CAFE Standards, A Waste Of Effort?

Car flipped over. I saw this one day walking downtown with my camera. Luckily no one hurt.

CAFE stands for "corporate average fuel economy." Trying to get car makers to increase the gas mileage in the cars they make, but the whole effort could be a waste of time. Better to just get people to drive less, rather than bother with trying to regulate the auto industry in this way.

One way to make a car more efficient is, of course, to make the car smaller and lighter.

Well, I can see why people still buy the bigger cars. Who wants to be crushed in a little cracker box during an accident? And thousands upon thousands of people die each year in accidents.

Why do people go for larger vehicles? A bit of extra gas is a lot cheaper than hospitalization. It makes sense.

There may be some other magical "technology fix" that improve gas mileage, besides reducing car size and or weight. Maybe CAFE standards can "drive" some innovation in this technology, but we keep looking for that magic potent. We keep looking, as if the corporations are God. Do the corporations really have a magic wand that they just don't want to use out of belligerence?

Well, what about the stubbornness of the American people who insist on driving?

I recently heard Congressman John Dingell (from Michigan) say, in a radio interview (if I remember correctly), that Europe doesn't have CAFE standards.

Yes, Europe doesn't have CAFE standards?

Interesting.

They put higher taxes on gasoline, rather than bothering with CAFE.

I guess that would be "Europe as a block" or most European nations?

Europe doesn't bother trying to regulate auto efficiency. Instead, they put stiff taxes on gasoline. When gas is more expensive, the market favors more efficient cars. Also (I might add) the market uses more public transit, bicycling and walking.

Here in USA, fuel prices fluctuate. When prices go up, fuel efficient cars become a short lived fad. Auto makers start tooling up for the new market reality; roads filled with tiny vehicles.

Then gas prices drop before factory retools can even make it off the drawing board! Big cars with more padding and safety come back into style. Our roads become a scary mix of gas conscious tinderboxes versus road hogging monsters.

When it comes down to survival of the fittest, who wins? Not the gas conscientious.

Well, maybe I win when I am riding a Greyhound bus.

On my bicycle, I am usually out of the battle, for the most part, if I can find a shoulder. Maybe that's not as safe as Greyhound, but it's much better than being in the traffic pattern on a motorcycle, for instance.

Most of the time, gas is still a bargain in USA. Gas is an amazing bargain when compared to the costs of hospital stays and health insurance plans.

Curbing immigration?

It doesn't look like our nation of immigrants can curb immigration. America is a nation of immigrants.

The underlying issue is too much world population growth.

Now that we have more Democrats in Congress, I hope there can be a more friendly attitude toward domestic and international family planning agencies.

Did Iraq have anything to do with September 11 terrorist attacks?

Yes.

Here's one connection. I hear, in the news, that Osama Bin Laden was mad at USA, in part, because our troops were occupying holy land in Saudi Arabia during 1990 - 1991 Gulf War period. It was Desert Shield followed by Desert Storm. Apparently this situation is one of the things to cause Bin Laden and followers to turn against US with a vengeance.

Why were our troops there?

There's a connection. We were in Saudi Arabia trying to deal with a problem related to Iraq.

We're always trying to "fix" the Middle East. Maybe we would have been better off learning to live without Persian Gulf oil. Or at least we would have been less likely to piss people off.

Of course, some folks are always pissed off, but we can try to stay out of it. Let the pissed off people quarrel amongst one another.

Unfortunately we're a bit pissed off also. We're a bit spoiled by cheap energy.

4th anniversary of Iraq War?

Or is it the 16th anniversary?

16 years since 1991 Gulf War that may have not really ended, but left Saddam Hussein in power. Much of that time folks in USA must have felt guilty about leaving Iraqi people caught between Hussein and UN sanctions.

Or back even farther?

When we gradually became more and more dependent on Middle Eastern oil.

Rainbow Flag over Western

As I was biking through Western Washington University campus, I noticed the rainbow flag flying proudly. On top of a tall tree in front of chemistry and biology buildings.

Interesting.

Must be a story behind that, but I haven't heard the story. Not sure if it's "official" or not. Rainbow banners have been official along Davie Street in Vancouver, BC and they look nice.

Rainbow flag related to gay community.

Then a friend of mine is traveling in Peru, South America. A rainbow flag flies high over the cathedral in Cusco. It's the official flag of Cusco long before it became an international symbol for gay parades.

Just a coincidence.

He says Cusco is talking about changing it's flag.

Mercator Projection. The Cold War. The War on Terrorism

Our "world view," influenced by how we map the world.

Is George Bush a member of the "Flat Earth Society?"

The Mercator Projection is a type of map that was common when I was a kid. Hung on the classroom wall, it made the world look flat. Also distorted reality, as every world view does.

A world view is always limited. True reality is beyond perception.

Showing a round globe on a flat map is problematic. Map makers have several different types of "projections" that they use to try and do the trick.

Due the trick at least part way.

Sometimes the globe gets cut up into slices; like apple slices.

The Mercator Projection was very common. Didn't slice the world, or distort the border shapes. Looked nice and flat on a map; on the classroom wall, but it distorted the size. It distorted the size and possibly the importance of certain nations.

