#corporate wellness program chicago

[contingentfitness]

The Impact of Corporate Fitness Training on Workplace Productivity

In the competitive business environment of today, businesses continuously seek various ways through which they can increase the business's overall efficiency and perform better. Among the increasingly popular approaches is the implementation of a corporate wellness program that incorporates fitness training. Corporate fitness training does not just keep employees physically fit; instead, it offers them tools to maintain better well-being, which in turn will enhance productivity at the workplace.

Let's look at how corporate fitness training can provide a more productive and energetic workforce.

1. Improves Physical Health and Energy Levels

Assuredly, one of the most direct benefits one can be assured of through corporate fitness training is improved physical health. The practice of regular exercise maintains healthy weight, improves cardiovascular health, and reduces chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Healthier employees mean a reduction in absenteeism caused by sick leaves.

Beyond that, fitness training increases energy. The exertion from physical activity stirs those endorphins, also known as "feel-good" hormones, which enable employees to feel more energetic and less tired during the day. When employees have higher levels of energy, they are much better equipped to pay attention, be productive, and engage themselves through the course of the day.

2. Sharpens Mental Clarity and Focus

Exercise is effective not only for the body but also for the mind. On the one hand, regular physical activity has been shown to improve cognitive function, including memory, problem-solving skills, and concentration. Employees who take part in fitness training manage to be focused on their work and perform tasks with higher productivity and more accuracy.

A corporate wellness program involving training in fitness can help reduce mental fatigue and help one focus. With sharper mentalities, employees are not as likely to make mistakes or become overwhelmed by their workload; thus, improving the performance of all tasks.

3. Reduces Stress and Improves Mental Health

Stress is among the significant causes of low productivity at work. Increasing high levels of stress can even cause total burnout, lack of motivation, and problems that may become physical. Through corporate fitness training, employees are provided with a natural way to rid themselves of accumulated stress. One of the extra positive rewards from exercise is the decrease in cortisol, which is the primary stress hormone of the body, while increasing the levels of endorphins, which are responsible for lowering stress naturally and improving one's mood.

With a corporate wellness program, one can easily fit in activities that will reduce stress; such as yoga, meditation, and cardio workouts. The less stressed an employee becomes, the more in touch with daily tasks and the more motivated they feel in handling different challenges arising, hence more productive.

4. Improves Teamwork

Exercises done in corporate fitness training are mostly group activities, whether it involves participation in fitness challenges, team workouts, or sports events. These kinds of group exercises usher in teamwork, communication, and relationship-building among co-workers.

Good working relationships affect productivity as well, since the team functions better. Workers who get along well would be happy to work together on projects, share ideas, and support each other concerning common goals. A well-functioning team produces more in less time and of a better quality.

5. Reduces Absenteeism and Health Care Costs

Absenteeism due to sickness or stress can be one of the biggest drains on workplace productivity. A company encourages employees to partake in regular fitness activities so as to minimize absenteeism and, by this virtue, increase overall attendance. Healthier employees are not likely to call in sick as often; therefore, a consistent workforce with less disruption to workflow is ensured.

Besides that, corporate fitness training reduces healthcare costs in the future. The regular exercise and healthy life reduce the risk of fatal health conditions that involve expensive medical treatment. Smaller health expenditure on the employee is a plus to the employee and the company; the money might be reinvested into possible business ventures.

6. Increases Employees' Morale and Satisfies Them

A corporate wellness program incorporating some form of fitness training in it tends to show that the company cares about the well-being of their people. People are satisfied and will be more inclined to stick with a company when their health and happiness are taken into consideration.

Better morale will imply a positive and more productive work environment, where employees are motivated and interested in their job. Happy employees are bound to be more productive and more willing to show initiative in contributing to the company's overall success.

Final Thoughts

One cannot deny the fact that corporate fitness training could have a major impact on workplace productivity. It is only logical that the same physical health, stress reduction, mental clarity, and team-oriented spirit will serve to create a more effective, enthusiastic, and productive workforce. Encouraging Corporate Wellness Program initiatives with specific active fitness could boost employee wellness, along with ensuring business outcomes.Contingent Fitness offers tailored corporate fitness programs that meet the unique needs of your business to improve productivity and develop a healthier, happier workforce. From personalized fitness challenges to mental health support and wellness activities, Contingent Fitness can support your team's prosperity in all aspects of their personal and professional life. Visit: Contingent Fitnessaccountability workout app or heart rate zone app

[mostlysignssomeportents]

How to screw up a whistleblower law

I'm touring my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me THIS WEDNESDAY (Apr 17) in CHICAGO, then Torino (Apr 21) Marin County (Apr 27), Winnipeg (May 2), Calgary (May 3), Vancouver (May 4), and beyond!

