Wasting Hours Commuting

I love when I’m number one or when my city is number one. First in line for a new great movie, city is listed as number one for entertainment and so forth. However, there are times I don’t want the city I live in to be number one and this is one of those times. Los Angeles ranked number one as the most congested area for traffic.

According to a national study by Texas Traffic Institute released in September 2007, drivers wasted approximately 72 hours in one year sitting in traffic on the way to and from their jobs. The numbers of hours increased from 4 billion in 2004 to 4.2 billion hours in 2005.


However a US Census Bureau study found that the commute for 2004 stated that extreme commuters are commuting 90 minutes each way. In a year the number is closer to 900 hours a week. A article commenter did her own math of how much time she wasted going to and from work. Her average commute calculations totals nearly 200 hours a week wasted – she lives 20 minutes a way in non-traffic hours (early weekend mornings). In the US Census Bureau New York was number one for extreme commuting and California was number five.



Alan Pisarsky, a transportation expert and the author of “Commuting in America” says that the problems will only get worse. Reviewing the study results he summed it up this way: “Too many people, too many trips over too short of a time period on a system that is too small.”



High gasoline prices appear to have cut into not obligatory driving but not commuting to work, said David Schrank, an associate research scientist at the Texas Transportation Institute, and a co-author of the study. In addition, about three-quarters of all commuters drive alone to work, according to census data. The Los Angeles metro area had the worst congestion, delaying drivers an average of 72 hours a year. It was followed by Atlanta, San Francisco, Washington and Dallas.


The study offers options for easing congestion which included:

• Adding roads or lanes where needed
• Improving public transportation
• Changing driving patterns through flexible work schedules, telecommuting and carpooling.

Transportation Secretary Mary Peters says Tuesday's report "is ample evidence that our current transportation model is broken. We need fresh approaches like new technology, congestion pricing and greater private sector investment to get America moving again."

Which contradicts what the report says.


“The problem has grown too rapidly and is too complex for only one technology or service to be ’the solution’ in most regions,” the report said.

Pisarski suggests that building more roads or mass transit options, such as trains or buses, would only encourage more long-distance commutes. The real change, he says, will be when companies build away from the metropolitan centers.

Sources

MSNBC

USA Today

US Census Bureau

Things To Always Consider In Life

Source: Dumb Little Man
NOTE: Slightly changed but is from the Dumb Little Man blog

No one will believe in you more than you do.

If you want to start a business your spouse or friends will never have as much confidence as you. Listen and consider their concerns, advice and opinions, but don't let popular opinion be the sole factor in your conclusion. If you believe in it, do it. Even if the business isn’t a financial success you will learn lessons from it that will push you closer to financial success.

Garbage Sticks.

We all do it, at some point in life, particularly at a young age, we will be faced with the major choice of having to decide who to be friends with. I’ve made the mistake of befriending trash and learned the hard way. Trash will get you nothing but trashed.
My mother used to say, "If you hang around shi*, don't be surprised if it gets on you." - - Jay Dumb Little Man

No Free Rides

He just got lucky. She was born with money and didn’t earn the business she gets. He sucks up to everyone he knows. If a person wins the lottery, than yes they got lucky but if a person has no college education, started a business, worked 80 hours each week for 5 years, and sold his business for $15 Million, he earned it. Create your future and dedicate yourself to it.

Corporations & Job Change Is Good.

The days of dedicating yourself to a single company are gone. If you are not constantly looking at your options, you are passing up salary increases and a solid resume.

In Business, Trust Is Sacred.

Business and money much like love changes everything. The bottom line in any business relationship whether it’s with your best friend or someone you don’t know – trust in business is sacred and trust needs to be earned (by everyone involved) and not given away like some cheap trade show promo item.

I’ve been burned by a person who promoted their religious ethics in business as the end to any question regarding their integrity. I wasn't naive but I was ignorant to the fact that money changes people. Self-righteousness, ignorance, and being too trustworthy will kill your business investments. Money Changes People!

Money Isn't Bad.

Money is good - your spending habits are bad. If you have a choice, spend $3 a day at Starbucks or buy a quality coffee maker for $29.99 and go to star bucks only once a week. Money and saving it is an absolute requirement to obtaining what you want in the long term. Every single dollar you spend must be scrutinized. If the dollar is not helping your long-term goals, don't spend it.



Expose Your Emotions Appropriately

I absolutely hate seeing a women (and I am a women) cry at every little work dilemma. When I see the same women over dramatize every single thing that shoes go her way I become callous. However, I’ve seen men (though much more rare) do the same thing and I cringe at having to witness it. You shouldn’t be completely unfeeling because your emotions are a positive attribute that will help your career excel. Emotion shows you care getting fired up about a new project can help you get noticed.


People Are People.

Don't get stressed out about potentially negative or unexpressive interactions of others.
Everyone goes home at the end of the day and has problems, concerns and plans of their own. Someone might be excited one day and not approachable anther – no one but that person knows why. Don’t assume they are a jerk simply because they didn’t pay as much attention as you wanted in the meeting. They are the people just like you.


Not Starting A Business Is Risky.

The risk of not starting your own business when you constantly talk about doing it is the risk of regret. Follow your dreams and ambition. If, at a minimum, you don't research your plan, you will always wonder what could have been. You don't want to live a life of "what ifs".


Divorce & Break Ups Happen

Sometimes it meant to be – two people were meant to be together but only for a few years. Sometimes two people don’t know how to communicate and they don’t bother to learn how. Sometimes one is simply a jerk. If you have kids make sure she he knows the break up / divorce has nothing to do with ‘because of them’.


Having a kid will change your life and having a child never guarantees that it will make a relationship work or make it a stronger relationship. No matter how you plan and no matter how much you think you know, having a child will change everything including the relationship. Don’t have kids simply because it is the society accepted next move in a relationship. On the same token, having a child will not keep him (or her) in the relationship.


You Choose Your Destination.

Choose your destination. The path may change slightly or dramatically but choose one from the start. If the destination needs altering, do so. But make a choice and feel confident about it. The time to experiment is now before you die with regrets and or before your obligations restrict the amount of experimenting your able to do. Choose a path that makes you feel good and one you can be happy about.


Learn A Language.

Unfortunately, most schools are still teaching Spanish and French. Spanish is only slightly needed but the business world is changing and if you want to succeed you need to change with it. Learn Japanese, Chinese, Indonesian, Arabic or Persian. Most of the world knows English but these countries are the face of the new economy, unfortunately US schools are still stuck in the 70s.

Education Is Necessary


Education is an indispensable asset. At a time when educational policies are being harshly criticized now is the time to get an education and to further your education. Nothing will propel your success further than education. Numerous studies consisting of hiring managers said they would fire a educated employee over one who has no higher educational training. Furthermore, the minority of educated people will pass laws and elect officials who promote their own bought interests of the elite rather than the general population. Education is necessary