Frank Didik.com DIDIK® is a registered trademark Contact Frank Didik at: inquiry [at] didik.com   (Dumbo/Brooklyn, New York City, USA) Designs, Projects, Proposals and Innovations by Frank Didik    Click Here to go to the main page Main Page - Page 1 - Page 2 - PAGE 3- Page 4 - Page 5 - Page 6 - Page 7- Page 8 - Page 9 - Page 10 Photo by Frank X. Didik Thoughts by Frank Didik Frank X. Didik is a polymath whose knowledge spans a significant number of subjects thus he is able to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific problems. Time to rethink bicycle lanes and safety proposals Suggestions for bicycle based cities which have an extensive bike lane network. Frank Didik, NYC, August 3, 2016 I have been riding my bicycle in New York City since I was a child. These days, I ride my bike an average of 10 miles per day. Nevertheless I am rather surprised that New York and most cities around the country are pushing bicycle's as a major mode of transportation. It seems so retro. Back in the 1960's, one would have expected flying cars and jetpacks, not bicycles, by now! Think about the Jetsons, Star Treck and other futuristic programs, predicting how life would be today. Besides being a bicycle rider, I have also designed and built bicycles, as well as solar, electric and human powered vehicles, I am certainly not anit-bike riding, however it is obvious that in a city environment, bike riders must ride responsibly and certain rules must be followed. Further, I think that though bike lanes are wonderful, there must also be a balance between bike lanes and motor vehicle roads so that the largest number of citizens benefit from the limited road resources. Some observations that may have been overlooked regarding bicycle lanes: Pollution, longer drive times, greater fuel consumption, and higher transportation costs. Yes an unexpected effect of bike lanes is to cause pollution, higher fuel consumption and higher transportation costs. As a result of many cities around the United States building bicycle lanes, at the expense of roads for cars, trucks and buses, the motor vehicle congestion level has increased. This has led to longer drive times, more local pollution, increased gasoline and diesel fuel consumption, frayed nerves and a loss in time of human resource productivity. Thus trucks, ambulances, busses and private cars now use more gasoline and diesel fuel, because the traffic is greater. Further, the traffic and the longer time it takes for transport of people, food and goods, has resulted in higher transport costs that are passed on to the consumer. Because of the restricted traffic flow, it also takes emergency vehicles, such as the police, ambulances and fire trucks longer to reach their destination. The population at large has not benefited from bike lanes. Because bike lanes cause greater congestion in cities, they also cause critical services, such as fire trucks, police response time and ambulance response time to take be longer than before bike lanes were installed.  Most riders are men under the age of 50. There are few people older than 50 who ride or take advantages of the bicycle lanes. Surprisingly, from my un-scientific observations, there are four men bike riders for every woman bike rider. Since a relatively small percentage of the population uses and benefits from bicycle lanes, the question then comes up if the enormous financial investment in building bicycle lanes and thus contributing to added motor vehicle traffic actually benefits society? Since bicycle lanes are built up at the expense of motor vehicle lanes, does the added pollution of the slowed down motor vehicle traffic actually cause more harm than good? Bike riders ride for a variety of reasons. Some people ride to health or exercise, others to save money and yet others for speed in getting to a local destination, plus the ease of "parking" or chaining the bicycle to a sign post. Only a few diehard bicyclists ride in the winter. Bike riders rarely obey traffic rules or even follow bike rules. Bike Rider Rage. We have all heard about road rage, but the fact is that bike rage may well be more prevalent then automobile road rage. It take a lot of human energy to build up speed with a bicycle, and bike riders rarely want to slow down for pedestrians or for that matter, dealing with important issues, such as right away. Here in New York City, I often see bike riders screaming at other bike riders, because they are going to slow, fast or whatever. Bike rage should be dealt with in the same manner as motor vehicle road rage. (This paragraph added May 26, 2017) A curious side note is that I have noticed the lighter, and often times more expensive, the bicycle, the heavier the chain that is carried in order to secure it better. The light weight advantage of the bicycle seems to be lost with the heavier chain. What is needed: Enforcement of the traffic rules. I have always been a believer that less government is better government, however it is obvious to me that there must be some way of identifying bike riders who break the law, cause accidents by reckless riding or who are actually involved in accidents. With this in mind, I advocate that bicycles be registered, similar to to the way that motor vehicles are registered with a unique identifying rear license plate. It is possible that various automated bike rental companies might object to this, but this is an important measure that assists in responsible. Registration is common in many countries. Bicycles or perhaps the bicyclist, should be required to carry basic liability insurance, so to pay for damaged property or injured people, when the bike rider causes and accident. If the bike is insured, than anyone riding the bicycle would be insured. If the individual is insured, than any bicycle that the individual rode, would be insured. Bicycles should be required to have minimal