e.g., I love how the dollar sign is F, and the exclamation point is K.

Or am I reading too much into this???

Anyway, here is a letter, submitted recently by a New Yorker, of our acquaintance, to the New York Times, to the City Section Editor.  It was written in response to an Op-Ed piece in the City Section, last Sunday, by a former pro-bicycle advocate, and ex-NYC resident.

Dear Editor of the City Section:

The project to increase New York City's network of bike paths and bike lanes, which Andrew Vesselinovitch tried so hard to implement, only to end his tenure as director of the bicycle program in frustration and disappointment, remains praiseworthy.  It is especially to be recommended, in view of the global warming crisis, which should be urgently prompting all of us to find ways to reduce our consumption of fossil fuels.

In fact, I would go further than Mr. Vesselinovitch, and support any serious attempt to reduce traffic in the city.  For starters, the program that London initiated not long ago, by which drivers are charged a fee to be permitted to drive in that city's central district, has reportedly worked very well, and ought to be an inspiration for traffic planners here.  How about this: Designate a pay-to-drive district between 59th Street and a cordon south and east of Downtown Brooklyn; erect no-charge parking garages near the access points; create a fleet of hybrid or electric taxis and buses; create a fleet of bicycle-rickshaws; and make bicycles available for temporary use.

Best wishes to Mr. Vesselinovitch in his new venture in Chicago.  We can have no doubt that he will continue to do what he can to encourage New York City to follow Chicago's example, by growing ever more green, and more humane.

Sincerely,
Marcus Stephanus
etc.

Thanks, bio. In response to your question, I doubt it, so I've written a long piece about that too. Watch for it in a special Grist report sometime this fall.

    CCTV9 had on it's business news last night an interview with a company I got as "Bright Li" (though I can't find it on the web).  They have an all electric car that can charge in 1-3 hours (using what they call a Li-ion battery).  These are tiny cars (bright yellow was the one I saw on TV) which get up to 200 KM on a charge.  The cost per KM was quoted as being about 12 cents (in China).

    They intend to make 30-50,000 a year for the European market.

    I sometimes see similar reports on research from Japan and India.

    The US car companies can get on board, or drown.  By the time they decide to get involved, the rest of the world will have a developed technology (or several) and factories ready and waiting.

    Dumb, dumb, dumb.

patrick

  BioDiversivist,

      That is interesting.  Electric bikes are increasing popular here.  (One of the Chinese teachers just bought one).  Also of interest, while the government is encouraging research into electric  (and other) cars, so far, they haven't set standards for them, so that electric cars are not for sale here.  (There is a suggestion that the standards are coming soon).

       Meanwhile, they are tightening the emission standards for cars and trucks (they follow the EU model which is said to be stricter than the US model).

       It does look like electric cars are coming from somewhere (and probably a number of somewheres, except the US) in the next couple of years.

       Not all the solutions to global warming, but a good start!!!

       Alas, it won't do a thing about traffic jams (so I will stay on my bike as much as possible).

patrick

Oh, sweet young Patrick, you disappoint me, you had nothing to say about my suggestion to the City editors of the NYTimes, that we should station rickshaws at the mouths of the tunnels.

Profitable for the cyclists, apparently: Fetishists are coughing up $100 for a pair of damp socks, worn by presumably cute guys.  Unclear whether they need to get as well a good head shot, with good sun, of the sun-tanned, blond, 20-year-old.

Chickens are our cousins! So are other sensitive animals! Enough is enough! No more factory farms!

Hehehey, Canis.   Rickshaws yep, the US is becoming a tourist destination like the UK.

No more manufacturing.  The flight of capital to low wage and enviro/health safety regulation.

The only other alternative seems to be to open up the borders to anyone who wants to work at whatever wages or working conditions.  Then institute industry self (no) regulation across the continent.

Is it worth it?  No.  Tourism is a great alternative.  Do it yourselfers and small business can then convert the economy that remains to renewable energy.

With tourism jobs to rely on people will need to rely on mother nature to afford to live a quality existence.

http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog

   Sorry I missed your comments about Rickshaws, dear young CanisCandida!  Perhaps you could work on one and sell your socks for pin money. (smile).

   Tours by rickshaw are still fairly popular in China, especially around the "old" areas of Beijing.
They are, of course, bicycle rickshaws, not the pulled kind.

   There are also three wheeled carts (electric and gas, mostly gas) that deliver people short distances, and some electric rickshaws.  We have pretty much every combination of vehicle possible (including three wheeled trucks for hauling loads, and mule carts!).

   San Francisco has bicycle rickshaws, I don't know how popular they are, but it is hilly there, so their range is somewhat limited.

   As to the hybrid motors, I forgot to post the cost of the Chinese cars, they mentioned less than 20,000.  But was that Euros, dollars or Yuan?  Big  difference, and I cannot find it.

   Soon, all of this will be happening relativey soon.

patrick