Simple Simon
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25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre
Simple SimonStrong images, I had some chats with foreign journos in China not long before I left - It really doesn't feel oppressed when you're there, and he commented that it was because I don't hold any threat. He, and all of the press over there, are heavily monitored at all times. Thinking about it, it's probably not much different from how our own governments spy on everyone now. Despite this, I'm still nostalgic for things in China. I remember cycling and walking around a lot of the places in those photos.
Spring babies 2014
Simple SimonThere's too much sadness in the world, lets look at cute animals
The 2014 National Geographic Traveler Contest
Simple SimonSome stunnaz here
Look: British artist recreates Terracotta Army out of pizza dough!
Simple Simonmmmmm, doughwarriors
This Adorable Mint Green Fiat Twinset is For Sale
Simple SimonMuch MUCH nicer than the recent editions of the multipla (http://www.netcarshow.com/fiat/2002-multipla/). 600 is a nice one too!
Let’s talk cars. Cute ones. In a matching mint green hue. If you happen to be in the market for just about the most charming set of micro cars ever produced, look no further, I’ve caught wind of something rather fabulous and deliciously retro. Rare examples of the 1950s Fiat 600 Multipla and 600 Jolly are going up for sale at RM Auctions this August in Monterey, California. It appears they’ll be sold together as a package in the same lot; the estimated price has yet to be announced but typically, the Multipla can sell for around $40,000, while the more rare Jolly can go for anything from $50K to $100K.
Because what good are vintage microcars if they don’t come in a matching his & hers mint green twin set?
So here we have what I like to call the mini minivan. The Multipla was widely used as a taxi in many parts of Italy but more so as a family car in other parts of Europe. It was introduced in 1956 for 730,000 Lire (just under the equivalent of $5,000 today) and approximately 170,000 units of the droplet design were produced. It reached a top speed of 57.1 mph (91.9 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-50 mph (80 km/h) in 43.0 seconds.
In all the Italian seaside resorts of Italy, beach buggy conversions of regular cars became somewhat of a trade. A little company called Ghia (now owned by Ford) specialized in these conversions and was chosen to create who the ‘Jolly’ conversions on Fiat’s 500, 600, Multipla (pictured left) and Giardiniera platforms.
Known at home as “La Spiaggina”, literally meaning “beach-ette”, the Fiat beach-buggy was marketed worldwide as the Jolly, meaning “joker” in Italian. They were available in pink, coral, white, pale yellow and sky blue. Aristotle Onassis owned one and allegedly used it aboard his sizeable yacht. It is believed that fewer than 100 exist today, each one with its own unique quirks. This particular model on sale in Monterey this summer may have been one of the 32 Jolly cars that were used as taxis on the island of Catalina off the coast of Los Angeles from 1958–1962.
For details of the RM Auction Sale in Monterey, CA at the Portola Hotel & Spa on the 15-16 August, 2014, find more information here.
Bamboo-zled! Baby panda gets adorably foiled by bamboo
Gianluca Fallone’s Pista Illustrations
I love seeing people’s take on track racing, especially from an illustrative approach. Check out more of Gianluca’s work at his Behance profile.
The post Gianluca Fallone’s Pista Illustrations appeared first on The Radavist.
What my boyfriend says he does when he's working from home
What he’s actually doing
When someone at the station is handing out leaflets instead of freebies
Simple SimonI love Llamas!
The Sequoia and Kings Canyon Loop – Sean and Ryan
Simple SimonBeen there - not on a bike mind, but the road is fun to bomb down in a car too :)
The Sequoia and Kings Canyon Loop
Photos by Sean Talkington and Ryan Wilson words by Sean Talkington, photo captions by Ryan Wilson.
About a month ago I received an email invite from Ryan Wilson to join in with a small group riding Kings Canyon Loop. I had never really ridden with Ryan and had no idea what Kings Canyon was, but seeing so many of his bitchin photos in the Western Sierra on Instagram was more then enough to lure me into a day of riding. What I didn’t know was that this guy goes out on some REALLY HUGE days to take these shots of scenic wonder and most of the time he does it alone.
My alarm went off at 4am (on a fucking Saturday), and after meeting up with Ryan and Mike we threw bikes in the back of my truck and were on our way… for about 30 seconds! Ty at GSC had recently gifted me a tailgate cover for shlepping mtb’s around, so I asked my buddy Mike if it would be cool for road bikes and he said yes. Mike is an engineer, so I figured he would naturally know the answer to questions like this. Then we got on the freeway and one of the bikes immediately starting floating about 3 feet from the bed of the truck! Holy shit was that scary, but at least it was Mike’s bike doing the floating.
