Archive for May, 2009

Great minds see the world in a vastly different way.

Buildings typically are constructed with two key thoughts in mind.

First, there is a specific structure based on a notion of function that seeks to meet a prescribed and generally singular purpose. Second, there is sense of permanence and life span, the structure is built to best handle the designed function for decades.

So the idea that a building could be designed to transform is certainly an anomaly. But such is the case with Koolhaas’s Transformer, constructed in a manner that it can not only be reconfigured monthly, it can be removed when its one year life span is complete.

The Transformer

Even those without an architectural interest have to be intrigued by Koolhaas’s concept, a temporary construction that now rests near a 16th-century Korean palace in Seoul. The Prada Foundation asked famed architect Rem Koolhaas to create a temporary structure that would host a diverse group of cultural events over the upcoming summer.

While the building will need the assistance of some decent size cranes, the structure began with a focus towards being a venue for hosting a fashion show. Later, the building will be lifted and rotated to serve as a movie theater. Likewise, with the help of those same cranes, it will be adjusted later in the summer so as to host an art exhibition before being reconfigured to again host a fashion show.

Each side is flat and the rotation will involve the amazing step of using a different side as its base for each cultural event. Mathematically, the term tetrahedral is used to describe a structure that has but three sides exposed and a fourth that is used as the base.

Instead of hard, firm surfaces, the structure is wrapped in a white fabric skin and the four sides offer a multi-faceted, visual appearance that includes a circle, a cross, a hexagon and a rectangle. For the first fashion show, the building was set so as to rest on the hexagonal side, a shape most conducive for fashion shows.

Later, for the movie house, the building will be placed on the rectangular side, etc. With those rotations will come yet another of the visual effects of a specific shape greeting visitors to the city or the building.

And in the ultimate of transforming, the entire structure will live a short, albeit famed life. It will be disassembled and removed at summer’s end though where it might reappear is apparently still not finalized.

If you are a college sophomore or upperclassman, you have experienced the full-frontal assault of the end of the year dorm clean out.

Because some students have exams right through Friday afternoon, then have only until 12:00 p.m. Saturday to be out of their room, there is no time to appropriately deal with all the items in the dorm room or on-campus apartment. Not only is there simply too much accumulated stuff to fit all of it in your car without making multiple trips home, you simply don’t have the time to deal with breaking the stuff down so that it might fit.

The result, loads of valuable items get tossed into the dumpster or in most cases by the end of the week, piled alongside an overflowing trash unit. Chairs, couches, tables, VCRs, and even television sets can be seen sitting on top of these containers or resting on the curb beside these huge bins.

Perhaps the most appalling aspect is the realization that the space in your car is already spoken for yet you are now witness to literally piles of items that you would scoff up in a minute if it were the beginning of the school year.

Schools and Students Taking Action

More and more, as green-eyed students across the country become aware of the earth and the need for greater sustainability, recycling programs have started to emerge for this end of the year clean out. The goal is simple: reduce the number of reusable items heading to a landfill or transfer station and get them into the hands of another potential user.

There are many successful ways to deal with the process. One simple step is for a group of students to locate a place for storage of viable items, especially the larger units such as mini-refrigerators and other electronic gear. Then, using a group of student volunteers, these unwanted items are collected and taken to the storage facility to be sorted out.

The following fall, those very same items are put up for sale to the incoming students at the school. Any collected funds that remain after the costs of storage have been taken care of are either donated to worthy charities or to the school’s nonprofit sustainability organization to further sustain a school’s green mission (if one exists).

Another common method of dealing with the leftover items is to involve community organizations and use them to solicit volunteers for all the handling tasks as well as the storage of items. Instead of selling them to students, the collected items can be sold in a massive community yard sale. Later, the proceeds from any sales can then be divided among the nonprofit groups according to the time each specific organization puts into collecting and selling the items.

Want to Start a Program?

Many other programs are underway with variations on these themes. In certain instances, students can simply leave unwanted items in their dorm room where they will be collected later.

Still, there are a number of schools where the idea has not caught on.

