That was Then... This is Now

MGT 330 - Using ChatGPT for Drawing an E-R Diagram

2025-05-14T11:49:00.000-07:00

According to the Project Management Institute, generative AI tools may be used in the development process for certain repetitive tasks such as creating documentation or diagrams. This semester in my MGT 330 Project Management class I decided to offer ChatGPT as an alternative to the more tradidional means we have used for several of the weekly assignments and Milestones. Here is one example where we used ChatGPT to create an "Entity-Relationship" diagram. For this Milestone, we entered a prompt similar to the one below then additional information pertaining to the case. I chose to use PowerPoint to draw the actual diagram using the Entities and Relationships suggested:

“draw an entity relationship diagram for customer places order”

Sure! Here's a description of how the Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) for "Customer places an Order" could look:

Entities:

Customer

Attributes:

CustomerID (Primary Key)
Name
Email
Phone Number
Address

Order

Attributes:

OrderID (Primary Key)
OrderDate
TotalAmount
CustomerID (Foreign Key)

Product

Attributes:

ProductID (Primary Key)
Name
Price
StockQuantity

OrderDetail

Attributes:

OrderDetailID (Primary Key)
OrderID (Foreign Key)
ProductID (Foreign Key)
Quantity
Price

Relationships:

Customer - Order

One-to-many relationship (one customer can place many orders)
Represented as:

One Customer can have many Orders
Each Order is placed by one Customer

Order - OrderDetail

One-to-many relationship (one order can contain multiple products)
Represented as:

One Order can have many OrderDetails
Each OrderDetail corresponds to one Order

Product - OrderDetail

Many-to-one relationship (a product can be part of multiple order details)
Represented as:

One Product can appear in many OrderDetails
Each OrderDetail is associated with one Product

Explanation:

A Customer can place multiple Orders, so there is a one-to-many relationship between Customer and Order.
An Order can contain multiple Products, and this is managed through the OrderDetail entity, which links Order and Product. The OrderDetail contains information about the quantity and price of each product in the order.

And here is the E-R diagram I drew in PowerPoint based on the ChatGPT output:

Excel’s Power Query Editor and Power BI

2025-03-16T13:20:00.000-07:00

Power Query is found within both Excel and Power BI, helping users to transform and clean up their data before they analyze it. With Power Query, you can easily connect to data sources like Excel worksheets, external databases, websites, and even Cloud services. Once connected, you can import data and perform a wide range of data transformations.

Data Cleaning: Clean up messy or redundant data. Power Query can help clean up by removing duplicates, correcting errors, and standardizing formats.
Data Transformation: Power Query lets you pivot, unpivot, merge, and append tables to get your data ready for analysis.
Columns: Add calculated columns or split existing columns. Similar to the way we do it in Excel, Power Query makes it easy to perform various operations.
Data Merging: Power Query can merge data from separate tables or files into a single large dataset for analysis.

Power Query records all the steps you take to transform your data so if your data changes, you can refresh your query with just a mouse click. In addition, Power Query is user-friendly. You don't have to be able to write code to use it effectively for example.

Power Pivot is a function within Microsoft Excel that allows you to create a Data Model and establish Relationships between tables just like a Relational Database. Power Pivot also lets you calculate KPI’s. As of early 2025, not all versions of Excel supported Power Pivot.

To run the Power Query Editor from within Excel, place the cursor at cell A1 of the table or data range and select “Data | From Table/Range” as shown in the example below:

This opens the table in the Power Query Editor. From here you can add or delete columns or rows, transform your data, remove any errors, or even calculate basic statistics. When you are done, just click “Close & Load” in the upper-left corner of your screen:

The screenshot below shows a Query imported into Power BI from Excel. We have added a column in order to calculate Total Value:

It’s very easy to create charts, graphs, and even maps in Power BI. They are called “Visualizations.” If you already know Excel, most of your skills should transfer over. Ranges are defined much like in Excel. But there are many more styles of charts and graphs to choose from. Unlike Excel, the graphs in Power BI are interactive. Select a Visualization and choose the Data you want to display over on the right. The chart or graph shows up on the screen where it can be resized or edited as necessary. Save your work as a dashboard with a “.pbix” extension:

AI Predictions for 2025

2025-01-01T08:55:00.000-08:00

Although over the last two or three years, AI has made a significant impact on society, in 2025 AI is set to transform businesses, changing the way we work and live. The tech newsletter OpenTools has made the following predictions for 2025:

Greater Focus

In 2025, AI apps will become highly specialized. Businesses will start to use AI to solve specific problems within industries. Healthcare, for example, is going to see huge advancements in diagnostic AI, while industries like manufacturing will use AI to predict maintenance needs, keeping things running smoothly without costly breakdowns.

Generative AI

Generative AI in 2025 will become even more powerful. Whether it’s used for creating content, developing code, or designing new products, businesses will be leveraging generative AI to innovate faster and more efficiently than ever before. I’m particularly excited about how AI will enhance creative industries, opening up new possibilities for content creators across the board.

Ethics

As AI usage continues to grow, so will the conversation about ethics. We will likely see the development of stronger governmental and industry guidelines and frameworks to ensure AI is used responsibly. There will be a greater emphasis on transparency, data privacy, and minimizing bias in AI models—important steps that will help build trust in these technologies.

Automation

AI will continue to automate work—but it's not all doom and gloom. The primary benefit will be AI apps being used for repetitive tasks, allowing humans to focus on the creative and strategic work that machines can’t replicate. There will be shift toward “AI-human collaboration” in the workplace, where humans work alongside AI.

Everyday Life

By the end of 2025, AI will be so integrated into our daily routines that we’ll likely forget that it’s there. From smarter personal assistants to AI-powered healthcare apps offering personalized advice, it’s going to seem like AI is just an “invisible helper” working in the background, making everything run more smoothly.

Generative AI and the Future of Work

2024-12-05T14:23:00.009-08:00

2024 At least 40% of the global workforce has already been exposed to AI. Findings were skewed in favor of more highly developed economies (60%) vs emerging economies (26%) due in large part to the prevalence of white collar, service-oriented jobs in those regions – International Monetary Fund, 2024.

2025 Generative AI is projected to bring $200 billion USD to global education – Morgan Stanley, 2023.

2026 Over 75% of businesses will use generative AI to create synthetic customer data, up from less than 5% in 2023. Introducing synthetic data into models enables organizations to simulate environments and identify new product development opportunities, especially in highly regulated industries – Gartner, 2024.

2027 More than 50% of the generative AI models that enterprises use will be specific to either an industry or business function – Gartner, 2024. Six in ten workers will require retraining, but only half of workers are seen to have access to adequate training opportunities today – World Economic Forum, 2023.

2028 At least 30% of generative AI implementations will be optimized using energy-conserving computational methods, driven by sustainability initiatives – Gartner, 2024.

2030 Activities that account for up to 30% of hours currently worked across the US economy could be augmented—a trend accelerated by generative AI. However, we see generative AI enhancing the way STEM, creative, and business and legal professionals work rather than eliminating a significant number of jobs outright – McKinsey.

2045 Minimum of 19% of the workforce could have over 50% of their tasks augmented by AI – World Economic Forum, 2023.

Source: Adobe 2024 Creative AI Jobs Report

Blockchain for Beginners

2023-08-03T10:22:00.010-07:00

Recently I've gotten a lot of questions about what a "Blockchain" is and how it works. If you are already familiar with databases and encryption, there is a great deal of highly technical information available on this topic. The following post is intended for those who are just starting out.

Who hasn't heard of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin? Or NFT's? Maybe you have even invested in them? One thing they all have in common is a database technology called "Blockchain." Data security and integrity are of the highest importance in financial transactions and blockchain is one way we can guarantee this. To understand the way it works, it helps to think of a single Block like a spreadsheet containing data. A collection of these blocks is a called a “Blockchain.”

