popular logistics

I’ve just started using an All-Ett - an extraordinarily lightweight wallet made from spinnaker cloth. (We assume that all PopLog readers know the difference between a spinnaker and a mainsail, so we won’t bore you). Remarkably light and thin, but shows every indication of being exceptionally strong.

Why are we posting about it? Because we’re interested in anything that reduces weight or bulk in necessary objects, and because we have no scruples about writing about things we like - despite the absence of other reasons.

I got mine directly from the maker - www.all-ett.com

This another fine lead from the people at www.lifehacker.com

Overwhelming evidence that outsourcing - especially the use of force - has few virtues, if any. Scahill calmly reviews the company’s founding by Erik Prince - former Navy Seal, and scion of a wealthy right-wing Republican family in Michigan, through its involvement in post 9/11 U.S. military activities, principally in Iraq.

Blackwater is an example of everything that’s wrong with outsourcing, in covert/classified and regular government operations. There’s no transparency or accountability:

•  - especially when work is contracted and subcontraced through multiple sucontracts; in money-laundering cases, the use of additional transactions to obscure source is called “layering,” and is a violation of federal law. With respect to Blackwater, Halliburton/KBR et al., it’s Bush Administration policy.
• because there’s no civilian or military “chain of command,” there’s no regular reporting and recording functions (think of the deskbook in a police station, the bound volumes in a county clerk or court clerk’s office, the log on a ship)
• Blackwater has, at the same time, claimed in court cases (wrongful death actions brought by surviving family members of Blackwater employees - all killed in circumstances suggesting cost-cutting and recklessness) that because it’s working on behalf of the military, or other U.S. government agencies, it’s immune from the civilian court system. In other words - ‘heads I win, tails you lose.’
• Because they’re private  contractors , they ‘re  not  flexibly integratable into existing command structures
• While they  claim to be cheaper, it’s not clear that that’s true; to the extent that it is true - it may be because they’re increasingly using Third World employees who they pay less than they do to American ex-service people

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Blackwater tried to characterize its services as “donated,”  motivated by humanitarian concerns.

• Blackwater claimed to have, in cooperation with the Coast Guard, “saved some 150 people that otherwise wouldn’t have been saved.” (Cofer Black, former head of the CIA’s CounterTerrorism Center, then a Blackwater executive). Scahill says that the  Coast Guard told him they’d asked Blackwater not to assist in water rescues - and that, in any case, they had no record of Blackwater saving anyone. (pp. 325-  326).
• Blackwater made at least $33 million on Katrina-related services (325)

And, in case you needed to be reminded, the first FEMA director in the Bush II administration was Joseph Allbaugh - Bush’s campaign manager in 2000. His lobbying clients, Halliburton/KBR and the Shaw Group got Katrina contracts worth $30 million and $950 million. Plus other Katrina contracts to firms with names that are likely to be familiar:

• $1.4 billion for Fluor
• $575 million for Bechtel

Well-written and disturbing. The book is available in bookstores now, and also has its own website: www.blackwaterbook.com. We’re proud to note that Jeremy Scahill lives in Brooklyn.

A: When it’s also an 8.5 MW Clean Energy Power Plant!

Across the river from New York’s Solar Powered ferry terminal, at the entrance to Atlantic City, a few miles south of the Oyster Creek nuclear plant, (which will be discussed in future posts) the Atlantic County Utilities Authority (ACUA) built a showcase for clean energy. Jersey Atlantic Wind, LLC, built an 8 MW wind farm and World Water and Power Corp., is building a 500 kw solar electric facility.

This is power without pollution - no greenhouse gases, no waste heat, no toxic wastes, no radioactive wastes, no mercury . . . . Pure clean energy. And it costs less than power from  nuclear, coal, or other polluting 19th and 20th century technologies.

With solar and wind, there is no fuel, so there are no fuel costs, no fuel spills, no mines, mills, wells.  There is less maintenance - solar has practically no maintenance. Unlike a nuclear power plant there is a minimal risk of terrorism and no risk of a catastrophic accident.

