Next week is NVIDIA’s big annual GPU Technology Conference (GTC), and every year there are new amazing things to see that the firm is creating.  I look forward to this show every year because it tends to showcase some of the most impressive technologies we’ll see emerge later in the decade.  NVIDIA is a graphics-oriented company which means the presentations have a lot going on visually and, as a result, they tend to be much more engaging.  I was never a fan of static PowerPoint presentations when I attended events in person, and I hate them. Now events are remote, and thankfully NVIDIA generally has far more exciting videos and live demos.  

Here are three things I’m looking forward to at GTC21 this year.

The State Of Autonomous Cars

NVIDIA has been on the cutting edge of Autonomous Cars for nearly two decades now.  And each year, we see advancement after advancement, with the latest years showing we are closing in on the promise of a workable Level 4 system.  Current technologies are considered Level 2+, more like advanced cruise control, but NVIDIA has been showing prototype Level 4 systems for some time.  My hope is we’ll see a prototype Level 5 system, but it is more likely we’ll see a viable level for systems instead.  I’m hoping to be positively surprised.  

As a refresher, Level One is adaptive cruise control (maintaining distance, automatic braking, etc.),  Level 2 is intelligent cruise control where you can take your hands off the wheel for around 20 seconds, Level 3 is full hands-off but only on Freeways.  Level 4 is hands-off on freeways and in cities.  And Level 5, you don’t even need a steering wheel.  

New Cool Robots

The technology that NVIDIA developed for Autonomous cars is also viable for robots.  They have in the past showed autonomous drones, robotic tractors, robotic delivery vehicles, and autonomous factory robots.  I’m looking for prototype home care robots this year and more of the former class of robots in production form.  We are ready for the next evolution in package delivery with companies like UPS announcing electric vertical takeoff delivery aircraft that are also expected to eventually, or initially, be autonomous.  

I’m looking to see advancements in ocean-going autonomous robots, possible advances in military drones, and at least one thing that is wild and unanticipated in the robot space (not sex dolls, though, as that market has become exceedingly creepy).  

Conversational AI

AI is also NVIDIA’s thing, but much of their work has been done with image recognition.  The Pandemic has made us all aware that many of us need someone or something to talk with, and there have been some exciting advancements in this area.  I’ve played around with Alexa conversations, and while that beta product has made progress, its limitations have also been problematic.  

Granted, a lot of this technology is focused on IVR (Interactive Voice Response) technology which almost entirely seems focused on getting me to buy a new car warranty at the moment.  But the creation of a realistic conversation partner could help people who are isolated due to the Pandemic or are just generally lonely.   Advances in this technology are already showing promise for AI Authors who could take over a lot of the boring writing that has to get done.  The next generation digital assistant could also be a digital companion, a game-changer for many of us, and another foundational element to creating Digital Immortality.  

Wrapping Up:

Things are changing very rapidly, and increasingly we desperately need a heads up for what is coming so we can be prepared, rather than blindsided, by those coming changes.  One of the best events to attend to see what is coming is NVIDIA’s GTC, where they showcase technologies like autonomous vehicles, robotics, conversational AI.  Next week, those of us attending the show will see the future. Hopefully, you’ll find the time to experience it with us.  Oh, and there is one more thing I’m looking forward to seeing.  Some time back, NVIDIA announced NVIDIA Omniverse as the future of Collaboration and Simulation.  Think of it as Star Trek Holodeck light evolving into full Holodeck.  I’m also really looking forward to seeing the progress they have made on that fascinating initiative. 

Source: TG Daily – The Three Things To Look For At NVIDIA’s GTC Next Week

For most of us, our primary contact with medical professionals are frontline workers — doctors, physicians, surgeons, nurses, paramedics, and specialists. 

Many of us are unaware of the “behind-the-scenes” jobs. Here are 6 careers in healthcare you probably never heard of!

1. Cytotechnologist

For anyone who has received a diagnosis of a critical illness, like cancer, a cytotechnologist is the person who initially discovered it. Cytotechnologists examine biopsy tissue and pap smears and identify cancerous or precancerous tissue, bacterial infections, and other diseases. 

A cytotechnologist spends most of their time behind a microscope examining cells and identifying cellular anomalies. They forward their findings to the pathologist for final diagnosis. 

Cytogenetic technology is a branch of cytotechnology that identifies DNA abnormalities or mutations. They examine chromosomes in the blood, amniotic fluid, and bone marrow to identify Down Syndrome in fetuses, congenital birth defects, fertility problems, and rare genetic conditions. 

2. Phlebotomists

If you have a fear of needles, the phlebotomist is someone you’d rather avoid. Phlebotomists are the vampires of the medical industry — they draw blood. Their job may seem simple, but it is a vital part of healthcare. Many illnesses require a blood sample to identify the problem. Phlebotomists also work for blood donation organizations. 

Becoming a phlebotomist is a good way to get a foot into the healthcare industry. All that’s required is to complete a phlebotomy certification course with an accredited training program. If you’re unsure of what healthcare career to pursue, starting as a phlebotomist gives you the chance to get a feel for the industry and find the niche you like best.

3. Biostatistician 

Biostatisticians analyze data and statistics collected during medical research studies. They use this data to draw conclusions or make predictions on public health trends. 

When you come across statistics like “exposure to secondhand smoke increases the risk of heart disease by an estimated 25 to 30%”, it’s likely that a biostatistician arrived at the finding. Biostatisticians also analyze drug trials and experimental treatments. 

The field of biostatistics dovetails with epidemiology, which analyzes the causes, frequency and distribution of diseases among a population. In fact, some choose to study both disciplines in a combined biostatistics and epidemiology degree. They occupy positions like infection control epidemiologist, infection preventionist, pharmaceutical epidemiologist, and veterinary epidemiologist. 

4. Scatologist 

It takes a special kind of person to become a scatologist. They analyze poop. No, that’s not a typo. Animal poop is called scat. Scatalogists study and analyze fecal excrement for diagnostic purposes.

Feces can actually tell us a lot about our general health. A scatoloist can find parasites, bacteria, and discover low levels of gut fauna and flora. Many health problems can be traced to poor gut health. 

So, while this is not the most glamorous job, the role of a scatologist is important in diagnosing disease. Although, it will be interesting to know how they answer the question “So, what do you do for a living?” at a dinner party. 

5. Perfusionist 

While surgeons get the most recognition for life-saving operations, they can’t perform operations without a team of medical professionals. We may be aware of theater nurses and the anesthetist, but most of us have probably never heard of the perfusionist. 

Many who have undergone open heart surgery in which the heart must be temporarily stopped, like in a heart bypass operation, have been under the care of a qualified perfusionist. 

Surgeons cannot operate on a beating heart. So the heart is stopped and the patient is connected to a cardiopulmonary bypass machine (also called the heart-lung machine), which takes over the circulatory and respiratory functions of the body. The perfusionist is the person responsible for operating that machine. 

6. Medical Dosimetrist

The medical dosimetrist plays an important role on the oncology team in treating cancer. Medical dosimetrists calculate the highest dose of radiation to give a patient at the safest levels.

Radiation therapy, while it successfully kills cancerous cells, can also damage healthy cells, tissues and organs. That’s why the medical dosimetrist’s job is so important. Radiation is a dangerous chemical. Administer too much and it can cause serious burns to the skin or damage internal organs. 

The medical dosimetrist, through 3D imaging determines where a tumor is and how big it is. They then formulate a treatment plan that will administer the ideal dose of radiation to the tumor with little or no damage to surrounding organs or tissue. Exact calculations are crucial and the dosimetrist will run several computer simulations until they hit the correct dosage.

While you may not have heard of these medical careers before, you could have unknowingly crossed paths with them during a diagnosis or while being treated for a health condition. These medical professionals are extremely dedicated to their role in healthcare, despite being invisible to the greater population. 

7. Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer

Every large company and organization faces ethical challenges. This is especially true of the health care system, where employees may encounter complex and difficult ethical challenges on a near-daily basis.

To help deal with these challenges, organizations need a standard program to define the ethical boundaries of their work, and a compliance program to make certain those guidelines are followed.