Similar in structure to a ledger, the blockchain is distributed in nodes across a computer network. Each node on the network contains a copy of the entire blockchain. The first block is always numbered “Block 0” and is known as the “Genesis Block.” The “hash” is a randomly generated Hexadecimal number which may be up to 256 bits long. Since the hash generated is unique to the data, it acts very much like a “fingerprint.” This makes a hash useful for verifying the integrity of data sent through public communication channels like the Internet. The Genesis Block is a special case in that it does not reference a previous block. The diagram below shows the basic structure of a blockchain:

The blockchain is updated automatically. Once a set number of approved transactions have been completed, a new block is created. This new block is linked to the chain using the previous block's hash as shown above. Unlike other structures, no centralized database server is required to instruct the other computers on the network to create the new block containing data. Once the blockchain is updated it can not be changed. It is impossible to forge, making it very secure for online transactions. Only new entries may be added to a blockchain.

In order to conduct a transaction (such as a Bitcoin payment) you will need to have a Digital Wallet and a Private Key. The private key is a string of random numbers known only to you. For security purposes, this number must be kept secret. You sign the message using your private key. This “two-key” system dates as far back as the mid-1970’s and forms the basis for encryption and cryptography today.

Finally, the encrypted payment or transaction is uploaded to the network. If it is valid, the data is stored inside a block where it can no longer be altered.

Auto Incorrect?

2023-04-01T10:39:00.006-07:00

Like pretty much everyone I used to find the “autocorrect” feature on my iPhone frustrating. I spent more time "correcting the corrections" in my texts than I did typing. Solution? Turn it off. That’s at least what I have done. But not everyone wants to go this route.

The whole idea was to make it easier to text quick replies to those you know. But occasionally an unintended and often embarrassing “substitution” goes through. Between friends that’s no big deal but when you are texting someone you don’t know well (such as a client) or someone in your company (like a boss), you never get a second chance to make a good impression. Worse, the “unintended” result can be insulting to the message recipient. Awkward at best. Loss of business? Maybe…

My own belief is that it’s better to be careful and make sure your message says exactly what it was supposed to say, before you send it, especially if it is business-related. A little extra time to reply is worth it to me.

USA Today has a great article on why Autocorrect so often gets it wrong and offers some helpful tips on what you can do for both the iPhone and Android.

Read it here.

2023 Security Risks: Kaspersky

2023-01-29T09:35:00.005-08:00

Kaspersky’s “Secure List” outlines what its digital forensics and incident response teams are predicting for this year as the main threats to corporations and government agencies. The most recent dangers are media blackmail, fake leaks, and cloud attacks.

Learn more here:

https://securelist.com/corporate-threat-predictions-2023/108456/

Thinking About an EV? - First Time Tesla Driver

2022-12-27T20:26:00.032-08:00

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, electric vehicles are here to stay. My own take is that the automotive industry has reached the “point of no return” and sooner or later we will all be driving one.

Difficult to estimate precisely but at least in the United States, I’m guessing it will be much longer than most people think until we reach that point. I’ve seen different figures on when but if you plan on buying another “gas powered” vehicle over the next few years you’ll be fine.

According to CNN, electric vehicle sales should overtake gas and diesel by 2040. Still a long way off but the trend is clear:

Problems such as short battery life, a lack of recharging stations, training of knowledgeable service personnel, and sometimes ugly styling are all being addressed. EV's aren't the novelty they once were even 10 years ago. For most of us it will just be “how cars work.” Taking it all for granted just as we have done for over 100 years with "ordinary" fuel powered cars. Motorsports I believe will likely continue to use fuel powered vehicles for many years but it’s possible in the not so distant future this will change too. Right now, I can’t imagine a “silent” Indy 500 or U.S. Nationals without nitro.

Tesla is probably who most of us think of first when we think “electric.” Maybe you already own one or know someone who has one. They’re all over the place where I live (Zionsville, IN). But just four or five years ago I had only seen Tesla’s on YouTube and one very nice black “Model S” down in Franklin, TN (just outside Nashville) where my wife and I stopped on our way back from Florida. We have come far enough that there’s now a Supercharger station where we go grocery shopping.

Indianapolis, of course, has its own Tesla dealership and service center. It seems common these days for people to order them online at mall kiosks and through their computers. I don't know if that would work for me as I have always taken everything I've ever owned out for a test drive first. There’s no substitute for hands on driving experience for identifying potential problems. After watching a review of the Tesla “S Plaid” and its spectacular performance, I knew these cars were now serious contenders and made it a point to actually drive one when I had a day off.

Arriving at the dealer late on a Wednesday morning, the building looked more like a service center but had a small showroom with a “Model 3” on display. The salespeople were very friendly and answered all my questions about “EV’s” and Tesla’s in particular. There was no pressure to buy one now or rush my decision. My salesperson used the one in the showroom to show me how it all worked, especially the large screen in the center. Everything is controlled through this. Everything. My first thought was that it looked like a giant iPad. He also demonstrated the phone app and correct placement of the key card. Good to know because you aren't going anywhere if you don't do this right!

After my “orientation” we went outside and got in the blue Model 3 pictured below. It felt like I was back in high-school driver’s ed. After adjusting everything using the touchscreen, I pulled the stalk on the steering column down into D and off we went. The Tesla will slow down and stop when you take your foot off the accelerator. You don't need to press the brake. But I did anyway. At least the first couple of times this happened. I soon got used to it however. Overall, acceleration and handling were great compared to other mid-size cars I’ve driven. The “performance” version of the Model 3 is supposed to do 0-60 in under 4 seconds. Faster than many sports cars.

The Model S “Plaid” would beat my Corvette ZR1 in a drag race. And just about every other car on the road. Its electric motors deliver 1020 horsepower and 1050 pound feet of torque. That is real power. Trains have used electric traction motors for years. I'm surprised no one ever mentions that.

If you, like me, have never driven an EV before, the biggest thing missing from the experience it seemed was the audible “feedback” from a high revving engine and “downshift” right before the car takes off when you are passing someone on the highway. This car just goes… and goes. No matter what speed you are at. It just goes. But the feeling of control was there. The showroom Model 3 was also the first Tesla I’d ever seen up close or sat in. Unfortunately, I have heard a fair amount of complaining on social media about the lack of quality and poor fit. From my perspective the car looked great! Everything appeared to be well made and “tight” And the seats were sustainable “vegan” leather.

One thing I couldn’t get used to however was the lack of any speedometer, gauges, range, or driver information on my side. The “S” and “X” models both have a driver display. The “3” and “Y” do not. Instead, there was a beautiful woodgrain panel where the speedometer should have been. Weird. At least to me. A “dealbreaker”? Probably. True, everything is accessible through the large center screen, but I found myself distracted too often. I do like the screen as a “control center” however. Very easy to use. I think most drivers would have no problem with it. I read somewhere that over 70% of Tesla owners are 34 or younger and 33% have a Master's degree or Ph.D. Technology is not an issue here. But I was wondering what happens when it goes dark or hangs up? Do you have to “reboot” the car? This is not unique to Tesla. It’s apparent that all vehicles, gas or electric, are heading in this direction with driver information displays so every manufacturer will have similar issues.

Of course once I got home I visited Tesla’s website and configured a black Model S “Plaid” with a black carbon fiber interior and 21” rims. The Plaid comes with a “yoke” steering wheel which I did not get to try out but have seen them on YouTube. I think I’d be fine with it. Just one click away and my new ride would be on its way to my dealer in Indy. For just $250 down right now!

It will probably be at least a couple of years before I decide to go “all in” on EV’s. If you are thinking about getting an EV of any kind I hope you will take your time and research what’s out there. Drive one. Learn about charging and battery life. Compare models. Many of the reasons against going electric that you see on Social Media are based on outdated battery technology and older vehicles. Over the next few years all the major car makers will be offering electric vehicles so there will be a lot to choose from. Have fun!