safety equipment including at minimum, rear brakes, front and rear electric lights, reflectors and a horn or bell to alert pedestrians and other vehicles in an emergency. Surprisingly, many bike riders think it is "hip" to have bicycles that are direct chain drive without any brakes whatsoever. To stop, one has to attempt to lock or backpedal. In an emergency, this method is very dangerous. Lights are essential for night riding so that vehicles and pedestrians can see the bicycle. It goes without saying that a horn or a bell is an important safety measure to alert pedestrians. This safety equipment would for one, lessen the chance of injury and accidents and property damage for other people and also limit the chance that the bicycle rider is injured. Obviously if injuries can be lowered by a measurable percentage, than ultimately, the cost of medical insurance for everyone would likewise be reduced by a certain amount. Thus bicycle safety measures is of broad civil importance. Presently in the state of New York, only youngsters are required to wear bicycle helmets. This requirement should be extended to all people. Helmets should not have protruding lights or video cameras attached on the outside, that may breach the helmet in the event of an accident. When a bicycle lane exists, a bike rider must be required to only ride in that lane and not ride in the motor vehicle lanes. This makes bike riding safer for the bicyclist, safer for the motorists and does not slow down motor vehicles. A bicyclist should be required to stop at all red lights. If this rule is violated, a fine should be issued that is large enough to discourage abuse. This rule is very important for the safety of the bicyclist, motor vehicles and perhaps most importantly, pedestrians crossing the street. All too often, people crossing the street are endangered by bicyclists who do not stop for pedestrians, who are legally crossing a street. This abuse has to stop. The use and existence of bike lanes must be reevaluated every year to determine if the bike lane is under used. If the bike lane does not have enough bicycle traffic, the bike lane should be removed. and the area opened for motor vehicle traffic again. An analysis should also be made to determine if a bike lane, even if it is well used, is slowing down even more people in motor vehicles, than the number of people using the said bicycle lane. Recently automated bike rental racks have sprung up across the country, supported by various companies. These racks are very convenient, however the underlying concept is a business that charges, not a public service. With this in mind and for the safety of the community, such racks should never be placed directly in front of the entrance of any building. The reason is simple and that is that such racks blocks the entrances of buildings for residents getting out of cars or taxi's, such racks impede the quick deployment of ambulances and also impedes firemen in cases of fire emergencies. Another issue that has sprung up is the noise that is caused in residential neighborhoods when locking or securing the bicycle to the bike stand or when at night, the bicycle company "equalizes" the number of bikes in each rack. Such bike racks should only be placed in commercial areas or next to parks, and in such a way, that the entrance to commercial buildings or parks are not blocked. APRIL 26, 2017 UPDATE: Three weeks ago, around 5PM, I was on Grand Street and the Bowery in Manhattan and I witnessed a bike rider who was riding his bike way to fast and then hit a pedestrian, who was a man about 65 years old, who was crossing the street. The man was not knocked down, however clearly he was bruised. Instead of stopping, the bike rider continued to ride to Christie Street and then momentarily stopped and looked back, and then quickly continued to shoot away. I unchained my own bike, but by the time I started to chase the hit and run biker, he had disappeared into the traffic. At 5PM, Grand Street was packed with people and the bike rider, who was a man in his mid 20's, could easily have killed someone. In the split second that the bike rider hit the pedestrian, I noticed that the bike did not seem to have hand brakes. This incident underscores the need for bikes to have a clearly visible registration number, and some sort of basic insurance so that such violators can be caught and if they cause injury or property damage, they can pay to correct the situation.     Frank Didik started to ride bicycles in New York City, as a young child, in the early 1960's and continues to ride his bicycle about 10 miles per day, each and every day. For the almost 40 years, he has also been an advocate and designer of bicycles and other human powered vehicles and fully understands the pros and cons of bicycle riding and alternate vehicle technology. More information can be found at www.DIDIK.com  The Didik quest for the worlds lightest bicycle. Nine pounds (4kg). Rear and front wheel turns. Epoxy coated foam. Didik Ultra-light weight bicycle. Worlds lightest bike DIDIK Muscle Car "Didik Duplexity" human powered, foldable scooter for two. Didik foldable Muscle Car ---Frank X. Didik first written pre 1995, updated 2015 Main Page - Page 1 - Page 2 - PAGE 3- Page 4 - Page 5 - Page 6 - Page 7- Page 8 - Page 9 - Page 10 CONTACT Frank Didik: . (Dumbo/Brooklyn, New York City, USA) www.DIDIK.com Copyright© 1989 - 2022 by Frank X. Didik, All Rights Reserved DIDIK® is a registered Trademark at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Frank X. Didik aboard "The Futurist" in New York Harbor. Thoughts by Frank Didik Random thoughts on science, business and society today. What if and what can or might be. What is the speed of gravity? If it is instantaneous, then what if gravity can be modulated? Today most scientists, assume that the speed of gravity is the same as the speed of light, but