Tag Archive for COVID-19

| December 11, 2020
Comments Off on Adult Advent Calendars for the COVID Era

Adult Advent Calendars for the COVID Era

Adult Advent Calendars for the COVID EraCOVID-19 has changed how many will celebrate the Christmas holidays. One of the traditions getting an update in 2020 is the Advent calendar. In Christianity, Advent marks the lead up to Christmas. It is a somber time of reflection, traditionally observed by lighting candles. The first Advent calendars were used by Germans around the 1850s. These early Advent calendars included a Biblical verse behind each date’s panel and a goodie like chocolate. Then came COVID-19 lockdowns. No more holiday parties.

COVID-19 Christmas

The new COVID era Advent calendars are different. They are usually made of cardboard with perforated daily panels that can be punched out to reveal the bottle inside. The WineEnthusiast explains that the calendars can include: beers, wines, gin, and whiskey, and more. They can be bought at retailers like Costco and Aldi as well as online. There are online forums, websites, and Facebook groups dedicated to the COVID era Advent calendars. Here are some of the best of the new 2020 Advent calendars.

Beer Advent calendars

GiveThemBeer’s take on the advent calendar $79.00 isn’t for people playing around: There are 12 full-size cans of U.S. brewed craft IPAs, Stouts, and Ales hiding behind festive little doors. Expect suds from Dogfish Head, Ballast Point, Cigar City, Bell’s, Oskar Blues, Founders, and Victory. 

Almanac Beer holiday boxesAlameda California’s Almanac Beer has two different holiday boxes. One for the 12 days of Christmas ($88.00) and another for the eight nights of Hanukkah ($68.00). Customers can choose their flavor of drink based on their taste preferences, including sour ales or hoppy IPAs.

Whiskey 

The Flaviar Whiskies of the World Advent Calendar costs $250.00 and features premium sips from around the globe. The advent calendar includes whiskeys from major producers like Scotland and Japan. It also includes niche offerings from countries like Israel and India. Food and Wine notes that the 2020 calendar holds two dozen 1.7-ounce vials of award-winning whiskies from single malts to rich blends. The selections include Tennessee’s Uncle Nearest Bourbon, Kilchoman 2010 Vintage from Islay’s farm distillery, and an impressive release from Compass Box. It comes with everything needed to appreciate the flavorful tour: a Glencairn whiskey tasting glass, a coaster, and a tasting notes booklet, so you know exactly what you’re sipping. 

Jack Daniel's holiday calendarJack Daniel’s whiskey-filled holiday calendar includes 24 windows to crack open in December. The $80.00 calendar includes 50ml bottles. There are four bottles each of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey and Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey, three bottles each of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire and Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple, and two each of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Rye, Gentleman Jack, and Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select. 

Wine Advent calendars

Vinebox is offering a 12 Night of Wine with a mix of reds and whites. You can buy the Nice Edition or the Naughty Edition each for $129.00. The Nice Edition features “crisp, harmonious whites and silky soft reds.” The Naughty Edition contains “brooding reds and sultry whites to tempt even the most pure.”  For any wine-lovers who can’t decide whether they’ve been naughty or nice – there’s also the option to buy a bundle that includes all 24 bottles from both boxes. 

Aldi Wine Advent CalendarThe Aldi Wine Advent Calendar costs $69.99: Each of the 24 mini bottles of booze inside comes to about $2.91. Plus, the box is pretty enough to leave out under the tree! there are 24 wines inside, including riesling, chardonnay, pinot noir, and more. Some are great. But even the duds are good for cooking. 

Gin

This one comes from That Boutique-y Gin Company, so it’s filled with—you guessed it—24 gins all independently made in England. They start shipping out October 15, but sadly, not to the U.S. – guess we gotta plan a trip to London!

