the air

Source: alexandralee

These days the environment is a growing concern among Americans. As the average national gas price soars past the $4.20 mark, the average American is starting to reevaluate vacations, commutes, car purchases, groceries, and much more. Former Vice President Al Gore has committed himself to pursuing issues concerning the environment and encouraging everyone to do their part to assist the environment. However, both political parties have stayed relatively neutral when it comes to environmental concerns. Neither Barack Obama nor Hillary Clinton have outlined a detailed plan that either eases the rising oil prices or reduces/eliminates American dependence on foreign oil. So what exactly are we to do?

I read an article today that outlines how expensive gas price (namely $8 a gallon) can be good for the American economy. The author outlines eight specific reasons that support his main idea:

1. RIP for the internal-combustion engine
2. Economic stimulus
3. Wither the Middle East’s clout
4. Deflating oil potentates
5. Mass-transit development
6. An antidote to sprawl
7. Restoration of financial discipline
8. Easing global tensions

Surprisingly, the author does a great job of procuring valid consequences if the gas price increases to nearly ten bucks. However, my issue with this article is the fact that the author assumes that most people, including myself, would simply live near urban centers and let go of our suburban upbringings.

I enjoy the city of Chicago and I know it has more activities year round than my own suburban community. However, if I had a family, I would most definitely live in a suburban setting because it would allow my family to live somewhat quietly, live in a nice single-family home, and near other kids in a good neighborhood. I don’t have to worry about pimps and gangs invading my streets. As a single adult, I would live in the city of Chicago in a heartbeat. However, as a family man, I would live in a suburban community with no doubts in my mind.

The author also talks about how the high prices would reduce our dependency on Middle-Eastern oil and spur innovation in alternative and renewable energy sources. In case anyone forgot, the past eight years have seen the emphasis in U.S. policy shift from domestic to foreign issues. Moreover, my personal opinion is that the war in Iraq was a screen for growing Republican interest in securing oil fields for American companies. To this day, not one Republican or Democrat has shown interest in pursuing alternative energy. In order to reduce our dependency on foreign oil, we must have a strong alternative.

Most people talk about hybrid vehicles or ethanol, yet they do not even consider completely eliminating oil. Hybrid vehicles STILL require oil and ethanol production requires substantial amount of oil. Why not consider alternative technologies which do not require as much oil such as wind power, hydrogen fuel cells, nuclear power, etc.?

Then again, we come back to the argument that public transportation is not well developed. The reason is because most people drive everywhere. Innovation needs to start prior to its use, not after. If companies and local governments started to innovate public transportation, we would see increased usage of those facilities once gas prices started to rise. Public transportation needs to be convenient for as many people as possible, otherwise, no one will use it.

My argument has always been that if gas prices rise to an absurd level, consumers will undoubtedly change their habits. However, the American dream has always included tokens such as cars, homes, and a comfortable lifestyle. That is our culture and I don’t think that will change. Maybe in the far future, it may. But for now, our culture is going to be one that is filled with cars and people driving them. Alternative fuel needs to be researched and implemented NOW so that all of us can then reduce our dependency on foreign oil.

Article source: Market Watch

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Photo courtesy of Sylvar

Many college students fail to understand leadership and often walk the path of tyranny. What students need to do is understand how to lead before leading. One of the basic principles of leadership is that you have to have followers. Just take a look around. If Barack Obama did not have any followers, how could he lead? How could we call him a leader? How could we even suggest that he is leading Hillary Clinton? Before you lead, you have to have followers. Pretty easy so far, don’t you think?

One of the best lessons I am learning about being president of the IIE student chapter at NIU is leadership. I’m learning how to work well with others, deal with miscommunication and poor information, work with deficient work quality and inadequate participation from colleagues, and more. Perhaps the single most important lesson I am learning is to lead through empowerment not judgment. Empowerment is, in my words, the art of teaching others to take the lead and move forward. Empowerment allows others to experience the same euphoria that you enjoy but in their own world. It’s really not a novel idea, but it is an idea that goes against conventional approaches to leadership.

Everyone’s Your idea sucks

A big mistake that many students make as team leaders is to go out and “suggest” that their approach is the best. Some of these students are so good, that they will feign interest in a discussion and garner other group members’ ideas as well. The true student leader will always enter a group discussion with an open mind before making up his/her mind. It is smarter for a student leader to listen to other people first before even saying their own ideas or offering their opinion. Some students are intimidated by leaders and will shut-down the moment they hear the leader’s ideas. They will even go as far as supporting the leader’s ideas regardless of what they think. Get others to talk before you talk. That way, there’s more participation and more people will feel like they “own” the task.

