The problem with cars is that they are too heavy. They have revolutionized western life, democratizing transport, transforming urban design and the way we shop for our vegetables. They have increased our capability to transport goods on a personal scale to a level previously unimaginable in human history. Therein lays the miracle, and the problem.
There have been entire years where my golf clubs have been effectively stored in the back of my car, taken out occasionally for use and re-deposited in the trunk.
Imagine if, when you walked down the street to the corner store that you adopted the same approach, walking around town on a Sunday afternoon with a bag full of golf clubs on your back. What do you think the end result would be?
You'd be more tired and needing more frequent stops for water and food-fuel. On hot days, the prospect of having to carry your clubs might be enough to stop you from going out for that walk at all.
What do you think the net effect would be if you left those clubs in the back of your car full-time? Simple physics dictates that more work is done by the car, and that by extension, more energy is consumed in the process. While your car does not have the property of 'tiredness', I'm guessing that you'll need to fuel up more frequently with the clubs in the cart.
Beyond the micro economic concern arising from higher fuel expense - especially at the end of what may have been the era of cheap fuel - this system-wide performance hit could have significant consequences. While it’s true that if every car on the road had an extra set of golf clubs in it, overall fuel consumption of nations would go up, I think there's a more insidious systemic issue lying in the weeds here.
Consider the other overhead items that constitute the typical family car - the kind that we so often see in morning 'work traffic' with just one occupant, the driver.
The whole back seat
The family car is designed to carry between one and ten or more people and they have the seating to do it. Imagine again, that you're out for your Sunday walk, and along with your golf clubs, you decide to bring along seating for three of your friends in the form of a sofa! With pounds of foam and springs, piles of wood AND your bag of golf sticks, would you make it past your local Starbucks?
A spare tire
It’s nice to have a backup plan. Traffic engineers and urban designers would argue that, without the possibility for local and autonomous repair for the inevitable flatty, traffic systems would grind to a halt. But consider for a moment that your 25 pound spare tire represents approximately 0.5% of the mass of your typical small car. That means that the system is paying a weighty and hence energy-consuming penalty to carry tonnes of rarely used rubber and steel. Is the cost worth it? Is there a better way? Perhaps you should just add a spare set of shoes to your list of Sunday afternoon carry-on items.
The sound system and drink holders
These items are staples for any family car, and I think quite reasonably so. But again, add a ghetto blaster to your back and go for a walk, and you'll soon feel the true cost of carrying a fully featured sound system everywhere you go.
The true cost
And that is the point I believe. Not that we should get rid of back seats or spare tires. Or even that by taking some of the extra junk out of our cars that we might be able to take a free bite out of our Kyoto obligations. But that costs of a transportation infrastructure based on the personal automobile have been hidden from us.
This is not a direct argument for rethinking our transportation infrastructure, although the massive emerging markets in China and India may force that rethink anyway. It’s an observation that the convenience of the modern car has obscured the amount of work these machines do for us and how much 'wasted energy' they consume. This is truly remarkable when compared to the workload and energy consumption of vehicles throughout the history of transportation.
A recent car commercial features a medieval village celebrating with stereotypical wooden mugs and fire roasted meat. To the surprise and joy of the revelers, a gift is spotted outside the gates to the village - a shiny red, compact car. The drawbridge is opened, the car is driven into the village, and the party is continued long into the evening. Fade to black, and the following morning sees the many revelers passed out around the car. The car doors are opened a crack, and out pours an army's worth of invaders to take over the town, Trojan style, highlighting the voluminous cargo carrying capacity of the car.
Democratization indeed, but can we afford it for all.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Friday, July 28, 2006
Artificial Date Drives Space Shuttle Safety Analysis
It is striking how the ‘magical’ 2010 date for STS shutdown is once again driving Safety Analysis at NASA, after the CAIB report made such a big deal about the role that the artificial ‘Node 2’ Assembly Complete date played in Columbia’s demise. Its amazing that date has been so carved in stone, when the circumstances that it was conceived under by CAIB could not be expected to anticipate how things would play out in the years following Columbia.
http://www.space.com/adastra/adastra_discovery_call_060727.html
I think that real leadership would be NASA completing the communication loop with the Administration and advise them that a 2010 shutdown for the STS is not looking doable. Its incredible that so much cash could be invested in making the vehicle safer, and then this artificial date (a) is creating the circumstances to start cutting safety corners again by increasing schedule pressure and (b) is going to undercut that investment in safety by taking the STS out of service when its arguably as safe and effective as its ever been.