what if the speed of gravity is instantaneous? Further, if gravity can be modulated, it might allow for instantaneous universal communication. Thus it might be possible to communicate with space craft instantly, rather than waiting for minutes for transmissions to reach the craft or earth. Perhaps computer chips can be made to operate vastly faster. And this is just the beginning since ...read more ... What if the decay rate of elements varies rather than being a constant? Imagine, if this is the case, it would mean that all archeological dating is in question. How old are artifacts? When in fact did the dinosaurs really die out? Further, consider that ... read more ... It is now time to eliminate all emergency Covid laws in the country. Now that we understand that the fear of a massive death rate due to Covid was completely wrong..read more Is it selfish for a woman to seek a career and also have children? read more Elon Musk recently stated that we have a population shortage problem. read more Private ownership and strong goals are on the decline. Grown men in their 30's still live in shared apartments, ride a skateboard or a bicycle instead of owning their own home and car and read more We seem to be living in a fake world. Everywhere you go, you see people walking down the street, staring at their cell phone, often with "ear buds", completely oblivious to the outside world. ...read more Were the Wright Brothers the wrong brothers? Was A.M. Herring the first to fly in 1899 - four years before the Wright Brothers?... read more ... April Fools Day How did it start? read more Oligarchs: How did the "oligarchs" of Russia, Ukraine and other former Soviet Republics amass their vast wealth? read more Easter celebrated in Manhattan in 1956 EASTER: Though Easter is a Christian Holiday, celebrated by Christians worldwide, perhaps non-Christians, including atheists, should also celebrate this holiday. Why? Because by Jesus's teachings, Democracy became the norm for all governments worldwide. read more Global trade agreements have failed the United States and has destroyed the US standard of living read more Collapse in the standard of living I believe that the standard of living in the United States was highest in the early 1960's. In 1962, the average 35 year old working man was able to support a wife, 3 or 4 children, own a house in the suburbs, have 2 cars and had enough money to go on a vacation once or twice a year. Today, it takes two highly educated people working to buy a small one or two bedroom coop or condo, car ownership is rare and they can only afford to have one or two children at best.read more The need for a $40 per hour minimum wage? read more Social Media or Vanity Media With the development of the so called smart phone, a new phenomenon of "social media" has developed that caters to the vanity and inner ego of millions read more The Canadian Flag has become s symbol of freedom world wide. It is interesting to note that as a result of the Canadian Truckers "Freedom Convoy" to remove Corona restrictions in Canada, other protests have started worldwide, and the symbol most seen is the Canadian Flag. "Finding truth on the internet, is like finding a diamond in a pile of broken glass". Today there is so much conflicting and false information on the internet that it is difficult to determine what is true and what is false. Often each perspective presents read more Covid has become political Some say that alleged science is being used to push a political agenda. Back in February of 2020, Covid 19 was presented as a deadly pandemic that many said would kill off a sizable read more Bicycle Lanes favors the young and healthy, while inconveniencing older citizens, drivers and delivery trucks. Further, for the most part, they are rarely utilized during the winter months... read more Fact Checkers "Fact Checkers" present an opinion rather than absolute fact. Further, who will fact check the fact checkers"? Recently read more Is it wrong be judgmental? Further, should a person express unsolicited opinions to others? The fact is that everyone read more Should we offer unsolicited advice? We have often heard that giving unsolicited advice is wrong but read more Congestion Pricing favors the upper income people and will significantly reduce local business, while pushing middle class drivers to shop elsewhere that does not have this burdensome tax. Ultimately this will work against the city. Misinformation does not mean a lie, but rather is a way to undermine a different perspective that is not in keeping with the pushed narrative. Thus something that is described as "misinformation" may or many not be true, but contradicts the official mainstream perspective or undermines the direction of the mainstream agenda. Frank Didik, February 1, 2022 A reminder to fellow citizens When you walk down the street, just remember that every person who you pass by, regardless of their race or physical appearance, or if they are rich or poor, has their own goals and aspirations, trials and tribulations and each person must be treated with basic respect and dignity. It is essential to individualize and not generalize. Each group has their good and bad and one must not fall into the trap of assuming that everyone in a particular group is the same or thinks the same. Sometimes in our rush or arrogance, we forget these basic truths. Evolution of American English Accents I have noticed that accents evolve very quickly. If you were to watch a movie from the 1930's, 1940's or any other time, you will notice that people from each period have distinct accents. Recently, I have noticed that first generation Americans, who perhaps grew up in bilingual families, for example Polish or Chinese families, have a distinct, new American accent. I presume that over time, everyone's accent will be significantly different in years to come. Frank