God cares less about where you are than in which direction you are headed.
Myself
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aishak
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aishak
“The way it begins is the way it ends.”
Is this really a Yiddish saying? -
aishak
This new WordPress theme gives me the ability to post links and stuff from the home page. I’ll test it out by linking to one of my favorite recipe blogs: http://www.norecipes.com/
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aishak
What I’m researching – firefighters, military units, and surgical crews
I’ve been working hard (or hardly working! LOL ROLF) on what to research for my dissertation, which is part of the reason I have not been posting here. I have been kicking around two ideas, and after talking it over with some smart people I think I’m headed in the right direction. Here’s a one-page synopsis I submitted to my advisor. Tell me if you think it’s interesting.
Summary – In a nutshell: how do teams communicate (or communicate effectively) during simulations and timeouts? Certain teams, like fire crews and military units, treat time differently because there are no “do-overs” if they make a mistake. They have two unique phases in their process: 1) simulation, in which they spend hours trying to mimic the actions and communication of real-life events, and 2) reordination, or “timeouts,” in which they pause high-risk activity to communicate about their progress.
Teams of interest - military, public service (firefighters, search + rescue), crime (S.W.A.T., police), medical (surgical units, EMTs), sports, performance art (orchestras, bands, live action).
Background – Action teams are those that conduct complex activities in time-constrained periods with audiences, adversaries, and/or challenging environments (Sundstrom, 1999). This categorization includes teams with much at stake, including police squads, military units, and surgical units; however, action teams have generally been understudied in communication research (Nielsen, Sundstrom, and Halfhill, 2005).
Focus – Because of their unique relationship to time, action teams have different phase models than others. I have proposed the nested phase framework to better understand the way in which action teams work (Ishak, 2009). This framework has four phases: coordination, simulation (practice), production and reordination (the “timeout”). Two of these phases are of particular interest here. First, let us look at the simulation phase. In addition to conducting complex activitives in time-constrained periods, there is an element of finality—the actions taken during the time-constrained period (the production phase) cannot be taken back or redone. Imagine a military bomb squad in Iraq; if they are unsuccessful, they cannot ask for a redo or bring anyone back to life. Therefore, the simulation phase takes on added importance because teams must perfect their actions before the “real thing”. The second phase which requires additional attention is the reordination phase. The best example of reordination is the “timeout” in during sporting events. When a timeout occurs, teams generally group together and communicate how to 1) recalibrate their efforts onto a previously-discussed trajectory, or 2) readjust their direction onto a different trajectory. Timeouts are crucial to action teams because they must happen on the fly and they must work quickly.
Questions – How do action teams communicate during simulations and “timeouts”? On a wider scale, how do the organizations which house action teams structure communication during simulation and reordination phases? Do action teams simulate reordination phases? Is it possible to truly simulate communication of complex activities that occur during time-constrained periods?
Sources
Ishak, A. W. (2009, November). A nested phase framework for action teams. Paper presented at the National Communication Association Meeting, Chicago, IL.
Nielsen, T. M., Sundstrom, E. D., & Halfhill, T. R. (2005). Group dynamics and effectiveness: Five years of applied research. In S. A. Wheelan (Ed.), The handbook of group research and practice (pp. 285-312). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Sundstrom, E. (1999). The challenges of supporting work team effectiveness. In E. Sundstrom (Ed.), Supporting work team effectiveness: Best management practices for fostering high performance (pp. 3-23). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
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aishak
Music Survey Results!
Thank you to everyone who took the music survey over the last week. You listed 136 song entries and 121 unique songs. Here is a list of the 12 songs that were picked by more than one person:Beyonce – Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
Black Eyed Peas – I Gotta Feeling
Dave Matthews Band – Funny the Way it Is
Green Day – 21 Guns
Jason Mraz – I’m Yours
Jason Mraz – Lucky (feat. Colbie Caillat)
Jay Z – Empire State of Mind (feat. Alicia Keys)
Jay Z – Run This Town (feat. Rihanna and Kanye West)
John Mayer – Who Says
K’naan – Wavin’ Flag
Kings of Leon – Use Somebody
Taylor Swift – Your Belong With Me
We love John Mayer, but...really? This is the album cover? Okay, if you say so.
