Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, aperiri intellegam qui ut. At timeam impedit civibus duo, duo illum feugiat volutpat ei. Soleat atomorum ius eu, id iudico inermis vituperatoribus eam. Mei aperiam appareat at, clita nonumy conclusionemque ne vis, paulo disputando mei ut.
Id cum corpora menandri necessitatibus, ex sea dicit vidisse hendrerit. Quem omnis vitae pro cu, duo ei graece vidisse. Autem mediocrem ea duo, eum elit hendrerit voluptatum id. Vis diam nominati definitiones ei. Nam case maluisset ex, vix at lorem pericula interpretaris.
Eos dolore primis ex, sit ut oblique detraxit. Eos graece referrentur eu, ex mel purto iuvaret. Vivendum imperdiet mel id. Commune probatus eu vis, eam cu paulo percipit.
Qui et tale novum exerci. In vel dicam exerci, eu commodo copiosae mea. Cu est prompta delectus, ea dolor argumentum eum. Cu nam vide quodsi. Alia integre periculis nec ei, et vim fugit platonem, te nam amet harum voluptaria.
Mea ex summo similique constituto. Veniam habemus dissentiunt in ius, ad mea diceret recusabo. Nam admodum delectus ea, ei vis ullamcorper contentiones. Ex alii facilisis euripidis quo, no adhuc mazim rationibus vis, mundi nusquam eleifend no qui.
Erant constituam et has. Vidit consectetuer cum cu, duo ex choro suscipit voluptaria. Sed an falli semper causae. No eam fugit postulant conclusionemque, utinam principes ius cu. Sea dolorem intellegam ex, eam prima mucius deserunt et. Cum cu veniam maluisset. Dicat saperet maiestatis cu nam, alia facete ut vis.
Tuesday, June 04, 2013
Wednesday, March 06, 2013
Telecommuting Receives a Bodyblow
With Yahoo and Best Buy's cutting off the practice of telecommuting, the very idea receives a significant setback. The movement and practice was building up with an averring of the technology now widely available and enabling the practice and the reports of its benefits like quality of life improvement, increased efficiency and carbon emissions. Even Maynard Webb's new book, Rebooting Work using this as an enabling foundation for the work anywhere you want as CEO of the individual entrepreneur.
What this all fails to consider is, as manifested by these recent examples of retraction, the choice is not in the hands of the workers. Executives decide. Unless they can be convinced through a patience long enough to see any results, and a vision bold enough to change the rules a little about the view of work, the critical mass of getting this idea of working without visual feedback will not become the norm.
Management in general is weened on bodies and clocks. Management control is: "If I see you, and if you where here for 8 hours (or more), you must be working and productive." They are not thinking about the effects beyond the short term, many won't be around long enough to see. And there is a "if you are here and not productive and efficient it is your fault, if you are not here then it is my fault" view on responsibility. The trust is not there, Douglas McGregor's Theory X management is in the political foundation and the company Kool-aid, no change is happening until executive management accepts that maybe Theory Y will prevail if it is allowed to. If consultants and human resource professionals really think there is merit to this telecommuting, they need to spend time converting the deciding executives, not expecting a grass roots revolution by telling individuals that they would love it. Most of them know it already, they just don't have the power or the option to do so.
Now there are contrasts to this. I recognize a significant benefit of spontaneous collaboration which is difficult (but not impossible) in a remote configuration, so I think we want to encourage people to come to the office, but lets give them compelling reasons, not generic edicts. And there will always be those that abuse freedom and circumvent the work when telecommuting, but I have news, people even do this when they are "at work". There needs to be a feedback loop that effectively measures productive contribution (easier said than done with growing knowledge work and skill) and to regularly (and intelligently) wean out the ones avoiding work.
Telecommuting will happen in a broad way eventually. But news and examples like Yahoo and Best Buy - two companies in need of a wild idea or innovation, not a retraction to ancient models of management oversight and illusional productivity - sets back the adoption of telecommuting at least 5 years from any path or trend line it may have been on. Unless a significant number of executives who believe in it go all-in to the idea, we will have to await an outside of work factor like forced carbon footprint reduction or other political, environmental or economic event of significance to push telecommuting over the acceptance and adoption hump.
What this all fails to consider is, as manifested by these recent examples of retraction, the choice is not in the hands of the workers. Executives decide. Unless they can be convinced through a patience long enough to see any results, and a vision bold enough to change the rules a little about the view of work, the critical mass of getting this idea of working without visual feedback will not become the norm.
Management in general is weened on bodies and clocks. Management control is: "If I see you, and if you where here for 8 hours (or more), you must be working and productive." They are not thinking about the effects beyond the short term, many won't be around long enough to see. And there is a "if you are here and not productive and efficient it is your fault, if you are not here then it is my fault" view on responsibility. The trust is not there, Douglas McGregor's Theory X management is in the political foundation and the company Kool-aid, no change is happening until executive management accepts that maybe Theory Y will prevail if it is allowed to. If consultants and human resource professionals really think there is merit to this telecommuting, they need to spend time converting the deciding executives, not expecting a grass roots revolution by telling individuals that they would love it. Most of them know it already, they just don't have the power or the option to do so.
