Now let’s see if I mix up the Wired and Wireless Powertap headunits:
Monthly Archives: March 2010
Stop 43
You’ll have heard of the Digital Economy Bill: it introduces powers to cut your Internet connection if you’re caught illegally downloading films, music or software. It does more than that. It takes your photographs from you, too.
Until now, if someone found one of your photographs and wanted to use it commercially, they couldn’t without first asking you. Clause 43 changes all that by allowing the use of ?Orphan Works? – photographs, illustrations and other artworks whose owners cannot be found.
Clause 43 says that if someone finds your photograph, wants to use it and decides that they can?t trace you, they can do whatever they like with it after paying an arbitrary fee to a UK Government-appointed ?licensing body?. You?ll never know unless you happen to find it being used in this way, in which case you might be able to claim some money.
There?s more. Clause 43 also introduces ?Extended Collective Licensing?.
This means that if someone finds your photograph and can trace you, they still don?t have to contact you for permission to use it. They can go to a UK Government-appointed ?collecting society? and ask them instead. They?ll pay an arbitrary fee and be able to do whatever they like with the photograph. Your photograph. Again, without asking you first.
At, least, so we think – because the Bill leaves much of this undefined, unclear and to be dealt with by secondary legislation based on ?consultation? that the Government can ignore. Can you imagine what this would mean if we were talking about cars rather than photographs?
2010-03-21: For Sale: Planet-X TT bike aka WLC 25 TT HCC113
1:04:01 and almost a minute slower than the same course last year where I actually had to stop at traffic lights and used a road bike rather than TT-specific bike.
I should have known I was going too easy when I managed to form (almost) full sentences “head down arse up go go go” to other riders I passed. Alas, by the time I recognised I was getting close to the finish and lifted it was all too late. Slacker.
Oh, while we’re on that little issue of pacing – I had no idea about my power, heart rate, speed, or even distance at any point today.
Guess which d!&h&^d picked up his WIRED Powertap and not the WIRELESS one? Yeah, the luxury of having multiple power meters backfires, big time. I’m going to totally colour in one of them so there’s more than a tiny ‘wired’ on the side to distinguish. I mean, the wired one even has “2.4” written on it.. 2.4Ghz being the frequency of the wireless unit.. I mean.. WTF?! ARGHH NO DATA ARGH!!!
I still managed to arrive late to the start even though this time the alarm went off on time. I bumped into Simon on the way out and we rode to the start. I was shocked to see rider 42 starting when I was just rolling into the HQ.. I was rider 46! Crap! No time for proper warm up or any stretches (and my shattered glutes tell me this was a big mistake.. who wants to rub my backside better?).
I was off after speedy Peter D who set a very good 1hr time I think. I caught a few riders but I was never going to see Pete. I’m surprised Simon didn’t pass me to be honest. He arrived looking totally shattered (whilst I did my hair and laughed like I’d just had a picnic or something of course :)) and had set a good ~1:03. I think Lance had a bad ride too but he will no doubt report something on WCC. And here is the Willesden report.
So my plan this year to avoid training and just buy go-faster bits is not working. Next stop, Dr Fuentes.
The P-X isn’t for sale btw 😛
WLC – Middlesex RC – H10-2 Maidenhead Thicket 10
The first West London Combine event of the year was the Middlesex RC run 10 mile time trial. The course (H10/2) description is here. It was my first event of the year and the first ride of the new Planet-X TT bike. Also the first time riding with aerobars. Who needs practice?!
The headquarters for the event is the hall at Knowl Hill Village Hall (RG10 9XB). This is about 2 miles from the start in Westacott Way. I’d thankfully planned out how to get there last night (straight down the A4, basically). This didn’t help when I woke up thinking “ooh it’s bright for 6.30am”, realised it was 7:40am and the frickin’ alarm hadn’t gone off!! Argh!! Raced to get changed, Mal made me some toast while I pumped up the tyres and struggled to wake up whilst packing bits and pieces. I then “shot” (everything was still asleep) out the door and down the road, heading for the start. I did make it but wasted some juice riding out too fast. My saddle had already started slipping. :S
My ride was somewhat painful but I just didn’t seem to be able to get going. It was like my brain had already given up on the ride. Into the turn around RAB and then out and I must’ve been doing 20kph.. it was sad. The wind and hill and everything just made me wanna stop. Peter passed me here and I upped it a little bit for a few hundred metres. I also picked it up towards then end when I saw a couple of riders (Lance being one of them) but other than that a pretty lack-lustre ride. Next time gadget, next time.
26:08
Lance Woodman snapped a derailler cable before the start and rode in the little ring for the whole event.
Simon Wicks in his first 10mi with aerobars he couldn’t use beat me by 1 second.
Peter Dixon was Willesden’s star today though placing second overall I think and taking the WCC handicap with a 23:53! I know he flew past me like I was stopped. Great ride.
Thanks very much to Lance for the lift. Other than the stupidly low saddle height I didn’t have any troubles getting back. Thanks mate!