Irish Cream

There’s also an O’Donnells 12 Days of Irish Cream Calendar is $29.99 at Aldi. The Thrilliest writes that Irish cream is a boozy holiday favorite hiding in coffee cups at all hours, and has become more popularized in recent years You can get your Irish cream fix with this calendar, which has 12 mini 100ml bottles with flavors ranging from tiramisu to mint chocolate to white chocolate. 

The Baileys Advent calendar contains 12 50ml miniature bottles of three different flavors of the world-famous Baileys, wonderful creamy liqueur; Coffee Liqueur, Orange Truffle, and the traditional Irish Cream. It also features a selection of recipes too, so you can try adding some delicious new drinks to your festive holiday zooming. Sadly, not available in the U.S.

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Hopefully one of these adult advent calendars makes it under your tree and you can spend many happy holiday Zoom visits with friends and family this holiday season.

Stay safe out there!

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Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.

Category: Holidays | Tags: , , , , , , ,
| December 3, 2020
Comments Off on 10 Ways to Make Teams Easier

10 Ways to Make Teams Easier

10 Ways to Make Teams EasierThanks to the continuing COVID-19 lockdowns and the resulting growth in work from home, Microsoft (MSFT) Teams has been steadily growing its user numbers. The collaboration platform has expanded from 20 million users in November 2019 to 115 million daily active users (DAU). This growth has put Teams among the most popular collaboration platform during these uncertain times. 

keyboard shortcuts in TeamsIf you are part of the growing number of project managers working from home using the collaboration software Teams to keep in touch with your project teams – are you an efficient Teams user? It has been estimated that you might be spending 64 hours every year on unnecessary keyboard-to-mouse coordination in Teams and other GUI’s. Here are 10 keyboard shortcuts to increase your Microsoft Teams productivity in 2021.

Teams Keyboard Shortcuts

1 – Zoom In – (Ctrl+Equals sign) – This keyboard shortcut helps find things visually, especially after a long day, when your eyes are tired out from all the blue light fatigue. You can zoom in anywhere across the Windows app to improve its accessibility. .

Toggle audio and video2 – Toggle mute – (Ctrl+Shift+M) – Use this keyboard shortcut to cut out noise during calls, quickly chime in without adding to ambient noise, and have more focused conversations.
Bonus tip#1 – Toggle video (Ctrl+Shift+O) but this is available only on the desktop version.

3 – Start an audio call – (Ctrl+Shift+C) – Use this keyboard shortcut from within a chat to start an audio call with chat participants. Bonus tip#2 – Use Ctrl+Shift+U to starting a video call.

4. Go to sharing toolbar – (Ctrl+Shift+Space) – It is called collaboration software for a reason – This keyboard shortcut brings up the toolbar so you can share your screen, give someone else control and start the whiteboard.

5. Blur background – (Ctrl+Shift+P) – If you are WFH with a messy bookshelf or a refrigerator with kid’s drawings right behind you -this keyboard shortcut lets you quickly blur the background and present a professional setting for your video feed.

quickly attach a document6. Attach files – (Ctrl+O) – This keyboard shortcut allows you to quickly attach a document or a file when communicating with someone via chat. It will open a pop-up menu where you can choose to add files either from Microsoft OneDrive or from your local storage.

7. Start a new line – (Shift+Enter) – This keyboard combo is useful for when you want to create paragraphs or bulleted lists inside a chat message. It will bring the cursor to a new line, within the message, instead of sending it right away as would happen if you were to press only Enter.

8. Edit a chat message – (Page Up arrow key) – If you have missed out on any information or made a typo, the Page Up button on your keyboard lets you edit your last sent message without having to press the More button.

9. Enter an emoji – (emotion keyword) – Instead of scrolling thru the lists of emojis – type in the keyword within the parentheses. Examples include

  • emoji(cry),
  • (CWL),
  • (Hi),
  • (ROFL),
  • (smile),
  • (sad),
  • (wink),
  • (Yes) .

