“Possum Philosophy: A necessity of life - Southwest Virginia Today” plus 4 more |
- Possum Philosophy: A necessity of life - Southwest Virginia Today
- Honda’s design philosophy stresses function - KTVZ.com
- RCMP Taser use against girl ruled 'unreasonable' - Regina Leader-Post
- Revisiting 49ers' offensive philosophy - ESPN.com
- Riding a well-travelled road - Regina Leader-Post
| Possum Philosophy: A necessity of life - Southwest Virginia Today Posted: 11 Dec 2009 01:43 PM PST By ROBERT CAHILL/Columnist A freelance journalist, Robert "Rocky" Cahill writes regularly for the News & Messenger. His Possum Philosophy column appears in each Saturday edition. fivefilters.org featured article: Normalising the crime of the century by John Pilger |
| Honda’s design philosophy stresses function - KTVZ.com Posted: 11 Dec 2009 05:36 AM PST Honda isn't typically singled out for its design expertise. Instead, it is the fun-to-drive and rock-solid aspects of Honda vehicles that usually get top billing. But quietly, Honda has been capturing more and more international kudos for its leading-edge design work, and we were pleased to have the opportunity to meet with Nobuki Ebisawa, the corporate managing director and general manager of styling and design development, to talk about it. Ebisawa stressed two simple and overarching themes for Honda design: dynamism and functionality. He said the company's designers still draw inspiration from the functional designs of the first-generation Civic and first-generation Accord that were drawn in the same nondescript design studio in which Ebisawa and his crew work today. And at the same time, they look back all the way to the 1963 S500 sports car to channel the dynamism that helps set the brand apart. Ebisawa is proud of what he calls "an unbroken chain of dynamism and functionality" that stretches from those earliest models through the legendary Acura NSX sports coupe of the '90s to the Honda Odyssey minivan that transformed its segment. He expects that the upcoming hybrid Honda CR-Z, which was shown in concept form at the recent Tokyo Motor Show, will draw on both aspects of the Honda personality. Functionality will be characterized by the fuel-efficient hybrid drivetrain, and dynamism will be expressed by the car's style and fun-to-drive nature. While the exterior design of Honda vehicles has not always been highly praised, the interior of its vehicles -- and especially their instruments and controls -- have routinely been lauded around the globe. Ebisawa cites his group's intense study of the "man-machine interface" for this, noting that Honda has long relied on the philosophy "Man maximum, machine minimum" in its designs. This means that Honda's controls are intended to be intuitive, not intrusive: to help the driver, not to challenge the driver or to make a design statement for design's sake. An example of this effort is the bi-level instrument panel seen on the current Honda Civic. Intuitive operation and instant recognition were keys in the design, and Ebisawa said that in the "layered construction," perceived space is enhanced and line of sight movement minimized to prioritize information. Special effort goes into achieving natural hand position and create buttons that are easily understood. Ebisawa believes that voice support is the next frontier in making things simpler and more functional. Since 2000, said Ebisawa, Honda design execs made the conscious decision to add emotional appeal to the company's vehicles without compromising functionality. In keeping with the "man maximum, machine minimum" philosophy, space has been intentionally reduced for mechanical components, and interior space with long rooflines has been increased to maximize usable roominess. The Honda CR-Z, which will be launched next year, will encapsulate all these ideas in a vehicle that is functional and emotional, dynamic yet pragmatic. It draws on Honda's long heritage while at the same time presenting a new face and a new heart. The CR-Z will also be the harbinger of even more fascinating products from the carmaker that was once best known for its motorcycles. Tom Ripley Driving Today Contributing Editor Tom Ripley writes frequently about the auto industry and the human condition from his home in Villeperce, France. He is a big fan of the art world. Copyright (c) 2009 Studio One Networks. All rights reserved. fivefilters.org featured article: Normalising the crime of the century by John Pilger |
