London skatepark becomes first in Europe to gain heritage status

from The Guardian (< click for alternate video)

Rom skatepark in London has become the first skatepark in Europe and only the second in the world to be given heritage status. The Rom, built in Hornchurch, east London, in 1978, was designed by Adrian Rolt and G-Force. It is the best example of a small number of skateparks that survive from the 1970s, according to English Heritage

from The Telegraph

A purpose-built skateboarding park has made history by becoming the first in Europe to be given protected status usually reserved for stately homes.

Since it opened in 1978, Rom Skatepark has seen thousands of skinned knees, and has now been granted Grade II-listed status, ensuring it will be open for years to come - and will see thousands more scrapes.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport granted the skatepark, in Hornchurch, east London, protective status on the advice of English heritage - and is only the second specially protected park in the world.

The park was built by Adrian Rolt and G-Force, leading skatepark designers at the time, who created an intricate system of drops, ramps and jumps, which are still popular today with skaters, BMX-ers and people on scooters.

Heritage Minister Ed Vaizey said: "The Rom was built in the late seventies for the very first skateboarders and is as popular now as it was then.

I visited here in the summer of 1980:



Neil Harding
Romford Skatepark - June 1980

Thanks Simi!

Official announcement of MY RULES exhibition opening in London, UK IMMINENT!

Years in the making the premiere showing of the MY RULES exhibition will be in London this November.

Location, Dates and Times are Imminent!

I just want people to be ready and waiting for the announcement to plan on being at the opening, which may in fact be as early as two weeks from today!

confirmation and details coming soon!

-GEF

Why Are Some of Us Morbidly Curious?

from Vsauce

A Great Story: Mo’ne Davis

thanks, Insideplaya

A CELEBRATION of JAM MASTER JAY this Thirsday!

Calabasas School Removes Meat and Dairy from Lunch Menu

Good call!

from PostPeriodical.com

MUSE School CA in Calabasas plans to become the first school in the United States to serve entirely plant-based lunches.

The private school was founded in 2006 by environmental activist and actress Suzy Amis Cameron – wife of director James Cameron – and her sister, Rebecca Amis.

MUSE, which uses individual and passion-based learning, has always had an environmental focus with students encouraged to “live consciously within themselves” and care for the planet. This year, they added a high school program.

Kayla Webb, former executive chef at a spa resort in San Diego, joined MUSE nearly three years ago. At the time, the school was serving organic meat every day.

“Each year since I’ve been here, we’ve eliminated one or two days of meat to the point where now we’re just serving one meat meal a week, and starting next year, it’s going to be completely plant-based eating,” she said.


The meals do not include milk or soy products, and although the lunches are vegan-friendly, school leaders prefer the term “plant-based.”

“Vegan is really an entire lifestyle choice people make,” Webb said. “For our purposes, we’re just trying to get kids to focus on what they’re eating at school and how that can have an impact on the environment.”

Webb said they held meetings with parents to discuss the transition to plant-based meals. Some parents have adopted the vegan lifestyle at home while others have not.

Giving up lunch favorites like chicken nuggets has not been easy for all the kids, but Webb said the addition of a salad bar has helped. Students are able to choose which items they want. And instead of milk or soda, they serve water and tea for drinks.

Including students and staff members, there are 175 people on two campuses.

“By 175 people eating one meal a day, we have begun to reduce our carbon footprint by over half a ton per person, which over a nine month period, is the equivalent of taking 25 cars off the road which would have driven 300,000 miles,” said Dr. Reese Halter, chair of mathematics and science at MUSE.

The campus, located at the edge of the Santa Monica Mountains, has several gardens and 160 raised boxes for planting. Paul Hudak, the school gardener, leads their seed-to-table program where students learn gardening skills and the economics of food production. The grow lettuce, pumpkins, tomatoes, peppers and other vegetables. By the end of the year, they hope to produce at least half the food served during lunch.

“This is the most exciting time to be alive on planet Earth spearheading change through our children,” Halter said.

Boardwalk Empire series finale is tomorrow (sunday)

I don't talk about TV too much, but i've gotta admit this series really got me, not immediately mind you, but at some point in the second season, i was hooked, and these last two seasons have been incredible TV.

So here's a great 30 minute piece about the show, it's end and the workings of the series overall. it's been a great one!

Sunday, HBO will lower the curtain on "Boardwalk Empire." After five seasons of bootlegging, prostitution, assassination, and power moves from some of the underworld's seediest characters in the Atlantic City of the 1920 and 1930s, the lights will be shut off. So to get you prepared, HBO has unveiled a must watch thirty-minute documentary.

The appropriately titled "The Final Shot" brings together executive producer Martin Scorsese, writer Terence Winter, and key cast members (Steve Buscemi, Gretchen Mol, Kelly Macdonald, Michael K. Williams, Stephen Graham and Michael Stuhlbarg) to share their recollections on the genesis of the show, shooting the series, and much more. It's insight from the on-the-ground players who have lived with the show for the past half-decade, and it's fascinating stuff for those who have been following the adventures of Nucky Thompson and co.

