#brno's clock

[fuckyeahgoodomens]

Clock...

So, just a quick intro for non-czech ppl, in 2010 they told us that there will be a new clock built in my city's (Brno) main square.

We got this:

it is a big black... clock. :D Since that was not "funny" enough it also gives glass balls, one each day at 11.

Apparently it can also tell time but nobody I know knows how.

Yes. There are many jokes.

Anyway, today I was at the Brno Pride Parade! :) ❤ and I saw this:

So:

[batsplat]

just so you know bc I don’t think enough people tell you this but every time I check your blog (a bit compulsively at this point? your compilations and opinions are very enlightening on the general psychology of those crazy motherfuckers and also the uhhhhhhhh other part) and see that you answered another ask I honestly break into the hugest grin and settle down at the next given opportunity to read the newest batssay (batsplat essay) like it’s an academic paper (it is to us sports scholars, I believe)… please never feel the need to cut short your thoughts on any subject. the longer the better! connect all the dots, bat! we are listening!!

thank youuuuu this is so sweet, I know this ask is a little older but trust whenever I get something kind in my inbox I very much read and appreciate it and it very much makes my day. and I love the term batssay. a lot

so I thought it'd be fun to do a follow up post to the casey/jorge/valentino one where I just dumped a bunch of photos with a wee bit of context... for the culture, y'know. and I'm doing this with just casey/valentino, mostly for 2007-09 but with one 2005 photo chucked in as. build-up. for flavour

we know from the #archives that the two of them did have like. a reasonably warm dynamic pre-casey's motogp debut. they'd talked... also at least one race where casey shows up to valentino's podium and chats to vale's crew chief and fellow aussie jb... I think about it often. what did it all mean

casey's first win!!! qatar 2007, very first race with ducati. he'd gotten very close to a win before - in his third ever premier class race at turkey, lost at the final chicane. casey's goals going into that first season with ducat had just been winning a few races... he notes that valentino congratulates him warmly, but reckons it's just because valentino didn't take him seriously as a threat, which. I don't think that quite stacks up with supplementary evidence from the time, but we'll allow it

one of my fave photos for a reason, idc it's sweet. I was trying to figure out when this photo was from through like, normal means of reverse image search, but then instead I had a horrifying moment of 'oh yeah I'm pretty sure I remember that specific presser backdrop is at mugello that year' and. I was right. which. god. anyway yeah mugello 2007 pre-event presser. by this point casey was 21 points clear in the championship standings

more mugello 2007!!! look at casey constantly sipping from his lil cup. this will have been after qualifying, where casey snagged pole. I'd forgotten valentino actually makes front row in qualifying because he makes a typically horrendous start. I'd also forgotten that this race is like. proper good. one of the best that year. slows down eventually but the first ten or so laps are some of the most exciting of the entire alien era

catalunya 2007, which unfortunately I also dated solely through the presser backdrop. idk I just like the vibes of this photo. anyway!! this race is ofc the one where casey won an all timer late race duel against valentino (+ dani). it is after this race that valentino said casey was, and I quote "riding like a god". a seminal moment

the championship is already extremely over by the time they get to estoril, but casey still needs to formally wrap it up: this is his first match point race. depicted here is valentino getting one of his few Ws that season. an account of this event: “valentino was playing table football in the yamaha hospitality and somebody spotted casey outside. so they invited him for a challenge. it was all good fun”

motegi 2007. valentino had managed to put off the inevitable the race before and temporarily stopped casey from sealing the title, taking his last win of the season (cool duel with dani in that one). but motegi... well honestly it's just a bit of a flop all round, nobody's bike is working the way they want it to, casey seals the title with his worst result all season of a sixth place (the horror) and in his autobiography he was kinda like 'well I was very happy but also. meh race' (I paraphrase). but really, who cares, he had his title

bit of a time skip!! after both of them have put their sketch early 2008's behind them, the pair of them had a proper fun fight at catalunya for p2. a continuation of the battle the year before with valentino once again coming from lower down the field, this time he gets the better of casey. still, things are finally looking up at ducati... and the post-catalunya test might be enough to put casey right back in title contention. the above photo is from donington, where casey confirms the progress ducati made by winning his first race of the season after the opener in qatar

still donington, both of them watching each other etc etc. valentino is in a much better place than the year before, given both casey's rough start to the season and how they're both now on the same tyres. but it's not a good sign if casey's hitting his stride... at assen, valentino makes his one mistake of the year and crashes on the first lap, remounting to finish eleventh (he still beats casey's teammate melandri). this puts dani in the championship lead - and with casey's second win in a row, he is now very much closing in

look at them chatting here!! cute imo. this is casey's third win in a row, at the rainy sachsenring. dani crashes out from a few miles in the lead - while casey had stayed sensible and brings it home for a pretty straightforward victory. valentino needed to fight his way through from further down the field and in the end he loses too much time to put any serious pressure on casey, but it's still damage limitation and he retakes the championship lead from dani (who will miss the next race due to an injury sustained in the crash). and yet, momentum really is firmly on casey's side now... and the rest of the calendar does looks like pretty casey-friendly territory. next up, they're headed to a race track where casey had won very comfortably the year before. would he seal his fourth consecutive win at laguna?