If you are interested in getting such a program started at your university, a nonprofit called Dump and Run helps interested groups. They can offer ideas regarding item collection, donation and storage, as well as appropriate ways of handling the cash that comes from selling the collected materials.

If the end of the 2009 school year has come and gone and your school still is not on board, it would make a perfect project for next year. Students interested in starting a program at their school can contact Dump and Run for assistance and advice.

Ultimately, the end-of-the-school-year recycling program is a true win-win. No student ever feels good about throwing such material in a dumpster. And our landfills/transfer stations are already strapped with mountains of trash.

Stating that the internet has changed life as we know it is an understatement of epic proportions.

Still, even for those who understand the power of the internet, it is hard to imagine stories like that of Miss Pipi Quinlan, certainly not prior to the technology age. But her story offers some critical lessons for those of every age.

For those who missed it:

Three-Year Old Purchases Excavator Online

Young Pipi Quinlan had, at last, been given permission to use the family computer. Of course, at three-years-old she was still a tad on the youngish side for such permission and her access had been allowed for but a week when she made internet history.

You see, her mom had done what so many of us do (here’s the first place we all need to pay attention). Ms. Quinlan had asked the computer to store log-in information to make it easier to bring up those sites she would use frequently.

Mom had set up such a log-in on an auction site which Pipi then managed to reboot. While mom had used the site earlier to bid on some toys, Pipi took a little different track.

Instead of a kid’s plaything, she bought a man’s toy, managing somehow to place a bid on a Kobelco, a “digger” as folks in New Zealand referred to the excavator. Though still no one is not quite sure how, the youngster had posted a bid of 20,000 New Zealand dollars, about $12,300 by our standards, for an earth mover that was anything but a toy.

Momma Quinlan learned of her daughter’s action when she opened her e-mail the following morning. There she found several e-mails from, the auction site TradeMe, announcing she had won an auction and from the seller noting that she would love her new purchase.

Fame and Notoriety

The story of course reminds us why we should never store personal information on a computer. It also makes it clear that when we become parents we need to think things through a wee bit more carefully because children are amazing little creatures.

In the age of the internet, technology can create issues we never conceived of previously. Most of the focus has been on the actions of the youngster.

And of course, the press had a field day with one liners (toddler usually prefers high-heeled pink shoes over giant yellow and black diggers).

But what is truly amazing is an internet search of the name Pipi Quinlan now reveals page after page of links to reports and commentary of this cute little story (OK, us too). It reminds us that in this day and age, privacy is minimal and our actions can be shared globally in the matter of minutes.

Whether she likes it or not, this information will always be part of her online brand. Fortunately, this could be one of those cute stories that ultimately works in her favor sometime in the future. We hope so as it will be archived forever.

All’s Well that Ends Well

Meanwhile, it seems the story has ended positively. The auction site has negated the winning bid and reimbursed the seller’s costs. Reportedly another adult went on to make the purchase for real.

The elder Ms Quinlan also noted one of parenting’s greatest challenges. You see, it was extremely difficult explaining to the three-year-old the gravity of her actions, especially doing so without laughing.

In addition, the parents have learned another valuable lesson. Pipi has since been banned from using the computer by herself but, just in case, the Quinlans have deleted all their automatic log-ons just in case.

The only question remaining is how long before you delete yours?

If you are not familiar with Cat Stevens and his famous song, Father and Son, you should be. It is filled with many short, meaningful lyrics such as:

You’re still young
That’s your fault,
There’s so much you have to go through.

Gaining Respect in the World of Work

Those about to venture beyond the campuses they have called home for the past four years may well be entering the harshest work environment since the great depression. Jobs are exceedingly difficult to come by – for the better part of several months, nearly as many people have been laid off from work each and every week (600,000+) as will graduate from college this year (700,000+).

So the chances of finding work are extremely challenging. If you do find someone willing to give you a shot, be ready for some good old-fashioned jealousy on a number of fronts. After all, who are you, still wet behind the ears, to be so lucky as to be awarded an opportunity in this job climate?

Gaining respect has never been easy for someone fresh out of school. People always look at the newbie with a raised eyebrow and a not so subtle, prove it to me attitude.