Nations near the north pole look a lot larger than they really are. The old Soviet Union shown in red. That was way north, not far from the north pole. The Mercator maps made it look massive and ominous.

The "Evil Empire "

Then there was the little guy, like in "David and Goliath." The good guy USA. Blue, like the pure sky. The foothold of hope and freedom.

USA, Canada, Western Europe, Australia and a few frontier outposts like Japan, South Korea and South Vietnam were blue.

Blue and red were faced off.

The red was a growing blob, a menace of totalitarianism, slavery, marching from China to Eastern Europe.

The "Soviet Block."

We had to hold the line in Vietnam, or where ever. Prevent more nations from turning red like dominos falling. The domino theory.

It's true that the Soviet Union was largest country in the world, in land area, but Mercator map made it look even bigger. Bigger than Africa.

In reality, the Soviet Union was around 8 million square miles while Africa is over 11 million square miles. Doesn't look like that on a Mercator map.

Then China has the biggest population in the world. It all looked "bigger than life" due to the Mercator Projection on the classroom wall.

Scary.

Now we have "Red States" and "Blue States," but that's a little bit of a different game.

What about the rest of the world? South America, Africa, The Middle East? They are all white or nondescript in color. Potential for one side or the other. Pawns in the battlefield.

Then there's Antarctica's ice. Look how big that looks. Close to the south pole. Many Mercator maps just excluded Antarctica.

Why are there bands across Greenland? It's part "freedom" because it's owned by Denmark, but mostly it's useless ice. Look how big Greenland looks on the map.

Now Greenland plays an important role in the "global warming" discussion, but that's another story.

I drew this map to try and capture the "feeling of geography" in my grade school classrooms. Grade school classrooms during cold war times.

Yes, that was quite a compelling world view. Lead to such concepts as "The Domino Theory."

"If one more nation falls into the Soviet Union's iron grasp, more will follow." "Evil Empire will slowly unravel the world."

"Vietnam was the "finger in the dike."

It is a convincing world view. Scary.

I can see why people "bought it."

Some students even hid under desks during air raid drills, but that world view started to unravel.

China and Soviet Union started quarreling with one another; as early as the late 1960s. The block softening?

By the mid 1970s, when we gave up on Vietnam, the domino theory didn't happen. Instead there was conflict between Vietnam and Cambodia. Two different brands of evil?

Eventually even the Soviet Union crumbled under it's own bureaucratic weight?

The US had less land area, but what people call a "beacon of freedom" brought a climate of innovation.

Could the Soviets invent the Internet?

Is control of land and resources the only road to prosperity?

Is there a similar "world view" influencing our "War on Terrorism" today?

Should we be calling it a war, or might it be better thought of as an issue of law enforcement?

Is there an "Evil Empire," an "Axis of Evil" or is there just a potential for crime and terrorism to break out anywhere in the world, including at home?

Who is best equipped to fight terror?

The military?

The police?

Intelligence?

Charity?

Anger management?

Just some ideas to think about.

Speaking of innovation, does the military even have enough nerds to study foreign languages for good intelligence gathering?

Oh, many of them were kicked out by "don't ask don't tell" policy on gay people in the military.

Condo Conversion In Reverse?

In some cities, there is a worrisome trend of converting apartment buildings into condominiums thus reducing the number of rental units available. Making housing less affordable.

Then I hear that a lot of condominium units are not "owner occupied." The condo owner is renting out the unit to tenants.

Would this be "condominium conversion in reverse?" "Condo" actually used as "rental."

There was a recent article in the Herald about local condominiums that are not "owner occupied." A large percentage of them.

Could be good news for renters.

I don't think we have a problem with condominium conversion here in Bellingham. They are building a lot of condos, but it is "new construction" for the most part. Elbow room. Some people don't like seeing new construction, but at least it can create "elbow room," or "breathing room," if one would rather say that.

Especially as population keeps growing.

They say some condo owners have bought early before retirement. They bought before they actually plan to live here. They don't want to leave their "real jobs" yet and come to Bellingham where there doesn't seem to be much enterprise beyond "education," "retirement" and "retailing."

That gives us locals some breathing room. The scary stories about skyrocketing rents and condo conversion from other locations isn't too bad here yet.

A somewhat soft economy, in terms of wage scales, has some benefits. It's a bit more mellow. Maybe not quite as much of a "rat race" even though it seems like a rat race at times, especially looking at the traffic.

I feel like it's kind of a treadmill that goes nowhere.

"Treadmill to nowhere," that's what a lot of the commercial economy is about, everywhere. Especially noticeable here where we don't have a lot of enterprise outside of local retailing.

Few big export industries.

There's always so many gift shops, massage therapists, restaurants, dance studios, opening up and then struggling. Selling to one another's employees. Lots of "preaching to the choir" here, it seems like. Running on that treadmill trying to get ahead, and then closing.

Box Store Dodge Ball

Bellingham, Ferndale, Whatcom County, Lummi Reservation. The game is on to avoid being hit, or to catch the ball - box stores.

Bellingham dodges with a ban on box stores, but the ball is still in the air.

Ferndale temporarily dodges and so does Whatcom County.

Now it looks like Lummi Reservation may be poised to catch the ball, or a Walmart Superstore at least.