That’s where a Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer comes in. A CECO is an executive management position that carries the responsibility of developing and maintaining the compliance standards that companies must follow in their daily operations. They must not only be familiar with the laws pertaining to their operations, but also be ready to directly address compliance issues when they arise.

Responsibilities of a CECO may include developing equal opportunity hiring strategies, developing a better workplace experience for employees, and develop training programs to help further ethical best practices.

Source: TG Daily – 7 Health Careers You Probably Never Heard Of

Frontera, the Supercomputer owned and managed by the Texas Advanced Computing Center, may not be the fastest Supercomputer (it is in the top ten), but it is the most flexible.  Based primarily on Intel technology but incorporating technologies from AMD, IBM, and NVIDIA, the Frontera Supercomputer is arguably the most flexible Supercomputer implementation at the top of the Supercomputer ranking. That unique advantage causes it to stand out.

Let’s talk about the TACC Frontera Supercomputer this week and why it may be the best approach to creating a Supercomputing resource for a rapidly changing world.  

Supercomputers

Supercomputers are used for massive mathematical problems and simulations.  They are the primary computational resource for understanding and solving some of the most challenging problems the nation and the world face.  Supercomputers are ranked by performance, but the hardware used in creating a supercomputer can range widely, and the rankings can change dramatically year over year.  

For instance, this is the ranking in 2020, and it placed the Frontera Supercomputer at 8^th in terms of performance. Then in 2021, two high-speed computers showed up at the top of the chart, pushing Frontera just off the top 10.  But given the diversity of Supercomputer loads, particularly in a University Research environment, the higher-ranked computers have little flexibility meaning they are really good at some jobs but likely not competitive with jobs that would better run on other technology.

This lack of flexibility has likely been a problem given we have, during the Pandemic, been trying to repurpose Supercomputers from their everyday tasks like weather mapping and understanding the universe to locate medications that can mitigate the virus.  Some faster technologies are far more expensive, and speed vs. cost is a variable that every researcher has to plan around.  

Choosing the specific technology and speed you need for your task would provide a critical level of flexibility that most of these supercomputers lack but not the Frontera, which was implemented with a blend of technology to meet best the needs of the researchers who use it.  

Using A Cloud Metaphor For A Supercomputer

What makes the TACC Frontera Supercomputer stand out is this cloud-like technology flexibility.  Cloud services increasingly deploy a wide range of technologies to choose the hardware instance they need, either by calling out specific hardware or specific virtual systems ideal for their jobs.  This flexibility in Cloud services is a competitive advantage because it assures customers remain in the service regardless of how those jobs and related needs change.   

This flexibility is why I think the TACC Frontera approach is superior to most other Supercomputers.  Because it provides a way to optimize individual jobs for speed, hardware preference, and cost, providing the critical choice that researchers will appreciate when balancing technology, cost, and speed.  It is not only a showcase for TACC. It is also a showcase for Intel and Dell Technologies (both Dell and EMC) to create a uniquely flexible solution for the University of Texas and the National Science Foundation that funded much of the effort.  

Wrapping Up:  Speed Isn’t Everything

In-car racing and high-performance computing, absolute speed isn’t the critical benefit.  Otherwise, all race cars would look the same, and all high-performance computers would be generically the same.  Much like different kinds of cars are used on different kinds of tracks, different computational problems require different kinds of computational hardware.  

Most supercomputers are monolithic, using one kind of hardware to achieve a performance ranking but not appropriate for jobs designed to run on different hardware.  Particularly in educational institutions where the breadth of skills is as essential as specializations to assure the greatest breadth of opportunity, you need choices.  

The TACC Frontera computer at the University of Texas appears to provide that unique breadth. It thus may be the best Supercomputer for a changing world even though it isn’t the fastest.  In a world defined by change, I think flexibility is more important than absolute performance. 

Source: TG Daily – Why The TACC (Texas Advanced Computing Center) Has The Best Supercomputer

You’ve invented a truly innovative product, but now you need a strategy for getting it out to the market. Creating a great product is not the end of the development cycle. You then must get the product into the customers’ hands easily, effectively and efficiently. It sounds simple, but many companies overlook the critical details and strategies that can take them from an innovation to a scalable business that generates profits and enables new product creation. Here are three strategies to keep in mind as you finish product development and eagerly present your innovation to the marketplace:

1. Create a Marketing Plan

You can’t have a successful launch without a plan that includes marketing, pricing, and distribution. For the marketing side, you need to define the various channels you’ll use to reach the target audiences. What channel makes the most sense given your product’s feature set and the characteristics of the typical buyer? Ideally, you conducted some product and market research early in the development cycle that will inform your marketing strategies. 

For your marketing messages, focus on problems and results. If the potential customers are not aware of the current problem you’re offering to fix, then how can you spread the word? And once they are aware, how will they search for viable solutions? Make sure your product/brand lives within those spaces where people will search, and you’ve created compelling reasons for them to choose your product over any others. And ideally, there won’t be any real competition (not yet) since you’re the innovator presenting a unique product. 

2. Dial in Pricing

For pricing, in addition to the cost of raw materials, you need to carefully consider the value of your product relative to the problem it is solving. Does the problem cause them distress or is it potentially very impactful to their lives? Is it a pervasive problem that affects a massive pool of potential customers? These questions can all help you form pricing ranges that make the most sense for you to grow at scale. 

Ask yourself and your team: How much of a premium will customers pay to leverage your product to its full capabilities? Will customers enjoy talking with their friends and family about the product, especially in terms of how it makes their lives easier, simpler or more secure? Err on the side of pricing on the high side of your range. You, of course, gain more revenue-per-item, establish the product as a premium offering and give yourself room to make downwards price adjustments or discounts if required. 

3. Develop a Trusted Network of Installers

If your product innovation requires installation, then consider developing an installer and distributor network. For example, Strategic Innovations recently launched installer training for the company’s LED address box called eLiT. The product brightly displays address numbers and improves the accuracy of GPS mapping solutions, so first responders and delivery drivers can find an address as efficiently as possible. Every installer in the network receives a custom-built UV printer package, laptop, promotional materials, and a pre-made ecommerce website to manage sales and prospects. There’s also a two-day certification training required, which gives them tools, starting inventory, and business entity certification.  

A partner network in which installers work as independent contractors is a seamless pathway to get your products from manufacturing to the customers’ hands. These contractors are invaluable if your product requires or offers add-on features that are free or available for purchase. For example, perhaps the customer would benefit from a free app that pairs with the product or they would benefit from a five-minute in-person demonstration to improve their experience. Spend time on training and supplying these contractors with all the support they need because they’ll help you establish your brand reputation and set the stage for a consistent referral business.

Source: TG Daily – Three Tips for Expanding Your Business Beyond Product Development

Amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, many business people are realising just how travel is beginning to change. With more safety procedures in place than ever before and a focus on using technology, there’s much to adapt to.

Despite the move to online workplaces, some businesses have found no alternative to face-to-face interactions. We’re going to look at how business travel is set to change for both the short and long term.

Business travel in the future

If we look at the shorter-term, we can expect current safety guidelines to stay in place for quite some time. This includes staying in coronavirus-friendly hotels, taking tests before and after travel, and keeping social interaction to a minimum.

However, there are predicted future travel trends in the business world expected to come about. Let’s take a look…

1. Facial recognition in airports

While facial recognition may have a bit of stigma, it’s going to speed up border control procedures. Business people can expect to see more and more facial recognition technology as they travel for business meetings abroad. Coronavirus is just one example of a situation whereby this simple yet highly effective technology is helping immensely. Although we may see some tightening in regulations, we can expect such technology to stick around far into the future!

2. Covid-19 testing will continue

Current circumstances surrounding testing for coronavirus before travelling will continue to be the norm. For those due to take a business trip in the future, there are options to reduce quarantine time upon return to the UK. By law, anyone who travels outside of the country must isolate for 10 days. However, with a negative Test to Release result, this period can be reduced. So, while coronavirus testing may continue – and may be a requirement for travel for months or years to come – it is becoming quicker and easier to get fast, accurate results thanks to technology.