Now there are contrasts to this. I recognize a significant benefit of spontaneous collaboration which is difficult (but not impossible) in a remote configuration, so I think we want to encourage people to come to the office, but lets give them compelling reasons, not generic edicts. And there will always be those that abuse freedom and circumvent the work when telecommuting, but I have news, people even do this when they are "at work". There needs to be a feedback loop that effectively measures productive contribution (easier said than done with growing knowledge work and skill) and to regularly (and intelligently) wean out the ones avoiding work.
Telecommuting will happen in a broad way eventually. But news and examples like Yahoo and Best Buy - two companies in need of a wild idea or innovation, not a retraction to ancient models of management oversight and illusional productivity - sets back the adoption of telecommuting at least 5 years from any path or trend line it may have been on. Unless a significant number of executives who believe in it go all-in to the idea, we will have to await an outside of work factor like forced carbon footprint reduction or other political, environmental or economic event of significance to push telecommuting over the acceptance and adoption hump.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Traffic Has Shifted Lanes
Maybe it is a cosmic message that I should drive slower, or everyone else is oblivious to their impact on others and the basic principles of optimum traffic flow. But my understanding in the 30+ years of driving is that slower traffic should shift to the right lanes on the highway. Sure there is always the random distracted driver who hangs in the left lane of a three lane super highway, likely with their turn signal still blinking from two miles back, but this is more than that.
In the last six months I have had the need to run a semi-regular course of part of the PA Turnpike, The Blue Route and then 95 and then back. This has given me some interesting and unfortunately frustrating observations on the driving habits of the general public. Now lets get the rather obvious, if un-admitted out of the way; no one drives the speed limit. I mean NO one. You have to drive at least 5 miles over the posted number just to keep up with the blue haired lady in the Prius. In the spirit of full disclosure, I do drive between 10 and 15 over posted limit (on good weather days) though I am not one of the duck and weave drivers that are cutting 10 people off, just to get two cars further ahead on the road.
At 15 over the posted number, I would be passing most people on the road, but not blowing past them like I just forgot to turn the siren on. But if I look at the distribution of the cars most people are in the left lane. Even on a three lane highway, its left, then center than right. I have seen more often than not the clear path ahead is in the right lane. The right lane. Now I know there must be a law about this, because my son actually got a ticket a couple years ago not for speeding, but for staying in the left lane - now in his case there was no one else around him, when he got pulled over the officer just said he should have moved into the right lane if he wasn't passing. I think the officer was just looking to give the young driver a ticket for something, anything.
Maybe its cruise control, you know people set it for a particular speed and figure since they are going over the speed limit they should be in the left lane - obviously oblivious to the fact that everyone is going over the posted number, and still ignoring the fact that they are not passing anyone, there is no one in front of them and there is a line of cars behind them. You really feel like shouting through their passenger window as you have to pass them on the right: Move Over.
So forget about single car advancement, what about general efficiency. Traffic flow is similar to other independent agents moving through constraint and is a dynamics problem. Optimum flow is maintain by one, a controlled speed (I don't think the on-ramp metering really works) which is difficult with independent agents. This may be easier to regulate when self-driving cars to arrive, they would just get hooked into the virtual or physical track to drive at the predetermined optimum speed for the traffic, or two by an outlet value or channel to allow faster traffic to move ahead of slower traffic avoiding the you are only as fast as your slowest vehicle. This is the purpose of the mutli-lane highway (as well as the obvious maximum traffic capacity)
So let us all keep this efficiency working. If no one is in front of you, you are not actively gaining on a driver in the next lane, and the lane to your right is clear: Move Over. Otherwise I think we will start to see a practiced inversion of the rules of the road and passing will be on the right and slower traffic to the left.
In the last six months I have had the need to run a semi-regular course of part of the PA Turnpike, The Blue Route and then 95 and then back. This has given me some interesting and unfortunately frustrating observations on the driving habits of the general public. Now lets get the rather obvious, if un-admitted out of the way; no one drives the speed limit. I mean NO one. You have to drive at least 5 miles over the posted number just to keep up with the blue haired lady in the Prius. In the spirit of full disclosure, I do drive between 10 and 15 over posted limit (on good weather days) though I am not one of the duck and weave drivers that are cutting 10 people off, just to get two cars further ahead on the road.
At 15 over the posted number, I would be passing most people on the road, but not blowing past them like I just forgot to turn the siren on. But if I look at the distribution of the cars most people are in the left lane. Even on a three lane highway, its left, then center than right. I have seen more often than not the clear path ahead is in the right lane. The right lane. Now I know there must be a law about this, because my son actually got a ticket a couple years ago not for speeding, but for staying in the left lane - now in his case there was no one else around him, when he got pulled over the officer just said he should have moved into the right lane if he wasn't passing. I think the officer was just looking to give the young driver a ticket for something, anything.
Maybe its cruise control, you know people set it for a particular speed and figure since they are going over the speed limit they should be in the left lane - obviously oblivious to the fact that everyone is going over the posted number, and still ignoring the fact that they are not passing anyone, there is no one in front of them and there is a line of cars behind them. You really feel like shouting through their passenger window as you have to pass them on the right: Move Over.