Cyber Monday Deals Still Available

2022-11-29T09:26:00.017-08:00

I never go shopping on "Black Friday" or "Cyber Monday." Why? I just don't. Too much hassle and too busy most of the time... Also, whenever I decide that I need or want something, I want it NOW! That's what Amazon is for. However, many of my friends live for these days. If you feel like you missed out this year, no worries, there are going to be great deals around all through the holidays. According to PCMag some things are still on sale. There's a few items on this list I'd be interested in. And I'm sure there's many more out there!

HP Victus Intel i5 GTX 1650 15.6" 144Hz Gaming Laptop $589.99 (Reg $830)
Beats Studio Buds Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds $99.99 (Reg $150)
65" Vizio V-Series Class 4K Smart TV $449.99 (Reg $630)
Meta Quest 2 + Resident Evil 4 Bundle $349.99 (Reg $400)
iRobot Roomba 675 Wi-Fi Connected Robot Vacuum $174.99 (Reg $280)
Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Generation) $14.99 (Reg $40)
Amazon Fire TV Stick $19.99 (Reg $40)
Philips Sonicare 4100 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush $29.99 (Reg $50)

Check out these deals and more at: https://www.pcmag.com/deals/target-cyber-monday-deals

PCMag's Online Safety Checklist

2022-10-27T14:46:00.004-07:00

Writing in the October 25 issue of PCMag, Security Analyst Kim Key has created a comprehensive checklist for beginners and advanced users alike. Often, in the interest of time or the belief that "it won't happen to me..." we take shortcuts or skip important steps altogether. The "bad guys" know this and are waiting.

Looking over the items, I have to "call myself out" for not using a Password Manager consistently and for almost never using passwords of 20 characters in length. Other than that, I did pretty good!

How did you do?

PCMag's Online Safety Checklist

Download and install a password manager on your computers and internet-connected devices.
Create new, unique passwords with at least 20 characters using the password manager.
Install antivirus software on all your internet-connected devices.
Check to make sure your antivirus software is running.
Update your antivirus software.
Update your web browser.
Install any patches or updates for your mobile devices and computers.
Back up your data to an offline source (physical media such as an external hard drive) and store it securely.
Don't click on links in emails and messages from senders you don't recognize.
Don't open files attached to emails and messages from senders you don't recognize.
Don't send money online to anyone you've never met in person.
Don't overshare news about your family, job, vacation, or other personal life events on public social media sites.
Always hover over links you receive via email or messages to check URLs for misspellings and other flags that could be malicious.
Always turn on multi-factor authentication for your online accounts.
Always log out of your account after using a public or shared computer.
Always protect your mobile devices with a passcode or biometric authentication.

Read the article and download the list here:

https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/ramp-up-your-cybersecurity-with-pcmags-online-safety-checklist

Emerging Tech Showcase: Workforce Transformation for Industry 4.0 & Smart Manufacturing

2022-09-30T08:05:00.004-07:00

Industry 4.0 and Smart Manufacturing are reshaping the way we work in advanced manufacturing and logistics. These technologies are creating a world where manufacturing productivity and quality can be continually optimized through data analysis and automation that learns as it goes. The deployment of new technologies mean changes within your workforce as current workers are required to learn new and more technical skills.

November 2, be sure to join Conexus, Ivy Tech Community College, and Amatrol to learn how the organizations are reskilling the AML workforce via Amatrol’s state-of-the-art, smart manufacturing training technology and Ivy Tech’s newly developed Smart Manufacturing and Digital Integration programs and employer partnerships that build training and apprenticeship programs to align training with company needs.

https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5062615954224043788

In-App TikTok Browser Security Concerns

2022-08-23T15:47:00.005-07:00

According to PCMag Security Watch, a researcher recently discovered that TikTok's in-app browser injects JavaScript into external websites, causing potential security risks. This is just the latest security problem for the social media giant, which is still facing scrutiny from US lawmakers after leaked audio revealed the video hosting service may have been sharing US user data with China.

TikTok is owned by a Chinese company. Given the political tension between the two countries, it's unsurprising that many US-based news media outlets jumped at the chance to report on security researcher Felix Krause's findings. On his website, Krause says his tests show that when a user opens a webpage inside TikTok's iOS app, the in-app browser injects a code that subscribes to all keyboard inputs and every tap on the screen. Krause states, "We can’t know what TikTok uses the subscription for, but from a technical perspective, this is the equivalent of installing a keylogger on third-party websites."

A TikTok spokesperson admitted the app injects JavaScript into websites but insisted, "Contrary to the report's claims, we do not collect keystroke or text inputs through this code, which is solely used for debugging, troubleshooting, and performance monitoring."

Read the entire article here

Fix the Most Annoying Things in Windows

2022-07-28T09:03:00.008-07:00

Windows 11 may be the best edition of Microsoft's OS so far. Version 10 was an improvement. Windows XP perhaps was the longest lived and most loved and many users such as myself would like to forget their experiences with Vista. It's hard to believe that Windows 3.1 came out over 30 years ago. That was the first version I ever used... anyone remember Solitaire?

For history buffs, Version 1.0 was released back in 1985!

Fortunately, many issues with both 10 and 11 are easily corrected. This article by Eric Griffith from PCMag lists the steps you can take to keep everything running smoothly. Highly recommended.

Long Ago? Or Not... How The 80's to The Present is Perceived on Social Media

2022-06-20T16:54:00.005-07:00

Forty years? It can't be! Generation Y was originally defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as 1982-2000. "Millennials" are turning 40 this year. A number of posts on Social Media express the “perception” that looking back at 1982 from our present day somehow seems like a shorter time period than does say, the 1980's to the 1940's. Although each time period spans 40 years, somehow "the eighties" don’t seem as far away to these commenters. This survey was undertaken to get an idea of how many actually feel that way as well as to uncover possible reasons for this perception of time.

Marketers using social media can take advantage of this connection with the past to reach members of Generation X and Generation Y in particular who may have strong associations with “retro” 80’s culture and feelings of nostalgia.

The first question asked: Ignoring the fact that both time periods are 40 years; based on your own experiences do you find this perception of time to be accurate? i.e. Do you agree with the statement “the 1980's don’t really seem that long ago”? Answers were a simple “Yes” or “No.”

Among 139 respondents, over 70% agreed that “the 1980’s don’t really seem that long ago.” This data appears consistent with my own informal observations regarding comments on various Social Media platforms:

The remaining questions centered on gathering data about age, generational identity, education, income, social media usage, computer experience, and the various social media sites most frequently used. Respondents were ages 18-65. There were 10 questions.

Overall, respondents appeared well educated with over 30% possessing a Master’s Degree or Doctorate:

Average income was estimated to be just over $70,000:

Approximately 85% used social media regularly:

Most respondents spent at least 10 hours per week online and approximately 9% spent more than 50 hours:

The following social media apps were identified as being the most popular:

* Multiple responses were allowed.

Just under two thirds of respondents rated themselves as “Average” with almost one third considering themselves “Expert”:

The final question was “If you answered Yes to Q1, why do you think this is?” Responses varied. Here are the ones that were most interesting:

Because the 1980's were a part of my life, whereas the 1940's were not.

Stark difference between the 40s and the 80s, not nearly as much difference between the 80s and now.

Personally lived during that time and experienced growing up in the 80’s. Very immediate and personal so naturally as it is a living, real memory to me, it seems more immediate in time.

Because that’s the ages I relate to. Nobody relates to 1940, no nostalgia for us 40 year old’s to look into for those years.

I have a good memory of things that happened 40 years ago so it can’t have been that long ago.

It just doesn’t seem like we are that removed from the 80’s yet - doesn’t seem like it was 40 years ago.

I think years actually experienced seem closer than those only read about. I think the turn of century, returning to zero, makes the 80’s seem closer. But mostly, just being alive and present makes time seem shorter. The 40’s and 50’s seem further from the 80s because most people don’t remember them firsthand.

It feels as if it was all just 10 years ago. I feel as if tech has made it easier to hold on the years past.