3. AIs and intelligent assistants are on the rise

The rise of AIs and intelligent assistants are already seeing an impact on our day-to-day living. From instructing Alexa to switch on our lights at home to checking the weather forecast without using our mobiles, there’s plenty of benefits to reap. AIs in the future will likely be able to inform us of any possible disruptions to our itineraries and help us make changes quickly even on a business level.

4. Destinations could be limited

Currently, every country has its own rules regarding allowing visitors from abroad. As it stands, many countries have closed their borders and do not allow holiday-goers or even those travelling for business-related reasons. While we can expect a better future in terms of coronavirus, destinations may be limited for quite some time. Such limitations may also be imposed by business owners themselves who are concerned about the risks to staff members travelling.

5. Communication is more digital than ever

Almost every workforce in the UK has embraced the likes of Zoom calls and have realised it is possible to work and connect remotely. Where possible, digital communication is expected to replace business travel in a bid to reduce expenses. Business trips cost money and take up time; with an infinite amount of possibilities at our fingertips, it is easier than ever to get important tasks done from our laptops.

6. More sustainable travelling

As the topic of our climate continues to be in the headlines, more businesses are moving towards practising sustainable travel. A business trip must be taken into consideration when looking at a company’s eco-footprint. Therefore, where travelling can be avoided, you can expect more employers to look at avoiding it altogether. Where a business trip can be replaced with a virtual meeting, it will likely be done. However, many employers also recognise the value of such trips and will likely reduce the number of trips as a sensible alternative.

What does this mean for frequent business travellers? 

Of course, it comes down to the business owner to decide whether or not their employees should be travelling for the company’s interests. However, many employees stress that such trips have great positive effects on job satisfaction, colleague relationships, and their sense of pride in their job.

From broadening cultural horizons to mixing up the daily work routine, many benefits come with business trips. Therefore, while the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic is putting such trips on hold, for now, travel for business will continue.

And, from the points above, there is an alternative outlook for each. From making more eco-friendly travel choices to in-person communication being of great value, employers should be looking to adapt to find a happy medium for their employees.

Written by Callum Jackson

Source: TG Daily – How Business Travel Will Change In The Future

Customer retention and loyalty are discussed a lot when it comes to business strategies. Having a strong focus on retention can improve customer engagement, boost sales and increase brand awareness. No matter your industry, business size, or product range, encouraging your customers to return time and time again is so valuable. Many organisations fail to set up a customer retention strategy or don’t understand the importance of having one in place. 

To help you see why loyalty should be your priority, we’re sharing 11 surprising stats that prove why customer retention is key:

1. Companies in the United States lose $136billion every year because of consumer switching which could have been avoided. That is a considerable amount of revenue going to competitors because businesses are not focused on improving customer retention and reducing churn. CallMiner
   
2. The chance of making a sale to an existing customer is around 60% to 70%, whereas for a brand new customer, there is just a 5% to 20% chance. Prioritising existing customers in your sales strategy is an easy way to improve profits and boost sales. There are many ways to reengage with customers that have purchased from your business in the past, and these strategies are much more likely to give you a good ROI. Altfield
   
3. Customers who are a member of a loyalty programme will spend on average 12-18% more every year, compared with non-loyalty customers. When a consumer joins a loyalty programme, it means they not only value the business but will feel a sense of trust and emotional connection to it. Fundera
   
4. Word-of-mouth marketing is a very powerful tool for any company. Consumers generally trust recommendations from their friends, family and peers, and are more likely to spend their money with businesses that others have been satisfied with. A huge 60% of loyal customers will discuss their favourite brands and businesses with their social circles. Yotpo
   
5. Not only is encouraging return business easier than attracting new customers, but returning consumers are also likely to spend more. Returning clients spend 33% more on average than new customers. When your business makes customer retention a priority, you could quickly see your average sale price increase as customers come back time and time again. Bain & Company
   
6. Retaining customers is all about providing excellent customer service and leaving them satisfied with your business. 33% of customers would consider switching companies following just one instance of poor customer service, and 60% would go after two to three instances. That gives you very little chance to make mistakes, so customer satisfaction should be a top priority. American Express
   
7. Probably one of the most impressive customer retention statistics of all is that just a 5% increase in retention leads to an increase of at least 25% in profit. Loyal customers are by far the most profitable sector your business has, so putting your efforts into keeping them is crucial for success. Bain & Company
   
8. The most significant deciding factor for customers considering using a business again is customer service. In fact, 93% of customers are more likely to make a repeat purchase from a company that offers excellent levels of service. Consumers want to be valued and treated well by the businesses they choose to purchase from, and a bad experience can see customers gone forever. HubSpot Research
   
9. We’ve already discussed how customers will tell their social circles about businesses they are loyal to, but we must remember this works both ways. When a customer has a negative experience with a company, they will tell on average 15 people about it. In contrast, customers will share a positive experience with just 11 people. This means that a negative customer experience will not only deter that individual from returning but many more.
10. A customer that has built an emotional relationship with a business will have a Customer Lifetime Value, or CLV, that is 306% higher than those that do not. Engaging and connecting with customers on an emotional level is more valuable than ever. Motista
    
11. Customer retention and loyalty is not something that can happen overnight. It takes time to build these lasting relationships with consumers. In fact, 80% of customers said they gradually gain loyalty for brands over time, following good customer experiences. InMoment

It is clear to see that satisfied, loyal customers bring a tremendous amount of value to a business. Not only are they more likely to return time and time again, but they are more likely to spend more and recommend your products or services to friends. Customer retention is a low-cost, high-return marketing strategy that every company should be prioritising. Building a base of loyal customers isn’t always easy, but it is well worth the effort!

Written by Lara Harper

Source: TG Daily – 11 Surprising Stats That Prove Why Customer Retention Is Important

A lot of people naturally have an interest in investing. In today’s world, though, it can seem like the economy is in constant tumult, so it’s never a good idea to invest. Within the past year alone, the stock market has seen ridiculous highs and lows. 

The perpetual chaos might make it seem like it’s the wrong time to invest. But the truth might surprise you. Commercial Real Estate Investor Mike Eisenga is here to explain when it’s a good time to invest and why that time might be right now. 

Reason 1. History is on Your Side

It is always a good time to invest. True, the stock market goes through periods of expansion and contraction, and in some cases, these changes can be pretty significant, and some people lose money. However, overall, the general trajectory of the stock market is upward growth. Historical data dating back to the 1920s indicate that the average stock market return for the past century has been 10%. So even if you have a terrible year in the market, as long as your investments are diversified, you are essentially guaranteed to make money over time. 

Reason 2. Investing is Easy

You might think that investing is difficult and only something that a handful of rich people do. This is not true. About half of Americans own stock in some form, either through a work-sponsored 401(k), IRA, or standard brokerage account. The internet has made investing more accessible than ever for the average person. Online brokerages like Wealthfront, Robinhood, or Charles Schwabb have low-cost investment platforms with low minimum deposits and commission-free trades. You can get started investing with as little as $20 if you want. 

Additionally, there are tons of places where you can get free educational resources to learn more about investing. Most online brokerages have a vast library of articles, videos, and guides on how to hone your investment skills and build your wealth. With a little bit of motivation, anyone can learn the basics of investing. 

Reason 3: Always Better to Start Early

It is never the wrong time to start investing, but getting started earlier is always better than later. Getting started with investing early allows you to maximize the growth of your assets. Even a few years of growth from compounding interest can make a massive difference in your total wealth. 

For example, say you invested $50,000 at a 5% interest rate compounded monthly while adding $1,000 a month. In 16 years, your wealth will have accrued to $372,974. Now imagine you get started investing five years earlier. Over 20 years, your wealth will be worth nearly $550,000. That’s almost $200,000 more from 5 extra years of investing. 

Long story short, it’s always a good time to invest because investing is easy, history is on your side, and getting started early is the best thing you can do for your financial health. 

