dimensions he has. They are the only dimensions he permits himself. How can I remain emotionally entangled with a man who will not allow himself emotions, however much he did for me in other ways? I appreciate him,. I honor him, I may even revere him. But that is all anymore. He cannot change that with some demonstration, like a boy hanging by his knees from a branch to impress a girl.
Monday, February 28, 2005
Shadow Games
Continuing on my Black Company binge...
I guess each of us, at some time, finds one person with whom we are compelled toward absolute honesty, one person whose good opinion of us becomes a substitute for the broader opinion of the world. And that opinion becomes more important than all our sneaky, sleazy schemes of greed, lust, self-aggrandizement, whatever we are up to while lying the world into believing we are just plain nice folks...
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
The White Rose
What the greater of two evils show up, but you've been fighting the lesser evil for year?
"I do not want to die, Croaker. All that I am shrieks against the unrighteousness of death. All that I am, was, and probably will be, is shaped by my passion to evade the end of me." She laughed quietly, but there was a thread of hysteria there. She gesured, indicating the shadowed killing ground below. "I would have built a world in which I was safe. And the cornerstone of my citadel would have been death."
What the greater of two evils show up, but you've been fighting the lesser evil for year?
"I do not want to die, Croaker. All that I am shrieks against the unrighteousness of death. All that I am, was, and probably will be, is shaped by my passion to evade the end of me." She laughed quietly, but there was a thread of hysteria there. She gesured, indicating the shadowed killing ground below. "I would have built a world in which I was safe. And the cornerstone of my citadel would have been death."
Monday, February 21, 2005
Shadows Linger: Book 2 of the Black Company
The Black Company switches sides.
I could think of nothing to say. It was no less than I had expected, and had hoped she would accomplish, for she was the lesser evil, and, I suspect, remained possessed of a spark that had not committed itself to the darkness. She hads shown restraint on several occasions when she could have indulged her cruelty. Maybe if she felt unchallenged, she would drift toward the light rather than farther toward the shadow.
The Black Company switches sides.
I could think of nothing to say. It was no less than I had expected, and had hoped she would accomplish, for she was the lesser evil, and, I suspect, remained possessed of a spark that had not committed itself to the darkness. She hads shown restraint on several occasions when she could have indulged her cruelty. Maybe if she felt unchallenged, she would drift toward the light rather than farther toward the shadow.
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
The Black Company
Inspired by The Black Company Campaign Setting, I'm re-reading the series.
There are no self-proclaimed villains, only regiments of self-proclaimed saints. Victorious historians rule where good or evil lies.
We abjure labels. We fight for money and an indefinable pride. The politics, the ethics, the moralities are irrelevant.
Inspired by The Black Company Campaign Setting, I'm re-reading the series.
There are no self-proclaimed villains, only regiments of self-proclaimed saints. Victorious historians rule where good or evil lies.
We abjure labels. We fight for money and an indefinable pride. The politics, the ethics, the moralities are irrelevant.
Saturday, February 12, 2005
Friday, February 11, 2005
The Monk and The Riddle
Randy Komisar writes about the difference between drive and passion. Acknowledging that most things in life are out of your control, he claims that the important part in life is to be doing what's the so important to you that you're willing to do it for the rest of your life.
Yet many still believe that those who enjoy exceptional achievements and accomplishments rode to the top entirely by themselves. The media always look for a single person, a CEO or an entrepreneur, to personify the accomplishments of an entire company or industry. It makes good reading, but it's simplistic. Someone in the Valley suddenly finds himself worth $100 million dollars and begins to believe he earned, and therefore deserves, that money because of his skill and ability... If you're brilliant, 15% to 20% of the risk is removed. If you work 24 hours a day, another 15 to 20% of the risk is removed. The remaining 60 to 70% of business risk will be completely out of your control.
Randy Komisar writes about the difference between drive and passion. Acknowledging that most things in life are out of your control, he claims that the important part in life is to be doing what's the so important to you that you're willing to do it for the rest of your life.
Yet many still believe that those who enjoy exceptional achievements and accomplishments rode to the top entirely by themselves. The media always look for a single person, a CEO or an entrepreneur, to personify the accomplishments of an entire company or industry. It makes good reading, but it's simplistic. Someone in the Valley suddenly finds himself worth $100 million dollars and begins to believe he earned, and therefore deserves, that money because of his skill and ability... If you're brilliant, 15% to 20% of the risk is removed. If you work 24 hours a day, another 15 to 20% of the risk is removed. The remaining 60 to 70% of business risk will be completely out of your control.
Sunday, February 06, 2005
Monday, January 17, 2005
Fenders
I loaned my rain bike to a visiting Googler, so I spent Sunday afternoon installing fenders onto my commute bike. It took a couple of hours and a few zip ties and quite a bit of patience, but when done, the bike has fenders that are quiet, which is very nice. I guess I'd always been intimidated before by fenders, but I really should never have been.
I loaned my rain bike to a visiting Googler, so I spent Sunday afternoon installing fenders onto my commute bike. It took a couple of hours and a few zip ties and quite a bit of patience, but when done, the bike has fenders that are quiet, which is very nice. I guess I'd always been intimidated before by fenders, but I really should never have been.
Sunday, January 09, 2005
Scarlet's Blog
Not a must read blog, but it's well-written, which is something I can't say for every blog on the web.
Not a must read blog, but it's well-written, which is something I can't say for every blog on the web.
Backpacking no more
The lonely planet guides have been getting steadily worse over the last few years, and this article explains why. When the owner of the company repudiates the mode of travel the company was founded to serve, it's quite clear that no one there takes the work seriously.
To be honest, I'd never found much use for the lonely planet guides. As a cyclist, their guides focused on towns, rather than the places in between towns, which are by far the more interesting things on a trip.
The lonely planet guides have been getting steadily worse over the last few years, and this article explains why. When the owner of the company repudiates the mode of travel the company was founded to serve, it's quite clear that no one there takes the work seriously.
To be honest, I'd never found much use for the lonely planet guides. As a cyclist, their guides focused on towns, rather than the places in between towns, which are by far the more interesting things on a trip.
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
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