But in 2009, your first days may well be met with an even stronger response, one that features more than a tad of resentment. To gain respect in today’s job setting, you will need to make all the right moves.

Origins of Respect

First off, respect doesn’t come from a title or because you have been assigned authority. In fact, if you are a newbie, the fact that you have been given a title by your boss could make your first days even more challenging.

Respect is earned and gained over time. It is given to folks who do their work well and consistently demonstrate they can become an integral part of a team. Perhaps most importantly for someone young and new to the company, respect is given to those who make others feel like they are an integral part of the team.

However, generally speaking, it is only over time, after you prove you can handle the challenges, that you will earn the trust and respect of those around you.

That said, here are three things to keep in mind:

A. Humble Beginning

Remember, you only get one chance at a first impression. To gain respect quickly, begin by acknowledging you are the newbie. Whatever you do, don’t give folks the impression that you are one of those stereotypical, brash, spoiled, over-confident, know-it-all’s college kids.

Because that is what they think you will most likely act like.

Instead, be polite and respectful of those who have established experience. Study your environment carefully and be sure to ask questions and seek the advice of others.

The first real sign of maturity is the acknowledgment that you do not know it all, not by a long shot. And demonstrating maturity is the first way to begin earning the respect of colleagues.

B. Demonstrate Good Work Habits

Without being flashy, model what it means to be a good worker. Show up early or at worst, on time. Stay late.

Take your break only for as long as is permitted. If lunch is a half hour, take 28 or 29 minutes max.

Be attentive in all meetings. Listen carefully and avoid being the first to speak about issues. Instead, listen to what everyone else has to say before venturing your opinion.

Veteran employees will think of things you will never have even considered. Waiting before you speak will ensure that you will not commit the most famous of faux pas: putting one’s foot in one’s mouth.

Join work groups and take advantage of every seminar available. Be careful not to take on more than you can handle but being a part of a work group will help you get acclimated to the company much more quickly while attending seminars will ensure your knowledge of industry practices is totally up-to-date.

C. Help Others

Find ways to help other company employees be successful. If you have an idea, talk about it with a pertinent colleague. Collaborate with them instead of trying to make the idea solely your own.

If a colleague asks for assistance with a task, take time from you schedule to give it your focus and your best effort. If after careful examination you cannot help, admit it. Most people will see right through any youthful attempt to blow smoke by them.

If you can help, be sure to come across as offering suggestions and advice for consideration. Avoid any language that would give anyone the impression you are telling them how a specific task ought to be done.

Ultimately, Avoid Being an Idiot

No one sums this respect notion up better than Chuck Westbrook, who has his list of “6 Ways to Get Respect Quickly, Despite Your Youth.” Number six puts it in words we can all fully understand:

“Avoid being an idiot,” writes Chuck. “Subtle advice, no? Anyone who’s spent any amount of time in an office has seen talented people who can’t stop shooting themselves in the foot with stupid habits. Improper attire, showing up late, inappropriate jokes, failure to stop talking about oneself… The list goes on and on. Exercise good judgment and at least be aware of the norms in your workplace.”

He goes on to add that “you need to prove you can follow the rules before you can get away with breaking them.” We would suggest that you take that one step further and forget about getting away with breaking any rules.

Because as Chuck concludes:

“It’s hard to get respect when you’re fired.”

When it comes to graduation events, most of the media focus the past couple of weeks has been on President Obama’s appearance at Notre Dame. The decision of school officials to invite the president to deliver the commencement address and award him an honorary degree was clearly not sitting well with many Catholics.

Given the president’s views on abortion, protesters have been reportedly out in great numbers. In addition, one person set to be honored offered the greatest of protests as she opted to decline a prestigious award.

Less Media Coverage

Lost amidst the hoopla was a mind-numbing story from another prestigious college, Morehouse in Atlanta, Georgia. In yet another of those situations where the term justice seems to have totally taken a hiatus, about 500 students were set to graduate without such protests.

This despite the fact that one perpetrator, Joshua Brandon Norris, was graduating and his victim, Rashad Johnson was not.

