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How can I fix my fixed gear bike whose rear cog rotates with the chain when I pedal?

Hates_ — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 03:58:04 -0800

How can I fix my fixed gear bike whose rear cog rotates with the chain when I pedal? Recently my fixed gear bike has developed a problem where the rear cog spins freely. So pedalling gets me nowhere :( If possible I'd rather try and fix it myself as bike repairs here in London seem to cost an arm and a leg.

Is it simply a case of pedaling backwards to somehow re-tighten the cog? I can't see this being a solution as surely it would just become lose again with all the forward pedalling? How are cogs even secured to hubs?

How do I motivate myself to be a good cog in the machine?

croutonsupafreak — Mon, 21 May 2007 10:00:37 -0800

How do I motivate myself at work now that I'm at a much bigger employer and my contributions to the organization aren't that important anymore? "Just do it" is the WRONG answer. So it GTD. I need a new way of thinking about the world, or a life coach, or something. At the start of my career, I had jobs at small organizations where the amount of effort I put in had a visible effect on the quality of the product we put out. I worked long, hard hours, and was passionate about my field. I'm still proud of the contributions I made, and of my rapid career rise. (I'm in a field where people rise by moving to larger, more prestigious, employers.)

About a year ago, I was hired by a fairly large employer, where my contributions are much less significant. I'm doing about 25 percent as much work as I'd done in the past, and for that I get praise, good performance reviews, and raises. Meanwhile, I spend most of my on-the-job time feeling bored and surfing the web.

It doesn't have to be this way! If I contributed more, my extra efforts would be welcomed. I could do more of the small projects I've always done, and I could even do some big projects I've always dreamed of doing. I finally have the time and resources to make it happen. But now that I'm such a small cog in the machine, now that even full-out effort makes relatively little difference to the organization as a whole, I can't seem to make myself work any harder.

I've read through a lot of "how to get motivated" threads here. I've even posted my own questions on the subject from time to time. I don't think a system that I come up with on my own, a kick by myself to my own pants, is going to help. I need some kind of outside intervention or a new paradigm or something.

I feel lost. I'm not happy being so bored at work, but I don't get much satisfaction out of trying to work harder, either. What should I do?

Pi-ta-go-ra su-i-chi!

goodnewsfortheinsane — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 06:39:49 -0800

In this collection of clips of Rube Goldberg machines for NHK's Pitagora Suichi, was CG animation used? Obviously, one can ignore the 1"30 of cartoon at the top, and the japanorific dancing bit in the middle, I'm only talking about the domino effect devices.

I don't know. Some things look decidedly detailed and real, but others (some balls, cups, etc.) look very CGI-ey to my eye, what with their just-too-perfect texture and motion. There's just not enough *randomness* I guess.

So what's the deal? Is it all live action? Some live action and some CGI? Or pure CGI? Greenscreening perhaps?

Thanks in advance, and if watching this clip makes you whistle the "Pi-ta-go-ra su-i-chi!" tune for the rest of the day, I'm sorry about the earworm.