Comments bryantheresa has made

  • Electric Jeep

    A truly practical transportation Mode which arrives on a trailer, presumably not towed by another electric vehicle...

    Don't get me wrong, I love electric (I have a 2 wheeler) and it's probably from a long way away (don't get me started on that!) just for the parade; but it certainly points out some issues with today's' electric fleet.  
    On Photos from Plug In America's inaugural parade posted 10 months, 2 weeks ago 18 Responses

  • questions for anyone who knows about this stuff

    Breck, or any other nuclear experts:  

    I hope I am open minded enough to accept technology on it's own merits, but whenever regulations, efficiency, economics and technology of Nuclear fission plants is discussed there always seems to be an omission of waste.  

    I'm pretty sure we're not going to see a billion gallons of spent fuel rods in the Tennessee river.  But what DID we do with the past 60 years of radioactive waste?  It is all safely put away and harmless, right?  Or is it still in swimming pools scattered throughout the world while someone figures out what to do with it?  

    If those pools spring a leak or the pumps stop running, or the neighbourhood is the ninth ward what happens?  Do we have to keep those little pools cleaned and recirculated and topped off for the next 10 months?  10 years?  10 centuries?  My best guess is 10,000 years of pool maintainance - but my backyard pool won't run for a year without intervention.  

    I guess this should keep the cabana boys employed for the foreseeable future.  

    Of course this problem will be solved, why just last week I heard about ... ummm ... never mind.  

    Since Fission's big benefit is "no CO2 production", how much electricity and diesel does it take to dig up Australian Uranium from open pit mines enrich it if necessary; ship it to India, get rid of the UF6 or whatever the process is today, bathe spent fuel for a century, truck it away from population, dig more holes in the ground, giftwrap it nicely and store it for as long as agriculture has existed?  

    Is there a private insurance company that will write a policy for a nuclear reactor?  I know they're safe, you know they're safe, but what did it cost the Ukraine when the only poorly designed reactor on earth failed?  
    On Responding to Heritage's staggeringly confused 'rebuttal' posted 10 months, 3 weeks ago 30 Responses

  • Get on your bikes and ride!

    Apparently 15,000 studded tires are sold in the USA each year, so you're not alone.  I bought commercial studded tires and they are well worth the $200 to have more courage than the Cowardly Lion.  

    Definitely -40 is easier than -2C.  

    Bitter cold is clear, bright, dry and the ice sticky.  Down facemask, gloves & winter boots, thin clothing and a parka in your pannier so a flat won't kill you.  If you're always on snow glue one bead to your rim and run fat tires at 20psi.  

    Just near freezing is dark, damp and slippery.  Neoprene is awful but better than most other materials.  Fleece is pretty good.  Carry dry clothes and the biggest light you can afford.  

    Winter riding is awesome!  

    http://www.icebike.org
    http://green.wikia.com/wiki/BicycleOn Umbra on winter biking posted 1 year ago 18 Responses

  • Ahhh!

    Well, this would certainly explain why the governments refuses to deal with Peak Oil, Climate Chaos, Bottle Deposits, corporate criminals, water depletion, population and bike paths.  On New '2012' film trailer hints at eco-disaster themes posted 1 year ago 4 Responses

  • High Liner

    Holy Cow!  This is still in place after 20 years shut down?  I hate to ask, but why not go out on a limb and make it a public transit corridor - say, like a train track?  

    I like the benches that are designed by skateboarders to grind up the ramps.  

    The concept is wonderful.  I wold love to see what it looks like in 10 years.  On High Line Park posted 1 year, 5 months ago 1 Response

  • bed bike

    I've got an electric BOB Ibex tied to my racing bike (different skewer and a throttle cable stay on the bike) which also works on my recumbent.  I only use the trailer when I know what I want (Xtracycle is always with you, big benefit) but with the trailer off it is an 'unmodified' bike for a performance freak.  

    The BOB is good but what I really want, though, is a bike to carry a queen-sized bed or plywood.  Anybody have one they like?  On Umbra on cargo bikes posted 1 year, 6 months ago 29 Responses

  • farmers.com 'contact us'

    Beautiful, just beautiful.  The insurance industry is looking at the biggest potential losses ever due to climate change and are ridiculing a person who is part of the solution.  Instead of promoting cycling , which every statistical analysis shows reduction in health care costs, pollution, infrastructure costs etc... you show someone who can't even adjust their seat height.  

    Do you hear that phone not ringing?  That will be me not buying your insurance.  On The unthinkable humiliation of biking, part two posted 1 year, 7 months ago 15 Responses

  • 'State Farm can get you back behind the wheel'

    "You know that place where you're paying $4 per gallon to support the Arabian Economy while the US Army kills Iraqis for you; parked in traffic for an hour to drive 20 miles to a house that is worth less than the mortgage; breathing pollution & listening to two morons rant on the radio at 'drive time' in a car you bought for $50,000 a year ago that is now worth half that?"

    "Oh Man, I'm there!"On 'State Farm can get you back behind the wheel' posted 1 year, 7 months ago 10 Responses

  • Defense?

    I think you meant "Offense".  It would me much more accurate if they went back to the old 'Department of War' title.  On If we want to create jobs, why aren't we spending on mass transit? posted 1 year, 8 months ago 10 Responses

  • bicycling weather

    "Biking is acceptable when it's not to hot or cold out, and when it isn't raining or snowing"

    I have been checking the veracity of this statement, which is used the world over as an excuse to not ride a bike.  

    I commuted for 20 years on the west coast of Canada (Vancouver, Victoria, Port Hardy) with significant rain from -10C to + 35C with frequent gales & never felt I was missing out by not being in a car.  

    I cycled 800 days in a row in Yellowknife from -45C (-50F) to about +20, 40% of the time on ice or snow, during snowstorms & for 4 hour recreational rides.  I had to buy a facemask & regrease my freewheel.  

    I'm living in Darwin, which gives me another 600 days of tropical riding at a typical daytime high of 33C (90F) down to about 20C.  I rarely ride over 100 km as the roads are too boring.  I have to buy sunscreen.  

    In Alberta & Australia I've pushed the high up to about +47C (115F) while touring.  I have to drink a lot of water.

    I'm not bragging, this was not difficult and always more pleasant than getting into an automobile at those temperatures.  And the people with cars are just as cold or sweaty or wet after they get out.  So before you tell me again that the weather is too ___ to cycle why don't you just go out and try it?  

    Yes, it is often nice to have a shower afterwards, but it is not always possible and a facecloth in the bathroom is a usable alternative.  I certainly can't justify a $40,000 car to avoid getting wet.  On A breathless appraisal of Lance's new bicycle mecca and mission posted 1 year, 9 months ago 30 Responses