Who's winning? Who's loosing? Why are people playing?

The automobile plays. It plays a big role in box store economics. Plenty of space for parking.

Then there's also the "one with the most toys wins" cheer.

Volume discount.

That's why people are playing, to a large extent.

Next question.

Is anyone winning, or losing?

In Washington State, dodging a super store could mean losing lots of tax revenue. We don't have a state income tax, so our state and local governments derive a large percent of their "revenue score" from sales tax.

On the other hand, catching the ball can mean traffic, other problems.

Traffic crosses jurisdictional lines as well. Can the referee do anything, call a time-out?

Sitting in the grandstands, I am not too worried. I just try and go where the traffic isn't, or at least there's a wide enough shoulder to cushion my bicycle.

Dodge ball with the cars can be deadly.

I haven't used Slater Road that frequently, since they built Silver Reef Casino, out by where there's talk of a possible Walmart.

Years ago, I cycled along those lowlands, where birds flew, but traffic changes the scene. Yes, there's a shoulder on Slater, but a trip on parts of I-5 is better. A wider shoulder. If Slater is going to be busy anyway, might as well take a trip on I-5's wider shoulder.

Narrow shoulders on Nooksack River bridges can be a problem.

As for catching a few "trail building" dollars, there is a new bike trail, near that area, which is quite delightful. Along east dike of Nooksack River south from Hovander Homstead Park, near Ferndale.

Part of the score is in how our people play the game. Try to live a sustainable lifestyle.

What's that? Read on, my blog.

Global Warming and Antarctica, does that argument hold water?

A radio talk show host was questioning global warming by saying that Antarctica's ice is getting thicker as we speak. It was on a Dori Monson show over KIRO in Seattle.

That's no argument against the existence of global warming. It just might mean that precipitation is increasing in parts of Antarctica. Much of that continent is considered desert anyway. An increase in precipitation would mean thickening of the ice. When the normal cold temps, toward the center of Antarctica go below -112 F., the ice could still be thickening, even if the center of Antarctica gets a bit warmer.

A bit warmer, like say -106 F.

Increased precipitation would still be snow at -106 F. It's still "warming." -106 F. is warmer than -112 F., but it's still ice.

If the ice thickens, maybe it will "hold water" and prevent some of the rising ocean levels.

Get it, "hold water." Still, that argument doesn't hold water as a dispute of global warming.

Global warming could just mean a slight rise of a few degrees in much of the world. Just that little bit is still enough to melt many of the mid latitude glaciers that we depend on, such as here in the Pacific Northwest where much of our hydroelectric power comes from glacier fed stream flows. Also slight changes in global climate can wreak havoc on those colored bands that I used to see in world maps at my grade school. Colored bands for different climates like, "Mediterranean," "West Coast Marine," "Steppe Breadbasket," "Continental Moist," "Taiga Forest," "Tundra" and so forth.

The positions of these bands have been fairly reliable in our the past. A foundation for much of the global economy.

If those color bands start moving around, it could be at least a "bad stock market day."

Al Gore's Big House

Or houses?

Media has had news about the allegedly "global warming" utility bills for Al Gore's residences; the preacher against global warming.

I saw his movie, "Inconvenient Truth." It's one of the few movies I have seen since I am not one for Hollywood, celebrities and their big houses.

I liked the movie.

Yes, the message is important, we do need to address global warming. My main complaint about the movie was not seeing bicycles. I don't think he mentioned bicycles. One can walk away knowing we have a global warming problem while feeling helpless about solutions.

Yes, celebrities, politicians and so forth live in big houses all too often. Would you listen to some cleaning lady, or janitor, like me?

Not long ago, I heard someone on the radio complain that Wikipedia wouldn't allow articles about "just anyone down the street." Try doing an entry for the cleaning lady.

Does someone have to live in a big house to have a voice?

Also, just about everyone drives.

We all live in Al Gore's big house, it's our Planet Earth.

Conversation about The Compact

The compact to not buy new things was a topic on KUOW Radio's "The Conversation" yesterday (February 26). A group of folks making a compact not to buy new things except for a few exceptions such as food. This can reduce consumption. They have a Yahoo group and so forth.

Interesting idea.

I haven't taken any pledge against new items, but I don't consume as much as most folks around me.

One caller worried that such movements could put folks out of work. Less consumption means less manufacturing and retailing.

Here is where we can connect two movements. There is a movement for "shorter work week." A quote I once saw said, "work less, buy less, live more fully."

Having a family can make downsizing more difficult. Kids are often influenced by peer pressure and advertising for shiny new products. They can become like "Trojan horses" residing in the household and bringing demands for things they see on TV or at friend's places.

Still, several callers with kids said that their children were understanding and going along with the program, so to speak.

My lifestyle is quite austere. I have no one's demands to worry about, but myself.

Being single has advantages.

Single living is be more the story of my lifestyle than being gay. While listening to that show, I checked my email and found this piece about how to tell you are gay.

Here are the 3 top items that came to view in that email.

You know you are gay if:

1. You wear appropriate underwear for each of your dates.
2. You understand the subtle differences between at least 20 brands of vodka.
3. You understand the immense importance of good (or bad) lighting.