now with my sincere apologies to casey stoner, every photo that came out of laguna 2008 is objectively pretty funny. I have limited myself to a mere two podium photos, but lbr there's a full collection. casey had already rejected valentino's handshake in parc fermé - which some might have taken as a social cue to give him some space. whereas valentino, local dickhead, just will not stop yapping at casey on the podium. this is quite possibly as genuinely delighted as he gets after a race, and it's simply a beautiful contrast with casey who is not quite rude enough to actually tell valentino to shut the fuck up - but may be fantasising about pushing valentino off the podium. this, to me. is art

gather around body language experts, we need to have a conversation. this is at the pre-event presser of the race immediately after laguna, aka brno. by this point, casey's less than flattering remarks about valentino's riding at laguna had already been distributed near and far... everyone's been talking about them, people have Opinions. the captions for these photos are all something along the lines of 'stoner extends olive branch to rossi to apologise for his post-race comments after losing laguna'. now, I don't know if he literally is apologising in these actual photos - though of course he did publicly walk back his comments, saying all riders can react badly to losses and that he'd overreacted when he'd said he'd lost respect for valentino. he has since walked back his walking back, doubling down on his criticisms of valentino's comportment at laguna

still, for all the talk that the feud properly started after laguna, it's kind of fun to have the presser immediately after it showing... well, it does look like casey is actively engaging valentino in conversation, right? whether he's apologising or not - this isn't just valentino yapping at him, if anything it's the reverse. laguna had been right before the summer break, so casey had been given a month to cool off... and also be viciously criticised by the press. brutal, isn't it? it's not just the loss that sucks, it's also being excoriated by the press and fans for having the audacity to get mad over it. is all of this just him being forced into pretending to play nice to get the press to leave him alone? were there any genuine regrets over his laguna comments? what ARE the vibes between them like at this time? what story do these photos tell us

casey went on to crash out of this race from the lead, the first time he had done so in the premier class and his first dnf with ducati after their one and a half seasons together. when he crashed, he'd had a fairly comfortable lead over valentino - though valentino was steadily closing in, and the commentators were already rubbing their hands in anticipation of another laguna

the next race is at misano - and casey is struggling with an old hand injury, see the bandages in the photo. the previous year had been the first time valentino had gotten the chance to race at this circuit, so close to his home... but he'd suffered a mechanical dnf, not his first or last in a frustrating season. this year, everything is different - and casey once again crashes out of the lead as valentino takes victory in front of his worshipful home fans

another trip to america, this time for indy: their first time racing at the track. after the double whammy of brno and misano, casey's title charge is essentially over... but you never know, right? indy kinda gives off the vibe of being a good casey track

in the end, the race is extremely wet and very, very windy and is eventually red-flagged. because of how many laps they still have to go, it is initially unclear whether they would restart... at which point first valentino (who was leading), then casey (in fourth) go to dorna ceo ezpeleta to tell him they have less than zero interest in going out in that weather again. a beautiful moment of solidarity - long live the power of unionising, capable of overcoming even the bitterest of feuds. blast the internationale over the footage, I've seen enough. the race is called off and valentino wins his fourth consecutive race

by the time they get to phillip island, valentino has already won the title, courtesy of his fifth consecutive win at motegi - the same circuit casey had won the title at the year before and the home race of valentino's old enemies at honda. a couple of nice photos of jorge congratulating his teammate and casey spraying vale with champagne here. casey, known phillip island goat, would of course finally end valentino's win streak at that circuit, which is where the photos are from. idk they're fun to me, like this is still not that long after laguna. I'm aware being able to chat normally with your coworkers and share a smile with them isn't normally that high a bar, but canonically valentino has been known to completely blank some of his rivals. it's not like casey is particularly cold towards valentino either, eh

case in point. this is from sepang 2008. #TheEstablishment does not want you to know casey and valentino canonically still regularly yapped in pressers post laguna. they won't silence me. sepang was valentino's last win of this season, after a good scrap with dani - and the season is rounded off with a casey victory at valencia

jerez 2009, where valentino gets past casey with a block pass at the final corner on his way to victory. unlike in 2005, he actually manages to not barrel into his rival. this is just a fantastic photo... I don't even have much to say about it. a+ vibes

a lot of the photos from this season were already included in the jorge/valentino/casey post, which reflects how casey wasn't consistently a factor in the same way the other two were. this one's from assen, the race right after catalunya when all three of them were tied on 106 points. very good side eye here, excellent job casey. unfortunately, casey is now in mystery illness territory - and he can't really compete with the two frontrunners in this stretch of the season

this is the first race after casey's return to competition - valentino goes up to casey after qualifying at estoril to congratulate him for his front row grid position. casey would win an early race scrap with valentino in the race itself, eventually finishing second behind jorge and swiftly silencing all the people who had declared him mentally weak and done for in his absence. a race that brought back suspense to that year's championship

phillip island 2009, another important moment in the canon where I've limited myself to just the one photo. casey wins just his second race back - and he also hugs vale pretty warmly in parc fermé. jorge was kind enough to crash in the opening lap, meaning valentino can very much be pleased with a second place here

and at sepang, valentino seals the title, while casey wins another race. casey ended up crashing in the warm-up lap of valencia, apparently due to an issue with the tyre warming? just kinda... the general vibe of his 2009, really. valentino closes off the season with another podium at his least favourite track, while dani takes the win

anyway after that they spent three years getting into increasingly. dumb arguments. like. so dumb. by the end of 2012 you feel you're killing your brain cells by even engaging with this stuff. it's beyond undignified. there's zero competitive justification, but they just couldn't shut up about each other. that being said, they're still capable of doing a small talk with each other even during the dark years, so that's something. maybe one day they'll finally be able to get that dinner and talk about all the good times

[have-you-been-here]

The Brno Astronomical Clock, Brno, Czechia

[bogkeep]

some brno pics ft. birds & the infamous marketplace clock

[mariacallous]

Although considered a relatively minor ballot, Czechia’s upcoming regional elections will set the clock ticking for the next parliamentary elections scheduled in a year.

“Vineyards are a symbol of hard work. And that’s exactly what awaits us after the regional elections, if we win,” mused ANO vice-president Alena Schillerova as the main opposition party kicked off its campaign in the wine country of South Moravia, where she hails from.

Hard work perhaps, but from a strong position, as the latest polls put her ANO party led by the former prime minister Andrej Babis ahead of any those of the ruling coalition, just months after Babis’s movement emerged victorious from the European Parliament elections.

“All national polls show ANO as the strongest party by far, with very stable voting preferences of around one-third of the electorate,” confirms Martin Buchtik, director of the STEM polling agency.