So forget about single car advancement, what about general efficiency. Traffic flow is similar to other independent agents moving through constraint and is a dynamics problem. Optimum flow is maintain by one, a controlled speed (I don't think the on-ramp metering really works) which is difficult with independent agents. This may be easier to regulate when self-driving cars to arrive, they would just get hooked into the virtual or physical track to drive at the predetermined optimum speed for the traffic, or two by an outlet value or channel to allow faster traffic to move ahead of slower traffic avoiding the you are only as fast as your slowest vehicle. This is the purpose of the mutli-lane highway (as well as the obvious maximum traffic capacity)
So let us all keep this efficiency working. If no one is in front of you, you are not actively gaining on a driver in the next lane, and the lane to your right is clear: Move Over. Otherwise I think we will start to see a practiced inversion of the rules of the road and passing will be on the right and slower traffic to the left.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Big Oil Profits Don't Add Up
While my college economics is a bit rusty and possibly outdated, I fail to comprehend the market forces at work in this period of economic turmoil and new record high crude oil prices that continually lead to atypical profit figures for the world's big oil companies.
Is there any other industry that directly benefits from the cost increases of their raw materials? I think not. Typical forces as a result of increases in material cost result in lower margins, at least temporarily before prices can be increased, as concurrently, marginal supply quantities are reduced or dropped off due to the new (higher) cost prohibitions for these supply sources; also driving up prices to a new equilibrium of supply and demand quantities. These higher prices force consumption cutbacks by consumers, investment in alternatives and the like, which add the the pressures of lowering demand - which in turn must (you would think) also effect profits negatively [at least in the short term].
So while I have no specialized insight into the petroleum industry and their ability to "print money" in a logically suppressed economic scenario, I still am troubled by how - even logically this increase in raw material cost, not only has no ill effects, but that it results in the opposite anticipated effect. Additionally I would love to be able to apply this "inverse cost effect" to other industries, there's a fortune to be had in consulting fees alone.
So let us over simplify the model; at $3 a gallon, let's assume that $1 a gallon is material and $1 a gallon is processing and overhead, for a net profit $1 (way over simplification, but hang with me). If my material cost instantly go up to $1.25 and my processing and overhead remains the same - they have some variable cost here, but not THAT variable in the short term [less than 6 months], so my profit is directly reduced by that $0.25 increase. Even if I could directly tie my pricing to my material cost and immediately charge $3.25 a gallon, that would leave my profits identical only assuming the demand was the same. Which in aggregate seems unlikely.
So in this simple model how do I get my profits to rise, when material costs increase, and make up for the lower sales (however small that may be)? Logically - and mathematically, if I have this right - I would have to IMMEDIATELY increase the price by a greater amount that the increase in my material cost. Isn't his price gouging? This of course only works in a product with a very inelastic demand curve - such as gasoline.
But there is something inherently 'wrong' about this from a society perspective, there is certainly no incentive for the big oil companies to work to negotiate lower material costs (unless they maintain the higher pricing levels - which increase their profits - that is gouging, isn't it?), nor are they incentived to increase efficiency or develop alternate raw materials or sources...they're already making RECORD PROFIT.
My economic understanding has passed the way of the rotary phone. Man I wish I owned a oil company.
Is there any other industry that directly benefits from the cost increases of their raw materials? I think not. Typical forces as a result of increases in material cost result in lower margins, at least temporarily before prices can be increased, as concurrently, marginal supply quantities are reduced or dropped off due to the new (higher) cost prohibitions for these supply sources; also driving up prices to a new equilibrium of supply and demand quantities. These higher prices force consumption cutbacks by consumers, investment in alternatives and the like, which add the the pressures of lowering demand - which in turn must (you would think) also effect profits negatively [at least in the short term].
So while I have no specialized insight into the petroleum industry and their ability to "print money" in a logically suppressed economic scenario, I still am troubled by how - even logically this increase in raw material cost, not only has no ill effects, but that it results in the opposite anticipated effect. Additionally I would love to be able to apply this "inverse cost effect" to other industries, there's a fortune to be had in consulting fees alone.
So let us over simplify the model; at $3 a gallon, let's assume that $1 a gallon is material and $1 a gallon is processing and overhead, for a net profit $1 (way over simplification, but hang with me). If my material cost instantly go up to $1.25 and my processing and overhead remains the same - they have some variable cost here, but not THAT variable in the short term [less than 6 months], so my profit is directly reduced by that $0.25 increase. Even if I could directly tie my pricing to my material cost and immediately charge $3.25 a gallon, that would leave my profits identical only assuming the demand was the same. Which in aggregate seems unlikely.
So in this simple model how do I get my profits to rise, when material costs increase, and make up for the lower sales (however small that may be)? Logically - and mathematically, if I have this right - I would have to IMMEDIATELY increase the price by a greater amount that the increase in my material cost. Isn't his price gouging? This of course only works in a product with a very inelastic demand curve - such as gasoline.
But there is something inherently 'wrong' about this from a society perspective, there is certainly no incentive for the big oil companies to work to negotiate lower material costs (unless they maintain the higher pricing levels - which increase their profits - that is gouging, isn't it?), nor are they incentived to increase efficiency or develop alternate raw materials or sources...they're already making RECORD PROFIT.