10. Find additional emojis – (:word) – Microsoft Teams works with several third-party players to populate its emoji library, so there may be more emojis to express your feelings. Type in “:” followed by the word, and an autocomplete menu will start suggesting emojis – From Avocado to Zombie

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While MSFT Teams is not designed for project management – there is no built-in way to track tasks, risks, manage resources, or do other PM things. It should be a tool in your toolbox. A report by Forrester on Teams found that:

  • Teams reduces the number and duration of meetings and business travel.
  • With easy access to information in one place and less time wasted switching between apps, Teams save workers up to four hours per week.
  • Teams enables remote working which accelerates decision-making and increases productivity.

Stay safe out there!

Related article

 

Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.

Category: Project Management | Tags: , , , , , , ,
| November 27, 2020
Comments Off on Does that Doggy E-Toy Protect Privacy?

Does that Doggy E-Toy Protect Privacy?

Does that Doggy E-Toy Protect Privacy?Thanks to COVID it is the virtual silly season. No more jamming into malls it is online shopping now. Half of shoppers spend some of their money on pet treats and other supplies this holiday season. If your virtual gift list includes presents for your four-legged buddy – be careful, there are some puppy toys out there that can compromise your privacy while Fido is entertained. Mozilla’s “Privacy Not Included” project analyzed the security of pooch-gifts, and the results are not good for your privacy.

Internet of ThingsAll of these technologies can become part of the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT technology interconnects them. For example, IoT connects the camera in your living room with the smartphone on your desk, allowing you to monitor your pet while you’re at work. IoT enables the collection and interconnectivity of data, which is extremely important when considering your safety and privacy.

Dogness iPet Robot – This doggy toy costs $299.00 and has all the bells and whistles to keep Fido entertained. It moves and chases your pooch. It has an HD video camera with night vision to record your pup, two-way audio to talk to your doggo, a laser to chase, and the ability to toss treats to your buddy with the click of a button in the app. The iPet Robot connects over Wi-Fi so your home network better be secure – otherwise, somebody could take over the rolling spybot and catch your pooch – or you – in a compromising position.

Dogness iPet RobotThe Dogness iPet Robot also comes with Mozilla’s “*Privacy Not Included” warning. The bot can roll around your house with a night vision camera and microphone while connected to Wi-Fi. Mozilla says that both the Dogness device and app can snoop on you. The researchers report the device doesn’t encrypt your data. Dogness doesn’t state what information is collected from the robot, or what they do with it. Dogness uses artificial intelligence, but the reviewers could not determine how the firm uses AI.

If that is not scary enough, in March 2020, it was reported that Dogness left its Amazon ElasticSearch server exposed, containing the usernames, emails, clear-text passwords, and session cookies of its users. The unprotected information has led to the complete exposure of its production SQL database and application source code and the complete takeover and control of its pet feeding devices and associated accounts.

Mozilla could not determine if the Dogness iPet Robot meets its Minimum Security Standards.

Cheerble WickedboneCheerble Wickedbone Interactive Gaming Toy For Dogs –This $78.99 interactive bone is next on the naughty list. You can control this interactive bone through an app on your phone that connects through Bluetooth. From the app you can make the bone roll around and change colors. When you get bored, a 20-minute interactive mode can entertain your pup without you.

The app requires access to your phone’s GPS location data—why? That’s a good question. Additionally, the reviews could not determine if the firm encrypted your data, required strong passwords, or used AI to make decisions about you. And like most IoT devices, it doesn’t seem to have a way to manage security vulnerabilities. Mozilla says this pet toy does not meet its Minimum Security Standards for these reasons.

Fitbark GPSFitbark– I first wrote about Fitbark back in 2013. The Fitbark GPS costs $99.95 + subscription + the costs of Verizon’s LTE-M cellular network coverage. It is a bone-shaped tracking device that goes on your dog’s collar and will track her just about anywhere in the U.S. It also connects to Wi-Fi.