ANDY KESSLER day out in Brooklyn tomorrow (saturday)

At "House of Vans"
25 Franklin St. Brooklyn, NY
should be a fun event as usual.

Elon Musk Speaks About Tesla and SpaceX

I'm a big TESLA fan ...

Beat-boxing classic LP covers,off the hook

from Dangerous Minds

Israeli artist and director Vania Heymann started creating videos when he was a student at Bezalal Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem. He has been praised by the likes of evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins and atheist author Sam Harris. His latest video (made with his frequent collaborator Israeli musician Roy Kafri who provides the beatboxing with his song “Mayokero”) has a series of classic albums covers from bands like The Smiths, ABBA, David Bowie and Prince move their “mouths” and sing along.

Jonathan Ive in Conversation

He's the man.

PROPELLED BY PASSION Peggy Oki interview in Paradigm Magazine

from PARADIGM magazine

“I just feel that there is so much beauty and life here that we are so blessed to have on this Earth that we all live on.”
- Peggy Oki

Introduction by Lee Nentwig
Interview by Lee Nentwig & Theo Constantinou

When the legendary Zephyr Skate Team emerged from California in the mid-1970’s they did not shift the paradigm, they shattered through it! The Z-Boys skated with a style so gritty, so raw, so gutsy, and so pure that it could not be measured by the conventional criteria of the era. For the Dogtown crew, there were zero precedents to follow and zero limitations to obey. A true sense of freedom could be felt and admired in their skating because they were driven by an intuitive passion that shined through.

That same wave of passion continues to propel the Zephyr Team’s only female member, Peggy Oki, in her endeavors today. After her competitive skating career ended, Oki continued to pursue her own path. Combining her artistic talents with her love for nature and wildlife, she has now devoted herself to creative activist projects that raise awareness and appreciation for our planet. Programs such as her Origami Whales Project and the Whales & Dolphins Ambassador Program not only educate youth about our planet and our fellow inhabitants, they encourage youth to utilize their own unique individual creative abilities to contribute to a more sustainable future.

Whether through skateboarding, art, or wildlife activism, it is a radiant vitality that distinguishes Peggy Oki as a pioneer. She lives in sincere devotion to her awe and passion for life and commits whole-heartedly to following her own path. In doing so, her sense of joy resonates in those around her as she inspires us all to follow our own bliss along the paths we each pursue.

______________________________________

Lee: Not only were you the only female skater with the skills to skate with the Zephyr team, but in your earliest skate competitions the other female skaters even protested against you because of your raw, gritty style of skating, claiming that you skated too much like the men. Based on these experiences, it would seem that you were a bit of an outcast in some regards, but you had the courage, will, and tenacity to maintain and strive to be the strongest version of yourself. Could you discuss the effects that these types of experiences may have had in making you the woman that you now are?

Well, I would say that it strengthened my sense to believe in what I thought was the right thing to do and that has always been a driving force in my actions. So even after I left the skateboard competition scene and went on towards my studies and learning about the different things that were happening to the environment and threatening dolphins and whales and other forms of life on the planet, I felt very compelled to, no matter how adverse the circumstances have been, stand my ground for animal life.</blockquote>

Jay Adams & Peggy Oki circa '74 (Photograph by C.R. Stecyk III from the book, DogTown: The Legend of the Z-Boys)

Theo: Through yoga I have learned that you must learn to live your inner life without undue tension. Introspection can mean enlightenment, but it can also mean self-destruction. In the process of learning who you are and what you are, there may come a time when you may not like what you see, and deep down you can become your own harshest critic. A high level of introspection can be constructive, but it can also by destructive. How do you systematically start to change, develop, and grow?

I think that it is a life long challenge to learn to know when your mind needs to be quieter and to grant yourself that by doing things that give you a balance. For me, yoga is a great way to quiet my mind because I become internally more focused on the yoga. The same is true for me with the physical activities that I like to do – the surfing, and the rock climbing, and the skating, and cycling – all of those things require focus and give my mind a break.

L: For someone like yourself, very ambitious in everything that you strive to accomplish and challenge yourself with, all of these things – yoga, skating, surfing, biking – help to let go and I think it’s very significant to let go at points in life and not get too caught up. It sort of puts things into perspective and you’ve got to kind of laugh at yourself once in a while. Yeah, keep striving to get better and better and better, but you’re always going to get knocked down. Just take a breathe and let things go because it’s not going to go your way all of the time and things are bigger than yourself, so break that ego. It’s good to fall on your ass off the skateboard or have a bad day out on the waves…

And it’s an amazing thing when we let go of our attachments and expectations such as going out surfing and saying to yourself, “Well, I’m just going to go out and see what I get and have fun!” It’s not about the mindset of, “I’m going to go out and get all the best waves!” And it’s amazing how much better it can be when you just release yourself from those expectations.