| RCMP Taser use against girl ruled 'unreasonable' - Regina Leader-Post Posted: 11 Dec 2009 12:39 PM PST OTTAWA — Fresh off a damning report into the RCMP Tasering of Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski, a second report this week has taken the force to task for its Taser use. The Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP said Friday an RCMP officer had no grounds to deploy the conducted energy weapon against a 15-year-old girl. The finding comes two years after the girl was Tasered by RCMP Const. Noella Cockney at a juvenile detention centre in Inuvik, N.W.T., and days after a report found the Tasering of Dziekanski at Vancouver International Airport that same year was "inappropriate." "The RCMP has reached a crossroads in its development as a policing agency," said CPC chairman Paul Kennedy, who issued both reports. "How it responds to the challenges to its reputation as a world-renowned agency will be determined not by statements confirming an understanding that these challenges exist but by embracing a philosophy of change and by making a concerted effort to implement that philosophy." On Tuesday, Kennedy found the use of the Taser against Dziekanski, a Polish immigrant who died after police used a Taser on him, was "premature and inappropriate" and that RCMP officers should have provided first aid and monitored his condition. Friday's report focused on a March 13, 2007 incident at the Arctic Tern Youth Facility. The teenage girl, referred to as Miss X in the report because she cannot be named due to her age, was reportedly being unco-operative when staff called police. When Cockney arrived, there were five youth officers present, three of whom had control of Miss X, who was lying face down with her hands cuffed. The teen repeatedly refused to co-operate or to go to segregation. The officer threatened to Taser her numerous times with 50,000 volts of electricity, and Miss X told her to go ahead, the report said. Finally, the girl was Tasered for five seconds and agreed to go to segregation. Kennedy's report said the girl was Tasered when it was not reasonable to do so, and that the officer's certification to use a Taser had expired 13 months before. The report also said the handling of a complaint by the teen's mother was "deficient in its management, timeliness and the adequacy of the investigation, such that it leads to a strong perception of bias. Moreover, attempts to informally resolve the complaint, and the failure to properly document it were contrary to RCMP policy." Miss X's mother filed a complaint in April 2007. In August, after several delays, it was determined no investigation had yet been undertaken. An RCMP internal review and criminal investigation recommended that no charges be laid against the officer. An investigation by the N.W.T Justice Department came to similar findings. The commission began an investigation into the incident in November 2008. The report also questioned the RCMP's response to the incident and called into question its ability to investigate its own members. Kennedy called the investigation "weak." The report made 14 recommendations to the RCMP to address deficiencies, calling many of them "systemic concerns." In a response to the report, posted to the RCMP website, Commissioner William Elliott said he generally agreed with Kennedy's findings and recommendations. "Obviously, your report identifies a number of significant failures on the part of the RCMP and the members involved in this matter . . . I will discuss the report and your findings and recommendations with my Senior Executive Committee and the Commanding Officer of G Division," Elliott wrote. In a separate statement, the commissioner also made it clear that he was disappointed with the public release of the report before the RCMP's response was considered. "I remain troubled by your deviation from established practice," Elliot wrote. "It is indeed unfortunate that . . . an inaccurate perception of the actions and motivations of the RCMP has been created." With a file from Vancouver Sun fivefilters.org featured article: Normalising the crime of the century by John Pilger |
| Revisiting 49ers' offensive philosophy - ESPN.com Posted: 11 Dec 2009 01:26 AM PST The 49ers have done nothing to dispel Steve Young's strong words about their offensive approach.
