The Morning Commute:
So, pretty much as expected, the openings to many conversations on this morning's ride in was bin Laden. The guy that I frequently share a seat with (whose name I have, of course forgotten) asked first thing if I'd heard about it, and wondered about the relevance of the whole thing. Can't say as I blame or disagree, though I harbor some small satisfaction from the idea that we finally got the bastard who planned the attack that cost us so many innocent lives.
But, with that out of the way, he asked about my weekend, and given the fun we've been having with plumbing stuff I allowed how it was of some amazement to me that we can put a man on the moon, but the basic technology of plumbing haven't changed substantially (barring new materials) since the days of the Roman Empire.
I also asked if he'd heard the story about how the Roman Empire inadvertently dictated the physical dimensions of the booster-rockets for the space shuttle, which he hadn't. I won't reproduce the entire story here, but variations can be found all over the Web (including at http://www.snopes.com/history/american/gauge.asp, as of this writing). My seat-mate is a history student at one of the schools on the Auraria campus, and was amused by the story, and the discussion eventually ambled to technology, history, and how the two interact - a favorite topic of mine, if only because I believe that it shows just how unpredictable and chaotic the world really is. I also mentioned the "Connections" series to him (see links at the end of this post - they are, I believe, links to the first chapters of each episode).
The Afternoon Commute:
You know your bus driver is good when he's a designated trainer for new drivers on a route. At the same time, with trainee drivers (who are, by definition less experienced, and likely less jaded as well), you end up with some odd or even awkward situations.
This afternoon's trainee driver was very tentative pulling in to the Market Street station. In all fairness, these coach buses are big, and probably handle like a beached whale on roller skates, so I guess it's only to be expected, at some level. He's got a good PA voice, though... And once we got out on the streets, he had no bravery concerns.
Connections: The Trigger Effect
Connections: Death in the Morning
Connections: Distant Voices
Connections: Faith in Numbers
Connections: Wheel of Fortune
Connections: Thunder in the Skies
Connections: The Long Chain
Connections: Eat, Drink and Be Merry
Connections: Countdown
Connections: Yesterday, Tomorrow and You
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