The Fitbark monitors your dog’s activity, sleep habits, scratching habits, and stress 24/7. You can link it to your FitBit, Google Fit, or Apple HealthKit apps and you can stress about your doggo’s health too.

Mozilla reports that Fitbark tracks your dog’s movements and whereabouts with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and GPS. With all that tracking, an attacker could keep tabs on you or your pup. The app does collect personal data, including name, email, phone number, address, date of birth, profile photo, dog’s health, and biometric data.

Felik Pet CompanionThe Felik Pet Companion—This mouse-shaped bot costs $129.00. It has a camera and artificial intelligence that tracks your pet, learns from their movements, and reacts to how they hunt so it can simulate real prey. Felik connects to the Wi-Fi in your house and has an app where you can schedule play throughout the day.

Mozilla says the firm seems to take privacy and security seriously. They built security and privacy-aware features into the dog toy, like the ability to toggle Wi-Fi on and off with a physical button, an indicator light when the camera is streaming, and even an on-device firewall.

Since it has a camera and a microphone, it could be sued to snoop on you. The app tracks your location. The product uses AI to analyze your personal data to make decisions about you. However, users can request an explanation about any decisions taken as a result of automated decision-making by contacting Felix.

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The Felik Pet Companion is the only online dog-toy that I would allow in my home.  

The Mozilla *Privacy Not Included buyer’s guide investigates the privacy and security of connected toys, gadgets, and smart home products. They flag products they think consumers should think twice about before buying. Mozilla looks at how well they can confirm a product meets a Minimum Security Standard.

 

Stay safe out there!

Related article

 

Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.

Category: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
| October 26, 2020
Comments Off on Work From Anywhere Movement

Work From Anywhere Movement

Work From Anywhere MovementChanges in the workforce are beginning to emerge as we suffer through 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Matt Mullenweg, CEO of Automattic, the parent company of WordPress and Tumblr blogged, “This might be a chance for a great reset in terms of how we work.” Slack co-founder and CEO Stewart Butterfield told the BBC “We all know that work will never be the same, even if we don’t yet know all the ways in which it will be different.” Recent reports from Owl Labs and staffing firm Robert Half put numbers to what many have sensed – the nature of work has changed to work from anywhere.

Work from anywhere benefits

The Owl Labs State of Remote Work report and Robert Half 2021 Salary Guide (PDF) looked at work from anywhere. The reports found unexpected benefits and challenges. Employee expectations have shifted as 69% of full-time workers in the U.S. are working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. The change in the nature of work has benefits for employees and employers.

Employees are seeing economic and personal benefits from the change in the nature of work. Owl Labs reports that workers are saving almost $479.20 per month on additional expenses related to work. That is nearly $6,000.00 a year savings. U.S. Federal Highway Administration reports that U.S. road traffic fell by more than 25% during the lockdowns. Traffic levels dell to the lowest level since 1995. As a result, Owl Labs found that the average WFM employee saving 40 minutes per day on the daily commute. That totals to over three workdays per month which can be dedicated to personal objectives.

Work-life balance

Remote work has mental health and work-life balance benefits, too.

  • work-life balance77% of respondents told Owl Labs that having the option to work from home would make them happier.
  • 77% report that working remotely would make them better able to manage work-life balance.
  • 72% of all survey respondents agreed that the ability to work remotely would make them less stressed

In 2013 old-school Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, claimed, “Speed and quality are often sacrificed when we work from home.” She was wrong. Employers are also gaining benefits from the new work from anywhere. 20% of employees told Owl Labs they worked more hours per week during the pandemic – for the same pay.

working more hours per week during the pandemicDuring COVID, the average work from anywhere employees worked an extra 26 hours each month. Which is nearly an extra day every week. Despite claims to the contrary from old-school managers, worker productivity has improved. 75% of people working from home report they are the same or more productive during COVID-19. In 2020, people are using video meetings 50% more than pre-COVID-19.