Let them make goals

Once you decide, as a group, what needs to be accomplished for a particular task, let the group decide what goals they need to set. If you are the leader, this is the time to keep your mouth shut and observe how the group is interacting. In my opinion, effective leaders mediate between members and let the members decide what course of action to take. Remember, a group cannot function with full effectiveness unless they all move forward together. The balancing act comes into play when you have to override someone and say that their goal is not necessary. Again, let the group take ownership of the goals and “lead” them to making goals that you think will work.

Empower their drive

I hate looking over someone’s shoulder to make sure that they are working correctly. The hardest thing about being a leader is dealing with ineffective group members. So I combat that dilemma by empowering my group members. I let them tell me how they will approach a particular task and how they will see it to fruition. I even go as far as making them write it down and verbally (in writing as well) promise to complete the task. My strongest emphasis are always on the deadline and the final result. The golden rule I follow is assist throughout the process. By continually offering my help and asking for quick reviews, I am able to demonstrate to them that I care about them and their work.

Sometimes, things don’t work out the way I planned. And that is what I am still learning to deal with. However, I think that sometimes, we do get ineffective team members who we simply have to deal with and carry as dead weight. It is at this point, where I ask for your methods. How do you deal with ineffective team members? What do you think about empowering others to accomplish tasks? What are other effective tools you recommend that have the potential to work?

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Photo courtesy of Apple

I think by now, almost everyone should have heard about Apple’s new computer called “MacBook Air” (MBA). And many of us have been given a major sticker shock when we heard how much it would cost. The MBA starts at around $1800 and can easily go beyond $3100. The major fervor around blogs concerning Apple products is the fact that it is overpriced for the gadgets it offers. Rather than discuss its technological benefits or hardware specifications, I want to offer my own thoughts on this product from a very different angle.

The MBA represents a whole new direction for personal computing. Rather than toting around a machine that does everything, the new concept focuses on what I call “complemented personal computing” (CPC). CPC is concerned with supplementing your current computing with a device that gives you increased flexible opportunities. In my opinion, CPC is a concept that can be seen more with mobile professionals rather than the mass population. However, I do believe that today’s society is increasingly becoming more mobile and technologically savvy. For instance, some college students use their cellular phone or iPod as a tool to replace their datebooks. I think that slowly, society is moving towards a realm in which we will have continuous access to our digital data through numerous synchronized electronic devices.

I think of CPC as a server and client type of approach to computing. Suppose you have a desktop and want to take notes at a meeting or a lecture. Unless your desktop is tiny and easy to “assemble,” you will most likely opt for a portable computing machine. This would be a great time to have a laptop, wouldn’t you agree? So why would you need a laptop and a desktop? Let me ask you this: why would you need two laptops? This is where my CPC concept begins. While one of your machines can be considered the primary computer with all the data, the other devices act as “clients” which can access your personal data on the primary machine on demand. This allows you to maintain your personal information at your fingertips no matter which machine you use.

The MBA is not designed to replace any desktop or laptop offering from Apple. Rather, it is designed for the mobile individual who demands portability over power. I think the MBA will prove to be successful amongst those who need a laptop to complement their primary computer, those who are in need of an extremely portable and mobile machine, and tech-savvy “geeks.”

I think that Apple has identified the new trend in computing and is encouraging the development of this trend. Since the machine is new and the manufacturing processes behind making such a portable machine are new, cost will undoubtedly remain high. I would not be surprised if the price for the MBA is reduced by the end of 2008 and it would certainly seem plausible that the MBA may have performance boosts by the end of the year as well.

CPC is a new concept and I, myself, sometimes have a hard time justifying it. However, CPC is a concept that I think people are aware of and probably have different names for it. Nevertheless, CPC is a new direction in personal computing and I strongly believe that Apple along with Dell, HP, and Microsoft are engaged in exploring this new trend.

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Photo: chesterfield

Human beings have a tendency to seek out stable comfort zones. While in these zones, we prefer not to be disturbed and consider it our “safety harness.” From this location, we will plan out our lives and conduct business with minimal fear. However, as soon as some drastic force threatens our comfort zone, we immediately transform from passive enthusiasts to front-line infantry to defend our turf. I’m sure what I just proclaimed may sound preposterous, but are you willing to adapt to rapidly varying environments frequently without complaint and actively pursue change? My guess is that you probably will not engage in such activities on a regular basis. Why not?

