The annual Memorial Day display of crosses by the local Northern Michigan Chapter #50 of Veterans for Peace. Today, there were 186 crosses displayed to honor the fallen soldiers in current wars that called Michigan home. This is one of several memorials organized around the nation by Veterans for Peace.
This display will be up until 6PM.
How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!
~ Maya Angelou
And, a 2-for-1 for Memorial Day, looking back at Wendell Berry’s “The Failure of War.“
I think we must be careful about too easily accepting, or being too easily grateful for, sacrifices made by others, especially if we have made none ourselves.
~ Wendell Berry
The essay poignantly connects the ‘externalizations’ of war and modern life in general. We have acquiesced so much of our human and natural wealth to be “acceptable losses” as if there is no other way.
Here’s a Grand Vision value being implemented, (right in my hood) Traverse Heights kick starts a school-community garden initiative with $5000 grant! Nice.
Ride me! via Farlane's Photostream
And, since we started the week talking about mothers biking while expecting, here’s a pregnant veloist riding through Barcelona…Looks nice enough. She points out the helpful infrastructure along the route to getting some blood work.
That’s it, going for a ride.
Meanwhile, in a city and state capital near you, Complete Streets policy continues to be implemented. What will become of our Morning Motorists? To be continued...
Somewhere and sometime in Sweden (via an email by Nate).
He wrote, “…YOU ARE SO GOING TO LOVE THIS PICTURE…”
Yes. Awesome….Now, back to the holiday weekend.
Seth Godin, who, according to his own website “writes the most popular marketing blog in the world” often weighs in on productive group process. Today, he weighs in on how to fix meetings. The post is inspired by dreaming of the potential of an iPad app. In this scenario, everyone attending a meeting would be supplied with an iPad.
Gadget Inspired
The gadgets would be used in the meeting to: monitor time; keep to & change the agenda; allow ideas to be written or drawn and instantly pushed to everyone; allow a digital queue to form to ensure that the meeting isn’t dominated by the “the loudest, bravest or most powerful.”
There are other functions, 11 in total, that might inspire you as you prepare to attend today’s meetings (you don’t really need an iPad). What caught my attention is number 5 and 6 on Godin’s list.
“5. There’s a big red ‘bored‘ button that each attendee can push anonymously. The presenter can see how many red lights are lighting up at any give time.
6. There’s a bigger green ‘GO!’ button that each attendee can push anonymously. It lets the host or presenter see areas where more depth is wanted.”
Instant Feedback
If you recall, MyWHaT guest contributor Bill Palladino took a stab at that regarding public meetings at the beginning of the month in ‘Why most public meetings suck‘ and ‘And what to do about it. He even produced the snazzy scorecard to help evaluate. Has anyone used it yet? It’s always here for you…
Science Friday's original Miss Sweetie Poo
I’ve used Bill’s scorecard; our city commission is in need of a revolution. But, I really like the idea of the in the moment ‘nudging along‘ of a meeting-public or otherwise. It is reflective of Science Friday’s Ig Nobel Prize award show, where the geek-squad introduces their beloved projects that “honor scientific research that first makes you laugh and then makes you think.“ If you’re familiar with the show, honorable geeks get up one-by-one to introduce their projects.
Often, they can go on and on and on…enter Miss Sweetie Poo. Whenever she feels compelled she shouts, “Please stop. I’m bored. Please stop. I’m bored. Please stop. I’m bored.”
She doesn’t back down until they stop. Next contestant please!
Let’s Get Somewhere!!!
I have been to a lot of meetings lately. Part of the MyWHaT mission of tasks was to be more engaged and committed to participating in community development–arguing for intentional design along the way. The details of how that’s going is a rant for another post (coming soon), but I’ll point out one thing: the vast majority of meetings I’ve been going to are only productive in what they DON’T accomplish. That, in the end, is what makes them boring.
It isn’t about being entertained in a meeting. It is about coming away with a sense of forward movement. A sense that the group, whether that be an organization, a neighborhood meeting or public commission has a clear vision and is moving towards fulfilling that vision. The obstructionist don’t rule the meeting.
Before I bust into a rant, I’m self-censoring and screaming “Stop!” I’m saving it for another day.
I have two meetings today and I’m tempted to draw myself a little two-sided sign. On one side, “Boring! Please move on.” And on the other, “Go! Let’s get this done.“
What’s your dream function for the optimal meeting app?
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NOTE: Download a public meeting scorecard and/or record the results online at the MyWHaT online scorecard
Virtual Lobby
Today, Michigan Complete Streets is asking for people to participate in a virtual lobby in support of action by the League of Michigan Bicyclists to ‘lobby for Complete Streets and more funding and federal support for bicycling in Michigan’. More information at MichiganCompleteStreets.org.
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Hypermile challenge
Today’s hyper-mile challenge from Cheboygan back to Traverse City failed to meet expectations. After getting 46mpg on the way north, I aimed for 50mpg on the return journey.
MPG readings should be mandatory on all cars...http://bit.ly/akOygx
As you can see, I failed by 2-tenths. I might have succeeded if only there was a roundabout at 3-mile and US-31, as the 90 seconds I spent at the red light really hurt the last leg. Roundabouts are up to 30% more fuel-efficient than signalized intersections.
Still, for a car that is rated 27 city/33 hwy, the manual Honda Fit can be pushed to almost match the ratings for the Toyota Prius. My basic approach is to stay steady. I maintained the speed limit the entire distance, and didn’t quickly accelerate to reach it as fast as possible. Instead, at intersections I applied even pressure as I worked through the gears.
