In The NEWS

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> The Florida Panthers look to win their first Stanley Cup tonight (8 pm ET, ABC) with a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series against the Edmonton Oilers (More) | Los Angeles Lakers reportedly hire NBA veteran JJ Redick as next head coach (More)

> Donald Sutherland, Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning actor known for roles in "M*A*S*H" and "Hunger Games," dies at 88 (More) | Rapper Travis Scott arrested in Miami for trespassing and public intoxication (More)

> 2024 Copa América kicks off; see previews for all 16 teams in the soccer tournament (More) | Team USA track and field Olympic trials begin today from Eugene, Oregon (More)


Science & Technology
> AI startup Anthropic releases Claude 3.5 Sonnet, three months after releasing its previous version; model is meant to compete with OpenAI's GPT-4o and Google's Gemini (More)

> Paleontologists discover potential new triceratops-like dinosaur species, dubbed Lokiceratops; 78-million-year-old fossil suggests the dinosaur family saw region-specific evolution in horn and skull shape (More)

> James Webb Space Telescope captures aligned streams emanating from newborn star clusters; first direct observation of the phenomenon confirms current theory of star formation (More)


Business & Markets
> US stock markets close mixed (S&P 500 -0.3%, Dow +0.8%, Nasdaq -0.8%); S&P 500 closes lower after briefly surpassing the 5,500 level for the first time (More)

> Bank of England keeps interest rates at 16-year high of 5.25% despite inflation slowing to 2% annual rate in May (More) | Construction of new US homes in May drops to slowest pace in four years, falling 5.5% month-over-month to seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.28 million per year (More)

> US Supreme Court rejects challenge to one-time tax on certain offshore business income; the 2017 tax law provision is expected to generate $340B (More)


Politics & World Affairs
> At least four people killed after Tropical Storm Alberto makes landfall in eastern Mexico, bringing flooding and heavy rainfall to Mexico and Texas (More) | See photos (More) | US heat wave breaks records across Midwest and East Coast due to a high-pressure system known as a heat dome (More)

> The US reallocates air defense missiles originally intended for other countries to Ukraine; initial deliveries to arrive in Ukraine by end of summer, with deliveries for other allies delayed by at least 16 months (More) | See war updates (More)

> Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fails to qualify for CNN's June 27 presidential debate with President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump; Kennedy, an independent presidential candidate, is on five state ballots (More) | View latest polls (More)

SOURCE:  1440 NEWS

Project Management - Part III

 

Project resource management requires you to know and work with the bandwidth of your team. Identify their individual strengths, weaknesses, and synergy with other team members. It all comes back to that part about helping team members grow.

Project communications management is making sure everyone involved is informed on changes, updates and issues at the right time. A breakdown in communications can be problematic, so it’s not an area where you want to be weak.

Project risk management can flag upcoming problems and equip you with the means to work around and through them, rather than causing major complications.

Project procurement management is about making sure you have the outside resources and materials when you need them, working with suppliers, vendors, other contractors, and specialized personnel

Stakeholder project management is about identifying all those that have a vested interest in the project outside of those directly working on the project. These stakeholders are usually the ones who have authorized or funded the project.

It is true that you can work as a project manager without having any knowledge of the phases of a project or the ten knowledge areas of the project.  However, at the conclusion of your first project you will intuitively know about all of this, even though you may not be aware of the specific terms that you have learned in these three project management postings.

Having this knowledge upfront is simply a shortcut but in no way any kind of indication that you cannot be a project manager without this knowledge.

My knowledge of project management came from my MBA training and actually working on numerous projects after graduation.

I found out on my own that I needed to keep a detailed communications notebook of all communications, including making notes about my telephone calls, always making sure I had the names of everyone involved on the call.

Through experience, I learned to lay out an overall map of the project (Project Scope) to make sure I fully understood what needed to take place from beginning to end.  Through this scope, I was able to anticipate what personnel/supplies that I needed when and when I would have a short fall of people and needed to hire others.

Through experience, I learned what tasks needed to be done when or what tasks needed to be done before another one could start, as well as what tasks could be done simultaneously to reduce time and costs.

The ultimate goal of a project manager is to have the project be completed ON TIME and UNDER BUDGET with 100% of the quality mandated by the Stakeholder or project originator.  Understanding project management through the PMBOK and PMP certification is not required but is damn helpful with that process.

Somewhat Political

 

Putin's Semi-Automated Military

Russia increasingly looks toward artificial intelligence (AI) to address deficiencies in its battlefield capabilities and capacities that the invasion of Ukraine has exposed, according to experts.

"Russian futurists, Russian technologists, Russian developers are envisioning this slow evolution away from larger human involvement to where humans are going to be involved as little as possible," Samuel Bendett, adjunct senior fellow in the Technology and National Security Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), told Fox News Digital.

