Hard at work

This is the little tool bench that Uncle Currie built Eli for his 2nd b-day (which was yesterday). The tools we gave him for Christmas...

www.itoldthepresident.org: traffic improvment suggestions

So, I just found a place where you can make comments to the incoming congress and president about improvements to the traffic system: www.itoldthepresident.org

Being the opinionated person that I am, I had several things I've been thinking about and thought I'd post them here to see what others' thoughts were...

I have several suggestions to improve transportation:
I. Driver Competency: We need to revamp our drivers licensing programs to look more like those in the UK and Germany. This would have several components:

1. Testing: If tests are made more comprehensive and difficult, and training is optional though available at the applicant's expense we allow the licensing process to remain inexpensive, while demanding that drivers meet a necessary competency level before entering the streets.
2. Driving System: The US tends to function under the assumption that "slow is safe." We tend to primarily penalize drivers who are traveling fast, while ignoring the far more dangerous infractions of drivers who are traveling slowly. This includes drivers traveling slowly in the passing lane, weaving into other lanes due to lack of attention, etc. By assuming that slow drivers are safe drivers we encourage people to get in their cars and "tune out" making them exceedingly dangerous on the road. A fast-moving driver is generally paying more attention to his/her driving as they realize that they are engaged in a potentially dangerous activity. A slow-moving driver mistakenly thinks that their speed makes the activity of driving safe and pays less attention. Further a "fast lane/slow lane" approach to interstate driving verses a "passing lane/traveling lane" approach makes the road system far less efficient than under the European system. Finally, highways with higher speeds produce more empty (and thus, more safe) highways: if the average speed limit on a highway is increased by roughly 10% (say 55 to 60 MPH), and the average speed of traffic on that highway increases by 10%, that traffic will move through the highway system more quickly, producing a 10% lower traffic density (and thus, a safer highway).

II. More complete streets (see www.completestreets.org): We need to work to make our surface streets more friendly to bicyclists. This includes building bike lanes (not just designating sidewalks as bike-able: you can't maintain sufficient speed on a sidewalk to make bicycling a viable alternative to driving), but also more careful education of the driving population to the rights of bicyclists on streets, as well as a system of penalties for discourteous driving in relation to bicyclists.

My new favorite video!

Shanna sent me this yesterday:

Advent Conspiracy

Something worth thinking about:



"The story of Christ's birth is a story of promise, hope, and a revolutionary love.

So, what happened? What was once a time to celebrate the birth of a savior has somehow turned into a season of stress, traffic jams, and shopping lists.

And when it's all over, many of us are left with presents to return, looming debt that will take months to pay off, and this empty feeling of missed purpose. Is this what we really want out of Christmas?

What if Christmas became a world-changing event again?

Welcome to Advent Conspiracy.
Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More, Love All"
(www.adventconspiracy.org)

Another similar perspective that inspired me two years ago is from Imago Dei Community Church's December 2006 Advent Messages (specifically "The Relational Gift": listen here)

Thanksgiving / Christmas Banquet

Currie and his dad have a tradition of eating the turkey neck during the afternoon while the rest of the turkey is cooking. (EWWW!)

A quite blurry picture of our Turkey-less Thanksgiving dinner (the turkey didn't finish until 8:00!).

Eli sitting on his fire truck.

Eli thinking, "Aunt Abby, MOVE!, I'm trying to see Sesame Street!"

Last night at the Marriott for the Seminary Christmas Banquet.

Carlyle Camping and the ABIGAIL ROSE

So... it's been a while since I've posted anything--the semester's gotten busy and I've been working on another project... But I figured I might as well show off some great pics of the boat that Jenny Brown took while we were camping with the Browns and the Rolands (who brought a 4-month-old!  Mega kudos!) at Carlyle Lake in later October.

Since this shot was taken I have finished all but the epoxy work on installing a front buoyancy chamber that will serve as a mast-step, "dry" storage compartment and (when the mast is down) forward seat.  I'll try to take some pics soon.

A Savior on Capitol Hill

I’m so tired of these mortal men
with their hands on their wallets and their hearts full of sin
scared of their enemies, scared of their friends
and always running for re-election
so come to DC if it be thy will
because we’ve never had a savior on Capitol Hill

you can always trust the devil or a politician
to be the devil or a politician
but beyond that friends you’d best beware
’cause at the Pentagon bar they’re an inseparable pair
and as long as the lobbyists are paying their bills
we’ll never have a savior on Capitol Hill

[Bridge]
all of our problems gonna disappear
when we can whisper right in that President’s ear
he could walk right across the reflection pool
in his combat boots and ten thousand dollar suit

you can render unto Caesar everything that’s his
you can trust in his power to come to your defense
it’s the way of the world, the way of the gun
it’s the trading of an evil for a lesser one
so don’t hold your breath or your vote until
you think you’ve finally found a savior up on Capitol Hill