Robots Taking Our Jobs

ATLANTA — The “Great Resignation” is speeding up the development and implementation of technology in the workplace — from trash pickups to restaurants, even poultry processing.

The Forbes Technology Council believes at least 15 industries will be automated in the next decade. They include restaurants, grocery stores and manufacturing.

While many people are concerned about robots taking over jobs, in some cases, technology is making conditions safer and easier for workers.

At the Georgia Institute of Technology, Channel 2 Action News saw a research project that aims to take poultry workers off the processing production line.

The machine can pick up a chicken of any size or weight and carry out a task while being guided by a human on a VR headset.

The headset will connect anywhere there is a Wi-Fi connection, keeping the human worker out of smelly, dangerous and cold conditions.

Across the hallway on Georgia Tech’s campus, there is another mission to automate space. Researchers are working with NASA to program a robot that can carry out a task without human intervention.

Georgia Tech’s lab, along with other research institutes across the country, received a grant to figure out how a space station could go long periods of time without humans living on board.

They need robots to function and troubleshoot mechanical obstacles in the event of an emergency.

Stephen Balakirsky is the principal research scientist at Georgia Tech’s Research Institute. He told Channel 2 Action News that technology like what the institute is working on for NASA would be applicable on Earth for situations that are too dangerous or risky for humans.  READ MORE...

Underwater Turtle

 

Robots Are On The Horizon

The U.S. market for robotics and artificial intelligence career openings is exploding based on early 2022 trends from job postings on Robots.Jobs, the marketplace specifically for robotics and AI companies looking for talent and for jobseekers looking for the latest industry opportunities. 

In the last 90 days, open positions on Robots.Jobs have increased by more than 500 percent. Newly featured job-posters include autonomous drone hardware and sensors company GreenSight and Intrinsic AI, making industrial robotics accessible and usable for businesses.

"Robotics, IoT and AI careers are in high demand across almost all industries, including industrial, healthcare, biotech, logistics, consumer and more," said Ann P. Walsh, CEO & cofounder, Robots.Jobs. 

"In this competitive job market, talent recruitment requires skill, targeting and focus to attract the most qualified employees. For robotics and artificial intelligence, we are just at the beginning of demand for talent."

Geographies for job growth
Boston, Massachusetts maintains its stronghold on the largest volume of robotics and AI job searches with 25 percent of open positions posted on the Robots. Jobs job board. This growth is in part due to the number of biotech companies actively using robotics and artificial intelligence technologies within their organizations. 

Austin, Texas and Denver, Colorado are also seeing fast growth, with many new innovation centers increasing recruiting efforts for engineering talent. The industry is growing in these states due to lifestyle advantages, a lower cost of doing business, and tax incentives to build a younger, more diverse workforce.  READ MORE...

Things...

 

Why I Write

 

It all started in high school and was prompted by the song TIRED OF WAITING by the Kinks...  I was attending Cairo American College (high school) in Cairo, Egypt when I heard that song played on Voice of America one of the few radio stations we could receive.  The year was 1965.

The poem went on for 3 pages and was written in green ink...  it was about my love for a female classmate that I did not have the courage to tell because both of us were involved with other people.

In 1966, I graduated and in the fall I was enrolled in college as a student with an undeclared major.  During those first and half years, I would go to the student union before class began, and after getting coffee and finding a place to sit, I began poems in a small notebook just to have something to do while drinking my coffee.

After two and half years, I dropped out and enlisted in the Navy and after BootCamp would continue to write poetry in that little notebook whenever I had free time and was by myself.

I got married and after leaving the military, I returned to college but would stop by McDonalds for coffee before class instead of the student union.  This desire to write poetry has followed me my entire life.

When I was 40, I stopped smoking and began writing short stories in addition to my poetry that I shared with a Writers Club for several years.  My short stories were not well written and I knew that because I had concentrated on writing the short verses of poetry.

I did not think about why I was writing, I was just writing because I had something to say.

I wrote poems to my wife for her birthdays, other holidays and our anniversary because I thought my words were better than the words on a card that could be purchased.

