FollowingFaye

Saturday, December 18, 2021

Supply Chain Chaos Explained

An excerpt from the Mercury News -

Q&A: What got us into this supply chain mess? When will it end? Stanford professor has answers

Kostas Bimpikis explains what it will take to end our supply chain nightmare

By LISA M. KRIEGER

Confronted by a pandemic, we suddenly couldn’t find what we needed: Hospitals ran short of N95s and ventilators, auto manufacturers didn’t have crucial components and store shelves suddenly emptied of everything from sneakers to sofas.

Kostas Bimpikis, an associate professor of operations, information and technology at Stanford Graduate School of Business, talked with this news organization about how to keep our supply chains reliable – even when the world is upended. His remarks have been edited for length and clarity.

Q: What did COVID-19 reveal about our supply chain?

A: It revealed two things. The first is how interconnected supply chains are. A disruption in Italy, Taiwan or Korea may be felt all over the world. The second thing it revealed was how fragile the supply chain is. Any deviation from normal operations creates a huge shock all over the world.

Q: What got us into this mess?

A: One trend is so-called “just in time” manufacturing. Typically, firms produce only as much inventory as they need to satisfy short-term sales. It keeps costs low. They do not necessarily hold excess inventory.

The second reason is the specialization of product lines. For example, cars are being manufactured that consist of thousands of components. Disruption in a supplier for a specific component – such as a small screw somewhere in the car — may hold up production of the entire car.

And the third thing is outsourcing and globalization of manufacturing. So a disruption in Taiwan, for example, affects our domestic supply chain, as well.

Q: What’s driving these trends?

A: Typically, companies take the view of minimizing costs, maximizing speed, maximizing efficiency and maximizing choice for consumers.

Costs are minimized by having very low “safety stocks,” because carrying excess inventory is very costly. Maximizing speed and efficiency means lean operations and “just in time” manufacturing. Maximizing choice for customers points to the specialization of the line. You can buy Nike sneakers in a zillion colors.

These have big advantages, but they do have disadvantages.

At the beginning of the pandemic, the shortages were mainly driven by a surge in demand for products. Now, more of the problems originate from problems with the supply chain.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/12/17/qa-what-got-us-into-this-supply-chain-mess-when-will-it-end-stanford-professor-has-answers/

Google's Treatment of Black Women Under Investigation

Excerpts from NBC News -

California investigates Google’s treatment of Black women workers

A state agency has already interviewed several Black women who have worked at Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company.

By Reuters

California’s civil rights regulator is investigating Google’s treatment of Black female workers following alleged incidents of harassment and discrimination, according to two people familiar with the matter and emails from the agency seen by Reuters.

Attorneys and analysts at the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) have repeatedly interviewed several Black women who have worked at Alphabet Inc., Google's parent company, about their experiences there, according to the documents and the sources. The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid jeopardizing the work.

Questions have centered on alleged harassment and discrimination in the workplace, according to the emails. Conversations have taken place as recently as last month, one of the sources said.

The DFEH declined to comment.