About Mike Eisenga
Mike Eisenga is a successful commercial real estate investor with a banking and finance background and is the former mayor of the City of Columbus. As a President of both American Lending Solutions, a mortgage lending company (he founded and operated from 2000 to 2018), and First American Properties, he has a track record of creating and operating successful businesses. Mr. Eisenga is also devoted to property development and construction, primarily serving smaller local communities. 

Source: TG Daily – Mike Eisenga Explains: When is the Right Time to Invest?

This week Intel’s dream CEO Pat Gelsinger went public with his vision for Intel’s future.  It is rare you get a vision statement like this from a new CEO this early in their term as it usually can take a great deal of time for the new CEO to learn the firm’s capabilities and problems to craft such a plan.  But Pat Gelsinger was one of Intel’s designers and, as CEO of VMware, he was able up to date on the firm’s problems and reduced capabilities.  The birth of virtualization was tightly tied to overcoming the problems created due to Intel iterating its technology.  This background means he was both well-founded in Intel’s history since he helped write it, and Pat was up to date with Intel’s more recent issues, given he was CEO of VMware.  

Interestingly, he had the CEOs of both IBM and Microsoft in the event with him, and together those three companies are considered to be the parents of the modern PC age.  They created a revolution before; could they do it again, this time with The Cloud?

Let’s explore the PC revolution this week.  

Past Breakups

The relationships between Intel, IBM, and Microsoft have been almost like bad relationships.  IBM created the platform and then lost it to Intel and Microsoft after Microsoft rebelled against IBM’s control over OS/2.  Then Microsoft and Intel, who had been increasingly aggravating each other since that earlier time, fell apart during the launch of Windows Vista when the then CEO of Intel, Paul Otellini, refused to be on the same stage with AMD’s then CEO.  Steve Ballmer, Microsoft’s then CEO, started calling Otellini Torelini, and things went south from there.  

But all three companies have different CEOs since those times; both Microsoft and IBM have pivoted hard toward collaboration and open architecture strategies. Pat Gelsinger is rather famous for his ability to build alliances from when he was at Intel, creating IDF, to his time at VMware, whose success was primarily connected to the companies VMware sells through.  

As a result, the problems that caused the breakups have been mainly eliminated both; personally, the CEOs are more collaborative and less winner take all focused, and organizationally as the firms pivoted from going it alone to increasingly leveraging ever stronger partnerships.  Suddenly all three firms are vastly better partners.   

Back To The Future

It is interesting that ever since we moved from Mainframes to PCs, the industry has been seemingly designing a path back.  The Pandemic forced a massive change in where we worked and how we collaborated.  This change showcased the massive management problem by having many hardware remotes and tech staff working from home.  The amount of breakage was impressive. This breakage has substantially accelerated the interest in Cloud-hosted clients, which in their ultimate form, are very similar to terminals in that they require a Cloud connection to function.  

So this sets the stage for what may seem, after the fact, to be a surprisingly rapid pivot to a new PC architecture, one that is more tied to Cloud than desktop technology and performance.  

Laying Out The Solution

With Intel focused on new desktop and server hardware that will better work in a blended Cloud solution, Microsoft focused on the Virtual Windows platform and Cloud connection to Azure and IBM, showing value in their actual terminal experience, multi-cloud solutions, and security-focused cloud offerings the potential for a unique disruptive solution is set.  

Given their collective focus on AI, the result won’t just be an invisible flip from desktop to cloud computing either.  It should eventually come with significant enhancements enabling the AI to streamline work and eventually anticipate and execute decisions autonomously.  This last likely won’t emerge until the second half of the decade, but the Cloud pivot should begin long before 2025.  

Wrapping up:  

One of the most significant pivots in the technology market’s history was driven by a mature IBM and relatively young Microsoft and Intel.  Now all three companies have grown up, become far more collaborative, and far more strategic.  One of the most strategic may well be this latest broad collaboration between the three companies and change personal computing forever.  

We should see the beginning of this pivot before 2005, but many tangible benefits, including the integration of applied AI, aren’t expected until the second half of the decade.  And if you are worried about your current hardware, don’t, as it is far easier to turn a PC into an appliance than an appliance into a PC.  

If you don’t like change, you really won’t like the next few years, but if you are looking for a far easier desktop platform to manage, either on-premise or remotely, that is coming, and when it happens, it will seem sudden, but it has been decades in the making.  

Source: TG Daily – How Intel, IBM, and Microsoft Will Change The PC Market

If you’re thinking of adding a pet to your family, there are many reasons why you should adopt a stray. In the United States, more than a million dogs and cats are euthanized every year. If people adopted pets instead of buying new pets, it would reduce this number. Be an example by moving any stigma against adopting stray dogs. 

Give a stray a second chance

Animal shelters are full of wonderful dogs that deserve a chance at happiness. Just because they were lost and abandoned for one reason or another shouldn’t count against them. It’s a common misconception that all stray dogs are broken and problematic. 

When you offer them loving care, they will usually respond well and develop into affectionate pets. They are also often house-trained and well-socialized so introducing them into your family home is easier. 

If you go to OurFitPets, you can find Cavapoo rescues for adoption. A Cavapoo has a lovable, endearing personality and is a mix between a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Poodle. 

You’d be saving lives

Dogs roaming the streets live lives of hunger, cold, fear, and physical abuse. If they are lucky enough to end up in a shelter, they may have to be euthanized if they aren’t adopted. There is simply not enough room in the shelters for all the stray dogs. 

When you adopt a stray dog, you could be saving more than one life. You not only give one animal a home and a chance for a better life but you make room for another stray dog.

A benefit that probably does not cross your mind when you want to adopt a stray is that it usually costs you less. You don’t have to pay for the costs of vaccinations, spaying or neutering, and even microchipping in certain cases. 

You can choose from a great selection of dogs

Most stray dogs are a combination of at least two different breeds. They may not be purebreds but this gives them certain advantages. They may have the best character traits of both gene pools. Purebred dogs seem to have more genetic health issues, although the evidence is not conclusive. 

Animals that go to a shelter are admitted by experienced staff and given vaccines on arrival. Vet partners often deal with healthcare issues and concerns so they are healthy and well when you adopt them. 

It teaches your children 

Having a pet helps you to teach your children to take care of another living being. You can teach them compassion in caring for a stray pet who may not have known love and affection. 

Make sure that they know the proper way to approach the new pet – no prodding, hugging or poking until the dog is more comfortable with the new surroundings. The dog is likely to become a great companion for having fun and playing games. 

You help support the fight against puppy mills

Puppy mills put profit above the well-being of animals. The dogs are often housed in poor conditions without medical care. Moms of puppies are kept in cages and keep breeding, only to be abandoned or sold on auction when they are no longer profitable. 

Unsuspecting consumers have no idea what goes on behind the scenes when they buy a puppy through a newspaper ad or a pet shop. As long as there is a market for these puppies, puppy mills will continue to operate. 

When you adopt a stray dog, you are making a contribution to society by helping to control the stray dog population and taking a stand against illegal breeders. 

Written by Lara Harper

Source: TG Daily – How Adopting a Stray Dog is a Noble Idea

This week I was part of an SNIA panel talking about Ethics and AI. While I enjoyed the chat, I pretty much enjoy talking to anyone about anything; I left the chat feeling that the goal of an Ethical AI created by humans is impossible.  It is impossible because when it comes to Ethics, not only isn’t there a globally accepted set of ethical rules but, even when rules exist, if they come into conflict with financial goals, those goals tend to override ethical concerns.  

We saw that happen twice as Google’s Ethics team lost its top two leaders; the second one appeared to be fired for complaining about the ethics of the first one’s termination.  These terminations are doubly problematic for Google as both leaders were women in a male-dominated industry.   Facebook didn’t even appear to try to overcome their ethical problems associated with the mass distribution of false information and seemed to have designed an AI Algorithm to maximize social damage to maximize revenue from that problem.  

This problem is only the visible tip of the iceberg. There are undoubtedly AI projects across the eco-system that will, eventually, harm scale, and if we don’t stop kicking this can down the road, the outcome could be dire.   

