Paul Merrill | Shiny Bits of Life

May 22, 2012May 19, 2012

Enjoy today by looking back

Nairobi traffic Traffic is part of life in many large cities around the world. The traffic in the busiest of USA cities is nothing compared to the grid-lock that affects many urban centers, particularly in the “developing world.”

I loved our years in Nairobi, Kenya, but I do not miss the traffic. And it’s probably twice as bad as when we left in 2007. The roads were built to accommodate about 1/10 of the traffic they carry. So today it may take two hours to get somewhere that used to take 10 minutes, when we lived there in the mid-1990s.

I am very thankful to live in boring suburban Denver, when it comes to not having to regularly sit in mind-numbing Nairobi traffic.

Looking back at the past made me thankful for today. What experience are you glad that’s in your past and not part of your present?

I took the photo while sitting in traffic. At least sales people would peddle their wares while you were sitting there. Sometimes that was a pleasant diversion. I also wrote about Nairobi traffic when we lived there.

May 15, 2012June 13, 2012

Governmental regulation can be good

Dodge Dart Grille, courtesy of Autoweek Magazine Back in the 1970s, air pollution was really bad. The average car back then put out literally 20 times the amount of harmful emissions than today’s average car. If the government had not stepped in and made laws that forced car manufacturers to clean up what was coming out of tailpipes, I am sure we’d have dirtier air today.

I haven’t been to China, but I understand the air in Beijing is a lot worse than the air in any American city. Why? A lack of governmental regulation.

I fully understand that not all governmental interventions in life and public policy are beneficial. But some are.

I challenge you to argue with me on this one.

The photo is an enlargement of a shot from Autoweek Magazine. Their May 14, 2012 issue has an article about the new Dodge Dart. Its front grille shuts at certain speeds to improve fuel economy – because of governmental regulations for car manufacturers to increase fuel economy. I think that’s awesome.

May 8, 2012July 11, 2012

Amazing cameras

The cell phone has replaced the point-and-shoot camera.

If you have an older phone, its camera is probably not very good, but if you’ve bought a recent smart phone, you now know how good a cell phone’s camera can be.

I’ve always been a proponent of small digital cameras. (My second, in about 2002, was a tiny Sony that was incredibly simple to use. I still love Sony cameras – my current non-cell-phone camera is a Sony.) The easier a camera is to use, the more often you’ll take photos. And if it’s small and light enough, you will carry it in your pocket, thus increasing your chances of not missing a shot.

Software is the biggest reason why smartphone cameras rule photography today. I took the photos below with my iPhone 4S and used the Dynamic Light app to add effects. B is way over the top, but the filters make the picture a lot more interesting. I applied filters with a little more care to create D. You might argue that C (the original) is better, but I like the more dramatic result of D.

And then there is the ability to share your photos. With a regular camera, it takes a lot of work to share a photo with your friends. With a smartphone app, it’s just a few clicks away. Creating art is great, but sharing art is even better.

In-phone photo apps are extremely easy to use. A professional using Photoshop would spend ten times the effort to gain a similar result. And yes, a “real” camera will give an amateur photographer better results, at least for the original. But again, the hassle of lugging around a huge camera will cause many lost shots – and memories of life events.

Another photo app I enjoy is Camera Awesome, if only because of the fun messages is provides while the image is processing. “Carmelizing kraken tenacles.”

Go forth and have fun with a smart phone, if you are able.

iPhone photos comparison using filters

May 2, 2012April 29, 2012

Duplicate sets of cars

Floyd Mayweather, Jr's cars So there’s a boxer. His name is Floyd Mayweather, Jr. He has two identical sets of cars – a white set in Las Vegas and a black set in Miami. Each set includes a Bentley, a Mercedes Benz SLS AMG, a Ferrari and an unknown fourth car. My guess on the total value (and there may be more than four cars) is about $2 million. Somehow it’s not the money spent that bothers me. It’s the identical-but-different-color aspect.

Of course I’m thinking of how one man has all those opulent and amazing cars, and how the money could have been spent on a slightly better education for kids in either city. Or how some kids in Africa might not die because they have clean water.