Time is relative to the observer. There has been a huge jump in technology blurring the perception of time.

Pop culture from that time is still big.

80’s fashion, style, trends, and etc. are seen all the time daily on social media.

Possibly because of the everyday use of technology, or because the new millennium was a big deal then every year after was just a year, or perhaps it’s just because We’re older now and time seems to go faster the older you get.

I wasn’t even born in the 80’s and I feel that it was not that long ago.

From 1940 to 1980 the world went from radio and B&W to Walkman’s and Color TV.

I just feel like the impact the 80’s had on our culture is still really relevant today.

Time is an illusion. No, but really, I think it’s because there’s so much that went down in that time period AND we still have a lot of people around that experienced that time period, it’s impossible for it to not be present. We hear stories about the 80’s a lot. Have a thousand repercussions on our present from that time. How can it feel so far away when we never quite let that time go?

Next, a “word cloud” analysis produced a visual summary of key terms based on the above open-ended responses:

Predictably “Generational Identity” was strongly correlated (.83) with Age. This chart shows the age distribution for each generation:

What is most interesting about the above chart is that a few of the responses fell outside the anticipated age range for each generation. There is a 30-34 year old for example identifying as a “Baby Boomer,” two 18-24 year old’s identifying as “GenX,” and even a few 40 and 50 something’s apparently identifying as “GenZ,” the youngest people in the survey. Were these mistakes? Possibly. But it may reflect something larger.

A casual review of “on-line” comment sections will reveal a great deal of diverse opinion and misunderstanding regarding the definitions and characteristics of each so called “generation.” On sites such as Twitter, YouTube, or TikTok these discussions frequently border on outright hostility. It is not uncommon to see proud identification with one’s own perceived generation and bitterness and blame toward all the others.

Compounding the issue further, no singular published definition exists about where each generation begins and ends. Consequently, there is a great deal of confusion and disagreement over what actually constitutes a “generation.” For example, it is not unusual to see many posters today identify as “GenX.” The widely accepted definition of this cohort typically runs from 1965 to the early 1980’s. But not everyone agrees with this. During the 2008 presidential campaign, various media outlets announced that Barack Obama would become the first “GenX” President. This was not entirely accurate as President Obama was born in 1961 and would actually be a member of the “Baby Boom” generation.

This confusion is not limited to GenX. Which years actually belong to Generation Y, better known as the “Millennial” generation, has not always been clear either as it has been redefined many times over in the media and popular culture. Originally defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as those born from 1982-2000, this age cohort is consistent with the 18 year span of the Baby Boomers. Again, a review of the comments section of any online news site will often uncover mischaracterizations of what actually constitutes a “Millennial.” Based on my own interactions on social media, there appears to be an even greater misunderstanding of the differences between GenY and GenZ. “Generation Z” would of course include those born after the turn of the century. All teenagers today would fall into this category. The oldest members of GenZ would be turning 21 this year. Recently, however, some organizations such as Pew Research have moved the start of GenZ back into the late to mid-1990’s further adding to the confusion between who is a member of GenZ and who is a Millennial.

I frequently encounter these misunderstandings in my own business interactions. Just a few years ago I was working as a consultant on a marketing project where the goal was to “target millennials” with first time home buying assistance and resources. I could see from their initial data that the company was clearly looking only at older teens and early “twentysomethings.” I asked what they thought Millennials were. The person organizing the ad campaign (who appeared to be in his early to mid 30’s) replied “you know, like your students...” I pointed out that most likely he and I were both “Millennials.” He gave me a strange look so I explained that Generation Y actually began somewhere in the early 1980’s. Some of us were now approaching 40 and had careers and families and already owned homes. I suggested he use an age range such as “18-24” as that would better represent the segment of the population he was seeking. Like many, he was confusing Millennials with “Generation Z” teenagers.

Curious, I asked him what generation he thought WE were and he said without hesitating: “Baby Boomers.” I was caught off guard by this expecting perhaps “GenX.” But his comment made me realize why I see others making similar mistakes. There is a lot of disinformation out there. Watching TV the other day I noticed an ad for “retirement planning for baby boomers.” The target age: “45 and over.” 45? Really? Better not tell my GenX friend born in 1977 that she’s a “Boomer.” Likewise, others in business who are trying to reach out to younger consumers seem to be just as confused. The other day I heard a radio ad offering help selling to “adults, teens, and millennials...” There is a widely circulated “clickbait” ad promoting life insurance to those “Born Before 1985.” I’ll let you draw your own conclusions:

Source: Twitter @ChristopherFowler #ageismwatch

But the misunderstandings don’t stop there. My own personal experiences on social media have also lead me to believe that “OK Boomer” when used as a pejorative actually means “anyone over 29 you don’t agree with.” And I am careful to avoid using the term “Xennial” altogether. Here’s why: While the attempt to explain a certain very narrow age group who had access to early technology, cell phones, and the Internet but without the universal use of smart phones and social media that today’s teenagers enjoy is appreciated, I believe there will always be some overlap between those at the beginning and end of every “generation.” Arbitrarily creating labels only adds to the existing confusion. Ironically, the only generation to ever be officially “named” was in fact the Baby Boom generation which spanned 1946-1964. All the other generations have been subject to change and interpretation.

One solution to the problem is to simply use age categories of perhaps five, or maybe ten, years. At least for my own research and consulting this has worked well and avoids anything that might be “triggering.” Using clearly defined categories allows greater focus and better representation of who exactly is being included rather than using an overly broad definition or terminology which no one seems to understand. For example, most of us who are in our 30’s probably share more in common with our parents when they were 35 than we do with our “teenage” selves. Designing a survey to target ages “30-39” would make more sense in this case then saying “Millennials.” Even the term “older millennial” may carry negative connotations and is subject to misinterpretation.

Finally, supporting the original idea that we do in fact tend to perceive the last four decades as recent history, there were differences for each Generation between those who felt the 1980’s seemed “closer” than 40 years and answered “Yes” to Question 1 than for those who answered “No.” Perhaps not surprisingly, the smallest difference was for GenZ who were not born until well after the 80’s ended and would have no memory of the decade. For them “the awesome 80’s” may indeed seem a long time ago:

The differences in answers to Question 1 were not statistically significant (p <= .05) when compared across all four Generations. However, when “Baby Boomers/GenX” and “Millennials/GenZ” were combined and compared, there was in fact found to be a significant difference (p <= .05) regarding their responses. Finally, the highest level of significance (p <= .01) was when responses between the youngest and oldest Generations (GenZ and Baby Boomers) were compared directly.

Whatever one decides to call this effect, the question regarding the perception of time is reflected in the way people identify with (and react to) what they see on social media and should be considered when designing advertising content. Using specific age categories rather than labels would eliminate any subjective bias toward a particular generation and allow content creators to better focus on consumers within a specific age demographic. Researchers trying to better understand age and cultural differences regarding past experiences may also benefit from considering this perception of time. Marketers trying to promote a product or service effectively to people say, 25 or older, can use these memories and associations from the past 40 years to develop an effective strategy. Especially one designed for social media where the 1980’s continue to live on.

https://www.census.gov/newsroom/archives/2015-pr/cb15-113.html

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/obamas-generation-x-factor/

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/01/17/where-millennials-end-and-generation-z-begins/

https://www.purewow.com/family/what-is-a-xennial

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/baby_boomer.asp

Indy 500 Technology Update

2022-05-27T16:16:00.004-07:00

This Sunday, the 2022 Indy 500 will give many race fans their first look at several technology upgrades implemented at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The most obvious one is the huge 104’ by 20’ video screen mounted on the rear of the pagoda. This screen will provide live coverage of action happening all around the track, as well as detailed information about race teams during the running of the race.

Fans will also notice display boards that show the running order of the cars on the seven large monitors located in the infield. 20 smaller video boards have been installed throughout grandstand and other seating areas.

