Inspired by Khoi Vinh’s excellent New York City subway map, I made a similar version for Berlin’s U-Bahn and S-Bahn system.

To Use

Unzip and add the contents to iPhoto. Then create a photo album (named “Berlin Subway Map”) and fill it with the images in numeric order. To do this in one step, unzip and drag the folder onto the albums sidebar area in iPhoto. Then in iTunes, ensure the new photo album is synced to your iPhone or iPod Touch.

Disclaimers

The Berlin transit system is incredibly large and complex. The type in this map is as small as possible, at the limits of legibility. Second, because of the legibility constraint there is no page overlap. I needed as many unique pixels as possible to cram the map in. I’d consider doing a version of just Berlin’s core A transit zone if there is desire. Also, use at your own risk. This is based on the latest map (as of December 2007) I could find. Stations change, remember to do a reality check!

Download

Download Berlin Subway Map for iPhone / iPod Touch (368KB ZIP)

Ah, crap. Not. Again.

Two years ago, San Anselmo got pwned in an epic flood. The town is located in the Ross Valley Watershed, downhill from pretty much every direction. To top it off, the downtown area is built partially cantilevered over a creek. That flood wrecked two of my favorite places, Paradigm Cycles (formerly Gravy Wheels) and Bubba’s Diner. They’re back on their feet, but I fear another flood like the one in 2006 will put San Anselmo permanently out of business.

I’ve been lobbying my parents to move there (or nearby) when they retire, to be close to my sister and I. I hope my friends there—and in San Francisco—are weathering OK!

Edit: Another reason it has to stop raining: When I get back to San Francisco I need some serious time in the saddle. Road, fixie, Ducati, whatever. I need speed on two wheels, hill climbs, descents and carving turns. It’s been way too long.

The gearhead inside me can’t not post this insanely stupid cool video of Ken Block and his WRX flying through the air in New Zealand through flocks of snowboarders:

I might just have to start buying wax again. And what better place to start than in the minimalist Dutch, moss-green linked, Helvetica articulated clone.nl, discovered sitting in the Copenhagen airport?

Meanwhile, I’m kicking back with Erol Alkan’s Justice mix + Pase Rock, murrrr. Fanks, Toof!

29 days ago, in a flash of brilliance with a bread knife and a slightly-stale bagel, I almost took off the end of my thumb. Well-drugged and stitched a few hours later, the immediate crisis was over. But what began was a few weeks of operating with half my opposable digits. I fumbled to pick up things and learned to press modifier keys with another finger, inadvertently writing whole sentences in a gimp substitution cipher. Other limbs substituted for missing abilities, and complex two-hand maneuvers such as opening spring-loaded door latches became new challenges.

Two weeks ago I took the stitches out. This was simultaneously fun and gross, the satisfaction of removing the black nylon thread from my thumbprint not unlike popping a big zit. I’d graduated to “normal” band-aids, the daily application of Neosporin being largely symbolic at this point—a huge scar is inevitable.

29 days later, I’m celebrating by trekking across Stockholm to the biggest climbing gym in Scandinavia. It’s been almost 2 months since I last climbed, and I’m really excited. Going to boulder a bit, and maybe find a climbing partner—hoping that “on belay” translates.

Originally posted to ydnar.vox.com in January 2008.

たとえば　I love San Fran

Laughing Squid links to DPReview’s pre-PMA announcement of Canon’s newest sub-$1k DSLR, the 12MP EOS 450D (Digital Rebel XSi). Speaking of names, when is Canon going to drop the “Rebel” branding in the US? Does anyone even remember the Andre Agassi image is everything fromage?

Also from the Squid: Sean Orlando’s steampunk treehouse.

It’s not playing on this side of the pond yet, so I have to wait until I get back to San Francisco for a look. I do want to see it, though, despite numerous friends’ expressed hesitancy regarding J.J. Abrams. I liked Alias (the first few seasons, anyway), and Lost has been entertaining, if inconsistently good. Cloverfield makes a good trailer, and a good trailer does not bequeath good film—see Transformers, I Am Legend for recent evidence.

I’m going to see it with the expectation that it will suck, and that the handheld cinematography will pale next to the epic work in Children of Men. Deep down, maybe, I hope it won’t suck.

Trio of biofuel articles this morning:

Via AP: Wrestling with environmental impact and food crop displacement in southeast Asia. In The Economist: Radically asymmetrical binding targets for emissions reduction, “carbon leakage” and cost in the EU. In the New York Times: Attempting to level the “other” carbon gap, tying biofuel subsidies to crops grown only in an environmentally friendly manner.

I gots ten of them!