L: It’s an extremely marvelous and uplifting sensation to begin to really consider the symbiotic marvel of life. Everything, past and present, correlates and resonates to make life possible in this moment on this planet. Not only every human being, but every plant, every insect, every bird in the sky, and every fish swimming at the deepest depths of our ocean plays an integral role in the cooperative process of life on this planet. Can you discuss the inspiration that has driven your work as a marine wildlife activist?

Well, I’m a total natural history nerd (laughs). I am fascinated when I learn about things, not necessarily about marine species alone, but whenever I learn about the life-forms on this planet I am in awe! Because it’s not just one creature that has unique qualities or survival features or behavior, it’s how beautiful all animals can be. And I get chills, I feel so amazed, and I really appreciate these things! I feel that for whatever life-forms there may be in this entire universe, and there could be limitless life out there, I really feel so grateful to be alive on this planet and I treasure this planet for being home to such a diverse range of life – it’s just so inspiring to me. I just feel that there is so much beauty and life here that we are so blessed to have on this Earth that we all live on. It’s endless beauty, and there are so many beautiful natural places – waterfalls, deserts, and mountains and then a whole undersea world of coral reefs and kelp forests. I am constantly in a state of awe as I continue to learn more and more about all of these things and what continues to be discovered and revealed about all different kinds of life-forms.

For example, take a look at cephalopods, the squid and the octopi, and the more and more that scientists are revealing about their behavior and the sense of intelligence of these beings – it’s just mind-blowing! To me, it’s all so precious and when I see things happening that are destroying the life on this planet it gets to my heart. It’s heartbreaking because we are so blessed to be here and it seems that humanity is just not fully respecting and appreciating nature the way that it needs to in order to continue. There’s talk that we are entering the sixth mass extinction of life on this planet and it’s sad to think of the extinction of any species on this planet… except for maybe mosquitos and leeches (laughs). And I know that those creatures also have a role, so I can’t give them a hard time. But I just see that this planet is so amazing – the stones on this earth, the gems, the water, the ice, all of the magnificent life-forms in the Arctic, and glaciers, and icebergs, it is truly awesome!

L: I agree, and it’s so wonderful to hear you speak about these things with such vigor and enthusiasm. As you were saying, I think appreciation and gratitude are so important because you just sit back and you are in awe about how astonishing everything around you really is and you’re humbled to be a part of it.

It really is, I mean every single life-form is truly amazing, you know? Millions and millions of years of evolution to become what these different beings are today, it is fascinating. To me, in learning about dolphins and whales, and their social intelligence, as well as elephants and other animals, there is so much more to learn about and probably learn from these animals that we humans just seem to overlook. We’ve got to lose this human, it’s all about me, anthropocentric attitude or we’re going to lose so much of the beauty that is here and ultimately the quality of life is just going to deteriorate to… who knows? Who knows if humans can survive without whales and dolphins and corals, our ocean, and clean air and water?

Theo: I recently found this poem by Alberto Caeiro which correlates with your work, it reads:

If sometimes I say that flowers smile
And if I should say that rivers sing,
It’s not because I think there are smiles in flowers,
And song in the rivers’ flowing …
It’s so I can help misguided men
Feel the truly real existence of flowers and rivers
Since I write for them to read me, I sometimes stoop
To the stupidity of their senses …
It isn’t right, but I excuse myself,
Because I’ve only taken on this odious role, an interpreter of Nature,
Because there are men who don’t grasp its language,
Which is no language at all.

From what we’ve been discussing, I’m curious to hear your reaction to Caeiro’s words. Can you talk about how you interpret this poem and how it relates to the responsibility that you have taken on in becoming a wildlife activist? What thoughts and emotions does this poem makes you feel as relates to your own efforts as a wildlife activist? And what do you think Caeiro is speaking about in regards to helping misguided men and women feel the truly real existence of flowers and rivers?

I interpret this poem as saying that each person as an individual, whether it’s Alberto Caeiro or another poet, or another painter, or myself, has our own sense of perception of nature, beauty, and joy that we experience and a hope that we may try to relay that beauty and transmit it so that other people, especially those that are abusive of the Earth, will hopefully begin to share that sense of love and feeling for it and then begin to understand that need to protect it. And it’s a real challenge, I think, to change people’s perceptions, but it’s got to be done somehow. Many do not see the precious nature of this Earth and its living beings and only, I would say, a false sense of beauty in life – which are materialistic things that aren’t really so meaningful. And I can’t determine what’s beautiful for one person versus what’s beautiful for another, I really don’t want to sound critical of people who chose a more materialistic path, but I know that speaking for myself, boy, the feeling that I get when I’m out in the desert looking at that open space, the magnificent rock formations, or seeing the colors in sky, the clouds, and breathing fresh, clean air… I just wouldn’t get that inside of some multi-million dollar house! And again, I don’t want to sound judgmental or critical and call them “misguided” men or women, but I really feel that in order for this planet to keep going that the greed and the sense of values has got to shift.


