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ivonneyee

Modern Management Technologies in the Hospitality Industry - 2 views

The article talks about how it's worth investing in proximity marketing to increase the speed of a customer's decision, increase engagement, and eloyalty. The article states that marketers who know...

Hui Chen

Facility Managers Explain How They Minimize Risks and Maximize Rewards of New Technology - 0 views

  • There are plenty of reasons that facility managers should keep the door open to new technology.
  • Marriott, for example, has developed a strategy for contributing to environmental conservation that includes expanding the use of LEED certification for existing properties.
  • Evaluating New Options
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  • "New facility technology" doesn't necessarily mean a product left the lab yesterday. There are plenty of technologies that have been out in the marketplace for a couple years or more,
  • Rath says
  • I want new technology vendors to prove their claims," Rath says. "And I want those claims substantiated by an independent third-party engineering firm."
  • Larry Morgan
  • "When you first deployed this technology, what mistakes did you make and what steps did you take to correct them?" Morgan is intently interested in the course correction taken in the product's earliest days, when inevitable flaws appear.
  • Ron Sharpe,
  • evaluated new technology by getting "my hands on it." The goal: "connect it to the building system and see if it can perform and meet the claims made by the representative and/or manufacturer."
  • Kampschroer turns to the national labs — Pacific Northwest, Sandia, Lawrence Berkeley, etc. — for information on new technologies. "
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    This article suggests that Facility Managers should keep the door open to new technology. It gives an example of Marriott Hotel to demonstrate this point. Moreover, this article shows us several ways to evaluating new options. This methods are shared by  managers with great experience.
Carolina Villa

Defense.gov News Article: Green Initiatives Support Energy-Savings Concept - 0 views

  • Last week’s groundbreaking for a new solar micro grid at Fort Hunter Liggett, Calif., is the latest example of a military “going green” -– saving environmental resources and taxpayer dollars, too.
  • Last week’s groundbreaking for a new solar micro grid at Fort Hunter Liggett, Calif., is the latest example of a military “going green” -– saving environmental resources and taxpayer dollars, too.
  • It didn’t take long to recognize that conserving resources saved money that could be used for infrastructure upgrades and new facilities.
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  • Last week’s groundbreaking for a new solar micro grid at Fort Hunter Liggett, Calif., is the latest example of a military “going green” -– saving environmental resources and taxpayer dollars, too.
  • It didn’t take long to recognize that conserving resources saved money that could be used for infrastructure upgrades and new facilities
  • The concept caught on quickly, expanding to more than 30 Army installations, including posts in Germany, Alaska and Hawaii. Now, the Army hopes to take it a step further with net-zero energy, waste and water initiatives. Several pilot programs are expected to be announced during next week’s Earth Day observance.
  • The 1-megawatt facility, to become operational later this year, will provide one-third of the power for the nation’s largest Army Reserve training post, and ultimately it will save $1 million in energy costs annually,
  • Costs largely drove that decision.
  • It also involves working as partners with communities -- those directly on the installation as well as beyond its gates -- to pursue environmental goals.
  • It didn’t take long to recognize that conserving resources saved money that could be used for infrastructure upgrades and new facilities.
  • Last week’s groundbreaking for a new solar micro grid at Fort Hunter Liggett, Calif., is the latest example of a military “going green” -– saving environmental resources and taxpayer dollars, too.
  • Meanwhile, the Army Reserve has joined “big Army” in expanding this focus to the operational force.
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    The nation's largest Army Reserve training post is "going green" . A new
kakaboshi

Council Post: New Pay Trends: How Today's Workforce Is Reshaping Payroll - 0 views