As I got older, I began writing opinion articles that I published on social media forums like Facebook and LinkedIn and before I quit both of those outlets, I had written well over 1,200 of them...  mainly to share thoughts and to stir up controversy by getting people to think...  although few actually wanted to do that.

When I retired, I started writing novels and not with the idea of having any of them published but just to see if I had the patience and the ability to write a 300 page novel.

After writing 5 novels, one of which was lost due to my computer crashing, I decided to save them in the cloud.  I also decided that I would look into KDP publishing through Amazon...

But, why do I write?

I am not sure why...   I just feel compelled to put my thoughts down on paper.  I am not even sure if my poems are any good or not, although after writing over 42,000 of them, there must be a few that are worth reading.

But, my novels are more of a challenge than they are a simple desire to write.

I have two blogs now...  One is for the publishing of my poetry and one is for the publishing of my opinion articles...  My novels are being edited by me and will one day be ready to submit to KDP...  I have no idea if anyone will want to read them and I am not sure if I care...  if anything, I would rather not know if anyone wants to read them or not.

I have no support for my writing at all other than myself and a high school classmate from Canada - we have re-acquainted ourselves after over 20 years of no communication at all.

I cannot imagine a day going by without writing or if for some reason I cannot write, I think about what I want to write when I can continue writing.  This happened to me recently when I was in the hospital for a couple of days due to back surgery.

I don't know if this answers the title of this post or not but I have tried to explain it in the only way that I know how...  I write because I am compelled to write and there is something missing in my day, if I don't write.

WHY ASK WHY?

WHY ISN'T ABC, NBC, CBS, AND CNN COVERING THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION AT THE BORDER?

DON'T YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW MANY ILLEGALS ARE COMING INTO THIS COUNTRY?

DON'T YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE CRIMINALS THAT ARE COMING INTO THIS COUNTRY?

DON'T YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE ILLEGAL DRUGS THAT ARE COMING INTO THIS COUNTRY?

YOU MUST NOT HAVE ANY CHILDREN...

From the Back Porch

 It has rained for several days here in the East Tennessee Valley and while it has cooled down the humidity, it has only been temporary...  most of the folks in these here parts stay inside on the days like today, but I venture outside because of necessity...

A little over 4 weeks ago, I had 5 lower back disks fused together and for the next 3 months, I begin the slow process of learning how to walk again, unaided and without a limp...  or some might say that I walk like a penguin or a duck.  One month has passed and my progress, in my opinion, has been slow.

A week ago, I discovered that if I walked around the inside perimeter of our above-ground pool I could walk unaided...  as opposed to using the handrail when I walk around the track at the Community Center.  So, on days like today, I walk around the pool.

My new normal routine is to walk 10 laps at the Community Center in the morning and then walk around the pool for 40 minutes in the afternoon...  all total, I am walking right at a mile each day...  or at least 6 out of 7 days.

After 3 months from the day of surgery, I can see a physical therapist if my doctor writes a prescription for me...  He has never mentioned physical therapy...  just walking.  The literature I have read indicated that it could take up to 18 months before I return to normal although I may never return to the normal that I was before.

Still, I can spend my days in relative comfort cooking in the kitchen, exercising, and working on my blogs...  I was writing novels before, but I have yet to return to them and I am not sure why...

As I look out the window to the back of our house, a black cloud has been slowly approaching our location which means no doubt that rain is on the way.  On Friday when it rained, I had just finished mowing the lawn in the back;  ordinarily, this is not a difficult task with a riding lawn mower, but my lower did not appreciate all the up and down movements and when I finished an hour later and dismounted, it was difficult to stand straight for a minute.

This afternoon, I am cooking cream of mushroom soup (made from a starter kit) and have added to it chicken and angel hair noodles.  I am hoping that I did not make over 2 servings as I am getting tired of having to eat the same thing for 5-6 days.  I am not one to throw food away unless I absolutely have to.

Daniel is a friend of mine and lives two doors down in our community.  He is a Mexican American in case you are wondering and spent his entire life building houses with his crew.  Once he finishes this last house for himself, we will be getting together to play chess... neither one of us claims to be any good.  More about our escapades to follow...