(In the interests of full disclosure, World Water is publicly traded and Clear Blue Lou owns a small amount of stock in the company.)

Sustainable Waves describes itself as follows:

 Sustainable Waves specializes in sustainable solutions for the entertainment industry. We provide solar powered stages & sound systems and a variety of conscious products and services. From pollution free concerts to innovative products, Sustainable Waves is a logical approach to creating value. With artistic inspiration, we integrate with existing business models. Taking one step at a time, we strive to inspire the currents of the global economy.

This is, of course, a lovely idea. But the precise terms of the idea - well, they’re not so precise. The second sentence describes “solar powered stages and sound systems;” the third sentence uses the words “pollution free concerts.” My reading is that this implies that all of the electricity used on stage and to reinforce the sound during the concert, beause of the phrase “pollution free.” “Pollution free” (emphasis mine) concerts would have no pollution generated by any aspect of the concert - including transportation of performers, crew, house staff, and audience.

It’s possible, too, that they’re only using it with small audiences, during the day and out-of-doors - reducing the energy needed for lighting and sound reinforcement.

Possibilities of exaggeration or imprecision aside, it’s a great idea, especially if audiences see the PB panels on their way in and out - not to mention people who see their PV trailers on the road. (photographs here)

Via Dethroner.

Clifford Krauss, writing in yesterday’s Times, points out in
With Coal Plans Cut Back, Texas Faces Energy Gap [Link to article here ] that the recent TXU deal - in which the energy firm made a commitment to withdraw applications for several coal-fired plants, doesn’t necessarily address Texas’ projected consumption.

Environmentalists and some state officials see an opening for renewable energy in a state that is already the national pacesetter in wind energy production. About 4 percent of the state’s power is now produced by wind and other renewable sources, and state officials say they expect a quadrupling of wind power generation in the next 20 years.

“Wind has the potential to help fill the shortfall,” said Jerry Patterson, the Texas land commissioner, whose responsibilities include leasing state lands for wind energy development. “Every day that passes, renewables make more economic sense.”

Texas now produces 2,800 megawatts of energy a year from wind, enough to serve 500,000 homes. Mr. Patterson said an additional 2,000 megawatts would come online by 2009. Most of the production now occurs in the blustery Panhandle, but two offshore farms are in the planning stages and should be online by the beginning of the next decade.

Still, few experts think enough renewable power can be developed quickly enough, given the lack of transmission capacity and high costs. Natural gas, which provides nearly half the state’s electricity, is set for another surge because gas plants can generally be built faster than nuclear or coal facilities.

That Texas currently gets 4% of its electricity from renewables is striking; Popular Logistics is trying to find out if that’s solely the result of energy “market” forces - it’s hard to think of our current energy situation as a real market, complete with vigorous competition and invisible hands- or if Texas has been subsidizing renewables all along.

However, perhaps Texas should take heed of the Naval Postgraduate Center’s recommendation for making the power grid in Iraq more robust: widespread decentralized use of solar power. The current administration, ever keen to take advice from military professionals, hasn’t publicly commented on the Navy’s proposal to put a PV panel on every Iraqi roof. A copy of the report is available from The Project on Government Secrecy at the Federation of American Scientists.

Krauss’s skeptical experts are probably correct, if one assumes little or no subsidy for renewables, and a focus on large-scale “farms.” But the Navy “Solar Eagle” proposal is for a decentralized system (a chicken in every pot, a PV panel on every roof), principallybecause decentralization and redundant connections are what make networks robust and resistant to attack - and reduce the need for transmission capacity, as more power is generated at or near the site of production. (One of the reasons, we’re told, that the Internet was designed the way it was. Just ask Mr. Gore).

