The three-day Sōma Nomaoi Festival [ 相馬野馬追 ] in Fukushima Prefecture finished yesterday. The locals dress up like 15th century samurai and ride their bicycles to medieval battle re-enactments.
By now you’ve seen the Google self driving bicycle video.
I began planning for today about six months ago when I talked with a film studies student at UC Santa Cruz about creating a video for the same concept of an autonomous bicycle. We began the process of storyboarding and conceptualizing the look of the bike when I Googled “autonomous bicycle” and learned that not only is it already a thing, but it’s been a thing for nearly a decade now.
After four years of house arrest and an international travel ban, the People’s Republic of Chinese unexpectedly returned the passport of Ai Weiwei, giving the internationally renowned artist the opportunity to visit a show featuring his sculptures at London’s Royal Academy of Arts this week. He’s shown here with his “Forever” sculpture built from hundreds of bicycles installed in front of the iconic Gherkin building in London.
Last Friday, I watched and briefly participated in an online chat regarding the Bike Shops for Everyone report recently published by the League of American Bicyclists. Liz Cornish, who ran the League’s Women Bike program before becoming director of Baltimore’s bike advocacy organization this month, works to encourage the bike industry to reach out to women.
I rode a bicycle during a typhoon in Tokyo once. I don’t recommend it.
HIMEJI, JAPAN – OCTOBER 13: A cyclist wears a rain poncho in the strong wind and rain delivered by Typhoon Vongfong on October 13, 2014 in Himeji, Japan. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), Vongfong surpassed Genevieve for the most intense western Pacific typhoon of 2014 by estimated central pressure of 970 hectopascals at its center and packing winds of up to 180 kilometers per hour. Local media reported at least 44 people were injured in typhoon-related accidents, while Japanese airlines cancelled at least 329 flights. JMA has issued the high alert for heavy rainfall as well as strong winds and waves. Over 80 people deaths following three previous typhoons and torrential rain in Japan this year. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe/Getty Images)