Tuesday, May 10, 2005 ::
Faking Security
Via Avedon comes a reminder that the misnamed "REAL ID Act" is set to pass the Senate today. Much of the debate about a national ID card assumes from the start that such a thing would improve security. The only serious arguments seem to be about whether such an obvious increase in safety would be worth the resulting restrictions on personal privacy or the financial burdens placed on the states.
Security expert Bruce Schneier, however, convincing shows that the current debate is premature because the premise is false: national ID cards won't make us more secure. In fact, we will all be less safe in a system that relies upon the correct identification of individuals.
I'm all for having a real debate about what would be required to improve our nation's security, but I'm a little tired of having that debate short-circuited by Republican politicians like John Ashcroft and James Sensenbrenner. Better security isn't something you get by acting tough, it's something you get by being smart. And right now, we don't seem to have any smart people in charge.
Stuck in Traffic
I wait for these stats each year, and finally, the new transportation numbers are out. Washington, DC — my former home — ranks third in congestion overall, with 69 hours lost per traveler each year to traffic delays. That sounds impressive, but DC has been third for five years in a row, which might indicate a lack of effort. Fortunately, the trends favor a move up in the next year or two, as delays in the top two cities, Los Angeles and San Francisco, are dropping.
Charlotte, NC — my new home — comes in second in the mid-sized city category, with 43 hours of wasted time in traffic. Austin, TX is number one, and as someone who has ridden around that city recently, I can see why. Charlotte will have to try very hard to top Austin, but it's doable. According to the study's co-author Tim Lomax: "We show [Charlotte] as one of the leaders in congestion growth." Way to go!
While traffic was a real, daily issue for me in DC, here in Charlotte it's more of an abstraction. Mary's two-minute walk to work is hardly grueling, and my telecommute is even easier. Some of our friends no doubt wonder why we would choose to live downtown, but I wonder why anyone who works downtown chooses not to.