The back story represents one of the more troubling tales we have read about in years. Norris was graduating despite the fact that he had shot Johnson three times.

That’s correct. Norris had pulled a gun on Johnson in an altercation outside a night club in 2007. A scuffle ensued and Norris shot Johnson three times.

The Plea Deal

Facing one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and second count for possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, Norris attended a court hearing in January. There he was offered the plea deal by the prosecutor.

Norris pleaded no contest to the first count and the second charge was dropped. He ultimately received six years of probation, a $1,000 fine and 240 hours of community service.

Somehow, the incredible plea deal was also accepted by the presiding judge.

And since he avoided any jail time (he faced up to 20 years), he was able to remain in school to complete his degree. In fact, the plea deal mandated that he remain in college and complete his college degree.

Not a School Issue

Understandably, Johnson and his family were astonished to learn of the deal. Johnson, one bullet still in his left leg, had left Atlanta and gone home to California to be with his mom and to recover from his injuries.

Fahizah Johnson, the victim’s mom, took issue with the school.

“I am so disappointed because Morehouse has been an institution in my family for three generations,” she told CNN. “This guy shot my son three times, and he’s still in school? He’s still a student with other students?”

While CNN also seems to take exception to the actions of Morehouse, the school is not at fault. The incident took place off school grounds and the legal verdict essentially mandated that Norris attend school.

Therefore, there was simply no recourse for the school. Refusing to let Norris return to school would not have been legally supportable regardless of the actions he took.

The issue was an appalling set of decisions by the prosecutor in the case.

No Longer a Morehouse Man

According to CNN the prosecutor of the case has since resigned. His boss insists he would have been fired had he not quit.

Little has been said about the judge’s role.

The one step Johnson can take is to separate himself from the school and the city. Despite the school being a longstanding family tradition, Johnson has done just that.

He is now attending Sacramento City College and plans to attend law school after he graduates in 2011.

‘Tis the graduation season and the list of folks earning honorary degrees is as usual quite lengthy. While the news has focused on Jimmy Fallon and President Obama, there are a number of other prominent folks taking home honorary sheepskins.

Jimmy Fallon

“Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” host and popular comedian Jimmy Fallon finally earned his communications degree from the College of St. Rose. Fallon took advantage of the life experience, portfolio option to accumulate his final 15 credits from the school.

 
In a move that had to have made his parents want to disown him at the time, Fallon left the school in the middle of his senior year to pursue his comedy career. Seventeen years after he began at St. Rose as a computer science major, he finally secured an authentic bachelor’s degree in communications.

“Finally, I convinced them that I’ve done enough communicating to get my communications degree,” Fallon is quoted as saying after providing the school a portfolio of his work. In a sign of the times, the school also awarded Fallon an honorary doctorate in humane letters.

In addition to his awards, Fallon was giving the opportunity to speak where he share the stage with John Zogby. As for his overblown ego, Fallon had this to say after receiving the degrees:

“I’m going to be totally insufferable.”

Barack Obama

In what has become a storm of controversy, President Obama will receive an honorary doctorate and deliver the commencement address at Notre Dame. The Harvard trained lawyer is certainly worthy of any honorary degrees (despite what Arizona State University has to say) but his views on abortion are raising the ire of students and supporters of the school.

One person set to be recognized by the school has declined to attend and thus refused her award due to her strong beliefs on the issue. Ironically, she too has Harvard connections.

The podium will represent an interesting option for the president who certainly has demonstrated his oratory powers over the past few years. However, his speech will be given great scrutiny, no doubt.

Dolly Parton

Famed country western singer and personality, Dolly Parton was recently awarded an honorary doctorate of humane and musical letters from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. In a true sign that she might have lacked an understanding of the setting, Parton chose to talk about her much-discussed assets that Johnny Carson was clearly enamored with.

Now known as Dr. Dolly, she had this to say to her audience:

“So when people say something about ‘Double-D,’ they will be thinking of something entirely different.”

Oprah Winfrey

And last week, a most-deserved Oprah Winfrey was presented an honorary doctor of humane letters degree from Duke University. The woman who has done so much for others across the world offered a more college-commencement like 25-minute address.