  • It’s been over 40 years since direct deposit was introduced, arguably the last major development in the payroll world. It’s amazing to think that, with the speed of technological innovation these days, you have to go so far back to find the most recent payroll innovation that had such a significant impact on both employees and employers.
  • technology has infiltrated the payroll landscape in recent years, innovating time reporting and flexibility in pay. Payroll is also being forced to adapt to a workforce comprised heavily of two types of employees: those who require immediate income, and millennials and Generation Z workers.
  • Paycards According to a 2017 FDIC national survey, 25.2% of U.S. households are “unbanked” or “underbanked.” Those who are “unbanked” do not have any traditional banking relationship (i.e., a checking or savings account), while those who are “underbanked” have a financial institution account but also obtain services from providers outside the banking system.
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  • 78% of Americans who are living paycheck to paycheck and who are financially unprepared for an unexpected expense. They are often hourly employees in service-based industries, such as health care, hospitality, quick service restaurants, retail or nursing.
  • To combat this, many companies are implementing artificial intelligence (AI) for predictive timekeeping, rapid detection of irregularities, and even “smart” time verification based on video feeds and facial recognition. 
  • Research by Aite Group shows the use of paycards is expected to increase through 2022. For employers, these cards, backed by Visa or MasterCard, can provide benefits such as reduced payroll processing costs and the ability to move to fully electronic payment mechanisms.
  • Artificial Intelligence For Time Management
  • Workers increasingly expect employers to be okay with them working on a personal device, rather than a work-issued system. This adds a level of complexity for companies trying to verify payroll hours. Fraud and forgetfulness can lead to inaccurate records and added overhead.
  • Direct deposit of earnings for unbanked and underbanked populations isn’t a viable option, which has made the rise in the use of paycards (debit cards to which an employee’s wages are transferred) an increasingly popular alternative.
  • Payroll Platforms
  • Fragmented systems and data have always plagued the fintech industry, but payroll platforms are helping address these problems. They are making seamless integration a reality and combining features in a single platform. Having a fully integrated system provides a single set of data and a flow that reduces complexity, facilitates changes and ensures consistency across all system components. 
  • Daily Pay
  • A daily pay benefit lets workers track and access their earned wages prior to their next payday.
  • Provides the flexibility to transfer earned wages to paycards (or other payment platforms). • Incentivizes employees to perform accurate and efficient time reporting, as employees can see their available balance increase at the end of each shift. • Integrates with other payroll platforms, providing “plug-and-play” functionality.
  • Challenges Ahead
  • All of these new technologies will face skepticism about whether they can deliver on their promises. In some cases, these technologies will have to win over decision makers who are reluctant to change their ways.
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    This is an interesting article that describes some of the new technology being implemented to improve how employees are getting paid based on the current workforce's spending habits. These include the ability to be paid by debit cards, ability to be paid daily and have the flexibility to move the money around, AI intelligence to keep track of the employees' work hours on their own devices, and integration of many payroll functions into one platform. With so much technological advancement, it seems that payroll management is one that is still behind with many companies still working with the old clock in and out method which is time consuming.
markh283

Go Green Hotels - Green Ideas for Hotels - 0 views

  • Create a 'green team' at your hotel with the goal of continual improvement and scheduled re-evaluation and reporting.
  • Install a renewable energy system onsite (no cost options are available including, in the U.S., PACENation which provides low-cost, long-term financing for energy efficiency, water conservation and renewable energy projects) or switch to a certified renewable electricity provider.
  • Track energy, water and waste use monthly through an internal tracking system or through Energy Star Portfolio Manager (waste tracking feature).
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    This article has many ideas to incorporate "green" ideas into the physical plant structure of a hotel. For example, it suggests building your staff into a more "green" awareness. Also, it has several ideas on how to save energy and reduce. Additionally, it has numerous suggestions on building maintenance. For example, using the Energy Star Portfolio Manager will aid in waste tracking.
Grant Beck

FBI: Beware Of Malware Installed Via Hotel Networks - Forbes - 0 views

  • fake software updates booby trapped with malware that are being pushed through hotel internet connections .
  • malware that are being pushed through hotel internet connections.
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    This article brings to light security threats that are transfered via hotel networks. Fake software updates are used to hide malware which is installed on the computer when the update is accepted. The FBI offers tips on how to avoid being exposed to this after data on several hundred firms was stolen by hackers. The hackers broke into Marriott International Inc.'s records and had access confidential information. This article is important because firms have the responsibility of providing security for the clients as well as themselves. It is important to be aware of threats like this and of how it can be avoided so that the firm isn't put in a bad situation and have to deal with stolen information. With mobile devices and wireless networks becoming more common these types of threats need to be taken into consideration. Most users don't read the fine print or consider where software updates are coming from, especially if it looks like the source is a hotel they are staying at. This makes it even more critical that the hotel is aware of and blocking these threat because claiming that it was done without the knowledge of the hotel may not always be enough and looks badly for the security.
Paige Wuensch

Hotel chain lawsuit MUST BE a security wake-up call for the travel industry | Tnooz - 0 views