Another significant technology upgrade is complete 5G cellular service along with nearly 600 new digital antennas located throughout the speedway grounds. The 2022 race will be the first to have “full capacity” attendance since the pandemic and will test the capability of the new network for race attendees.

Still more technological changes are expected for the 2023 Indy 500. For example, the position numbers installed at the top of the pagoda are no longer working due to weather damage and are unlikely to be repaired since the manufacturer no longer supports or makes the parts for the display. While this replacement is still in the early in the planning stages, it’s possible that some kind of digital display could be used to replicate the “retro” style of the position numbers. If you take a look at older pictures of the “500” from the 1980’s or earlier you will see examples of this on the old scoring pylon along the front straightaway.

HALO Trust Maps in Ukraine

2022-04-30T19:43:00.003-07:00

As the conflict in Ukraine continues, a many organizations have gathered in Rzeszow, Poland to aid displaced people and begin rebuilding as soon as the fighting stops. The initial step was mapping the damage to prioritize the reconstruction and resettlement necessary to safely return Ukrainians to their homes. Over the first month of the conflict, more than 4 million people have fled the country, and an estimated 6.5 million people are internally displaced.

For The HALO Trust (HALO), the largest demining organization in the world, the mapping effort is focused on identifying the presence of explosive remnants of war as well as damage to homes and infrastructure. The HALO team is using a geographic information system (GIS) to detail the impacts and the ongoing dangers.

“What we do is critical to reconstruction and resettlement post-conflict, because you cannot just deal with the damage straight away,” said Luan Jaupi, head of information and communications technology at The HALO Trust. “We enable other humanitarian organizations and national authorities to safely conduct their activities by informing them where it’s safe to go and making places safe by clearing the explosives that are littered around.”

Social media and commercial satellite imagery have allowed the world to see and document Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. These so-called open-source intelligence sources differ from classified intelligence that can only be shared through diplomatic channels.

“We’re collecting information from internet sources such as Twitter, Telegram, and Facebook,” said Jesse Hamlin, global GIS and database officer at The HALO Trust. “We’re finding lots of tanks and armored personnel carriers that have been destroyed, and they’re potentially booby-trapped with landmines around them. We’re also seeing mines being littered across a road and vehicles just driving past them, because there’s a panic to get out.”

HALO’s explosive ordnance experts review a variety of datasets flowing into its database from social media and news outlets, verify whether the data is relevant to the mine action sector, identify the model of the munitions if possible, and then place the dangers on a smart map to be shared with others.

Read the full article here.

Tips for Blocking Mobile Tax Scammers

2022-03-31T11:24:00.005-07:00

April 18th is Tax Day! Time to be on the lookout for scammers who want to trick you into giving out your personal information and taking your money. Since late last year, you might have noticed an increase in calls, emails, or texts from people posing as government officials or tax service representatives. According to research from RoboKiller, there was a 24% increase in IRS and Social Security related spam text messages between January and February. Some of the increase can be traced back to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic as scammers got more aggressive in taking advantage of people trapped at home or receiving unemployment benefits.

Anyone can become a target of a tax scam if they don't pay close attention to the messages they receive over the phone. Kim Key writing in PCMag this week discussed this year’s particularly bad phishing epidemic with Giulia Porter, a vice president at Teltech. Her company makes an app called RoboKiller, designed to block spam calls.

Porter says although anyone can be a target, it’s often the elderly caught off guard by these phishing attacks. “Some of this technology, particularly texting, is newer and a little more unknown to older people. Scammers are obviously taking advantage of that,” she said. “Scammers also tend to target areas that have an older population. So for example, Florida, Texas, and more southern states tend to have a higher volume of spam calls.”

Key lists five tips for Protecting Yourself From Tax Scam Messages:

1. Consider the Method of Communication

U.S. government entities usually communicate with taxpayers via email or snail mail. The IRS even has a phishing warning page that includes frequently asked questions about contact from the organization. Porter said the IRS and Social Security offices typically do not call or text private citizens. “Normally you won't hear from the IRS or Social Security unannounced, “she said. “If there is an issue with your account, typically you'll receive multiple forms of communication, such as mail that comes to your house notifying you of changes. Always remember that if the IRS is calling you out of the blue, it's pretty unlikely that it is a legitimate call.”

2. Ignore Threats in Calls and Texts

Criminals often offer their victims a short period of time to pay up, counting on a victim’s ignorance of the tax process or fear of incarceration to get the crooks the money or information they seek. “Typically a scammer says something like, ‘If you don't pay the taxes you owe, then you'll go to prison in seven days,’" Porter said, "so if there's any talk that's really urgent within the call or text itself, make note of that.”

3. Stop Answering Calls and Texts From Unknown Numbers

I know it seems like a waste of a mobile phone plan, but Porter recommends that you don’t pick up the phone as often to answer calls from people you don’t know. Spam callers are prolific, and it may be easier to let the calls from numbers you don’t recognize go straight to voicemail.

4. Keep Your Info to Yourself

“Don't provide any sort of personal financial information over the phone," Porter said. "For texts, we always recommend not replying. Don't click on links.” Porter also noted that if you’re curious to see if other people received these texts, you can type the message verbatim into a search engine online. That said, just because the exact wording of the message doesn’t appear in search results doesn’t mean it isn’t a scam. Play it safe. Don’t reply and don’t click any included links.

5. Use an App to Block the Spam

Several apps in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store are designed to stop scammers before they can trick you out of your money or personal information. PCMag has a list of the best third-party apps for blocking unknown callers, including Hiya, RoboKiller, and Truecaller.

If you think you’ve been a victim of a tax-related scam, the FTC does allow you to file a complaint with anything suspicious, whether that's a robocall, a text, or an email. Unfortunately, and largely due to caller ID spoofing, robocalls and tax scams are basically untraceable. It’s very difficult to recoup lost funds from phone scams.

The best advice is to remain vigilant online and when using your smartphone. Never give out any personal information to anyone you don’t recognize.

You can read the entire article here.

End of The Five Day Workweek?

2022-02-28T14:17:00.006-08:00

This week in The Atlantic there was an interesting piece by Derek Thompson about the beginning of the end of the traditional 5 day work week for professionals. The idea is not new, I remember learning about possible 4 and even 3 day workweeks related to “knowledge work” way back in college. Now, in the 2020's so many other factors come into play. Changing priorities, maintaining a "work-life" balance," new enabling technologies, and of course the major disruption due to the Covid pandemic. It’s not surprising at all to me. Most of us have already been adjusting to something other than a typical 9-5, five days a week grind. Here’s a summary of the major points made by Thompson:

Many Americans still aren’t going back to the office even though other sector activity has picked up. According to data from Kastle Systems, office attendance is at just 33 percent of its pre-pandemic average. For tens of millions of knowledge-economy workers, the office is never coming all the way back.

Tech, media, and finance companies have basically stopped talking about their full return-to-office plans. “I talk to hundreds of companies about remote work, and 95 percent of them now say they’re going hybrid, while the other 5 percent are going full remote,” said Nick Bloom, an economics professor at Stanford University. After two years of working from home, employees don’t just prefer it. They also feel like they’re getting better at it. Despite widespread reports of burnout, self-reported productivity has increased steadily in the past year, according to his research.

Not every city is facing the same level of office abandonment. Occupancy rates in Houston, Austin, and Dallas have substantially and consistently outpaced those of coastal cities like New York and San Francisco. One plausible explanation is that remote work is partially sustained by COVID caution, and southern cities have a more laissez-faire attitude toward the pandemic than the bluest of the blue metros.

The majority of Americans still cannot and do not work remotely. But Bloom has identified at least three major implications of this long-term shift in office work:

1. The five-day workweek is dying.

According to Bloom’s research, the most popular model of hybrid work has employees in the office Tuesday through Thursday. “This model, with Friday through Monday out of office, is hugely attractive to new hires, and it’s become a key weapon for companies,” he said. “It’s not that everybody gets a four-day weekend, but rather it gives them flexibility to travel on Fridays and Mondays, while continuing to work.” Add it up—three days in the office for tech and media workers; four days in-person for hospital staff—and the five-day workweek seems endangered. Bloom suggested that schools might respond to these changes by offering teachers Monday or Friday off, which could be the nail in the coffin of the old-fashioned workweek.