Three hours later we arrived at the base of the mountains on Highway 198 and met with the rest of our group. I’m usually game for just about anything that happens on a road ride, but when we started pedaling at 9am Ryan said “we better really get going now or we’ll be riding home in the dark” I was a bit rattled. I nervously laughed and looked at him waiting for a laugh or some sign that he was joking. Ryan just smiled and said “OK, lets go” and I felt a giant hole in the pit of my stomach (the pit could also be from the lack of breakfast food in my belly…Ryan’s fault).
1 minute and 27 seconds into the ride Mike flatted…
37 miles and 8,000ft of climbing later we were only 4 hours into our ride. It was at this point that I realized this was going to be a day equal parts tough as it was long but at least we were in good company riding through amazing scenery and the weather was perfect…then it got cold! It was really cold. Giant clouds came barreling in and none of us were prepared. I would venture to say that I was least prepared in the group & had to stop a few times on the descent sections from shaking uncontrollably (this was wild).
Ryan planned a shit ton of detours/stops to see lakes, domes, the biggest tree in the world (General Sherman), trees you can ride/drive through and some amazing views. We spent the bulk of the day shivering and taking in beautiful sights. The Seqouia covered climb up Whitaker Forrest is easily one of the most beautiful I have ever seen and the 25 mile snake descent down the 198 is hands down the most fun EVER on a road bike.
The day was filled with a perfect mix of both Type 2 & Type 1 fun. Type 1 fun is generally the type of fun that you realize you are having in the moment, for example you are flying down a fun twisty turny decent and say to yourself “Oh Boy Oh Boy! This Is Fun”.
Type 2 fun on the other hand is usually the type of fun that you trick yourself into thinking you’ve had after you’re done feeling miserable. An “Epic” ride is usually a good mix of both Type 1 and Type 2 fun. The Kings Canyon Loop ride is easily Epic with a huge mix of both.
Oh, and we road the last hour back in the dark.
Check out our route at Strava.
____
Follow Ryan on Instagram and at his Tumblr and follow Sean on Instagram and his Tumblr, Team Dream Team.
The post The Sequoia and Kings Canyon Loop – Sean and Ryan appeared first on The Radavist.
Looking at pictures of Kim and Kanye's wedding
Simple SimonIn Florence, no less! On the same day I got there.
Rubber Side Up 05
Simple SimonHmm, I wonder if this has any K-Feldspar in it...
Yikes! Photo from PinkBike, thanks for sharing Sean!
The post Rubber Side Up 05 appeared first on The Radavist.
What a PRO Sprint Finish Looks Like
Simple SimonThis is wonderful!
So, at the first stage of the Amgen Tour of California, each of the Shimano-sponsored pros had Shimano Sport Cameras on their seat tubes and head tubes with one intention: to capture the final sprint…
The post What a PRO Sprint Finish Looks Like appeared first on The Radavist.
Giro First Friday 50: Women’s Empire Shoes
Simple SimonNoice shoes, but Anna doesn't like clipping in (and they cost $300)
These look awesome. I kinda wonder if I could squeeeeeeze into a pair? Head over to Giro’s Facebook to buy a pair, or to buy a pair for your lady!
The post Giro First Friday 50: Women’s Empire Shoes appeared first on The Radavist.
039: Pac-Man
Pac-Man (1980) Original game design by Namco Pac-Man is one of the highest-grossing video games of all time,having generated more than $2.5 billion by the 1990s. According to the Davie-Brown Index, Pac-Man has the highest brand awareness of any video game character among American consumers, recognized by 94 percent of them. It is part of the collection of […]
The post 039: Pac-Man appeared first on 100 Hoopties.
Rapha Special Edition Pantani Super Lightweight Jersey
I really love the special edition jerseys that Rapha produces, especially when it’s for a man like Marco “the Pirate” Pantani. Now, Pantani was by no means a saint, but as a key figure in professional cycling’s history, Rapha is commemorating his death by donating proceeds from the sales of this jersey to the Pantani Foundation.
Pick one up at Rapha and check out more details below!
To understand Rapha’s commemoration of Pantani, and our association with The Pantani Foundation, please read this Q&A with Rapha CEO, Simon Mottram.
Tom Southam has written an essay for Rapha and it is fantastic, Il Pirata: The Saint And The Sinner
Jersey Details
High performance jersey for the heat and high mountains with a commemorative design. The jersey’s main fabric is comfortable against the skin and also fast drying. This main fabric – in Giro d’Italia pink – has a pattern inspired by the graffiti of devoted fans, still visible on the climbs which Pantani conquered.
MSRP: $210
Composition: 100% polyester
Sizes: XS-XXL
Color : Pink
Availability beginning April 30, 2014
Commemorative edition
Accompanying Pantani bandana
Specially commissioned graphics
Extremely lightweight proprietary fabric
Breathable mesh side panels
Highly breathable and fast drying
Three rear and internal zip pocket(s)
The post Rapha Special Edition Pantani Super Lightweight Jersey appeared first on The Radavist.
