Random Thoughts

It is no secret that people in the US drive a lot , and they rely on their personal vehicles for the majority of their transportation needs. Slight increases in the price of gas or concerns about the environment have done little to curb the country's fuel consumption significantly. The three Detroit automakers always seem behind the curve on every technology including fuel efficiency. No wonder they are all on the brink of bankruptcy. Citizens seem uncompromising when it comes to their right to drive cheaply. Is there any way to cut down on fuel consumption by US drivers? Freakonomicists STEPHEN J. DUBNER and STEVEN D. LEVITT suggest introducing disincentives for driving could be effective. What disincentives do they entertain? Congestion pricing which 'penalizes' those who drive in congested areas has been effectively applied in Singapore and London, but has received a lot of resistance in Manhattan. Pay-as-you-drive (PAYD) Insurance - This way, those who driv...

I had previously written about blocking ads using my wireless router's web filter as a way of saving network bandwidth . Apparently Firefox users like myself can block ads much more conveniently using the Flashblock and Adblock addons. Flashblock literally blocks all Macromedia Flash content and indicates the blocked content with a placeholder which may be clicked to view the Flash content. It is a little excessive, but I like it. Adblock blocks ad sources as instructed. I apologize to those that rely on online advertising revenues to put food on the table, but they should find solace in knowing that I don't respond to ads. Trust me, it is for the best.

The Budget Hero gives you an opportunity to do just that. I made some conservative estimates and achieved two of my three goals on my first try while reducing the federal budget deficit to $1.7T by 2018. Even though I think like a democrat, I did end up decreasing the size of government. Try out your luck/smarts. http://marketplace.publicradio.org/features/budget_hero/

There is no other way to describe the policies of the current leadership in Eritrea. Please watch this appalling interview of the Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki with Riz Khan of Aljazeera and come up with your own series of adjectives to describe that incredible exchange. The fact that Eritreans are dying under the oppressive and misguided dictatorship of Isaias Afeworki frightens and saddens me very much. The fact that there is no immediate hope is downright depressing.

I find it unsettling that people are apprehensive of Obama's foreign policy as it pertains to US-Israel relations. Many have declared Obama's willingness to negotiate with Iran as a lack of commitment to Israel. While I can understand Israeli/Jewish people's initial reservation to endorsing a man with a Muslim sounding name, I disagree with the idea that he will be any less of a friend of Israel. Here are my reasons for not fearing diplomacy and Obama. Diplomacy and negotiation rarely hurt. A policy of refusing to negotiate leads to dead ends in a world that desperately needs paths for peaceful resolutions. While Bush's commitment to Israel is very strong, it has appeared very blind and stupid to a fault. Most people would agree that Israel's security is worse off now than it was in 2000 mainly because Bush's Iraq policy has strengthened Iran which poses the greatest threat to Israel. It is ironic that while the Bush administration is busy not talking to...

More Bikes More bike trails particularly in metro areas. Encourage people to ride bicycles, mopeds and motorcycles Government subsidies and/or tax credits for people using bikes as a primary mode of transportation. Add more safety features to motorcycles. Lighter and More Aerodynamic and Less Powerful Cars An average sedan weighs 3000+ lbs. An average person weighs ~160 lbs. An average horse weighs ~1000 lbs. Why do people need a 3000lbs machine to carry their 160lbs bod? It's time to reduce the car:person ratio. It is time for cars to lose some of that weight. Build cars out of lighter material w/o compromising safety. Encourage people to remove unnecessary weight. Build cars with smaller gas tanks. As cars' fuel mileage improves, the need for giant gas tanks should diminish. More two-seaters for the average Joe, not just sports car enthusiasts. More aerodynamic designs. Thinner tires with higher pressure to reduce impact of friction as well as air drag.

I'm sure everyone has seen the Mac vs. PC ads on TV where the Mac appears to be confident while th PC is in denial about its deficiencies. Missing from that picture is Linux which is robust, but seeks no attention because it has no commercial ambitions. This Mac vs. PC vs. Linux model can serve as a analogy for many things/phenomena. I would like to make a list of those analogies here. For example, The New York Times recently characterized Hillary as a PC and Obama as a mac on the basis of the design of their websites. The analogy would also work if you think of Hillary as the status quo much like Windows, and Obama as the new thing with great promise, cachet and appeal like the newly reborn mac. It is not obvious who would play the role of Linux, but my choice would be Ron Paul. He has some bold and independent ideas along with a very loyal following even though he has no chance of winning. PC Mac Linux Candidate Hillary Clinton Barack Obama Ron Paul States Northeast West Co...