Can you imagine what life would be like if public utilities like electricity and water were run by U.S. Internet and wireless companies?

Anyone want to sign up for a watt-hour plan, or would you care to buy water in bulks of 100 gallons? We already buy tired wireless data plans. Some countries also provide Internet like this too.

How about selecting from a variety of amperage plans, or subscribing to a certain flow rate of water into your home? We already buy Internet at various connection speeds, or have throttled wireless plans.

I can guess that most people would say an emphatic “no” to those options. So why do we put up with it from Internet providers and wireless companies? Or, why don’t we switch other utilities over to the Internet/wireless business models?

(Now, while you can store electricity and water, you can’t really store “the internet,” or more accurately, a connection to it. That being said, with some exceptions, like a water heater, most people don’t store large amounts of electricity or water at home, so I think this is a valid comparison.)

So what do I have against paying for bulk or flow?

Paying for Bulk

This is a rip off. Can you imagine paying for watt-hours or gallons based in bulk, but not being able to keep anything you don’t use? While buying in bulk encourages consumption, this model inherently discourages consumption by making it difficult to fully use what you have bought. Therefore, this business model is designed to fully maximize the company’s profits at the expense of consumer benefits (what you don’t use is profit for the company). Think: Groupon, when people forget to use their purchased Groupons.

For example, you might think you are getting a good deal with paying $10/GB from AT&T, but you are really paying down to $10/GB (for the 3GB and 5GB plans). For the 300MB/month plan you are actually paying down to $66.67/GB. If all you used was 1MB, you still would have paid the same as if you had used your entire plan. I wouldn’t call these particularly great deals.

The problem with paying in bulk is that you can never really use all of what you pay for, unless:

• You monitor your usage very carefully and plan out your data usage (a meticulously ridiculous notion),
• You are cut off once you use your data plan fully (I believe that isn’t an option, as most companies “conveniently” automatically charge overage fees), or
• You are allowed to rollover your plan’s unused data (which would actually return customer utility to paying for bulk; think about how some mobile companies provide rollover mobile minutes)

However, if you provide rollover capability you mind as well switch over to a per MB rate. The big difference would be in a bulk rollover model you get more money up front for unused data, while in a per MB model consumers would pay you after they have used data so you wouldn’t get as much money upfront.

Paying for Flow

Paying for the guarantee of up to a certain Internet connection speed is like guaranteeing a home up to a certain amperage, or number of gallons of water per hour. The problem with this is you are guaranteed up to a certain rate, but in periods of peak demand you will end up having to conserve usage. Think about summer heat waves and the possibility of brownouts, or mandatory water conservation efforts in drought prone areas. I can’t think of an utility that doesn’t have variation in demand, and the Internet is no different.

Even worse, you can overpromise on your deliverable goods. Imagine if a company sold 100 people Internet connections at 15MBPS but could only deliver up to 1GBPS? At maximum demand, someone is not going to be getting what they are paying for, hence why you pay for up to a certain connection speed. Companies shortchange consumers by not charging based on actual network usage.

It’s robbing Peter to pay Paul.

Paying Per Use

There is a reason why utilities like water and electricity have a per use business model.

Ultimately, business models based on paying for bulk or flow fail to represent a consumer’s usage of a fixed resource. The per use business model better accomplishes this than current Internet/wireless business models. Furthermore, the per use business model is more likely to encourage conservation during peak hours by increased prices to suppress demand. Were access to Internet and wireless run on a business model like other utilities or natural monopolies (that are more heavily regulated), it would better account for supply and demand. (Then again, even these models can get rather complicated.)

Until we base paying for internet and wireless on actual supply and demand, someone is subsidizing someone else, and companies are ripping consumers off.

Can you imagine what life would be like with pay-per-use Internet and wireless?