Google said it is focused on “building sustainable equity” for its Black workers and that 2020 was its largest year for hiring what it calls “Black+” workers, a designation inclusive of people belonging to multiple races.

~~~~~

For years Black men in the tech industry have said they have faced disparaging comments and discouraging experiences, such as being shut out of offices because security guards and colleagues questioned whether they actually worked there.

As more Black women have joined the workforce, such complaints have increased. Seven current and former Google employees told Reuters this year about being marginalized on projects as Black women and not taken as seriously as colleagues with different backgrounds.

Also earlier this year, an investigation by NBC News revealed that several Black, Latino, and other Google employees of color who had reported incidents of bias and discrimination were instructed to take medical leave. Some said they were eventually pushed out of their roles at the company.

Artificial intelligence researcher Timnit Gebru has said Google fired her a year ago for criticizing its lack of workforce diversity and for fighting managers who objected to publishing a critical paper she co-wrote. Erika Munro Kennerly, who oversaw diversity and strategy teams at Google before resigning last year, told magazine Corporate Counsel in January that “there’s an overall tone of being undervalued” as a Black woman at Google.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/california-investigates-googles-treatment-black-women-workers-rcna9154

Richly Deserved

An excerpt from BlackAmericaWeb -

Simone Biles Named As TIME Magazine’s 2021 “Athlete Of The Year”

By Keenan "HIGz" Higgins

Simone Biles

After a year of experiencing both career highs and personal lows, Olympic medalist Simone Biles has shown the world a strength that truly sets her apart from many in the realm of sports.

TIME Magazine recognized that excellence and all she had to overcome in 2021 by bestowing Biles with the prestigious honor as “Athlete Of The Year.”

https://blackamericaweb.com/2021/12/09/simone-biles-named-time-magazine-2021-athlete-of-the-year/?omcamp=es-baw-nl&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Top%20Stories%20%202021-12-18&utm_term=BAW%20Subscribers%20%28Daily%29

Thursday, December 9, 2021

No D's and F's. Is That a Good Thing?

From Newbreak -

Large California school districts eliminate ‘D’ and ‘F’ grades

By Nexstar Media Wire, Nancy Loo

LOS ANGELES ( NewsNation Now ) — Bad report cards could soon be a thing of the past in California as some of the state’s largest school districts are dropping “D” and “F” grades.

Sacramento City Unified, Los Angeles, Santa Ana, Oakland Unified and other California districts have decided to limit the use of “Ds” and phased out “Fs” in grading. High schoolers who fail a test or homework assignment can get a do-over or more time to complete the work.

Students who don’t ever finish the assignments or who fail the final exam would earn an “incomplete,” according to Bay City News .

The move is called competency-based learning. Advocates argue that assessment should be based on mastery of learning — what students have learned instead of how they test. Supporters also hope it will help kids re-engage after nearly two years of virtual learning during the pandemic.

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2455761290958/large-california-school-districts-eliminate-d-and-f-grades?pd=04GSxOoR&lang=en_US&s=i0

The FBI is Recruiting at HBCUs

An excerpt from NPR -

The FBI is trying to add diversity to its ranks by recruiting at HBCUs

By Ryan Lucas

The FBI has launched a new diversity initiative aimed at reaching out to historically Black colleges and universities to try to recruit more African Americans to be special agents.

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

Many things about the FBI are secret. This one is not. It has a diversity problem, particularly when it comes to its special agents. The bureau says it's trying to change that and has recently launched a new initiative reaching out to historically Black colleges and universities. NPR Justice Correspondent Ryan Lucas reports.

https://www.npr.org/2021/12/08/1062478183/the-fbi-is-trying-to-add-diversity-to-its-ranks-by-recruiting-at-hbcus

Saturday, December 4, 2021

Friday, December 3, 2021

Colour of Music Festival All-Female Virtuosi

https://youtu.be/ohasWjnnq_8

Black Violin Foundation || Giving Tuesday 2021

https://youtu.be/oTJnvvGkb-E

We're Moving to Costa Rica

An excerpt from the Guardian -

‘It feels like home’: why are Black Americans moving to Costa Rica?

By Brianna Holt

Davia Shannon in Costa Rica. Photograph: Davia Shannon

The Caribbean coast of Central America’s safest and most stable country offers Black expats a life that is less stressful, more affordable, and free from the burdens of everyday racism

When she first set foot in Costa Rica, Davia Shannon knew instantly that she would eventually return permanently. She loved being able to do yoga with the jungle as her backdrop and surf whenever she pleased. Even more, she valued the sense of freedom she gained. Free of the fear, anxiety and pain driven by not feeling accepted in the US, Shannon had found her future home.

Upon arriving back in California after her 10-day visit, Shannon, now 46, developed a one-year exit plan which consisted of renting out her house, selling her car, rehoming her furniture and downsizing to 12 suitcases.

In March 2016, Davia Shannon packed up her belongings and left her lifelong home in Los Angeles to move 3,500 miles away with her twin daughters.

The adjustment wasn’t simple. Shannon, who comes from a large family, was hoping to recreate the same communal atmosphere in Puerto Viejo, with people who understood her struggles and came from a similar lifestyle, but admits that settling in was challenging. “I couldn’t find anybody that looked like me and when I did, I felt like I couldn’t really connect with them,” she says.

Even the Caribbean women proved difficult to get close to, and Shannon says they rarely showed her kindness. “I was even having a really difficult time getting information and doing the basic things, like figuring out where to pay my light bill,” she says. Most of the Caribbean people in the area speak English and Shannon is fluent in Spanish, so a cultural barrier played a greater role than language.

Learning from her struggles, Shannon decided to open a relocation business, Life-A-Holic Costa Rica, to assist other Black American expats moving to the country. Since launching in 2017, the business has assisted 176 Black and brown people with their desire to relocate to the south Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. The relocation company also offers membership into a support group, referred to as the Tribe. Shannon describes the group as a ready-made family that helps expats comfortably transition to life in Puerto Viejo. A directory, numerous resources and social events like Soul Food Sundays, karaoke nights, family dinners and birthday celebrations, are just a few offerings provided in the Tribe.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/09/black-americans-expats-costa-rica

HBCU Black Santas

An excerpt from Black Enterprise -

BLACK SANTAS WITH A ‘CAUSE’: BLACK WOMAN SELLS HBCU-THEMED BLACK SANTA FIGURINES FOR THE HOLIDAYS

by Alexa Imani Spencer

(HBCU Black Santas by Debra L. Mars/Etsy, Restore The Hope)

After years of collecting Black Santas, this enthusiast has partnered with HBCUs to sell figurines themed after Black colleges and universities.

The figurines—designed by Debra L. Mars—feature sweaters, flags, bags, and ornaments repping Howard University, Morehouse College, Grambling University and FAMU, Good Black News reported.

The Inglewood, Calif. resident began stocking up on Black Santas more than 35 years ago.