Didik, February 1, 2022 Reason, Logic and intellect is not reliable. The late Christopher Hitchens often stated that we should rely on our logic, reason and intellect to determine the truth. Many people who pride themselves as educated, intelligent and progressive believe the same. As reasonable as this seems, Galileo proved over 400 years ago that our logic, reason and intellect is unreliable and that only direct experimental data, should be relied upon. Galileo had dropped two balls of the same material, but different masses, from the Leaning Tower of Pisa to demonstrate that they would hit the ground at the same time, rather than the heavier ball hitting the ground first, as almost everyone, including Aristotle, 2000 years ago, had assumed. Our logic, reason and intellect is not reliable and should only be viewed as speculation. Only direct experimentation and obtaining the same results, over and over again should be relied upon. What if time varies along with all things, rather than being a constant? Consider that...read more ... Can the speed of light vary, even if traveling under the same conditions, or in other words, is the speed of light really a constant? According to Einstein's theory of relativity, the speed of light is a constant but ...read more ... The 1956 Firebird was to be self driving. Self Driving Cars? If you have an accident with a self driving car, who is at fault? The car manufacturer, the owner of the car or the occupant "driver" of the car? I have enjoyed owning and driving some of the most interesting cars made and have always enjoyed the freedom of driving without impediments or restrictions. Nevertheless, if self driving ...read more ... Bicycles? What ever happened to jet packs, flying cars and advanced technology that in the past, was predicted that we would be using by today? Why are bicycles being pushed by cities world wide?...read more ... Question: Do bicycles and skate boards represent a more environmentally friendly world or does it indicate a decline in the standard of living? I ride my bicycle about 10 miles every day, but only a small percentage of the population benefit from bike lanes, mostly men under the age of 50. Further, most people ride bikes in warm, favorable weather and rarely in the rain, snow or cold weather. Old Computer Formats and the longevity of our digitally stored knowledge. Are we entering into a "pre-history" era? How can we preserve our computer written records, books, photographs, video and knowledge? If you wanted to, would you be able to read a: 3 1/2" or 5 1/4" or 8" floppy? cd-rom or a dvd? 12" optical disk? 9 track tape? IBM punch card? Paper punch tape? If you can not read these one or two generation old formats today, how will society be able to read these documents in 200 years from now? I doubt that the current line up of formats, such as SD cards, USB drives or others, will be easy to read in 15 years. The longevity of computer/digital storage before major failure is also an issue ...read more ... Cell Phone Etiquette Advice for the modern person - December 9, 2016 read more Time to rethink bike lanes Advice for bicyle based cities  - August 3, 2016 read more Euthanasia to be encouraged? I was just reading that insurance companies encourage suicide, in states that permit assisted suicide. Greater profits by less medical bills and life insurance policies invalidated? I suspect that with a rapidly aging population, the elderly will be encouraged to end their lives. Perhaps euthanasia will be presented as the patriotic or honorable thing to do. We are truly entering into an age of barbarism and abandoning civilization. - June 2018 There is an alternative to population control. Restricting and discouraging the formation of families in order to stabilize or reduce population infringes on the freedom and rights of every human. There is another much better approach...read more ... Questioning the results of modern science. For the last 100 years, we have been experiencing the collapse of real science. Theories, speculation and fantasy is the norm today. By definition, the scientific method is the ability to test and re-test and always get the same results, over and over. If an idea or a theory can not be tested, the idea must be viewed as speculation and not considered true, till that idea is proven without a doubt. Scientific theory has moved to areas that are beyond our present capability of testing and gradually a number of unproven theories have become accepted as fact without any real proof. Further, new theories have been developed based on old theories. Thus we have a situation where science today is largely based on theory upon theory. If something can not be proven, it falls into the realm of philosophy rather than science. This has led to...read more ... Science and media hype: Any sudden "revolutionary" scientific discovery, even if such discovery is written about in every newspaper and scientific journal, should be greeted with skepticism. Such a discovery should only be accepted after the bulk of scientists have have had a chance to review the discovery and confirm that it is in fact correct. Such things that come to mind include cold fusion, the so called "God Particle" and even the recent stated discovery of a "gravitational wave". All too often such media hype has come and gone without any real discovery or fundamental change. ..read more ... What percentage of information, contained in science books is accurate and true? Are we in a post science period? Many science books today present ...read more ... It is time to retest scientific properties. Verify results. I suggest that the properties of all materials be re-tested using modern technology and certify the results. Melting and boiling points, conductivity, hardness, and all physical properties of materials should be re-tested ...read more ... Honesty and integrity in scientific