“Soldiers Saving Puppies * Puppies Saving Soldiers”

The above header is the slogan of The Puppy Rescue Mission (TPRM), an organization whose slogan describes its mission perfectly. TPRM assists soldiers serving abroad bring their companions back home with them. However, the process can be expensive and so TPRM helps soldiers by collecting donations and assisting in the process.

I came across this organization from the user 33peace posting a shout-out for help on Reddit, under the self-post Im in Afghanistan and trying to bring my best friend back home later this month. Reddit, you might be my last hope.

A quick online search reveals quite a few organizations aimed at bringing pets home to veterans. Having a dog myself, I can see how companion pets help people that have experienced traumatic and stressful experiences.

Canine Therapy

Information online seems to suggest that companion/assistance pets do assist veterans in coping with PTSD, TBI, and other disorders.  While far from being comprehensive, here are a few sample articles I found that made a good case for companion/assistance pets.

4-legged prescription for veterans’ stress

By John Koopman, Chronicle Staff Writer, September 27, 2008

[A] pilot program – veterans at the [PTSD clinic at the Veterans Affairs health center in Menlo Park] would train canines to become assistance dogs to aid disabled veterans, those who had lost limbs or are confined to wheelchairs.

Some of the benefits of the program:

Yount said handling and training dogs is valuable in the treatment of PTSD because the animals help the veterans connect with their emotions. The dogs counteract feelings of isolation. They have to take the dogs out into the community, he said, and other people inevitably want to pet the dogs and talk to the person handling them.

Finding Solace in Companion Dogs

By Jessica Slider, VAntage Point, Dispatches from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, July 15, 2011

[A] new pilot program at the Marion VA Medical Center in Illinois that’s moving beyond the idea that dogs are only for guide purposes. The focus has shifted to their companionship and therapeutic potential. The dogs-in-residence will be trained by the non-profit This Able Veteran.

Benefits of the program:

[S]tructured residential treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI) or other disorders. Visit RRTP to find out more.

Bringing Happiness Home

So what am I inferring from the above?

That the benefits of pets go beyond treatment for clinical diagnoses and that some pets serve the same role for veterans as they do for any other person. That the dog becomes part of the family, and doesn’t have to be a guide/assistance dog to have a positive impact on a veteran’s life.  To quote from TPRM,

“It’s so funny how something as simple as a puppy can make even the hardest, toughened soldier melt upon a few kisses to the face.”

~Anonymous Soldier

I am interested in seeing scientific data on the effect of veterans owning pets, so if I find any professional studies I’ll be sure to add them below.

Problem

A file called [User Name] attempts to open after starting up Windows 7.  Selecting WordPad opens a document, where the first words read “Interface List.” My [User Name] file said (with some characters removed):

==========================================================
Interface List
14…[characters removed] ……Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network)
12…[characters removed] ……Broadcom 4322AG 802.11a/b/g/draft-n Wi-Fi Adapter
11…[characters removed] ……Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller
1………………………Software Loopback Interface 1
17…[characters removed] e0 Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
20…[characters removed] e0 Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
18…[characters removed] e0 Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #2
==========================================================

Determining the Causes

First, I Googled “windows 7 interface list” and found I keep getting Interface List on start up, which described my problem exactly.  However, it was useless in solving the problem. I didn’t find any other useful links in this search.

Second, I Googled “windows 7 interface list file” and found Windows 7 startup, open unknown file, which also described my problem exactly. A user by the name Mosquito555 suggested the following coures of action:

The startup folder can be accessed via the start menu. Click on the start orb, all programs, you should be able to find the startup folder there.

Additionally, type “msconfig” on the start menu’s search field. Navigate to the “Startup” and/or “Services” tabs and check if you can find anything related there.

This file is somehow related to your wireless/ethernet adapter. You could try reinstalling their drivers and see if that helps.

In any case I suggest keeping a backup of this file until you determine if it’s needed or not.

However, this information didn’t provide any means to solve my problem (although would be crucial in my solution, below). There were no other useful links in this search.