Keeping the faith...

The China THREAT

The counterintelligence and economic espionage efforts emanating from the government of China and the Chinese Communist Party are a grave threat to the economic well-being and democratic values of the United States.



Confronting this threat is the FBI’s top counterintelligence priority.

To be clear, the adversary is not the Chinese people or people of Chinese descent or heritage. The threat comes from the programs and policies pursued by an authoritarian government.

The Chinese government is employing tactics that seek to influence lawmakers and public opinion to achieve policies that are more favorable to China.

At the same time, the Chinese government is seeking to become the world’s greatest superpower through predatory lending and business practices, systematic theft of intellectual property, and brazen cyber intrusions.

China’s efforts target businesses, academic institutions, researchers, lawmakers, and the general public and will require a whole-of-society response. The government and the private sector must commit to working together to better understand and counter the threat.

“The greatest long-term threat to our nation’s information and intellectual property, and to our economic vitality, is the counterintelligence and economic espionage threat from China.”
FBI Director Christopher Wray

It's Just This Simple...

Economics can be defined as the study of the allocation of scarce resources that have multiple purposes...

Why are they scarce resources?

They are scarce because the supplier cannot get all the resources that are needed into the marketplace at the time they are needed...

Why do the resources have multiple purposes?

Resources that have multiple purposes are those resources like petroleum crude oil which can be used to make a variety of products such as gasoline, jet fuel, plastics, fertilizer, etc.

When suppliers produce more resources than are needed in the marketplace, then the price goes down but if the opposite takes place then the price goes up...  and, when one thinks about that, it makes a lot of sense.

Gasoline prices are increasing because there is simply not enough gasoline being put into the marketplace for sale...  this same logic can be applied to all the food that is being sold in grocery stores...  and, since most food is transported by 18-wheelers and they have to pay more for gasoline, that also assists in increasing the price of food.

In addition to the price of gasoline, there are less Americans working in the marketplace today than were working two years ago.  If there are less workers, then there also must be less products being created that are available for purchase.

Less products as we know mean higher prices...

Inflation is typically controlled by increasing interest rates to remove money from the marketplace...  this removal of money will decrease the demand...  but, what also happens is that when less products are being produced and purchased, then our economy falls into a recession...  which means NO GROWTH AT ALL...

When a country falls into a recession, everyone one of the citizens or residents have less available to them...  and each and everyone of them are negatively impacted by this.  The only group of people that are not bothered by either inflation or a recession are the WEALTHY...

Underwater Cave

 

Lowering Risk of Dimentia

The habits include:

1. exercising
2. losing weight 
3. having good nutrition
4. maintaining a healthy blood pressure
5. reducing blood sugar
6. not smoking
7. regulating cholesterol.

Scientists have identified 7 healthy linked to lower rates of dementia in those with genetic risk.

According to a study recently published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, seven healthy habits and lifestyle factors may help reduce the risk of dementia in people with the greatest genetic risk.

The seven cardiovascular and brain health factors are known as the American Heart Association’s Life’s Simple 7: being active, eating healthier, losing weight, not smoking, keeping a healthy blood pressure, regulating cholesterol, and lowering blood sugar.

“These healthy habits in the Life’s Simple 7 have been linked to a lower risk of dementia overall, but it is uncertain whether the same applies to people with a high genetic risk,” said study author Adrienne Tin, Ph.D., of the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. “The good news is that even for people who are at the highest genetic risk, living by this same healthier lifestyle are likely to have a lower risk of dementia.”

In the research, 2,738 people with African heritage and 8,823 individuals with European ancestry were tracked over the course of 30 years. At the start of the trial, participants’ average age was 54.

The levels of each of the seven health factors were reported by study participants. The range of total scores was 0 to 14, with 0 being the most unhealthy score and 14 denoting the most healthy score. People of European heritage scored on average 8.3, whereas people of African descent scored on average 6.6.

Researchers calculated genetic risk scores at the start of the study using genome-wide statistics of Alzheimer’s disease, which have been used to study the genetic risk for dementia.  READ MORE...

