May 2008
29 posts
Mapstraction - a javascript library to hide... →
Legally Speaking: On Bicycles →
Personal injury lawyer Bob Mionske writes on bicycles versus cars and the rules of the road.
Take Control of Your Maps →
“For a long time, we have known that people will change their habits if they are...”
– Tom Igoe, an NYU physical-computing researcher, explaining the Prius effect, as reported in the WaPo. I’ve been watching my mileage for years; I’m my own hybrid.
The Road Best Traveled →
Fairfax County, a D.C.-area posterchild for suburban and exurban lifestyles, is taking steps to make its streets more bicycle friendly. My copy of the new bicycle map is in the mail.
The Alpha Geeks →
“On the contrary, it’s a system that allows total strangers to tolerate each...”
– Alix Spiegel, reporting [6-minute audio] on how commuters slug between Northern Virginia and D.C.
“You’re holding a bottle of red wine in one hand and a pan of the world’s best...”
– Mark Pilgrim, describing a recipe that should be on my to-do list as soon as possible.
“Despite the recent success of Democratic candidates such as Tim Kaine in 2005...”
– Cary Funk, pollster at VCU, reflecting on a recent survey of Virginia voters that suggests GOP presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) leads Democratic rivals, as reported by washingtonpost.com.
Camera Hacker: Building a Bicycle Camera Mount →
Useful info for another of those video projects I never get around to.
“If I had charge — and you don’t have to worry, it’s not gonna...”
– Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), still a libertarian-leaning GOP presidential candidate for the 2008 federal election, saying he would, given the chance, radically downsize and retract the U.S. military establishment.
The Social Side of Fund-Raising Online →
“In this age of the Web, the blogosphere, and social media, I don’t think...”
– Joel Makower, GreenBiz.com editor, as reported in CNET’s Green Tech blog.
Fiesta Asia →
The Asia Heritage Foundation’s annual Asian American Heritage Festival in the District of Columbia is this Saturday, May 17. I’m signed up to volunteer 4 to 8pm at the info booth.
Travel Light with One Bag →
Is It Better to Eat Locally or Eat Differently? →
This 12-minute audio segment on Talk of the Nation (Science Friday) — besides highlighting the environmental non-energy-related impact (The Other Greenhouse Gas) of red meat and dairy — is the first time I’ve heard the term locovores or local food eaters. I only eat red meat when it’s free, and although I’ve largely phased out milk, too, cheese I think is nearly worth...
“The federal city and the real city will shift. Whereas before, the federal city...”
– Richard Bradley, director of an urban revitalization group, speaking optimistically about how efforts to redevelop the nation’s capital might change the atmosphere of a city uniquely conceived for governance, as quoted in an interesting story in The Washington Post, which also gives an...
Proving a Building 'Green' Can Be Daunting →
Ted Robins reports [5-minute audio] on LEED standards — energy and enviromental building guidelines and certification — that are facing increasing criticism as developers become more green savvy.
Two Families Grapple with Sons' Gender Preferences →
This fascinating 22-minute audio segment deals with two contrasting approaches for parents toward very young transgendered children. A second 20-minute part reports on an experimental puberty-blocking treatment.
Falls Church Elects Virginia's First Openly Gay... →
Learn-A-Palooza Knowledge Sharing Festival →
Learn to drive on waste veggie oil, knit, build a Facebook app, buy local food, green your home, improve your FICO score, get out of a speeding ticket, dance at a party, and more at this year’s Learn-A-Palooza on May 10, a day of free workshops in mid-city D.C.
“Apparently undeterred by his past legal failures, Pearson is pressing forward...”
– Emil Steiner, blogging for washingtonpost.com about the former D.C. judge who continues to try to sue a dry cleaners for $54 million over a missing pair of pants and who is now also suing the employer that he claims wrongfully sacked him for only $1 million.
1.8 magnitude earthquake rattles D.C. area →
So that was the little shake during lunch. When all the sirens (firehouse nearby) went off, I feared for the worst for a second.
Google Maps ‘Bike There’ | …for a safer,... →
China: a lot to be angry about →
Last year China’s third-largest freshwater body Tai Lake was flooded with toxic algae that feeds on human and industrial waste dumped nearby, disrupting the water supply of 2 million people. Despite public outcry online and government cleanup efforts, the blue-gray blooms have returned and officials say the water quality remains unfit for human contact. Although authorities have quelled...