Repurposing Sept 1

September 1 is a special day in Boston. It’s Moving Day. More aptly, it’s the biggest mess of frantic young, new residents to our fair city who are desperately trying to move in or move around the city. Nearly every single lease turns over on Sept 1, so this affects a large part of the renter population in Boston (most of us). It’s the day on which Uhauls are parked haphazardly onto curbs and every minor artery is clogged with cars with mattresses strapped to the roofs, invariably with the passenger’s hand clinging for dear life to the mattress to ensure that it doesn’t end up as roadkill for the local buses. The Ridiculousness That Is Sept 1 actually begins the night before and extends well into the late evening, and so it is a day when, as a person who stays put, it’s just best not to go outside.

However, I want to repurpose the Dreaded Moving Day into something that some of us who are less crazy on Sept 1 can enjoy, while allowing us to move about our daily lives and yet avoid the traffic conditions that are worse than on Red Sox playoff game days near Fenway. I propose that today is Running Commute day, on which runners and non-runners alike can run to work in Boston. It could be that I am the first and only celebrant of this wonderful holiday, complete with baby wipes and deodorant, but from now on in Boston, this is how I will celebrate the madness that is Sept 1. While my strategy in past years was to hide in my apartment like a frightened turtle inside its shell, I will hide no longer! I will run to work. Dear reader(s), you are welcome to join.

Happy Running Commute Day!

Korea’s leaders

Even as an American citizen, I identify strongly with my joint Korean-American culture. I’ve always naturally considered the South Korean president to be a representative of me as well, since Korea is a small country with a relatively small population of people. Today, as we celebrate the life and legacy of deceased President Kim Dae Jung (김대중), we are reminded of the peace he hoped to foster with our North Korean neighbors, who preside over fellow Koreans. Recently, former President Noh Mu-hyun (노무현) also passed away, the first of now two leaders whom we as a community of Korean people have recently lost. I hope that we continue to respect the legacies of both, as we engage North Korea in dialogue and continue to seek a path toward either reunification or at least a better life for Koreans in the north.

What’s possible

Every once in awhile, you meet people who readjust your expectations of what’s possible. I met a couple this weekend who reminded me of this. I ended up staying with them while we were guests of another great family. Their relationship is clearly something special, and it only took the very short time we all spent together for me to sense this. To be clear, this is not a commentary on my spidey sense but rather a commentary on how great together they are. They describe their relationship as being mutually best friends, and he is bothered by the fact that he cannot spend as much time with her as he would like. Hopefully they had some good time together this weekend, especially while she paced him for the last 16 km (10 mi) of his very successful race. To be able to share that with your wife and best friend must be something special.

Together, they love to talk and to laugh. They share the most natural comfort and ease with one another. They played together with the kids, who absolutely loved them both. They both own infectiously passionate personalities, which is evident in every discussion. Their curiosity seems endless. He’s a great guy and an amazing athlete. For her part, her beauty extends with a great voice and laugh. She absolutely exudes warmth.

I am confident that they are not without their share of problems, but it’s only based on my loose theoretical assumption that no couple is perfect. After all, they are human. Nevertheless, observing and being with them this weekend reminded me that achieving the goal of a relationship with someone whom you respect and admire and love is possible. Amazing women do exist. Now it’s just a matter of finding one to put up with me!

The media as a tool

Perhaps for the first time in my adult life I’ve really paid close attention to local affairs. In Boston, it’s apparent that we rely on several services that are irreplaceable, most notably the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA), who among other things is responsible for our heavily used public transportation system. This year, I’ve noticed that the media has picked up on two different, relatively large organizations in Boston who have painted a grave picture of their current financial situation in hopes of mobilizing public outrage against governmental inaction.

The airplane’s black box

In the wake of the recent tragedy surrounding the Air France 447 flight, it appears that the plane’s recorder, or black box, is unlikely to be recovered. If the box were to not only help explain this plane’s accident but perhaps prevent future accidents, then this is unfortunate. The lead investigator held up a similar device in his hand — it appears to be relatively easy to handle. I am wondering whether or not there could be a floatation device attached to it that could make it more easily recoverable. I think that engineering can address the key questions involved in making this a viable option.

An immediate question that springs to mind is the time of the flotation deployment. Much like a raft that inflates, a parachute that opens, or an airbag that engages, such a device could be triggered by an event, perhaps something like a liquid sensor or an accelerometer.

Of course many other issues would have to be worked out, but I know nothing about this specialized field of engineering, so perhaps these things already have been employed. It seems like an idea whose time has come if it could perhaps give peace to loved ones and save future lives.

And of course, may families find peace in the wake of this tragedy.

Wolfram Alpha

I dunno, I’m not really impressed:

Gattaca arrives (in part)

I’ve always maintained that Gattaca is an important film because my generation would be encountering several of the raised issues within its lifetime. Here’s yet another manifestation of that, with the first steps toward designer babies. While I admit that on its face I’m uneasy with the idea, I am sure I’m not aware of the full range of the possible implications. It most certainly won’t eradicate all disease or make perfect humans. But the eerie line from Gattaca rings in my head:

“We want to give your child the best possible start. Believe me, we have enough imperfection built in already. Your child doesn’t need any more additional burdens. Keep in mind, this child is still you. Simply, the best, of you. You could conceive naturally a thousand times and never get such a result.