Random links
- To Encourage Biking, Cities Lose the Helmets
- "One common denominator of successful bike programs around the world — from Paris to Barcelona to Guangzhou — is that almost no one wears a helmet, and there is no pressure to do so." Regarding accident risk, the article linked to an analysis of North American bikeshare programs which noted "Of the 14 operators that provided accident statistics, accident rates were relatively low, averaging 1.36 accidents reported systemwide in North America in 2011. One noted an accident rate of approximately one accident for every 50,000 to 60,000 rides. Another reported one accident after approximately 100,000 miles of riding. Experts also indicated that the majority of accidents are relatively minor and that very few are serious or fatal." Also semi-interesting that bikeshare participants seem less likely to wear helmets than other cyclists.
- Key set available for $150 on eBay provides an all-access pass to NYC
- Yikes... what happens if a set of master keys for use by firefighters in a major city slips out. Allows you to access and controls fire alarms, elevators, traffic lights, etc.
- Beyond Wall St., Curbs on High-Speed Trades Proceed
- "Industry leaders and regulators in several countries including Canada, Australia and Germany have adopted or proposed a wide range of limits on high-speed trading and other technological developments that have come to define United States markets." - Just a few days ago I started digging into Yale professor's Robert Schiller's Finance and the Good Society - will have to see to what extent he might touch upon some of these sorts of issues. Schiller is, to quote the Amazon book summary, "no apologist for the sins of finance--he is probably the only person to have predicted both the stock market bubble of 2000 and the real estate bubble that led up to the subprime mortgage meltdown" yet he seems to think that more "financial innovation" is necessary. Will have to see how good he is at making his case.