2. The age of hybrid work is going to be a beautiful mess.

When the internet disrupted brick-and-mortar stores, the response from many retailers was: Make shopping an experience. Now the internet has disrupted brick-and-mortar offices, and the response from companies may be similar: Make the office an experience. "The one great advantage of the office is that it meets our tremendous desire for human contact,” Mitchell Moss, a professor of urban policy and planning at New York University, told me. If people are going to come back to the office multiple days a week, Moss said, the office will have to adapt. “Successful new offices will be like vertical yachts,” he said, “an experience that people seek out, with terraces, and outdoor areas, and fancy gyms, and places to eat.”

But return-to-office preferences are all over the place, and any one-size-fits-all policy is going to make a lot of people upset. According to Bloom’s survey data, more than 20 percent of respondents would prefer to work from home “rarely or never,” while more than 30 percent say they would prefer to stay home for the entire workweek. The most popular hybrid solution for employers—three days in the office for everybody—is the preference of just 14 percent of workers.

A chart showing responses to the question "How often would you like to have paid work-days at home post-COVID?" The hybrid total seeking at least 1 day a week is 45.3 percent, while 32 percent seek 5 days:

3. Cities are already starting to freak out.

If office occupancy never recovers, downtown areas will experience an extended ice age. Emptier offices will mean fewer lunches at downtown restaurants, fewer happy hours, fewer window shoppers, fewer subway and bus trips, and less work for cleaning, security, and maintenance services. This means weaker downtown economies and less taxable income for cities. For this reason, some of the most outspoken advocates for return-to-office these days aren’t chief executives, but rather politicians and state officials. “Business leaders, tell everybody to come back,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul said earlier this month. “Give them a bonus to burn the Zoom app.” New York City Mayor Eric Adams echoed those remarks. “New York City can’t run from home,” he said. “It’s time to get back to work.”

In New York, Boston, and San Francisco, subway ridership could be permanently depressed. That means that transit authorities might never recover from their pre-pandemic highs, and downtown areas might never recover the lost foot traffic from weekday shoppers. Sarah Feinberg, who served as interim president of the New York City Transit Authority until 2021, said she’s worried not only for the transit authority’s finances but also for the soul of the city. “It is important for offices to reopen and for white-collar workers to start commuting again,” Feinberg said. Remote work might be “good for the individual,” she added, but “we are in a very dark place if the only people who use transit are the people who actually have to show up to work in person, and the only places that make employees show up in person are the places that employ physical labor. That’s not a city I want to live in.”

It is, however, a city that many people want to live in. Rents in the New York area are skyrocketing, as people pour into Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Hoboken. A remote-work New York will not be the same place it was in 2019. Residential neighborhoods will bustle throughout the week, while Wednesdays in Midtown will feel like Sundays in Midtown used to. Some Manhattan offices will transform into apartments, alleviating the island’s housing crisis, while transit presidents will feel pressured to raise ticket prices, sadly punishing the low-income in-person workforce. The point is not that these things are all good or all bad but precisely that they are complicated. Americans really, really don’t want to go back to the office, and we are just beginning to feel the repercussions.

You may read the entire article here.

Stupid Comments?

2022-01-27T14:57:00.006-08:00

Happy New Year! To begin 2022, I'd thought I'd share something from 2015. As I spent much of the holidays reading about Omicron, Russia/Ukraine, President Biden, Cryptocurrencies, and everything else that's made the headlines, I've been especially troubled by the seeming lack of intelligence, rudeness, and bullying seen on "social media." It has become a "toxic" environment. Yes. Bad behavior has always been part of "The Internet" but it seems to be getting worse. Especially when it comes to commenting on an a news article or other post. It doesn't matter which platform or site. YouTube and TikTok often are singled out for criticism but you see it everywhere.

Fact: I have never observed quite the same behavior in real life. In my own classes we have frequent discussions over current issues pertaining to technology. We have seldom have had any problems. In my own career, I have sometimes been in heated arguments with other colleagues in meetings. Occasionally with a client or student. But no one has ever resorted to blatant insults or name calling. Or threatened the person they don't agree with with violence or bodily harm. To my recollection, every disagreement I've ever been in as an adult has been resolved without resorting to any of the above.

Of course back in grade school...

Many reasons for this have been offered: The anonymity of the Internet, the increasing "polarization" of society, the "immediacy" of typing in a quick response without thinking... Certainly all are probably true. One of my own issues regarding "comments" is that it seems as if you can't post anything thoughtful without some anonymous person singling out one little thing and taking exception to that while completely missing the point of everything else. Face-to-face, it's possible to discuss and respond to something that may need clarification. But the nature of social media, chatrooms, and discussion boards contribute to this problem. I can remember 90's era "forums," "chatrooms," and "bulletin boards" where a few users gleefully "flamed" other members for minor infractions or disagreement over something. I wasn't very old, but even back then, I knew something was wrong.

You may have noticed that I have turned my comments "off" on here. Mostly because I feel no need to provide a forum for "haters." Readers can (and do) email me about this blog. Many of my friends and colleagues follow it and ask me questions in real life. I enjoy hearing from my followers and email lets me respond seriously to questions instead of blocking or banning people.

My advice is to just "shut them down." Ask yourself why you are allowing comments anyway? To "grow" your business? To encourage "participation"? To get more "followers" or "likes"? Because you read "that's what you are supposed to do" somewhere? The last one is interesting. Has it ever occurred to you that the article you read was most likely written by someone who had a financial interest in promoting whatever it was? Clickbait anyone?

I understand. We all want to be perceived on "social media" as "young and cool and trendy" and "accepted." Not a "boomer." The current insult for anyone (from the way I've seen it used I would guess over 30) that you don't agree with. I have accounts on everything... But mostly just to stay connected. I don't post much on Instagram, or Facebook. Twitter is used mostly for sharing articles and other technical info with my students who follow me. TikTok? Well, you can read my post from a few months ago to see what I think of it... LOL

So, turn the comments off! If you own a business, your website and email should already be providing a means for customers to submit "feedback" and share customer complaints. Remember of course, to always promote "positive" customer experiences on your website. You will be more productive, have more free time, and feel better about yourself.

Here's the link to the article I was taking about earlier: https://www.upworthy.com/the-science-of-why-the-comment-section-on-just-about-anything-is-so-awful

Stay safe and sane out there!

Tech Companies Pull Out of CES 2022

2021-12-29T14:24:00.004-08:00

Amazon (AMZN), Meta (FB), T-Mobile (TMUS), Twitter (TWTR) and Pinterest (PINS) confirmed that they no longer plan to attend CES in Las Vegas January 5-8, citing health concerns over the recent spike in Covid-19 cases.

"The health and safety of our employees is our top priority. Due to the quickly shifting situation and uncertainty around the Omicron variant, we will no longer have an on-site presence at CES," Amazon spokesperson Sarah Sobolewski said in a statement.

"Out of an abundance of caution and care for our employees, we won't be attending CES in-person due to the evolving public health concerns related to COVID-19," Kamran Mumtaz, a spokesperson for Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook, said in a statement. "We will participate virtually as much as possible and continue to collaborate with the CTA around CES, which remains an important event for Meta, our clients and industry partners," Mumtaz added, referring to the Consumer Technology Association, which hosts the annual event.

Even before companies started pulling out, CES was expected to be smaller-than-usual this year. Still there are no plans to eliminate in-person attendance altogether. Instead, CTA plans to implement safety measures including vaccine, mask, and testing requirements. There will also be virtual conferencing for companies and attendees who can't attend.

