People for Bikes

People for Bikes is a bicycle special interest group. I guess if you can't get rid of special interest groups all together, then you might as well get behind ones that match up with your special interests.

Also, cycling generates a lot of positive externalities (or maybe it eliminates a lot of negative externalities). As such, the free market provides less than the socially optimal level of cycling. Everyone could be better off if the government provides infrastructure and/or education that makes cycling more feasible.

Bikes take way less space to park. They make people more active and could play a large part in the fight against obesity and health problems (that won't have to be taken care of by government funded health programs). Cyclists reduce congestion for cars. They're not burning fossil fuels so they don't create that sort of pollution.

Hammer Nutrition Discount

If you want anything from Hammer Nutrition, first time customers can get 15% off by going to http://www.hammernutrition.com/affiliates/148194/. I also get a little kickback from the referral.

Natchez Trace

What a nice place to ride your bike.

Pick #199

Broken Social Scene - "Looks Just Like the Sun" from Singles and Duplicates

Bike Porn

Check out these amazing closeups of Levi's road & TT bikes.

Clean Bottle

Some guy invented a water bottle that unscrews at the top and the bottom to make for easy cleaning. Why hasn't anyone done this before? Have they tried and failed? Such a simple idea. It feels like money left on the table.

Pick #198

Landon Pigg - "Falling In Love at a Coffee Shop" from The Boy Who Never

Sharing Toothbrushes is Gross

Why is it so gross to share a toothbrush? Even with someone who routinely has other sorts of oral contact with you? You can share nail clippers or hair brushes...I'd even put on someone's dirty socks before using their toothbrush. It's not the same with a hair brush. Not thermometers (as long as they get wiped off). I know there has to be something that makes toothbrushes different, but I can't put my finger on it.

Drafts Everywhere

I got to the bike rack at school today and there was a SE Draft parked on the rack. Same color as mine. 52cm (mine's 56) and had the same handlebars as mine had before I replaced them. I actually had this thought run through my mind: did I leave that bike at school? (As if that's even possible).

New (to Me) SE Draft

I still need to do some work on this bike, but since I got it I have:

removed the BMX cog only to find out that the hub is set up to accept 2 coaster cogs and no fixed gear. Ick. I gotta get a new rear wheel. I took off the original handlebars and brakes/cables. I put on the bullhorns that Conrad gave me, internally routed the brake cables (through the handlebars, not the frame), put on the bar end brakes, added a water bottle, put on the tireflys, and wrapped the handlebars. I still want to get better pedals, which kinda means I need to ditch the 1-piece crank (which would allow me to get a better gearing)...but that entails new bottom bracket and new crank arms too. All of a sudden this bike I bought for $130 isn't going to be quite so cheap.

Blood Ninja

If you want to read a hilarious account of someone messing with people while having cyber-sex, you should check out Blood Ninja. Thanks to TBW for reminding me of this comedic genius.

Pick #197

Maida Vale - "West Way" from American Sun

Why All Sins Are Equal in the Eyes of God

Humans feel like there are degrees of sin. We tell ourselves that telling a white lie is not as bad as committing murder. Let me confirm that I feel this way. Not only I feel this way; in fact, this site does a good job backing my conjecture with scripture. I haven't taken a survey but I imagine that "most people" would agree with me.

However, I've been told ever since I remember that all sins are equal in the eyes of God. This must be because he does not commit any sins. Therefore they are all equally bad to him. Some humans may think that murder is unacceptable but lying is because those same people have told lies but not committed murder. We need to rank the severity of our misconduct in a way that justifies our behavior. God does not.

Pick #196

4:35 on a Thursday - "J.J. the Jetplane" from their self-titled release.