Mike Smitka
@mikesmitka.bsky.social
I'm a mostly retired economist with background in Japan, China and the global auto industry. I have a substack at smitka.substack.com and post occasional articles at SeekingAlpha. I've spent 8 years in Asia, and read Japanese and Chinese.
I visited a decade back, an Industry Studies Association conference – several members of the MIT Intl Motor Vehicle Project ended up as founding members. Anyway, useable public transport, the Powells bookstore – and hats, reflecting generally drizzly weather...I wear hats, multiple stores!
October 10, 2025 at 4:22 AM
I visited a decade back, an Industry Studies Association conference – several members of the MIT Intl Motor Vehicle Project ended up as founding members. Anyway, useable public transport, the Powells bookstore – and hats, reflecting generally drizzly weather...I wear hats, multiple stores!
I just checked Amazon to get the proper citation, and found a lot of books that looked relevant. Anyway, years back I read Wm Bogart, Don't Call it Sprawl (2006), which (among many arguments) impressed me with its emphasis that road expansion amplifies sprawl without ending traffic jams.
August 22, 2025 at 5:36 PM
I just checked Amazon to get the proper citation, and found a lot of books that looked relevant. Anyway, years back I read Wm Bogart, Don't Call it Sprawl (2006), which (among many arguments) impressed me with its emphasis that road expansion amplifies sprawl without ending traffic jams.
And the optics, literally, of making it harder to judge distance at night...for me I-81 in the Shenandoah Valley is the relevant piece of road, with one of the highest densities of semis anywhere.
August 22, 2025 at 5:28 PM
And the optics, literally, of making it harder to judge distance at night...for me I-81 in the Shenandoah Valley is the relevant piece of road, with one of the highest densities of semis anywhere.
Ah, John just emailed me your full name and affiliation. A bunch of his students have changed jobs in the past couple months, either out of the area or time conflicts. Hard times.
December 31, 2024 at 12:24 AM
Ah, John just emailed me your full name and affiliation. A bunch of his students have changed jobs in the past couple months, either out of the area or time conflicts. Hard times.
Nice. Sending to my son, who teaches iaido, kendo and jodo at stauntonkendo.com. His equipment takes up 1.5 rooms of our house...
Staunton & Harrisonburg Kendo, Iaido, & Jodo
Teaching Kendo, Iaido, and Jodo in the Shenandoah Valley
stauntonkendo.com
December 31, 2024 at 12:13 AM
Nice. Sending to my son, who teaches iaido, kendo and jodo at stauntonkendo.com. His equipment takes up 1.5 rooms of our house...