Lots in fact has happened.. and I’ll post about it soon
Timeline about some of the more immediate effects of quitting smoking and how that will affect your body RIGHT NOW.
me… I’m in between the 8 and 48 hour mark. Can’t wait for the 72 hour mark! keep you updated.
Those of you that know me, know that I tried once in 2002 to stop and lasted almost a year, and then again in 2004 and lasted almost 2 years. This time I can’t be for certain… and it’s much different now… The last two times I stopped because of my own will and that’s what contributed to making it that easy. This time, it’s a decision that I was forced to make.
We’ll see how it goes… wish me luck
We can only hope that the administration elected can perform much better than their counterparts and party-mates who tried for the last 6 years.
I do think the transportation woes that we a a public face on a day to day basis, contributes to our way of life and our interaction with coworkers, customers and our family. The most recent issue of the Trinidad & Tobago Chamber of Commerce’s magazine, Contact, was dedicated to the transportation problem in the country. Two articles struck me, the first Gridlock: A Way of Life highlighted the cases of two young mothers who work in Port - of - Spain. The arcicle goes on to say:
“Long commutes, increasing traffic delays and long work hours leave people overwhelmed with time demands. Traffic congestion also impairs health, psychological adjustment, work performance and overall satisfaction with life … Job satisfaction and commitment declines with increased commuting distance on the road” This publication also notes that traffic jams have “adverse effects on blood pressure, mood, frustration tolerance, illness occasions, work absences, job stability and overall life satisfaction.” People suffering these problems may not link them to their daily commute.
The other article, Assessing the Transportation Problem, quoted two persons whom I’ve had the distinct pleasure of meeting while working on one of my projects. Dr. Rae Furlonge, began to examine the costs associated with traffic, which included the costs of delivery, and public transportation as they are forced now to make less trips per day.
I’d like to take it a step further and put forward my theory on the costs associated with traffic. Just recently on a trinituner.com, the topic came up on the forums and I attempted to quanitfy it.
On average, according to Dr. Furlonge, 10 years ago, approximately 20,000 persons travel into Port-of-Spain each day either by the Beetham Highway, the Priority Bus Route or the Eastern Main Road. Given a reasonable factor for the growth and expansion of businesses government offices, etc., let’s assume that number today is closer to 30,000.
So we have 30,000 persons facing a MINIMUM of 90 minutes of traffic each day. I think that’s a reasonable estimate considering some people try to beat the traffic and get to POS at 6:00AM, and don’t start work till 8:00AM. So we have 30,000 persons not doing anything productive for 90 minutes (not to mention frustrated and tired).
Let’s again assume that each of these persons was working for the MINIMUM wage of $10 per hour. Some quick calcuations would show that no less than $450,000 of productive capital is LOST each day. Now assume that there’s an accident, rain is falling or someone decides to do some road works… that figure could double quite easliy. So in effect, over $2,000,000 per week of productive man hours is lost to traffic… that’s over $100,000,000 annually, and given my assumptions for minimum wage, etc.,the figure is probably much higher.
So we’re losing money, getting frustrated, sacrificing our family life, getting up early, getting home late, raising our blood pressure and inhaling exhaust fumes, and then some one comes along and bad drives you…
Well I think we can all identify with it…
But the next time you feel like coming out of your car and hitting someone with a boulder… take a deep breath, close your eye for second if you’re not moving…. and if your still not over it…. flip them the middle finger instead…
Well Lewis Hamilton didn’t win the 2007 championship, but he has something to celebrate as he announced that he would be moving to Switzerland to escape the excessive public and media attention he has had in Britain over the last year. Hamilton is in fact the fourth Formula 1 Driver to move there in recent times, following in footsteps of seven time world champion Michael Schumacher, two time world champion Fernando Alonso and 2007 champion Kimi Raikkonen. This follows David Coulthhard who owns a home there, as well as Sir Jackie Stewart, the scottish driver who claimed the world championship in 1969, 1971 and again in 1973, who moved there almost four decades ago.
So what attracts the F1 drivers to the Swiss Confederation? Is is the lure of the fresh air in the Alps, the taste of the cheese or maybe the fact that motor sport is not regarded as a form of trade and as such professional drivers are listed as unemployed and their taxes lowered?
I think it’s the cheese…
On the topic of walkovers, while on my way to work this morning, I was stuck in traffic from Freeport to just past Chase Village because people slowing down to maco the protesters begging for their walkover. While I’m in agreement that this particular area probably does need one, I have come the sad realization that soon enough there would be a walkover at every 100 meter interval on every one of the nation’s highways. From Aranguez to heading west to Don Miguel Road, a stretch of less than 2 km, there are no less than 3 walkovers, not to mention the two traffic lights at which pedestrians still cross the 6 lane highway. The sad part is, people still continue to chance running across the highway rather safely take the walkover.
But if I were Minister of Works and Transport., I’d look at science fiction from the 60’s and some advances in quantum mechanics to create safer crossings for both pedestrians, handicapped or not, cyclists, pets and even motorists.