“One of the best ways to enhance your own life is to enhance somebody else’s,” noted the talk show host. “Stand proudly in your own shoes while you help others stand in theirs.”

But Winfrey also took the time to acknowledge that her godson William Bumpus was a member of the graduating class.

“Will never wants people to know he knows me,” Winfrey offered. “I’m like his crazy aunt that they let out at commencements.”

The list of other honorees includes Pulitzer Prize winning author/historian David McCullough, inventor, author and entrepreneur Ray Kurzweil and sportscaster Bill Raftery.

While we understand the general idea behind the stimulus package and its ability to jump-start the economy, it is easy to see why so many folks are turned off. Items like the $4 million in Pentagon work awarded to Murtech, another of those no-bid contracts that went to the company owned by Robert C. Murtha Jr., 49, the nephew of Rep. John P. Murtha, certainly raise a stink.

For those who do not know, John Murtha is the Pennsylvania Democrat who just so happens to be the chairman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee. What is most troubling is that at the same time another $150 million in stimulus money has been given to build and maintain an airport in rural Pennsylvania, yes the John Murtha airport.

Just how does stuff like this happen?

Car Voucher, Yet Another Stimulus Option

In recent days we have heard about the renewed push for a government voucher to help citizens purchase a new, fuel-efficient automobile. Like the initial response to the stimulus package, there appears to be support out of the gate for the proposal.

The current idea centers upon a $4,500 voucher that can be used by people to trade an older, nearly worthless gas guzzling auto for a new, fuel-efficient vehicle. The value of the voucher would theoretically be dependent on the differentials in gas mileage between your current vehicle, one that must be at least eight years old, and that of the newer option.

Hypothetically, trading your 18 miles per gallon clunker for a new vehicle that offers 22 miles to the gallon might get you $3,000 say, while trading for one that yields 28 miles per gallon would result in the voucher being worth the full $4,500. The goal seemingly is to max the coupon only when a 10 mpg difference is created.

Supposedly, the plan involves a separate set of numbers for SUVs (5 mpg increase to max the voucher), light-duty trucks (2 mpg increase) and work trucks.

According to the latest gossip, there appears to be great support for some type of voucher plan in Congress. The specific dollar values and respective goals seem to be the debate, not the concept itself.

Proponents indicate the program would create a strong jolt to the economy. First and foremost, it gives individual citizens an incentive to help meet the president’s goal of reducing our dependence on foreign oil. Second, if limited to the purchase of American autos, it could be just the catalyst to jump-start the moribund auto industry. Lastly, it would seem to help the hardest-hit Americans the most if the voucher could only be used for vehicles eight years and older.

In addition, European car sales are reportedly benefiting from such plans. According to at least one report, the idea has increased sales globally by about 400,000 vehicles.

Key Sticking Points

One of the key sticking points of course centers upon potential restrictions. For example, restricting the voucher to American cars only would bring on cries of protectionism yet the supporting rationale for some is that it must help the American auto industry as well as the consumer.

Another is the voucher could prove expensive to the government if large numbers of people took advantage of the program. Of course, many people insist that would be a better use of taxpayer dollars as it would be helping the consumer even as it is helping the automakers, something we are doing already.

A third concern is that the process could re-institute a borrowing craze as folks who could not truly afford a new vehicle utilize the voucher but end up now having monthly payments once again.
In fact, for some folks, it would make far more sense for them to trade up to a newer, fuel-efficient, used option instead.

But now that the stimulus genie is out of the bottle, there will no doubt be constant pushes for options that will jump-start the economy. The auto voucher seems to be one that is garnering significant support.

When things get really tough and I find myself a bit down, I am one of those people who likes to search out sources of inspiration. I honestly do not think any can top that of double amputee Aimee Mullins.

Born with fibular hemimelia, Aimee had both her legs amputated below the knee when she was just one year old. The difficult decision of her parents to amputate was based on a simple fact:

If she had her legs amputated, she would eventually be able to learn to walk with artificial limbs. If she had kept her legs, it would have meant a lifetime confined to a wheel chair.

