Vox on how biomimicry demonstrates that Nature knows best

Here's what I wrote in the comments to The world is poorly designed. But copying nature helps.

Barry Commoner's Third Law of Ecology states "Nature knows best."  One of the corollaries of Commoner's Second Law of Ecology is "There is no 'waste' in Nature."  This video demonstrates both of them.

It also touches on Commoner's First Law: Everything is connected to everything else.  Watch and see that I'm right about the use of Commoner's Laws in biomimicry.

Japan’s Shinkansen doesn’t look like your typical train. With its long and pointed nose, it can reach top speeds up to 150–200 miles per hour.

It didn’t always look like this. Earlier models were rounder and louder, often suffering from the phenomenon of "tunnel boom," where deafening compressed air would rush out of a tunnel after a train rushed in. But a moment of inspiration from engineer and birdwatcher Eiji Nakatsu led the system to be redesigned based on the aerodynamics of three species of birds.

Nakatsu’s case is a fascinating example of biomimicry, the design movement pioneered by biologist and writer Janine Benyus. She's a co-founder of the Biomimicry Institute, a non-profit encouraging creators to discover how big challenges in design, engineering, and sustainability have often already been solved through 3.8 billion years of evolution on earth. We just have to go out and find them.

Benyus also touches on Commoner's Fourth Law, there is no free lunch, in the following quote.


I think she is absolutely right.  So do a lot of viewers, as this video is currently #14 on YouTube's trending list.

Vox explains how proportional representation can solve gerrymandering and help minor parties

I was originally planning on writing about the Virginia and New Jersey election results today, but Vox's How to break the two-party hold on American politics struck my fancy instead.  Watch as it explains how proportional representation can solve gerrymandering and help minor parties.

Replacing our current system with proportional representation will make more room for the wide range of views in US politics.

Matthew Yglesias expands on this video in The real fix for gerrymandering is proportional representation.

Creating majority-minority districts to ensure racial representation can look a lot like “packing” Democratic voters into lopsided seats. Aiming at fair fights sounds nice but will end up violating communities of interest. Aiming for partisan fairness will necessarily involve some odd squiggles, since neighborhood-level partisanship can be very disparate.

So I asked this scholar: “What about proportional representation?”

She said that when she teaches redistricting law, she does proportional representation last because it solves all the problems and the point of the class is for the students to work through the different complexities and legal doctrines governing the American system. That seems smart as a pedagogical approach, but as an agenda for political reform, solving all the problems is a good idea.

This is a solution that would address several issues I've explored here, redistricting/gerrymandering, Duverger's Law, and minor parties.  It would make the first essentially irrelevant, it would eliminate the conditions for the second (single-member districts with first past the post winners), and would allow people to cast votes for minor parties without "wasting their vote."*  It's also a really radical solution by U.S. standards, but a Crazy Eddie like me might just approve of a radical solution to preserve and improve democracy.

*I disagree with this characterization.  To me, the person who wastes a vote is the one who stays home.  At least people voting for the Libertarians, Greens, or Constitution Party are making a point.

Duggan re-elected as Detroit mayor plus local election news from across Michigan

Here's news so expected I wrote the first half of  this post's title of on Sunday: Mike Duggan wins re-election, beating Coleman Young II for Detroit mayor from WXYZ.


Congratulations to Mayor Mike Duggan!  I agree with him and the overwhelming majority of Detroiters that Detroit is moving in the right direction.  I also would like to agree with Duggan as he says "This is the year we put us-versus-them politics behind us forever," as MLive reported.

"This is the year we put us-versus-them politics behind us forever," says Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan after winning reelection, Nov. 7, 2017.

I hope that's true, but I'll have to wait to see if it is.  Until then, "One Detroit!"

The other Detroit contest I was watching was for Detroit City Clerk.  The Detroit Free Press reported Janice Winfrey re-elected Detroit clerk in tight race.

Incumbent Janice Winfrey has won re-election as city clerk in a race that went down to the wire.

With all 590 precincts reporting, Winfrey was ahead by roughly 1,400 votes, with 49,882, (50.5%). Challenger Garlin Gilchrist II had 48,400 votes (49.0%) in what election watchers predicted would be a race down to the wire.

I live out in the suburbs, not in Detroit, but I was still rooting for Gilcrist.  That should come as no surprise after what I wrote in The party starts as Michigan recount begins as ordered.