The Problem With Morals And Ethics

The foundation for this problem is the need for an immutable set of rules that define what is right and what is wrong in terms of AI behavior.  The gold standard for these rules has historically been Isaac Asimov’s three rules of Robotics which are:

1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.  
2. A robot must obey human beings’ orders except where such orders would conflict with the first law. 
3. A robot must protect its existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.  

Now, if you think about it, these rules could be used broadly if the definition of “harm” was broad enough.  The implication would be that an AI could not act against the best interests of any human.  That would prevent AIs in weapons systems, AI rob callers, AI-driven scams, and AI-driven malware.  The underlying concepts form the core of how autonomous vehicles are trained, focused on the concept that the vehicle can’t intentionally harm anyone. However, the concept of harm through inaction isn’t yet part of the programming.  An example would be a parked car intentionally moving to prevent another car from harming a pedestrian that it determined was at risk.  But, while it would seem beneficial, particularly to that theoretical pedestrian, the resulting liability would likely make that part of the law moot for the car to do this.  

And there lies the problem, while we inherently know that the right thing for an autonomous car to do would be to sacrifice itself to protect a human, adult, or child. We likely wouldn’t allow that behavior because of the economics surrounding the decision.  

This corruption of an AI played out in Science Fiction in the movie Robocop, where four laws the cyborg officer had to follow were corrupted by the unique last law.  The first three had to do with protecting people; the fourth was classified, protected senior executives from the firm (OCP) that created him from being arrested, effectively corrupting the cyborg.  From Wargames to HAL in 2001, Space Odyssey Science Fiction writers have been warning us of the potential problems of an AI that was either corrupted or had no rules in the first place, but we, as an industry, have yet to take those lessons seriously.  

Wrapping Up:  Without Rules AIs Are Extremely Dangerous

AIs make decisions at machine speeds. If we can’t consistently differentiate what is right or wrong in our behavior, we likely also cannot make that determination regarding the behavior of AIs.  Asimov attempted to define a simple set of rules back around 1940, then wrote a series of books discussing how robots could get around those rules.  

As we move forward into this new age of autonomous machines, implementing rules that will prevent these machines from doing massive amounts of damage is critical to our future. Yet, as we’ve seen from companies like Google and Facebook, we are ill-suited to both set the rules and to ensure their enforcement, and we’ll continue to see AI efforts that may be profitable but will do the world far more harm than good.  

I’ll leave you with this, an analysis of what Ultron was trying to do in the Age of Ultron; it showcases very well the problem of creating a system that could have way too many of its creator’s flaws.  

In the end, if we can’t reliably tell right from wrong, neither will the AIs we eventually create. 

Source: TG Daily – Ethics And AI: Chasing The Impossible Goal Of A Human Created Ethical AI System

Hats are the most recent addition to the list of stylish men’s accessories. They are a true definition of style and comfort and are must-have accessories for the modern man. What’s more? Hat designs come up each day, and you can get them in multiple styles and colors. However, shopping for hats online can be daunting. And there are various considerations to make to choose the best match for your needs. 

What are the popular hat designs for men?

There are different types of hats available in the market. Whether planning to attend a party, a wedding or going for a stroll in the park, a hat will make a perfect complement for your outfit.

The popular men’s hats designs are:

• Fedoras

Fedora hats are typical among men from all social classes. They feature a lengthwise crease, a soft feel and are pitched on either side. Fedora hats are usually marked using a band, and the brim runs around the entire cap.

• Cowboy hats

These are essential fashion accessories for cowboys. They come in various materials like straw, leather and felt. Cowboy hats are tall with a flat brim and a round crown. The rolled brim and creased crown are often modified to match a particular style. Some hats come with strings and bands, depending on the brand.

• Bowler hats

Bowler hats are also known as billycocks or bob hats. They were initially designed to shield gamekeepers from low hanging branches. Bowler hats feature a low-crowned close fitting and are similar to the flat cap or top hat.

• Carver hats 

Caver hats offer excellent protection in cold weather. You can lower the ear flaps to cover the ears for additional warmth. Carver hats feature a thick-cut fabric and are not only for hunters but can be worn by anyone.

 
How can you choose men’s hats online?

 
1. Know the different styles

You’ll come across different hats, but you can’t pick just anything. Know the distinct types and choose what suits your occasion. The standard hat types include; helmets, full-brim hats, baseball caps and cowboys. The style of the hat is also paramount. Pick one that complements your facial shape to achieve that stunning look.

2. Consider the comfort

Comfort matters a lot when it comes to hats. If choosing a hat for hiking or mountain climbing, go for lightweight materials. You also need one with a small brim; it allows you to see clearly and won’t hit your back. On the other hand, if choosing a hat for running, pick a lightweight one that fits appropriately and breathes well.

3. Go for durability                              

You want something long-lasting and should pick the right fabric. The most common hat materials are cotton, linen, nylon, leather and wool. Cotton is favorite among many; it’s durable, soft and comfortable. Leather caps are also comfortable, easy to clean and naturally elastic. They are durable only if you go for genuine leather.

4. Color choice

Choose a color that you’re comfortable with. Dark shades like black, red, dark grey, and brown draw more heat and fade quickly. Others like white, cream, and beige won’t heat your head but attracts dirt and stains.

The bottom line

To pick the best hat, decide on the type of event and outfit. Choose high-quality fabrics and only buy from legitimate online stores renowned for stocking quality products.

Source: TG Daily – Exciting Ways on Shopping for Men’s Hats Online

Doing better than the competition for search engine optimisation is something that many small businesses want but struggle to do. Fortunately, not every idea for getting ahead revolves around putting large amounts of working capital to work to get results.

Here are 4 strategies for beating your online competition.

1. Focus on Core Web Vitals

The Core Web Vitals are something that is on the tip of the tongue of many site owners currently. With an upcoming May update from Google already announced, many owners are busily trying to get their website to load faster to get improved scores. 

Usually, there are multiple overlapping reasons why a site is suffering slowdowns, poor loading speeds, and inferior performance. It could be due to slow hosting, but that’s surely not the only reason. 

Figuring out what’s slowing your website down and fixing it is a time-consuming task. Only people with deep technical knowledge in website development and design, like the team at Lilo, can know what to look for and how to resolve the issue. Get help if you feel that you need it. 

2. Optimise for Structured Data

Structured data is something that computers read and can be displayed within the search results. 

When using WordPress as the content management system, it’s possible to use a plugin like Schema App Structured Data. It’s free and has been recommended by SEO commentator, Neil Patel, who some readers may be already familiar with. 

The idea with such plugins is that they add useful information Google can pick up. What that is depends on how your site is created. However, many times it will providing headings and other information that can be highlighted in the Google search result. This can offer quick answers to searchers, but also encourage more clicks on the search result to learn more.

Driving a better click-through rate on the Google SERPs can lead to a higher ranking when the search engine picks up on the searchers’ increased response. That alone makes it worth adopting. 

3. Get the Google Snippet More Frequently

The Google snippet is the quote at the top of many search results pages. It can provide an answer – or at least, the beginnings of one – to the searcher. They will frequently click on that top result and visit the website because they want to see the rest of the published information. 

While getting the #1 ranking is great, grabbing the snippet is even more so. It drives extra traffic over and above that of the top-ranking site. 

Look at what is currently being ranked as the snippet. If it’s an ordered list, then create a more detailed, better one. If it’s a word passage, then write a more informative version that answers the query in fewer words. 

4. Quality over Quantity

As has been noted by the search advocate, John Mueller, the total number of backlinks isn’t that important to Google. 

What matters is their relevance to the topic and the relative strength of the links. Therefore, a powerful link from a site that has authority in their industry or niche is likely to be valued far more highly than a bunch of easy-to-get blog comments.  

Also, Google now regularly ignores low-value links, so often they won’t move the ranking needle at all. 

By approaching SEO from the perspective of constant improvement, it’s possible to achieve better results and drive more traffic to your site. 

Source: TG Daily – SEO for Business: 4 Strategies for Beating Your Online Competition

Cryptocurrencies are highly in trend these days. It is gradually becoming a new form of investment. Furthermore, it may even translate into an entirely new mode of transactional norm. In the next few years, it may be the most used form of currency. 