An expected win?

Four years after the last ballot, Czechs will once more head to the polls on Friday and Saturday to elect the 675 members of the country’s 13 regional councils – except for Prague – who will then elect their governor based on post-election negotiations and alliances.

Despite receiving the most votes in 10 out of 13 regions in 2020, ANO only managed to take control of the three governorships of Usti nad Labem, Zlin and Moravia-Silesia.

This year’s ballot might not prove all that different, with Babis himself suggesting that replicating the results of four years ago would be considered a “success”, while hinting that one or two extra seats of governors would be welcome after three years in opposition to an unpopular government.

But due to the intermingling of regional issues with national politics, the importance of individual personalities – some of them well established – and of local dynamics, nation-wide electoral preferences, or lack thereof, do not automatically translate to the level of regional councils.

“In the Czech conditions, post-elections negotiations matter a lot, and in the past, it often happened that other parties agreed without ANO,” explains Lubomir Kopecek from Masaryk University in Brno, hinting at Babis’s own “personality and populism” as a red line keeping many potential partners away.

“It very much depends on how significant ANO victories will be in specific regions,” he tells BIRN. “In general, however, it is not the case that victory automatically means ANO will rule in the regions.”

More than 8,000 candidates hailing from over 80 political parties and movements are vying for regional council posts this year. And the patchwork of local alliances, ad-hoc cooperations or coalition red-lines may look very different region to region, making it sometimes “even quite difficult for voters to understand what’s going on”, according to STEM’s Buchtik.

‘Racist’ billboards

The far-right SPD party of Tomio Okamura, for instance, has confirmed its cooperation with the Trikolora movement in three regions, while both parties will also campaign alongside the PRO party of rabble-rouser Jindrich Rajchl in six other constituencies, and Svobodni in four of them.

The SPD’s widening network of alliances with extra-parliamentary parties – like PRO – it was bluntly attacking just a few months ago testifies to Okamura’s movement weakening following disappointing EU election results as well as its further radicalisation, analysts believe.

Hence the SPD’s attempt to be even “more extreme, more shocking”, according to Karel Kominek from the Institute of Political Marketing, exemplified by its provocative billboard campaign which has caused shock and outrage across Prague.

On one of the posters, a dark-skinned man with a bloodied knife and clothing is shown with the caption: “The shortcomings in the healthcare sector cannot be solved by imported surgeons”, quickly leading to accusations of racism and disinformation. A criminal complaint has been filed against Okamura’s party, which – presumably unbothered by the extra publicity – focused on the technological merits of their campaign.

“The SPD is the first Czech party that uses the most modern technologies,” Okamura proudly declared as he confirmed the visuals were created with the help of artificial intelligence.

��I think this is really a typical example of how controversial and polarised the upcoming parliamentary campaign will be, which has already technically started with the upcoming regional and Senate elections,” Pavel Havlicek, an analyst at the Association for International Affairs, told Czech Radio.

“This is a good example of how most of the limits of the past are now broken, and most things will unfortunately be possible to say in the public space,” he added.

Nonetheless, Buchtik from the STEM agency does not expect a strong rise of support for extremist parties like the SPD “that traditionally do not fare too well in regional elections” and currently hold a total of 35 seats in nine different regions. “It’s not going to be like in Germany”, he predicts in reference to the regional gains of the far-right AfD party a few weeks ago just across the border.

Polarisation ahead

True to form, the main opposition parties – including Babis’s ANO and Okamura’s SPD – have resorted to turning the upcoming ballot into a referendum on the current five-party coalition of Prime Minister Petr Fiala, which remains unpopular 12 months before the end of its term.

“The main topic of the campaign is whether you’re for or against the government,” Buchtik tells BIRN, nonetheless adding that regional considerations also come into play.

Socio-economic problems are high on the agenda in the poorer regions of Usti nad Labem or Karlovy Vary, he says, fertile ground for ANO and other opposition parties, while analysts expect regions that are better off – like Central Bohemia and South Moravia – to remain in the current centre-right government’s fold.

“Suggesting this is some kind of referendum on the government simply does not work,” Interior Minister Vit Rakusan argued. “This is a referendum on life in individual regions, whether governors have proven themselves or not. Our people are not stupid, they will not be deceived or fooled.”

While the opposition tries to capitalise on low public trust in the ruling coalition and their tainted track-record at the national level, government parties in turn put the “emphasis on regional issues and typically also take advantage of the fact that they have filled most of the positions of governors,” analyses Kopecek from Masaryk University

Coalition-backed governors, on the other hand, are aware of the need to distance themselves from national party affiliation, often choosing to personalise their election bid, like South Bohemia governor Martin Kuba who has launched his campaign without the ruling ODS or SPOLU branding.

Considering the unpopularity of the government, “it makes sense for him to build the campaign around himself”, assesses Otto Eibl from Masaryk University in Brno, while ANO, on the other hand, has proven much less shy in giving centre stage to its national leadership in order to give a boost to the campaign of sometimes lesser-known local figures.

In general, however, many Czechs express little interest in regional elections – the last turnout in 2020 stood at just 38 per cent – and a similarly low level of awareness as to who their governor is or what kind of competence regional councils have in terms of policymaking.

“People identify more with mayors, who often deal with them directly, or with national politicians who appear daily on television,” assessed Milan Skolnik, a political scientist from the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague.

At the same time as regional councils, Czechs will go to the polls to elect a third of the 81-member Senate, currently dominated by the five-party government coalition.

“No big changes are expected,” Buchtik tells BIRN, nevertheless adding that the performance of ANO, which has never fared too well in senatorial elections, is worth keeping an eye on.

“It will also be interesting to see whether Prisaha leader Robert Slachta will manage to win a seat in the Senate,” he adds, as his potential victory or defeat could be instrumental in determining the future or unravelling of the Prisaha-Motorista coalition – the surprise breakthrough of June’s European ballot – ahead of the 2025 legislative elections.