  •  authorities in the US filed a lawsuit against Wyndham Worldwide, claiming the company and three subsidiaries failed to protect sensitive customer credit card data.
  • almost 600,000 credit card numbers including expiry and security codes, were stolen over a three year period in three separate data breaches, resulting in over $10 million in fraudulent losses to cardholders, banks, and credit card companies.
  • Weak passwords and a laissez faire attitude towards property management system usernames and passwords should never be an excuse for a compromise.
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    Last year a law suit was filed against Wyndham Worldwide because the company did not protect their customer credit card data efficiently on their PMS. The company caused over $10 million in fraudulent losses. In this case, Wyndham had be allegedly using weak login credentials in their property management systems. This is the key vector for data breaches. "According to the FTC, Wyndham Worldwide had many points of weakness in their security chain including; storing credit card information in plain text, storing sensitive security codes (aka CVV/CVS/CVC data), not using firewalls, not enforcing strong passwords, not using updated operating systems, and not having adequate logging.'
anonymous

Our E-Waste Problem Is Ridiculous, and Gadget Makers Aren't Helping | WIRED - 1 views

  • Oh sure, many companies have green initiatives. Apple in particular has made notable, documented efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, powering a majority of its retail stores and data centers with renewable energy, developing more efficient packaging design, and designing products that use less power than their predecessors. But if your products are going to be tossed out in a year, none of that is particularly brag-worthy. That’s a tremendous amount of wasted resources.
  • In the past, computers were designed to be relatively easy to disassemble, like HP’s towers and older versions of the Mac Mini. You could swap out dead parts and batteries, add more memory if it got sluggish, even replace a motherboard. But in the mid-2000s, things started to change. Apple introduced the ultra-thin, ultra-light MacBook Air and the industry enthusiastically followed with heaping helpings of devices that, while slim, were very difficult to repair due to the construction compromises required to achieve that svelte profile. Smartphones and tablets followed with an even faster purchasing and chucking cycle.
  • Therefore, the easier it is to disassemble something, the more likely it is to be worth someone’s time to recycle it. And that’s where issues arise
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  • “The big problem the electronics industry is facing as a whole is products are getting lighter and lighter,” iFixit’s Kyle Wiens said. “This is great for consumers but a nightmare for recyclers.” Smaller, lighter products can be tricky to take apart, and yield a lower volume of raw materials.
  • Glue and adhesives are a common hurdle. Products like the iPad and Microsoft Surface achieve a slim form factor by using “a metric duckload of adhesive,” as Wiens once put it, particularly to keep the battery in place. All that glue must be removed before any recyclable material can be melted down. And battery recycling is risky endeavorin the best of circumstances—under the right conditions, a damaged battery can cause a fiery explosion. Tack onto that the need to painstakingly pry a battery from its glue-smeared lodging and you’ve got a delicate task indeed. For items with a lot of glue, like a tablet display, Sims Recycling Solutions heats the glue, then uses suction cups to apply pressure across the glass so it can be removed without cracking. Other things that can make a product more challenging to recycle include the number of screws (particularly non-standard screws), the inclusion of hazardous materials like mercury (which is declining, due to the rising popularity of LEDs instead of bulbs), large amounts of glass, and plastics. Waterproof and tightly sealed products also are more arduous to deal with.
  • As we rush headlong into a world in which we’re disposing of more and more gadgets each year, making them easily recyclable should be a growing priority of device makers. Just as display size, processor speed and energy efficiency are marketing points, so too should recyclability.
  • David Thompson, Panasonic’s head of environmental affairs, says the standardization of screws and plastic resin materials, not thermally setting screws in plastic, and minimizing the use of glue will boost recycling efforts, as will designing products for easier disassembly. Would consumers really decry, or even notice, these changes? Probably not. But such changes could require concessions to slim dimensions and light weight. And for manufacturers, increased standardization may mean fewer distinctions between competing products. Take a plastic smartphone housing: Currently there are hundreds of variations (soft touch, textures, and metallic colors, to name a few). Standardization could limit that very marketable variety. Even so, some products are embracing such ideals. Dell won The Institute for Scrap Recycling Industries 2014 Design for Recycling award for the Latitude 10 and XPS 10 tablets and Latitude E7240 notebook. Aside making its products cheap and easy to recycle, Dell has used nearly 8 million pounds of recycled plastic in its desktop and display production. And it is not alone.
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    I found an interesting article about how the big computer companies can recycle the computers. This can solve some of the main problem about the recycling. The article is referring to idea that computers may become bigger size but easier to recycle. In other words we might wanna make a step back in the past, when we was able to just replace one detail from the computer instead of throwing it away.
rnobl005