Teaching Math Has Changed

1. Teaching Math in the 1950s ...

A forester sells a small load of timber for £100

His cost of production is 4/5 of the price.

What is his profit? £____


2. Teaching Math in the 1970s ...

A forester sells a small load of timber for £100.

His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or £80.

What is his profit? £___


3. Teaching Math in the 1990s ...

A forester sells a small load of timber for £100.

His cost of production is £80.

Did he make a profit? __Yes or __No


4. Teaching Math in the 2000s ...

A forester sells a small load of timber for £100.

His cost of production is £80 and his profit is £20.

Your assignment: Underline the number 20.


5. Teaching Math in the 2010s ...

A forester cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habitat of animals or the preservation of our woodlands.

He does this so he can make a profit of £20.

What do you think of this way of making a living?

Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes?


6. Teaching Math in the 2020s ...

Math is a racist subject.

Students no longer need any maths skills to go to University.

2+2 = 4, or 22, or whatever you feel is correct for you.

There are no wrong answers, feel free to express your feelings e.g., anger, anxiety, inadequacy, helplessness etc.

Should you require debriefing at the conclusion of the exam there are Counselors available to assist you.

Classic Sunday Morning Newspaper Cartoons

 

Watching Space in High Definition

This artist’s view shows a planet orbiting the young star Beta Pictoris. 

(Image credit: ESO L. Calçada/N. Risinger)

Researchers are looking forward to a glimpse of colliding worlds in action from NASA's cutting-edge space observatory.

After the James Webb Space Telescope finishes its commissioning period and releases its first operational images on July 12, the observatory will dive into science in earnest. And one of the telescope's first-year investigations will include a close-up view of the strange neighborhood of Beta Pictoris.

The young star, just 63 light years away from us, is surrounded by a dusty disc full of debris left over from its formation. It's a crowded space, hosting "at least two planets [and] a jumble of smaller, rocky bodies," researchers said in a 2021 press release(opens in new tab) about the investigation.

While the research has numerous directions, one key aspect is watching a young planetary system evolving as planetesimals (the predecessors to planets) collide. Because Beta Pictoris is wreathed in dust, researchers will be using Webb's infrared light to peer through the debris and see what is happening in high definition.

Webb will have decades of past work to draw upon, including ground-based observatories and space observations from the Hubble Space Telescope. We know from such studies that Beta Pictoris hosts at least two gigantic planets, both much more massive than Jupiter. Researchers also glimpsed the first known exocomets, or comets beyond our solar system, whirling in the debris cloud.  READ MORE...

Really???

 

Recession Proof Industries

Warnings about a looming recession have reached a fever pitch. Inflation continues to soar, causing chaos in the stock market, and companies are starting to prepare for the worst with layoffs, hiring freezes and, in some extreme cases, rescinding job offers.

The sudden shift in labor market dynamics — after months of strong job prospects and rising wages for employees — has left many working Americans scratching their heads.

“Job prospects are going to get much worse” in the next few months, Laurence Ball, an economics professor at Johns Hopkins University, tells CNBC Make It. “The question is: ‘How much worse?’”

If you’re thinking of changing roles soon, you should know that while no job is completely recession-proof, certain industries tend to fare worse than others during a downturn.

During the Great Recession, which lasted from 2007 to 2009, the construction and manufacturing sectors experienced sizable dips in employment, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

That’s because during an economic downturn, people usually limit their discretionary spending and delay big purchases, including cars and new homes, says Karen Dynan, an economics professor at Harvard University and former chief economist at the U.S. Treasury. She predicts that these industries will see similar patterns if a recession were to occur soon.  READ MORE...

Large Fiddle

 

Retired and Offline

 

I earned my retirement credentials by working in a variety of positions in labor and management over a 45 year period of time..

I earned my retirement because I was an outspoken employee of integrity who would not back down and consequently was laid-off or fired 10 times during my career...

I earned my ability never having to work again at 67 years of age because despite my roller coaster employment, I was still able to save enough money to pay our bills until the age of 95 and my wife is 5 years younger.