Another example showing that while neither regional nor senatorial elections are expected to bring dramatic changes to Czechia’s political landscape, both will be indicative of the 12 months that lie ahead, giving a picture of where voter preferences lie, how public debate will be shaped over the coming year, and whether political alliances – old and new – will hold in an increasingly polarised climate.

[spiderace]

Just today I was saved money purely because the Brno Astronomical Clock site doesn't ship to the USA. My new dream is to get one of the glass balls in person

[batsplat]

Wait what’s the tea on Valentino’s sleep patterns 👀👀 (fellow insomniac / recent motogp fan always looking for more representation)

oh yeah, if you're looking for representation for poor sleeping habits you've very much come to the right place. his sleep patterns are pretty remarkable you have to say. way too nocturnal for a professional athlete, reliant on naps to get through the race weekend, all power to him for somehow making that work and winning all those titles. pretty sure I've read somewhere that he's still known for doing sim races at ungodly hours these days, just how he lives his life

tbh I can't remember off the top of my head where I'd actually read about his sleeping patterns, but I've cobbled together a decent selection of quotes from the usual sources. the most interesting stuff he's said on the topic is in his autobiography - where he goes into rather a lot of detail about his preference for the night. given that it's quite a lengthy passage, I've chucked it under the cut. he frames his nocturnal inclination as not only suiting his natural body clock better, but also as a way of escaping the rest of the world - of being able to move around in peace and silence and anonymity. plus, he liked to spend his nights in the garage to... *pinches bridge of nose* have some special personal time with his bike, when it was just the two of them. take that as you will

before that, let's just start with a few more general descriptions of his sleeping patterns. from early in his career, jerez 1998 (from oxley's vr files):

The camper only holds two people, but that's okay. I don't like my dad to sleep with me, because when it gets to ten o'clock he starts saying: "Vale, Vale, got to bed!", but I can't go to sleep before one or two. We did share a motorhome in '96 and it made life very, very difficult for me.

and about brno 1999 (from oxley's vr files):

On weekends when I'm not racing, I never go to bed before six or seven on Sunday morning. If it's a party, maybe even later, but going to bed at six in the morning is quite normal for me! Even when I was 14 I used to go to bed at 4am. Quite often I'd be riding around the local minimoto tracks until after midnight! If I go to sleep at 11 or 12 I just lie there, my eyes wide open. Maybe I would be good for 24-hour racing!

and then a few years into his premier class career, valentino says the following (x):

'I have a lot of energy after 2am,' Rossi agreed. 'I like to sleep in the morning. I have some problems at the start of the day.'

we've also got a description of crew chief jb's influence in terms of making sure valentino wasn't slacking off by sleeping in (from oxley's vr files):

Burgess' talents aren't restricted to getting the best out of a 500. The Aussie has been in GPs for decades and knows how to extract the best from riders as well. He expects 100 per cent commitment both on the track and in the pits, and when he doesn't get that, he gives 'em hell. Some other crew chiefs won't do that - they're too overawed by their riders' superstardom. JB laid down the law last summer when late-sleeper Rossi turned up late for practice. Rossi suggested that in future one of the crew should be despatched to his motorhome each morning to make sure he was out of bed. No way, said Burgess, I'll be there to give you your wake-up call. Rossi's not overslept since.

and from 2001, in valentino's own words:

Q: Tell us about your sleeping habits, JB has had to wake you a few times for practice... VR: I never go to bed before 1 o'clock, and there's no limit on when I go to bed, but even when I go to sleep very late I always wake up at 8.30, though when I do wake up I always have a big confusion for the first five minutes, then after that I remember: "Oh fuck, I'm at world grand prix!" So I have a shower and then I'm okay. I never get up too close to riding time because the 500 is a dangerous bike so it's necessary to be awake when you climb aboard. Back in the afternoon after practice at four or five o'clock I'll sleep for another hour.

only semi-related but valentino's also talked about... you know, this generational shift - where the sport has become more professionalised, which is reflected in certain lifestyle changes (from barker's rossi biography):

"The next generation is always stronger. They are more professional, they put more effort in, they make a perfect life, they eat in a good way, they don't drink, they go to sleep early, they train every day from the morning to the night... I come from an era where the riders drank beer and smoked cigarettes!"

also plenty of talk of jet lag obviously... doesn't struggle with it too much headed westwards because he says he basically lives on american time anyway. the other direction is tougher, but in his youth he decided that he might as well try to continue living on italian time. so he essentially went racing at 5 in the morning (about phillip island 1998, from oxley's vr files):

I don't have a problem with jet lag, I always sleep. Last year in Indonesia I stayed on Italian time for the whole grand prix - so I was racing at five in the morning! But the difference is too great to do that in Australia.

how on earth are you racing motorcycles like that. mind you, he won that 1997 indonesia race

so yeah. king of disordered sleeping. given the nature of motogp schedules and how they do kind of require you to actually get up in the mornings, congrats to him for being remotely functional during race weekends. crazy how he even won the odd race

and here's the autobiography passage:

