Cycle Santa Monica!: June 2007

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Airbike

This is what happens when you mix beer and extreme sports together. This guy, from Malik Motors in Miami,straps a giant engine to his back with a propeller, then proceeds to hop on a bicycle and go for a cruise.

Airbike - Watch more free videos

Related Posts:
- "Wind On Back" (video link)

Friday, June 22, 2007

Hooooo! The Trunk Boyz spreadin' the word about their Scraper Bikes.

Maybe these guys might like to perform at the Santa Monica 4th of July Parade. (smile)(see the Santa Monica Daily Press story "The Little Parade That Could" 6/15/2007 )Also, you can find more info about the parade at: www.opa-sm.org/parade

Film maker description:
FINISHED VERSION OF THE VIDEO COMING SOON

Rough cut of the music video for "Scraper Bike" by the Trunk Boiz.
Starring: Young Champ, J-Dub aka Alexander Tha Grate, and B-Janky.
WWW.MYSPACE.COM/DATRUNKBOIZ
WWW.MYSPACE.COM/ALBPRODUCTIONS510

If anyone's interested in getting a scraper bike, talk to Champ at WWW.MYSPACE.COM/SCRAPPERBIKES

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Velectris

Velectris electric kit on TV FRANCE 2

Film maker description:

Velectris au journal de 20H de France 2 qui montre brièvement un vélo avec kit phantom et notre boutique de Paris. http://www.velectris.com

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Sicko

The Master of documentary film making has produced his latest masterpiece and cage rattler, titled "Sicko"(wiki).

As bicyclists, skaters, and ped's, having access to affordable health care is essential.

In the film, Moore takes you around the world to interview people, patients, families, doctors, and government officials on what it is like to have access to free health care paid through taxes. This film is definitely a "must see" and highly recomended.

Below that is a message from Michael Moore asking for your health care stories. Go to the you tube link to see comments to the videow and get more information on how to contribute your stories.

Below is a trailer for the film. And below the trailer is a small clip of a guy living in the USA who could not afford to have the fluid from his elbow drained. So he documented draining his elbow using a brake fluid bleeder. Warning it is a little gross, but not too bad.

Recommended Links:
- Tommy Douglas(wiki) considered the founder of the Canadian National Health Care System.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Bruce Lipton

Bruce H Lipton, PhD speaks on "Fractal Wisdom"

summary:
Bruce H Litpon, PhD uses the insights of fractal geometry to explain how unique answers to the global issues of human community may be solved by learning from the integrated community of cells within the human body.

If this is interesting to you, consider jumping off into the deep end in this year's workshop with Daniel Pinchbeck at the omega campus:

or check out our other workshops working to delve into evolving ways of life that equate a sustainable human culture:

New Biology

Bruce Lipton - The New Biology - Where Mind and Matter Meet

Part 1 of 2

Part 2 of 2

By Bruce lipton

Recent advances in cellular science are heralding an important evolutionary turning point. For almost fifty years we ... all » have held the illusion that our health and fate were preprogrammed in our genes, a concept referred to as genetic determinacy. Though mass consciousness is currently imbued with the belief that the character of one's life is genetically predetermined, a radically new understanding is unfolding at the leading edge of science.

Cellular biologists now recognize that the environment, the external universe and our internal physiology, and more importantly, our perception of the environment, directly controls the activity of our genes. This video will broadly review the molecular mechanisms by which environmental awareness interfaces genetic regulation and guides organismal evolution.

Monday, June 11, 2007

AltCar Debate

AltCar Expo Seminar: "Panel Discussion/Debate on Alt Fuels/Vehicles"

Film Maker Description:

The Auto Channel presents complete coverage of the ALT CAR EXPO held December 9-10 2006 in Santa Monica, CA. In this session, six experts contrast and compare the merits of various alternate fuels and technologies. Moderated by Fran Pavley.

Other AltCar Seminars(videos):
- "Panel Discussion/Debate on Alt Fuels/Vehicles"
- "Alt Fuels 101"
- "Ending Our Oil Addiction"
- "Alt Vehicles, Today and Tomorrow"
- "How We Became Addicted To Oil & Break Addiction Now"
- "ENERGY, SECURITY AND THE LONG WAR"
- "Where Are The Monorails?"

Related Posts:
- AltCar Rally(video)
- MoonBeem (100 MPG vehicle - video news report)

Recommended Links:
- Cycle Santa Monica! community forum

AltCar AltFuels 101

AltCar Expo Seminar: "Alt Fuels 101"

Film Maker Description:

The Auto Channel presents complete coverage of the ALT CAR EXPO held December 9-10 2006 in Santa Monica, CA. In this speaker session, Professor John Frala provides an excellent overview of alternative fuels and technologies that are available today.