research is essential in order to advance our knowledge base. When a scientist has worked for years to prove a particular theory and finds out that their work has been in vain, it is difficult to admit that their original assumptions were wrong. Still it is vitally important ..read more ... This website displays designs, projects, proposals and innovations by Frank Didik, but this site has also served to inspire people to bring their ideas to fruition. All too often, people have great dreams in high school and college but within a few years after graduation, these ideas gradually become a distant memory. I encourage everyone to do what ever you are good at and try to make your dreams a reality. What people do today represents the future of our great planet. Go out and do whatever you can do, to the best of your ability. Automation and robotics will help return businesses to the United States. With new automation and robotics, which requires less employees, it is now possible for most American Based companies to return manufacturing to the United States, with the benefit of lower production costs, lower shipping costs and a safer business climate, when compared with outsourced manufacturing. -February 14, 2018 Internet free speech and censorship read more The Downside of Robotics Robotics will bring about a fundamental change in society. Millions of jobs will be lost, but only a few, high end jobs will be created. Most former employees will not be employable in this new environment. The same occurred in England in the early 1800's with the industrial revolution. High end weaving jobs were lost after the introduction of high speed looms. Another example is the computer revolution from the late 1960's till the mid 1980's and on till today eliminated the need for thousands of office clerks. - May 5, 2019 Frank Didik's Thoughts on how the world will change in the future   No one really knows what the future will be like and rarely have predictions made in the past, become a reality in the same way that it was predicted. Nevertheless, certain generalities of what might happen, can be foreseen based on what is happening today read more 1. In the future, robotics will change society and millions will lose their jobs ...read more 2. In the future, robotic friends, including intimate friends will prevail ...read more 3. In the future, dating and marriage may greatly decline read more 4. In the future, populations may drastically decline ...read more 5. In the future, pet ownership will decline read more 6. In the future, natural child birth may decline read more 7. In the future, Licenses may be required to have children ...read more 8. In the future, virtual living will take precedence to real life read more 9. In the future, aroma, heat, wind, moisture and taste will all be recorded read more 10. In the future, wealth will be concentrated among a tiny group of people read more 11. In the future, technological advancement may slow down ...read more 12. In the future, planets will not be colonized read more 13. In the future, people will travel less in the future ...read more 14. In the future, transportation networks will gradually be reduced ..read more 15. In the future, there will be a Loss of optimism for their future ...read more 16. In the future, people will rarely interact, face to face ...read more 17. In the future, microscopic robotic "bacteria" will be injected into the body to cure diseases and repair or remove internal body issues ..read more 18. In the future, robots will perform medical procedures including surgery more 19. In the future, doctors will be able to operate from anywhere on the planet ...read more 20. Radically changed moral values and decline in human dignity awaits us in the future ...read more 21. In the future, society may gradually fall into a stagnant, non advancing epic ...read more 22. Future crises in Human Dignity ...read more 23. In the future, medicines will be specifically designed for the individual ...read more 24. In the future, robots will do most factory work and manual labor, including farming and cooking, as well as the jobs of professionals such as doctors and accounting, just to mention a few chores and will cause the loss of millions of jobs and make large populations unnecessary .. read more ---Predictions for the future by Frank X. Didik, December 2, 2016 BITCOIN: Bitcoins are backed by nothing more than the gullibility and wishful thinking of the Bitcoin holder. I believe that the Bitcoin rise in value is akin to the Dutch Tulip craze in the early 1600's and that a massive decline in value is imminent. Foreign manufactured products versus American manufactured products: American's will never buy an American made product if the same or similar foreign products is sold at a lower price. This means that manufacturing jobs will never return to the United States, unless there is an import tax, however import taxes will violate most of America's NAFTA and GAT treaties. Any talk of manufacturing jobs returning to America without import taxes is simply idle banter. The Safety of Plastics. Over the past 30 years, there has been a massive increase in the number of human ailments such as Alzheimer's, breast cancer, prostate cancer, autism, declining fertility, and other ailments. Some people say that the cause is actually better diagnosis, while others blame processed foods, GMO foods, pesticides, wifi, cell phones, vaccinations and other outside influences. During this period, there has been a rapid increase of various plastic packaging for food, water and even clothing made out of polyester and other plastics, with a decline in 100% natural fibers such as cotton and wool. Studies should be conducted regarding the safety of these new materials, as well as the fabric dyes and determine if such chemicals can be absorbed by the skin and if they have any type of long range human effect. -February 14, 2018 Cell Phone Etiquette Advice for the modern person - December 9, 2016 read more   Time to rethink bike lanes Advice for bicyle based cities - August 3, 2016 read more