Much of identifying with various strands of culture revolve around consumption. Whether you are an SUV driving "soccer mom," or a fashion conscious gay male, the stereotypical norms of our culture are often defined by the products we buy.

Here are some questions to ponder.

Does downsizing make one a loner in this culture?

Is being a loner necessarily bad?

Is having a nice car, clothing, furniture, living space a prerequisite for dating and being in a relationship (either gay or straight?)

Are there other ways of feeling connected besides being in a relationship; being the top catch for a date?

One Thousand Two Hundred and Eight Plastic Forks

sadly stuck into the grass in front of poor "Old Main" administration building of Western Washington University.

1208 per hour.

I rush by. "Is that 1208 more mouths having to be fed each hour on planet Earth?" Over population. The grass sure does look tired and trampled. It's been winter. Lawns look beet up, dormant, full of dog droppings, litter, plastic forks.

Not yet the vibrancy of spring.

Next day, I look again. "NO." It's not 1208 more mouths, it's 1208 people who die each hour, from malnutrition related causes.

1208 each hour. Could be you or I.

It's a fund raiser for university students to go with out eating for 30 hours and donate $2 to some hunger relief fund.

I remember a similar campaign during my college days, so many years ago.

It still seems like the poor old Earth is too crowded and burdened. One can feel overwhelmed. Ready to walk on by and forget.

It's nice to be generous and charitable, but an ocean of hunger can be deeper than even Earth's "fished out" oceans. Of course fish farming and better distribution of wealth can bring more to the table of satisfaction.

Still, it seems like we're losing ground.

Also found on tired lawns, just before Spring's vibrancy begins:

Old condoms.

Another thing sprouting all over Bellingham:

New condominium developments.

Of course compact condominiums are better than single "family values" acres of sprawl. And condoms are one of many good ideas.

Let's put two and two together and address the world population explosion.

Alternative Fuels Raceway?

There are some folks who want the State of Washington to help fund a Nascar racing track in Kitsap County. Bad idea, as I am not into competition and all that oil consumption.

There is another proposal, in the Legislature, to use our state motor vehicle fleet for giving a push to locally produced bio-fuels. Money for converting school buses, state cars and so forth to alternative fuel.

I put two and two together. How about a state subsidized "alternative fuel race track?"

If the state were to fund something like this, it might be justified as a way to "drive" new technology. Western Washington University has a program for building cars that run on alternative fuel. They have built electric cars, solar cars and so forth. Often, I read that these cars are entered into competitions in various parts of the world.

Maybe even this wouldn't be a good idea.

I hear bio-fuels aren't that good. The amount of energy consumed in growing the crops can cancel the benefit. Today's Bellingham Herald had an article about dairy farmers who are worried that bio-fuel demand is pushing up corn prices, thus raising the cost of producing milk.

I have to have reasonably priced chocolate milk to run my bicycling.

Forget the bio-fuels and the idea of a competitive Nascar track, even my thoughts about an "alternative fuel" race track. I've got to have my chocolate milk.

Oil On The Brain

Title of an interesting book. I heard the author, Lisa Margnelli, interviewed today on KUOW's show called "The Beat."

Interview is still in KUOW Radio archive for The Beat, February 20 07. It's about half way through that hour long show.

Pictured on right is drilling rig I saw off southern California coast during my 2003 bicycle tour.

She talked about how much our oil economy is driven by the consumer.

Following the pipeline all the way from filling stations striving to keep the customer happy to gas truck drivers "doing what it takes" to make sure the station remains stocked. She met one driver who wore shorts in the truck because gas spilled on one's leg is better than gas soaked pants. That can turn one into a human torch.

Volatile.

Then there's the refineries. There's all that effort placed in cracking geological formations to get out the increasingly hard to tap reserve.

She even visited some oil exporting nations such as Iran, Nigeria and Venezuela. In Venezuela, she described one woman who was waiting in a cardboard hut for over 20 years for her promised benefit of a new house from government oil revenues.

The interview describes it much better than I. It's quite interesting.

Of course the conclusion involved trying to use less oil. She mentioned things like tele-commuting, more efficient cars, car-pooling.

I would add to this the story of my lifestyle. I've never driven a car! Bicycling, walking and public transit has met that the only time I "filled up at the pump" was for a lawn mower. That was part of a lawn mowing job I had in college.

Viking Biker Rune passed through Bellingham before crossing Canada in winter

Last November, a person named Rune passed through Bellingham on his way around the world. Traveling by bicycle. He was headed for Canada, to bike across that country in the winter.

Yes, the WINTER. Rune's home country is Norway.

By now, he is crossing prairie provinces and one can follow the trip on his blog, Vikingbiker's Diary. Lots of interesting pictures, Youtube videos and so forth.

An interesting contrast to my kind of cycling. His sleeping bag cost $800, while I lucked out and found mine at the Grocery Outlet (of all places) for $10. Of course, mine is only good in temperatures above 45 F. I only bike tour in the summer. His has to be good in weather down to maybe 30 F. below zero.

I forgot the exact number, but cold.

His kind of biking is more extreme than mine. Not only is he crossing Canada in the winter, he headed north (after crossing the Canadian border) to Prince Rupert, BC. before starting his eastward trek across the country.