I am able to live just as well off not working as I did when I was working...  and, one of those reasons that helped me achieve this goal was the fact that I became debt free 15 years before I retired.

Throughout my career whether I worked in labor or in management, I simply LOVED what I was doing and simply HATED the people for whom I had to work...  even in management, you have to report to someone and those people in my situation were incompetent assholes who thought being an intellectual meant wiping their asses with expensive toilet tissue.

On numerous occasions I wanted to give them glass belly buttons because they had their heads so far up their asses, I did not think they could see properly.

While you may think this hard to believe, the worst leaders and managers I worked for were employed at a Christian University.

I now live in East TN in a 24oo square foot home that sits on an acre of land.  The money I have is in a credit union and not invested in the stock market.  I don't calculate a build up of interest to determine how long my monies will last.  

I just take our social security income and subtract it from our monthly expenses, and whatever I need is removed from savings.  If my total monthly expenses exceed $5,000 then I look for ways to cut back but so far that has not happened even when confronted with the Biden inflation.

My wife and I go out to eat once or twice a week and take a vacation every other month but due to COVID, we only feel confident with two vacations to Myrtle Beach.

We grow our own veges in the summer.  We have a pool, a large deck with gazebo, and a hot tub for our entertainment and relaxation.

We are off cable completely and with fiber WIFI have membership with Hulu and Netflix which provides us all our needs.

Our 3 cats are a nuisance most of the time, but do provide us with comfort throughout the day and don't judge us on anything that we do...  although, they do not like us arguing especially when our voices are raised.

My daughter from a previous marriage lives in China and has chosen not to communicate with me anymore...  her loss...  my second wife's son comes by for a visit every other week, and when our neighbors are outside they are friendly.

My wife and I are free to walk around our community without the fear of any violence and do so often for exercise.

After traveling to Europe a couple of times, Hawaii 3 times, Alaska, 3 times to Vegas, Denver, twice to New Orleans, and taking about 10-12 cruises, there is not that much that we really want to see.

Traveling is fun and we got good at it, but at the same time, it is a hassle...  especially going through customs and trying to navigate foreign airports where few speak English like in Paris.

I will say this about cruises...  On every single cruise, I asked our waiter on the first night if I could have Salmon every night but on that night with Lobster, I wanted both.  All my waiters on all my cruises were able to accommodate my request.

With all our travels, the place that we still like the best is south myrtle beach...  we have found the perfect place to stay and have found the best places to eat, not always the most expensive, and feel the most comfortable going to barefoot landing and the other tourist sites.

Our room at the resort we like is divided into sections.  A bedroom with a door, a bath, a kitchen, a livingroom with balcony that faces the ocean.  We always have breakfast and lunch in our room and go out for dinner.  Our total cost for 7 days including food and transportation ranges between $1,500 to $2,000 which is always less than any other vacation we have ever taken.

Except for our health concerns, our RETIREMENT IS PERFECT...

Quallties of Followers

 

Believe it or not...  those who follow have qualities and attributes as well, not totally unlike being a leader...  just without the responsibilities.

But, before we get to these followers let me say a little something about those who don't want to lead or follow, all they want to do is to be told what to do...

While these may be compliant employees, they are the worst kind of employers to have as they do not want to think, they do not want to protect, they are not loyal, nor do they really care about what they do or for that matter don't do.

These employees will always try to do the very minimum to get by and are not really worth the wages that you are paying them in the long run...  they are short term employers that have to be watched all the time...

However, the employees that want to follow a leader are dramatically different.

They are skilled and capable, they can and do think for themselves and they look for problems to arise so that they can stop them from happening or minimize the impact if they do.

These followers know how to take orders (like a soldier without resentment) and can work by themselves or with a group of people in a team.  They know to contribute to the whole and they understand fully the role they play and are totally willing to accept that role.

These employees are capable of leadership roles but don't want the responsibility and yet, if something were to happen and they were needed, they would step into a leadership role in a heartbeat.

If I were to make a comparison, I would compare followers as those who are members of a Navy SEAL Team.

You can find these followers but you have to look for them and be willing to pay for their talents, abilities, and willingness to make good on their commitments.   

Castle in the Water