From the right, Frank Didik, Dr. Eric Bitterman, Chairman of Deutsche Welle, Dr. Joachim Reppmann, and publisher Walter at the Von Steuben formal event in New York City. Though Frank Didik does not have any German background, he enjoys the inginuety and drive of the German people. Subway Safety-Subway Gate Subway Safety Barriers: Every year hundreds of people are killed or severely injured when they fall onto the tracks of trains and subways. The prevention is cost efficient and greatly reduces liability ... read more ... Have you noticed that in large cities, our playgrounds are empty, but our dog runs are full? A sizable portion of the population are no longer getting married and forming families, but read more Down Syndrome. Did you know that there are some people with Down Syndrome who are geniuses? read more Natural Gas substitutes Before 1947 in the USA and late 1960's in Europe, countries used first wood gas and then later coal gas, as this plant in Seatle, Washington prouced till the mid 1950's read more Natural Gas. Europe and many other countries around the world are concerned about shortages of natural gas but there are many substitutes for read more Wood gas was also used to power cars, trucks and buses when gasoline was not available in Europe and Japan during World War 2. read more Greatly reduce train noise A significant amount of train noise is caused by the train wheels rolling over the expansion joint of the tracks. This vibration creates noise, vibrations, an less pleasant ride and also reduces the life cycle of the train. The solution is relatively simple and cost effective ... read more ... True causes of the Ukraine-Russian War Click here Fossil Fuels: So called "fossil fuels" are not from fossils.It seems impossible that the so called "fossil fuels" were ever created from plant life. read more Do not watch TV! (or listen to radio, movies or read newspapers!) If you watch TV programs, you will be programmed! The purpose of the news programs is not to inform but rather to read more Refugees and citizenship: Should refugee's allegedly fleeing their home country be allowed to become citizens of the countries that accepts them or should they only be granted temporary sanctuary until their country of origin returns to normal?read more Bike Registration Though I am a strong believer that less government is best government, the time has come to register and insure bicycles and to make sure that bicyclist obey traffic rules. This is particularly necessary in crowded urban areas. With the proliferation of bicycles, more and more accidents and related injuries are occurring to both the cyclist as well as pedestrians. A basic form of a license plate for bicycles as well as liability insurance is clearly necessary. Schools have become indoctrination centers Compulsory education was never meant to improve one's social status, though that is how it is presented to the public. Originally, students wore uniforms, similar to military uniforms, students learned obedience, such as marching into the school, or raising their hand for permission to read more Socialism, excess government support and Communism are not natural. read more Can a draw bridge be an example of true democracy? read more Fads come and go. Today,the fad is clown colored hair, body graffiti, extensive facial shrapnel and torn jeans, ultra tight "yoga pants" read more The "Frank Didik" penny theory to analyze the state of the economy read more Either gold is over valued or silver is under valued, based on historic ratio's read more Libraries have lost their purpose. read more One World Government The world seems to be headed towards a single, one world government, with the notion of individual countries, cultures, customs and races, gradually merging to form a new type of global citizen. This could lead to greatly curtailed personal freedoms, such as the ability to travel, own a car, own a private house, where to work, where to live and even limit the potential to improve one's social read more Covid/Corona Virus For Frank Didik thoughts on the Corona Virus and it's effect on society and the economy. Click Here "Northern Eastern Circle" A fact finding 1,500 mile road trip through rural north eastern USA. Click here for details. "Southern Circle" A fact finding 3,000 mile road trip through the deep south. Click here for details. A $40 per hour minimum wage? ...Frank X. Didik, September 22, 2021  In 1962, the average 35 year old working man was able to support a wife, 3 or 4 children, own a house in the suburbs, have 2 cars and had enough money to go on a vacation once or twice a year. Today, it takes two highly educated people working to buy a small one or two bedroom coop or condo, car ownership is rare and they can only afford to have one or two children at best. To achieve what a man in 1962 made per week and to regain the standard of living of that time, the minimum wage must be increased to $40 per hour. The gradual decline over the past 60 years should be changed. Perhaps "shock treatment" that was recommended to the former communist countries in Eastern Europe by "experts" from leading American Universities, should be the guide for this sudden increase in the average (minimum) wage. Several things would happen. First, people would initially spend much more money and this would almost instantly create huge demand. At the same time, it is very possible that prices would go up, though perhaps not as fast as one might expect, since production efficiency is much greater today than in 1962. Finally, it might be necessary to implement trade barriers. This of course would run counter to the direction of globalism. Perhaps it is time to modify the