"Some of those statements were made prior to Russia's disastrous invasion of Ukraine and Russia's conduct in this war, which is very much manpower intensive… but this is something that the Russian military is keeping sort of on the horizon," he said.       READ MORE...

James Webb Telescope

 

Adam Schiff

 

Not Cool

 

Breaking Laws

 

Illegal Immigrants

 

US Citizen

 

New Show

 

American

 

Patterns

 

Money Spent

 

In The NEWS

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> MLB holds moment of silence at all 15 games yesterday to honor Baseball Hall of Famer Willie Mays (More)

> James Chance, No Wave music icon and frontman for the Contortions, dies at 71 (More) | Justin Timberlake's lawyer says the singer will "vigorously" fight his DWI charges (More)

> Rappers Swizz Beatz and Timbaland strike deal with X for exclusive distribution rights for their Verzuz content (More) | "Inside Out 2" continues record-breaking haul at box office for animated films, pulling in $49M in last two days (More)


Science & Technology
In partnership with EnergyX

> Saturn's moon Titan has waves strong enough to erode its coastlines, new study suggests; filled with liquid methane and ethane, Titan is the only other place in the solar system home to active oceans, lakes, and rivers (More)

> Researchers create a spinal cord injury "atlas," mapping out the molecular changes of different cell types following nerve damage; study also yielded a potential gene therapy for spinal injuries (More)

> New algorithm spots AI hallucinations—false information generated by the platforms, presented as real—roughly 80% of the time (More) | Heard about generative AI but don't know how it works? See a 101 overview here (More, w/video)


Business & Markets
> Inflation in the UK fell to lowest level in three years, with year-over-year price rises slowing to 2% in May; economic data comes ahead of July 4 national elections (More)

> UK regulator initiates investigation into whether Hewlett Packard Enterprise's planned $14B acquisition of Juniper Networks would result in competition concerns in the country (More)

> Luxury sneaker maker Golden Goose delays initial public offering in Milan, citing market volatility due to European Parliament elections and France's snap election; Golden Goose—worn by celebrities like Taylor Swift—was set to go public tomorrow (More)


Politics & World Affairs
> Tropical Storm Alberto, the first named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, approaches northeast Mexico and the Texas coast with winds of 40 miles per hour (More) | Hurricane season is expected to have above-average activity; see previous write-up (More)

> Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (R) signs law making the state the first to require the Ten Commandments to be posted in every public school classroom (More)

> Last year's trail derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, released toxic chemicals to 16 states, according to a new study; pollutants disappeared within three weeks after the accident (More)

SOURCE:  1440 News

Project Management - Part II

Project integration management is the umbrella that covers all other project management knowledge areas. It knits together individual processes and tasks into one project with defined goals and deliverables.


Project Scope Management requires you to create a management plan that defines, validates, and controls scope. These processes will ensure you stay on task and that everyone, including the project requester, understands what tasks will be included in the project to prevent frustrating changes and unmet expectations.


Project time management will help you to manage the project within the deadlines and schedules originally set. With this, you’ll be better able to ensure the project moves smoothly to completion in a timely manner.

Project cost management is critical to make sure you remain within budget. Financial challenges that arise during a project can throw up unplanned surprises and affect profitability — project cost management can help avoid this.


Project Quality Management allows the project manager to assure the client that the project will meet all its quality requirements without exception adhering to both internal and external quality guidelines. 

One of the interesting concepts you deal with when designing and implementing a project is the trade-offs that exist between management areas.

For instance, 

• if you try to reduce the time of the project, it will cost you more and quality will suffer.  
• If try to improve the quality, it will cost more and take more time.
• If you try to reduce the cost, quality will suffer and time will possibly increase.

How do I know this?

1. Reducing costs typically comes from using less labor (time increases) and quality (decreases).  Reducing costs can also come from using cheaper materials (quality and time suffers).
2. Reducing time typically involves hiring more people (increasing costs) and the manpower used does not pay attention to quality just the speed of the project.
3. Reducing quality will definitely impact the consumer or the end user of the project and if there another company involved as the end user then this company may not do business with you again.

Somewhat Political

 

What You Should Keep Private

Discussing our problems with others is an undeniably effective way to relieve our stress and anxiety.  But at the same time, it’s crucial that we maintain our personal boundaries to protect our well-being and mental peace.

Because the truth is, not everything needs to be shared – there are some aspects of our lives that are better off kept private.And when we overshare, we put ourselves at risk of feeling vulnerable and exposed.
  
In this article, we have compiled a list of 9 things that you should always keep private, as suggested by psychology.  This guide aims to help you navigate what to share and what not to share, promoting healthier interactions and safeguarding your well-being.

