and its really great that Futurama is also out on DVDs.

heres mine…

How many times has a traffic light turned yellow as you approach an intersection, and you are uncertain if you can make the light or not? For me this is a daily occurrence. My typical route to/from work is along a highly-trafficked boulevard traversing through northeast Philadelphia. Traffic lights break up the long stretch of boulevard every quarter mile or so. One day during my commute home, I discovered a systematic way to determine if I can go through or should slow down for the yellow traffic light.

First let’s go over the basic layout of an intersection. At the point of intersection, a traffic light facing drivers approaching the intersection is suspended above the road. A solid white lane line (SWLL) extends out from the intersection and eventually turns into a broken white lane line (BWLL). So, as drivers approach an intersection, the lane line changes from broken to solid and then ends at the traffic light.

The length of the SWLL extending out from the intersection is curious, because there appears to be no standard length. Yet, it seems doubtful that the length is determined haphazardly by the steamroller operator. (I can just imagine him thinking to himself, “Let’s extend the solid white lane line to right about….here. Yeah, this looks good.”) My left brain mind presses me to believe that the length of the SWLL is not arbitrary and must be calculated.

I vaguely recollect when studying for the written part of the driver’s examination (which, by the way, I failed…twice) that switching lanes is prohibited in the SWLL area, and is allowed only in the BWLL area. But could the SWLL also serve the purpose of indicating to the driver if it is safe to proceed through a yellow light or not? Thus arose the “Roosevelt Boulevard Experiment”, a two-week test of man against traffic light.

The “Roosevelt Boulevard Experiment” had three basic rules. Rule #1 was to to drive as close as possible to the speed limit. Doing so allowed me to rule out the possibilities that driving too slowly was the reason for not making the light, and driving too fast was the reason for making the light. Rule #2 was to always wear a seatbelt. Afterall, the SWLL might have nothing at all to do with the traffic light. Rule #3 was to tell noone about the experiment. This would prevent other lunatics from trying this experiment too.

The results were very surprising! About 95% of the time my hypothesis held true, i.e. if the light turned yellow when I was in the BWLL area, I would not make the light, AND if the light turned yellow when I was in the SWLL area, I would make the light. The remaining 5% resulted in some near-death expieriences I’d rather not elaborate upon.

There are several factors at work here – Speed (i.e. speed limit), Time (i.e. yellow light’s duration), and Distance (i.e. SWLL’s length). Let’s see what happens when each of these factors is made a constant. Scenario 1: If the yellow light’s duration is constant, then the faster/slower the speed limit, the longer/shorter the SWLL’s length. I have not yet experienced two yellow lights that share the same duration. Scenario 2: If the SWLL’s length is constant, then the faster/slower the speed limit, the shorter/longer the yellow light’s duration. It is also my experience that no two SWLLs share the same length. This scenario is the most dangerous, especially as speed increases or the yellow light’s duration decreases. Scenario 3: If speed limit is constant, then the longer/shorter the SWLL’s length, the longer/shorter the yellow light’s duration. This scenario appears to be most reasonable, as both the yellow light’s duration and the SWLL’s length are both variable, and to represent reality most closely.

Therefore, if we assign Speed and Time, we can solve for Distance using the following simple algebraic equation: Distance = Speed * Time, or SWLL’s Length (ft) = Speed Limit (ft/second) * Yellow Light’s Duration (seconds). For example, in a 30mph zone, and a 3-second yellow light, the SWLL would be 132 feet.

In the end, my “Roosevelt Boulevard Experiment” yielded little more than empirical evidence and a few induced out-of-body experiences. My hypothesis remains unproven. This is really a shame, because I am certain my hypothesis, if proven, could be of interest to thousands of personal injury lawyers out there handling cases involving intersection-related accidents. And, more importantly, the anxiety a yellow light traffic incites in each of us each day might finally disappear…

Nice site. Check out this one sometime……

By the same token, these motorcycles are also heavily marketed towards beginning riders, because their size is manageable and the lower power curve makes it less likely that the bike will get away from them.

10. Turn of your bedroom light. This only works once.

9. Add a new moon roof to your car.

8. End those telemarketing calls with one shot to the receiver.

7. Drain your pool in the fall.

6. Ice fishing hole.

5. Protest this season’s Monday night TV lineup.

4. Use it to turn down that teenager’s car sterio.

3. Check your neighbors new sound proof walls.

2. Finally put a stop to that irritating alarm clock.

1. The number one use of a gun – mask the sound of a loud fart!

That’s right I said it,
Brian Hawkins

I saw a letter from a viewer on Lou Dobbs that said, why can’t we eliminate parties and elect Americans, who will think like
Americans, and work to govern Americans in a way that is best for America? Or something to that effect.
I can not remember the quote exactly.

CHOICE SIGN!!!

UNFORGETTABLE!

Gary

I’ve seen auroras in Alaska, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and probably in other
states. Montana comes to mind. I lived there for two years.

The BEST most breathtaking aurora, one which I could FEEL and my body DRANK IN was here in
Wisconsin.

One morning at 5AM, the aurora covered the ENTIRE SKY down to within 20 degrees of the
SOUTHERN horizon. What is that? 90% of the sky? Absolutely AWESOME. You could FEEL
the “rain” coming down on you.

The aurora streamers(green, red, and blue) streamed down fanning in all directions from
the very zenith of the sky’s dome. In other words, it appeared to be raining down directly
onto Wisconsin.

I can’t say enough about it.

I EVEN called a friend at 5AM and told them about it. Woke ‘em up and I am not sure they
appreciated it as much as I did, but truly I believe it was a once in a lifetime experience.

Gary

I may not advocate his ideas or candidacy, but I do have solutions to our country’s problems that I think would work, even if they are extreme.

Problem: Terrorists kidnap hostages and demand that America (or Israel or whomever …) release prisoners.
Solution: Shoot every prisoner they identify that they want released.
They may kill their hostages, but they WILL THINK TWICE about doing it again and identifying their friends in our jails that they want freed.

Therefore, for the price and sacrifice of one set of hostages, we may end any threat of future hostage taking for the purpose of getting us to free prisoners.

The sacrifice of a few hostages’ lives is a much smaller cost than committing armies in the middle east to kill IDEAS like we are doing now. Ideas must be fought with ideas, not guns.

Maybe we need to consider the bizarre. The staid current positions only seem to be making the world worse.

Simple!

Just went through the Mexico slide show. Great pictures! When I figure out how to move them to my printer, I’ll print some!

Jean