Book reading time
Originally uploaded by KurtQ
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Better or worse
The name of Eyjafjallajökul was probably quite unknown for most of us. Now we know it is a volcano in Iceland whose ashes stop air traffic over most of Europe. Millions of individuals are affected directly or indirectly. This is a natural catastrophe.
Has it not been a lot of natural catastrophes recently? Earth quakes in Haiti, Chile, China...
For the first time in human history we have the opportunity to change assumptions into knowledge. We can have statistics instead of guesses.
Is the earth feeling better or worse? Is the stomach of the earth in balance, or will there be more uncontrolled outbreaks?
Is there any artificial way to release tensions in the earth, so we can avoid the effects of sudden earth quakes and volcano outbreaks?
Could there be any such artificial methods?
The Galapagos Islands seems to be a safety-valve used by the earth when the pressure gets to strong. The Galapagos method seems quite harmless and free from disturbing side effects. The Iceland and other open air volcanoes have difficult side effects, obviously.
Can the energy be tamed and used properly? If we could tap a very little amount of the heat from inside the earth we could warm many family homes.
Has it not been a lot of natural catastrophes recently? Earth quakes in Haiti, Chile, China...
For the first time in human history we have the opportunity to change assumptions into knowledge. We can have statistics instead of guesses.
Is the earth feeling better or worse? Is the stomach of the earth in balance, or will there be more uncontrolled outbreaks?
Is there any artificial way to release tensions in the earth, so we can avoid the effects of sudden earth quakes and volcano outbreaks?
Could there be any such artificial methods?
The Galapagos Islands seems to be a safety-valve used by the earth when the pressure gets to strong. The Galapagos method seems quite harmless and free from disturbing side effects. The Iceland and other open air volcanoes have difficult side effects, obviously.
Can the energy be tamed and used properly? If we could tap a very little amount of the heat from inside the earth we could warm many family homes.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Comfort and control
Car accidents in Sweden have been on a low level compared to most countries, and recently the level has fallen still more.
During the last Easter period - Easter is a peak period in car traffic and usually in accidents - only two individuals were killed in traffic accidents compared to 9 individuals in 2009.
Maybe it is a bit early, but we could ask if a critical point in car accidents has been reached. Will car accidents spontaneously become fewer and fewer?
The decrease in the number of accidents has not happened by itself. The roads have been safer. A lot of barriers between lanes have been built. The cars have been better. The control has been better, with automatic cameras taking pictures of those driving over the speed limit.
Most accidents are related to the subjective situation of the car driver at the moment of accident. If we want a spontaneous decrease in traffic accidents, we want this subjective situation to be more comfortable in avoiding risks than taking risks.
For most car drivers this is already the case. They feel perfectly comfortable in avoiding risk, even if it means going slower and letting other cars pass by.
So the key factors for better car safety would be in comfort and control.
During the last Easter period - Easter is a peak period in car traffic and usually in accidents - only two individuals were killed in traffic accidents compared to 9 individuals in 2009.
Maybe it is a bit early, but we could ask if a critical point in car accidents has been reached. Will car accidents spontaneously become fewer and fewer?
The decrease in the number of accidents has not happened by itself. The roads have been safer. A lot of barriers between lanes have been built. The cars have been better. The control has been better, with automatic cameras taking pictures of those driving over the speed limit.
Most accidents are related to the subjective situation of the car driver at the moment of accident. If we want a spontaneous decrease in traffic accidents, we want this subjective situation to be more comfortable in avoiding risks than taking risks.
For most car drivers this is already the case. They feel perfectly comfortable in avoiding risk, even if it means going slower and letting other cars pass by.
So the key factors for better car safety would be in comfort and control.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
The situation in China
How is the situation for humans and human rights in China?
China is in fast development. The China of today is very different from the China under the cultural revolution.
The cultural revolution between 1966 and 1976 was a very drastic period which caused immense upheaval and difficulties for many citizens. Humans and human rights were not respected.
Neither the communist ideals, nor the methods or the results were acceptable according to western ideas.
The image of China might still be influenced by this period. But China of today is very different. Education and prosperity is most important here as in the rest of the world.
Ideologically, China is now a communist capitalist state. It should have been interesting to hear what Karl Marx feels about this. Is China the fulfillment of his deepest dreams, or is it a disgrace ideologically?
One party capitalism is very efficient in implementing political ideas. The multi party liberalism of India is not quite as efficient.
The back side of an one party political system is that local party bosses can misuse their power without being punished. This is a problem in China of today. How big is it? Impossible to say for certain, but it is bigger than it should be.
More of openness for the press and more of independence for the legal system would be an improvement. The presence of Internet might open for more of free debate.
The present government in Beijing has made some promising contacts with old enemies as Taiwan and Japan. But Tibet remains a problem.
China is in fast development. The China of today is very different from the China under the cultural revolution.
The cultural revolution between 1966 and 1976 was a very drastic period which caused immense upheaval and difficulties for many citizens. Humans and human rights were not respected.
Neither the communist ideals, nor the methods or the results were acceptable according to western ideas.
The image of China might still be influenced by this period. But China of today is very different. Education and prosperity is most important here as in the rest of the world.
Ideologically, China is now a communist capitalist state. It should have been interesting to hear what Karl Marx feels about this. Is China the fulfillment of his deepest dreams, or is it a disgrace ideologically?
One party capitalism is very efficient in implementing political ideas. The multi party liberalism of India is not quite as efficient.
The back side of an one party political system is that local party bosses can misuse their power without being punished. This is a problem in China of today. How big is it? Impossible to say for certain, but it is bigger than it should be.
More of openness for the press and more of independence for the legal system would be an improvement. The presence of Internet might open for more of free debate.
The present government in Beijing has made some promising contacts with old enemies as Taiwan and Japan. But Tibet remains a problem.
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