Things are going pretty well for the digital currency market. Currencies like Ethereum and Bitcoin have made a big name. This is why potential investors are looking at how to invest in Bitcoin, cryptocurrency and make money. 

Thus, here are some of the things that look positive for the cryptocurrency market. 

1. Innovation 

Digital currencies are highly popular. Bitcoin is one of the examples. It is currently dominating the digital currency arena. However, at present, it only has the ability to conduct few transactions at a time, as compared to conventional currencies. Nevertheless, there is massive room for improvement when it comes to digital currencies. The transactions can be considerably scaled. Digital currencies are premised on such technology that it is easily scalable. There is significant room for innovation. 

2. Valid ICOs

Newer coins are now being introduced in the market. Each coin serves a different purpose. New initial coin offerings are coming up with creative and innovative solutions. They are adding more value to the digital currency market. They are also bringing in more innovation not only on the technological side but also from a monetary perspective. Investors are now getting more options to trade. This is enabling the market to grow at an unprecedented rate. 

3. Regulatory aspect

Gone are the days when governments were skeptical about regulating cryptocurrencies. Now the trend has changed. Most governments are now keen to regulate the digital currency market due to the significant benefits it provides. There are many governments that have already introduced legislation and regulations which regulate the market. This does not only gain the confidence of the investors but also creates a long-lasting impact on the market. Potential users now have more clarity in terms of regulations for digital currencies. 

4. Better application

With the passage of time, we are getting to know more uses of blockchain technology. There are many new businesses that are coming up with creative ideas for introducing digital currencies in their operations. Digital wallets are being introduced. Cryptocurrencies are gradually becoming more functional and useful. People now trust this decentralized system more. This is creating more competition in the market and therefore, the quality is getting better in a general sense. 

5. Investment opportunities

There are many global banks which are evaluating and analyzing the digital currency market. Institutional purchasers have now entered into the market. Gradually, big financial institutions such as banks, non-banking finance companies and investment trusts are now fuelling the growth of the currency market by injecting higher levels of investments. This means that there are more investment opportunities now. Slowly, this will result in evolving digital currency as the new form of currency all across the globe.

Source: TG Daily – What Are The Things That Look Positive For Cryptocurrencies?

Online healthcare classes can offer a fast-track into the field with little time and financial commitment. These eight careers we’ll cover in the guide below can all be acquired through online classes, with little to no clinical training. Each of these jobs is in demand as well, with the healthcare industry itself growing every year.

Let’s dive into these careers. If you’re thinking about taking healthcare classes online, now is the time to do it! The industry is growing into 2021 and beyond. 

1. Pharmacy Tech

Pharmacy technicians are responsible for helping the pharmacist in the daily operation of the pharmacy. This entry-level medical career can be obtained through just under a year of training for a certification, or around two years for an associate’s degree. Depending on the program, you can gain your certification in just ten months. 

You’ll help label, package, and measure medications, interact with patients and customers (in a retail pharmacy setting), clean and organize shelves and medication stores, take down information, submit paperwork, and more.

For more information on pharmacy techs, visit the BLS page here. 

2. Medical Administrative Assistant

Medical administrative assistants are a crucial component of a functional healthcare facility. They take on various administrative duties, such as filing and collecting paperwork and co-payments, answering phones and directing patients, and more. You can find work in physician’s offices, hospitals, and long-term care facilities, among others.

If you want to become a medical administrative assistant, you can obtain a diploma in about 11-12 months, or earn your associate’s degree. This is another entry-level medical career, but it’s quick to get into and MAA’s are in high demand.

3. CNA

Certified nursing assistants are the first stepping-stone in the career path to becoming an RN. Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to start as a CNA, but it does give you invaluable clinical experience. You’ll be responsible for helping the LPNs and RNs with patient care; everything from bathing and dressing patients, to helping them eat and walk, and everything in between.

Most CNAs can obtain their certification entirely online in under a year. For more information on CNA careers, visit the BLS page here. 

4. LPN

Becoming a licensed practical nurse can grant you a position between CNA and RN. LPNs or LVNs can also gain their certifications online, but most programs will require you to gain some hands-on experience. 

LPNs are also in demand and expected to grow by about 9% through 2029; much faster than average. Last year, there were about 721,000 LPN/LVN jobs throughout the country. You can find more information on growth and job outlook/salary here. 

5. Medical Biller/Coder

Medical billing and coding is an important part of the medical billing process. Coders translate medical documents into standardized codes so that proper invoices can be sent out to insurance companies and co-payers. 

You can earn a billing and coding certification in just a few months, sometimes in as little as 10-11 months, depending on the program. As a biller and coder, you’ll be on the frontlines of the billing process, responsible for ensuring that codes are input correctly, invoices are sent, and payments are issued. You’ll have to follow-up, verify information, and keep patient information private. It’s a lot of responsibility, but a rewarding career nonetheless. 

6. EMT

You can take an online EMT-B course to get you into emergency medicine quickly and affordably. In most cases, EMT courses cost less than $2,000, and can take fewer than four months to complete. Enrollment is simple and you can usually make payments on your courses if you can’t afford them outright.

EMT’s are responsible for transporting patients between medical facilities. Private ambulance work doesn’t usually involve servicing car accidents and other major events, but you’ll still be responsible for proper care and filling out paperwork on every patient. 

7. Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapists work with cancer patients in nuclear medicine to administer radiation and other treatments. This is a career with a lot of responsibility and reward, and is in high demand. Entry-level positions usually only require an associate’s degree, which takes about 21-24 months to complete. There are some fast-track programs available, but your coursework will likely take longer than one year to complete.

Radiation therapists can start at about $80,000 per year, depending on your area and where you work. For more information on this career path, visit the BLS website. 

8. Surgical Technologist

Surgical techs help prep the surgery room, sanitize utensils, and assist the surgical team in anything they need before, during, and after the operation. This is a thrilling job, and you’ll likely get a first-hand look at the surgical process itself. 

Surgical technologists are in high demand, growing by about 7% over the next decade. You can find salary information here. 

Source: TG Daily – Take Healthcare Classes Online to Obtain These 8 Careers in 2021

If you decided to rent servers for sales or other business needs, you have to think about all the nuances. This decision should not be taken recklessly.

Specifics of companies’ needs

Some business owners go over budget to buy powerful and expensive equipment that their companies don’t need. It is not necessary to spend a lot of money on techniques that won’t fit when the firm grows back in a year. It’s just an unsustainable waste of money.

The process of selecting a server or other technical equipment is easier for large enterprises than for small and medium companies. As a rule, serious business projects already have their own IT infrastructures and sets of equipment, they can realize their nearest perspectives to understand their needs and tasks. Choosing a server for small businesses can be a daunting process. With modern different types of servers, processors, hard drives, and other useful equipment (you may see them at the HOSTKEY directory), it is almost impossible to figure out where to start.

A server is a remote computer with a huge bandwidth capacity. It provides uninterruptible access to the Internet and ensures a stable website performance. Such equipment is used to maintain the smooth functioning of standard PCs or applications that run over the Internet.

How to choose a server?

1. Define the specification of your project

First of all, create a list of applications/services that will be launched through the server.  Also, you should approximately calculate the number of customers interested in your goods or services. After this counting, add 20% as a buffer in order to cover the resulting bursts of activity.

2. Selecting a location

After the previous step, you should think about a place to host the server. It can be located either in your office or in a cloud. There are pros and cons to each approach.

Advantages of setting in your own office:

• This option may be cheaper in the long term.
• You pay for one piece of hardware only;

Cons:

• Huge electricity costs on the power supply and cooling;
• Expenses on replacing broken equipment;
• There is no technical support 24/7;
• Hardware becomes obsolete quickly enough.

Pluses of hosting in the cloud:

• Latest generation equipment;
• Professional technical support 24/7;
• No additional maintenance costs;
• Safe and secure data storage.

As to minuses of this technology:

• You have to pay rent regularly;
• No physical access to the equipment.

