The current (September 2, 2002) issue of the New Yorker has a fine piece on traffic congestion. While it focuses on the New York area, much of it is relevant to the rest of the country. Since 1970 the population of the US has increased by 40%, the number of cars by 100% and available lane miles by 6%. The next thirty years are likely to see 0% increase in lane miles - possibly a decrease as funding is not being made available to repair existing infrastructure. The the same time little is being done to move people out of their cars or to change flow patterns.
John Seabrook deals with these issues, but he also uses a traffic helicopter to make a few point. Most interesting and recommended.
A friend of mine in Southern California, despite being a thoughtful and bright guy, owns a SUV. His thinking is that he is delayed in traffic so much at this point (his two way commute is about 150 minutes a day to cover a total of 36 miles) that he wants a space in which he can live.
The online version of the New Yorker notes the anti SUV campaign by the Car Talk guys
http://www.newyorker.com/talk/content/?020902ta_talk_mayer
I haven't read the book, but Salon has a fascinating review of Anthony Everitt's timely new book on Cicero. It is going into the must read list. At the very least check out the review.
http://www.salon.com/books/feature/2002/08/27/cicero/index.html
Pyroboy -
clearly someone who requires amazing rushes.
http://www.arfarfarf.com/pyroboy/pyroboy.html
the flaming cartwheel is pretty amazing. Don't try this at home -- or anywhere else for that matter! It is seriously more impressive than LOX assisted barbaque ignitions.
6:13:09 AM 
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