My economic understanding has passed the way of the rotary phone. Man I wish I owned a oil company.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Baseball as Religion
This is no attempt to diminish or admonish the traditional religious conviction and beliefs, nor is it a treatise to analyze the influence and importance on the human race; supported or unsupported by the deities of faith. It is simply an assertion that Baseball for those that are devout, is a religion.
Baseball has its rituals, repeated and expected with fervent piety; whether its the throwing out of the first pitch, the singing of the national anthem, or the simplified benediction of 'Play Ball!' The drawing of the faithful, through promise of deliverance is the message to the masses and the faith in that belief that sustains them.
The cycle of renewal that begins each spring and is celebrated each 'opening day' in each parish of green and brown, of sun and wind; a veritable cathedral to the game they love. Their faith in their collective ability to influence the fate of the results and triumph through the long tribulations leading to the crowning of champions of cold October days.
And those left less fortunate can take solstice in the support from their fellow man - if in nothing else but a tax distribution - and believe again that anything can happen when the cycle begins again. Even though the colors and the allegiance make for distinctions among this congregation, it is all still baseball and makes us all brothers and sisters in this pastime.
Baseball has its rituals, repeated and expected with fervent piety; whether its the throwing out of the first pitch, the singing of the national anthem, or the simplified benediction of 'Play Ball!' The drawing of the faithful, through promise of deliverance is the message to the masses and the faith in that belief that sustains them.
The cycle of renewal that begins each spring and is celebrated each 'opening day' in each parish of green and brown, of sun and wind; a veritable cathedral to the game they love. Their faith in their collective ability to influence the fate of the results and triumph through the long tribulations leading to the crowning of champions of cold October days.
And those left less fortunate can take solstice in the support from their fellow man - if in nothing else but a tax distribution - and believe again that anything can happen when the cycle begins again. Even though the colors and the allegiance make for distinctions among this congregation, it is all still baseball and makes us all brothers and sisters in this pastime.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Death, Taxes & Microsoft
The triad of the inevitable. The source of great frustrations and consternation. The banes of our very existence. In a fit of 'compfrustration' through attempting to deal with the, oft put off, tax preparation and the being put off through near continuous and Illogical hindrances, permission denials, and cryptically or ‘holier than thou’ error messages from my Vista operating system, reminding me that no matter how much I knew; I knew nothing.
I cannot explain all of the technical details about my problem but I'll summarize it as:
I am running Vista Home Premium, as purchased (no upgrade), in attempting to load a tax software [adding tax frustrations on top of computer frustrations: a defensible insanity plea if there ever was one] the load kept failing with error 1935. Tax Software's support group had no resolution.
Separately I had a problem around "Windows Update" failing for some time with an error 80073712. A search through windows support for this particular error yielded nothing, a veritable random number, a false crumb on a trail that lead nowhere. My fellow bloggers and messages posters detailed challenges and horrors of no resolution, no fix from Microsoft. Others suggested removal of secret or hidden files, that make one wonder how much time this problem had cost people to even find these files, let alone the desperation to see what happens when they delete them.
The logical nature of my thinking surmised that there must, nay; had to be, a link between these two problems and if there was a life and death god, or a tax god, or even a OS god, that this deity would show mercy on the suffering to resolve two problems with the resolution of one. Which one would be the next logical question?
Clearing the windows update folder did nothing for me. A few other suggestions tried, all sounding riskier and riskier. I was venturing into destructive territory I felt like the astronaut in the movie 2001 trying to disconnect HAL by being where I should not be, nor should have to be. The frustration boiling my blood and pressing to my face as the steam inside seeks its escape. The course of last resort, the apparent last act of desperation that those before had gone, and seemingly Microsoft’s permanent answer to the problem, was to reinstall Windows.
I had one more thing yet untried. Through some cryptic command line code I had to remove a pending.xml file in winsxs folder (not an easy task) and the windows update program had to be reloaded (which could be done previous due to another 1935 error). In an act of mercy, or display of a miracle, or simply the alignment of the universe, it worked. This fixed MY 1935 error and my error 80073712.
This for me highlights the true power of the internet. Message boards and blogs to share information, catalog possibilities, highlight the unmentionables, and help people get on. So until the next ‘compfrustration’, I was down to the more reasonable two inevitables to overcome. And at least only one of them has a known deadline date.
I cannot explain all of the technical details about my problem but I'll summarize it as:
I am running Vista Home Premium, as purchased (no upgrade), in attempting to load a tax software [adding tax frustrations on top of computer frustrations: a defensible insanity plea if there ever was one] the load kept failing with error 1935. Tax Software's support group had no resolution.
Separately I had a problem around "Windows Update" failing for some time with an error 80073712. A search through windows support for this particular error yielded nothing, a veritable random number, a false crumb on a trail that lead nowhere. My fellow bloggers and messages posters detailed challenges and horrors of no resolution, no fix from Microsoft. Others suggested removal of secret or hidden files, that make one wonder how much time this problem had cost people to even find these files, let alone the desperation to see what happens when they delete them.
The logical nature of my thinking surmised that there must, nay; had to be, a link between these two problems and if there was a life and death god, or a tax god, or even a OS god, that this deity would show mercy on the suffering to resolve two problems with the resolution of one. Which one would be the next logical question?