---
"We all sorely complain of the shortness of time, and yet have much more than we know what to do with. Our lives are either spent in doing nothing at all, or in doing nothing to the purpose, or in doing nothing that we ought to do. We are always complaining that our days are few, and acting as though there would be no end of them." - Seneca
http://www.space.com/adastra/adastra_discovery_call_060727.html
I think that real leadership would be NASA completing the communication loop with the Administration and advise them that a 2010 shutdown for the STS is not looking doable. Its incredible that so much cash could be invested in making the vehicle safer, and then this artificial date (a) is creating the circumstances to start cutting safety corners again by increasing schedule pressure and (b) is going to undercut that investment in safety by taking the STS out of service when its arguably as safe and effective as its ever been.
---
"We all sorely complain of the shortness of time, and yet have much more than we know what to do with. Our lives are either spent in doing nothing at all, or in doing nothing to the purpose, or in doing nothing that we ought to do. We are always complaining that our days are few, and acting as though there would be no end of them." - Seneca
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Oh What a Tangled Web we Weave
I've created a del.icio.us account, and there you can keep track of recent web articles and sites I've found interesting. Feel free to add me to your contacts if you also have a del.icio.us account.
http://del.icio.us/gamedaygeorge
---
“Oh what a tangled web we weave, When first we practice to deceive” - Sir Walter Scott
http://del.icio.us/gamedaygeorge
---
“Oh what a tangled web we weave, When first we practice to deceive” - Sir Walter Scott
Monday, July 17, 2006
Narrative
No country speaks with one voice. No organization speaks with one voice. No company, division or group speaks with one voice. Not even individual families or people speak with one voice. There simply is no single perspective, language or paradigm through which it is 'right' to view the world.
Strength comes from diversity, and strength and robustness of narrative is no exception. There is a premium placed on strong leadership, and coherent, singular thought lines, but this is an artificial constraint placed on us by the need for common understanding. Too often individual thought is exchanged for the memorization and regurgitation of the narratives that delineate a given field.
Narrative is really about making sense of things. It's about creating internal consistency in our minds. It's about trying to understand the world around us, even when we may not have the time or insight to truly understand. Its about coming to an agreement of what is 'close enough' to the truth, without really getting to the true depth of the issue.
Perhaps this is why so many people are captivated by sport. Because, while the game may have been close, or back and forth, or hotly contested, there is a clear story. A clear ending and in most cases a clear result. There are heroes, and almost always they are heralded from the winning side. Might is right, and that's the story.
And perhaps this is what draws us to war - the historical sense that while we're told it's terrible, at least the wars of the past have left us with a clear story about what happened. The winners and losers stories are told extensively, to the point where their thorny details are polished away to leave a shiny, clear and clean story of how justice was done.
But there is no mono-story, no singular interpretation of the world. Singular truth is not a naturally stable configuration. It is not where nature tends to, and it is not where strength is derived from.
---
“The difference between fiction and reality? Fiction has to make sense." - Tom Clancy
Strength comes from diversity, and strength and robustness of narrative is no exception. There is a premium placed on strong leadership, and coherent, singular thought lines, but this is an artificial constraint placed on us by the need for common understanding. Too often individual thought is exchanged for the memorization and regurgitation of the narratives that delineate a given field.
Narrative is really about making sense of things. It's about creating internal consistency in our minds. It's about trying to understand the world around us, even when we may not have the time or insight to truly understand. Its about coming to an agreement of what is 'close enough' to the truth, without really getting to the true depth of the issue.
Perhaps this is why so many people are captivated by sport. Because, while the game may have been close, or back and forth, or hotly contested, there is a clear story. A clear ending and in most cases a clear result. There are heroes, and almost always they are heralded from the winning side. Might is right, and that's the story.
And perhaps this is what draws us to war - the historical sense that while we're told it's terrible, at least the wars of the past have left us with a clear story about what happened. The winners and losers stories are told extensively, to the point where their thorny details are polished away to leave a shiny, clear and clean story of how justice was done.
But there is no mono-story, no singular interpretation of the world. Singular truth is not a naturally stable configuration. It is not where nature tends to, and it is not where strength is derived from.
---
“The difference between fiction and reality? Fiction has to make sense." - Tom Clancy
Time Travel
Why do we travel? Some people would tell you that its either to chase love, or money. Either way, they put it down to motivation. I agree with that. But I'm not so sure I agree with those as the only motivations.
In this day in age, our freedom to travel seems both limitless - even to the stars - and at the same so contrasted with the varied destinies of our fellow inhabitants of this world. At a time when some have so much, and so much freedom, we also have more then ever, access to the knowledge of how little some have.
