Back From Vacation
I've just returned from Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. It's nice, and not too crowded. This was especially true since it was a bit too cold to go to the beach. The high temp never got above 67 degrees while we were there. This kept most everybody from going out. Undaunted, my son went out every day. Mostly he spent this time chasing seagulls, kicking down sand castles(mine), and generally enjoying himself.
Programming
I've managed to get on a roll lately. I finished the suspend tool last week, and got a good deal of the disconnect tool done as well. So, starting today, I'm off of the project and instead will start working on the database again. The problem with this is that the info I need to process come from a coworker, who is currently out of the office. So I've got bugger all to do until he emails me the info.
Whine Alert!
Today, I was reminded why I dislike the government. I need to get a passport made for a cruise the wife and I are taking(we do go on a lot of vacations). So, I decided to come in late for work and go to the Post office. Only when I was there did I find out that they do not start making passports until 9:00 A.M. Now, I am fairly sure that when we called them to ask about making the passports, they said to come in at 8:00. The Post office opens at 8:00, but apparently for some great and mighty governmental reason they cannot start making the passports until 9:00. So, I came into work late fer nuttin', and now I have to leave late as well. I would write them a letter, but I can't spell plplplplpl!
Big Ideas: Part One
One of the problems with increasing fuel economy in cars is that, beyond a certain point, it comes with a significant decrease in weight. The lighter the car is, the more dangerous it becomes if you have a collision with a heavier vehicle. It is this reason I think, along with a need for space, that SUV's are so hot. Many people, I feel, have a reasonable fear of getting in a collision in a small car. However, there are several reasons(increased fuel prices, environmental concerns, etc.) for society at large to encourage creation of high mileage(or alternative fuel) vehicles. The problem is that individually none of us wants to start putting his family in a Geo Metro for the good of all.
Now the solution I've come up with has several caveats. Firstly, it assumes you give a poop about this issue. Second, it also assumes that you believe that the aforementioned environmental concerns are a real problem. Lastly, it assumes that you can make light-weight vehicles that are still capable of carrying a significant amount of cargo and passengers. If you can't buy into these, and I'm not even sure I do, then read on.
Part one is easy: Mandate vehicle weight. All cars/trucks/whatever must be within a specific weight range designed to optimize fuel economy and passenger safety issues. Simple enough(for those of us who do not have to design the cars), but with at least one problem. Freight transport. We could probably adjust to riding around in light vehicles, since the majority of the time the only thing we need to move is ourselves, but I don't think we can slim down tractor-trailer trucks to a point where they wouldn't be extremely dangerous to the rest of us.
Which leads us to the really big idea: Separate shipping traffic and commuter traffic by time. All Shipping traffic would have to occur from say 11:00 P.M. to 7:00 A.M., and commuter traffic would be free to run the rest of the day. I think this would solve most of the fuel efficiency issue, as well as reduce smog, traffic , etc. It must be emphasized though that this means that garbage trucks, construction equipment(this equipment could still operate during the day onsite, but couldn't move until night), and everything else that requires huge amounts of power to move would have to operate during the 11-7 window. Also, school buses would have to carry a much smaller load, or perhaps disappear altogether, for this idea to work.
Politically, of course, this is in the "Never in a million years" category. I guess I just want to know what you think of the functionality of the idea. Assuming you could convince enough people to do this, is this a good idea?
Programming
I've managed to get on a roll lately. I finished the suspend tool last week, and got a good deal of the disconnect tool done as well. So, starting today, I'm off of the project and instead will start working on the database again. The problem with this is that the info I need to process come from a coworker, who is currently out of the office. So I've got bugger all to do until he emails me the info.
Whine Alert!
Today, I was reminded why I dislike the government. I need to get a passport made for a cruise the wife and I are taking(we do go on a lot of vacations). So, I decided to come in late for work and go to the Post office. Only when I was there did I find out that they do not start making passports until 9:00 A.M. Now, I am fairly sure that when we called them to ask about making the passports, they said to come in at 8:00. The Post office opens at 8:00, but apparently for some great and mighty governmental reason they cannot start making the passports until 9:00. So, I came into work late fer nuttin', and now I have to leave late as well. I would write them a letter, but I can't spell plplplplpl!
Big Ideas: Part One
One of the problems with increasing fuel economy in cars is that, beyond a certain point, it comes with a significant decrease in weight. The lighter the car is, the more dangerous it becomes if you have a collision with a heavier vehicle. It is this reason I think, along with a need for space, that SUV's are so hot. Many people, I feel, have a reasonable fear of getting in a collision in a small car. However, there are several reasons(increased fuel prices, environmental concerns, etc.) for society at large to encourage creation of high mileage(or alternative fuel) vehicles. The problem is that individually none of us wants to start putting his family in a Geo Metro for the good of all.
Now the solution I've come up with has several caveats. Firstly, it assumes you give a poop about this issue. Second, it also assumes that you believe that the aforementioned environmental concerns are a real problem. Lastly, it assumes that you can make light-weight vehicles that are still capable of carrying a significant amount of cargo and passengers. If you can't buy into these, and I'm not even sure I do, then read on.
Part one is easy: Mandate vehicle weight. All cars/trucks/whatever must be within a specific weight range designed to optimize fuel economy and passenger safety issues. Simple enough(for those of us who do not have to design the cars), but with at least one problem. Freight transport. We could probably adjust to riding around in light vehicles, since the majority of the time the only thing we need to move is ourselves, but I don't think we can slim down tractor-trailer trucks to a point where they wouldn't be extremely dangerous to the rest of us.
Which leads us to the really big idea: Separate shipping traffic and commuter traffic by time. All Shipping traffic would have to occur from say 11:00 P.M. to 7:00 A.M., and commuter traffic would be free to run the rest of the day. I think this would solve most of the fuel efficiency issue, as well as reduce smog, traffic , etc. It must be emphasized though that this means that garbage trucks, construction equipment(this equipment could still operate during the day onsite, but couldn't move until night), and everything else that requires huge amounts of power to move would have to operate during the 11-7 window. Also, school buses would have to carry a much smaller load, or perhaps disappear altogether, for this idea to work.
Politically, of course, this is in the "Never in a million years" category. I guess I just want to know what you think of the functionality of the idea. Assuming you could convince enough people to do this, is this a good idea?
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