Successful Personal Skills: Goals & Teams

Knowing & having technology tools – computer, software, website links, etc – are important for learning & many other aspects of living.

Schedule & Organize

Increased ability w/relevant technology creates a strong foundation to build upon, particularly for personal skills, which can be broken down (some over-lapping & redundancy):

• Habits: discipline, tenacity, concentration, motivation +++.
• Actions: efficiency, comprehension, note-taking, do it (sooner, rather than later) +++.
• Attitude: enthusiasm, positive, cooperation, open-minded, participatory +++.
• Time: organization, deadlines, planning, anticipate, schedule, calendar +++.

The module in D2L has many good tips for performance: using a calendar; setting regular time-blocks for classwork; having folders of documents & links; realizing that you have independent behavior; continually follow through on your responsibilities; +++.

I’ve been familiar with all of those & have practiced most, but have [for years] fallen short on the self-discipline, stick-to-iveness & related behaviors – being kinda lazy & creating my own distractions – usually still educational, on current events & semi-random facts – having low priority.

On the latter point, for example, when looking up an item in Wikipedia, I often click on many other items, despite Wikipedia’s shortcomings in grammar, style, bias, questionable credibility. Although, there are usually many source-links for further exploration.

Other than emailing, online interaction [especially web conferencing] is unfamiliar to me. I’ve read a lot so far & have much more to learn. The material is almost too cumbersome. I’ve saved 6+ PDF tutorials, totaling 600+ pages. Using the index to select particular subjects is paramount to efficient learning, & then highlighting certain areas.

The late Enid Irwin, a former SLIS instructor, offered insights & advice about teamwork. I have had only a slight resistance to group projects – much less aversion than her label of monster. She has talked about several fears that students have. I have neither fears nor worries, which I see as too emotional. Instead, I have concerns. Although, I have often temporarily lacked common sense or had not fully thought something through.

Among the fearful items, the following are not negative drawback concerns of mine: time, tech, content, workload, confidence, risk, being passive, clueless, slackers. Isolation & conflict are potential barriers. Isolation (ie exclusion) in past classes (all corporal) has not occurred. A feeling of isolation is fitting for online interaction, in being impersonal & lacking sensory contact (sight, some hearing, reality).

The former SLIS Director, Dr. Ken Haycock, has provided similar insights on teams. Some of the major issues for teams: clear performance goals, accountability, dealing with interpersonal conflict, misperceptions versus actual requirements, conflict dysfunction, ground rules, expectations, among others.

Those are important considerations for individuals to be aware of & improve upon. Having a PMA (positive mental attitude) is beneficial for all endeavors, to involve one’s self, exert high effort & prepare. More communication is a key.

Brain Matter

Mind & Attitude

Skills — Technical & Personal

 

Constant pursuit of knowledge

People can be lazy & spend much time for entertainment purposes. Continual pursuit of knowledge can be rewarding. I like to expand my mind (not about drugs) – reading/learning often.

Many people are educated, yet eschew more/new information, often because it does not fit their world-view or narrative. Many people know things that are not true, and might have their beliefs based upon generalizations, propaganda, biases & such. It’s called cognitive dissonance.

We are now receiving more formal education for expertise in the field of aiding others gain knowledge – for those whom end up in libraries. Sure, other LIS fields can involve others gaining knowledge, as do many jobs, but few other jobs match my description – persons going to your place for books & stuff.

There are exceptions for the purpose of some library patrons going there for fiction books or other entertainment options. Sure, things can be learned, but those are dissimilar from pure knowledge.

Original Purpose of this blog

For any fellow LIS students whom have arrived here:

Here’s a little explanation about this blog – active 9-2010 to 12-2010.

I started taking classes in journalism & media. One class had a unit on blogs & part of the assignment was for a certain amount of posts during the semester. I decided to stay on the subject of urban issues. I planned ahead for the post topics, which can be noticed in that the titles are alphabetical (looksee again at the RSS).

I added other items (ie in banner links) in addition to the urban posts.

I chose urban issues because I had recently almost earned an MUP (masters in urban planning). I completed all of required course, plus 20%+ more. I did not complete a thesis, but that was not the problem. Due to bureaucracy, miscommunication & the star constellation at the time, my classes do not count. Long story.

So, in fall 2010, I was thinking about other degrees & blah, blah…

Appetite for Destruction

Humans are not green, therefore, humans lose & green prevails.

The “worship” of green [currency] is the downfall, as perceived by losers & elite.

Building Views, a video

Cities can usually look fairly good. What goes on behind? Well, that’s not indicated here, but there are hints at real intention, the hidden agendas. Where will this behavior modification go? What’s behind it? Agenda 21, set up by the UN, mostly in the name of globalism, control, redistribution. This “method” or the people are  Watermelons–Green Outside, Red Inside. Many “faithful followers”, like an immoral religion, are really useful idiots, being duped.

Central hubs for TODs

More: people, vehicles, cost, etc.

Benefits are very questionable for coercing people into transit station areas.
Economic Development—while improving some areas, it can take capital and resources away from other areas; in other words redistribution. Areas that became “cheap” become more affordable to offer opportunity for investment. TIFs can take away future government revenue from normal services. Additional retail sales or similar in one area will mean less spending elsewhere.