Images beamed from around the globe of people with little to nothing but the clothes on their backs. And those that have being able to read about it, and see pictures of it in real-time, as if that were a selling point.
The millions who live in Europe have access to riches, freedoms and fortunes that millions, in equal or stonger numbers, in South America know no access to. The milions who live in North America are the same, if not better off, when counter balanced with those in Africa. And across Asia there are profound divisions in wealth distributions.
So, why travel? Travel is a discontinuation with our current experience. It is a way to see the world in new ways, even if it does seem that the way we are seeing it is a continuation of what we have known.
A great deal is spoken about the 'Culture Shock' that is felt when one heads out on the road to visit a foreign place for the first time. I submit that the real clulture shock - and the real reason to travel - is to know that the way you see your land is only one of many ways. And that you can't truly know what those many and varied views are until you've left, and returned. Then, you may also find out that not just your views, but in fact you have been forever changed.
---
"Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel from coast to coast without seeing anything." - Charles Kuralt
---
The Pebbles
One night a group of nomads were preparing to retire for the evening when suddenly they were surrounded by a great light. They knew they were in the presence of a celestial being. With great anticipation, they awaited a heavenly message of great importance that they knew must be especially for them.
Finally, the voice spoke.
"Gather as many pebbles as you can. Put them in your saddle bags. Travel a day's journey and tomorrow night will find you glad and it will find you sad."
After the light departed, the nomads shared their disappointment and anger with each other. They had expected the revelation of a great universal truth that would enable them to create wealth, health and purpose for the world. But instead they were given a menial task that made no sense to them at all. However, the memory of the brilliance of their visitor caused each one to pick up a few pebbles and deposit them in their saddle bags while voicing their displeasure.
They traveled a day's journey and that night while making camp, the reached into their saddle bags and discovered every pebble they had gathered had become a diamond. They were glad they had diamonds. They were sad they had not gathered more pebbles.
Source: Various Legends, Chicken Soup for the Soul
In this day in age, our freedom to travel seems both limitless - even to the stars - and at the same so contrasted with the varied destinies of our fellow inhabitants of this world. At a time when some have so much, and so much freedom, we also have more then ever, access to the knowledge of how little some have.
Images beamed from around the globe of people with little to nothing but the clothes on their backs. And those that have being able to read about it, and see pictures of it in real-time, as if that were a selling point.
The millions who live in Europe have access to riches, freedoms and fortunes that millions, in equal or stonger numbers, in South America know no access to. The milions who live in North America are the same, if not better off, when counter balanced with those in Africa. And across Asia there are profound divisions in wealth distributions.
So, why travel? Travel is a discontinuation with our current experience. It is a way to see the world in new ways, even if it does seem that the way we are seeing it is a continuation of what we have known.
A great deal is spoken about the 'Culture Shock' that is felt when one heads out on the road to visit a foreign place for the first time. I submit that the real clulture shock - and the real reason to travel - is to know that the way you see your land is only one of many ways. And that you can't truly know what those many and varied views are until you've left, and returned. Then, you may also find out that not just your views, but in fact you have been forever changed.
---
"Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel from coast to coast without seeing anything." - Charles Kuralt
---
The Pebbles
One night a group of nomads were preparing to retire for the evening when suddenly they were surrounded by a great light. They knew they were in the presence of a celestial being. With great anticipation, they awaited a heavenly message of great importance that they knew must be especially for them.
Finally, the voice spoke.
"Gather as many pebbles as you can. Put them in your saddle bags. Travel a day's journey and tomorrow night will find you glad and it will find you sad."
After the light departed, the nomads shared their disappointment and anger with each other. They had expected the revelation of a great universal truth that would enable them to create wealth, health and purpose for the world. But instead they were given a menial task that made no sense to them at all. However, the memory of the brilliance of their visitor caused each one to pick up a few pebbles and deposit them in their saddle bags while voicing their displeasure.
They traveled a day's journey and that night while making camp, the reached into their saddle bags and discovered every pebble they had gathered had become a diamond. They were glad they had diamonds. They were sad they had not gathered more pebbles.
Source: Various Legends, Chicken Soup for the Soul
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
World Cup Down the Toilet
Anyone who been watching the World Cup knows of the dramatic loss of Australia in, literally, the last second of the match on a non-penalty that even the Italian players admit wasn't a penalty and needed to justify with some sort of hand waving about the call making up for earlier errors by the official. The bottom line is that it is part of playing at the World Cup that some officiating decisions will go your way (Aussie had its share), and some will go against you ('Insert Home Team Here' had more then its share). You've just got to learn how to win knowing that, and the Italians are clearly still the masters at that black art. Like trying to speed without getting a ticket - sometimes you win and sometimes you loose.