Wanted to get even farther north, I guess.

His dramatic trip is generating a lot of media coverage; newspapers, TV and radio stations. In the media, he often says he wants to see the world now. See the world now because after one gets married, one basically stops doing things like this.

I guess that would be "going from one extreme to another." "World traveler" to "nester."

As for me, I prefer more moderate cycling. One or two month "summer vacation" trips while keeping my job and rented room, here in town. I've been across the USA, but only in the summer. I'm not planning to marry, but have met bike tourists who do travel as a couple. Others leave their spouses at home while doing a tour. For moderate trips at least.

I've done nothing as extreme as biking around the world or crossing Canada in the winter, but bike touring remains a part of my lifestyle; year after year.

Everyone is different.

Rune is having a great time and it's fun to follow his progress on the web. One of his Youtube videos with snow blowing across the road is quite memorable.

Pacific Northwest outgrowing it's hydroelectric resource

Image: power line near Bonneville Dam.

Governor Gregoire has signed an executive order called "Washington Climate Change Challenge."

Someday they might come up with a better name.

Basically this challenge means "rolling back greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2020."

Good idea, but a hard step to take due to population growth.

Yes, population growth is a big factor.

Most Northwest electricity used to be "non greenhouse gas emitting" hydro-power.

Dams on the rivers.

We've built just about all the dams we can, but our population and economy keeps growing.

We've outgrown our rivers!

I hear that the percentage of power which the Northwest gets from
hydro-electric sources keeps dropping. It's been dropping for years.

New people means having to get power from new sources.

If we can't build anymore dams, "new sources" has been natural gas, coal and nuclear.

That is in the past at least. Hopefully we can also be adding some new power from green energy sources such as wind and solar.

Washington State Initiative 957 has just been filed

It would require heterosexual couples to have kids within three years or else their marriage would be annulled.

I doubt it would get enough signatures to make the ballot, but it's sure succeeding in starting a lot of conversations.

Let us add to that conversation a link between "sexual politics" and "environmental politics."

Population, procreation; it doesn't make sense to persecute alternative lifestyles, such as gay lifestyles, while the world's getting too crowded and the north pole is melting. Look at all the traffic.

So, let the conversation roll and let's start talking sexual politics linked to environmental politics.

I doubt that Initiative 957 is a serious initiative. It is basically a conversation starter. Filed in response to a recent Washington State Supreme Court ruling against gay marriage.

Court ruling called Andersen V. King County.

This decision, declared that a “legitimate state interest” allows the Legislature to limit marriage to those couples able to have and raise children together. Because of this “legitimate state interest,” it is permissible to bar same-sex couples from legal marriage.

This initiative to also bar "child free" heterosexual couples from marriage may not go real far, toward the ballot, but it's going a long ways in editorial pages, blogs and radio talk shows. Now that the conversation is starting, it is time to link this discussion to environmental issues. How much procreation do we want to promote in this world, or do we want to embrace some alternatives?

Oil well near a Taco Bell drive through

Production not far from consumption.

While most oil for US lifestyles is imported, some is produced locally in places like Southern California.

Thinking about my last post for a tax on imported oil.

Domestic oil production would be exempt from such a tax.

A tax on oil imports is a good idea overall, but would not be without side effects. For instance it would likely encourage drilling for oil in places like Alaska's Anwar Arctic Wildlife Refuge. Maybe that wouldn't be the end of the world.

American's tend to rail against the drilling consequences of oil consumption, but then drive home from the protest.

I saw this interesting juxtaposition of land uses during my 2003 bicycle trip down the west coast. This was in the Huntington Beach area. Ironically, very nice bike paths in that area. Much of Southern California has real nice paths along the beaches and other spots.

Tax on imported oil, a good idea

An imported oil tax could create a floor through which oil prices in the US would not fall. At the same time, the tax could be removed when oil gets high, to soften the blow of high oil prices.

When oil prices go up, innovation and investment are put into alternative energy as well as conservation. Then oil prices fall causing alternative plans to go belly up. After the alternatives go belly up, oil gets expensive again.

A variable tax on imported oil could create more predictable market conditions for energy alternatives.

If we don't impose something like this, the Saudis might. I hear Saudi Arabia is talking about trying to shore up oil prices.

They need the money.

Their population keeps growing. Many more mouths to feed. Hungary people can breed terrorism.

While we are addicted to their oil, they are addicted to our money.

Too bad the Saudis are a conservative "traditionalist" society, thus not taking kindly to the concept of "diversity." Otherwise, they would have an easier time "diversifying" their economy. Diversifying it beyond oil.

We have our problems with "traditionalist thinking" here in the USA as well.

Republicans keep saying, "no new taxes;" people are too addicted to their money.

Democrats are a little better, but they often "go to bed" with consumer interests.

Does consumer interests mean consumptive culture?

Democrats complain when gas prices go up. What they should be doing is using periods of high prices to argue for alternatives. Alternative lifestyles, transit, planning, what ever.

The price of oil goes up and down, but over the long term, this trend is up. Demand will eventually outstrip supply. Then we will wish our alternative energy plans had not been drowned out by temporary periods of cheap oil.