"It's great, it's great," Young told KNBR last week, "but Frank Gore needs to be traded. You can't run the spread with Frank Gore being effective. He's not the guy that is going to catch the ball [like] Marshall Faulk and slash and burn [like] Joseph Addai and different guys who have thrived in the spread." The 49ers' spread offense is not a literal spread offense, just as Young was not literally calling for the 49ers to trade one of their best offensive players (tight end Vernon Davis might now be the best). But the 49ers have become largely a shotgun passing team instead of a power running team. Tight ends are serving as receivers. Gore has been left out. The 49ers say they want balance. The Seahawks loaded up against the run Sunday, 49ers coach Mike Singletary explained, and that was why San Francisco threw nearly 75 percent of the time on first and second down. This sounds logical. It might take a while for opponents to decide against keying on Gore. The Seahawks, having watched Gore rush for 207 yards against them in Week 2, had reason to fear the run more than the pass. The 49ers were most successful Sunday throwing from run-oriented personnel. The more wide receivers San Francisco put on the field, the less effective Alex Smith became. The 49ers' personnel choice, not the effectiveness of their ground game, dictated to what degree the Seahawks had to respect the run (download full personnel breakdown here). Smith attempted four passes from run-oriented personnel featuring two backs, one wide receiver and two tight ends. The 49ers averaged 18.8 yards per attempt and scored their only touchdowns on these plays. One of these plays produced Davis' 33-yard scoring reception on fourth-and-1. Another produced Josh Morgan's 22-yard scoring reception on first-and-10.These explosive pass plays probably worked in part because the personnel groups forced a Gore-fearing defense to account for the run. The 49ers could have more difficulty passing if opponents realize the run poses little threat. This might partially explain recent struggles on third down, when teams are more certain the pass is coming. More broadly, the 49ers have provided little evidence suggesting Smith and Gore can flourish in the same offense, or that the 49ers can win consistently as primarily a running or passing team. Smith is improving and that is important. How this all might fit together remains undetermined. fivefilters.org featured article: Normalising the crime of the century by John Pilger |
| Riding a well-travelled road - Regina Leader-Post Posted: 11 Dec 2009 01:36 PM PST ZEN AND NOW Mark Richardson Knopf Canada 274 pages, $29.95 In 1968, during the halcyon days in the shadow of the "Summer of Love," Robert Pirsig and his son, Chris, embarked on a motorcycle journey from Minneapolis to San Francisco. Their journey became the central point of Pirsig's bestselling book, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. The book, published in 1974, has sold 5 million copies and is still in print. It has inspired a crowd of fellow travellers, dubbed "Pirsig's Pilgrims," to retrace his journey. Using 21st-century technology like GPS devices, they plot Pirsig's path, even searching out the campsites where he stayed and the restaurants where he ate. There are reader's guides to the journey and academic conferences on Pirsig's philosophy, known as the Metaphysics of Quality. So when Mark Richardson, editor of the Toronto Star's Wheels section, decides to fire up his Suzuki dirt bike and retrace Pirsig's pilgrimage, it's hardly unique. But what Richardson succeeds admirably in doing is fleshing out Pirsig's troubled life. As Richardson admits, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is less a book about motorcycles and more a convenient hook on which Pirsig hung his views on modern life. In 2004, Richardson, suffering his own sort of midlife crisis after raising a family, sets out on a journey, timing it to reach San Francisco on his 42nd birthday. Along the way, he meets some of the people Pirsig encountered and sees the small-town United States he visited. Besides recounting a cross-country journey, Richardson also examines Pirsig's life and his philosophy. "A big part of the message of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance can be boiled down to a truism," Richardson writes in mid-journey, "if a job's worth doing, it's worth doing well." Pirsig was hardly an advertisement for a life well-lived. He led a troubled life. Before taking his Zen journey, he was institutionalized in a mental hospital and given electroshock therapy. Much of his book is an account of how he deals with his pre-shock self. He described his collapse as either "catatonic schizophrenia" or "hard enlightenment." His wife, Nancy, at whom he once waved a gun, was less undecided about his problems. She chose schizophrenia. Pirsig's son, Chris, his companion on the journey, had his own mental-health issues. He later also spent time in a mental institution and eventually was stabbed to death in a senseless mugging in 1979, ironically outside a San Francisco Zen centre. Richardson set out on his trek in part to escape from the pressures of his own family, but he eventually learns his own lessons about the attractions of home and Pirsig's pursuit of what he called "Quality" in life. "My family is pulling at me now as, at 42, I come to realize the meaning of my life," Richardson writes. "People who care and people who care enough for me to give me a home - they are Quality." Pirsig, who never met Richardson although the two did exchange letters, has long lamented that his book, now usually found in the New-Age section of bookstores, is not classed as philosophy. Richardson, on the other hand, is a more pure traveller. He is a motorcycle guy, at home describing the feeling of freedom - with appropriate caution - that riding a motorcycle gives. Richardson is more intent on the journey as a travelogue. He is happy to deviate from Pirsig's more austere path. "That's not for me," Richardson writes of Pirsig's bare-bones trek. "I'll take a snug Super 8 (motel) any day, or an attentive server at a decent steakhouse." It's a journey through what Pirsig called "the high country of the mind," but one with comfort - and a decent cup of coffee. fivefilters.org featured article: Normalising the crime of the century by John Pilger |
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