SPOTTED: Horse inexplicably races down Beijing road, chased by dog
Simple SimonI do miss China sometimes!
Empty Spaces: Photo Book Documents Eerie Urban Ruins
Crumbling cathedrals, decaying theaters and half-destroyed camping cabins: urban explorer Johnny Joo has seen it all, and he doesn’t just document these abandoned places, he does so with an eye for spine-tingling drama. The 23-year-old photographer is releasing his collection of stunning images in book form with ‘Empty Spaces,’ available for pre-order for just a couple more days.
The 116-page, hard-cover photo book ‘Empty Spaces’ includes the photographer’s favorites from years of urban exploration. Pre-orders come hand-signed with a free gift; the book is also available in E-book form. Order it at Architectural Afterlife.
The photographs take us on a visual tour of the abandoned Rust Belt. Some structures are so covered in moss and ivy, their former use is a mystery. Others, like bowling alleys and theaters, seem frozen in time, as if they’re just waiting for patrons to start filing back in.
“Why were these places vacated? And why are they left to sit, uncared for? The remains of a person’s bedroom, bed still intact, covered in a layer of mold and dust. Walls surrounding with cracked complexions and vivid, yet transparent voices telling a story of time. Living through the history of abandonments as you explore what once was an entirely different scene; now transformed into a desolate, yet incredible, stimulating image of complex patterns and great detail. Through this book, we will take a journey through the rust belt to see the unseen and find the forgotten.”
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Piper Alpha The Biggest Oilfield Catastrophe – Oilfield Incidents in The Past
Piper Alpha was basically a North Sea oil production platform, commencing production way back in 1976, run by Occidental Petroleum (Caledonia) Ltd, which initially started oil production and later gas production as well. Unfortunately, it was wrecked and demolished on 6 July 1988, by an explosion which triggered oil and gas fires. It resulted in a lot of destruction, including 167 casualties and only 67 men survived.
History of Piper Alpha
Occidental discovered The Piper Field in the beginning of 1973, following which Piper Alpha initiated production 3 years after. The platform was situated roughly 120 miles towards the north-east of Aberdeen. In the beginning, it only dealt in the production of oil however after a few years, in 1980 with new equipments being installed, gas production was facilitated. Piper Alpha was linked with the Flotta oil terminal on the Orkney Islands by a sub-sea pipeline that was further shared with Claymore platform. Gas pipelines of Piper Alpha linked it to Tartan platform and distinct MCP-O1 gas processing platform. In a nutshell, Piper Alpha had 4 prime transport risers: an oil export riser, the Tartan gas riser, the Claymore gas riser, & MCP-01 gas riser.
Situated around 120 miles north-east of Aberdeen in about 474 feet of water, Piper Alpha was a huge fixed platform inclusive of four modules with distinct firewalls, which was built by McDermott Engineering at Ardersier & UIE at Cherbourg, where the sections were united at Ardersier before tow out in 1975. The modules were placed out in a manner, which would keep any risky or hazardous functions at a good distance from places with personnel. However, this safety precaution was not complied with after gas production started when all the susceptible areas were situated in proximity to each other. The gas compression was located close to the control room that triggered the accident. Crude oil & natural gas was generated from 24 wells and was meant to be transported via 3 distinct pipelines to the Flotta oil terminal on Orkney and other installations. During the hour of the catastrophe, the most intense and heaviest functional platform in the North Sea was Piper along with Magnus & Brae B.
Explosion & Fire of Piper Alpha
A and B, were the two condensate-injection pumps, on which they started working from 06 July 1988. Before the gas was carried and delivered to Flotta, these condensate-injection pumps were utilized for compression of gas on the platform. After a pressure safety valve was extracted from A to facilitate recalibration & re-certification, and the couple of blind flanges were fixed into the pipes, the workers during the dayshift wrapped up.
Towards evening on the same day, pump B stumbled and hence the workers of the nightshift came to a prompt consensus that pump A might be functional again, and once that was done, gas condensate leaked from the two blind flanges. Around 10 p.m. that night, the gas caught fire and burst into flames causing substantial impairment and harm to various other areas with the further release of gas & oil. Almost about half an hour after that, there was a major dysfunction with the Tartan gas riser resulting in another ignition and detonation. At the end of it there was massive fire and the place had burst up in flames. At approximately, 10.50 p.m., there was a major failure in MCP-01 gas riser due to which there was another catastrophe and similarly, there were various explosions around the place resulting in the final structural breakdown of almost the entire installation.