I saw a real good piece by New York Times Columnist Tom Friedman advocating the tax on imported oil. Soon after reading that column, I heard of the Saudi plan for not allowing oil prices to drop so far. If we don't do something, the Saudis will. We will be paying anyway.

Not letting hostile folks control our thinking

A religious columnist, of the right wing variety, was talking about Islamic extremists. He was saying that they don't mind America's capitalism, consumption or freedoms.

Instead, he said, the extremists don't like America's feminists and gays.

Yes, a right wing religious fanatic would say that.

He thinks USA could reduce the hatred that Islamic extremists hold toward this country if we just decide to hide our feminists and gays. Show the so-called "decent heartland of family life" side of America. Then, extremist anger would soften, supposedly.

Well, it ain't gonna work. Not that way, at least.

America could show it's "family heartland side" till it's "blue in the face," or "red in the face" as in "red states - blue states."

It's not gonna work. It's not enough. The Islamic extremists would not be impressed.

Those type of extremists would still not be satisfied until Israel was wiped off the map.

The extremists would want to eliminate Israel and her people.

Then the extremists would turn on one another. Actually they are already turning on one another.

Sunnis versus Shiites, various tribes, clans.

They're fighting among themselves anyway.

That's what is meant by the term "mean spirited."

We shouldn't try to appeal to that kind of hatred. It would just turn us sour also. Turn us into "angry extremists" ourselves.

Hopefully, the world doesn't have too many hostile extremists in it.

We should appeal to the more humane mindsets that are out there also. Appeal to the more humane mindsets by supporting our gays and feminists; for instance.

As for how to deal with the hostile mindsets in this world, it is hard to say what the best strategy would be.

Ignoring the hatred might be a good strategy.

Yes, ignoring it.

You may think I am crazy.

I know, there is the phrase "squeaky wheel gets the grease." At the same time, when media focuses on all the hostility, rather than more positive things, it does create "copy cat" hostility in it's wake.

Ignoring the angry screamers, in this world, might be worth considering.

America has tried war against hostile elements.

"War on terror," "War in Iraq."

Outcome is dubious at best.

I could do a bad pun and say, "outcome is Dubya at best;" as in George Dubya Bush.

I know that's a bad pun.

USA's war effort, in Iraq, may be just playing into the hands of the hostile ideologies anyway.

Putting one set of religious fanatics in power over another.

We are really stuck trying to play referee.

We've tried to be referee in the Middle East for years and it seems like practically no one is impressed.

Well, there does have to be some defense against terrorism. Defense like having the police around to protect people from crime.

Maybe we should not call it a "war on terrorism" as "war" is too negative a response. "Police work" might be more effective.

Yes, police work, like "good intelligence," "breaking up terror plots" and so forth.

We can still use the military for this. No, I am not advocating disbanding the military and just relying on underfunded local police.

We do need some kind of force to deal with hostility, but we don't need to blow it out of proportion.

Maybe we are allowing ourselves to be dominated by the negative. It's too much "Tit for tat."

Ignoring the terrorists, or at least treating it more as "common garden variety crime" is worth considering.

We should not let the terrorists and bigots of this world govern our thinking.

A Bicycle Safety Idea. Bicycle Christmas lights video

See colored lights go around on my bicycle spokes. A 53 second Youtube video. Also see brightly lit car sales lot. If the cars are all lit up even while parked, why can't we celebrate our bikes with lights. It's good for safety and flamboyance.

Baker from Sehome Hill and thoughts on running at the gym or running outside

A Running Commentary

Some folks are already grumbling at the gym because parking lot is too small.

They're running out of space.

Try running to the gym, instead of running your vehicle.

When I run past the gym, while running my errands, I see folks running on treadmills. They claim they can't run to the gym, else they'd run out of time.

I don't make it to a treadmill since I run into so many interesting people in the locker room. It's an ongoing conversation. Topics run the gambit from politics to confessions.

Locker room can be more enlightening than a bar where they run too many watts through those ear shattering amplifiers. Before Washington State banned smoking in the nightclubs, it would make my eyes run. Smoke used to run me right out of those places.

For dancing, I would rather run to aerobics where the music is kinder. That's still not a treadmill.

Running, or actually jogging and walking up Sehome hill, Mount Baker greeted me via the zoom lens.

Happened to walk past WTA transit terminal

Bellingham's bus terminal is getting a face lift. Buses are using temporary quarters for a while.

As I was walking by, they happened to be tearing out some of the old roofing. Passerby commented, "It's easier than using your hands."

I agreed. Hear our voices. This may not be a great film, but it's only 51 seconds. I'm just learning how to use video.

Will be nice to have larger waiting area for passengers in our bus terminal. They hope to have that ready in October.

Education: paramount duty of the state?

My first Youtube video. Impressive light show at Whatcom Educational Credit Union on Holly Street.

I hear that there is a group called Network for Excellence in Washington Schools. They are considering filing of a law suite against Washington State over school funding levels.

Watch out.

Since our state constitution has wording about education being the paramount duty of state government, there are some who feel funding of education has been inadequate. This could be grounds for having a court parcel out state funding, rather than the legislature.

In theory, the state constitution puts education on top of the list, but in practice "public safety" is probably the paramount duty of government. Usually police, fire and public safety are thought of as the most important functions for state and local government.

