The Binary Circumstance

I’ve been working on a new layout for The Binary Circumstance Store.

Check it out and then check out with something in your shopping cart.

I recently had the opportunity to see Al Gore’s documentary about global warming, An Inconvenient Truth.

If you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend it.

The data and the before and after pictures were all very effective in communicating the point of the movie which is that we are entering a “period of consequences” when we will see rapid changes in the environment due to global warming. Watching the movie, it is hard to escape considering the possibility that the human race could easily go the way of the dinosaurs if we don’t pay more attention to how our actions are impacting the temperature of the planet and consequently other forms of life that share it.

While Al Gore is straighforward and convincing in communicating his message, I found him self-congratulatory at times. When the movie was about him it was less interesting than when it was about the changes that have taken place recently in the environment.

The fact is that the universe doesn’t place a high value on human life. We are no more valuable to nature than any other species which is to say we have zero value to universe.

We can be disposed of through extinction very quickly and the process of evolution will go on without us, creating new species of life that are better adapted to the environment that we abused to the point of killing ourselves.

Remember that over 99% of the species that have ever lived on the planet are now extinct. Humans could easily join that majority.

Looking for an 80GB black iPod for Christmas?

Buy it from The Store.

I was checking out motorcycle helmets yesterday and learned a thing or two.

The store where I was browsing had a sign by the helmets which said something like “Ask for assistance in trying on helmets. If you drop it, you bought it.”

I thought that was a rather strange given that helmets are, well, supposed to be durable and impact resistant.

The saleswoman explained that helmets are in some ways similar to airbags in cars. They are designed to absorb a heavy impact ONCE. Once they’ve done their job, they’re toast and you need a new one.

Helmets are also marked as Department of Transportation (DOT) approved. Others also have the Snell approval. This article explains the difference and has some surprising (well, maybe not) things to say about the DOT stamp of approval.

The DOT performs a straight forward impact test. Using a simulated head placed inside a helmet, testers drop the helmet from a height of ten feet. The head cannot receive more than 400 G-force units on impact. A G-force unit measures the force of gravity exerted against an object in motion.

Now here’s the kicker with DOT rated helmets–manufacturers don’t need to test their helmets in order to claim a DOT rating! A helmet manufacturer simply needs to feel that a helmet is meeting the DOT specifications to brand it as “DOT rated.” The DOT might occasionally pull helmets to perform testing, but the majority of helmets sold as DOT certified do not undergo any level of testing.

I wonder what the DOT does if they test a helmet and it doesn’t pass.

The Snell certification stands in rigorous contrast to DOT specifications. Helmet manufacturers voluntarily submit their products to the Snell evaluation service and pay for the testing procedures. These procedures are extensive and include seven test types, from impact to shell penetration tests to flame resistance testing. The type and degree of testing is dependent on the type of helmet and its application.

Snell cites the following areas as critical in helmet safety:

* Impact management: how well the helmet protects against collisions with large objects;
* Helmet positional stability: whether the helmet will be in place, on the head, when it’s needed;
* Retention system strength: whether the chin straps are sufficiently strong enough to hold the helmet throughout a head impact; and
* Extent of protection: the area of the head protected by the helmet.

Snell Memorial Foundation, Inc. ( 2005). 2005 Standard for Protective Headgear, 4.

In short, Snell offers the highest certification standards regarding helmet safety. But a buyer will pay a higher price for Snell certified helmets, as the added costs of production and testing add to the overall value of the helmet.

See also: Snell Memorial Foundation and
Wikipedia entry, which explains how Snell operates. It’s a great example of a private foundation doing a much better job of policing standards than the government has done.

Pharmaceuticals should be handled the same way.

Motorcycle helmets are available from Amazon.com through the store. But fit is very important in a helmet so it is wise to know which model fits before you buy online.