~~~~~

For her, it’s an honor to represent HBCUs in this way. Though she didn’t attend one, while researching and finding out many great influential people, like Thurgood Marshall and Samuel L. Jackson attended, she was “so proud and a little remorseful that I did not attend a HBCU.”

“This dream was planted in me over 25 years ago to create this line. This has been a master class on perseverance. Having the opportunity to represent our sacred jewels: The HBCUs is an honor that I do not take lightly.”

Through her esty.com store, Restore The Hope, Mars also offers Black nutcrackers, Santa-themed bracelets and more holiday goodies.

https://www.blackenterprise.com/black-santas-with-a-cause-black-woman-owned-store-sells-hbcu-themed-black-santa-figurines/

The Halftime Game | Pepsi

https://youtu.be/26WpGvLpFzw

Thursday, December 2, 2021

Bidets or Bust

An excerpt from the Washinton Post -

Bidets are big, but do you really need one? Health experts weigh in.

Fans of the toilet attachment can’t imagine life without it, and doctors agree it’s good hygiene, but there are pros and cons to consider

By Angela Haupt

(stock)

Carrie Verrocchio has a theory: Once you go bidet, you never go back. She’s so smitten with the toilet attachment that sprays water to clean your bum that her family had one installed in each of their four bathrooms — and they’re shopping for a travel bidet, a water-bottle-sized contraption to use when they’re on the road.

Where to start on the appeal? “It’s feeling clean all the time,” says Verrocchio, 55, a motivational speaker who lives in Binghamton, N.Y. “You know how when you go to the bathroom, you have to wipe a zillion times with dry paper? You don’t do that with the bidet. It literally just rinses it off, puts it in the toilet and you pat dry. I wish we’d done it years ago.”

Nikki Webster, 47, a writer from the United Kingdom who now lives in Florida, similarly considers her bidets essential. “When you wipe, you’re basically wiping what can be reached,” she says. “When you spray, you get into every nook and cranny, which leaves you way cleaner.”

Indeed, health experts generally agree that bidets elevate the bathroom hygiene experience, at least when used properly. What’s less clear is whether they serve any medical purpose beyond that: While there’s some indication that they could, for example, be helpful for those with hemorrhoids or mobility issues, research isn’t conclusive, and there are concerns that bacteria could fester on the device; plus, users could be scalded if the water gets too hot.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2021/11/30/bidet-hygiene-pros-cons/

~~~~~~~~~~

This is Faye -

An alternative to the bidet described in this article is the bidet sprayer that can be found on Amazon. I was introduced to this when I lived in the Middle East and was thrilled when I could find it here. I ordered it, installed it myself, and have been enjoying the freshness it provides with every visit to the toilet.

You're welcome.

Bidet Sprayer for Toilet, Handheld Cloth Diaper Sprayer, Bathroom Jet Sprayer Kit Spray Attachment with Hose, Stainless Steel Easy Install Great Water Pressure for Bathing Pets, Feminine Hygiene

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DR83GQB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Coach Prime's Advice: "You Better Call Snoop"

An excerpt from the Mississippi Clarion-Ledger -

Deion Sanders says Lincoln Riley 'better call Snoop' Dogg for recruiting help at USC

By Khari Thompson

AP USC SNOOP DOGG S FBC USA A ENT USA CA

Sanders said recruiting in California versus Oklahoma is a whole different ballgame as well. Sanders suggested that Riley call rapper Snoop Dogg to help him navigate the recruiting landscape.

"California kids are a little different than these kids in other parts of the country, my man. I'm telling you what I know, not what I heard," Sanders said. "I'll tell you what, you better get some recruiters called Snoop Dogg and some other guys that's into the youth football that know dogs, and got dogs, and that's bringing dogs because it's a little different out there, my man."

Sanders also said he feels that recruiters don't get enough credit compared to head coaches for bringing in major recruits.

"This is what the reality is," Sanders said. "You've got certain guys who are up for certain positions all the time. Ain't nothing wrong with that, because I think they deserve it. I think they're a heck of a coach, coaches. They're more than worthy, they're really smart, savvy, they coach their butts off.

"But guess who is doing all the recruiting? The brothers. Isn't 70-75%, might be 70% of college athletes African-American? Who do you think they are sending into those homes?"

https://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/college/jackson-state/2021/12/01/deion-sanders-jackson-state-football-coach-lincoln-riley-usc-snoop-dogg-21st-and-prime-podcast/8825726002/

Stanford engineers create perching bird-like robot

https://youtu.be/JEKttzocgwU

Wednesday, December 1, 2021

Proud Momma Moment

Please indulge me for a minute with this very proud momma moment. My oldest son Ben, a civil engineer, is featured on this podcast, "The Big Switch: Heavy Duty Truck." He begins at 7:12.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/heavy-duty-trucks/id1571177675?i=1000543648091