Archive for the ‘ Dissertation ’ Category

HFT paper?

Still ill and getting both better and worse. Just came across this AP article on high-frequency traders (HFTs). This paragraph seems like the seed of an interesting paper or thesis. To spot opportunities and act on them before others, HFTs are constantly hunting for faster computers. They also locate themselves close to the big exchanges’ data centers. [ READ MORE ]

Union fragmentation

Now that the new layout makes the byline more prominent, I felt that I should try to live up to it. So here is the current dilemma I’m facing (other than not getting work done because I have involuntarily become a daycare dad): I’ve been arguing that progressive unionism created political unity among longshoremen all along [ READ MORE ]

Progress!

After a couple of days of correcting data issues and consequently learning a few new tricks with PostGIS that will come in handy in the long run, I am pleased to announce that this evening I ran my first simplified test regression with my data for 1970. I chose a random SIC code (15–), which [ READ MORE ]

Progress

Things have been going on around here, but I’m not going to blame them for my slipping behind my dissertation time line. I blame the overly ambitious time line and more interesting content I’ve been dealing with. I got together a good chapter outline with a fairly detailed sketch of how to write it out, but [ READ MORE ]

Jacobs Mud Wrestling with Moses

The NYTimes reports on a new book on Wrestling With Moses: How Jane Jacobs Took On New York’s Master Builder and Transformed the American City. I’m sure it’s a worthwhile read, but it’s one that’ll have to wait. I’m deep into the technological emergence of containerization…a place I should have been a couple of years [ READ MORE ]

New regime

This morning I took the first step toward a new regime…at least for the bulk of the coming month. Yesterday I found myself writing to Babo that if things continued as they have been going, I’ll never get anything done. By chance I had the opportunity to ask Susan Fainstein for tips on juggling children and [ READ MORE ]

Containerization adoption

I have just finished making a (simple) graph of the total volume of containers handled in all ports listed in Containerization International Yearbook. In technology/science studies, there is a common wisdom that technology adoption takes the form of an S-curve. Initially actors are slow to implement a new innovation. Then, when it’s superiority over previous [ READ MORE ]

Graphs

Now that I’ve finished my tasty morning oatmeal (a new habit since my doctor told me my cholesterol was clocking in at 135), I’m pleased to announce that I’ve produced my first dissertation-related plots. I’ve been collecting some data on and off for the last year, but I’ve been perpetually distracted and unsuccessful in actaully [ READ MORE ]

New start?

I may be high on lack of sleep and caffiene. And that may be a good thing. I finally finished Thomas Hughes groundbreaking but slightly tedious Networks of Power yesterday. The two page epilogue and an article by Bernward Joerges have set me on fire. It’s not the writing so much as the realization that [ READ MORE ]

First interview

Well, yesterday I did my first interview for my dissertation. It was highly informative and has provided with slightly new language that ties my project in with current preparations for the renewal of T4, the transportation bill. That language is one that tries to distinguish a project that serves local or regional constituencies and a [ READ MORE ]