3. Calculate the budget

Before purchasing or renting a server, you should calculate all your expenses to see if it is appropriate for your business. It is best to contact a specialized company that can help you take into account everything, however, here are some basic things you should remember:

Pros of cheap equipment:

• The server can be offline as long as you need;
• A good option if you don’t really care about using an old generation server;
• You can buy a new model when you realize that the old one is outdated;

Pros of an expensive option:

• Stable functioning 24×7;
• The ability to process a sufficiently large amount of data and operate them without problems;
• Latest generation equipment.

4. Selecting the type

Before choosing options, you need to consider all types of equipment and figure out which one suits you best. So, there are three types of servers:

· Hybrid. This is a kind of server used by multiple users but each of them has its own isolated OS environment. It is suitable for those who operate with a non-large amount of information.

· Cloud. This kind of equipment combines hundreds of machines to provide customers with guaranteed performance with any load.

· Dedicated models. These physical machines are intended for individual clients that ensure high productivity. However, as a rule, it is a more expensive variant than others.

5.  Buying or renting

When you have completed all the previous steps and decided what exactly you need to get, you should determine a hosting provider to contact in order to buy/rent a server. We offer you the most reliable and competitive operator. On our HOSTKEY website, it is possible to find the best small business servers with ready-made configurations that are most often used or you can write to us and get a customized one after a detailed consultation. Hurry up and get the ideal solution for your projects!

Source: TG Daily – How To Choose a Server for your Small Business

Along with the job, it is tough to do trading because the investor goes through lots of pressure. So, if you decide to start trading, you need to take some wise steps that can help you to do all the activities without taking much pressure. But, before coming here, find out what types of problems you can face in the market. You need to know, if you trade solely, you will become demotivated after a few days. However, five tips can give you the chance to improve your trading.

Find a suitable trading style

There are four major trading styles such as position trading, swing trading, day trading, and quick scalping. So, find out the style that suits you better. For this, you have to match your features with the trading style. If it matches, it will be better for you. If you have a 9 to five job, day trading will be tough for you. Because in this approach, traders are required to keep the eye on the market for a long time. On the other hand, position trading might be better for you because you do not need to observe the trading field constantly. But, make sure that you are comfortable with the trading styles.

Do not change the blueprint frequently

Let your plan work. If you change your plan very quickly, you will lose money. Before changing the plan, you need to examine whether it is important to make the changes or not. The plan will not provide you with success instantly. Take time, you will get better results. Stick to the plan and run the trading process according to this. Professionals keep the multiple blueprints for the response to the changing situation. You can also do this to avoid the barriers. Read some technical posts at Saxo markets and try to understand how the elite UK traders are analyzing the market. Most of them are using the same old technique to find reliable trade signals.

Learn to wait

If you can wait, there is a possibility of getting a better result. If you become impatient, you will start overtrading which will blow up the account. Make some important rules and try to follow these for making money. These rules will keep you on the right track. For example, if you stick to the rules, you will not close your position early. Bear in mind that the good opportunity will not come repeatedly, so you have to wait for this. That’s why, try to become self-restrained.

Identify the problems

To dictate the main problems, you have to use the trading journal. A good record of the previous trades will allow you to determine the main reasons for which you have faced failure. When you can know about your major problems and common mistakes, you need to solve these. Stop blaming others for your faults. Sometimes, the investor rudely behaves with their family member because of facing loss for making flaws. Take your responsibility to increase the seriousness of trading. The responsibility will also make you analyze the situation properly before executing the trades.

The dangers of demo trading

After spending too much time in demo trading, most of the investors fail in the market. Because if you are not familiar with the real field, you will not take the right action for your trading process. Demo trading will not allow you to realize the influences of emotions. So, the technique which will go with the demo field might not go with the real field. That’s why you must not be overconfident after gaining the rewards in the demo session.

Try to become honest with yourself. Maintain the professionalism that will allow you to gain money. If you can keep the total concentration on trading, you will not give up trading like other losers. Think practically and avoid making emotional decisions.

Source: TG Daily – How to Become a Successful Trader in the Options Market

What brought this to mind was a story in the Washington Post (and this has gone viral on social media and across most major news services) about a woman, we’ll call her Karen (search on Karen), who (along with friends) was caught on video attacking her uber driver because he wanted her to wear a mask.  She has now been banned from Uber and Lyft for life, and we’ll likely hear she has lost her job and any chance of a career shortly.  The driver she abused is on track to get $40K, which could fund a civil complaint against her for threatening his life, and she could still be charged criminally for assault and theft (she took his phone).  

People lose their tempers all of the time, but now that almost every Uber and taxi has cameras, cars are coming with cameras (Tesla’s implementation is the best currently). If you are near a Tesla, you are on camera.  Everyone effectively has a camera. Your opportunity for freedom and a job-ending event is far more likely.  

One of my first real jobs was for Disneyland, and they had a specific rule that I think everyone should take to heart.  

Let’s talk about why Disney may have the best policy for those that otherwise are likely to commit career suicide.  But that policy does need to be updated.  I’ll close with something else everyone should know that could save your life or the life of your child.  

On-Stage

Disneyland had a formal school you went to to be trained on the basics of any job in the park.  A significant portion of the training was on the one rule that, if broken, would instantly get you fired.  It was how I knew that Gina Carano was going to be fired before she was fired.  The rule was that when you were in public, you carried the brand, and if you did anything that tarnished that brand, you’d be terminated.  

They called this on-stage vs. off-stage.  While you weren’t in costume or connected to Disney, they didn’t care what you did, but when you were in costume or otherwise connected to the brand, you were to toe the company line.  And that line was that, regardless of the provocation, you were to be friendly, you were to behave, and you were to remain in character.  It later reminded me of these scenes in Roadhouse where the Cooler, Patrick Swayze, explained his rules.  

But what has changed since then is that we are always on stage with social media and cameras virtually every place.  This change means that behavior that might have gone unpunished in years past will likely not go unpunished today.  It means that regardless of the substance you’ve consumed if you act out, it’ll show up in social media, your boss is likely to see it, your CEO is likely to see it, your Pastor is likely to see it, your significant other is likely to see it, your parents and friends are likely to see it.  These things go viral, and suddenly you are a YouTube sensation and unemployable and maybe divorced and in jail.  

You have to come around to the concept that you are on-stage and people are always watching and ready to, or already are, capturing your unacceptable behavior on camera.  Oh, and there is an even bigger problem. If they don’t capture you on camera one time, they can use the last time you were captured to point out this behavior. Suddenly, instead of being innocent until proven guilty, you go to guilty until proven innocent.  

Wrapping Up:  The Two Things We Should Teach Every Child And Every Employee

I’m adding children to this because I can recall one of the common reasons new hires out of college got terminated, and that was misbehaving in public.   These events were mostly long before Social Media but, for some reason, kids would join a firm without realizing their behavior could get them fired.  One guy got fired for masturbating at work, another for not taking no for an answer from a female co-worker, and this was after he was warned about getting fall-down drunk on an airplane and getting kicked off.  That last guy was a minority and seemed to think that, due to diversity rules, he couldn’t be fired.  Minority status may provide you with advantages now, but it doesn’t excuse behavior that does and should result in your being fired.  

Adults and children need to be trained to realize that they are on stage and what they do can and will be held against them in the court of social media, which is neither fair nor kind.  Before I leave you, there is one other thing I think everyone should be trained in, and that was the hand sign for distress.  If you see someone making this sign, you need to call the police and help.  If you are at risk, you can use that same sign to get help if you need it.  

Source: TG Daily – Why Every Employee Needs To Start To Act Like They Work For Disneyland

The workforce is currently undergoing a massive change. Around the world, more and more people are becoming freelancers and leaving full-time employment behind completely. It has to be said that one of the main reasons why so many people have started working for themselves is the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, many people have lost employment and need a way to make money till the job market recovers. 

This influx of freelancers and changes to regulations relating to self-employed people in multiple countries have made freelance management platforms a must. So, in this article, we’ll be walking you through exactly what a freelance management platform is and why it’s a game-changer—particularly in the rapidly evolving gig economy climate.

