As a professor of engineering mechanics, I taught a section on virtual work. This is a consideration of an a fractional displacement of a structure. You then calculate the work performed by the structure for this displacement. Then one makes the assumption that the structure is in equilibrium. So that the work performed as a function of this displacement is zero. This gives you an additional equation helpful for getting solutions. Is the equilibrium stable or unstable? If I get some time, I will look into this.

The virtual work that I write about here, is what some have called “telecommuting” or “work from home”. I call it freedom from highway from hell commuting, being stuck in gridlocked traffic on a typical day, or waiting for the tow trucks and police to clear the highway on those bad days, which seem to happen on a regular basis. Was it sabotage, or simply another worker bee falling asleep at the wheel from doing too much overtime?

I remember the day on Interstate 95 when the gasoline truck driver fell asleep on the northbound lane. He took out the whole highway. He died. They ended up having to replace the segment. I was stuck in gridlocked traffic that day, and finally got off the highway and took an alternate road to get to work.

Sitting in my car, having to pee, watching the windshield wipers blades go through their mindless motions….

I got canny, scanning the skies for news helicopters. It got to the point where I was tipped off when I saw them hovering in the sky. I knew that there must be an accident on the highway up ahead. So I got off and took an alternate to work. Another day of commuting…

Virtual work saved me from that Hell. I gained at least two hours a day in useful time. And I probably added ten years to my life span… Hell, less wear and tear on my car, but more importantly less wear and tear on me.

I hear about the corporate and government leaders making fun of us worker bees who toil underneath them. They don’t think twice about virtual work. They want us all back in the office. So that we can feed their egos. Knowing that their minions are tucked away in an office building somewhere. No windows like a chicken coop.

They claim that it improves efficiency. Then why are they texting from their I-phone as they are jetting to another airport somewhere?

Because the internet was designed to be self healing and survivable in case of a first strike. Because the internet has a second strike capability. Because the internet is a more efficient means of organization. More flexible. More capable.

Don’t threaten us.