The damage from Atlanta's huge cyberattack is even worse than the city first thought | ... - 0 views

  • The damage from Atlanta’s huge cyberattack is even worse than the city first thought | TechCrunch
    • rnobl005
       
      After reading the discussion prompt for this week, the recent cyberattack on Atlanta immediately came to mind. This scenario is a prime example as to why cities need to invest in cybersecurity. The city paid the ransom demand of $50,000, but the damage of the attack itself was much more costly - they estimate having to spend $9.5 million to rebuild many programs that are not salvageable. It's hard to say if this was preventable had Atlanta invested in some form of cybersecurity but I think this is a new trend that major cities should be aware of and start taking preventative measures on.
  • The damage from Atlanta’s huge cyberattack is even worse than the city first thought | TechCrunch
  • More than two months after a cyberattack hobbled many of its critical municipal systems, the city of Atlanta is still sorting through the wreckage of what is likely the worst cyberattack targeting a U.S. city to date.
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  • On March 22, Atlanta’s connected systems city-wide were hit with a ransomware message locking their respective files and demanding an approximately $50,000 payment in bitcoin
  • Atlanta residents were unable to do simple city system-dependent tasks like paying parking tickets or utility bills. City employees didn’t get the all-clear to turn on their computers until five days later and many city systems still have not recovered.
    • rnobl005
       
      The cybersecurity article focused on global issues and potential military conflict, but this article proves that cybersecurity can impact the more mundane aspects of our life.
  • at least one third of the 424 software programs that the city runs remain offline or partially inoperable. Almost 30 percent of those programs are deemed “mission critical” by the city meaning that they control crucial city services like the court system and law enforcement.
    • rnobl005
       
      Again, on a global scale the Atlanta court system doesn't sound super threatening. But for the city it's obviously a huge blow and will take years to bring everything up to speed.
  • While reporting the updated numbers, Rackley estimated that $9.5 million would need to be added to the department’s $35 million budget to address the remaining damage
  • That amount is on top of the more than two million dollars in emergency procurements sought by Atlanta Information Management following the attack.
  • Earlier this week, Atlanta’s Police Chief disclosed that the cyberattack destroyed “years” worth of police dash cam video footage.
    • rnobl005
       
      Another terrible loss due to the cyberattack.
  • Atlanta has been regarded as a frontrunner for Amazon’s second headquarters in some analyses, though it’s not immediately clear how the cyberattack will affect the city’s odds.
galca008

Top 5 Tips to Streamline Your Hospitality Facilities Management - 0 views

  •  CMMS solutions can automatically track everything from guest room availability to preventative maintenance schedules for your property’s most valuable equipment. Automation frees up your facilities management staff to focus on even more parts of the guest experience.
  • Many of the best CMMS options on the market will include features such as: Asset and equipment management The ability for staff, or even guests, to electronically submit maintenance requests Generation of checklists for regular tasks such as housekeeping or pool maintenance A comprehensive dashboard for facilities managers and staff.
  • Energy Star, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s voluntary certification program for eco-friendly products, also offers an online tool to take the guesswork out of tracking your property’s carbon footprint.  Portfolio Manager can measure and track greenhouse gas emissions, energy and water consumption for all kinds of properties, including hotels. The tool can be used to benchmark the performance for just one building or a portfolio of properties.
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  • Another eco-friendly way to streamline your facilities management operations and reduce energy costs is to connect the thermostats in guest rooms to the property management system that tracks guest reservations, check-ins/check-outs and housekeeping. When a guest checks out, the system will automatically set their room’s thermostat to “standby” status so you aren’t paying to unnecessarily heat or cool a vacant room.
  • Investing in a fast, reliable wireless network can mean fewer complaints from guests and less time your facilities management staff will have to spend responding.
  • One surefire way to streamline operations, lighten the load on staff – and the environment – is to reduce the amount of waste generated by your property.
  • Switching from offering paper copies of newspapers to digital access passes. Using refillable containers for toiletries and other products rather than offering small plastic bottles. Collecting and re-using materials leftover from conferences and events Donating food and beverage leftovers to local food pantries or shelters, or toiletries and linens to area shelters.
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    This article gives us a few tips about how to streamline the facilities management systems, to make the processes easier to track as well as reducing cost and waste. The first tip is to implement a computerized maintenance management system for the property. This CMMS would allow you to track preventetive maintenance schedules, which would alleviate excess labor on the staff. CMMS also allows the staff and even guests to submit maintenance requests electronically. Another tip is to adopt Energy Star's Portfolio Manager, which helps to track the property's performance and use of gas emissions, energy, and water. Third tip is to connect thermostats in guests room to the PMS. This would be able to not waste unnecessarily when rooms are vacant. Lastly, streamlining the property's waste management operations by producing less waste. Switching from paper copies to digital, using refillable containers, re-using leftover materials, and donating food and beverage leftovers to shelters should be adopted. Hotels these days need to be going green, and all of the above are ways in which we could start. This is a great article with helpful tips for hoteliers who are beginning.
akallison93