(For more information regarding the “Free Lolita” campaign and how you can help, please visit here.)

L: Certainly, and understanding that we’re not in control, that there are significant things far beyond ourselves. I think that part of the awe, which we discussed earlier, is knowing that we’re not responsible for this. As much as we may want to hold onto things and accumulate in life, and achieve, and earn, and build ourselves up…nature, this planet, and this universe ultimately existed long before us and it will go on long without us. Maybe it’s just a motivation to open your eyes and the eyes of a few around you to all that this moment really is. All that you accumulate, all of the material wealth that you may compile in your lifetime, the giant house, the car…it’s not going to mean much after your dying day.

It’s a very interesting thing, the obsession of humans for possession, the idea that if one has more, then one will be happier and people will appreciate this perception of wealth. This kind of mentality is really leading to the demise of this planet as well as sociologically… it’s really not helping.

L: So whether it’s skateboarding, art, or wildlife activism, you have chosen to live your life as trailblazer who continues to explore, evolve, innovate, and pave new paths for others to follow. What advice would you lend to future generations of ambitious youth, aspiring to set out on their own paths?
Well, because of my fame through Dogtown and having been on the Zephyr team, I’ve been invited to do a lot of public speaking. And while some people want to hear about the skateboarding, I feel that it is really important to inspire everyone. So when I give my talks I talk about my background and then I also share about those who inspired me – leaders, artists, and activists who are doing things to evoke love for this planet, people like Bob Talbot, the Dalai Lama, Jean Cousteau, different people that have really moved me and have all followed their own paths towards their passion and have been in service, which to me is such an ultimate blessing, to be able to do that.

When I talk to people I tell them to really try to find what their passion is, to follow that, and to try to be of service. Really think about what you can do that will help make the world a better place. Even if someone is working a “regular” job, perhaps as a plumber or a bookkeeper, no matter the type of work, there has got to be some ability that they have to help make a contribution. For people who really do feel that they have a passion for something, whether it’s helping wildlife, or animals that are in shelters, or people who want to do beach clean ups, or re-vegetating areas that have been cleared and need to be replanted, or helping the elderly, or getting involved with youth groups to keep our youth on a healthy path… I believe that everything is connected in one way or the other and that whatever good energy is put out there, it is all contributing in one way or another to the greater good.



L: Like all parts of nature, human beings alike, each individual has something different to offer to the greater whole.

Yep, that’s what I believe! I believe that people will find their own power and willingness to do something and make the most of their lives. And again, I don’t want to sound judgmental or overly critical, but too much television time is a disappointment! If someone really thought about how many hours they actually spend watching the television versus doing something that’s truly productive (laughs)… that would be a good thing for people to think about!

When I meet people that are at the end of high school or just entering into college, I may ask what their major is and they’ll tell me what it is, or maybe they’ll tell me that they don’t know and I just say that it’s all good. Just continue to follow what you’re interested in, even if it may seem like a strange combination of interests or you’re not so certain. As long as you explore and continue to search for what’s for you, that’s just the path that you’re walking and eventually things will come together. That’s how it worked for me. I studied field biology because I was really interested in natural history and animal behavior, and then I was also studying art before that. Then, through my own life and path, the two things, which some may seem opposites, have come together into environmental art! So life is interesting and whatever those passions are, as long as people follow them, they’ll have the tools and they’ll put something together.

Take, for example, my Whales and Dolphins Ambassador Program that formed as a result of my Origami Whales Project. It’s an environmental art project that came as a result of a thought five years ago that besides the whaling, there are so many other things that are harming life in the ocean and I felt that I needed to do the whole cause justice and lend help! So I teach kids about all of the different things that are threatening and how we as humans are impacting the lives of these dolphins and whales and marine life, and the things that we can do with art and in personal life choices that can reduce our impact and help.

For further information about Peggy Oki’s artwork, wildlife activism, and public speaking please visit Peggy Oki's official website.

Practice, Practice, Practice (card shuffling extreme)

Ice-T podcast with Chris Rock as guest

click here: ICE -T FINAL LEVEL

Dawn of Def Jam: Rick Rubin Returns to His NYU Dorm Room

this is a great clip from RollingStone.com

In 1984, Def Jam Records, the label that defined hip-hop's commercial and artistic potential, was born in a very unlikely location: a tiny New York University dorm room. Founder Rick Rubin — now a record-industry legend who's shepherded the careers of everyone from Jay Z to the Red Hot Chili Peppers — hadn't returned to that Greenwich Village double-occupancy room in three decades. But for Rolling Stone Films' premiere documentary, Rick Was Here, he ventured back to Weinstein Hall, room 712, to remember how it all began. "I can't believe it's 30 years," he says. "It's really trippy."