My day, usually, begins in the afternoon. It’s as if I exist inside my own personal time zone. I live at night, because I love the night. Now, this might make you think I do goodness-knows-what in the wee hours, or that I don’t live the life of a professional athlete. It’s true, I don’t live the life of an athlete in the traditional sense — early to bed, early to rise and all that — but this does not mean that I’m not careful about what I eat and drink or that I don’t train. In fact, I train a lot, both in the gym and on the bike. It’s just that I go to the gym in the afternoon, rather than the morning. Equally, when I’m training on the bike, down at the quarry, I always go in the afternoon, never at nine o'clock in the morning. My body has a certain type of metabolism. It is used to living according to a different body clock. That’s why, even if I’m travelling all over the world, I don’t experience jet lag and I rarely go to bed before 3 a.m. It’s much more likely that I’m just tucking into bed as people are leaving for work. As I say, I have a special relationship with the night. I like moving in it, living in it, thinking in it, relaxing in it. The night fascinates me, because it’s the period of least confusion. The world calms down, it goes quiet. And, besides, I’m Valentino Rossi. I’m wanted... I'm a fugitive. Yes, I’m always running away from my _ beloved countrymen. The Italians. I’m proud to be Italian, I'm proud of our merits and I regret our shortcomings. Italians are exceptional people. In every way. Even when they start loving you. Because that’s actually when problems can arise — if it’s you that the Italian falls in love with. Italian people are warm, empathetic, spontaneous. But they can also be excessive, oppressive and disrespectful. I don’t know who said that Italians will forgive everything except for success. Whoever it was, they were right. Because it’s absolutely true. After the 1997 season, I could tell I was becoming popular. Year after year, that popularity turned into fully fledged love. They’re in love with me now and, as a result, since the 2004 season, I’ve been a man on the run. And there’s no escape, no end in sight, because wherever I go they find me. There are simple things, the little pleasures in life, which I simply can’t engage in when I’m back in Italy. I can’t go to the bar and have a cappuccino, because I would not be able to drink it. To be fair, I can do it in Tavullia, but that's the only place. If I go more than a few kilometres in any direction from the centre of town, that's it, everything changes and I become, once again, a hunted man. I can’t walk into a store, look at something and decide what I want to buy. In fact, I can’t stop anywhere, not even at a petrol station. If I stop, I’m screwed. Somebody will recognise me (Italians are exceptionally good at recognising people), make a lot of noise, call other people and then, before I know it, I’ve been swallowed up by the crowd. If I schedule a meeting with someone, we have to meet in a secret, out-of-the-way location and, even then, we can't linger. I can't go to a restaurant if there are too many people inside. And if I do go, I can't go at a normal time, say eight o'clock. I have to go later, much later, when people are leaving. And I can't sit where I like, I have to hide away in a corner, in the shadows. As for places like cinemas or the beach, forget about it. They are just always off-limits.

Having said that, I do mix with people. I do it because I like doing it. It’s just that I wish I could do it as a normal person, because, deep down, I am a normal human being. This is part of the reason why I have to live at night. It would be that much tougher during the day, with all those people about. Plus, I don’t like the traffic, the chaos, the noise, all those people running all over the place, stressed out and out of breath. The night is different. Everything is softer, there are fewer people around and you are much more free. It’s like a parallel dimension. The world is different at night. Everything is different. That’s why I’ve assimilated the lyrics of a song by the Italian artist Jovanotti, “Gente. della notte” (“People of the night”). It has become my personal anthem. Jovanotti is one of my favourite singers and I find myself agreeing with him on most things. I love his work. What else can I say? The night is my reality. And I don’t change just because Grands Prix are scheduled during the day. My way of being and living is reflected in what I do during races. I don’t really change. Obviously, I don’t go to bed at dawn, but let’s just say that when I do, finally, go to bed, there aren’t many people around. Everything is better at night in the paddock. There is silence, the people _ have disappeared and, with them, the chaos. I can wander around freely, most of all I can enjoy the empty pit area and my bike. Yes, my bike. Because at night I often slip into the team garage. At some races I do it every single night, because I love being with my bike. My night-time activities can be traced back to the years racing in 125cc, and are directly tied to my passion for aesthetics and the stickers, which would later become my obsession. I don’t leave anything to chance'when it comes to choosing the colour or the stickers for my bike. That’s why I’ve always been central to any and all discussions when we were deciding the aesthetics of my racing bikes. I’ve done it always, with every bike, at every level, with every team. And, naturally, I still do it today. Nobody has ever been allowed to attach a single sticker to my bike, unless it was the logo of a technical sponsor. Until a few years ago I was totally inflexible about this. Now, Roby takes care of the number: he attaches it because then he needs to cover it in transparent paint. But apart - from -this, which is primarily a technical procedure anyway, I take care of everything else to do with the stickers. And this takes time and planning, which is why I started going to the garage at night. During the day it is packed with people. There are mechanics, technicians and others around. I would just get in the way, if I wanted to get near the bike just to check the stickers. As I got older and progressed from 125 to 250 and then to 500 and on to MotoGP, I maintained that passion for aesthetics and stickers, as well as the habit of dropping in on the team garage at night. I enjoy the bike during the day _ obviously, but my relationship with the bike is so special that I can spend hours with it, just looking and admiring it, making sure that everything is in order. Those are very personal moments which I find difficult to describe. The Japanese guys, both the executives but also the engineers never knew this, not the guys at Honda, not the ones at Yamaha. I don’t think they would really understand. They would probably view it as a waste of time, since I don’t actually do anything concrete. I never touch anything to do with the bike itself, beyond, obviously, the stickers. And yet I find it hard to explain to an engineer that I enjoy simply being near the bike, even when I’m not doing anything. It’s a complicated concept to explain: the risk is that people will think that you're crazy.

During the day everything happens so quickly, frenetically, neurotically. However, there is a sacrosanct moment when I need to step away and isolate myself. Once my commitment to the team is over, usually around 5.30 p.m., I retire to my motorhome, relax and take a nap. It usually lasts a couple hours and then I go out. There’s always something to do after dinner. Of course, the range of options depends on how many friends are around. I really start enjoying the paddock around ten o'clock at night. Before going to sleep I check on the bike again and then I go into the team motorhome, which serves as an office. Now that I’m at Yamaha, I have an office all to myself. That’s where I keep all my race gear. I do this for two reasons. My own personal motorhome is an absolute mess, nothing more fits in there and I probably couldn’t find anything amid all the junk. Plus, the office is where I change into my racing suit before going out on to the track. Thus, at night, after going to the pits to see the bike, I go to make sure that all my stuff is where it should be: gloves, suit, socks, boots . . . everything needs to be perfect, because I just don’t have time in the morning to hunt around for stuff. Thus, each morning I have to follow a very precise routine. I’m like a robot, everything is the same each day. Because the truth is that I need to be like clockwork. I just don’t have the time to think. Somebody generally comes to wake me up — usually it’s Jeremy, because he doesn’t trust my ability to wake up on my own! I then get up, wash my face (my eyes are still shut at this point) and try to stay awake as I ride the scooter from the motorhome to the pits. I then go up to the office and get dressed. There too everything is done mechanically. It takes the slightest hiccup to throw everything off, forcing me to be late to the testing.