Being able to work remotely some of the time also makes the employers more attractive to staff. Respondents told the researchers that with remote work:  

  • 80% would feel like their employer cares,
  • 74% would be less likely to leave their employer,
  • 59% would be more likely to choose one employer over another in their next job if they offered remote work.

look for another role that allowed remote workIf working from anywhere was no longer an option after COVID-19, almost 70% of respondents would be less happy. Almost half would look for another role that allowed remote work. Robert Half found that 60% of workers want to work for an organization that values its staff during unpredictable times.

80% of full-time workers told Owl Labs they expect to work from anywhere at least three times per week after the lockdown. Robert Half also found that 74% of employees want to work remotely more frequently following the pandemic.

Increase surveillance

Of course, this is not all puppy dogs and rainbows. Employers may increase surveillance of WFH staff. Firms uncomfortable with the work from anywhere movement can turn to software track employees. Productivity monitoring is available from Aware, ActivTrak, Time Doctor, or Teramind.  PwC has developed a facial recognition tool that logs when employees are away from their computer screens while working from home.

increased surveillance of WFH staffThe Guardian reports that interest in Teramind’s product has tripled during the pandemic. When Teramind’s “agent” is downloaded to employees’ computers, they can measure employee time spent on different windows. It can playback or live-stream a view of an employee’s screen and record their every keystroke. It can also raise a flag if certain predetermined words are typed. Eli Sutton, the firm’s head of operations told the paper that 70% of Teramind’s clients are concerned about productivity. He said, “Teramind is an extra set of eyes to make sure distractions aren’t causing issues.”

Forty-three percent of survey respondents told Owl Labs that if their employer started monitoring their WFH activity as a way to track productivity they would be unhappy or leave.

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Having an expanded remote workforce alters the dynamics of work. Employees will no longer be bound by geography to find the best opportunity. Employers can expand their pool of candidates. The work from anywhere movement will also raise tensions between old-school managers who are about control and their remote employee’s privacy.

Stay safe out there!

Related article

 

Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.

Category: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
| September 7, 2020
Comments Off on Labor Day 2020

Labor Day 2020

Labor Day 2020It is Labor Day in the U.S. In the past, Labor Day was a celebration of working men and women. On Labor Day 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic havoc, the percentage of people actually employed in the U.S. has recently hit an all-time low.

COVID-19 virrusIn August 2020 (the last full set of data) the BLS says the employment-population ratio stood at 56.5%. For comparison, the rate stood at 59.8% in December 2016, before Trumpie and his fellow travelers started their reign. That means that 45.4% of the civilian noninstitutional population – did NOT have a job. 

This number is an improvement from the historically low 51.6% we saw in April 2020 – there are still over 7 million people not working.

Statista Employment Population ratio
24/7 Wall St. reviewed unemployment at the metropolitan area level for USA Today to identify the cities with the worst unemployment problem. It is not a big surprise that Michigan has been hard hit. They ranked 4 Michigan metro areas in their list of areas most impacted by the COVID-19 layoffs.

Battle CreekFlintDetroit metroMuskegon
Impact33211211
Unemployment rate15.1%16.6%17.7%17.8%
YTD change-8.7%-8.2%-19.0%-8.0%
COVID cases69981311,83629
Poverty rate18%18.8%14.3%15.8%

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Middle class squeezed

Real unemployment at the height of the 2020 recession (so far) has reached levels not seen since the Great Depression. In April 2020, the real unemployment rate, including discouraged, marginally attached, and part-time, was 22.8%. The unemployment rate during the Great Depression surpassed 25% from March 1933 to June 1933. 

In case you’re wondering, the civilian noninstitutional population comprises of all persons aged 16 and older who reside in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, are not inmates of institutions (e.g., penal and mental facilities, homes for the aged), and who are not on active duty in the Armed Forces.
 

Are you better off this year than last year?

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Stay safe out there!

Related article

Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.

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