We always spend Christmas Eve at my brother in-laws with a house full of family and friends.  After a late dinner of fish and pasta, we let the kids open some small gifts and then sing happy birthday to baby Jesus.  The kids hold candles during a nice moment to celebrate the true meaning of the holiday.  Afterwards there is some impromptu caroling of Christmas classics complete with off key singing (me), incorrect lyrics and a lot of humming during the parts we are not sure of.

This sends us home in good spirits to get ready for Christmas morning.  On the ride home, we try to get the kids to relax so they can actually sleep once we get there.  While they are winding down, they will point out the window at all the houses with Christmas lights.  You get to see quite a variety from the simple to the very elaborate, but none quite like this:

I don’t know the tradition behind Christmas lights, but it’s a wonderful form of expression that always brightens the holiday season for me.  Looking at all of these individual lights working in unison is very impressive.   Just imagine each light blinking to its’ own rhythm without regard to the music or the other lights.  Our current driving situation is an organized system of roads and highways like the strands of lights, but the drivers are each doing there own thing.

How can we better coordinate our commuting patterns to reduce traffic and allow the flow of drivers and riders to move more smoothly?  Passenger Energy could create a system to share information that allows for a more cohesive whole.  This is only now becoming possible through the amazing advances in technology.  We need to utilize cell phones, texting and the internet to group riders and light the way to a better future.

My kids love getting the mail this time of year and then fighting over who gets to open the envelopes holding the Christmas cards.  They smile while looking at pictures of friends they see all the time and some they have never met (yes, Mom and Dad’s old friends have kids too).  These cards are a wonderful reminder of all the friends and family in our lives.  We tape them on the walls to enjoy them the entire holiday season.

So people all across the country pick out thier cards, address each one and drop them in the mail.  Then what?  Did you ever think about how the mail actually travels?  Can you imagine having to hand deliver each one?  Think about the incredible inefficiency of having to drive to the house or apartment of each family.  Without the post office, you would have to deliver them yourself or use a high priced courier service to carry each card to their specific destination.

On a typical day, the US Post Office will handle around 700 million pieces of mail, but some days in December the volume can exceed 900 million.  This can only be accomplished with a well designed system that continually improves over time.

Starting up an idea like Passenger Energy must be similar to establishing the first post office.  Where do we begin?  Just sharing one or two rides will not have a significant impact, but if a paid ride sharing system was created and improved over time then we would really have something.  The potential efficiency of 250 million drivers sharing unused passenger capacity with millions of riders could solve many of today’s problems.

I have never been a big fan of Christmas music.  They start piping it into the stores in November and then every radio station proceeds to overplay their favorites.  By the time of Christmas morning arrives, I am sick of hearing the same dozen songs or so.

So when looking for a song this week, I wanted to select a Christmas song, but which one?  I chose “Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy” by Bing Crosby & David Bowie:

Recorded over 30 years ago, this unique combination stands the test of time.  You would be hard pressed to find 2 more diverse performers to bring together.  Bowie left his “glam” wardrobe behind and appeared on Bing Crosby’s television special to the surprise of many.

The true genius of this recording was to create counterpoint lyrics for Bowie to sing against the “Little Drummer Boy” background.  “Peace on Earth” was written specifically for this performance and it allows Bowie to perfectly compliment Bing’s Drummer Boy. 

Come they told me pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
A new-born king to see pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Our finest gifts we bring pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Rum-pum-pum-pum, rum-pum-pum-pum

Peace on Earth, can it be
Years from now, perhaps we’ll see
See the day of glory
See the day, when men of good will
Live in peace, live in peace again

Peace on Earth, can it be
Can it be

Back in 1977, the idea of putting Bing Crosby with Ziggy Stardust must have seemed a little crazy, but it worked.  It just proves that you never really know until you try.