"I find it hard to explain to an engineer that I enjoy simply being near the bike, even when I’m not doing anything. it’s a complicated concept to explain: the risk is that people will think that you're crazy" well -

[traineesnfromb]

An Enchanting Weekend in Brno: Old Town, Music, and More

My first weekend in Brno, the second-largest city in the Czech Republic, was a true journey of discovery. The city immediately captivated me with its charm and vibrant atmosphere.

Exploring the Picturesque Old Town on Foot

On Saturday morning, I set out to explore the Old Town on foot. Every street and square told its own story. The magnificent Baroque buildings, winding alleys, and impressive churches testify to Brno's rich history. I was particularly fascinated by Freedom Square (náměstí Svobody) with its distinctive plague column and modern astronomical clock.

Brno's Pulsating Music Scene

What really surprised me was the city's incredibly vibrant music scene. Brno offers an impressive variety of musical experiences, which I was able to experience firsthand this weekend.

Saturday evening took me to St. James Square, where I experienced an exhilarating live performance by a trance DJ. The energetic atmosphere and hypnotic beats transformed the historic square into a pulsating open-air dance floor. It was fascinating to see how electronic music and historical architecture formed a perfect symbiosis here.

On Sunday, I experienced a wonderful contrast. In brilliant sunshine, a jazz event took place in Moravian Square Park. The gentle sounds of jazz music wafting through the park created a relaxed yet lively atmosphere. Numerous visitors had made themselves comfortable on picnic blankets or were dancing cheerfully to the music. It was the perfect end to a musically diverse weekend.

An Unforgettable Stay

This first weekend in Brno has far exceeded my expectations. The combination of historical charm and modern flair, coupled with the pulsating music scene, makes the city a true gem. I'm enjoying every moment of my stay and look forward to discovering more of this fascinating city in the coming days.

Brno has definitely conquered a place in my heart, and I can't wait to learn more about its culture, history, and of course, its diverse music scene. From the majestic Old Town to the lively squares and parks - this weekend was just the beginning of a wonderful journey through this enchanting Czech city.

[zlutyzakaznik]

Měsíční souhrn: duben 2023

(1. 5. 2023) Záměrně překávováno.

Tentokrát to byl opravdu kalup. Dobré jídlo z Moravy v OC Letmo totiž vydrželo ještě méně než předchůdce V žitě a v nabídce realitních makléřů vyběhlo pouhých 7 týdnů od startu. Nejde-li o vůbec nejrychlejší zahájení a ukončení provozu v Brně, pak uvedený podnik jistě patří do první pětky spolu s třípatrovou kavárnou Divná paní nebo Post Bakery v místech dnešního Axiomu.

Ve fikčním světě inzerátu jde pochopitelně o zavedené a prosperující bistro s obrovským potenciálem růstu. Podmínkou je odkup zařízení a vybavení v ceně 350 000 Kč a třešničkou na dortu předání veškerého know how včetně FB a IG profilu a webových stránek. Jakých profilů a webu, když jsem tyto dosud neviděl a modrobílá zeď Kydar RT s profilovou fotografií německého ovčáka veškeré zmínky o bistru vymazala?

Další tradiční brněnskou jámu na peníze představuje rohová a suterénní parcela vedle nesmrtelného nonstopu Kahla Pub & Bar na Dvořákove. Po Leonesse a Yoshi to zde po 55 týdnech zabalila pobočka Zô! na Cihlářské. IG profil svým posledním příspěvkem stále zve na loňské dubnové otevření...

Sakury, sakury, sakury. Jaká to radost! 

Mezi “bavlníky” na cestě do Žlutého kopce. :-)

Na stejné ulici, jen přes koleje a vedle služebního vchodu do NdB, je po dvou a půl letech k pronájmu Bols Cafe, podnik, který mi byl sympatický tím, že se v další fázi covidové uzávěry vzepřel vládě a odmítl kontrolovat “očkování”, ale co se týče kávy, nabídky, atmosféry a dalších atributů, byl a je to tu bohužel smutek. 24 900 Kč za 80 metrů čtverečných.

Po několika letech je k mání minimalisticky koncipované korejské bistro Doširak na Kabátníkove (65 metrů za 15 000 Kč). Realitka prostor inzeruje mimo jiné coby příležitost pro hipsterskou kavárnu a i když ceny energií možná nejsou tak rozdivočelé jako ještě před pár měsíci, přítomnost elektrických přímotopů je jedním z varovných znamení.

Duben byl na blogu ve znamení Prvních dojmů a tucet nových podniků (tady, tady a tady) zahrnuje všechny druhy provozů, i když mezi nimi očekávatelně dominují kavárny.

V den vydání tohoto textu měla být spuštěna dlouho očekávaná kavárna na Moravském náměstí, novou restauraci má Městské divadlo Brno, v místě letité Záhrady na Úvoze nahradilo druhou verzi mexického Blue Demon čerstvé bistro, na zpřístupnění čeká kavárna vedle Šesté větve, Švanda a Larva Mola už také mají známého nástupce a i výše zmiňované Zô! bude rychle vyměněno za něco nového. 

“Wet look” tř. Kpt. Jaroše nedaleko Pelíšku.

I v dubnu pokračoval třetí měsíc v řadě ústup od piva a s pouhými pěti vypitými třetinkami – Cobolis Kouř, Malt Worm Old School New England IPA, St. Georgen Bräu Keller Bier, Stern Američan APA a Clock Sarah Bourbon Barrel Aged – jsem přispěl ke snížení národního průměru na hlavu.