Benefits of cloud computing | Business Queensland - 0 views

  • Cloud computing offers your business many benefits. It allows you to set up what is essentially a virtual office to give you the flexibility of connecting to your business anywhere, any time. With the growing number of web-enabled devices used in today's business environment (e.g. smartphones, tablets), access to your data is even easier.
  • Rather than purchasing expensive systems and equipment for your business, you can reduce your costs by using the resources of your cloud computing service provider. You may be able to reduce your operating costs because:the cost of system upgrades, new hardware and software may be included in your contractyou no longer need to pay wages for expert staffyour energy consumption costs may be reducedthere are fewer time delays.
  • Your business can scale up or scale down your operation and storage needs quickly to suit your situation, allowing flexibility as your needs change. Rather than purchasing and installing expensive upgrades yourself, your cloud computer service provider can handle this for you.
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  • Protecting your data and systems is an important part of business continuity planning. Whether you experience a natural disaster, power failure or other crisis, having your data stored in the cloud ensures it is backed up and protected in a secure and safe location.
  • Collaboration in a cloud environment gives your business the ability to communicate and share more easily outside of the traditional methods.
  • Cloud computing allows employees to be more flexible in their work practices. For example, you have the ability to access data from home, on holiday, or via the commute to and from work (providing you have an internet connection).
  • Access to automatic updates for your IT requirements may be included in your service fee. Depending on your cloud computing service provider, your system will regularly be updated with the latest technology.
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    Informative article with many of the advantages of cloud computing. Puts different cloud services into perspective. Keeps in mind, natural disasters, which I found unique and interesting.
rhoff019

IBM Security BrandVoice: Why Managing Windows PCs Like Mobile Devices Is A Smart Long-T... - 1 views

  • videoconferencing tool Zoom has seen its daily usage rise by more than 300% from before the pandemic. And on March 18, Microsoft announced that its collaboration tool Teams added 12 million daily users just that week, bringing the total to 44 million.
  • Within a full cloud, operations are streamlined among all teams — support, professional services and security — leading to less redundancy of tasks and greater overall efficiency
  • Cloud computing, which has been touted for its flexibility, reliability and security, has emerged as one of the few saving graces for businesses during this pandemic.
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  • they're referring to a hybrid public-private model they've adopted to balance their concerns about security breaches with their desire to reap the benefits of running some enterprises through a public cloud vendor.
  • This transition to remote work on such a massive scale would not have been possible in the server-led infrastructure of 15 to 20 years ago.
  • Multiple providers can deliver different levels of services, leading to differing outcomes within cloud and on-premises operations.
  • Gartner Inc. predicted that through 2020, 95% of cloud security failures will be the customer's fault
  • According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, from 2017 to 2018, only 29% of American workers could work from home.
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    Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a massive surge to online conferencing. This conferencing would not be possible without the cloud. Moving forward this could be the way most work is done as some employers would prefer to have their employees work from home.
kmill139