To that end, I found this little story truly funny, and serves as a reminder not to take 'sporting failures' too seriously - its only life after all. In general, I think Italians are altogether hilarious and lovable when they let down their patriotic guard, and the story of this row of toilets shows that, and made me laugh extensively.
Perhaps Coonamble - a town in rural NSW, Australia - should follow suit in 2006...
---
Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday June 28, 2006
"
AUSTRALIA'S loss to Italy was sown in South Korea four years ago. [ed: WC2006 Aussie Coach Guss Hiddink coached South Korea in WC2002] The last-gasp penalty was a make-up call. Anyone with any suspicion that the outcome of games is manipulated at the highest level need only to look back to 2002.
That's when Italy were robbed blind in a 2-1 extra time loss to South Korea in a second-round World Cup game that was atrociously refereed by Ecuador's Byron Moreno. He was so bad that Sicilians named a row of public toilets after him.
...
"
From here: http://src.uow.edu.au/tert/2003/Globe.pdf
(Ironically the only place I could find a reference to this story was in the web version of a magazine that’s published here in Sydney.)
“
Sicilian resort dedicates new toilets to World Cup [ed: WC2002] ref
As an Italian, this story really hits home. Its about justice more than anything, or so every Italian would have you believe. An Italian council has dedicated its public toilets to the referee blamed for Italy’s departure from the World Cup finals. The resort of Santa Teresa Riva, Sicily, will inscribe Byron Moreno’s name on a plate to be fixed on four new public toilets.
The Ecuadoran ref was highly criticised in the aftermath of the World Cup semi-final match which Italy lost 2-1 to South Korea. “We look at this as an outstanding opportunity for the locals and the tourists to remember Moreno’s performance at the World Cup”, local administrator Pasquale Scarcella said to Il Nuovo website. Mayor Nino Bartolotta confirmed that the plates will be installed on the toilet door. But I tell you ladies and gentlemen, if it were up to me I’d have that refs name on the toilet bowl itself, and maybe even on the toilet paper. Well I’m sure Moreno will be happy to know that it will be his name everyone will be cursing at when a bad batch of tomato sauce comes back to bite them.
“
To that end, I found this little story truly funny, and serves as a reminder not to take 'sporting failures' too seriously - its only life after all. In general, I think Italians are altogether hilarious and lovable when they let down their patriotic guard, and the story of this row of toilets shows that, and made me laugh extensively.
Perhaps Coonamble - a town in rural NSW, Australia - should follow suit in 2006...
---
Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday June 28, 2006
"
AUSTRALIA'S loss to Italy was sown in South Korea four years ago. [ed: WC2006 Aussie Coach Guss Hiddink coached South Korea in WC2002] The last-gasp penalty was a make-up call. Anyone with any suspicion that the outcome of games is manipulated at the highest level need only to look back to 2002.
That's when Italy were robbed blind in a 2-1 extra time loss to South Korea in a second-round World Cup game that was atrociously refereed by Ecuador's Byron Moreno. He was so bad that Sicilians named a row of public toilets after him.
...
"
From here: http://src.uow.edu.au/tert/2003/Globe.pdf
(Ironically the only place I could find a reference to this story was in the web version of a magazine that’s published here in Sydney.)
“
Sicilian resort dedicates new toilets to World Cup [ed: WC2002] ref
As an Italian, this story really hits home. Its about justice more than anything, or so every Italian would have you believe. An Italian council has dedicated its public toilets to the referee blamed for Italy’s departure from the World Cup finals. The resort of Santa Teresa Riva, Sicily, will inscribe Byron Moreno’s name on a plate to be fixed on four new public toilets.
The Ecuadoran ref was highly criticised in the aftermath of the World Cup semi-final match which Italy lost 2-1 to South Korea. “We look at this as an outstanding opportunity for the locals and the tourists to remember Moreno’s performance at the World Cup”, local administrator Pasquale Scarcella said to Il Nuovo website. Mayor Nino Bartolotta confirmed that the plates will be installed on the toilet door. But I tell you ladies and gentlemen, if it were up to me I’d have that refs name on the toilet bowl itself, and maybe even on the toilet paper. Well I’m sure Moreno will be happy to know that it will be his name everyone will be cursing at when a bad batch of tomato sauce comes back to bite them.