Density aspects

Beyond land use and urbanization, density needs to be more closely examined to put things in perspective.  In addition to the higher efficiency for and availability of transit, high density has other advantages, which can basically be summed up by big cities have “more stuff.” Living in high density is a choice, and not for everyone though. The HDC (high-density coalition) seems to want to force that on everyone. Many people don’t want that crowdedness. The 2 charts below show urban areas, categorized by density & total size of the urban area. Data is from the 2000 Census, when national population was 281M. It should be noted that there is an apparent gap in the figures below for non-urban & earlier figures for rural. Those names do not mean the same thing. And the classifications are neither always used nor consistent. Between populations of 10,000 & 50,000 those areas are considered urban clusters, rather than being an urban area. Both are still urbanized. As for what constitutes an urban area, the core needs to have a minimum density of 1,000, counted by Census block, and nearby blocks of at least 500 density are included. For the charts, the number in (_) is the number of urban areas within that population range.

Density Comparisons

Crowded Boring

This title could instead have the word “versus,” but it’s not a contest, despite what some people think. There is a growing movement, claiming that suburbia is bad and wasteful. Peoples’ choices of lifestyle should not be at odds with one another. Central cities actually gain taxes and other revenue from those living in outlying areas, from those who go to central cities for employment and visitation. A push in urbanism these days is for higher densities, to be like the central cities, but with even better, user-friendly forms. A big problem with increasing density is that traffic increases, without improvement (more lanes) to roads. You cannot double density and expect people to drive half as much. There certainly are not enough people transferring to public transit.

Density Perspectives

What beauty w/many?

There are various types of thinking that are at odds with one another. Well, actually, one type is not at odds; they are not just concerning themselves with other people’s personal choices. Many people want to live a certain lifestyle. Other people think that lifestyle should be a certain way, even though the claim is to have many choices, supposedly available all of the time. In making choices, there are trade-offs. This paper examines the various trade-offs, with the pros & cons of the concentration of living. The foci for one point of view are analyzed, and what that entails. The importances of those foci are examined, acknowledging that people have different tastes, desires and priorities. The ramifications of certain choices are analyzed

Development is bad? No growth?

Want nature, while in cities? Dingbat!

New development finances itself. Just last year, a developer wanted to build in the Evergreen Section of San Jose, and was going to supply $200 million for new infrastructure. The city denied it, wanting to save the land for industry. There is plenty of land for industry. Part of the want for the potential Coyote Valley development is for there to be businesses first. For that to be the case, where would people live? Residences and workplaces can be simultaneous developments. Either can lead or follow. It is actually hard for an individual to get both at the same time. For there to be jobs in a new area, people will commute there. For there to be housing in a new area, people will commute from there, to their existing jobs. People don’t always realize how economies tend towards equilibrium. Distortions do occur, many times with government intervention. There are many studies on that. People in power don’t read them or think that the source is biased. Those in power also have selfish motives for their property to increase in value.

Environmental Greenism, Redism, Stupidism

Just one. Your Kidding? Dumbass

People share a fundamental concern and appreciation for the beauty of our natural environment.  At what cost thought? All products come from the Earth. Sustainable Development’s populist ‘anti thesis’ was designed and delegated to left wing state collectivists. These collectivists rally rank and file liberals around the concepts of social justice and environmental protection. The “battle” between the left wing and the right wing moves society downward. The moves are left – right, step by step toward the new world order of Sustainable Development.

Externalities, + or -, Ignored or Unknown

In residential development, there are stakeholder actors:

Existing residents, owners§ Many of their goals and interests are to limit the amount of additional residents and to increase the price of their own housing. Both of those goals have been achieved to some extent. The Bay Area has the highest housing prices in the nation. The internal domestic migration from the Bay Area to other states and regions has been greater than the natural growth rate (births – deaths), since 2000, based upon Census data. There has been population growth due to immigrants. That high housing cost has increased some workers’ pay (albeit less than housing) and thus the cost of goods and services, including government. Higher housing cost also increases the cost to move to another Bay location, due to higher property tax costs (Prop 13). Also if a homeowner wants a house of higher value, it has now become proportionally more expensive. 

Farming in Rural; Living in Urban

Was an 'Ag' Valley, Delightful in Heart

As for farming in California, that’s not in jeopardy, at least from urbanization. Water is a different story. By the way, the people moving to the Central Valley are really competing with the farms for water. That’s not much of a future problem along the coasts, if changes are made. San Diego has already started desalination. More coastal cities can develop that, especially when combined with a power plant (nuclear). Desalination at its best price can cost between 3-4 times normal. That’s not too bad when the price is averaged out with other the other water sources, it would be a lot less. Example: 20% of water from the ocean, at triple pricing, results in costs only 40% higher (=3×20%+80%). That would be pricey for industry, but many people don’t want heavy manufacturing here, despite some resistance to China and other importers. Water-use heavy industry can go back to the Rust Belt. 

Health Aspects of Living Areas

Daily actions or exercise?

To really remedy obesity, rather than this complicated expensive restructuring or urbanism: For the statists to control behavior and appearance, how about a physical/health test to get a driver’s license? Actually, if health deform passes, there will be many more controls on eating and such. Looking at avg weight is insufficient for any conclusions. Analyzing deciles can reveal more. But it needs to be compared with many other variables. Bodyfat data is better.
If gov takes over more health payments, then it will pass more laws on behavior to increase health in order to reduce expenses.