Her parents took the option that would give her the best chance at an independent life. Ever since that day, this awe-inspiring young lady has been showing people how to respond when life throws challenges your way.

Despite being a double amputee, Aimee would play numerous sports as a youngster. Eventually she began competing in track at Georgetown where she had earned a full academic scholarship in the foreign service program. Competing against ‘able-bodied’ athletes she became the first disabled athlete to compete in NCAA Division I track and field.

As for one of her identifying traits, the idea that “true bravery is not the absence of fear, but the ability to conquer it” comes from her about her famed college coach and her concerns about running the 200-meters in the Big East Championship meet. She was enormously fearful of competing in the race as issues with her prosthetic in the 100-meter had her believing that her leg might fall off in front of thousands of spectators while running the 200-meter.

She acknowledges pleading with her coach to withdraw from the race. He does not cut her any slack, instead offering with his deepest Brooklyn accent:

Aimee, so what if your leg falls off! You pick it up, you put the damn thing back on and you finish the God-damn race.

If you need a little pick me up or are interested in this young woman’s wondrous spirit and 12 pairs of legs, including the high-tech appendages that she uses for running, check out her appearance on Ted.com:

It was rare, at least with my college experiences, to have a professor waive the deadline for a major paper or project for any academic reason. By academic, I mean the one or two times that I found a new resource or experiment later in the process, information that produced a conflict with my initial position.

It seems that every professor saw such a request as a sign that I simply had not started the assignment in a timely manner. In their eyes, I had simply run out of time more from dereliction of duty than the development of any new insights.

Not only did my requests for a push for a later time result in a pledge that my grade would be adjusted if I failed to meet the initial due date, it was also immediately accompanied by a short lecture on the importance of meeting deadlines, particularly when one gets outside of the academic world.

The theory was, “in the real world” deadlines were an important part of life and meeting those deadlines was considered to be non-negotiable.

New Study

The importance of deadlines appears to be overstated according to a study by Harvard researchers Daniel Carpenter and Justin Grimmer. In “The Downside of Deadlines (PDF),” it appears that when it comes to the FDA and drug approvals, deadlines are a significant problem, particularly when a payment structure is connected to the deadline process.

The study offers a very technical look at FDA drug approval variations. But the bottom line is that imposing deadlines results in a finished product that may not meet the expectations set forth: “as in my project is done but the quality could be improved if I had more time to work further.”

Within the study, deadline bonuses or pay tied to deadlines will in fact decrease the time taken to review a case. But the critical finding of the study involved the application of deadline bonuses and the subsequent error rates.

Not too surprisingly, as the time to review a case decreased, the propensity for error increased. Within the drug approval process, such a situation could prove to be extremely serious.

Approving drugs that are not safe is the last thing the FDA wants to do. Yet, at the same time, reviewing drugs quickly may well allow patients access to a beneficial treatment in a timelier manner.

I must acknowledge that the study does not state that deadlines are a net negative in terms of the welfare of society. As the study notes, the “benefits from speeding up regulatory decisions may outweigh the costs of added error” for those cases where early approval of those drugs that would have been approved anyway reach patients sooner.

Still, the study indicates that the imposition of deadlines upon an agency’s decision-making process may render the agency’s decision-making more variable in the long run. Moreover the study suggests that inserting bonuses into the process “can generate greater administrative error.”

Ultimately, when it comes to the issue of deadlines and decision-making, the jury is out as to what is the best method for dealing with the issue. But it does beg the question:

In what instances should a deadline be imposed upon an agency?

A Feeling of Vindication

Needless to say, I have embraced this study as evidence that my requests during my undergraduate years were in fact valid. I even toyed with sending my professors a link to the study.

But I soon realized that unless I spent countless hours reviewing my initial request with them and the course I was taking at the time that neither of them would likely have a clue as to what I was talking about.

Then again, perhaps those of you currently involved in the process can make use of this little tidbit if necessary. Be sure to use it responsibly – it is not an indictment of the deadline concept, only that in some instances, deadlines and not lack of effort are the basis for a less than stellar final product.