That a third of precincts in Detroit may be ineligible for a recount is not good news for anyone having their hopes up that this recount will change the result of the election.  If anything, Trump's lead may increase because of it.  It also makes me even less enamored of both Janice Winfrey, the Detroit City Clerk, and Cathy M. Garrett, the Wayne County Clerk.  Neither one of them appears to be running a tight ship, or otherwise these kinds of irregularities would happen so frequently.  If either ever is up for nomination at a Michigan Democratic Convention for Secretary of State, I'm not voting for them and might just see if I could join a group to recruit another candidate.  Barb Byrum in Ingham County or Lisa Brown in Oakland County, the first two counties to participate in the recount, would be my choices.

Winfrey deserved that scare and I hope it makes her run the Detroit City Clerk's office better.  As for the Democratic nomination for Secretary of State, I doubt either Byrum or Brown will be running next year.  Jocelyn Benson, who ran for the office in 2010, is running again.  I already plan on voting for her, both at the convention and in the general election.

Follow over more election news from across Michigan.

'Last Week Tonight' asks 'how is voting on Tuesday still a thing?'

Today, many Americans across the country are going to the polls to vote in municipal elections, including here in Detroit where Mayor Mike Duggan is up for reelection.  In addition, residents of New Jersey and Virginia are voting for Governor and other state (or Commonwealth, in the case of Virginia) offices.  As I wrote yesterday, I plan on reporting on the results throughout the rest of the week, starting tomorrow.  Today, I join Last Week Tonight with John Oliver in asking Voting On Tuesday - How Is This Still A Thing?

Tuesday voting is highly inconvenient, so why do we still do it?

I've had to answer questions from my immigrant friends about why Americans hold elections on Tuesdays before, and I'm relieved to see that I gave them the right answer.  As for what to do about Tuesday elections, I favor the Puerto Rican solution; declare election day a holiday.  I even have an image for that.

'The President and the People' wins Outstanding News Special

I have one more Emmy winner to post that features a President, one that covered a town hall with then President Obama.  I have that planned for Monday.  Stay tuned.

That's what I promised my readers at the end of 'Trump University Fraud' wins Outstanding Business, Consumer, Economic Report.  Watch Clarissa Ward announce the winner for Outstanding News Special and notice how many of the nominees would have fulfilled that promise.


ABC News has the trailer for the winner, America in Black and White: The President and the People.

President Obama took on the issue of race and policing in a town hall moderated by ABC News' David Muir.

Just as I did for Frontline's "The Choice 2016" wins Outstanding Politics & Government Documentary, I am sharing the entire special -- President Obama and the People Town Hall: A National Conversation.

President Barack Obama has a national conversation with the people of the United States on race relations, justice, policing and equality by the members of the community. ESPN's Jemele Hill will join David Muir as the host of this ABC News special.

This show demonstrates some of the many reasons I miss Barack Obama as President.  His calmness, reasonableness, and compassion helped to manage the conversation in order to bridge the two sides.  That's not happening now.  America badly needs to examine the intersection of racism and what I grew up calling police brutality (back then, that referred as much or more to beatings and other forms of "unnecessary roughness" than police shooting and killing suspects, but that was before the militarization of police).  Unfortunately, the election of Trump has derailed the conversation.  Hillary Clinton might have been better able to manage it, but she will never have the chance.  Americans will have to wait, most likely until the next decade, for someone else at the highest levels of government to resume a productive conversation.  Sigh.

That's it for the News and Documentary Emmy winners I plan on examining -- for now.  I might look at the awardees that examine terrorism and the civil wars in the Middle East, but not until after I report on the municipal and state elections happening tomorrow.  I'll see how I feel after that.  Until then, stay tuned.

Fall back as 'Last Week Tonight' asks 'how is this still a thing?'

I've become increasingly skeptical about the benefits of Daylight Saving Time since I first mentioned in on this blog in 2012.  I'm not alone, as two-and-one-half years ago, Last Week Tonight asked Daylight Saving Time - How Is This Still A Thing?

Daylight saving time doesn’t actually benefit anyone. Strangely, it’s still a thing!

All of that applies most strongly to springing ahead, not falling back, but falling back has its own perils.  The Skit Guys demonstrate one of them in Left Behind! Daylight Savings Reminder.

The life of Henry Lovegood was simple. There was a routine and Henry loved routines. Wake up. Shower. Prepare breakfast. Read a bit. Drive to Church. Until it wasn’t. Watch as Henry Lovegood’s life is turned upside down by forgetting to set his clocks back one hour.