What is a Freelance Management Platform

This is a very important question, because how can you use something if you don’t know what it does? A freelance management platform is a type of system that manages information regarding the freelancers that work with your business. By making use of these freelance management systems, business owners are able to get an operational overview of their freelance workers including their relevant legal and financial information. This makes the process of managing freelancers much easier—there is less reliance on files and folders full of paper-based documents and the platform helps you optimize your freelance processes.

As we dive deeper into this article, you will see that the benefits of freelance management platforms are numerous. You can use these platforms to effectively manage your procurement process when looking for a new freelancer. This also means that you won’t have to spend as much time searching on multiple freelancer platforms. You can also save time when bringing on new people and cutting ties with others by automating the process using a freelance management platform. These systems also make paying freelancers easier as you’ll be able to pay them in their currency of choice using your own currency. After reading this, I’m sure you’re able to see why such a system could be useful for businesses that rely on freelancers.

More People Are Going Freelance

The data on this point is currently undeniable—more people are going freelance than ever before. The rate of freelancing was still quite low in 2014 at 17% of workers, before it started hovering between 25% and 29% between 2015 and 2019. Then, when it came to 2020, the share of freelancers shot up to 36%. With this sudden increase in the number of people that are freelancing, you’re going to need a good way to manage how you work with your freelancers. A lot of companies are still managing freelancers with spreadsheets and this just isn’t going to work going forward. A spreadsheet can’t keep up with such a constantly-changing environment.

From the above figures, it can be seen that the number of people going into freelancing shot up in 2015 and then stayed stagnant for a few years, gaining a little bit of ground but nothing massive. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic hit and rampant unemployment at a level unseen since the 2008 economic crisis shook the world. People started needing to freelance so that they could survive and the massive surge in the number of people freelancing clearly supports this conclusion.

Staying Compliant With Tax and Pay Regulations

If there’s another thing that freelance management platforms are good for, it’s making sure that you’re keeping on top of your tax and payments compliance. In recent times, the freelance market has seen some landmark cases—the Supreme Court ruling in the UK that declared Uber drivers to be employees rather than self-employed people. This entitled these workers to the statutory work benefits and a minimum wage. Regulators have noticed that companies often take advantage of self-employed people and fail to classify them as full-time employees in an effort to avoid tax and minimum wage responsibilities. Therefore, harsher penalties are being implemented.

Despite the fact that some businesses deliberately misclassify their workers, it also happens quite commonly by accident. These types of instances are only going to increase as more people begin to freelance and more companies begin to use their services as a result of this. This is another reason why it is important that you use a freelance management platform if your business regularly makes use of freelancers. If there’s one person you never want to annoy, it’s your auditor. So it’s probably best to just be safe rather than sorry.

Conclusion

In closing, we discussed what a freelance management platform is and how it is clear that freelance management systems are becoming a necessity because more people are moving towards freelancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, it’s not prudent to use spreadsheets to manage freelancers anymore and you also need to make sure that you’re in compliance with rapidly-changing legislation. Self-updating, automated systems will make the task a lot easier, error-free and efficient for business owners.

Written by Adam Eaton

Source: TG Daily – Why Freelance Management Platforms Are The New Game Changer

What’s the Story

39-year-old Karen Inman was arrested by Northern California authorities on Friday for allegedly committing anti-Asian hate crime after she was reported in February of having spat on an Asian American and yelling an ethnic slur as he was dining outdoors in Silicon Valley.

That same day same day, another incident reached the police about a woman matching Inman’s description, robbing food and clothing from a store, where she told the owners that she did not have to pay because of a staff’s Asian ethnicity.

If proven guilty, she will face one and a half years imprisonment for theft and a mandatory community service for the hate crime.

Woman accused of spitting on Asian man in Silicon Valley charged with hate crime, battery

Inman also told the man to “go back to where you came from” as he ate lunch with a friend on Feb. 13

KTLA disclosed that Karen Inman, 39, was accused of spitting on an Asian American man and yelling an ethnic slur as he dined outdoors in Silicon Valley has been charged with a misdemeanor hate crime and battery, officials said Monday.

Inman first came to police’s attention the same day that the man was spat on, after officers received a report of a woman taking food and clothing from a store.

According to Mountain View police, the woman told the store owners she didn’t have to pay “because of their Asian ethnicity.”

Inman was scheduled to be arraigned Monday afternoon. The two counts carry a maximum penalty of one and a half years in prison. The hate crime charge also comes with a mandatory community service requirement, the Deputy District Attorney said.

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Woman charged with ‘anti-Asian hate crime’ of spitting on man in California

Mountain View police say they arrested a 39-year-old woman who they say spat on the man and yelled racist comments as he was eating outdoors.

According to NBC News, a 39-year-old woman was arrested Friday during an attempted theft of sweets from a Smart & Final grocery store, said police in Mountain View, about 15 miles west of San Jose. Inman was charged with petty theft, robbery and two counts of violation of civil rights by force or threat because of two incidents alleged to have occurred Feb. 13.

Police said they received another report on the same day alleging that a woman matching Inman’s description had hurled racist language and spat at patrons who were eating lunch, one of them of Asian descent.

Police said they interviewed Inman, who is transient, on Feb. 13 and released her because officers had not witnessed either incident and because both of the victims did not “desire prosecution.”

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Anti-Asian hate crime charge filed against woman who allegedly spit on man

KTVY Fox 2: The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office has charged 39-year-old Karen Inman with committing an anti-Asian hate crime after she allegedly spit on a stranger and told him to go back to “where you came from” as e dined in Mountain View.

Source: TG Daily – 39-year-old Woman Charged With Misdemeanor Hate Crime and Battery

What’s the Story

Antivirus software mogul, John McAfee, and his executive adviser, Jimmy Gale Watson Jr. are facing charges for alleged cryptocurrency fraud and money laundering crimes which yielded profits of $13 million.

According to a press release issued announcing the indictment, both men were believed to be involved in a scalping scheme where they bought huge amounts of cheap cryptocurrency altcoins then aggressively advertised them on McAfee’s Twitter account, spreading misleading claims to artificially inflate their market prices.

If proven guilty, McAfee and Watson will be facing five to twenty years imprisonment and financial penalties.

Tech entrepreneur John McAfee charged with fraud, money laundering in cryptocurrency schemes

McAfee’s team made ‘millions through lies and deception’: South District of New York

Fox Business disclosed in a report that tech entrepreneur John McAfee and his cryptocurrency team were charged with fraud and money laundering conspiracy crimes related to two schemes that netted them $13 million by the Southern District of New York.

McAfee, 75, and his executive adviser, Jimmy Gale Watson Jr., 40, are accused of crimes including conspiracy to commit commodities and securities fraud, conspiracy to commit securities and touting fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, substantive wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering for their alleged roles in two schemes relating to the fraudulent promotion to investors of cryptocurrencies.

The charges carry maximum prison sentences ranging from five to 20 years and also include the potential for financial penalties.

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Antivirus software creator John McAfee indicted on cryptocurrency fraud charges

McAfee and his “cryptocurrency team” advisor Jimmy Watson allegedly engaged in an “age-old pump-and-dump scheme”

According to CNBC, Federal prosecutors on Friday accused antivirus software company founder John McAfee and his associate of orchestrating fraudulent schemes to rake in millions of dollars from cryptocurrency investors.

McAfee and his “cryptocurrency team” advisor Jimmy Watson allegedly engaged in an “age-old pump-and-dump scheme,” FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said in a press release.

In the “scalping” scheme, McAfee and his team allegedly bought large amounts of cheap cryptocurrency altcoins, then aggressively promoted them online with “false and misleading endorsement tweets” to artificially inflate their market prices..

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Antivirus mogul John McAfee charged with fraud over crypto promotion

News Time: McAfee and his bodyguard Jimmy Gale Watson Jr were charged over a scheme to exploit McAfee’s large Twitter following by publicly touting cryptocurrency offerings and digital tokens that they later sold once prices rose on the promotions.

Source: TG Daily – John McAfee Cited For Cryptocurrency Fraud and Money Laundering