AltCar Addiction2

AltCar Expo Seminar: "Ending Our Oil Addiction"

Film Maker Description:

The Auto Channel presents complete coverage of the ALT CAR EXPO held December 9-10 in Santa Monica, CA. In this session author/political activist Terry Tamminen discusses his latest book 'Lives Per Gallon: The True Cost of Our Oil Addiction.'

AltCar Tomorrow

AltCar Expo Seminar: "Alt Vehicles, Today and Tomorrow"

Film Maker Description:

The Auto Channel presents complete coverage of the ALT CAR EXPO held December 9-10 2006 in Santa Monica, CA. In this speaker session, Honda's Steve Ellis provides an overview of alternative fuels and technologies that are available now and soon to come.

AltCar Addiction

AltCar Expo Seminar: "How We Became Addicted To Oil& How To Break The Addiction Right Now"(see video below). In this seminar, Edwin Black discusses information in his book "Internal Combustion", such as the history of energy monopoly's and transportation monopoly's. Those include electric car and bicycle monopolies. He spoke of a guy who controlled the production and sale of bicycles through the use of patents, in the late 1800's. He spoke of how monopolists would threaten lawsuits to companies that manufactured, sold, and even the cutomer that would buy electric cars and bicycles.

The seminar starts with the short video promo for the book "Internal Combustion"(Link). You can also find more info on him and his book at: www.internalcombustionbook.com

Film Maker Description:

The Auto Channel presents complete coverage of the ALT CAR EXPO held December 9-10 2006 in Santa Monica, CA. In this speaker session Edwin Black discusses his latest book, "Internal Combustion," which connects the dots of greed and deception that he says has governed energy from ancient times to the present, and that threaten to destroy our future.

AltCar Security

AltCar Expo Seminar: "ENERGY, SECURITY AND THE LONG WAR"

Film Maker Description:

The Auto Channel presents complete coverage of the ALT CAR EXPO held December 9-10 2006 in Santa Monica, CA. In this speaker session former CIA Director James Woolsey talks about the dangers of dependence on conventional oil and a range of important objectives that would help to lessen our demand on petroleum.

AltCar Monorails

Alt Car Expo seminar: "WHERE ARE THE MONORAILS?"

Film Maker description:

The Auto Channel presents complete coverage of the ALT CAR EXPO held December 9-10 2006 in Santa Monica, CA. In this speaker session, Dick Falkenbury and Brian C. Brooks discuss what may be the best, yet most overlooked solution to the problems of building and expanding mass transit systems, monorails.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Amanda on Hummer

Amanda Cognin explores the benefits of driving a hummer over driving a hybrid.

Petrolius Ad

Thumbs Up on this video. I like how the film maker (www.freedomfromoil.com) mimics big Pharma commercials. Like big pharma TV advertisements, first they create a visualizing appealing lifestyle that people would like for themselves, such as opening the sunroof and letting hands blow through fresh clean air, car traveling in a beautiful pasture and other plant life lined road(no traffic), and happy family scene. It ends with a monotone, fast paced, low volume voice, that speaks in a fast tempo with the list of potential side effects to those using the product. This style, including the disclaimers which seem to be spoken so fast and quietly that people will not hear them, in addition to being done on pharmaceutical advertisements, are done on cigarette ads, liquor ads, and other such products. Or at least until the products become banned from being advertised on television. Perhaps gasoline will someday be banned from being advertised on television and radio advertising.

Related Posts:
- Ralph Nader satire on the "Priceless" ad

Green Garage

Popular Mechanics recently partnered with Jay Leno to do a "Green Garage" show(see: www.jaylenosgarage.com and www.popularmechanics.com/greengarage ). Here is an into to the program.

Saturday, June 09, 2007

Air Engines 2

This is an animation of a three cylinder compressed air engine. This type of engine may have application as a form of power assist for a bicycle. It could placed in th on the crank. Or it may be adapted as a kind of hub motor.