After that, everything else.

It can be argued that just about all functions of government provide "education." Really, education never stops throughout life; or at least it shouldn't.

Washington State's Basic Health Plan for low income workers could be seen as an educational thing because it provides access to a doctor. Seeing the doctor could "teach" someone about better diet, exercise and stopping smoking. If these lessens are taught to a low income worker in Washington's service economy, it could be seen as important. Possibly more important than some part of the school curriculum.

Many people do not have access to doctors in this state until they get to the emergency room.

Even state parks could be viewed as educational institutions. Interpretive centers, hands on museums and nature trails are all educational. The schools even benefit from state parks. Where do people go for field trips?

All of society should be seen as an educational experience, not just a machine for making money.

People who work in supermarkets can benefit just as much from a publicly funded museum as their kids can from school.

Kids might even do better in school if they are immersed in a society of learning, not just a state that provides good schools, but lets everything else go to pot.

I hope this school funding issue doesn't mean big cuts to other important services that state government provides.

On the other hand, maybe it's time for the state of Washington to impose an income tax.

Shifting Debate On Global Warming

The debate about global warming seems to be shifting now that there is more of a consensus among scientists that global warming is a reality.

Instead of debating whether this problem exists, the debate is shifting toward what to do about it.

One school of thought would emphasize altering lifestyles so less energy is consumed, thus less greenhouse gas generated.

Another school of thought would do things like developing more nuclear power. Nuclear energy could allow us to consume as much energy as we do today with out getting it from burning coal and fossil fuels.

I believe the problem will have to be addressed from both directions. Lifestyle changes and new sources of energy that don't create greenhouse gas. Nuclear may be one of the answers.

Radio talk host Bill Wattenburg makes a strong case for nuclear during his show on KGO in San Freancisco.

I notice that humankind seems to be better at solving problems with technology than social innovation. Wonder why that is?

Social innovation can be good also. I love riding my bike. Having a lifestyle that doesn't lead to population growth is good also. What about having more free time?

Our local paper recently ran a story from the Philadelphia Inquirer. It was about how "long work hours" can lead to more energy use. Two researchers from the center for Economic and Policy Research saw a correlation between length of workweek and energy consumption. They compared these factors in several industrialized nations.

Populations that work more, tend to consume more.

This sounds interesting.

Let's have more free time so we can reduce global warming.

We can build a few nuclear power plants as well. I won't make a big complaint about that as long as I get my free time.

As for mainstream lifestyles, I thought of the phrase, "nuclear power for the nuclear family."

On a technological front, the Bellingham Herald recently ran an article about light emitting diodes in city stop lights. These new stoplights can save the city well over $100,000 in electricity and maintenance costs per year.

Less work? Less work replacing bulbs.

One can always ask, "How many Americans does it take to replace a light bulb?"

I came up with an answer to that question; speaking of things like traffic signals.

It takes two.

One is needed to run out of the car and replace the bulb, while the other drives around the block looking for a place to park.

Maybe someday we will get rid of cars and stoplights altogether.

In the meantime, light emitting diodes is another technological solution. I am for just about all the solutions we can muster.

Trails To Balfour Village?

A large development is proposed in Columbia Valley / Kendall area. Quite a few trails and parks are planned in the development which is described as using "environmental friendly" design. More compact and "low impact" than a lot of what's out there now; so they say.

It is controversial. Just about all the new development in this corner of the world is. Traffic on Mount Baker Highway has folks worried. It's getting worse each year.

Rather than jumping onto the "pro, or anti" development side, I tend to have a different line of thinking.

I think, "trails," "parks;" maybe we can extend these features beyond just the development itself.

How about a bike trail from Balfour area to Deming, for instance? That's one of the worse stretches of Mount Baker Highway. East of Deming, the road has practically no shoulder. A trail could take some pressure off the highway.

People sometimes dismiss me as an idealist.

Who rides bikes? they ask.

Okay, bus service can be talked about also. Maybe even buses every 15 minutes, like they have on some routes in Bellingham. WTA has added a route to Kendall fairly recently.

More people should mean more bus service, if folks are giving these type of things priority.

There are even trail plans on the books.

"Bay to Baker Trail" has been talked about for years.

Another proposal is made up of short trail segments that connect different destinations in the Foothills area. That proposal has been called "Chain Of Trails." It would make things safer for kids walking to school and stores, for instance.

If politics can work, economic growth could be harnessed to improve the Mount Baker Highway corridor. Improve it for "alternative" travel.

At worse, a big "wish list" could even tax and kill development out there.

While I am not advocating that development be taxed to death, it might make the anti growth people happy at least.

On the other hand we could get just the right balance of taxes, impact fees and volunteer contributions. Just the right balance so there can be alternatives to car travel out the Mount Baker Highway.

Silent Slaughter For Another Year

Automobiles.

A great editorial in December 30 06 Toronto Star was pointed out to me. About the silent slaughter of traffic accidents in US and Canada. Among other things, it points out that the US would have to lose soldiers for 50 years in Iraq at a rate of 800 soldiers per year in order to match one year of highway deaths back home.

Also there are around 2 million injuries from auto accidents each year.

