Transit idea... and keep in mind I'm totally pro transit, but it's an idea I gotta write down.

In DC and other places they have those ad hoc pick up spots where people wait to get rides into 'downtown' or whatever they call it in DC. This idea formalizes that process. In the simple form it only works for very standardized commute type trips, but by involving technology more, it could replace a transit system, at least in a place such as the Twin Cities is now, where transit doesn't have a large share of total trips.

First of all it's voluntary. You have to sign up to participate, and when you do, you get some kind of smart device, like a card with a chip and RFID. If you sign up as a driver you get a device to read these cards put in your car. If you sign up as a rider (you could be both driver and rider) you buy credits, which reside in your card. When the rider wants to go somewhere he goes to a predifined 'stop' where everyone is going to the same place and waits for a driver to stop. Driver's are not obliged to stop, but they get paid for stopping so it's in their interest.

If you really wanted to replace the transit system, you would have to be able to go anywhere from anywhere. To do that you would have to be able to broadcast where you were going. I think this could be done with cell phones, and smart cards. but not the way they are now. You could send a text message about where you want to go, and it would be broadcast to drivers in the same cell as you... If one of them was heading in your direction, they could pick you up. You could get rid of taxi's and buses! I don't really want to get rid of buses, but I bet the Governor would be hot for this idea.

10:04:01 PM       comment [] 

I moved radio to the basement today. Now I don't have start it up evertime I start the laptop.

Here was my setup before: I had Radio running on my laptop. The laptop runs in power save mode.  It shuts down when it's not being used. It takes a while to start it up again. Precious time, I don't necessarily have. Sometimes I leave it by my bed and turn the power off so I don't hear it whirring all night. 

Now I moved Radio to my old computer in the basement. It is currently my print server. Since it's my print server, I leave it running all the time. Now, I moved Radio there and Radio is running all the time, and I can still access Radio from my laptop because they are all one happy little network. 

The fact is, I prefer managing the blog rather than updating the content or design. I bore myself when I write, I can't imagine what readers think.  That said, once I have it set up, I just want to try a new tool. I want a website tool that will let me use my measly skills. Those are all Microsoft. Too bad it costs a buttload to host your stuff on ASP.NET!  Erablog.net looks interesting though.

It is cold as hell in my basement. It's the ideal environment for my awesomely cool supercomputer set up. If I stay down here to long I'll get the Grippe.

2:52:09 PM       comment [] 

Good day. Good day.  Got up at 8:30, played with the kid. Had some scrambled eggs. Went to the Dog Park. Had a Papa Murphy's Hawaiian pizza. Went to the park with Tim and the kids. It was too rainy, so we came home and hung out on the porch. Cleaned the house. Had some friends over for dinner. drank wine, had fun.

 

 

12:37:40 AM       comment []