(songs in bold also are on our Fountain Circle compilation – see below)
I asked everyone about their favorite songs of 2009 for two reasons. The first is that I am genuinely interested in knowing what my friends are listening to and finding some good songs along the way. The second reason is that I make an annual compilation of favorites for my college roommates and their families (“families”…we are old…well, some of us are). It’s a good disc this year. I am still working on the order, but here is the Fountain Circle 2009 Compilation of Songs Released in the Last Eighteen Months! (that’s a mouthful, I’ll have to shorten it)
(most of the songs are in the music box down and to the right)
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1. Jason Mraz, “Lucky (feat. Colbie Callait)” – Dan’s #1
This was Dan and Nadia’s wedding song. How nice.2. Michael Jackson, “Billie Jean 2008 (Thriller 25th Anniversary Remix feat. Kanye West)” – Editor’s Choice
Editor’s choice means I pick a song to represent the year in some way. Last year it was this.
27th best album cover of 1982
3. Kings of Leon, “Use Somebody”- Criss and family #1
I heard this was the best performance of Austin City Limits this year.4. Britney, “Circus” – Heather
Incidentally, I download all of my wife’s music for her. iTunes gives me some great recommendations now! he said sarcastically5. Tyrone Wells, “Remain” – Heather’s #1
The only person on this list that we’ve met.6. Taylor Swift, “You Belong With Me” – People’s choice!
Chosen by you, the people, as the most popular song of 2009 that wasn’t already chosen by someone in this list.
7. John Mayer, “War of my Life” – Brian
8. Madonna, “Celebration” – Brett’s #1
Brett’s been living in Europe for…too long now, it seems (jk Brett lol USA!)9. Green Day, “21 Guns” – Nadia’s #1
10. K’naan, “Wavin’ Flag” – my #1
When I get the okay to run again, I am going to have so many good new workout songs.11. Bon Iver, “Skinny Love” – Stacy’s #1
Blake and Stacy say their choices were influenced by ACL. I think this whole album is, and most of us didn’t even go!12. Rob Thomas, “Her Diamonds” – Criss and family
13. Dave Matthews Band, “Funny the Way it Is”- Blake’s #1
Another ACLer. 5 total on this list (Kings of Leon, K’naan, Bon Iver, DMB, Phoenix)14. Lady Gaga, “Paparazzi” – Brett
15. John Mayer, “Who Says” – Nadia
16. Black Eyed Peas, “I Gotta Feeling” – Heather and Brett
Our only duplicate among the 10 Fountain Circlers.17. Jason Mraz, “A Beautiful Mess” – Brian’s #1
Try not to be relaxed when you listen to this. That’s why it goes near the end.18. Phoenix, “1901″ – Stacy
This was my album of the year.19. John Mayer, “Human Nature (Michael Jackson Tribute)” – Dan
20. Kate Earl, “Melody” – Editor’s Choice
I allowed myself 2 Editor’s Choices because I only included one song from my list. This song fits too well on a compilation among friends. It’s about how music keeps us company. I had to end it with this one.If you’ve read this far and you want a copy of the CD, let me know!
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aishak
Yakademics Episode 4 is up!
Check all the episodes at yakademics.com.
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aishak
CompuDrew final rankings: If only…
Okay, now that my heart has restarted after the Texas/Nebraska game, let’s talk about actual matchups for a playoff. First, let me tell you what I like and don’t like about these matchups: If you won your conference this year and you played reasonably well, you’re in. Conference champions are starred below in the rankings. Only Ohio State (#13) could make an argument that they should be in, but they lost 2 games on what turned out to be an average schedule. Central Michigan, (#28), East Carolina (#42), and Troy (#44) can’t make too much of a case in my opinion.
Here is the only thing I don’t like about my system this year. Alabama beat Florida in what was essentially a playoff game. If my playoff system were in place, they would basically have been playing for seeding and home field advantage, given that they were both ranked so high before the game. So yes, I’ll concede that a playoff system would have diminished that game’s importance (or delayed it until later in the month). But let’s go back to last year for a second: Alabama was ranked #1, Florida was ranked #2, and when Alabama lost they dropped behind Texas, who would have gotten the at-large berth. So in many years, the importance of a #1/#2 matchup would be at the same level as it is in the current system. Some people were actually calling for an SEC rematch had it been a close game, so it’s not out of line in any way to see Florida in the playoffs.
I’ll end with this. Cincy, Boise State, and TCU are getting absolutely ripped off in the current system. They ended their season with no losses. They did not lose a game. And now, they are going to be placed in high-paying consolation games while Texas and Alabama go on to play for the national championship. Since we have to pick two teams in the current system, I do think Texas and Alabama should advance. But we shouldn’t have to pick two teams. Our playoff matchups should be as follows (remember, at-large berth is moved to #5 or lower because they cannot host a game):
#8 Oregon @ #1 Alabama in Tuscaloosa
#7 Georgia Tech @ #2 Texas in Austin
#6 Boise State @ #3 Cincinnati in Cincinnati
#5 Florida @ #4 TCU in Fort WorthIt’s been a fun season, and I look forward to the bowl games. My rankings are below.