We’ll have a longer post later, but for now, we’ll say that the Rescue Streamer is brilliant. This tiny (when stored) banner greatly increases the probability of being seen from overhead - one doesn’t need to apply Bayes’ theorem to figure that out - and also has the following attributes:

• not subject to battery failure
• no training required
• no fuel required (as in triangles of signal fires)
• no fire starting required - and no risk of, for instance, starting a forest fire - when what you really wanted was to be rescued
• not prohibitively expensive (by any stretch of the imagination)
• works on land and water

Safe, non-toxic, effective, inexpensive, easy to use. Apart from our interest in emergency preparedness, this is a fantastic example of excellent engineering.

We hope to be following up shortly with photographs and more information about the development of the Rescue Streamer.

The next time you ride the Staten Ferry take a good look at the roof of the terminal on the Manhattan side, or check out the photo in the link to Magnetek. You can see the beautiful blue things that look like windows. But they’re not windows. They’re photovoltaic solar panels. Just like the solar chips that power your calculators, and the solar powered walkway lights you see all over the suburbs, these convert sunlight into electricity, and provide power for the ferry terminal.Atlantis Energy Systems, Inc., of Poughkeepsie, NY, produced the photovoltaic modules.

Magnetek built the inverters used to connect the system to the electric grid. Magnetek Aurora™ Inverters Complete Manhattan’s Largest Building Integrated Solar Power System.

The March 12 issue of The New Yorker contains an article by Steve Coll, discussing the present risk(s) of nuclear terrorism and the adequacy of the Administration’s responses.

THE UNTHINKABLE: Can the United States be made safe from nuclear terrorism  is an education in the complexity of the issue, and points out, inter alia, the variety of fissile and “dirty” materials, their ubiquity in everyday commercial and industrial enterprises (e.g. denture cleaner, which generates false positive results in government radiation detection equipment).

CERT teams all over the country are acquiring safety vests, often at generous prices, and generally in green, with a CERT logo. Here are a couple of examples: R&B , DMS, and Wholesale First Aid Supply and GSS. What these garments have in common - excessive price aside, is that they’re forest green, and employ little, if any conspicuity (reflective) materials. The green CERT vests  don’t, for instance, remotely comply with the ANSI Class III standard: visible, 360 degrees at 1,000 (I think, in fact, the rule calls for 1,250 feet), in low-light, poor-visibility. That’s about as much time as a driver, driving 30 miles an hour, would have to stop if he or she noticed the person at 1,250 feet. (That is, a driving, in a crisis, foulweather, at thirty miles an hour, has about thirty seconds to stop).

Some of these vendors do sell ANSI-III compliant vests, at reasonable prices. But few of them have any pockets at all - those that do have very few pockets. None seem adjustable so as to be usable in cold weather (over many other layers) or hot to be worn over summer clothing, and comply with the ANSI visibility standard, and be useful for securely carrying the gear which CERT or SAR team members should and will have: radios, batteries, food, hand tools, etc.

There’s the way in which the forest green vest constitute bad advice: in a chaotic situation - why would we be assuming that amidst a power failure or flood, CERT members aren’t going to be walking around, running messages, and even directing traffic.

Apart from the direct virtues of wearing vests: (visibility and the consequent reduction of accidents, carrying tools, and in some cases, of course, flotation and insulation) they’re also useful for keeping track of team members - they’re also useful for inspiring confidence in the public in an emergency. Since CERT teams are often self-financed, the vest may be the only “uniform” component. They should also convey confidence and functionality because - as generals have known for hundreds, if not thousands of years - the “uniform,” whatever that is, can be a recruitment tool (”I want to wear one of those”) or an obstacle to recruitment (”This CERT thing’s a great idea, but I really don’t want to wear that, especially if anyone I know is anywhere around”), especially among younger prospects. (I’m a member of a CERT in which the average age of members is in my view, somewhat higher than one would like. Put another way, we’re not turning away lots of 20- and 30- somethings who spend a lot of time in the gym.