Clearing the windows update folder did nothing for me. A few other suggestions tried, all sounding riskier and riskier. I was venturing into destructive territory I felt like the astronaut in the movie 2001 trying to disconnect HAL by being where I should not be, nor should have to be. The frustration boiling my blood and pressing to my face as the steam inside seeks its escape. The course of last resort, the apparent last act of desperation that those before had gone, and seemingly Microsoft’s permanent answer to the problem, was to reinstall Windows.
I had one more thing yet untried. Through some cryptic command line code I had to remove a pending.xml file in winsxs folder (not an easy task) and the windows update program had to be reloaded (which could be done previous due to another 1935 error). In an act of mercy, or display of a miracle, or simply the alignment of the universe, it worked. This fixed MY 1935 error and my error 80073712.
This for me highlights the true power of the internet. Message boards and blogs to share information, catalog possibilities, highlight the unmentionables, and help people get on. So until the next ‘compfrustration’, I was down to the more reasonable two inevitables to overcome. And at least only one of them has a known deadline date.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Mitchell Report Effect and Expectations from a Fan
The Mitchell Report is out. This does pull the covers back a little on what we have all lived in a little denial about. The laying out of details and the naming of names was needed for the blunt reality effect of it. Even the conjecture and innuendo of the differences between accuser said versus what the accused says in retort, is needed. Before it could easily be dismissed as 'the other guy' whoever he was. The anonymous obscurity of its participants masked the extent and significance of performance enhancing drug on the integrity, the competition and dare we say it; the haloed results and records of the game - but by how much?
Likely it is impossible to be measured, just like we can not know if an athlete that did take performance enhancing substances could have been successful and achieved the record without them. I would worry about the true guile of a professional athlete that had taken that route, if that very question didn't echo insistently in their thoughts over and over again. Like the protagonist from Poe's Tell Tale Heart, tortured by this unknowable truism and the guilt of the means and the sacrifice of morality and ethics needed to achieve what they achieved uncompetitively.
Just as in life I think that the report highlights that the instance of use spreads through a social network, not necessarily an evil intent but a clandestine one none the less. Athletes as individuals need to identify and avoid these 'bad influences' and the baseball organization - Owners, Commissioner, and Player's Union needs to dedicate continuous effort and action to identify these social viruses that bring about a negative progress to the general integrity and assumptions of the game. And then have the autonomy and courage to eradicate them from their midst as quickly and efficiently as possible.
I also agree with Mitchell that the past is the past and we need to move on. Negative assumptions and doubt will forever linger with this period of the sport and further investigations will only prove it worse not better than perceived at this point. And hasn't it already been proven significant enough that further and more decisive action to eliminate this threat to the sport is needed. Sometimes knowing it is bad is more than enough to take action without knowing completely how bad.
As for the player themselves, denial and excuse is a likely reaction to accusations, but when does the players effort turn toward proactive acts and taking extreme measures to distance themselves from the remoteness of these assumptions to ensure that their good name - because in life and certainly in baseball, a person's 'good name' still means something - remains untarnished.
And specifically to those implicated in this report: Maybe you didn't take it or maybe you only tried it, but by that you are associated with it and instead you should be working as hard or harder to be as far from that association as you can be - not writing proverbial checks that your character and integrity can't cash.
Likely it is impossible to be measured, just like we can not know if an athlete that did take performance enhancing substances could have been successful and achieved the record without them. I would worry about the true guile of a professional athlete that had taken that route, if that very question didn't echo insistently in their thoughts over and over again. Like the protagonist from Poe's Tell Tale Heart, tortured by this unknowable truism and the guilt of the means and the sacrifice of morality and ethics needed to achieve what they achieved uncompetitively.
Just as in life I think that the report highlights that the instance of use spreads through a social network, not necessarily an evil intent but a clandestine one none the less. Athletes as individuals need to identify and avoid these 'bad influences' and the baseball organization - Owners, Commissioner, and Player's Union needs to dedicate continuous effort and action to identify these social viruses that bring about a negative progress to the general integrity and assumptions of the game. And then have the autonomy and courage to eradicate them from their midst as quickly and efficiently as possible.
I also agree with Mitchell that the past is the past and we need to move on. Negative assumptions and doubt will forever linger with this period of the sport and further investigations will only prove it worse not better than perceived at this point. And hasn't it already been proven significant enough that further and more decisive action to eliminate this threat to the sport is needed. Sometimes knowing it is bad is more than enough to take action without knowing completely how bad.
As for the player themselves, denial and excuse is a likely reaction to accusations, but when does the players effort turn toward proactive acts and taking extreme measures to distance themselves from the remoteness of these assumptions to ensure that their good name - because in life and certainly in baseball, a person's 'good name' still means something - remains untarnished.
And specifically to those implicated in this report: Maybe you didn't take it or maybe you only tried it, but by that you are associated with it and instead you should be working as hard or harder to be as far from that association as you can be - not writing proverbial checks that your character and integrity can't cash.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Chargers Light Coming On?
As a Chargers fan, I have been struggling with understanding how this San Diego team with so much talent can be playing so listlessly - and I know I'm not the only one. I think I discovered it in a quote by Shaun Phillips: “We play better off emotion, ... we realize we're a better team when we play emotionally. " His statement rings true when watching a game, you practically see the energy and a frantic precision as the ball is snapped.
