Not There Yet

As I consider residential solar...I’m wondering—maybe for the first time in my life—if my early adopter shields should be up and whether I should let others pave the solar highway. There is a significant difference in this case: in my earlier, early adopter escapades I could at least be shown up as a rube in the privacy of my own home. There was only my wife providing judgemental looks of disapproval. Or pity, I’m not sure which exactly.

With the consideration of residential solar, however, there is the potential of subjecting myself to a much harsher brand of judgement: that is—yes—that annual select committee enquiry that is the neighbourhood summer barbecue. Because solar panels are so prominent, I am pretty much guaranteed a non-stop string of engagements with the opening number always being the same: “So how is that solar thing working out for you...”

Listen, above, or read the essay instead.

In a good month, I cycle 500 kilometres on city bike paths and roads. For that reason alone, you would think I would be thrilled the City has moved forward with an aggressive program of protected, green bike lanes adjacent to the curb. However, I have mixed feelings. Before them, I took the approach that as a cyclist amongst a lot of cars and trucks, I was like the kayaker in with the killer whales. While they may not intend to kill me, ‘killer’ is their first name after all...

Listen, above, or read the essay instead.

The prospects for the 1939 Coupe Deutsch de la Meurthe air race did not look good. Suzanne Deutsch de la Meurthe, the widow of the “Oil King of France” Henri, had revived the competition in 1931 in memory of her late husband...

Listen, above, or read the essay instead.

After 23 hours and 57 minutes of the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans, Toyota Gazoo Racing had reason to feel good about their chances of winning the legendary car race. They had been a contender throughout and led it, decisively, for the final four hours. Then, with just a couple of laps to go, their leading No. 5 car inexplicably...

Listen, above, or read the essay instead.

Imagine for a moment you get to the airport, boarding pass in hand and you line up at the gate ready to board your flight. You do the March of the Penguins down the centre aisle, find your row, take your seat, buckle up and don’t pay attention to the safety announcements. As usual. But at the end of all of that, the flight attendant comes on the PA, and says...

Listen, above, or read the essay instead.

In the Eighties I had an inflection point in my career—clear only in retrospect—where I had a choice. I could have set out for Silicon Valley not all that long after it started to be called that. I had family in the area who I like to believe would have...

Listen, above, or read the essay instead.

The mines of Cornwall, England operated for over 4000 years. Then, after these four millenia of continuous human endeavour, the entire industry became extinct in little more than a single generation. When the end came, it was unexpected, swift and brutal...

Listen, above, or read the essay instead.

One of my earliest memories — I must have been five or six at the time — was when my father decided it was time to pass along his lifelong love of all things that fly, and bought us a Guillow’s Javelin model airplane kit. My brother and I were absolutely not capable of assembling the delicate balsawood frame, not to mention attaching the diaphanous green and yellow tissue. So...

(read the essay instead)

A couple of years ago I walked into the Tesla store in Washington Square Mall in Portland, Oregon and I was instantly and abjectly in love with the Model S. It sat shining — almost glowing — in the modern, minimalist showroom and attended by staff straight out of the Apple Store who were completely charming. Apart from being about $115K short of the $120K I needed...

(read the essay instead)