These truths hardly get discussed in the media or mentioned in things like the State Of The Union address.

That editorial advocates stronger and slower cars, more law enforcement against dangerous drivers and so forth.

One thing it doesn't mention is reducing dependency on the automobile altogether. Public transit is much safer and currently available in many areas. More folks can use public transit now, even before auto makers improve safety or highways adopt slower speeds.

The life you save could be your own.

Death toll of US solders just fades into background noise

I hear that the US spends almost half of the world's entire outlay for military spending. Almost half of the total for all other nations combined, yet this still may not be enough. One hears of solders having to buy their own armor, veterans not getting proper medical care and the list goes on.

Lots of money, yet it still isn't enough?

How much is enough?

Maybe this is enough money, but the money isn't being spent wisely?

Another possibility is that USA is now "in over its head." This war is too expensive, both in lives and dollars?

Still, the cost of war isn't reflected in the lives of most Americans. War is still financed by deficits that never seem to come due. Also, I just heard that only 2% of American population is involved in the military.

There is a phrase, "solders go to war while civilians go to the mall."

I am sure that the civilian highway death toll is a lot more than 3,000 for year 2006.

This is a big country.

Most people just experience the war as background noise. That background noise hisses and pops a bit louder at times. Impressions from Saddam Hussein's hanging have flowed into the media.

Now these impressions start to fade away into history.

Not that long ago, the state of Washington, here on the west coast, carried out it's death penalty by hanging. Our state's last hanging was 1994 at the penitentiary in Walla Walla. More recently, the death sentence is through lethal injection, unless the prisoner asks for hanging instead.

Crime and punishment - more negative background noise.

Highway death tolls - background noise.

The city of Walla Walla, WA. is remembered for it's penitentiary, but that city can also bring up more positive memories. Walla Walla is home of Whitman College, for instance. There is also Stateline Wind Project. This is a bunch of windmills generating "alternative" energy west of Walla Walla.

We really need to spend more mental energy on positive things, like alternative energy. We need to spend more money on these things as well.

Unfortunately, 911 robbed much of the idealism from people, or maybe they didn't have much to begin with.

How much national policy is based on fear versus hope?

I hope some of these brutal things can recede into history and idealism can expand.

Often Bellingham's fanciest displays are on almost dead end streets. In keeping with subdued excitement

One of my readers informed me that her sister saw Bellingham's Erie St. featured on national television and she lives in South Carolina.

I went looking, on my bicycle. What a good way to see Christmas lights, by bicycle. Last time I did this in someone's car, the windows kept fogging up. Couldn't see much.

Erie is in an area with lots of dead-end streets. Kind of hidden away and not that many people pass by. They went through a lot of work in that neighborhood. I wonder what the birds think.

There are many lit up homes around Bellingham. I can enjoy them without having to do it myself.

Some people worry about the energy used, but I wouldn't be surprised if it still takes more energy to heat the average American home.

Executive Workout

I always thought "executive workout" means just using the sauna at a gym and not any of the gym's exercise areas.

I do so much bicycling that I get lots of exercise without going to a gym. I usually go to the gym just for the sauna and steam room area. Around here, the term executive workout gets used for that.

When I do a Google search another concept comes up.

Executive workout can also mean a quick workout that executives add to their busy lives. They stick it in on top of all those other things that are piled into their lives.

That's not me. My lifestyle is more leisurely.

Never owning an car means not having gained that 2,000 lb "love handle made of steel" commonly referred to as an automobile. Walking, jogging and bicycling is second nature for me. One can literally "run their errands," or at least jog them.

Occasionally I do aerobics at the gym. This is not because it's a workout, but because the music is good. More positive than the negative stuff they play in Bellingham's scuzzy bars. The workout can be a byproduct of a good time.

I call my workout a "playout."

Aerobics is like dancing. More fun than running on a treadmill. Treadmills remind me of corporate America. "Keep running faster, faster and you don't go anywhere."

Some people go to a sauna after the workout to soothe muscle aches. I can just go for the social aspect of the sauna as my muscles seldom ache. They are toned from the gentle, steady pace of a bicycling lifestyle. Little strain or injury. Not like competitive sports.

I didn't even bother using a sauna after bicycling 60 miles to Vancouver, last autumn. There was a sauna where I was staying, but eating was a bigger priority. The sauna is social and warmth for me, not "pragmatic therapy after a workout."

After 60 miles, I was hungry. Went over to Davie Street and quenched my hunger with the largest bowl of soup I have ever eaten. It was full of crisp broccoli and just the right touch of meat.

One waitress in an Asian restaurant said, "eat lots of vegetables and a little meat to stay healthy."

"Lots of fruits, vegetable's and a little meat."

That's not going to the extreme of being a vegetarian, it's just a meal with some balance.

After the big meal, I was ready for a short nap back at my hotel. Then a fun night of dancing at a bar called Numbers on Davie Street. That place really does have good music, in my opinion. Old disco tunes. Good energy music.

I have never made a New Year's resolution, but maybe I should. I could brush my teeth more often, but eating lots of apples has helped. It seems like less of a chore than brushing. Apples taste good.

There is an old phrase that goes, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away." Sounds like a good New Year's resolution.