Why the U.S. is Terrible at Recycling Electronics | Digital Trends - 0 views

  • E-waste in the United States is out of control.
  • You may assume America has to at least be on par with the rest of the first world when finding a forever home for computers, phones, and printers, but you’d be wrong.
  • Those millions of old motherboards and TVs consoles rotting in landfills and warehouses aren’t just eyesores. They amount to a massive health hazard. While electronics waste comprises only 2-3 percent of America’s solid waste stream, the lead, cadmium, chromium, and other materials in aging circuitry account for 70 percent of the hazardous material in landfills, according to an EPA report.
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  • Others go belly up, leaving behind millions of pounds of old gadgets piled in mountainous heaps atop land which has lead levels many times normal.
  • You’re probably not screaming into a paper bag about the $20 billion or so of gold that’s trashed in electronics every year worldwide. Precious metals come and go. But if you care about the soil that comprises the land of the brave, you should start thinking about what happened to last year’s smartphone (even if it’s just sitting in the garage).
  • This list of reasons isn’t exhaustive, but serves as a solid starting point for understanding the United States’ e-waste dilemma and what can be done.
  • U.S. e-waste recycling laws are often outdated or nonexistent
  • Only 25 states (plus Washington, D.C.) have legislation that addresses e-waste recycling. The other 25 don’t have comprehensive programs, and don’t report what happens to the electronics beyond occasional voluntary numbers, says Jason Linnell, head of the National Center for Electronics Recycling (NCER). Federal laws don’t explicitly address e-waste recycling.
  • The U.S. isn’t good at recycling
  • The current level and effectiveness of e-waste recycling depends on which state you live in and whether or not you trust locals to “do the right thing.” The hope for improvement sits with congressional reps, state lawmakers, manufacturers, and gadget freaks (yes, you).
  • Single-stream recycling hasn’t helped
  • Between 2005 and 2014, single stream recycling programs increased from 29 to 80 percent in American towns and cities. During that same time period, material contamination rates increased from 7 to 25 percent.
  • E-waste legislation regularly disappears in Congress
  • This is not the first Congressional session in which similar bills have been introduced and allowed to die like a first grade classroom goldfish on summer break. SEERA currently sits with the house’s Foreign Affairs Committee. Why is it so tough to pass e-waste legislation?
  • The U.S. is an environmental rogue
  • As of late 2018, 186 states and the European Union have ratified it and follow its legal framework. The United States has signed the Basel Convention, indicating an intent to ratify, but is the only developed nation that hasn’t actually done so, which
  • After the initial Basel Convention was adopted in 1989, many organizations said the treaty didn’t do enough to address the disposal of waste from first world countries into the developing world, and pressed for an update, which eventually became 1995’s Basel Ban Amendment. The tweak — which was attacked by many industrial powers, including the U.S., Canada, and Japan — needed three decades before it was accepted by enough countries to go into effect. In August 2019, Croatia became the 97th country to ratify it, which transformed the updated stipulations into international law in December 2019.
  • EPA regulations are incomplete
  • Federal attempts at regulation have stalled, been killed
  • U.S. pushes back against international efforts
  • As a part of the 2003 Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE Directive), the public was guaranteed free recycling services, and conveniently located collection centers. Around the same time, the EU also passed the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS), aka the “lead-free directive,” which restricts the use of several toxic materials in the manufacture of circuitry and electronic products.
  • In Japan, the Association for Electric Home Appliances requires consumers to help pay for the processing of their goods and manufacturers to set up recycling programs. Electronics recycling has been promoted as such a point of national pride — because Japan is both a huge consumer of gadgets and the country has few indigenous precious metals — that there’s serious talk of making the 2020 Tokyo Olympic metals out of recycled materials. An estimated 80,000 cell phones need to be pulled apart and picked over to complete the plan.
  • State-level e-cycling programs are uneven
  • Certified e-cycling programs are important, but also confusing
  • If you’re the compliance officer who has to make sure the company’s used servers don’t wind up getting tossed in an Indonesian landfill, and you won’t have to nervously answer questions in a “60 Minutes” exposé, you probably want to get that e-waste removed by a disposal team with one of these
  • That all sounds great until you listen to Puckett, who helped create the e-Stewards protocols. He’s one of several people who took part in the development of R2 for over two years and then refused to continue when the proposed guidelines seemed to be too tainted by lobbyists, including ones at the Institute of Scrap Recycling (ISRI), an organization that favors a free market approach over regulation. Puckett and 13 recyclers created e-Stewards, which describes itself as the “the cleanest, most globally responsible standard for e-waste recycling.” He points out that the R2 certification still allows recyclers to export to developing countries. E-Stewards’ doesn’t. R2 recyclers can drop toxic e-waste in landfills or incinerators in the event of “circumstances beyond their
  • Scrap recycling lobby doesn’t like regulations
  • The announcer proudly explains e-cycling is a vibrant industry that adds 20.6 billion to the U.S. economy and supports 45,000 jobs domestically, “safeguarding our environment,” along the way.
  • Can anything be done? Possibly
  • Recycling isn’t the only answer for fewer landfills filled with decaying circuits. Chris Wellise, Chief Sustainability Officer for Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), which installs and recovers tech, emphasizes the importance of designing products for longevity, disassembly, and reuse.
  • “On average, 85 percent of the environmental impacts can be addressed in the design phase,” estimates Wellise.
  • Similar challenges exist for smartphones. Review IFixit’s guide for repairability and you can expect the phones that are easy to disassemble are also easier to refurbish or scrap. In an unusual display of transparency, eco-minded electronics company Fairphone sells spare parts on its site and has visual cues printed on the pieces to help novices figure out where everything goes. In case you’re wondering, it’s possible to make a Fairphone work in America, but most of the company’s sales are in Europe.
  • In 2018, Apple gave birth to Daisy, a robot that can disassemble 200 of the company’s phones in an hour — 1.2 million a year. The company has an installation of the machine in Austin, Texas, and another in the Netherlands. Daisy’s supply chain of used products comes from the company’s in-store trade-in program and a partnership with Best Buy.
  • Pretty awe-inspiring, right? Keep in mind that Apple sold over 217 million phones just in 2018 and has moved 2.2 billion iPhone units since the product line launched in 2007. The two Daisy divisions aren’t even working at capacity. Apple is willing to license the robot technology so any company can use it to disassemble phones, but none have approached them yet.
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    "Maybe it's easy to ignore the huge percentage of vintage gadgets that wind up torched in dicey scrap heaps in developing countries". This article was written on Feb-27-2020. The problem we saw on the old video is still very much a problem now, only bigger.
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    This article was super informative in the realm of E-waste. It covered every aspect of the issue and most definitely is relevant in today's world.
nelson1oliva