notion of globalism and take into account the different global cultures, work ethics and achievements. Frank X. Didik with former NYC Mayor Bill DeBlasio and first lady Chirlane McCray, at Gracy Mansion. What will happen after September 1, 2021, when added unemployment benefits end, when landlords can demand back rent or evict, when banks can demand back mortgage payments or start eviction proceedings and when governments can demand and act on unpaid back taxes? One can only speculate on what might happen, but I believe that surplus spending will end, that there will be a business and economic slowdown and that real estate sales prices may decrease, considering that unpaid mortgages will again start to be foreclosed upon. On the other hand, businesses will be able to hire more workers, since much of the unemployment benefits will end. Still, we are entering into very unknown economic and social territory.Frank X. Didik, June 15, 2021. Remote working, office space, the diminished need for employees Frank X. Didik, January 1, 2021 It is fascinating to note that as a result of the government imposed Covid-19 restrictions, that for a period of time, an estimated 30% of the population was out of work, and yet the country did not experience any long term shortages, in any area. One might say that this is a wake-up call for companies to show them that they have too many redundant employees. read more Does constant mask wearing reduce cognitive ability? Studies have shown that people inhale between 7% and 12% of their exhaled breath, with an accumulation of carbon dioxide. Does this cause minor cognitive loss for the wearer over time? Further, over time, the masks quickly become both moist as well as becomes a breading ground for bacteria. Also, does the additional stress on the lungs to breath through a filter effects the lungs? More studies must be performed to determine if mask wearing causes biological issues as well as psychological issues over time. Lockdowns benefit large companies at the expense of small stores and businesses Frank X. Didik December 16, 2020  It has become obvious that the lockdowns, imposed by most of the states to control the spread of Covid-19, has clearly benefited large companies, particularly on-line mega-companies, at the expense of small, local businesses, that were forced to either close their doors or greatly curtail their operations. It was estimated that these small companies and stores represented about 60% of the economy. As a result of the government imposed lockdowns, much of this bushiness activity and wealth has been transferred, perhaps permanently, to the on-line stores. This is rapidly creating a vastly different business environment and potentially will reduce the ability of an individual to start their own business in the future. More Random thoughts and speculaions by Frank X. Didik can be found here Massive surpluses in society Industry has produced massive surpluses Since the start of the Industrial Revolution, 230 years ago, society has gradually managed to ever increase productivity and surpluses. Today, these surpluses are so great that I estimate that only 20% of the population can support themselves and the rest of the population. This assumption was proven essentially correct with the Covid/Corona lockdowns when it was estimated that over 50% of the population was not working and yet society did not experience any shortages in any area. Further, with the robotic and artificial intelligence revolution just around the corner, even greater surpluses will be achieved and even less workers/employees will be needed. This leads to the question of how to deal with the vast number of people who's work will no longer be needed? If the present monetary system continues, perhaps a basic, livable income will necessary, though in general, I am not in favor of the idea, since I have always felt that everyone should be required to carry their own weight in society and further, give back to society. There are some who feel that the population should be reduced by discouraging the formation of families, encouraging single life, birth control, abortion, same sex unions encouraging latter age marriage and other methods. Most non-retail businesses can easily survive with less than 50% of their work force. Where have all the insects and birds gone? Just a few years ago, when I would drive in the country, my windshield would be covered with insects that had hit the car. This simply does not happen anymore. Has the insect population somehow died out? No one seems to talk about this. Has insecticides or plastics or radio transmissions somehow effected them? Further, I have noticed a large drop in the number of birds that we have in the cities as well as in the countryside. It seems that we are headed towards, a silent spring. Frank Didik's opinion On Education Rethinking school and our education system Should everyone attend college or university? ... read more ... Wisdom: I believe that wisdom can not be taught, but rather wisdom is a unique gift of understanding that a person is born with. Can a college or a university really teach a person to be a businessman or an artist or good in any particular field? ... read more ... How come all college undergraduate degree's require four years? Should some degrees require only one year while others perhaps six years? ... read more ... Weak Students: I have long believed that in a classroom environment, the weak student holds the better students back. The idea of putting a weak student with better students is a disservice to both the weak as well as the better students. It should also be recognized that not all people have the same ability and potential in every field. Two individuals completing the same university program and having the same grades and degree, does not make them equal in ability and potential. Students should not be told that