In the film presented by MaggieVision Productions and director Josh Swade, Rubin recalls the energy of Eighties New York, the attempt to make records that sounded like the raw performances he heard in clubs and the wild parties he threw in the dorm room listed as the label address on the first Def Jam 12-inch, T La Rock and Jazzy Jay's explosive, drum machine-driven "It's Yours." The Beastie Boys' Adam Horovitz remembers how he plucked a demo out of a pile in the room and told Rubin, "Man, this is really good, Rick. You gotta check it out." (The tape belonged to a teenage MC named LL Cool J.)

Once he teamed with burgeoning mogul Russell Simmons, the Def Jam age — and hip-hop as an unavoidable market force — officially began. Rubin started DJ-ing for the Beasties and spent two years working with them on their legendary debut album, Licensed to Ill. "Nothing that happened was intentional," he tells us. "Everything was trying to make something cool to play for our friends that they would like."

In Rick Was Here — which arrives as Def Jam is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a new box set and special concert tonight at Brooklyn's Barclays Center — Simmons, LL Cool J, Rubin's college roommate Adam Dubin, former Def Jam president Lyor Cohen and more tell the story of how it all became possible. "Make it yours," Rubin says. "That's the thing that can change the world."

Word. Skateboarding.

Technology Takes the Wheel

from The New York Times:
By AARON M. KESSLER


(these images did not run with the original article, but had always captured my imagination since i first saw this transportation vehicle back in 1973 driving Miles Monroe around in the future.)

DETROIT — Google’s driverless car may still be a work in progress, but the potential for semiautonomous vehicles on American roads is no longer the stuff of science fiction.

By the end of the decade, a growing number of automakers aim to offer some form of hands-off-the-wheel, feet-off-the-pedals highway driving where a driver can sit back and let the car take control.

The very nature of driving, experts say, will be radically reshaped — and the biggest players in the auto industry are now vying to capture a slice of the revolutionary market they see coming within a matter of years.

“This is the year we’ll look back on as the turning point,” said Scott Belcher, president of the nonprofit Intelligent Transportation Society of America, who has helped organize a global connected car expo for seven years. “We’re at the cusp now of this completely new generation of transportation, and it’s going to change things on a scale not seen since Eisenhower and the Interstate Highway System.”

The potential goes beyond just the idea of a souped-up cruise control. The connected car of 2020 will zip down the highway, pass other vehicles and possibly even take the next off-ramp, all on its own.

It will warn drivers of daily dangers like pedestrians or bicyclists suddenly crossing traffic, and if drivers don’t react in time, the car could take over — hitting the brakes or steering away before it is too late.

It will monitor drivers’ eyes and how often they close, to jolt them awake if they fall asleep at the wheel. And parking? Forget about hunting around the parking garage at the mall: Cars will go off and find a spot, then return later, all on their own.

Vehicles available to most Americans will soon use a combination of sensors in the car and communication between cars to transform the traditional driving experience.

The pivot point is the buy-in from auto companies and their vast networks of suppliers, which now not only believe in the technology but also see it as a way to gain a competitive advantage.

“They now see it as real, and they want to get ahead of each other,” Mr. Belcher said.

A report released on Monday by the consulting firm McKinsey & Company projected that the revenue associated with connected-car technology will grow to more than $230 billion by the end of the decade, about a sixfold increase from current levels. Active safety features like emergency braking and other semiautonomous driving capabilities are expected to capture the largest share of that revenue.

But while the market for connected cars is set to grow substantially in the coming years, McKinsey also raised a caution flag to auto industry companies that may expect a complete windfall from the technologies.

It predicts that connectivity features will have a much larger share of the revenue pie by 2020 but that the total pie itself may be unlikely to significantly expand. In other words, the growth of smart cars could set off “significant redistribution of revenues” between automakers and other industry companies, according to the report.

Continue reading the main story
“The connected-car battle is emerging to be more about capturing shifting revenue and profit pools, rather than expanding and capturing new” ones, the report predicted.

G.M. made a splash last month by announcing that its Super Cruise technology — the company’s version of autonomous highway driving — will be available in two years on certain Cadillac models. Other automakers, including Honda, BMW and Volkswagen, are also planning hands-off-the-wheel offerings within the next five years.

And with roughly 33,000 traffic fatalities every year in the United States, the potential for saving many of those lives through technology is finally within grasp, automakers and safety regulators say.

Gerald J. Witt, with the auto supplier Delphi, said the company was working on sophisticated driver monitoring that by 2016 could be ready for production vehicles. The system would know if a driver was being distracted or falling asleep at the wheel. The goal is to eventually tap into other aspects of the connected car, like the Internet connection, not only to warn drivers but also to offer timely suggestions.

“If your eyelids are closing at a rate that shows you’re seriously fatigued, we could see the car say: ‘Hey, it looks like you’re tired; there’s a Starbucks up ahead in one mile. Want some coffee?’ ” Mr. Witt said.