Look at the contrast within the Eagles vs Pats game, New England is a team is more comfortable in a steady rhythm, an almost sterile precision. With emotion and a few less timely interceptions the Eagles QB, Freely, would have become known as a Pats killer.
I have yet to be a Norv Turner fan, - that awful regular season record - coaching some pretty good teams -, but Norv and the Chargers brass need to recognize this answer disguised as a post game comment. Norv the quiet and reserved one and AJ Smith the one of sterile precision need to borrow a little emotion from the exiled Marty. It takes too long to change a team in the short term, here the coach needs to change a little and be more emotional, and accept and expect more emotion in the play of his team.
To coach and achieve, everyone needs to recognize what fuels the organization. You must know first what type of team you are, and then design the solution around that team charisma and chemistry. This is why formulamatic solutions do not work with consistency, even teams must learn and adapt solutions and ideas to their Entity Identity. To change results you change an approach, to change a character you have to change personnel. This applies to sports teams as well as business teams. People and teams have a hard time being something they are not. If you have the right people to be successul then approaches are a lot easier to change than the team.
Look at the contrast within the Eagles vs Pats game, New England is a team is more comfortable in a steady rhythm, an almost sterile precision. With emotion and a few less timely interceptions the Eagles QB, Freely, would have become known as a Pats killer.
I have yet to be a Norv Turner fan, - that awful regular season record - coaching some pretty good teams -, but Norv and the Chargers brass need to recognize this answer disguised as a post game comment. Norv the quiet and reserved one and AJ Smith the one of sterile precision need to borrow a little emotion from the exiled Marty. It takes too long to change a team in the short term, here the coach needs to change a little and be more emotional, and accept and expect more emotion in the play of his team.
To coach and achieve, everyone needs to recognize what fuels the organization. You must know first what type of team you are, and then design the solution around that team charisma and chemistry. This is why formulamatic solutions do not work with consistency, even teams must learn and adapt solutions and ideas to their Entity Identity. To change results you change an approach, to change a character you have to change personnel. This applies to sports teams as well as business teams. People and teams have a hard time being something they are not. If you have the right people to be successul then approaches are a lot easier to change than the team.
Friday, November 09, 2007
Updates and Upgrades
Aggravation pays me a visit regularly. As I begin work, or play. When I turn it on and even when I turn it off. The pop-up, the reminder, and 'message box of incompatibility', buzz me like the swarm of mosquitoes poking at me to suck the time right out of me.
As we move further into the information age and further remove ourselves from being the physical attendant of the mechanical tool, we still seem to be headed toward an unsustainable burden of maintenance. Not the logical prediction of too much information, I can't get to the information highway through the speed bumps of software upgrades and updates.
Every day my virus software has to consume resources to get updates, my operating system has a regular schedule for updates, if I use more than a handful of software applications I have to go through a yearly upgrade expenditure and adventure, usually multiple times before its working like it did before I had to touch it.
I don't have to worry about computer zombies, or my system gaining a intelligence to take over the world, most of its up time and resources are consumed by this near endless maintenance. Its like a compulsive cat that has to constantly lick itself clean so its too busy interact with the world around it. Welcome to the 21st century.
As we move further into the information age and further remove ourselves from being the physical attendant of the mechanical tool, we still seem to be headed toward an unsustainable burden of maintenance. Not the logical prediction of too much information, I can't get to the information highway through the speed bumps of software upgrades and updates.
Every day my virus software has to consume resources to get updates, my operating system has a regular schedule for updates, if I use more than a handful of software applications I have to go through a yearly upgrade expenditure and adventure, usually multiple times before its working like it did before I had to touch it.
I don't have to worry about computer zombies, or my system gaining a intelligence to take over the world, most of its up time and resources are consumed by this near endless maintenance. Its like a compulsive cat that has to constantly lick itself clean so its too busy interact with the world around it. Welcome to the 21st century.
Monday, November 05, 2007
Dodgers Rip Heart out of New York, Again!
1958, the New York neighborhood of Brooklyn lost its heart and maybe its identity in the migratory move of the Dodgers baseball team to Los Angeles California.
Now, and again, in 2007 the Dodgers - more by default on the part of the Yankee's management - are migrating the heart and soul of a familiar and successful New York Yankees team out to the west coast. First the skipper, much loved among his coaches and players; Joe Torre is hired by the Dodgers and with that, an apparent siphon of talent and experience if not of champions.
Mattingly and Bowa flesh out a western Yankees coaching staff. What of the players that can in their power follow that lead and their hearts to a westward way - Rivera, Pettite, Posada. Who knows maybe even Joe can get Don Zimmer back.
A championship with the Yankees replanted in sunny southern California is not likely to change dispositions or results. We're in for a period of well made dynasties with core young players which teams are built around or the hot young upstarts that can keep it going through the world series. Not aging stars in active retirement to sun and comfort.
This just may be a crumble of the walls of the evil empire with an exodus of blood and guts that put the performance on the field.
Let's hope so. I'm an Orioles fan, what else do I have to hope for?
