Actually, last weekend we did do something unusual: attended the LA Bike Expo at the convention center. Yawn. Paid 10 bucks to part and 16 to get in, and was completely underwhelmed. The first thing greeting attendees was a display of luxury cards, Mercedez IIRC. Not sure what they have to do with cycling.

A number of booths selling various things bike. Nothing that interesting, except one kind of hybrid bike. Not the usual "hybrid" that means a cross between mountain and road bike, but more like a hybrid car. The thing has a battery that recharges from pedaling and that also captures braking energy, and somehow assists later by applying power to the drive train or something. It wasn't clear to me how it helps, but seems pretty cheaty to me.

On second thought, some clever people have created something very amusing: Nogin Sox, decorative helmet covers in a variety of fun shapes, from frogs to spiked mohawks. Oh yeah, another company sells a brakelight for the back of your helmet. It receives a wireless signal from a transmitter attached to your brake handle and makes the light activate. That's cool, although I do wonder at the brightness of the light during the day, compared to my flourescent yellow shirt, but if riding at night it would be invaluable.


It's quirky movie week for us, apparently. Tonight we watched Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, which is finally on DVD. Very recently we also watched The Station Agent, which seemed like a two-hour short story, and Primer, which delves into mind-bending paradoxes of time travel. I liked it quite a bit, but ya gotta pay attention. Definitely watch it if you like sci-fi time-travel stories.


Work at work is much... converting an old, bad web site to a new, spiffy, efficient, database-driven, CSS-modeled work of wonder. One of these days it will amaze everyone there.


Shelley seems to be back on track and moving forward in show biz. Let's hope the engine kicks in soon.