Posts by George Darroch

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  • Busytown: To infinity and beyond,

    Oh, I hope I haven't derailed this thread. The energy used is pretty small by all measures, although we haven't yet created the perfectly efficient human. We're working on it.

    I do hate lycra though, unless worn by the dance mega group, the Real Hot Bitches. These people have the right idea about what to wear on a bicycle.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report

  • Busytown: To infinity and beyond,

    Oh, that reminds me of my favourite antipodean invention of late:

    Madin's musical bikes

    More here. Lovely!

    Check out this lovely bicycle/bubble blower/instrument of guerrilla gardening. Something to make you smile.

    Yeah, I saw ET too.

    See also this flying bike. Who can forget the Gossamer Albatross?

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report

  • Busytown: To infinity and beyond,

    I could also be a grump and disdain the amount of energy required, compared to the simple, beautiful and amazingly (99%) efficient bicycle, but for the moment I'll just bathe in the wonder of it all.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report

  • Busytown: To infinity and beyond,

    Can the Airforce buy these? Seriously, how cool would that be? And since they're made in the back of a shed, they can't be that expensive!

    We finally got our jetpacks. And it's only 8 years after 2000. We're almost on schedule!

    Without auto-rotate, there would be a "death-zone" between the altitudes "high-enough-that-the-fall-will-kill-you" and "high-enough-that-the-chute-will-save-you".

    High enough to kill or seriously injure you would probably only be about 2-4 metres, depending on how you fall, from my knowledge or rock-climbing danger zones. With that heavy thing on your back it's probably worse. Safety and liability issues will determine whether this thing ever gets off the ground.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report

  • Speaker: The Ultimate Flip-Flop,

    Rofflenui

    Lolnui, that is a great coinage!

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report

  • Busytown: If you build it...,

    I also grew up on the edges of suburbia, a quirk of Auckland that still had market gardens, mangrove swamps and orchards to play in. Places to ride bikes, make huts, run around, and investigate in. So very often the best activity is organic, and self sustaining.

    If we want to look at grinches closer to home, the police association is among other things (and there are a few that are equally disagreeable), recommending we institute ASBOs on young people. Annette King is approving of the idea. The trend towards vilification of the youth continues in many quarters.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report

  • Hard News: Paris S’Enflamme, tout la nuit,

    There is something ridiculously cute about hearing French in such a New Zealand accent, although it did rub for a few seconds as my brain tried to understand that seeming non-sequitur. As far as I can tell, a better version can be found on the Hype Machine.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report

  • Hard News: A Taxonomy of Poo,

    It would be ridiculous if it wasn't real, but the NBR's new column is to be called "Dispatches from Helegrad". As far as I'm concerned, that's the NBR Godwining themselves.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report

  • Hard News: Radio Times,

    There's something wonderful about Radio New Zealand. They believe it is their job to get out there and create reliable and informative content, and it shows. They don't always get it right, but they're the best we have.

    The same can also be said for the BBC World Service, RadioNetherlands, RFI and Deutsche Welle, or a number of public service broadcasters.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report

  • Hard News: User-generated Speechification,

    The problem with the very question is that increasingly, there isn't a line.

    A lot of blogs and other websites I visit and use have advertising or a paypal button etc., that at partially compensates for the effort made. While the contributors to these sites would certainly be ill advised to to quit their day jobs, they are being paid for their content. PA itself is an example of this.

    For me the real question is, is user generated partially remunerated content (for which contributors receive less than market rates) going to take enough mindshare to seriously harm journalists and other paid contributors?

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report

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