Corporate crime is notoriously underpoliced and underprosecuted. Mostly, that's because we just choose not to do anything about it. American corporations commit crimes at 20X the rate of real humans, and their crimes are far worse than any crime committed by a human, but they are almost never prosecuted:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/10/12/no-criminals-no-crimes/#get-out-of-jail-free-card

We can't even bear to utter the words "corporate crime": instead, we deploy a whole raft of euphemisms like "risk and compliance," and that ole fave, the trusty "white-collar crime":

https://pluralistic.net/2021/12/07/solar-panel-for-a-sex-machine/#a-single-proposition

The Biden DOJ promised it would be different, and they weren't kidding. The DOJ's antitrust division is kicking ass, doing more than the division has done in generations, really swinging for the fences:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/03/22/reality-distortion-field/#three-trillion-here-three-trillion-there-pretty-soon-youre-talking-real-money

Main Justice – the rest of the DOJ – promised that it would do the same. Deputy AG Lisa Monaco promised an end to those bullshit "deferred prosecution agreements" that let corporate America literally get away with murder. She promised to prosecute companies and individual executives. She promised a lot:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/03/22/reality-distortion-field/#three-trillion-here-three-trillion-there-pretty-soon-youre-talking-real-money

Was she serious? Well, it's not looking good. Monaco's number two gnuy, Benjamin Mizer, has a storied career – working for giant corporations, getting them off the hook when they commit eye-watering crimes:

https://prospect.org/justice/2024-04-09-reform-groups-lack-of-corporate-prosecutions-doj/

Biden's DOJ is arguably more tolerant of corporate crime than even Trump's Main Justice. In 2021, the DOJ brought just 90 cases – the worst year in a quarter-century. 2022's number was 99, and 2023 saw 119. Trump's DOJ did better than any of those numbers in two out of four years. And back in 2000, Justice was bringing more than 300 corporate criminal prosecutions.

Deputy AG Monaco just announced a new whistleblower bounty program: cash money for ratting out your crooked asshole co-worker or boss. Whistleblower bounties are among the most effective and cheapest way to bring criminal prosecutions against corporations. If you're a terrified underling who can't afford to lose your job after narcing out your boss, the bounty can outweigh the risk of industry-wide blacklisting. And if you're a crooked co-conspirator thinking about turning rat on your fellow criminal, the bounty can tempt you into solving the Prisoner's Dilemma in a way that sees the crime prosecuted.

So a new whistleblower bounty program is good. We like 'em. What's not to like?

Sorry, folks, I've got some bad news:

https://www.corporatecrimereporter.com/news/200/stephen-kohn-on-the-justice-department-plan-to-offer-whistleblower-awards/

As the whistleblower lawyer Stephen Kohn points out to Russell Mokhiber of Corporate Crime Reporter, Monaco's whistleblower bounty program has a glaring defect: it excludes "individuals who were involved with the crime." That means that the long-suffering secretary who printed the boss's crime memo and put it in the mail is shit out of luck – as is the CFO who's finally had enough of the CEO's dirty poker.

This is not how other whistleblower reward programs work: the SEC and CFTC whistleblower programs do not exclude people involved with the crime, and for good reason. They want to catch kingpins, not footsoldiers – and the best way to do that is to reward the whistleblower who turns on the boss.

This isn't a new idea! It's in the venerable False Claims Act, an act that signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln. As Kohn says, making "accomplices" eligible to participate in whistleblower rewards is how you get people like his client, who relayed a bribe on behalf of his boss, to come forward. As Lincoln said in 1863, the purpose of a whistleblower law is to entice conspirators to turn on one another. Like Honest Abe said, "it takes a rogue to catch a rogue."

And – as Kohn says – we've designed these programs so that masterminds can't throw their minor lickspittles under the buss and collect a reward: "I know of no case where the person who planned or initiated the fraud under any of the reward laws ever got a dime."

Kohn points out that under Monaco, the DOJ just ignores the rule that afford anonymity to whistleblowers. That's a big omission – the SEC got 18,000 confidential claims in 2023. Those are claims that the DOJ can't afford to miss, given their abysmal, sub-Trump track record on corporate crime prosecutions.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/15/whistleblown/#lisa-monaco

[z-raven]

Might as well post the descriptions of various Timesplitters 2 characters

Viola

The child of a reclusive aristocratic Countessa, Viola assumes the guise of a traveling troubadour as a cover for her true mission- to destroy evil wherever it bares its ugliness.

Ramona Sosa

Ramona came over the border hoping for a peaceful life, but with her fiery temper and quick reflexes she quickly fell into work as a law enforcer. When things began turning sour in Little Prospect she sent a wire out to her old friend Elijah Jones for backup...

Maiden

So innocent and so pure, the Maiden is the perfect sacrifice...

Lady Jane

This hot-blooded socialite skipped Swiss finishing school to set up her own Private Investigation Agency in Chicago. A stickler for fashion you'll never catch her with anything but the latest in haute couture and semi automatic weapons.

Kitten Celeste

Sometimes things get a little too hot under the collar for Harry and he needs some manual assistance from his slinky sidekick, Miss Celeste. Go get 'em tiger! Grrrrrrrr!

Jungle Queen

Raised in the jungle by wolves, the Jungle Queen's sharp intellect is only hampered by her tight thong and lack of language. Captain Ash has promised to make her a duchess if she comes back to Blighty with him.