Now, and again, in 2007 the Dodgers - more by default on the part of the Yankee's management - are migrating the heart and soul of a familiar and successful New York Yankees team out to the west coast. First the skipper, much loved among his coaches and players; Joe Torre is hired by the Dodgers and with that, an apparent siphon of talent and experience if not of champions.
Mattingly and Bowa flesh out a western Yankees coaching staff. What of the players that can in their power follow that lead and their hearts to a westward way - Rivera, Pettite, Posada. Who knows maybe even Joe can get Don Zimmer back.
A championship with the Yankees replanted in sunny southern California is not likely to change dispositions or results. We're in for a period of well made dynasties with core young players which teams are built around or the hot young upstarts that can keep it going through the world series. Not aging stars in active retirement to sun and comfort.
This just may be a crumble of the walls of the evil empire with an exodus of blood and guts that put the performance on the field.
Let's hope so. I'm an Orioles fan, what else do I have to hope for?
Friday, October 05, 2007
Music Categorization
Categories are used for many things, some good and some bad. Cataloging permits groupings for finding similarities and directing us toward a style we enjoy or are interested in. In music categorizations are useful and necessary, it saves me the trouble of browsing through the Rap, Opera, and Country Music. But categories also carry the negative association of generalizations. These generalizations hide the beauty of those items that are on the fringes of classifications, offering a blending or a breakout from predefined catalog definitions.
We could use a greying ambiguity as we get to edges of a genre. These bridging and difficult to define efforts deserve a highlighting and consideration. These are artists that are pushing the envelope, testing the boundaries - arbitrary and generalized as they are. This is progress, this is the future, it deserves a consideration for the effort if not always the result. Because even these genre breaking works can be bad, but at least they are trying something new and not attempting to follow a formula. This is the real meaning behind a progressive classification.
In music and in life let us use the classification and preconceptions after we see if they are trying to confirm the generalization or break from it.
We could use a greying ambiguity as we get to edges of a genre. These bridging and difficult to define efforts deserve a highlighting and consideration. These are artists that are pushing the envelope, testing the boundaries - arbitrary and generalized as they are. This is progress, this is the future, it deserves a consideration for the effort if not always the result. Because even these genre breaking works can be bad, but at least they are trying something new and not attempting to follow a formula. This is the real meaning behind a progressive classification.
In music and in life let us use the classification and preconceptions after we see if they are trying to confirm the generalization or break from it.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Cartoon Fury
"Muslims across the world stage protests over Danish caricatures that they say insult Islam and the Prophet Muhammad"
apparently the 'Sticks and Stones' list of things that can hurt you needs to be amended to include cartoons. Maybe in this country we are desensitized to public characterization and even in some cases we clamor for lampooning of public figures, but this seems like it would not be the intent of any religious teachings handed down through generations and practiced by millions of people.
I can even understand the message in saying an image of the prophet should not be created to avoid idolization, but the battle to avoid any pictured image is an idolization act in itself. Would the same fervor be generated if Picasso had generated a classic art piece, instead of a cartoon image? If the argument being used holds true it should, but in practice it seems unlikely. As leaders or zeolots try to protect a 'perfect image' mental and emotional - and some extent intellectual they are building a faith idolization and protecting something from scrutinization and challenge.
This is simply an intangible idol, but a idol still in what acts it drives. The balance between sensitivity and over-sensitivity is what should define us as a species and lead us to tolerance and eventually peace.
apparently the 'Sticks and Stones' list of things that can hurt you needs to be amended to include cartoons. Maybe in this country we are desensitized to public characterization and even in some cases we clamor for lampooning of public figures, but this seems like it would not be the intent of any religious teachings handed down through generations and practiced by millions of people.
I can even understand the message in saying an image of the prophet should not be created to avoid idolization, but the battle to avoid any pictured image is an idolization act in itself. Would the same fervor be generated if Picasso had generated a classic art piece, instead of a cartoon image? If the argument being used holds true it should, but in practice it seems unlikely. As leaders or zeolots try to protect a 'perfect image' mental and emotional - and some extent intellectual they are building a faith idolization and protecting something from scrutinization and challenge.
This is simply an intangible idol, but a idol still in what acts it drives. The balance between sensitivity and over-sensitivity is what should define us as a species and lead us to tolerance and eventually peace.
Friday, December 16, 2005
Freedom to Drink Tea
Two hundred thrity two years ago today, on what must have been a cold day in Boston Harbor, Bostonians took out their frustrations on taxation without representation by dumping ship board tea arriving from england into the harbor. This step of defiance was one of several significant ones in the walk to freedom and a new nation. But how best to celebrate in suttle nods of thanks? Must I avoid the steaming cup of Earl Grey or English Breakfast tea and instead protest by the consuption of a brew from a brazilian bean?
Maybe that I can do either and make the choice on my own, that is the tip of the hat for those that did what it took to get us to the tipping point for freedom. Now if only my english muffin and french toast would finish up befor my tea gets cold.
