Burning Bridges

I guess something finally happened in the Bay Area, or at least seems unusually interesting. An overpass in the East Bay's MacArthur Maze collapsed yesterday due to an overturned oil tanker that caught fire to its 8,600 gallons of unleaded gasoline. The intense heat of over 3000 degrees Fahrenheit melted the metal support structure of the overhanging bridge causing it to collapse. I must say, I think that is one of the more amazing things that has happened in this area in quite some time. Not that it is a good thing though....

Anyhow, this accident has caused a scurry of dilemmas. Such as the potential of increased congestion on the freeways as well as on Bart, the public railway transportation system. There have been concerns for local business in the Oakland area for less customers coming in due to the collapse of the bridge.

Although it has caused quite a stir in transportation headaches, I think it is good to have some excitement and change for once, even though it is not the best. It gives people a change in their routine, for those who have been affected, which gives them just that more experience. Having to commute everyday to work on the freeway, I would find this to be a refreshing although annoying change in routine for at least a few months while the bridge is repaired. I guess one thing people should learn from this is that life throws unexpected things at you, and you just need to adapt to the changes, or you can just stay at home like some people have and not go to work. Those people don't deserve to work at wherever they do.

Source: SFGate.com. Article: Tanker fire destroys part of MacArthur Maze. Authors: Demian Bulwa and Peter Fimrite

Obesity Epidemic

Fast food, it’s cheap, convenient and darn tasty when you eat it. However, that has become a growing concern who consumes these products because it is causing obesity, a quickly rising health issue in America. Just like clothes fads, the industry controls what people eat. It is not a habit that should be acquired yet people do it. I believe the food and restaurant industry is partially accountable for the foods they serve and should at least focus on product liability and have some measure of corporate responsibility.

It is interesting to know, that the most powerful country in the world with some of the most advanced technologies from medical to fire power, is also the most obese. You see those Americans walking down the street, a bulge here, and a bulge there. It is not an appealing sight, yet it is all over. There are also its extremes of being too skinny, but that really is not the concern. Cardiovacular Disease is the number 1 killer of American lives. Former President Bill Clinton has recently started a campaign to battle the causes of obesity. With the help of the American Heart Association, he hopes to promote healthy eating habits in children and to also encourage them to exercise. It is much tougher to push or even encourage the older generation to eat healthy and exercise. Although it is never too late to start, it is an excellent strategy to encourage the young to eat healthy so they build healthy habits which will most likely stay with them for the rest of their lives. I really applaud Mr. Clinton for his campaign, because it will forever change the way Americans live. Ignore those tv ads! If Clinton can avoid eating fast food permanently, dont you think we all can do the same? Thinking about it, I should start eating healthier and get more exercise in my schedule too before anything bad happens.

I believe as time progresses, the way business advertise food to the public, will become healthier. I am not sure how long this will take, since taste preference usually supercedes if it is healthy or not. Fast food is still cheap and affordable, just not very healthy, and business make a huge margin on that. Healthier foods tend to be of more quality which costs both the seller and buyer more. Since neither wants to pay these prices, it is still difficult to promote healthier foods. It is especially difficult for people with low incomes, as low quality fast foods are affordable, whereas healthier alternatives are not, even if they are only slightly more. Hopefully time will help lower the costs of healthy alternatives and the unhealthy counterparts are banned.

I recently stumbled upon an article in the San Jose Mercury News, (April 13, 2007), called Combining Technology Talents, written by Constance Loizos. The article is about a company called Y Combinator where a group of 7 individuals live together in a San Francisco building and work together. In 1998, the entrepreneur of Y Combinator sold his company Viaweb to Yahoo for about $50 million. That is quite an achievement, which has won him a following of programmers. Y Combinators objective is to find future entrepreneurs.

" Here's how it works: twice a year, Y Combinator invites ''hackers,'' or programmers, to fill out an online application, outlining who they are and a business idea. One winning batch of teams is funded in winter and the other in summer. With Y Combinator's help, each becomes a real company -- one that is expected to create its product within three months. The amount of money Y Combinator gives each group -- $5,000, plus an additional $5,000 per founder -- is a pittance for what it asks in return, which is, on average, a 6 percent stake in their start-up. That money has to really stretch. Beyond their living and working expenses, it must also cover relocation costs, as the winter winners must relocate to the Bay Area and the summer winners to the Boston area. ''It's no accident that we make people move,'' said Graham, 42. ''It's a test of commitment.'' "

Then the winning group is given the opportunity to present their proposal to a group of investors. (Only 10 Minutes) If they like it, they are given the money to make the business happen and the actual product to be released in only months.

It is cool and also an inspiration to know that Y Combinator is a startup company creator. They give people the chance to start something brilliant and succeed in life as he has done with his. Some Alumni of Y Combinator is Reddit.com which was sold for $12 million just last year. There are dozen others that have been created through the genius minds of Y Combinator.