Oč méně jsem vypil piva, o to více jsem se zajímal o vinné sklo a jeho nezávislé hodnocení. Dokoupil jsem kousek od Rony i Riedela, ale zhodnocení si nechám až do výročního pivního/vinného souhrnu, kdy už budou nejen tyto skleničky prověřeny větším počtem vín.

Ano, je tam celý tonic, ale ten doppio základ je přece z vlastní pražírny. Pobočka středně trendy miniřetězce Mitte na Mendláku.

V dubnu jsem opět ochutnal rebelskou Kostariku El Perezoso, tentokrát na dvou různých mlýncích a kávovarech a výsledky byly stejné jako dřív: celkem nevzrušivé a obyčejné kafe, které je v cappuccinu v pohodě vypitelné, ale větší nadšení nezavládlo (13/20). Daleko lepší byla novinka z téže země, La Candellila, Typica zpracovaná honey metodou, kde se v návaznosti na lehčí tělo projevuje určitá vrstevnatost chuti i acidita (14/20, espresso i cappuccina).  

Rozpaky ve mně vyvolal CANDYBAR – Estrella Divina od pražských Candycane. Platí pro něj stejné hodnocení, jaké má první z uvedených rebelských káv. Slovy pražírny na e-shopu: “Jasně, náročnější klienti vždy ocení nějaký urvaný naturál, nebo hodně progresivní afriku i na espresso, kdo ale nechce svoje hosty vyděsit a má radši bezproblémové kafe, které se na mlýnku chová jak superman, ten hledá v našem e-shopu vždy deskriptory co připomínají chutě čokoládové tyčinky.” 

Restaurant hotelu Passage nejenže tu a tam vytvoří čitelnou ceduli, ale nově začal nabízet vlastní pečivo. Poprosil jsem o nahlédnutí na půlku kváskového a úplně mi to stačilo: střída kompletně bez ok, blátivé a žmolkovité konzistence, elasticita neexistující a bochníky až moc dotmava.

V rámci pracovního zadání jsem byl pověřen (spolu s dalšími třemi lidmi) zdegustovat několik vzorků tuzemských producentů, přičemž první z nich dodal jistý tuzemský e-shop s alkoholem, další malá a nová pražírna kousek za Brnem a největší počet vzorků měla zavedená pražírna z Jižní Moravy, jejíž nejlepší káva se objevila v loňském žebříčku mezi prvními pěti. 

Všech káv bylo 60 gramů a každá byla otevřena po 2 až 3 týdnech od uvedeného data pražení – výjimkou byl sáček z alkoholového obchodu, kde nebylo uvedeno datum ani informace o zrnu – a všechny byly posuzovány primárně jako espresso o 10 až 11 gramech a doplňkově coby cappuccino a cafe latte.

1) Brasilia Fazenda Bela Vista: příjemné, slušně strukturované, dlouhá dochuť, acidita, třešně, peckoviny (13 – 14/20), Red Catuai, 40 % naturální, 60 % anaerobní fermentace, 88 b. 2) Brasilia Boutique Obata: bez problémů, plné tělo, stabilní, jemná acidita (13/20), dvojitá fermentace, uvedených 88.5 bodů je samozřejmě nadsazených  3) Brasilia Mogiana Bella Giana NY 2: plné tělo, stabilní, jemná acidita (13/20) 4) Brasilia Fazenda da Lagoa: s mlékem v pohodě (12 – 13/20) 4) Brasilia Cerrado Doce Diamantina: — „ —  6) Brasilia Santos NY2, ser 17/18: — „ — (silných 12/20) 7) Brasilia Fazenda Monte Bello: na hranici vypitelnosti (12/20)  8) Cuba Serrano Lavado Superior (e-shop): zatuchlé, prázdné, uhlové, špinící mlýnek i odměrný kelímek (11/20) 9) Cuba Serrano Lavado: nenašel jsem odvahu nasypat do mlýnku. Po otevření intenzivní a dusivý pach plného popelníku, po týdnu se přidala žluklost a odér zkaženého rybího filé.

Výsledek pro mě nebyl překvapením, protože papírově nejzajímavější vzorky byly nejlepší i chuťově. Zvláště podnětné byly v tomto ohledu brazilky, které bych si normálně nikdy nekoupil, a také úplný spodek, tedy obě Kuby. Fakt, že může kávu podobné (ne)kvality nabízet spousta “malých a lokálních” pražíren či nově otevřená brněnská kavárna, zůstává důvodem k zamyšlení. Ani drtivá většina tuzemské pražičské špičky ovšem ze srovnání nevyjde bez šrámu, protože všichni její proponenti mají v nabídce nejméně jednu "plastovou”/ kancelářskou kávu, jež je lepší jen ve frázích o kvalitě a původu.

[ovaranae]

I just remembered this also is orloj in Brno

Aka tampon, dildo, dick, penis and is located on penis square (náměstí svobody)

[summerstarsandsea]

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY @sinningsquire!!!!

As something a little different this year, I thought you might get a kick out of a modern au where the boys visit our favorite phallic clock. 😁

Art by @doriftokingu / @doriftoart who truly went above and beyond with the "but what if it was an Instagram post?" idea.

[black-rose-writings]

I think the very phallic looking "clock" deserves a mention, even if someone said it before. Picture here:

Also, I remember reading a story a while back about an architect a few centuries ago building a decorative tower on a building crooked because the city council refused to pay him properly. A few years ago, the tower was supposed to be straightened during renovations. I don't know if it really happened, but it's funny anyway.

And just in general, Brno has big "Czech Florida" energy. If an article starts with "Man from Brno", you know shit's about to get weird.