Maybe that I can do either and make the choice on my own, that is the tip of the hat for those that did what it took to get us to the tipping point for freedom. Now if only my english muffin and french toast would finish up befor my tea gets cold.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Learning Becomes Personal Knowledge
When does what you learn become more than some fact for recital? When does it become part of your personal knowledge and experience? Learning from knowledge is the explanation from others, learning from experience is understanding from personal observation. But at some point this is blended to a personal perspective, where knowledge is applied and interpreted. At this state questioning and pattern recognition are practiced. This independent interpretation and application decision of one's knowledge base represents when this knowledge is personalized and becomes our own. It is the synthesis of unique perspective of common data (knowledge) that formulates a professional (and valuable) opinion.
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Patterns of History
You see things in your job, in life and in the world that seem similar. Situations matching in context to similar events, years or decades before. These dejavu type events may be readily apparent or need a scrutiny and a pattern recognition to surface the similarity. But they hold a fundamental parallel between them, the dissimilarities are limited to cosmetic or participant identity, but are formulated in similar manner and likely reach similar results.
History does have a way of repeating itself. Recognizing these patterns helps in identifying higher level trends, applying similar solutions or adjustments, or even identification of tether points need to break the cycle and institute change.
Understanding history is important for these reasons. Current lessons and successes are equally important, as they may be needed again in the future for yourself or others.
History does have a way of repeating itself. Recognizing these patterns helps in identifying higher level trends, applying similar solutions or adjustments, or even identification of tether points need to break the cycle and institute change.
Understanding history is important for these reasons. Current lessons and successes are equally important, as they may be needed again in the future for yourself or others.
Monday, November 14, 2005
Mother of all the Success Skills
When I think of of the skills needed to be successful, one stands longer than the others. It is persistence. We could all use a little more persistence. It keeps us bounding over the hurdles placed in our way. Whether they be self-imposed or placed there by others. It places the achievement in the context of effort over time, not only as a duration of work, but truly as a accomplishment over the hurdle of time passing.
Individually do you need more persistence in starting something or finishing? That idea you have been kicking around for a few months or years, but just haven't taken that leap. That half finished project in the garage that is waiting for that elusive 'round-tu-it'. Or maybe it is all a matter of persistence to finish - i.e. you have to start to be able to finish.
I am going to take the first of every month to remind myself to be more persistent.
Individually do you need more persistence in starting something or finishing? That idea you have been kicking around for a few months or years, but just haven't taken that leap. That half finished project in the garage that is waiting for that elusive 'round-tu-it'. Or maybe it is all a matter of persistence to finish - i.e. you have to start to be able to finish.
I am going to take the first of every month to remind myself to be more persistent.
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Traffic volume 1
The Automobile Traffic Jam, I could do a whole blog on this subject alone. Has anyone done a study on how much time is wasted in traffic jams? I would bet the opportunity cost, lost productivity, increased stress and aggression, pollution and expended natural resources would total out astronomically. I'm not talking about accident related jams - except gaper delays. It's the ones that are correctable or avoidable. Slow or inappropriate drivers, bad light sequencing, insufficient road capacity, and others causing transit inefficiency.
There's a need I could fill, analysis and remediation recommendation for traffic congestion. Maybe I'd have time to work on that if I got back that hour a day I'm stuck in traffic.
There's a need I could fill, analysis and remediation recommendation for traffic congestion. Maybe I'd have time to work on that if I got back that hour a day I'm stuck in traffic.
Thursday, November 03, 2005
Cliche...The art of the real
I had heard today was cliche day. Maybe its true, or its a voicing only to me, signify that I rely too much on the cliche. I could rattle on and drop cliche after cliche phrase, which is a problem while trying to excel at this craft. I like cliches, I use them to relate and associate. They provide a shared abbreviation of more complex abstractions. But as writing dictums go, cliches represent one as a 'lazy writer' [so many have said]. There is truth in that statement, and lazy I am not - and will not be.
Striking the reliance and use of cliches from my writing efforts is high on my list of goals. If anything it will help with the expansion of written explanations and should help both the clarity and length. I will use my creativity to annotate.
Public declarations of goals are a great way to commit to their fulfillment. Plus I'll be sure to add this one to my new year's resolutions. So its up to me to Seize the Day....(D'oh!)
Striking the reliance and use of cliches from my writing efforts is high on my list of goals. If anything it will help with the expansion of written explanations and should help both the clarity and length. I will use my creativity to annotate.
Public declarations of goals are a great way to commit to their fulfillment. Plus I'll be sure to add this one to my new year's resolutions. So its up to me to Seize the Day....(D'oh!)
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Accomplishment by Association
Associate
Simulate
Model
Assimilate
Improve
As humans our learning is not limited to genetics. We have the capability to learn through communication - whether verbal, visual, or written. These all permit passage of information beyond generations or geography, with technology currently available to us. We evolve by taking what others have learned and building on it. This how scientific breakthroughs are achieved and medical advancement. We can apply this to any level of craft or work, ignoring all the information committed or available from others that have traveled the same path only delays you in creating your own path.
Simulate
Model
Assimilate
Improve
As humans our learning is not limited to genetics. We have the capability to learn through communication - whether verbal, visual, or written. These all permit passage of information beyond generations or geography, with technology currently available to us. We evolve by taking what others have learned and building on it. This how scientific breakthroughs are achieved and medical advancement. We can apply this to any level of craft or work, ignoring all the information committed or available from others that have traveled the same path only delays you in creating your own path.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)