they can succeed at anything that they try to do. What courses should and should not be taught at college or university? Can college or a university teach a person how to be a good business person, or how to be creative? ... read more ... Teaching: I feel that it is not possible to teach a person to be creative or a good businessman and the same applies to many other fields. You can only expose that person to what has already been done and the current understanding of the tools and materials of the trade and perhaps with this understanding, the student can expand upon this knowledge. Learning: My view is that almost all learning is through observation and questioning. This underscores the importance of parents to teach their children and expose their children to the parents daily lives. In today's society, most parents are forced to work and thus the child has only limited exposure to the richness of the parents understanding of things. I would also argue that when a parent is walking with a child, that the parent should not be using their cell phone or texting and instead be devoting their full attention to the child. Schools, as they exist today, have a limited ability to truly train/educate a student and most of what is taught to the student is repeated over and over with little practical use for the student after graduation. So many students today study for years and yet after graduation, never use what they have learned or what they have learned is of little relevance to their lives. The playgrounds are empty but the dog runs are full. No children, only dogs. I have noticed that in New York City, the playgrounds are empty but the dog runs are full. People are no longer getting married, and having families. Where will this all lead to? When I was a child growing up in NYC, there were children everywhere and the stores catered to families, rather than individual single people. The best boutiques along Madison Avenue on Manhattan's upper east side, always had play areas for the children, so that the children could play, while the mothers shopped. We children knew which stores had the best toys and demanded to go to those stores, which in most cases, were the most expensive stores! Where have all the twenty something year olds gone? Strolling down fashionable Fifth Avenue recently, it struck me how the average age of the crowded streets seems older than in the past. I would guess that the average age of the people I saw was around 35 years old. Twenty years ago, the average age would have been probably around 25 years old. Why? I will further guess that the answer is that many people are postponing marriage and having far fewer children. Perhaps the high student debt or perhaps women seeking careers over family or perhaps the hook-up culture is the culprit. Regardless, this does not bode well for the future and increasing family commitments is a must for a healthy society. --- Feb 11, 2019 The aging population is a sad, worldwide industrial nation phenomenon. I am in Tokyo for a few days and have been here many times before. In 2002, I would guess that the average age on the street was about 24 years old. Today, I would guess the average age is about 35 years old. --- Feb 26, 2019 Immigration: Almost all countries consider what perspective immigrants can do for their country and if those immigrants will contribute or be a burden on their society and also evaluate if the potential immigrant will blend in with their existing culture. Perhaps the United States should take the same approach. ---Feb 11, 2019 Life forever? It is interesting that life never really dies in that life continues, uninterrupted with the offspring. Science has never observed life emerging from minerals or non living elements. ---Feb 11, 2019 Investing in Startups. Good idea or bad? Is investing in a Startup, that has never proven itself in the market place, a good idea or a waste of money (and talent)? Historically, investors invested in companies that were swamped with orders and making money, but needed additional money to ... read more ... Most efficient brain-storming method and how to make morning office meetings more productive and interesting ... read more ... Good Citizenship  and respect for our fellow human beings. Important quotes from my friends from around the world, that I completely agree with and I am sure that most people would as well: "Do not generalize, but rather individualize." --Daniela D. in Germany, who works for the German diplomatic Chancellery. "Never get angry with anyone. Who knows, perhaps one day that person will save the world!" --Yuka S., who works for Aoyama University in Tokyo (and Kanagawa). "It is important to always remember that every person you encounter has their own goals and aspirations, trails and tribulations and deserves equal respect." --Sue Ann M. in Durham, North Carolina. ------------------------------------ "It's all good" ... is wrong. All is not good. There is an absolute right and an absolute wrong and this is not culturally or time dependent. If you see someone going down the wrong path in life, it is essential that you vocalize your concerns and offer to help that individual. I am a moral absolutist and not a moral relativist. Producing the very best and most effective TV commercials The single purpose of a television commercial is to sell the product or service. The fact that an advertisement might be interesting, funny, informative or well produced is secondary to the main purpose, which is to sell the product or service. One should never leave the creation of the television commercial to the television producer or the video editor. ... read more ... Building the most effective business websites Never let a "web designer" develop the website for you. A web designer should be produce the website under the supervision of an on line marketing master, usually working with ... read more