"CES will still take place Jan 5-8 in Las Vegas with strong safety measures in place," the conference's media team said. "Thousands of entrepreneurs, businesses, media and buyers are planning to come to Las Vegas. Top leaders from federal and state and foreign governments are attending. And, we have received several thousand new registrants since late last week."

The upcoming event is set to be the first time CES welcomes back in-person attendees to its annual show since 2020, which took place just weeks before the Covid-19 outbreak became a full-blown pandemic.

In addition to challenges for the industry, the lack of participants may be bad news for the city of Las Vegas. In a normal year, the economic benefits of the show amount to around $291 million.

Telecom giant T-Mobile, a CES sponsor, released a statement last week announcing that it would withdraw from attending the show in person and that its CEO Mike Sievert would no longer give a keynote speech, either in person or virtually. "T-Mobile's entire team looks forward to an in-person CES 2023, which we hope includes an on-stage keynote in front of a live audience" the company said.

Source: CNN

Fake... But How Do You Know?

2021-11-27T11:45:00.002-08:00

How do you know if the information you get online can be trusted or not? There is no single, easy answer. Everyone who uses the Internet faces the same dilemma. In 2019, Pew Research Center conducted a poll of 6,127 adults in the US. They found that more Americans view made-up news as a bigger problem than terrorism, illegal immigration, racism, and sexism. Nearly seven-in-ten U.S. adults (68%) said made-up news and information greatly impacted confidence in government institutions, and just over half (54%) said it was having a major impact on our confidence in each other.

Verifying on-line information takes work on your part. And the “bad guys” can be very persuasive.

The first thing you can do is verify the source. For many organizations and individuals of note you will see a blue symbol with a checkmark next to their name if they have been verified on social media. This means they are who they say they are but it still doesn’t mean that their posts are accurate or unbiased.

As for “unverified” sources, I’m always wary of anything that is “forwarded” to me or shared by friends or relatives on social media. I typically trust my colleagues when it comes to academic or “work related“ info however. Tracking down rumors, misinformation, and “urban legends” can be hard work!

Second, check their website. The address should be understandable and consistent with who they are claiming to be. When you visit the website, take a look at the “about” section. For a news site, you should also be able to see the names of their reporters and often a brief biography or credentials.

If there’s a picture accompanying a news story or shared in a post, you can double check the photo with an image search. For example in Google, right click the photo then select “Search Google for image.” If your search turns up multiple websites or articles including the photo in question for unrelated stories, it’s probably a “commercial image” or possibly a fake. “Clickbait” ads are notorious for this. If on the other hand, only a few instances of the photo for the same story appear, it’s most likely legitimate.

“Fake News” and bad information is a real problem on the Internet. Many of these sites are trying to take advantage of you in order to make money. If it seems like a scam, it probably is. Still others are trying to “build their brand” or get “likes” so that they can become a bigger “influencer” online. This is especially true on social media apps. And a few people just want to gossip. Be very skeptical of anything you read in the comments section. That’s one reason I turn mine off.

Verifying information is something that all of us have to take responsibility for. The Internet has made the problem of false information worse. To help you out, here are some websites you can use to verify whether or not something you’ve read is correct:

PolitiFact

FactCheck.org

Washington Post Fact Checker

Snopes

Media Bias/Fact Check

AP Fact Check

Metaverse?

2021-10-30T10:32:00.009-07:00

With the announcement this week that Facebook was renaming itself “Meta” many people have been wondering exactly what the Metaverse is. Quite simply, the “Metaverse” despite all the hype, is just an open “virtual” or “augmented-reality” computer environment. Often associated with gaming or social media, metaverses have existed for decades. Many of you probably remember Second Life. Or maybe VR headsets and goggles from almost 30 years ago? Data suits from the 90's anyone?

The concept of a metaverse requires that it is persistent, always on, so it would have to be available on every device that connects to the Internet. That's where 5G networks come in. Facebook owns Oculus. It also plans to release AR-powered “smart” glasses in partnership with Ray-Ban. The first thing that came to my mind was “Google Glass” from almost 10 years ago.

Everyone involved in 5G technology is betting on metaverses being the “next big thing.” Qualcomm calls its approach "XR" or extended reality. Microsoft calls their approach "MR" for mixed reality. T-Mobile's President of Technology Neville Ray said "eyewear wearables" could be the killer consumer app for true 5G and would be the means by which you access the metaverse from anywhere.

Online gaming platform Roblox has announced plans to expand into a complete metaverse. Epic, the maker of Fortnite, just raised a billion dollars to create its own metaverse. Microsoft thinks we will all be working and shopping in one soon. Rumor has it that Bitcoin and other “cryptocurrencies” will play a role. I'm sure they will.

However there's still a big difference between Facebook's proposed metaverse and the one the major 5G players actually want. For one, the “true” 5G metaverse will be reliant upon technologies that are still years away. They exist, at least on paper, but the process of actually building them is going to be long, difficult, and expensive.

Source: PCMag.com

Supply Chain Basics

2021-09-29T14:59:00.006-07:00

A supply chain is a network of individuals, companies, resources, activities, and technologies used to make and sell a product or service. It starts with the delivery of raw materials from a supplier to a manufacturer and ends with the delivery of the finished product or service to the consumer.

Supply Chain Management or “SCM” is the management of the flow of goods and services and includes all processes that transform raw materials into final products. It involves the active streamlining of a business's activities to maximize customer value and gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

SCM oversees each stage in the delivery of a company's product or service, from initial creation to the final sale. Steps along the supply chain can add value through efficiencies or reduce value through increased costs or poor design. Ideally, SCM can increase revenues, decrease costs, and impact a company's bottom line. By managing the supply chain, companies can cut excess costs and deliver products to the consumer faster. This is done by keeping tighter control of internal inventories, internal production, distribution, sales, as well as the inventories of company vendors.

Managing the supply chain is important because it can help achieve several business objectives. For example, controlling manufacturing processes can improve quality, reducing the risk of recalls and lawsuits while helping to build a strong consumer brand. At the same time, controls over shipping procedures can improve customer service by avoiding costly shortages or periods of inventory oversupply. Overall, supply chain management provides several opportunities for companies to improve their profit margins and is especially important for companies doing business globally.

Supply chain management has five key steps: Planning, Sourcing Raw Materials, Manufacturing, Delivery, and Returns.

Planning involves developing an overall strategy for the supply chain, while the other four steps execute that plan. Companies must develop expertise in all five areas to have an efficient supply chain and avoid expensive bottlenecks. A disruption to any part of the Supply Chain can be very costly to business and consumers resulting in rising prices, shortages, and delays such as we are seeing now.

What Is the 5S System?

2021-08-19T19:22:00.003-07:00

The “5S” system is a lean manufacturing tool that improves workplace efficiency and eliminates waste. Sometimes referred to as the "Visual Workplace." Applying 5S helps businesses avoid lost productivity from delayed work or unplanned downtime. Frequently a sixth “S” is added. This is of course Safety.

5S was created in Japan. The original terms were in Japanese, so English translations for each of the five steps may vary. The basic ideas and the connections between them are easy to understand however. The sequence is important as each step leads into the next. For example: Clearing out unnecessary materials in Step 1 (Sort) will provide the space needed to organize the important items in Step 2 (Set In Order). Then, once the workspace is de-cluttered and organized, dirt and grime can be removed in Step 3 (Shine). These changes to workers’ job duties and work environment should be reflected in updated procedures through Step 4 (Standardize). Finally, those new procedures won’t amount to much unless responsibility is assigned and progress is tracked — as required for Step 5 (Sustain). And with responsibility and tracking, workers will continue to apply the steps, returning to Step 1.

Step 1: Sort

The first step in the 5S process is Sort, or “seiri,” which translates to “tidiness.” The goal of the Sort step is to clear the work area by eliminating clutter and freeing up space by removing things that don’t belong.