Recommended Links:
- Air Powered Vehicles community forum

Air Engines

video 1 or 4

video 2 of 4

Video 3 of 4

video 4 of 4

Compressed air engine running on 85 psi

"Car that runs on compressed air - Uruguayan invention"(Spanish)

Video description:
Based on Boyle´s law "p x v = k", this car uses compressed air to work. It was invented by Armando Regusci, an uruguayan engineer. More information in http://www.airenergycars.com/ (more)

"G-force Drag racing on compressed air"

Video Description:
drag racing in a car on compressed air in orlando Florida (more)

Suggested Links:
- Air Powered Vehicles community forum

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Assault On Reason

(click on image to enlarge)

I would like to recommend the new book written by Al Gore "Assault On Reason" (published in May 2007). I highly recommend the audiobook version by Audible (LINK). You can download the audiobook There is also a link to listen to a sample of the audiobook at the link above. Downloading the audiobook is probably the quickest way to get a copy of the book. And it is handy to have the audiobook version for downloading to an Ipod or other portable audio player. And I would like feedback on what you think of the book.

The paper version of the book is also available on Amazon(LINK).

Also, the book is part of the Santa Monica Public Library collection. They have at least one book in the collection, with a few on order. Hopefully they will also have the digital form of the book available, both in PDF or other text version, in addition to the audiobook version, so more people will be able to simultaneously have access to the book.

You may find other sources of where to download the book by search Google.

Publisher's Summary:

Here is a visionary analysis of how the politics of fear, secrecy, cronyism, and blind faith have combined with the degradation of the public sphere to create an environment dangerously hostile to reason.

At the time George W. Bush ordered American forces to invade Iraq, 70 percent of Americans believed Saddam Hussein was linked to 9/11. Voters in Ohio, when asked by pollsters to list what stuck in their minds about the recent campaign, most frequently named two Bush television ads that played to fears of terrorism.

We live in an age when the 30-second television spot is the most powerful force shaping the electorate's thinking, and America is in the hands of an administration less interested than any previous administration in sharing the truth with the citizenry. Related to this and of even greater concern is this administration's disinterest in the process by which the truth is ascertained, the tenets of fact-based reasoning - first among them an embrace of open inquiry in which unexpected and inconvenient facts can lead to unexpected conclusions.

How did we get here? How much damage has been done to the functioning of our democracy and its role as steward of our security? Never has there been a worse time for us to lose the capacity to face the reality of our long-term challenges, from national security to the economy, from issues of health and social welfare to the environment. As The Assault on Reason explains, we have precious little time to waste.

Drawing on a life's work in politics, as well as on the work of experts across a broad range of disciplines, Al Gore has written a farsighted and powerful manifesto for clear thinking.

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Bike Classes

There are two bicycle maintenance classes happenning in June at the REI Store in Santa Monica. The Basic class is FREE. The Comprehensive class has a fee. See details below. And see the REI Santa Monica Calendar of Events and Clinics.

**************
Basic Bike Maintenance

6/12/2007 6:30 PM

If you ride a bicycle, then you need this class! The Basic Bicycle Maintenance Class is an informative class that will teach you how to lube a chain, fix a flat tire in record time, and make other minor adjustments to your bicycle. A great lead-in class to the Comprehensive Bike Maintenance Class.

Tuesday, June 12th at 6:30 PM
Location: REI Santa Monica
Contact: 310-458-4370
Cost:: Free
Registration Required? No

Comprehensive Bike Maintenance

6/9/2007 8:30 AM.

Want to learn more about bike maintenance? A certified REI Bike Technician will lead the class and help you understand the ins and outs of maintaining your bike. REI provides all tools and bike stands. Just bring your bike in good condition and be ready to learn! This class is not recommended for beginners. If you would like to learn the basics first please come to our Basic Bike Maintenance Clinic.

Price: $75/REI-members, $90/nonmembers

Space is limited!

Please sign up at the Bike Shop

Saturday, June 9th 8:30-1:00 PM: SM
Location: REI Santa Monica
Contact: 310-458-4370
Cost: $75/members, $90/nonmembers
Registration Required? Yes. Please sign up at the Bike Shop

**************

Friday, June 01, 2007

Eclectic E-bike

Watching this video, the music to "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" was playing in my head. Well done!

I love the creativity of taking a hologen bulb and sticking it in one of the shop light aluminum lamp flood reflectors. And the wrench used as a bolt nut lock was very interesting and again very creative.

Thank you for sharing your video.

Recommended Links:
- Cycle Santa Monica! community forum

Electric Trike

This electric trike is incredible. In one scene he locks the front brakes, pedals and uses the electric assist motor to burn some rubber. In another scene he has snow mobile ski's attached in place of the front wheels and uses his electric trike as a snow mobile.

For more info this trike the video directs people to: www.electric-cycle.com and refers to the trike as a RunAbout Cycle

Recommended Links:
- Cycle Santa Monica! community forum

Cycle Santa Monica!