Top Ten Things to Know Before Biking in the Street

1) Watch out for cars! Just because you have the right of way does not mean that a crash will be any less painful.  When you are at risk from being hit by a ton of moving metal it is a good idea to watch out and sometimes cede the right of way if that is necessary.

2) When biking in multiple lane streets, don't use the left turn lane.  This lane is for cars.  There are laws stating that bikes and cars should follow the same laws but this is extremely dangerous.  Seriously, just cross in a cross walk twice and you have made a left turn.  It isn't that hard.

3) When going over a speed bump, don't slow down!  These bumps of asphalt may inhibit cars but on a bike if you lift up on your pedals and are not planted on the seat it is a breeze to go straight over them.  This also helps to maintain distance from fast drivers on narrow roads.

4) Remember that stop signs are very strict for cars but when you are biking it is good to look at them as a guideline.  There is no real need to stop at every intersection.  It is so difficult to accelerate that really you can blow through stop signs as long as there are no cars at the intersection.

5) Only get on the sidewalk if completely necessary.  There are usually pedestrians who get in your way and slow you down more than if you have just stayed in the street so use this back up lane wisely.

6) One of the most painful things that can happen to a bicyclist is being "doored." Sometimes people who park are careless and open their door just as you bike by and you flip over the handlebars and crack a couple bones.  This is terrible.  Therefore it is a good idea to look in rear view mirrors ahead and watch out for cars which are on.

7) Other bicyclists can be dangerous as well.  One will almost never encounter another bicyclist who is going at the same speed because it would be mathematically impossible to catch them.  It is just good to watch out for faster bicyclists catching you and to not run into slower bicyclists.

8) Listening to music while you bike is very tempting but this is a terrible idea.  When you can't hear cars it doesn't make you any safer.  There is a much higher probability that you will crash and no matter whether it is your fault or not, it will be painful.

9) Make sure not to bike in the middle of the street.  When there is a fear of being doored this might be very tempting but sometimes cars will creep up behind you and it will be an unpleasant experience being passed by an angry driver.

10) Remember, drivers are jerks.  It seems like they personally dislike each bicyclists because they have the charisma to use an alternate mode of transportation.  You have to watch out for road rage which can develop easily around bicyclists.  Cars are not careless, people are careless.  This is the key thing to remember while biking.

With this knowledge, you should be able to commute or travel anywhere by bike without being seriously injured.

Suggested TED Talk

Briane Greene: Making sense of String Theory
This TED talk takes what seems to be one of the most confusing topics in the modern sciences and transforms it into something which is easily understood.  This TED talk is especially enlightening and provides lots of important information.

Susan Cain: The Power of Introverts

                This TED talk is especially interesting for me.  This is because I believe myself to be an introvert.  Susan Cain also seems like a fellow introvert.  Therefore, she really gets the point across to me.  Susan seems very nervous throughout this talk but I think that she is really making a good point.  I believe that life should be more introverted.  This TED talk is especially well timed since I am currently reading Walden and therefore I am especially moved by it.  

Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Speech

I found the speech to be very moving but the choice of speaker was not the best in my opinion.  This is no slight against Steve Jobs but is instead a slight against the person who chose him.  Steve began his speech by saying he never went to college.  How is it in any way inspiring for college graduates to hear one of the most successful individuals talk about how not going to college did not affect him in the slightest.  This should have been controlled by the choosers of speakers.  But, so it goes.

Glass Menagerie Questions

1) Who is the Gentlemen Caller? 

a. Jim O'Connor

b. Tom

c. Amanda

d. Laura 

2) What does the Gentlemen caller represent for the family 

a. Freedom for Tom

b. Love for Laura

c. Relief for Amanda

d. All of the Above

3) What is so surprising for Laura after her time on the balcony with Jim? 

a. She finds out Jim has cholera

b. She finds out Jim is engaged

c. She finds out Jim wants to run away with her

d. She finds out she is pregnant 

4) Who particularly likes the glass menagerie? 

a. Critics

b. Laura

c. Tom 

d. Sparkles the Dog

5) Why doesn't Laura take business classes? 

a. She is busy with work

b. She is shy

c. She already has an MBA

d. She is still taking ESL classes to prepare

6) Why does Amanda pressure Laura so much about attracting men? 

a. She is trying to force her own experiences onto her daughter

b. She thinks it is Laura's only chance at a happy life 

c. All of the Above

d. None of the Above

7) Why doesn't Tom chase his dreams? 

a. He is afraid of what would happen to Amanda and Laura

b. He has no dreams

c. Amanda takes care of him and he can't live with her

d. He is content with his current job

8) Does Tom know his father? 

a. He knows of him

b. He knew him until he died

c. He meets with him every day

d. He and his dad meet occasionally 

9) How many characters are seen in the play? 

a. 1

b. 3

c. 2

d. 4

10) How does Laura respond to her handicap? 

a. She ignores it

b. It limits her physically but she copes emotionally 

c. It limits her emotionally and is one of the causes of her shyness

d. None of the Above

Two TED Talks Response

 Tony Robbins:
I really loved this TED talk.  This was extremely compelling and it was especially interesting because the ideas did not feel presented and completely new, but instead felt like they were simply revealed within the layers of day to day life.  I thought that Tony spoke with more passion than most speakers and he seemed both excited and extremely ready to present.  What he said seemed true to me and I think that he had a great talk.

David Blaine:
This TED talk was good.  David didn't seem to really be trying to explain a concept but instead just showed the struggles and goals that humans set.  This was a good follower for Tony because it related to motivation. David found his achievement in his goals.  This was a very interesting TED talk because I find holding your breath to be such a difficult enterprise.  His explanation was very interesting and he seemed to really like what he was doing.

Ten Tips to Save Time Online

I think that David Pogue needs to just relax.  I mean, maybe over an entire lifetime the compounded time you waste using inefficient methods of technology use will be huge.  But in a normal day, will it really have that great of an effect?  There are some great tips in this talk but I think that perhaps all David needs to do is relax and realize that he will die before he can accomplish everything he wants to do.  No matter whether he saves time by using these tips or not, his life will still inevitably be a failure in terms of productivity.  By his logic, perhaps we should just stop sleeping.