For this step, take a close look at the items, tools, and materials in a work area. Items that are necessary or useful for the work being done in that space should be kept there. Everything else should be removed.

Some of those removed items will need to be thrown away or recycled. Other items might belong to another work process or location; they should be returned to their “homes.” However, you might find some items that you aren’t sure about. If you find an item that you can’t identify, use a red tag. “Red-Tagging” temporarily attaches a highly-visible tag to the item, which notes where it was found and when. Then, red-tagged items from all work areas are collected in a single location: a “lost and found” for tools, materials, and equipment. Items may wait in the red tag collection area for a long time.

One approach leaves items in the red tag area for thirty days. After that, a supervisor may claim the item for their own work area. If nobody wants it after one more week, the item can be removed from the facility entirely by selling it, recycling it, or throwing it away. Don’t simply store items “just in case” without a good reason, and keep track of what’s been stored.

Step 2: Set In Order

The second step, Set In Order, was originally called “seiton,” which translates to “orderliness.” A variety of names have been used in English: “Systematic Organization,” “Straightening Out,” and “Simplify,” for example. No matter what it’s called, the goal of this step is to organize the work area. Each item should be easy to find, use, and return: a place for everything, and everything in its place.

Tools that are used frequently should be stored near the place they are used. Spare equipment, supplies, and other tools that are used less often can be kept in a central location, where multiple teams can share them. Items that are typically used together (such as drills and drill bits) should be stored near each other. Each of these decisions will make sense on its own, but it may become difficult to keep track of everything. It may be helpful to create a 5S map as part of this process. The 5S map should be kept and used for reference in later steps of 5S. It should be updated over time as the work area changes.

Once storage locations are assigned, each storage area should be labeled. Label the outside of cabinet doors to help workers quickly identify what’s inside each one. Then, label any interior shelves to show where different supplies belong. The same ideas extend to rack labels, bins, and other storage systems. Many facilities use a “shadow board” for tool storage, to ensure that each tool is easy to put back in its correct storage place. With this approach, a label matching the shape and size of the tool is placed where that tool belongs. Workers can immediately spot where each item belongs and know at a glance if the item is there or not. This eliminates time wasted looking through drawers and bins for the item.

Organization can include areas of the shop floor, too. Work areas, movement lanes, and storage for supplies and finished products can all be marked with floor marking tape.

Step 3: Shine

The third step of 5S is Shine, or “seiso,” which means “cleanliness.” While the first and second steps cleared up space and arranged the area for efficiency, this step attacks the dirt and grime that inevitably builds up underneath the clutter and works to keep it from coming back. Shine moves far beyond just pushing a broom around every now and then. It involves regular cleaning of every part of the work area such as a daily wipe-down and a more thorough cleaning each week. Importantly, the Shine step is not meant to be a job for the maintenance or janitorial staff. Each worker should clean their own work area, and the equipment they use. This approach has several benefits:

Workers who are familiar with the area will quickly notice any problems that arise

Hazards or difficult situations will be understood and accounted for

Items that are out of place or missing will be recognized

Workers will tend to keep their own workspaces cleaner during normal operations

Keeping work areas clean will have many advantages. One important advantage is that it’s easy to spot leaks, cracks, or misalignments. If the people keeping the area clean are the same people who work there regularly, they will be quick to recognize any of these problems.

Leaving those problems unnoticed and unresolved could result in equipment failure, safety hazards, and loss of productivity. With the constant cleaning and inspections used in the Shine step of 5S, the system can become part of a preventative maintenance program.

Step 4: Standardize

The fourth step is Standardize, or “seiketsu,” which simply means standardization. By writing down what is being done, where, and by whom, you can incorporate the new practices into normal work procedure. This paves the way for long-term change. It’s been said that “If it isn’t written down, it didn’t happen.” Writing down the decisions that you make in your 5S program will help ensure that your work doesn’t just disappear. If you made a 5S map in the Set In Order step, that map can be part of your new standard for the area. In the same way, the process that you use for red-tagging items can be written down and included in the standards.

Writing out your decisions doesn’t mean you can’t change your mind, though. The purpose of 5S is to make your workplace better, not to make it unchangeable. You are writing the standards for your facility, and you can change them to fit new information or new business needs.

Once you’ve made decisions on how to change your work practices, those decisions need to be communicated to workers. This communication is a key part of the Standardize step. Common tools for this process include:

5S checklists – Listing the individual steps of a process makes it easy for workers to follow that process completely. It also provides a simple auditing tool to check progress later on.

Job cycle charts – Identify each task to be performed in a work area and decide on a schedule or frequency for each of those tasks. Then assign responsibility to a particular worker (or job duty). The resulting chart can be posted visibly to resolve questions and promote accountability.

Procedure labels and signs – Provide operating instructions, cleaning steps, and preventative maintenance procedures right where that information will be needed.

Step 5: Sustain

The fifth step of a 5S program is Sustain, or “shitsuke,” which literally means “discipline.” The idea here is continuing commitment. It’s important to follow through on the decisions that you’ve made — and continually return to the earlier steps of 5S, in an ongoing cycle.

The 5S approach was never meant to be a one-time event, but an ongoing cycle. This is key, because early successes in 5S can open the way for problems. If open space becomes available in the Sort step, but afterward, tools and materials are allowed to gradually fill in that space without any organization, the end result can be an even bigger mess. The solution is to apply the ideas of 5S over and over, as a routine part of normal work. That’s why Sustain is so important. Sustaining a 5S program can mean different things in different workplaces, but there are some elements that are common in successful programs:

Management support – Without visible commitment from managers, the 5S processes won’t stick around. Supervisors and managers should be involved in auditing the 5S work processes, and getting feedback from workers. They also need to provide the tools, training, and time for workers to get their jobs done right.

Department tours – Bringing teams from one department to visit other departments will help familiarize the entire workforce with the processes of your facility. This type of “cross pollination” helps to spread good ideas, and inspires people to come up with new ways to improve the 5S implementation.

Updated training – As time passes, there may be changes in your workplace, such as new equipment, new products, or new work rules. When this happens, revise your 5S work standards to accommodate those changes, and provide training on the new standards.

Progress audits – The standards that are created in the 5S program should provide specific and measurable goals. Checking on those goals with a periodic audit can provide important information and guidance. For example: Where is 5S working well? Where are teams falling behind?

Performance evaluations – Once you know your goals are reasonable, make performance part of each employee evaluation. When teams and individuals perform well, celebrate it, and post overall results so each team can see how they compare to the rest of the facility.

A Sixth “S” for Safety

Worker safety is critical. That’s why many facilities add another step to the 5S cycle: Safety. Unlike the first five steps, Safety is not a sequential step. It must be considered all the time. During the Sort phase, for example, you might decide that a given tool is obsolete because a newer version is safer to use. Likewise, during the Standardize step, work procedures need to be standardized to improve workplace safety, not just efficiency. Keeping workers safe isn’t just the right thing to do: there is a hefty monetary cost for accidental workplace injuries. A study by Stanford University found that the costs for a bone fracture can cost a company $50,000 up front, as well as another $55,000 in indirect costs. Each incident can lead to an OSHA inspection and citations, as well as an increase in insurance costs.

Read more about starting a “5S” program here: https://www.graphicproducts.com/articles/what-is-5s/

Intel NUC 11 Extreme Kit Review

2021-07-31T17:47:00.009-07:00

July 29, 2021. PCMag editors Chris Stobing & John Burek reviewed the latest “small” PC offering from Intel. Small in size only and nicknamed “Beast Canyon,” the machine reviewed packs an Intel Core i9 processor, 16GB of RAM, a 500TB SSD, and a Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card. Be aware that the retail version of this PC, as the name implies, is a kit, and you will have to add your own RAM, hard drive, and video card, as well as install the OS of your choice. As configured, with Windows 10 installed, the final price was $1,350. Not bad. Thinking about getting one myself. Read the entire review here:

https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/intel-nuc-11-extreme-kit-beast-canyon