Third, I Googled “windows 7 interface list start up” and found Interface list popup at startup after installing GTalk for Windows, which described my problem almost perfectly.  A user by the name cornell-undergrad provided the following solution:

Go to Start…Run… Type ‘regedit’ and press enter to enter the Registry Editor in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Select the googletalk entry there, right click, and select modify to insert quotes to specify the correct file path

Example:

Change C:\Users\(username)\AppData\Roaming\Google\Google Talk\googletalk.exe /autostart

To ”C:\Users\(username)\AppData\Roaming\Google\Google Talk\googletalk.exe” /autostart

By inserting the quotes to specify the file path, which was left out for some reason, where (username) is where your Windows User Name would be (probably with spaces, which caused the entire problem). Hope this helps!

The only problem is my Google Talk didn’t reference my [user name] so this solution didn’t work for me. However, this solution, with some minor adjustments, would be the basis for my own solution.

Solution

Editing the registry seemed to have been successful for a very similar problem, so I looked for a pattern. Using the suggestions from Mosquito555 and cornell-undergrad, I came up with the following solution:

1. Select Start and run MSConfig
2. Select the Startup tab and sort the list by Command
3. Look for Startup Items that begin with C:\Users\[user name]
4. MusicManager, by Google, should be the culprit (and almost an exact match for cornell-undergrad‘s solution, just changing “Google Talk” to “Music Manager”)
5. Run RegEdit
6. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
7. Right click MusicManager and select Modify
8. Change C:\Users\[user name]\AppData\Local\Programs\Google\MusicManager\MusicManager.exe
9. to “C:\Users\[user name]\AppData\Local\Programs\Google\MusicManager\MusicManager.exe“

My mystery file no longer attempts to open at startup.  Furthermore, Music Manager is now correctly autostarting (a problem I hadn’t noticed earlier). Let me know if you have any insights into why this happened, or corrections to my solution.

Sources

• I keep getting Interface List on start up
• Windows 7 startup, open unknown file
• Interface list popup at startup after installing GTalk for Windows

Stand With Me, Jose Antonio Vargas, for a New Conversation about Immigration

Change.org recently sent an email reminder out about a pledge for a new conversation about immigration, started by Jose Antonio Vargas and Define American.

“I Pledge to Define American

I pledge.

Like Jose Antonio Vargas, I believe that our nation’s immigration woes are complex. Still, if we listen to one another and begin asking the right questions now, I believe we can fix them — together. I believe it is time for a new national conversation on immigration.

I pledge to ask questions, debate, listen, and learn. I define American.

[Your name]“

For more information on Jose Antonio Vargas’ story, check out Define American.  Click here to sign the pledge.

Received this email from peopleforbikes.org

This is Urgent!

Federal funding for bicycling and walking is in jeopardy. We need you to send a short email today to your members of Congress.

Today, Congressman John Mica of Florida, Chairman of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, outlined his plans for the new transportation bill and called for the elimination of dedicated funding for biking and walking programs, which he suggested, “do not serve a federal purpose.”

In the Senate, James Inhofe of Oklahoma is leading a similar attack. Inhofe, a senior member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, said that one of his top-three priorities for the next multi-year federal transportation bill is to eliminate “frivolous spending for bike trails.”

If Representative Mica and Senator Inhofe get their way, dedicated funding for three crucial programs — Safe Routes to School, Transportation Enhancements, and Recreational Trails — will be eliminated. The cost-effective federal investment in bicycling that is making our nation better will shrink dramatically. We can’t allow this to happen.

That’s why we are asking you to reach out to the two U.S. Senators and the U.S. Representative who represent you in Congress. Ask them to support ongoing, dedicated funding for biking and walking in the next transportation bill. (You can find your representatives and send your note directly from our website. Click here to review clear, basic, suggested text for your email. Feel free to customize it and/or add a personal story.)

Your simple messages will make a difference. You can help refute Representative Mica’s and Senator Inhofe’s unreasonable, counterproductive cuts. You can help assure that progress will continue in all 50 states to make bicycling safer and better for people of all ages.