But somehow I mostly think of what a strange thing is is to have two identical-but-different-color sets of cars.

(Thanks to the May 10, 2012 Rolling Stone Magazine for the article featuring this photo.)

April 27, 2012April 19, 2012

Fun for your Friday, number 19

Cano's Castle of Antonito, Colorado

This house – or temple – is in the remote town of Antonito, Colorado. We passed through there in March and I thankfully saw it from Highway 285, even though it’s maybe half a mile from the main road.

I was amused at the arch across the entrance: “ALCOHOL+TOBACCO IS KILLS” and “MARY JANE IS HEALING.” The creator of this western Graceland is or was quite prolific. Every surface of both spires is ironically covered with the ends of beer cans.

Thanks to Wikipedia, I discovered that this is “Cano’s Castle,” built by Donald “Cano” Espinoza.

April 24, 2012April 18, 2012

Badge inflation

Mercedes Benz SL Mercedes and BMW are both guilty of padding their numbers. Not in a financial sense but rather in making their products appear larger than what they really are. This reflects an accurate understanding of how Americans value bigger things.

The forth-coming Mercedes SL550 has a 4.7 liter engine. It used to be that Mercedes would badge such a model as the SL470. No longer. BMW does the same thing with their 328i … the latest model has a 2.0 liter engine.

In Europe, this inflation is slightly less. The SL550 is badged as the SL500.

Engine sizes are going down, as vehicle manufacturers are figuring out how to get more power out of less engine. That’s a good thing. Fuel economy usually goes up when these changes happen. And then you save when you fill up at the gas station.

I long for the day when real numbers will be given for things.

Photo courtesy of Desertspotter.

April 22, 2012April 19, 2012

Something you can do for Earth Day

Choose to walk

This is a re-post. I thought you might enjoy this little idea that originally appeared on October 7, 2011.

You know you need to exercise. I know that I do. You know that you need to run lots of errands each week.

Why not combine the two?

Riding your bicycle or walking to that place will take you more time. But you have to go there anyway! Why drive to the gym and run on a treadmill when in the same time it would take you to do both, you could save fuel, help the environment and enjoy being outside?

Disclaimer: I realize this only works if you live in a town that’s laid out where you can do your errands close to home.

April 19, 2012May 4, 2019

Tradeoffs

I like the weird taste of kombucha. It’s a fermented tea beverage (with little or no alcohol). There are many touted health benefits, such as reawakening your mind and repurposing your life (at least according to the brand I tried most recently). I don’t believe that any more than I believe the tooth fairy will visit me again next week.

But I like the taste. It’s a refreshing break from the coffees I love so dearly and so many sweet drinks.

The problem is that I normally get a headache after I drink some. But the unusual taste experience is worth the pain.

Update: When I looked at this post about seven years later, I can now report that I no longer have any headaches after drinking Kombucha. Yay!

April 17, 2012April 14, 2012

Do it today

Blossoms by the side of the road About a week ago, Denver experienced some of the most amazing flowering spring-ness that I’ve ever seen. But it quickly started disappearing. A major wind storm blew many of the blossoms to the ground. Then a quick hailstorm finished off more of the blooms.

I was able to get out and enjoy the spring beauty by taking a bicycle ride one day. I would have regretted missing that short window of opportunity.

If you have kids, they won’t be with you for more than maybe 18 years. If you’re married, your beloved may not be with you forever. If you have a dog, she may not be at your side ten years from now. I don’t say these things to be mournful – but rather to remind you – and me – to make time to spend time with the ones we love today.

April 12, 2012April 7, 2012

Count your blessings

british parking officer We recently drove down to Texas for a short spring break visit. On a remote backroad in southern Colorado, a state trooper pulled me over and showed no mercy. I wasn’t thrilled at the prospect of paying a shockingly high fine. My calculated risk did not pay off.

Then I remembered back to the parking wardens in Thame, Oxfordshire, England, where we lived from 1995-1998. That town of 11,000 people had a full-time parking enforcement officer. When you arrived downtown, parking had to be paid for and no parking was free.

Be thankful that you can park for free – or that you’ve driven for a while without being pulled over.