If you allow yourself to comfortably acclimate to a particular environment, you simply deny your ability to accept change in a world that is rapidly evolving. By preparing for constant change, you can evolve your mentality from a passive responsiveness to a proactive preemptive personality.

What does all that garbage mean?

Instead of reacting to change, it is far better to anticipate it and take steps to embrace the change. When the 2007-2008 school year began in late August 2007, I knew that most of my time would be spent working on my senior design project. At first, my proclivities were to maintain my current method of studying and adjust accordingly to the needs of my senior design project. During that time, I read an article in a magazine that stressed the importance of preparing for the worst and hoping for the best. And that got me thinking.

Instead of following the same study plan that brought my success, I decided to drastically overhaul it and start from scratch. Some people would consider that almost insane, but I considered it a revolutionary step forward. My new plan called for immediate action on time management and strict adherence to both goals and a schedule. Instead of engaging in spontaneous activities (e.g. last minute invitations to parties, night trips to Wal-Mart, etc.), I made sure that everything was planned for. And if anything last minute came up, I would then either deny it or simply allocate time for it at a later date. If neither were acceptable, I would then accept the event and carry on with it. As a college student, spontaneity is definitely hard to account for and can easily waste precious time.

Stop living in the past and present!

So many books and people tell me that it is important for us to live in the present. We should not worry about the past. Truthfully, I only agree with them on the latter statement. I don’t think anyone should live for the present. The present is a phase in which we must accept what is occurring. However, the future is where the real fun is. Since the future has not been created yet, why not prepare for the future now so that when it does arrive, we can worry about its future. That does not mean you should not pay attention to the present. What it means is that everyone should focus on the present for the future. Since future events have yet to occur, many things can change and it is only fair to understand that change and prepare for it. There’s no point in dwelling on what has already occurred since you cannot change the past. There is no point in dwelling on the present because it is occurring as we speak and you can no longer influence it. However, the future can be influenced and can be changed. So why not worry about the future?

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Photo courtesy of floridainvestigator

I came across a posting on Slashdot that discussed a proposal for a patent by IBM that introduces variable toll pricing. In other words, if you drive during congestion, you have to pay a higher toll. At first it sounds like an outrageous plan, but if you investigate further, it actually becomes quite clear at how advantageous this system could be. However, like most, we are all discouraged the moment we are asked to shell out more cash.

Reduced traffic

The purpose of this system is not exactly to discourage people from using tollways. Rather, it is designed to penalize “slow drivers” and drivers who use the toll-system during rush hour. In a way, it is encouraging users to use the tollway throughout the day, instead of everyone joining the roads at a particular time. This is actually pretty good since now, some drivers will choose to leave later or earlier, reducing the number of cars during rush hour.

Better emissions

Unless you have a hybrid, most vehicles tend to consume more fuel during city driving than on highways. During rush hour, you can consider yourself driving in a city because of the constant stop-and-go movement. However, if this new toll system is implemented, you may be encouraged to leave earlier or later, avoiding rush hour. Thus, you can then drive your vehicle at highway speeds and in effect, reduce emissions and/or fuel consumption.

Increased funding

No matter how much you hate paying the government, you have to admit that without them, our roads would be virtually non-existent. If the government is able to accumulate increased funding through tolls, it is possible that more public work projects (e.g. road repairs) can be approved. Improved roads mean better wear-and-tear on your vehicle and maybe even lead to fewer accidents.

Reduced road rage

I don’t know about you, but when I drive, I have quite a bit of road-rage. I despise slow drivers, especially the ones who drive in the left lanes and do not bother to move over for faster traffic. During rush hour, I’m a total beast. I tend to be very aggressive, making sudden lane changes without warning to get ahead. If that sounds irresponsible, here’s a fact: you probably are guilty of the same thing! With the new toll system, you may be willing to pay a higher rate, but maybe you’ll have less road rage due to reduced traffic. Even if you don’t, at least someone else might be inclined to have fewer road-rage incidents.

My money is on the fact that the new toll system will definitely not eliminate rush hour traffic. Rather, it will reduce - by a small margin - the number of vehicles on the road during rush hour. It will definitely have some impact in many areas. Just how much the impact will make a difference is a major debatable point. Are you willing to pay more to drive in traffic? I definitely am!

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