(Conference champions are starred. Top 7 would make it, Florida would get the at-large berth.)
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aishak
Sports vs. Tabloids (link)
In the Wall Street Journal, John Paul Newport compares why we watch sports to why people read tabloids (link):
Sports coverage fundamentally is about documenting effort and celebrating triumph. Yes, fans and commentators will tee off on losing coaches (like Charlie Weis of Notre Dame) or bonehead jocks who underachieve (the New York Knicks). But their disappointment is more or less righteous and pitched against a backdrop of desire for greater things. The payoff moments in sports are the record-setting performance and the come-from-behind victory.
The gossip industry, by contrast, is devoted to sussing out the very worst in human behavior and wallowing in it. Yes, reporters will occasionally don a moony face and intone sentiments such as, “The real losers in this sordid affair are the couple’s children.” But there’s no disguising those reporters’ squirming joy in having got the goods on the couple in the first place. The payoff moments in gossip are the gotcha video (or in today’s modern world, the gotcha text or voice message) and the lurid detail.
Just another reason why I love sports.
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aishak
Do You Like Music?
I always think it’s funny when people say: “I LOVE listening to music!” Oh really? I hate music, I thought everyone did. Hey did you know I also like food and I also enjoy hanging out with friends? Oh you, too? What are the odds? I thought I had niche hobbies!
So in this post so far we have established that I am rude and everyone likes music. So take my music survey. It will take you 30 seconds to 4 minutes.
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aishak
CompuDrew Rankings – The Three Classes
I got some good feedback after posting my playoff system proposal last week. One thing that makes this year really strange in terms of proposing such a system is that there have been three distinct classes of playoff worthy teams this year and I think the case could be made that a cutoff after the first or second class would be okay. The first group is Florida, Alabama, and Texas–the three teams that everyone seems to think are head and shoulders above the rest. CompurDrew agrees. Those three teams are at 97 and above, and then there is a dropoff to the next three undefeated teams: TCU, Cincy, and Boise State. Why such a big dropoff? Just look at strength of schedule. Alabama, Florida, and Texas have had tough schedules, TCU, Cincy and Boise State have had easy schedules. This is not my opinion, this is the raw numbers telling us that the top three teams have been tested this season by difficult opponents while the next three (with the exception of a game or two on each schedule) have not. I am in no way saying that Cincy, TCU and Boise State don’t deserve a shot at the championship, just pointing out that their SOS gives them a lower rating. (Keep reading below the Top 25 chart.)
The third class goes from Georgia Tech at 7 to USC at 19. Can you believe there have been ZERO 1-loss teams this season going into the conference championships? Weird. I would say in most years that some 1-loss teams deserve to make a playoff and some don’t. This year, there would be a few 2- or 3-loss teams in a playoff. Again, not the best year to propose something like this, because who wants 2-loss Ohio State in a playoff? But it could happen. Here’s how:
Alabama, Florida, and TCU are in, because the SEC loser will no doubt get the at-large berth. If they all win, Texas, Cincy, Boise State, GA Tech and Oregon would be in as well. But let’s say Cincy loses. Pitt would be the Big East champion and would settle somewhere between 13 and 16 We would then need the next highest conference champ, which would be Ohio State at 13. If Boise State lost as well, their weak SOS would drop them to around 12-14, and Pitt or Ohio State might be ahead of them. Same deal with teams like Texas, GA Tech, and Oregon: win and they’re in, but if they lose, you’d have to go down to 20-25 to find a conference champion.
That’s something I really like about my playoff proposal. It’s not the just the top 8 teams. If it were, then we’d have to listen to BCS backers say things like “playoffs would diminish the most exciting season in sports.” Then tell that to Oregon, who would have a win-or-go-home game this Thursday against Oregon State. Or tell that to Texas, who would be in the same situation this Saturday. Or Georgia Tech, or Boise, or Cincinnati. Or Pitt playing for a slight chance to make the playoffs. Or Nebraska. Or even Clemson, or Oregon State. Does a team like Clemson deserve to make a playoff? Well, if they can win a conference with THREE TEAMS IN THE TOP 10, then yes, I’d say they deserve an outside chance. Go for it Clemson, get past Georgia Tech in the ACC championship (#7) then Alabama AT Tuscaloosa (#1) then TCU in the Orange Bowl (#4) then Florida or Texas in Pasadena. If you can do that, then who would deny your right to be called a champion? Instead, we literally have only 3 teams that can control their own destiny going into the last week of the season with 6 undefeated teams left. If the BCS got a ran the United Nations it would have declared Germany the winner of World War II in 1942.
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