At peopleforbikes.org, our goal is to unify support for bicycling and celebrate all the great things that happen when people ride bikes. Occasionally, we need to stand strong together to keep bicycling on track. This is one of those times!

Thanks for your support and your quick response to this call to action.

Tim Blumenthal
Director, Peopleforbikes.org

In my mind I wonder, why did you say to me, “get your bike out of the parking lot you white motherfucker”?

Why did you feel it was necessary to add “you white motherfucker”?  Did it displease you that I was biking through that particular parking lot?  Did you feel uncomfortable by my presence in your neighborhood?  Did your accompaniment by three of your friends embolden you to be so cowardly in your words to others?

Perhaps there were other cyclists in the parking lot and you used “white” as a necessary descriptor to distinguish between us?  I’m not omniscience so I guess I could have missed that.

I wonder what caused you – my fellow Chicagoan, Illinoisan, American, and human being – to say such a thing.  While I biked my last mile home I tried to imagine your life.  I tried to justify the use of that racist language.  I wondered to myself, “has racism played a heavy role in your life?  Where did you grow up?  What has life been like for you?”  I tried, but I could imagine no scenarios that would justify the use of such words.

While racism does not impact my life very often, when it does it leaves a sick and disgusting taste in my mouth.  It is you – the user of racist language – that is to blame for disparaging other cultures and ethnicities.  I fear that your choice of epithet will separate you and I from sharing a real human connection, and I lament that.

Although we may never meet again, I still want to know why you felt that it was okay for you to shout at me, from across a parking lot, “you white motherfucker.”  I believe that there is more to you than your poor choice of language, and so I will give you the benefit of the doubt when you gave me none.

Jumper Cable Instructions

Jumper cables seem to match the color convention of car batteries. Red for positive, black for negative. The clamps are colored to ensure that you match positive-to-positive and negative-to-negative. However, in (my) instructions the black cable in the diagram represents the red jumper cable and the white cable in the diagram represents the black jumper cable. In other words:

• Black (diagram) = red (jumper cable)
• White (diagram) = black (jumper cable)

Now, why in the world would anyone in their right mind create this potential for confusion? Well, the answer makes surprising sense. In the diagram, the black cable represents the hot wire and the white cable represents the neutral/grounded (Kuphaldt, 2007).

But, then why are the jumper cables red and black? Well, when there are two hot wires it is common practice to have one wire black (negative) and the other red (positive). Therefore, the red jumper cable is rightly positive and the black cable is rightly negative. However, because you ground the negative cable to the engine block of the car with the dead battery the diagram illustrates a negative grounded DC power system (Kuphaldt, 2007). Thus, both the diagram and the jumper cables are correct.

However, I can only assume that the diagram shows the positive cable as black because it wasn’t printed in color. It seems that the diagram should have indicated the positive cable as red, as black suggests a positive grounded circuit (Kuphaldt, 2007).

So, what happens if you follow the instructions and make the erroneous assumption that black in the diagram is negative? Well, the jumpers smoked and the positive cable melted through right at the positive clamp that was attached to the good battery . Take a  look (hint: the red clamp on the left).

Destroyed Jumper Cables

Final word: let me know if I’ve made any technical errors, as I am not an electrical engineer and this information is gathered primarily through sleuthing.

Reference List (and for more information), in order of importance:

• Wiring Color Codes
• Electrical wiring
• NFPA 70: NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE

Electrical Wiring: Colour Code. (n.d.). Retrieved June 26, 2011, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_wiring#Colour_code

Kuphaldt, T. R. (2007, April 19). Wiring Color Codes. Retrieved June 26, 2011, from All About Circuits: http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_5/chpt_2/2.html

NFPA 70: NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE. (n.d.). Retrieved June 26, 2011, from National Fire Protection Association: http://www.nfpa.org/aboutthecodes/AboutTheCodes.asp?DocNum=70&EditionID=765

I received this cycling survey from the College of Cycling listserv, so if you’re a Chicagoan consider filling it out (link to survey below).