Don't be Henry.  Fall back so you don't get left behind.

'Trump University Fraud' wins Outstanding Business, Consumer, Economic Report

"Tomorrow's entry will also be about an Emmy winner that examined Trump.  Stay tuned."  That's what I promised to end Frontline's "The Choice 2016" wins Outstanding Politics & Government Documentary.  Watch Katty Kay present the award for Outstanding Business, Consumer, Economic Report for the payoff.*


Yes, the winner really was "Trump University Fraud," a segment on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360.  CNN has all of the clip used in the awards ceremony: Trump University instructor: What I did was sales.

As Donald Trump's Trump University lawsuit moves forward in court, CNN's Drew Griffin sits down with a former instructor and real estate expert who said he was the best salesman at the school.

The most damning part of the interview was used again in New motion filed in the Trump University case.

President-elect Donald Trump faces three lawsuits surrounding Trump University. CNN's Drew Griffin investigates.

Judge Curiel advised the parties in the case he's overseeing to settle the suit.  That happened a few days later, as Trump University lawsuits settled for $25M.

New York's Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced his lawsuit against Trump University will be settled for $25 million, calling it a "stunning reversal" of President-elect Donald Trump's position. Two class action lawsuits are also covered by the settlement.

That should have taken care of the suit except that Sherri Simpson is appealing the settlement so she can sue independently.  This case is not over.

I have one more Emmy winner to post that features a town hall with then President Obama.  I have that planned for Monday.  Stay tuned.

*The "60 Minutes" report on "AgroMafia" is another one I should have mentioned last month.  I might look at it and blog about it later.

Frontline's "The Choice 2016" wins Outstanding Politics & Government Documentary

I concluded 'Thank You For Playing' wins Outstanding Arts & Culture Documentary by telling my readers to "Stay tuned for the two other winners, which are about last year's presidential election."   Today's entry is about the winner of Outstanding Politics & Government Documentary, Frontline's "The Choice 2016."  Watch as Byron Pitts announces the winner and presents the trophy.


Yes, Omarosa sounded ridiculous then, but she doesn't sound quite as mockable now.  It doesn't help that I used to be a big reality competition show fan, enough so that I was a moderator on a reality TV discussion forum back in 2005 and 2006, so I became familiar with her as a villainous contestant on "The Apprentice."  That made it difficult for me to take her seriously.  I'm sure I'm not alone.  Now, Americans have to take her much more seriously, which is a frightening thought.

Speaking of Omarosa, here she is along with Roger Stone and others in the full trailer for "The Choice."

FRONTLINE’s dual biography investigates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, and what has shaped them.

FRONTLINE’s acclaimed series "The Choice" returns this fall with a two-hour film investigating what has shaped Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, where they came from, how they lead and why they want to take on one of the most difficult jobs imaginable. From veteran FRONTLINE filmmaker Michael Kirk, "The Choice 2016" premieres Tues., 9/27 on PBS and online at pbs.org/frontline.

That made me want to watch the whole program, even though it wouldn't be a useful now as it would have been a year ago.  In case my readers and I ever do, Frontline has it on YouTube and has allowed it to be embedded.  Here is The Choice 2016 (full film) | FRONTLINE.

The dueling stories of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump as they battle for the presidency.

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are two of the most polarizing presidential candidates in modern history. Veteran FRONTLINE filmmaker Michael Kirk goes beyond the headlines to investigate what has shaped these two candidates, where they came from, how they lead and why they want one of the most difficult jobs imaginable.

While it will no longer influence the election, this documentary can still help people understand what happened and why, as well as gaining greater insight into Trump, who is still the President of the United States, whether my readers and I like it or not.

On another note, this is the sixth winner from PBS I've profiled.  The other five are:

• 'Nature: Super Hummingbirds' wins Outstanding Cinematography: Documentary
• "A Year In Space," winner of Outstanding Science and Technology Documentary: Three winners about space from the News and Documentary Emmy Awards
• 'The End of AIDS?' wins Outstanding Science, Medical and Environmental Report
• "In Football We Trust," winner of Outstanding Business and Economic Documentary: Two Emmy winners examine youth and high school football
• 'Thank You For Playing' wins Outstanding Arts & Culture Documentary

Along with "The Choice," these six are half of PBS's 12 winning shows, the most of any outlet.  That high level of quality tells me I really should support public broadcasting more, especially since funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting was threatened in Trump's initial proposed budget.  Fortunately, Congress retained funding in the current budget, but the potential threat still lurks.