https://media.defense.gov/2019/Jul/16/2002158046/-1/-1/0/CSI-NSAS-TOP10-CYBERSECURITY-M... - 1 views

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    This is exactly what I have been discussing pertaining to the importance of having an update and recovery strategy. Update and Upgrade Software Immediately Apply all available software updates, automate the process to the extent possible, and use an update service provided directly from the vendor.. . Exercise a System Recovery Plan Create, review, and exercise a system recovery plan to ensure the restoration of data as part of a comprehensive disaster recovery strategy. The plan must protect critical data, configurations, and logs to ensure continuity of operations due to unexpected events.
Alexander Suarez

Education Week: Data-Mining Faces New Privacy Rules - 0 views

  • The Fe
  • The Federal Trade Commission recently outlined new policies that seek to close loopholes that the agency says too often allow websites and online services to gather information improperly from students and turn it over to third parties for advertising purp
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    In essence this "data mining" related article explains how the FTC recently outlined new policies in an effort to close loopholes which allow websites to gather and turnover information gathered to third parties for advertising purposes.   Changes such as videos, photos, locations, etc, which cannot be pulled without parental approval are making impacts on what can be pulled and shared. Another change includes closing a loophole that gives apps/websites directed at children the ability to collect information through plug-ins, without parents permission. In conclusion, these rules are based on the Children s Online Privacy Act of 1998, which gave the FTC the authority to implement/periodically update rules pertaining to "how the law is enforced". These rules will go into effect on July 1, 2013.
Marcus Baez

FBI on Predictive Policing - 0 views

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    This article talks about how the Santa Barbara Police Department uses Predictive Policing to help fight crime. Professor Cilli mentioned this in class the other day and it really caught my attention. It blew my mind how technology is so advanced that things like this can happen for the better of our country, and our citizens!  What the article talks about is how the Santa Barbara PD needed to make some budget cuts, and could not afford to hire more officers, so they decided a non traditional approach to fight crime, and that was the use of technology to predict crime in certain areas, this is known as Predictive Policing. What happens with this is basically old crimes are inputted into a database with all the details and information, and this piece of technology predicts when and where the next crimes similar to the older ones will happen again. This is all based on previous historical patterns of course, and the predictions obviously have their faults.
Stephanie Menendez