1) Personal goals and aspirations
Personal goals and aspirations are the driving force behind our actions. They’re what keep us motivated, focused, and determined.  However, according to research, this is something you might want to keep private.

One reason for this is, when we share our ambitions with others, it can create unnecessary pressure and expectations.  This may lead to self-doubt or cause us to question our capabilities if we don’t meet those expectations.

Moreover, not everyone will understand or support your dreams. There’s a risk of them being belittled or dismissed, which can affect your confidence and enthusiasm.  It’s also worth noting that when you keep your aspirations private, it allows for flexibility and changes without judgment or scrutiny.  After all, it’s your journey and you have every right to alter the course as you see fit.     READ MORE...

Last Words

 

Helping Others

 

Deleted Emails

 

Voting Dems

 

You Want Me to Disarm?

 

Hidden Truths

 

Voting

 

Crimes

 

Survival

 

In The NEWS

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> The Edmonton Oilers stave off elimination in topping the Florida Panthers 5-3; Panthers lead 3-2 in the best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final series (More)

> Justin Timberlake arrested for driving while intoxicated in the Hamptons after failing field sobriety tests; Timberlake pleaded not guilty to the charge (More) | Netflix announces "in-person experience" venues set to open in Dallas, Texas, and King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, in 2025; the venues would combine shopping, food, and experiences tied to Netflix's major franchises (More)

> Universal Music Group partners with AI startup SoundLabs to offer up "voice-cloning" technology to its roster of artists (More) | Anouk Aimée, Oscar-nominated French actress best known for starring role in "A Man and a Woman," dies at 92 (More)


Science & Technology
> Astronomers witness the activation of a massive black hole roughly 300 million light-years away; nearby matter began falling inside, releasing significant amounts of radiation that reached Earth in late 2019 (More) | Zoom in on the host galaxy (More, w/video)

> Ancient earthquake repositioned India's Ganges River by an estimated 60 miles roughly 2,500 years ago, potentially largest such event on record (More)

> Engineers design robot capable of jumping close to 400 feet in the air, more than 100 times its own height; current robot-jumping record is around 110 feet (More)


Business & Markets
> US stock markets close higher (S&P 500 +0.3%, Dow +0.2%, Nasdaq +0.03%) (More) | AI chipmaker Nvidia becomes world's most valuable company with market capitalization of $3.3T (More) | Retail sales stagnate, growing 0.1% in May as April sales are revised down to a 0.2% drop (More)

> Electric vehicle maker Fisker—valued at $2.9B when it went public in 2020—files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after reportedly failing to secure investment from Nissan (More)

> Autonomous trucking solutions company Waabi raises $200M in Series B funding led by Uber and Khosla Ventures (More)


Politics & World Affairs
> New Mexico's South Fork Fire places at least 7,000 residents under an evacuation order as the wildfire grows to over 20,000 acres as of this writing (More) | Record-breaking heat wave sweeps through Midwest, Northeast (More)

> House Ethics Committee has issued 25 subpoenas as part of expanded probe into Rep. Matt Gaetz's (R, FL-1) alleged conduct, including sexual misconduct, drug use, accepting improper gifts, and obstruction; Gaetz denies all allegations (More)

> US federal budget deficit projected to rise 27% to $1.9T this year; jump is attributed to factors including increases in foreign military spending, student loan relief, and Medicaid (More)

SOUORCE:  1440 News

Project Management - Part I

 

According to the Project Management Institute (PMI), Project Management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements. It’s the practice of planning, organizing, and executing the tasks needed to turn a brilliant idea into a tangible product, service, or deliverable.

Project have the following phases:

• Initiation  
• Planning  
• Execution  
• Monitoring
• Closure

In addition to these phases, all projects revolve around 10 knowledge/management areas, that include:

1. Integration   
2. Scope   
3. Time   
4. Cost   
5. Quality  
6. Resource   
7. Communications   
8. Risk   
9. Procurement   
10. Stakeholder

When I attended Graduate School from 1979-1981 for my MBA, all the courses revolved around a concept called PRODUCT MANAGEMENT with the understanding that our professors were teaching us to be PROFESSIONAL MANAGERS.

In other words, we could, after graduation, be in a position to manage any company whether it be retail, manufacturing, transportation, government, non-profit, or investment banking.

Over the years, product management became project management, and the PMI was created along with the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK).  

It is now possible to become certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP).  The PMP certificate in some cases is better than an MBA providing project management is the career direction in which you want to head.

It is also possible to sit for the PMP exam without having a FOUR YEAR COLLEGE DEGREE.

Future posts will explore in more detail the phases of a project as well as the knowledge areas with which a PM must become familiar.

Somewhat Political