Even relatively mundane activities like parking a car may soon be automated. While companies like Ford and Volkswagen offer vehicles that can steer themselves into a parking spot, the French supplier that makes those systems, Valeo, has even greater ambitions. It wants to eliminate hunting around the parking lot or garage for a space.



In a recent demonstration here in Detroit, Valeo showed what the parking lot of the future might look like: essentially, driverless valet parking.

Once the driver got out of an equipped sport utility vehicle, sensors communicated with systems that monitored each parking space. After the push of a button on a smartphone, the car drove away and headed to an available spot, parking itself.

Later on, when a driver is ready to depart, the car is called back with the smartphone: It starts, finds its way out of the parking spot and meets the driver at the entrance.

“When you think of all the time you spend looking for a place to park, this could free you up to get all that time back,” said Amine Taleb-Bendiab, project manager for Valeo’s Advanced Driving Assistance Systems.

Mr. Taleb-Bendiab said a surprising number of collisions happen within parking garages, and parking areas at places like the mall, airport or apartment buildings, when people sometimes let their guard down or become distracted. In theory, such automated systems could eliminate most if not all of those crashes.

On the opposite end of the miles-per-hour spectrum, Honda demonstrated a high-speed ride on Detroit’s public highways to highlight its advances in automated driving technology. The vehicle steered through the curves, merged into traffic and even took an exit off the highway — all while the test driver’s hands sat on his lap.

IAV Automotive Engineering, based in Germany, is aiming to offer a semidriverless system that can be added to any production car, regardless of the manufacturer. The company, partly owned by Volkswagen and the supplier Continental, demonstrated the capabilities on a VW test vehicle as it drove on its own, using a system of cameras, lasers and radar.

G.M.’s Super Cruise mode is anticipated to work in a similar manner. A G.M. spokesman, Daniel Flores, says that at this point the feature is designed to keep a vehicle at speed and in its lane but that the driver will have to take the wheel to change lanes.

Most semiautomated driving will initially be confined to the highway. That is because while the speeds are higher, the environment is much more predictable than city streets: All the vehicles are going in the same direction, and there is no cross traffic.

And while such driving may soon become much more about machine intelligence, the automated cars of 2020 will still need that human element to handle the unpredictable.

“The driver needs to stay engaged in case they need to take over; it’s not like you can fall asleep or go sit in the back seat,” Mr. Flores said. “But it will certainly allow for greater comfort and relaxation.”

Neil Young Speaks Well Again . . .

Neil Young performs “Who’s Gonna Stand Up?”

MY RULES the book Great events wrap up from end of last month

The book hasn't even been out for a month yet, and if you read this blog at least every couple of days and don't have the book yet (unless you're waiting to get it from someone else for a holiday gift), you should be ashamed of yourself. The book is fucking incredible, if i don't say so myself. It's the first pressing and there are a few typos but as my editor at Rizzoli said, "it happens" - that said the book looks fucking amazing, the essays are all fucking amazing, and those little typos in yours may just prove you had the good taste before anyone else to get in on the book in it's first printing before most other people you know. You read this blog, so again I'm assuming you're getting it soon. If you haven't yet. And if you have, how about a review up on your favorite site, or where you purchased it? Thanks.

I look forward to hearing about everyone's stoke and inspiration as they finally get to see it and live with it.

In the mean time we've had three great events so far where i went and signed books for people, we showed the video of Ian and I talking about some of the pictures in the book, and i've had some great Q&A sessions with some of you, good shit talking, laughing and stories exchanged. I don't know where we will do one of these next, but so far in Brooklyn, and two in the Los Angeles area were all a blast... and we also sold out of all the books at each event!

Thanks to those who came by and those of you who got the book so far, I am happy to be inspiring as i have always strived to do.

Here's a few clips from the west coast events and some stills from the bash in Brooklyn.

best,
GEF






(Both videos made by Laura Rudich)


Brooklyn at the powerHouse arena (click any image to enlarge):

Watching the screening with my son and many friends just before the talk.



I was lucky enough to have my great friend, Author, Musician, Ian F. Svenonius
as our ace conversationalist extraordinaire/moderator for the evening...



Old timer and old friend John Woodstock showed up as a big surprise. John was probably the first professional skateboarder in the entire north east. We asked him to come up and tell a story or two. It was great to see him, it was probably more than 35 years since i had last hung out with him... Stoked!



Mark "The Gonz" Gonzales also came out to support, he asked one of the first questions of the night, classic as always...
Did i say "classic"? i meant "character" as always



The King "DMC" also came out to support, and sign some books for the folks.



and the board Jim "Red Dog" Muir donated to the raffle powerHouse arena held
for all those who bought their copies of MY RULES in house that night.



Let the signing begin! I was there for almost 2 hours after the talk signing books for all the cool people who came through, great night, great friends, and fucking great vegan food from the incredible Brooks Headly - sorry no food porn, but he hooked it up crazy!