Also, at intersections I coasted up to them as much as possible. If its red, its red; there’s no sense in racing. And, there’s no sense in breaking. When hypermiling, only appply your breaks when you really must.
As the question/answer goes, “What’s your mpg when you’re waiting at a red light? … yeah, zero mpg, you’re going nowhere.“
The EPA has the basic steps to better efficiency and if you want to go advanced (illegal in some states) you can visit www.CleanMPG.com. CleanMPG has the beginners, intermediate and advanced guide to hypermiling
The basics really are about simply being a better, more aware driver.
And a more safe driver at that…
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Speaking of roundabouts
On today’s journey, I swung through Gaylord to peak at their roundie. Full of student drivers as it’s in front of a high school, but also a busy trucking route. Yes, trucks can navigate a roundabout.
I was called on assignment in Cheboygan today and didn’t quite finish my intended posts. However, this does give me a chance to try to post via my phone & email.
What to post about? Well, part of my job as a photographer I dont like is the driving. This is particularly a strong feeling as thousands of barrels of crude are gushing into the Gulf of Mexico everyday.
My small part: hypermiling! A combination of doing anything and everything to increase MPG.
To toot my own horn, my little Honda & I hit 46mpg as we rolled into town. I didn’t do anything too special but maintain a constant smooth speed, coasted when possible and only drafted a few times. I’m going for 50mpg on the return.
I’ll also try to post a video of the Gaylord roubdabout.
Cheers from this little mobile gadget.
Rerun rides on the back of his mother’s bike. It’s the Peanuts, so it’s more sentimental than funny, but I like this quote, “It gives you time to think about people and about life. And what would happen if we ran into a tree.“
Inspired by yesterday’s post about riding while pregnant and car-less family life in general.
A recently received email titled ‘Preggers on a Bike‘ asked:
“I’m into my 6th month of pregnancy and getting a little out of balance. People have been warning me to give up biking but it’s hard to imagine a summer without bike. I’ve decided that I’d be willing to ride a tricycle for a couple of months but I missed out on the only one I’ve seen offered for sale. Do you think you could put a notice out on your blog or keep your ears open for someone who might rent/lend/sell a trike? I’m pretty sure I’d only need it for a couple of months.“ (Leave a comment if you can help.)
Ultimately, riding a bike is one of the safest modes of transportation around. Statistically, the raw numbers show that it’s safer to bike than walk in the United States. From 2000-2007, pedestrians were involved in 11.3% of all traffic fatalities, bicyclists 1.8%.
Still, I completely understand the concern of acceptable risk with a baby on board. Thankfully, there are a lot of moms out there sharing their experiences.
The star of the show at the BLOG 'A Most Civilized Conveyance' rides in comfort in a bucket bike.
One BLOG that is instructive on the topic is A Most Civilized Conveyance, which grabbed my attention with the post Baby on a Bike! back in January. Posts here cover a range of issues involved with choosing to be ‘car-free’ and to “thrive without it.”
Sure this mom lives in Portland, but it’s not like her and her partner don’t have to contend with their share of cars, potholes and disconnected infrastructure, as well as a midwife who was really concerned about her walking the mile to the birth center. (They took a pedicab home with their newborn.)
In April, San Francisco’s Street posted a piece by writer Regina Hope Sinsky about her pregnant pedaling experience. The two responses she receives while out and about: ““You go girl!” or “You shouldn’t be doing that, girl.”.”
Sinky’s main advice:
To be safe, I don’t ride in the rain, stick to streets with bike lanes, and avoid areas with heavy traffic. Fortunately there are lots of streets in San Francisco that fit the bill. I also always wear a helmet and multiple blinky lights. Duh. From what I’ve read, some women experience balance issues in their third trimester… if that’s you, then, well, maybe a stationary bike?
Families are choosing to go car-less all over the world, not just Portland and Copenhagen and even in little ol’ Traverse City mothers and mothers-to-be are thriving with less motorized miles driven.
I shared the message above with area writer and mom-on-two-wheels Cari Noga. I sat down with Cari back in January after I heard about her commitment to biking whenever possible, even while pregnant. She explained that it wasn’t that big of a deal once she had the routes plotted out. There were certain parts of town she simply avoided, but she got around fine.
Today, Cari posted an entry at TART’s blog, Inspiring Active Living that is a response to tricycle question, titled: Pedaling pregnant. With Smart Commute week around the corner, she answers the tricycle question with a general answer for all of us.
“What I can tell her – and everyone, X or Y chromosome, who might be thinking of trying bike commuting during Smart Commute Week – is that they key to success isn’t your wheels. It’s your confidence.” She concludes, writing,”if that expectant mother feels she’ll be safer on a tricycle, then she’ll be more confident riding it. Likewise for the person who’s overweight/got a bad knee/uses an inhaler/fill in the blank. With your doctor/midwife/health care practitioner’s blessing, do what you have to do to accommodate your particular needs. And then?… Giddy up.“
There’s more car-less moms out there, for certain. If you rode, or are riding, while pregnant what was the biggest surprise? Difficulty? What made it easier than you imagined? If you’re thinking about it, what questions do you have? If you know someone out there with a story to tell, please pass this on and encourage them to post a comment.
And, if you have a trike that can be loaned out, let us know.
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