“
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Not Televised, Blogged
Gil Scott-Heron believed that The Revolution would not be televised. Jack Kerouac did not believe in editing. Hunter S. Thompson never believed that things got fast enough for him. I'm not sure I believe in any of them, but I sure can have fun trying to figure out what they - and others - were trying to say...
Ideas are like water. I have come to believe its that simple. And just that clear.
Life as we know it isn't possible without either water nor ideas. Sometimes there's too many or too much, and that's not good. Sometimes there's even more, and its just fine.
Sometimes there's wars over both. And from time to time, both can stop wars. Sometimes both flow, and sometimes you curse when they don't. Both can turn paper into a pulp.
Both can be stored in public works. Yet both are constantly challenging the limits of those works. Eventually both will get through, or over, or under, or around any dam put in their way.
You don't really give either as gifts, but both can be the greatest gift of all. Both can turn the driest desert into the most wonderfully fertile of places. Both can spring forth trees where there was only loose dirt.
One drop of either can bring joy, or strike fear. Both will eventually end up inside somebody, if only to flow out in the end. Giving either up is only a guarentee that eventually somebody will discover them, and do with them what they please.
Both should be released for people to use, interpret and then set free again for others to experience, enjoy and build upon. And despite all the handles I've given both, neither are under our control in any way, shape or form.
---
Whitey on the Moon, Gil Scott-Heron
A rat done bit my sister Nell.
(with Whitey on the moon)
Her face and arms began to swell.
(and Whitey's on the moon)
I can't pay no doctor bill.
(but Whitey's on the moon)
Ten years from now I'll be payin' still.
(while Whitey's on the moon)
The man jus' upped my rent las' night.
('cause Whitey's on the moon)
No hot water, no toilets, no lights.
(but Whitey's on the moon)
I wonder why he's uppi' me?
('cause Whitey's on the moon?)
I wuz already givin' 'im fifty a week.
(and now Whitey's on the moon)
Taxes takin' my whole damn check, Junkies makin' me a nervous wreck, The price of food is goin' up, An' as if all that crap wuzn't enough: A rat done bit my sister Nell.
(with Whitey on the moon)
Her face an' arm began to swell.
(and Whitey's on the moon)
Was all that money I made las' year
(for Whitey on the moon?)
How come there ain't no money here?
(Hmm! Whitey's on the moon)
Y'know I jus' 'bout had my fill
(of Whitey on the moon)
I think I'll sen' these doctor bills, Airmail special
(to Whitey on the moon)
Ideas are like water. I have come to believe its that simple. And just that clear.
Life as we know it isn't possible without either water nor ideas. Sometimes there's too many or too much, and that's not good. Sometimes there's even more, and its just fine.
Sometimes there's wars over both. And from time to time, both can stop wars. Sometimes both flow, and sometimes you curse when they don't. Both can turn paper into a pulp.
Both can be stored in public works. Yet both are constantly challenging the limits of those works. Eventually both will get through, or over, or under, or around any dam put in their way.
You don't really give either as gifts, but both can be the greatest gift of all. Both can turn the driest desert into the most wonderfully fertile of places. Both can spring forth trees where there was only loose dirt.
One drop of either can bring joy, or strike fear. Both will eventually end up inside somebody, if only to flow out in the end. Giving either up is only a guarentee that eventually somebody will discover them, and do with them what they please.
Both should be released for people to use, interpret and then set free again for others to experience, enjoy and build upon. And despite all the handles I've given both, neither are under our control in any way, shape or form.
---
Whitey on the Moon, Gil Scott-Heron
A rat done bit my sister Nell.
(with Whitey on the moon)
Her face and arms began to swell.
(and Whitey's on the moon)
I can't pay no doctor bill.
(but Whitey's on the moon)
Ten years from now I'll be payin' still.
(while Whitey's on the moon)
The man jus' upped my rent las' night.
('cause Whitey's on the moon)
No hot water, no toilets, no lights.
(but Whitey's on the moon)
I wonder why he's uppi' me?
('cause Whitey's on the moon?)
I wuz already givin' 'im fifty a week.
(and now Whitey's on the moon)
Taxes takin' my whole damn check, Junkies makin' me a nervous wreck, The price of food is goin' up, An' as if all that crap wuzn't enough: A rat done bit my sister Nell.
(with Whitey on the moon)
Her face an' arm began to swell.
(and Whitey's on the moon)
Was all that money I made las' year
(for Whitey on the moon?)
How come there ain't no money here?
(Hmm! Whitey's on the moon)
Y'know I jus' 'bout had my fill
(of Whitey on the moon)
I think I'll sen' these doctor bills, Airmail special
(to Whitey on the moon)
Saturday, June 17, 2006
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