GOP Senator Asks Why Border Security Can't Be More Like Disney World | ThinkProgress - 0 views

  • Cornyn made the reference during a discussion of an amendment proposed by Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) that would add a biometric entry-exit system and effectively delay the path to citizenship for years.
  • Cornyn argued that not having biometrics like fingerprints or iris scans “could lead some people to conclude that this bill is designed to fail.”
  • “photo tool”
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • Disney World uses a biometric system to ensure people do not commit ticket fraud.
  • If they are that easy, affordable and good enough for the Magic Kingdom, they ought to be good enough for the United States. Senator Sessions’ amendment would guarantee they would not be eligible for lawful citizenship until there is a biometric entry/exit system.
  • “It is true that Disney World used a fingerprint, and then when Disney Land went ahead to use their system they used a picture because it was better,”
  • “two ports of entry. We have 329 ports of entry in the United States, which include land, sea and air. If we are talking about being able to read cards at all ports of entry for those leaving the U.S, it is more daunting than it is at Disney World or Disney Land.”
  • Atlanta and Detroit attempted to implement a biometric system like Republicans requested.
  • “you can change the way your face looks” but a visa “has to be the same. You cannot tamper with it.”
Dongyun Oh

How will the system(The Human Resource Information System) benefit you, the Public? - 0 views

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    What is the Human Resource Information System? The Human Resource Information System (HRIS) is a central automated HR information tool that manages the data of employees and applicants such as Recruitment & Selection, Training & Development, Performance Management, Disciplinary Procedures, Grievance Procedures and Leave Administration. What is the purpose of the HRIS and what will be its function? The HRIS supports the Government of Montserrat in improving data accuracy and information as it relates to its workforce and future HR planning. It creates an improved means of aligning the Government's human resources to its policy priorities and assists with our thrust towards modernization. It will provide data for informing and strengthening line management capabilities in people management. Overall, Government would have better knowledge of its HR costs, numbers and skill-set for future manpower planning, succession planning, and decision making in managing the size of its public service and be able to better ensure that the human resources are fit for purpose. The automated HRIS will enable Government of Montserrat to maintain vital organizational data in an organized manner. How will the system benefit you, the Public? There are several benefits to be derived from the HRIS System. For example, whenever you apply for a job in Government, you will be better able to know where we are in the recruitment process in a timely manner. Individuals who have worked for the Government, will take pleasure in knowing that key information during the years of employment, such as training received, promotions and performance, have been captured from their first day of work to retirement. Government of Montserrat would be better able to report to you with accurate and timely information on issues such as the skillset and health of the organization. Reporting and accountability is made easier. So where are we now with the implementation of the Human Resource Inform
yongwei hao

Cleaning Up Electronic Waste | International Programs | US EPA - 0 views

  • While accurate data on the amount of e-waste being exported from the U.S. are not available, the United States government is concerned that these exports are being mismanaged abroad, causing serious public health and environmental hazards, and representing a lost opportunity to recover valuable resources effectively. U.S. laws and regulations are limited in their ability to prevent harmful exports of used electronics to developing countries.
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    From computers and cell phones, to portable communication and music devices -- the United States of America is a global leader in designing and developing new and improved electronic technologies. With this vibrant innovation, however, comes the increasing challenge of protecting human health and the environment from the potentially harmful effects of poorly managed manufacturing, use, recovery, recycling and disposal of these products.
Scott Kane

FTC Files Complaint Against Wyndham Hotels For Failure to Protect Consumers' Personal I... - 0 views

  • The FTC alleges that these failures led to fraudulent charges on consumers’ accounts, millions of dollars in fraud loss, and the export of hundreds of thousands of consumers’ payment card account information to an Internet domain address registered in Russia.
  • According to the FTC, in the first breach in April 2008, intruders gained access to a Phoenix, Arizona Wyndham-branded hotel's local computer network that was connected to the Internet and the corporate network of Wyndham Hotels and Resorts.
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    The FTC filed suit against Wyndham Hotels for millions of dollars worth of fraud in June of this year. Wyndham hotels manages over 7,00 hotels worldwide. Incidents occurred a numerous amount of times over the past three years. The company was hacked into and stole credit card numbers from over 500,000 clients. In the first occurrence the money was wired into an account in Russia. Even after the first incident Wyndham hotels did not fix the security breach allowing the hackers to get in.
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