Due to these disastrous explosions, 167 men lost their lives which included two operators of a Fast Rescue Craft. The remaining 62 men managed to escape and survive by jumping into the sea from the high decks of the platform. In the following years, around 1988 to 1990, the two-part Cullen Inquiry had studied and established the origin and reasoning for the explosions. Recommendations were made for preventive future protocols and the offshore operators consented and implemented about 106 recommendations.
Contributing Factors of Explosion & Fire of Piper Alpha
Gas and crude oil was persistently and incessantly pumped out by the Tartan & Claymore platforms, and due to management issues in the crew, this was not stopped in spite of knowledge about the harmful repercussions.
- The chain of command collapsed and there was substantial communication gap to the crew.
- Another thing that came up was, if or not there was enough time period for better evacuation at the time of the crisis. What actually happened was the people in the crew who were superior and were authorized to give commands for this emergency evacuation were already dead as there was a major blast in the control room as blast walls had not been installed. Further, the platforms which were situated in proximity to Tartan & Claymore went on with pumping gas and oil to Piper Alpha, and subsequently the pipeline cracked and burst due to extreme temperature of the second blast. The personnel thought they were not authorized to cease the production in spite of the apparent crisis.
- The fire-walls which were present from the beginning had not been updated to blast walls after the major alterations in 1980.
- About 20 days after this incident, the debris after the explosion was finally extinguished by a squad headed by firefighter Red Adair, in spite of the weather forecast of 80 mph winds & 70-foot waves. The area where almost about 100 crew members had used as a protection at the time of the calamity was retrieved from the sea bed towards the end of the year with 87 dead bodies.
- The Lowland Cavalier, a diving support vessel which was in proximity to the place of the calamity stated and reported the first explosion just prior to 10 p.m., and around half an hour following the first explosion, the second one took place. Till the rescue helicopters arrived, combustion and fire resulted in flames as high as 100 meters, which could be spotted from about 100 km (120 km from the Maersk Highlander). About 37 out of 59 crew members were rescued by the Fast Rescue Craft MV Silver Pit; coxswain James Clark was later decorated with George Medal. Others who got the George Medal were Andrew Kiloh from Aberdeen, Charles Haffey from Methil, & James McNeill from Oban.
Groundless City: A Guidebook to Underground Hong Kong
Between raised walkways, subways, ferries, cable cars, a multi-block outdoor escalator and extensive double-decker bus system, it is possible to traverse a huge swath of Hong Kong without even touching the ground (photo above by HappyKiddo).
At the same time, it is hard to find maps and illustrations of this vast urban phenomena – at least outside of Cities Without Ground: A Hong Kong Guidebook, which maps 32 networks of pedestrian paths above and below the surface.
Architects and authors Jonathan D Solomon, Clara Wong, and Adam Frampton (through ORO Editions) documented these interconnected systems in amazing detail. As Kevin Kelly writes, the book captures the essence of a sort of shadow city: “Beneath and between the gleaming skyscrapers built over the cramped confines of Hong Kong proper are miles of subterranean malls, passageways, stairs, subway stations, parking garages, escalators, skybridges, and food courts.”
Like aged cities themselves (or water-carved catacombs or piecemeal-generated anthills), these networks were not designed as a whole. Rather, they developed organically over time via both private and public initiatives, slowly forming a convoluted but beautiful and evolving patchwork of voids with various degrees of privacy and accessibility.
If you do visit Hong Kong, try this for a start: take the escalator all the way up and back down the steeply-sloped hillside. Or: break off just before the bottom and stay on second-story walkways as far as they will take you. If you get stuck, instead of descending just to street level, go underground and see how far you can make it via subterranean passageways. If all else fails, hop on a bus, ferry or subway. You may be amazed at how far this combination can take you.
More about the book from the official description: “Hong Kong is a city without ground. This is true both physically (built on steep slopes, the city has no ground plane) and culturally (there is no concept of ground). Density obliterates figure-ground in the city, and in turn re-defines public-private spatial relationships. Perception of distance and time is distorted through compact networks of pedestrian infrastructure, public transport and natural topography in the urban landscape.Without a ground, there can be no figure either. In fact, Hong Kong lacks any of the traditional figure-ground relationships that shape urban space: axis, edge, center, even fabric.” (Photo by Nicolas Vollmer)
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Coming in to the office still drunk, and subtly trying to sneak in without anyone realising
Simple SimonDefinitely been here!
Thanks to @MaxNordquist!
When I find out that my tube line isn't working today
Simple SimonAG, do you choob when you're in Lahndaaahn?
Watch: Laowai in uniform helps local street sweepers
Simple Simonit's a "prank" I guess, but it's really nice!
Piss Gate triggers mainland campaign calling for children to pee in Hong Kong's streets
Simple Simonyou stay classy China