(thanks to Taji Ameen for most of these photos)

Quote from Joey

New Way to Make Oxygen Doesn’t Need Plants

from Richard Dawkins foundation

By Tanya Lewis

Earth’s atmosphere wasn’t always full of life-giving oxygen — it was once a choking mixture of carbon dioxide and other gases, more like the atmosphere of Mars or Venus.

It’s widely believed that the rise of plants turned that carbon dioxide into oxygen through the chemical reactions of photosynthesis, in a period called the Great Oxygenation Event. But a new study suggests there may be another way to make oxygen from carbon dioxide, using ultraviolet light.

The findings could explain how the Earth’s atmosphere evolved, and hint at a way to make oxygen in space, the researchers said.

Even though scientists think plants produced most of the oxygen present on Earth, they suspected some oxygen may have existed before photosynthetic organisms arose, said Cheuk-Yiu Ng, a physical chemist at the University of California, Davis, and co-author of the study published today (Oct. 2) in the journal Science.

Read the full article by clicking the name of the source located below.

Live Science

Depressions in landscape & emotion.

An unstaged, mid-run, terrestrial-based short with Rob Krar.
Krar, new to ultra running, holds the speed record for the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim-to-rim and has quickly become a dominant force in American races.
Shot entirely with the Freefly Movi M5 and Canon 5d mk3.
thewolpertinger.com

The Missing Scarf

→ themissingscarf.com/

Why Is Modern Art So Bad?

NOTE: I have seen only one other clip from Prager University on line resource and it seems they are some right wing think tank of propaganda, which in principle i despise, but i will say I agree with about 95% of what this clip says.

from Presurfer:

For two millennia, great artists set the standard for beauty. Now those standards are gone. Modern Art is a competition between the ugly and the twisted; the most shocking wins. What happened?

How did the beautiful come to be reviled and bad taste come to be celebrated? Renowned artist Robert Florczak explains the history and the mystery behind this change and how it can be stopped and even reversed.

Into The Streets (People's Climate March + Flood Wall Street)

Into the Streets (People’s Climate March + Flood Wall Street) from meerkatmedia on Vimeo.

Over 400,000 people took to the streets of Manhattan as a unified front against climate justice inaction. Diverse perspectives converge as a popular movement unfolds.
Directed by Meerkat Media Collective
meerkatmedia.org/

8 Awe-Inspiring Mass Transit Systems that Changed Their Cities

from Alternet, By Annalee Newitz and Rachel Mitchell
Some of the greatest public transit systems offer their riders something extra, or reshape the cities they serve.

It's believed that public transit systems began in seventeenth century France with a horse-drawn public carriage system. Unfortunately, it was reserved for use by the upper classes and quickly abandoned due to lack of use. It took 200 years before public transit really caught on in urban areas. But by the end of the nineteenth century, most cities had extensive transit systems that still provide the foundations (and infrastructure) for today's elaborate trains, trams, skyways, and more.

Seoul's Subway System, Korea

Photo Credit: 

io9

1. Seoul's Subway System, Korea

This is one of the world's largest subway systems in terms of passengers carried, which isn't surprising considering that 9.8 million people ride the trains every day in the Seoul Metropolitan Area (whose population hovers around 21 million). Trains come between every 2 and 5 minutes, serving nearly all of the city and its environs. The Seoul subway is also incredibly high-tech, with electronic billboards and the world's first virtual market that displays goods in digital form and allows people to shop for groceries using their mobile phones. Of course, there's wifi in all stations and cars. The downside? Ridership can get so high that levels of C02 and "particulate matter" go above safety standards.

Hong Kong MTR, China

Photo Credit: 

io9

2. Hong Kong MTR, China

In Hong Kong, 90 percent of citizens use public transit for commuting. The geographic layout of the most densely-populated areas makes transit mostly linear, and wide-reaching. The Hong Kong MTR has implemented several systems that make transit efficient, but also among the most affordable public transit systems in the world. The Octopus railway card pays for all public transit, and is also accepted at many convenience stores and some restaurants. With 10 million Octopus cards in circulation, this cuts down on fare costs and transfer time. Because the MTR is widespread and widely used, there is no premium on access, and therefore locals see little rise in housing costs near transit lines.

Washington State Ferries, U.S.

Photo Credit: 

io9

3. Washington State Ferries, U.S.

The state of Washington has unique geological features that can make transit tough. The San Juan Archipelago and other islands are inaccessible from the mainland, while others, such as the snake-like Whidbey Island, would take hours to reach by car from major metropolitan areas. To compensate for this geography, Washington has the largest fleet of passenger ferries in the United States, servicing 20 docks, and operates them with shocking efficiency. In 2009, 22.4 million passengers and 9.9 million vehicles used the ferry system.

