I have an idea. I think it can save lives.

This is an idea that have been swirling in my head. I think it can help reduce drunk driving. In essence, it is an add-on to your car. Something that can determine your breath or blood alcohol content and stop the car from starting up if it sense that your alcohol content is above the safe threshold, whatever it may be according to law. Until breathalyzers become more precise and people would use them on their own volition, it is imperative that automakers make this technology a standard feature in all automobiles. I see this as a government intervention or regulation to mandate that automakers incorporate this technology in their vehicles. It may be possible for a more market-oriented approach.

This idea could be expanded to other possibilities, including prompting the driver with options to call a friend, a family member, or a taxi company. Future enhancement could include remote assistance.

If you believe in this idea, I invite you to share your thoughts on how to make this idea a reality.
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After posting my idea above, I came across this piece of news:
http://articles.dailypress.com/2012-03-09/news/dp-nws-ga-roundup-0310-20120309_1_mcdonnell-signs-voter-turnout-bob-mcdonnell

This is in the same spirit as my idea, except I think this technology (a breathalyzer or alcohol level sensor integrated with cars' ignition) push it to the masses, including casual drinkers who just doesn't want to risk getting a DUI or worse. A government-regulated technology solution is not ideal (not everyone needs a breathalyzer that could interfere with the operation of their cars, not to mention that government-picked winners may not have the best technology). Thus, it is best that the solution come from the private sector.

If you're looking for a piano at UCSD...

Here are the places with a piano on campus that I know of:
Conrad Prebys Music Center
OceanView Lounge (Marshall College)
Middle Earth (ERC)
JK Wood Lounge (Warren College)
student lounge in Sixth College (temporarily off limits)
Anyone knows of other rooms with pianos at or near UCSD, please share!

Shawn

Economist article:Self-discipline on the Web

Software that may help keep distractions at bay

Freeware: SelfControl 1.2.2 Block distracting websites for predetermined periods of time   SelfControl is an OS X application which blocks access to incoming and/or outgoing mail servers and websites for a predetermined period of time. For example, you could block access to your email, facebook, and twitter for 90 minutes, but still have access to the rest of the web.

(From Roger Bohn's blog: http://art2science.org/)

Back from rainy Silicon Valley...

Quote of the day:

"Engineering is a state of mind. What you learn will be obsolete in two or three years." - Roger Bohn

This quote came up when I was speaking to Roger Bohn about my recent career outreach trip to the Bay Area. The trip was a mixed bag. I visited some leading tech companies, including Netflix, Google, and Intel. On the one hand, we received special treatment from our alumni, but on the other, engineers are much more sought-after than new grads from MBA and MBA-esque programs.

Apart from repeated calls to network with everyone we know, the alumni gave us some insight on industry trends. The buzzwords in the Silicon Valley these days appear to be "Local, Mobile, and Social."  "Global and Digital" were also in vogue.Word of the day:
TOFF: informal term for a wealthy person


Idiom of the day:
"flash in the pan": someone or something that draws a lot of attention for a very brief time.

Word of the day:
PLUCKY: gutsy, feisty
Ex: It is easy to intimidate the timid, but not the plucky.

This is an incisive perspective on economic systems:

Life isn’t yin or yang; life is yin and yang. Europe, and the US, are “mixed” economies. (If the US were a purely capitalist economy, there would be no public schools, roads, parks, Social Security, MediCare, etc.)
For my money, nothing is going to work for everybody without population control and limits on personal wealth. Capitalism’s dependence on ever-expanding markets and cheap labor and raw materials is unsustainable. The social justice of socialism, (and environmental equilibrium,) is unattainable without limits on population. (How can you cater a party without knowing how many guests there are?) Social justice is also impossible when wealth is concentrated among a few individuals, yet the entreprenurial/creative spirit of human nature is essential to human progress.   -Ralph Averill

Another word to impress the world...

ÉLAN: ardor; dash; strong eagerness; distinctive elegance

Ex: In the final round of competition, George and Sarah danced with great élan. Their verve and elegance landed them on the cover of magazines and endorsement contracts which brought them a bonanza.

<Idiom of the Day>
Cog in the wheel: one who holds a minor post in a large organization

<Quote of the Day>
"The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects the wind; the realist adjusts the sails."
-Anonymous

Everyone should know this word

VERVE: an energetic style

Ex: Lang Lang's piano playing exuded verve.

Idiom of the day:

Glutton for punishment: someone who is eager for a burden or difficulty day of reckoning

Quote of the day:
"Let no man pull you low enough to hate him." - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.