Tomorrow's entry will also be about an Emmy winner that examined Trump.  Stay tuned.

'Thank You For Playing' wins Outstanding Arts & Culture Documentary

I told my readers "I may have at least one more winner to post about next month" at the end of 'The Rachel Maddow Show' wins an Emmy for its coverage of the Flint Water Crisis.  As of now, I have three, but I'm only writing about one of them today, "Thank You For Playing."

When I compiled the nominees for 'Body Team 12' and 'Extremis' both nominated for Outstanding Short Documentary plus other science, health, and environment nominees, I really should have included "Thank You For Playing."  Like "Extremis," it's about end-of-life care, although at a more leisurely pace than seen in an emergency room.  Like the Science and Technology Documentary nominees, it's about technology, in this case, video games.  Like "Sonic Sea," "Stephen Hawking's Favorite Places," and the rest of the nominees for Outstanding Graphic Design and Art Direction, it's about graphics, again for a video game.  It wasn't nominated for any of those categories.  Instead, it was nominated for Outstanding Arts & Culture Documentary, so I missed it the first time around.  The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences didn't, giving me a chance to redeem myself.  Watch Katy Tur present an Emmy to "Thank You For Playing."


I can tell that filming the documentary was an emotional experience and she was only the director.  For the parents' perspective, particularly the father's, watch the trailer for Thank You For Playing from POV on PBS.

When Ryan Green, a video game programmer, learns that his young son Joel has cancer, he and his wife begin documenting their emotional journey with a poetic video game. Thank You for Playing follows Ryan and his family over two years creating "That Dragon, Cancer," which evolves from a cathartic exercise into a critically acclaimed work of art that sets the gaming industry abuzz.

I found that moving, but not nearly as much as "That Dragon, Cancer" Feature Film - "Thank You For Playing" Documentary from Family Gamer TV.

We talk to film makers David and Malika, directors of “Thank You For Playing” the film about the video-game That Dragon, Cancer.

The film may have won for arts and culture, but it's also a worthy examination of health and technology.  It's also very emotional.  My eyes are still moist as I write this.

Stay tuned for the two other winners, which are about last year's presidential election.

Good-bye Dez. Hello Snow Bear! A driving update

This past Saturday, my wife and I traded in Dez for a new white Tiguan, which my wife has named Snow Bear.  That means its time for a final driing report on Dez, which turned over 55,000 miles on June 21st.  Between June 21 and October 28, my wife and I drove Dez 813 miles over 129 days.  That's an average of 6.30 miles per day and 192.2 miles per month.  That's slightly more than half the 11.76 miles per day and 358.82 miles per standard month she and I drove the car between March and June and still less than the 7.19 miles per day or 219.42 miles per standard month we drove the car between November 2016 and March 2017.  It's also much less than the 22.73 miles/day and 693.18 miles/standard month she drove it during the second half of the comparable period last year.  Not visiting our daughter in Chicago will do that.

During that same time, I drove Pearl more than 2,000 miles.  In the first update, Driving update: two years of Pearl as Tesla begins deliveries of Model 3 today, I reported that I drove an average of 18.18 miles per day and 554.55 miles per standard month between June and July.  My calculations for the second update, September 2017 Driving update: Pearl, showed that I drove an average of 16.39 miles per day and exactly 500 miles per standard month.  The average of the two is 17.29 miles per day and 527.28 miles per month.  Added to Dez's final miles and rounded to the same decimal points, my wife and I drove a combined average of 23.59 miles per day and 719.5 miles per month.  That's less than the 31.18 miles per day and 950.88 miles per standard month we drove between March and June.  It's also less than the 26.26 miles per day and 800.90 miles per month we drove between November and March.  It's still less than the 24.93 miles per day and 760.4 miles per standard month we drove both cars during the first half of the comparable period last year.  My wife and I are reducing our carbon footprint both by driving less overall and by having a higher proportion of the miles on Pearl the Prius.

As for Snow Bear, she had 264 miles when we bought her.  That means we will have driven her 736 when she rolls over her first 1,000 miles.  That's when I expect to post the next overall update on our driving.  Speaking of which, Pearl should roll over 37,000 miles around Thanksgiving.  Stay tuned.

Finally, Dez, farewell and may you be as good a car for your next owner as you were for us!