4/15/2008

Just How Old Is That Tree?

Filed under: Science — Tim @ 3:45 am

Some researchers building a tree house in Sweden bumped into a 8,000 year old spruce. That should make some nice violins…

On that note, while it is a bit hoaky, this 2003 animated movie shows 2 anthropomorphic rocks watch the evolution of modern humans, presumably in Deutschland:

Hiding that super sexy face

Filed under: Economics, Taiwan — Tim @ 3:02 am

Stepping off the plane, the oddest site I saw in Taipei and now in Kaohsiung was people wearing face masks. I saw a few in Seoul last year, but they were the exception and usually only used by meter maids.

Some of the masks are designed with bright colors, scary faces, or even cartoonishy (e.g., Hello Kitty). Some people don’t even bother taking them off as they stroll along the boulevard — talking through the cloth to shopkeepers whom manage to comprehend their muffled voices.

So why do they wear them?

Here the pollution is seemingly godawful compared to what I was bombarded with in Dallas. The reasons are numerous.

You can partially place the blame on externalities of factories across the straits in China or even on the local ones (there is a nice smelling one right next to the HSR terminal in Zuoying).

And because cars are expensive relative to disposable income, nearly everyone drives a scooter. And because they’re trying to save money, they don’t exactly buy the most expensive filtering system.

My coworkers mention that living in Bangkok is far worse, as is most of SE Asia and India. And those that grew up in LA didn’t notice a big transitional difference either (never been, so I can’t say).

However, as incomes increase and infrastructure is built (e.g., more subway lines, more buses, bigger/stronger roads) it is likely that scooter owners will move to alternate, cleaner forms of transportation. In addition, private property owners may begin to litigate this issue under the terms of trespass.

And no, I still don’t wear a face mask because I’m too cool. And yea, that is a picture of me parking the ol’ beast at a cafe. The trendy Ferrari jacket was later stolen by an anonymous coward : (

See also:
Pollution and Property Rights in Hong Kong
Why Socialism Causes Pollution
Law, Property Rights, and Air Pollution (pdf)