Cop Car's Beat

Notice of absence

About one week ago, my sciatica returned. I am "fighting" it and expect to triumph within another week, two, or three. For such a short (expected) time, I am not setting up a computer for use while standing; thus, I am not online, these days (I cannot sit!) Sorry for missing all of my blog friends. Later!

LASERs are a threat to pilots and others

By way of Slashdot.com, I found this video (embedded, above) posted on Ars Technica. In the posting that accompanied the embedded video from YouTube, Nate Anderson wrote:

"You may not be the kind of person who gets his kicks by standing at the end of a runway and firing a small laser into the cockpit of jets during their takeoffs and landings—but plenty of other people are. In 2005, the FBI only heard about 283 such incidents; this year, it expects to record 3,700."

....

"What does it look like when a helicopter tracks down a guy with a laser? The FBI released the video we included at the top of this post to show you exactly what happens. Those caught could face up to five years in jail and up to an $11,000 fine."

Below is embedded a video from YouTube with information on this serious problem from the FBI and the St Louis Police Department.

Enough is enough

The main thrust of the following item from Slashdot.com is true for more than just highways. We are (most of us, I warrant) 'way too enamored of shiny new things. How much of what do we really need?

      We Don't Need More Highways122

Posted by timothyon Saturday October 06, @08:25AM
from the we-need-more-hang-gliders dept.

Hugh Pickens writes "When it comes to infrastructure, politicians usually prefer shiny new projects over humdrum repairs. A brand-new highway is exciting: There's a ribbon-cutting, and there's less need to clog up existing lanes with orange cones and repair crews. So it's not surprising that 57 percent of all state highway funding goes toward new construction, often stretching out to the suburbs, even though new roads represent just 1.3 percent of the overall system. Now Brad Plumer writes in the Washington Post that many transportation reformers think this is a wrong-headed approach and that we should focus our dollars on fixing and upgrading existing infrastructure rather than continuing to build sprawling new roads). UCLA economist Matthew Kahn and the University of Minnesota's David Levinson made a more detailed case for a "fix-it first" strategy. They noted that, at the moment, federal highway spending doesn't get subjected to strict cost-benefit analysis, and governments often build new roads when they arguably shouldn't (PDF). And that's to say nothing of data suggesting that poor road conditions are a "significant factor" in one-third of all fatal crashes, and cause extra wear and tear on cars."

I feel vindicated

Years ago, while single, I had a beau who chastized me (and others) for having "routines". His theory was that one's brain was kept sharper by varying everything that one did, as frequently as possible. Well...the article, below, that was posted on Slashdot.org, will make no difference to that guy (who is dead); but, it vindicates (as if I needed it - lol) how I have always felt. I always felt that routines left my brain free to think about more important things and saved me the time that the decision-making process consumes.

Snippets of comments from friends: 1) "You have three dresses and I've seen enough of them. Go buy more clothes!" 2) "I know what day of the week it is by which outfit you are wearing." 3) "Are apples and cheese the only foods you buy? You always have an apple and a little cheese for lunch." 4) "Why don't you wear makeup?" or "...shave your legs?" or "...go to a hair dresser?" or "...dye your hair?" or - you get the idea.

The only time I was forced to abandon routine was for the nine years when I worked for the Little Engineering Company. With them, I had to be really flexible because I traveled - a lot! - and, during a few of my years with them, varying my routines was a matter of security. Now that I am retired, though, I generally follow many fewer routines. I don't need to save my attention/time for anything!

For Obama, Jobs, and Zuckerberg, Boring Is Productive222

Posted by timothyon Thursday October 04, @09:28AM
from the your-prism-for-the-autism-spectrum dept.

Hugh Pickens writes "Robert C. Pozen writes in the Harvard Business Review that while researching a behind-the-scenes article of President Obama's daily life, Michael Lewis asked President Obama about his practice of routinizing the routine. 'I eat essentially the same thing for breakfast each morning: a bowl of cold cereal and a banana. For lunch, I eat a chicken salad sandwich with a diet soda. Each morning, I dress in one of a small number of suits, each of which goes with particular shirts and ties.' Why does President Obama subject himself to such boring routines? Because making too many decisions about mundane details is a waste of your mental energy, a limited resource. If you want to be able to have more mental resources throughout the day, you should identify the aspects of your life that you consider mundane — and then "routinize" those aspects as much as possible. Obama's practice is echoed by Steve Jobs who decided to wear the same outfit every day, so that he didn't have to think about it and  the recent disclosure that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is proud that he wears the same outfit every day adding that he owns 'maybe about 20' of the gray, scoop neck shirts he's become famous for. 'The point is that you should decide what you don't care about and that you should learn how to run those parts of your life on autopilot,' writes Pozen.  'Instead of wasting your mental energy on things that you consider unimportant, save it for those decisions, activities, and people that matter most to you.'"