Actually they are massively safer than tobacco cigarettes - around 95% less harmful[0]. At the moment there is no evidence that they act as a stepping stone to cigarettes (and some indication that they don't). So converting smokers to vapers could do a lot to reduce the huge harm done by tobacco.
I agree I'd rather not sit next to someone using one on a train but I'd also rather not sit next to someone eating strong smelling food.
London makes this information available, allowing the sort of visualisation you suggest [1]. As you say, it's interesting but not that practical from a commuter's perspective.
The term 'lazy' here is a bit misleading. In my view it's not meant in the sense of someone who slothful, but rather someone who aims to do things as efficiently as possible.
Sticking with the military context, one of the British Army's principles of war is 'economy of effort', which I think is a better description. Effective leaders focus on the high value activities, use resources well and delegate.
I think the article you mention is Ben Horowitz's blog on 'How to Minimize Politics in Your Company'[1]. It's a great read and also has advice for CEOs dealing with disputes between executives.
I provide a code word in my out of office message so that people can flag things they want me to read but don't want to remember to resend in a few week's time. e.g.
I'm away until dd/mm and will not be checking email. If you would like me to take action on or note something when I return please resend with [Action] in the subject line. All other messages will be automatically archived.