Mag REv HQ @ Hackney City Farm

This is Mag Rev UK's Head Office at Hackney City Farm.  It is lovely working there, so close to the chaos of the city but quiet and like being out in the country.   Sheep, goats, ducks and chickens wander around not more than 20 meters from busy Hackney Road.  The office is a renovated shipping container.  On the roof is a garden with a variety of native flowers.  They look like weeds to me, only because in Australia they probably are considered weeds, but it's good to be getting to know a new native ecosystem.  The idea of a "weed" is a bit strange anyway.

I really love being distracted from my computer screen by the braying donkey, Larry.  He seems so sad & lonely but is totally cool with letting everyone know.  Sometimes when visitors are trying to talk to him, he jut lets out a long winded fart to show his disapproval. 


Through our office window there are two enormous ginger pigs, whose names I am yet to find out.  They don't do much except sleep and smile.  I can really see where the term "happy as a pig in shit" came from.

In the office there are usually between 3 and 5 of us, which is pretty tight at times in a little shipping container.  But I'm really impressed with the way Mag Rev work with their volunteers.  All volunteers are involved with discussions on projects and are found a bicycle or laptop if they don't already have one.  Lunch is also provided by the Mag Rev team, which is really impressive considering how small they are.  There is no hierarchy - Mag Rev actively stamp out any and reference to such a structure -  all people involved are given the opportunity to get involved with great stuff, as well as making the coffee and preparing lunch for everyone.  
Babs and Adam have also put me up in their homes (I've just moved into my own room around the corner from the office).  So I am as pleased as a pig :)

Back from Secret Garden Party

I've been away from the Mag Rev crew for about 5 days working with the Green Stewards (who incidentally have nothing to do with greening the festival) and I have a few sights to report on - things that were interesting and perhaps a few thoughts along the way.

"Josephine the Machine" by Circus Kineti

Firstly though, there was a very impressive pedal powered water sculpture Distillery Machine by Circus Kinetica and Courvoisier.  On top of the hill they placed a steam punk styled bar, with various pedal contraptions that moved water and power around to generator the kinetic sculpture.  I've been thinking lately that kinetic sculptures are my new favourite thing and this sculpture only reiterates this. 
    One of the pedal generators was collating the amount of miles that punters put into the machine.  I guessed around 270 miles - waiting to here back about the total.  The Small World Stage was a solar powered venue that provided a lovely atmosphere - though I didn't make it there at night time.  I did have my morning breakfast there and feel much at home.  I also enjoyed the Barbe Bleue puppet show.  Puppets are cool.

Music I saw and liked was few and far between actually.  Top of the list was The Scrumpettes (3 gals, 3 ukes), Stealing Sheep (magical doom siren esk vocals), Secret Sisters (sad country songs) and Cakes & Ale (a very motley crew indeed).  All in all, it seems I'm mostly attracted to woman in harmony at the moment.

While having my breakfast one morning, I was reading Positive News, a novel concept in itself, and I came across this is rubbish who are currently hosting FEASTS across Wales with donated and reacquired food.  There was a picture of people enjoying an open air banquet in the sun.  I like their style. 

Other groups doing this type of thing are Dinner Exchange (London) and Kumera Soupie (Newcastle, Australia).
Artisans that captured my heart were Pretty Rubbish and Naturally Bohemian - talented lasses with lace and pins.
A great job to all the workers at Network Recycling, who separated the waste when others were too off their face to care.  It is the ugly side of festivals that is not for the faint hearted.
I had a good laugh with PooTopia - the onsite composting toilet team: eco loos, always clean, always with loo roll, established 2002 (though I think that is a pun).  They have a DJ stage and rap about poo and charge ₤2 to use their facilities.  It was very funny hanging out and listening to them and their big social experiment.  They're Australian - hence the sensibility towards talking about poo.  Bill from PooTopia & I were born in the same hospital, though I don''t know how our conservation got there.  There's a bit on Youtube that will give a taste of the shit they do (no pun intended). 
More to come as my brain unfolds.....x

My first ride through London

I've just done my first ride from Brixton to the Hackney City Farm, home of MR's HQ.
I hope I don't speak too soon, but London drivers are much more courteous than Newcastle drivers: everyone gave me heaps of room (even buses!).  No one yelled or threw anything at me.  AND, there were HEAPS of other cyclists!
The bike lanes are just as dodgey as Newcastle, ie your riding on one and then they disappear.  But there are a few Cyclist Super Highways which are just lovely :).

This is where I traveled today:

View Larger Map

Good Tips for Avoiding Electrocution

AVOID INSTANT DEATH

My first 24 hours in the UK with Ads and Babs from MR UK and already learning (some essential things):

• 50 volts is the threshold for electrocuting yourself - it is the point your skin can become a conductor of electrical current.  This is dry skin.  The threshold is much lower for wet skin  Read more about Electric Shock.
• 240V AC is then way above this and very dangerous.   DC is safer to work with than AC.  Houses aren't fitted with DC as the cabling would need to be enormous cables (*for some reason*) to carry the power.  AC is compact but a little bit angry.
• The third prong on an appliance's electric plug is the 'earth'.  The "earth" is put on appliances that contact any type of conductive material that could go live, such as metal.  It the appliance is only made of things like plastic and runner, then it is most likely to have two prongs (+ & -).
• When looking at cables, predominately the DC cables are red (+) and black (-). Whilst in the AC arena, the cable colour codes are brown (+), blue (-) and green&yellow (earth).  There are exceptions of course, however it seems to me that the positive is represented by colors that are warm - browns, reds, oranges.

GOOD NEWS

Just heard that our proposal in partnership with Sydney College of Fine Art and the National Institute of Experimental Art for a public art program in Sydney's Taylor Square was successful!

This means that Australia's first CYCLE IN CINEMA will be held in Taylor's Square at the end of the end.

Thanks to all who helped with the proposal.


Watch this space.....

George plays by pedal

George plays at the Lass around May 2011.  Introducing the show by pedal.

The Human Power Station

This experiment attempts to power a house for an entire day solely through human pedal power - while the unsuspecting family inside go about their normal Sunday routine. 
Will they drive the Human Power Station to meltdown?
- Watch clip on pedal powering an electric shower (3 minutes)
 - Watch the Human Power Station (full length 60 minutes)