Friends,

As part of our Bicycle Plan for the 1st Ward of Chicago, Jack Eskin, Che Copper-Davis and I are putting together a survey of people who ride, live or work in the ward.  If you don’t bicycle, we would also like your opinion.

If you ride, live, or work in Wicker Park, Bucktown, Logan Square, Noble Square, Westtown, East Village, Ukrainian Village, or Humbolt Park please take a few minutes to fill out this 10 question survey <http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TVWWYNV> and perhaps pass it on to your friends, colleagues, and fellow bike enthusiasts.

Alderman Proco ‘Joe’ Moreno is very interested in this plan and will be attending the presentation of it – which means your opinion can actually help shape public policy.  This plan and presentation will also be shared with Ben Gomberg of CDOT.

Thank you,
Adam Moore

PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY!

Survey URL: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TVWWYNV

Bikkit the Drive

Although thunderstorms were in the forecast, the inclement weather held off just long enough for Bike the Drive.  The heavy fog created an otherworldly feel down Lake Shore Drive and created a beautiful landscape to bike through.  The Field Museum and Museum of Science and Industry both looked quite amazing engulfed in the fog, and were my favorite sights of the south route (I didn’t get a chance to ride the north route).  All in all, the ride was quite pleasant.

However, there was at least one accident that looked pretty bad.  I didn’t see what happened, just another ambulance arriving at the scene (right before the exit from the south LSD route, around 9 a.m.).  The injured person (guy?) was on a gurney, covered up to mid-chest with a white sheet, and looked to be unconscious.  There was a towel nearby his head that looked to have been used to stop bleeding.  It was a somber reminder that accidents can happen even in relaxed and (fairly) controlled environments.  Hopefully he’s okay, and I’ll update this if I find out any other information.

Overall, Bike the Drive was a lot of fun and I definitely plan on being back next year for the north LSD route.  If you’re interested in being more involved in promoting walking, biking, and public transit, check out the Active Transportation Alliance.

Finished Bike Build

(Building a Road Bike, Part 1: Why?)

It took me much longer to get around to Part 2 than expected, and so it is going to be a bit shorter than I originally intended.  However, I think this will make my explanation on “How?” more concise and poignant.

The first thing I did, having no experience with building a road bike, was a lot of research.  I compiled a list of parts and the tools that would be necessary to install them.  There are three advantages to doing this:

1. you determine what your budget looks like prior to buying your equipment,
2. it reduces the potential for unwelcome surprises, and
3. you have a list of all your parts that you can refer back to in case you need to replace them.

Second, I researched proper sizing and technical details on my list of parts.  For this I used Google to look around for best practices on sizing, and also referred to some guides (such as Bicycle Maintenance & Repair, by Todd Downs).  One thing that was important to remember is that there are a lot of “rules of thumb” when it comes to sizing, but it comes down to comfort.

Third, because I decided to buy most of my parts and tools online (better discounts) I bought them through a retailer that also has physical stores in Chicago.  Because some of my sizing questions were not easily answered online (stem length) or would have been more difficult to do myself (cutting the steerer tube and installing shifting/brake cables), having a local bike store to turn to was really helpful.

Finally, putting my bike together was a process of details.  I made sure I read the instructions that came with every piece of equipment.  This allowed me to double check for any discrepancies between OEM installation instructions and best practices suggested online and in bicycling guides.

Be forewarned: patience is required.  I did have to return a couple items after deciding they weren’t the right size for me.  Thus, expect there to be a delay in building your bike.  If you aren’t doing it for the enjoyment of the process, you might want to consider going to your local bike shop and getting a ready-to-ride bike.  Don’t forget your helmet.

A couple websites I found quite useful at the time were:

• http://www.sheldonbrown.com/
• http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/
• http://www.bikeradar.com/