So wouldn’t we prefer that CERT members will have, train in, and, in emergencies, wear highly visible, ANSI compliant, sturdy, flattering cargo-carrying vests. And affordable - did I mention that?

At the other end of the market are well-designed and manufactured SAR vests, like the Robert Rutter vest now manufactured by CMC rescue. This vest commands the dramatic sum of $369. It’s my understanding that CMC’s own manufactured gear is excellent. Price saide, however, wouldn’t it make more sense for search-and-rescue workers to wear vests (generally the outermost garment) in a color other than black and olive drab? We’re considering the possibility of purchasing these and adding reflexite or other prismatic  reflective panels - but the price - in excess of the cost of a new 16-channel 5-watt radio - seems very high.

The search for an optimal CERT vest continues. Popular Logistics would like to hear from any of you that might help us, and our other readers, who are responsible for procurement for CERT’s, SAR,s and similar groups.

The 9/11 Commission’s recommendation struck me as particularly sensible. I was in Foley Square and watched the first plane as it passed behind the Federal Building, work in a high-rise near Ground Zero, take the NYC subway system to and from work, as does the Girl From Kansas. And almost everyone else we know and care about in the neighborhood - with the rare exception of people who work at home, or work within walking distance of home. As a community, we have numerous opportunities, every workday, to be stuck in an unlit space in the event of any power interruption. Thus began the search for the ideal pocket light, based on the following assumptions and criteria:

• All other things being equal, it would be best if all of us - including friends and neighbors - used the same device, for a number of reasons - the same reasons that armies standardize equipment:

1. it’s cheaper to buy things in bulk;
2. easier to maintain supplies of spare batteries
3. to the extent that there’s any learning needed - better to have everyone using the same equipment. (Flashlights being relatively simple, this wasn’t too big a deal; but it did occur to me).

• Because people - especially me - can’t be trusted to regularly check batteries, it had to consume little enough power that, if needed, there would be a high probability that it would work as intended

• Rugged enough to be maltreated routinely but still work

• Small enough that it wouldn’t be left behind the first time the purse or bag felt too heavy (”I never use this thing anyway;” “nothing will happen today“)

The need for robustness and economical power consumption eliminated anything with an incandescent bulb. So I started shopping for a compact LED flashlight, sturdy, cheap and compact.

Thus far we’ve purchased and tested the following pocket lights; there are certainly other makes and models worth testing, but, since this has all been done out-of-pocket, we haven’t been able to test everything we’d like. We
The Streamlight Stylus was quite effective, but, for present purposes, two limitations: first, at 6.2 inches, it turned out to be slightly too long to be easily carried in a pocket or attached to a keychain. We’ve had good experiences with other Streamlight models, and suspect that several of their other small lights might be ideal for carrying every day (More on other types of flashlights, including Streamlight’s, to come. New Yorkers who care about such things may know that Streamlights are favored by our Fire Department; our police officers, who purchase their own flashlights, seem to gravitate towards other brands).

The Gerber Infinity fit our criteria, and the Girl From Kansas  has one on her keyring, and we’ve given a couple to friends: pretty bright, LED, uses a single AA.  But “on/off” and “unscrew to replace battery” is just a matter of extra turns, and strikes me as an opportunity for things to go wrong in the dark. You can see a much more detailed review at the excellent Flashlight Reviews

Two other makers have produced lights that - so far, at any rate - lead the pack: the Pak-Lite  and the Safe-Light.  Both are excellent - we’ve bought and given away over a dozen of each, and they’ll be discussed in the next post.

The 9/11 Commission noted that a number of people lived through the 9/11 attacks because they had flashlights with them, or were with people carrying flashlights. If there’s one tool that everyone should have all the time, it’s a flashlight. Evaluating flashlights for, let’s say, “everyday use” has been an ongoing obsession for Popular Logistics. We hope to give some useful advice in selecting them - and encourage everyone who reads the blog to follow this recommendation from the 9/11 Commission.