Every now and then I mention something about the city of Brno to my american friends and it often causes much confusion/concern, so I wanna try to make a list summary of Everything Wrong With Brno

imma start

there is a place called Hell

there is a public transport stop called Crematorium, it is named after the nearby crematorium

it is oddly easy to take the wrong tram and accidentally end up at the Crematorium

the crematorium looks like this

add more

[rolandkocsmar]

BRNO

[batsplat]

I just watched Brno 2005 because of your race notes post and I have to say sete seems like a yapper. The entire race the commentators are breaking down all the quotes he gave them about how he was approaching this race, where he was gonna pass, how he set up his bike for a specific section, like if they are to be believed sete was giving the game away for free?? Which funny as hell but maybe didn’t him help in his attempts to win races???

dude, he's so funny. I've mostly been sticking to an editorial line that makes sete come across as a serious operator for #agenda purposes, but man he is such a yapper. way too invested in image management, which unfortunately properly fucked with him in 2005 - a deeply undignified season where you just end up in a bit of a downward spiral if you're more concerned with explaining why valentino is beating you than you are with, idk, beating him. the pinnacle of his yap tendencies was still that bloody three hour interview with australian podcast bro, where there really were some generational levels of waffling from both parties. a lot of it was very

anyway yeah brno 2005 is great for that. reminds me a bit about the catalunya 2009 jorge situation, which I have now talked at length about but still drives me up the wall a bit - in some ways it's less egregious than sete's behaviour, in some ways it's more so, but don't go around telling journalists before the race that you've won as long as you're ahead going into the final few corners?? OBVIOUSLY jorge was setting himself up for no good reason, but also if you're valentino and you literally pulled off an overtake at the final corner two years earlier and you hear about this, don't your ears just prick up a little!! wouldn't you be just a little bit inspired!! and with sete... his openness, how well-spoken and fluent he was in english plus his general affability did make him popular with reporters, an advantage he held over Certain other valentino rivals. still, there's a difference between giving engaging answers and spilling your entire game plan?? valentino I think was always really good at managing this, like all his answers in pressers sound interesting and are informative, but if you read over them again you do clock that he's not actually told you anything that could possibly be used to harm him. whereas sete... buddy, I promise you valentino really does not need any extra help beating you. cut it out. shut up

[krchov]

And then there is Brno's astronomical clock.

you know how people say soup is round and so it's messed up to put it in a square tupperware? that's how I feel every time I see a square watch

[thetravellingvagrant]

Day 13- Krakow/Brno: In Which I Do Nothing

Okay, so I'm going to cover the next two days with a couple of mini-updates for reasons that'll become apparent as I go on. Don't expect dynamite.

For some ungodly reason I had decided to catch another 7am bus to my next destination, Brno. This meant that, as with my leaving Ukraine, I had to set my alarm for a time that had a six at the start of which is just the least fun thing I can think of. At least this time the bus station was a mere ten minutes walk form the hostel, rather than the forty I had to endure in Lviv.

I ambled my way to the bus, perhaps a bit too lackadaisically as I found myself arriving at the station with around seven minutes to spare. Fortunately, my bus was not too difficult to find, being gigantic and green and positioned directly in front of the door to the platforms, and with a flash of my ticket, I was safely aboard. Crisis averted. I am a hero.

The bus journey was...fine. I mean I was on a bus for five hours; there's not much to say about it. I wrote some blog, I watched some trash, I endured literally everyone around me tucking into oranges at some point or another throughout the trip as if they were actually nice...The journey didn't even have a spooky border crossing, with my arrival in the Czech Republic being signalled instead by a text from Vodafone welcoming me to the country- Slightly disappointing for blog purposes, but I was pretty stoked on it, anyway.

I disembarked the bus once we arrived in Brno and quickly dragged my steadily more and more ruined body to my hostel. I was too early for check in by about an hour, but the receptionist let me into my room anyway because he was a top lad and a premium bloke. I dumped my things and quickly went back out to the christmas market, situated literal metres from the hostel, for a plate of Halusky, given that it was now past noon and I still hadn't eaten since my (excellent) pierogi, some substantial amount of hours ago. The halusky, as with my terrible experience in Prague, wherein I somehow ended up paying around £14 for a little bowl of the stuff (more than once, now...), was charged for by weight. Not having realised this when I ordered it, I clenched hard as my plate was plopped down on a scale, though soon managed to relax as I was charged the equivalent of a mere £3 for the plate. Take note, Prague. You bitch.

After having eaten what essentially amounted to a big heaped plate of potato and meat, I returned to the hostel for a sleep; my alertness by this point, seriously flagging.

When I woke up, I quickly put together a plan for what to do with the rest of my day, though, as I looked at the clock and saw that it was fast approaching half past four in the afternoon and realising how tired my scattershot approach to travelling, with a substantial bus journey every thirty six hours, had cause me to become, I made an executive decision to take a rest day, which is both fine and fair and, as I have said numerous times before, I owe you nothing.

I spent my evening catching up on vagrant business and tinkering with the remainder of my itinerary. I dropped Bratislava altogether, because it's a trash-town full of dwarven racists and decided to distribute the days that I would have spent there equally; one extra in Austria and one in Croatia. Also, I decided, perhaps foolishly, from a logistical standpoint, to switch Graz for Salzburg as my next destination. I am sure my wallet will not thank me for this, but it just sounded all round like a cooler place to go, so...I done it.

I spent the rest of the evening bibbling and lying down, save for the brief stint that I spent out of my room in the hostel's laughable approximation of what constituted a kitchen. I finally managed to use my smuggled sausage and it was every bit as delicious as I had hoped. I had planned to make a tomatoey, sausagey pasta thing, though as I cracked open the jar of tomato sauce, which I had also been carrying from the Ukraine, it became all too clear that it was just exactly that: tomato sauce. i.e. ketchup. For fucks sake Ukraine, you put ketchup in jars, milk in bags, mayonnaise in pouches and yoghurt in cartons. Would it kill you to do even one thing right? Just once?

Anyway, I solemnly munched down my grim slop  and then pretty much went directly to bed. It was great.  I did say not to expect dynamite.