Venetian Vaporetti, Italy

Photo Credit: 

io9

4. Venetian Vaporetti, Italy

Like Washington, Venice faces unique geological features. Composed of hundreds of islands and canals, cars, buses, and trains are not a viable mass transit option. Historically, people walked or kept a private gondola and gondolier, but modern Venetians use the efficient and extremely consistent vaporetti, which operate much like public busses and run around the clock. Unfortunately, the high wake speed of these motorboats has accelerated erosion of historic buildings.

Melbourne's Tram System, Australia

Photo Credit: 

io9

5. Melbourne's Tram System, Australia

Begin in the late nineteenth century with horse-drawn carriages, Melbourne's tram system has grown to be the largest in the world. With 250 km of track, and 1753 stops, the tram system criss-crosses this coastal city, bringing people from the suburbs all the way down to the beach. There are 3.5 million trips taken on Melbourne's trams every week. Though the city of Melbourne managed the tram network for nearly 80 years, it was privatized in 1999. This mirrors the fate of many national train systems, such as those in UK, many of which were privatized in the 1990s and 2000s.

Vancouver SkyTrain, Canada

Photo Credit: 

io9

6. Vancouver SkyTrain, Canada

The Vancouver SkyTrain was built to reduce the amount of surface traffic in Vancouver, BC. The fully-automated elevated rapid transit line serves several areas around Vancouver, and has a very high level of punctuality. Ridership is ever increasing, and the growing reliance on SkyTrain has lead to concerns that the system may not be able to meet demands. The SkyTrain is also an excellent example of how efficient mass transit can transform cities, as population densities and wealth have increased around SkyTrain stations.

Medellin Gondolas, Colombia

Photo Credit: 

io9

7. Medellin Gondolas, Colombia

Extreme terrain can lead to extreme traffic jams, lack of viable service, and extremely long commute times. Medellin, Colombia, is one such place. Barrios located on steep hillsides were not serviced by any form of mass transit, and private transport up and down the steep hills is inefficient and timely, due to low service and a high number of switchbacks. Average commute time was 2 to 2.5 hours from barrios to the downtown area, until the implementation of a gondola system. These gondolas connected people in outlying areas with the downtown and have cut commute times in half.

The (Lost) Los Angeles Cable Cars, U.S.

Photo Credit: 

io9

8. The (Lost) Los Angeles Cable Cars, U.S.

These cable cars were abandoned before the twentieth century had really begun. Over at KCET, LA historian Nathan Masters explains that late nineteenth century real estate speculators underwrote the city's extensive cable car network to make housing in hilly regions like Bunker Hill (pictured here) more appealing. The cars were based on the same designs used for San Francisco's cable car network, and eventually spanned the young city from east to west. But by 1902, they had all been replaced by an extensive network of electronic streetcars, which you can see in many early movies shot in 1910s and 20s LA. These streetcars were in turn scrapped to make way for cars and motorized busses.

The Abandoned Cincinnati Subway System

Photo Credit: 

Jonathan Warren

Bonus: The Abandoned Cincinnati Subway System

Beneath the city of Cincinnati lies the largest abandoned subway tunnel in the US. Built to revitalize the city's street-car system, the project was never opened. With eleven miles of tunnels dug, the multi-year project was abandoned in 1927 due to rising costs. Today, you can tour the tunnels. Despite extensive work on the system, no tracks were ever laid.

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’What Every Child Needs To Know About Punk Rock’ is a real children’s book that actually exists

from Dangerous Minds

The Ramones’ 40th anniversary celebration just happened at Bowery Electric last weekend, and the last living original member of the band died, aged 65, just a couple of months short of being able to attend. Punk rock is OLD, and yet, through generations, it persists. As ways for a kid to rebel go, punk has been extraordinarily durable and flexible. Its most basic and superficial tropes were long ago rendered cartoonish or outright mainstreamed, but the defiant outlook they express is eternal.



Eh, why not? It’d beat them turning Juggalo.

>The very idea of punk as a staid cultural institution, let alone toddler-book fodder, might be met with wounded howls of opposition from some circles—as it should be—but again, 40 years. There are OG punks who are grandparents now. I have an 11-year-old Godson who spent his infancy decked out in Ramones and DK’s onesies. So as weird and implausible as a children’s book frankly explaining punk may sound at first blush, one could make a case that by now, it’s pretty well overdue. What Every Child Needs To Know About Punk Rock was released about a week before the Ramones’ 40th anniversary show, and it’s actually kind of awesome. I’ll let these spreads speak for themselves.





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The book is credited on the cover to “Brad and Marc.” Sounds pretty casual, but both of them are highly credentialed.  Marc is researcher and healthcare analyst Marc Engelsgjerd, and Brad is child behavior expert R. Bradley Snyder. The two have co-authored several books in this series, penning What Every Child Needs To Know About board books on a topics as trivial as pizza and coffee, and as serious as cancer and the economy. I can think of a few adults in pretty dire need of that last one.



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Spreads reproduced with permission from Need to Know Publishing