Ilsa Nadir

The daughter of Dr. Katje Nadir, Ilsa knows no fear and will gladly undertake the most dangerous search and destroy missions. Few men can come close to matching her superb fighting and infiltration skills

Gretel Mk II

Gretel II is a second generation precision killing machine, programmed with stealth and martial arts techniques from around the galaxy. Together with R-109 she has been sent to destroy the Machinist's robot army.

Corporal Hart

Not just an excellent soldier, Corporal Hart is also an expert with all kinds of mechanical and computer technology. She has found her servo-enhanced Tritium Exo-Arm to be a very useful aid in battle situations.

Candi Skyler

Candi graduated from cadet training just two weeks ago. Although there's been cheap talk around the Academy that she failed Astronavigation but got a dispensation because she has a cute butt.

Chinese Chef

Still the best in the business. They say his recipe for slow braised TimeSplitter in black bean sauce is out of this world!

Chasity Detroit

Before becoming a highly decorated officer in the LAPD, Chastity ran with the gangs in the back streets of Neo Tokyo. She has vowed to help Ghost clear his name and regain his honor.

Female Trooper

The Marine Troopers have borne the brunt of the TimeSplitters onslaught against humanity.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Mike Luckovich

* * * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

June 28, 2023

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

JUN 29, 2023

In Chicago today, President Joe Biden gave a historic speech at the Old Post Office Building downtown. In it, he was crystal clear that he has launched a new economic vision for the United States to stand against that of today’s Republicans. As he has said since he took office, he intends to build the economy “from the middle out and the bottom up instead of just the top down.”

His vision, he said, “is a fundamental break from the economic theory that has failed America’s middle class for decades now.”

That theory is “trickle-down economics,” the idea that cutting taxes for the wealthy and for corporations while shrinking public investment in infrastructure and public education will nurture the economy. Under that theory the most important metric was a company’s bottom line, Biden pointed out, so companies reduced costs by taking factories and supply chains overseas to find cheap labor, leaving “entire towns and communities…hollowed out.” It also meant cutting taxes, which led to dramatic cuts in public investments in infrastructure, research, social programs and so on, with the idea that concentrating money in a few hands would prompt private investment in the economy. That investment would, the theory went, provide more jobs and enable everyone to prosper.

This is the worldview that the Republicans have embraced since 1980 and that, Biden said, has “failed the middle class. It failed America. It blew up the deficit. It increased inequity. And it weakened…our infrastructure. It stripped the dignity, pride, and hope out of communities one after another…. People working as hard as ever couldn’t get ahead because it’s harder to buy a home, pay for a college education, start a business, retire with dignity. [For] the first time in a generation, the path of the middle class seemed out of reach,” Biden said.   

Biden came into office determined to reverse this policy by investing in the American people rather than in tax cuts. With the help of a Democratic Congress, the president backed legislation that invests in infrastructure, repairing our long-neglected roads and bridges, and in supply chains and manufacturing. Rather than scaring off private investment, as the trickle-down theory argued, that public investment has attracted more than $490 billion of private money into new industries. Manufacturing is booming. Together, infrastructure and manufacturing have created new jobs that pay well. 

Central to Biden’s vision is the idea that the prosperity of the United States rests on its working people, rather than its elites. In Chicago he emphasized his administration’s focus on training and education, as well as its emphasis on the trades and unions. He also emphasized economic competition, noting that business consolidation has stifled innovation, reduced wages, made supply chains vulnerable, and raised costs for consumers. 

To reduce the deficit that has exploded in the past decades and to pay for new programs, Biden reiterated the need for fair taxes on the wealthy and corporations after decades of cuts. “Big Oil made $200 billion last year and got a…$30 billion tax break,” he said, while billionaires pay an average of 8% in taxes, less than “a schoolteacher, a firefighter, or a cop.” He called for “making the tax code fair for everyone, making the wealthy and the super-wealthy and big corporations begin to pay their fair share, without raising taxes at all on the middle class.”

“We’re not going to continue down the trickle-down path as long as I’m president,” Biden said. “This is the moment we are finally going to make a break…. Here’s the simple truth about trickle-down economics: It didn’t represent the best of American capitalism, let alone America.  It represented a moment where we walked away… from… how this country was built…. Bidenomics is just another way of saying: Restore the American Dream because it worked before. It’s rooted in what’s always worked best in this country: investing in America, investing in Americans. Because when we invest in our people, we strengthen the middle class, we see the economy grow. That benefits all Americans. That’s the American Dream.”

Biden often points to the New Deal of the 1930s as his inspiration. In that era, under Democratic president Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Congress responded to the economic crash spurred by unregulated capitalism by passing a wide range of laws that regulated business and protected workers, provided a basic social safety net including Social Security, and promoted infrastructure. 

In his speech accepting the 1932 Democratic presidential nomination, FDR condemned the policies of his predecessors that turned the government over to businessmen, declaring that “the welfare and the soundness of a nation depend first upon what the great mass of the people wish and need; and second, whether or not they are getting it.” He pledged to give the American people a “new deal” to replace the one that had led them into the Depression, and to lead a “crusade to restore America to its own people.” 

But FDR was not the first president to see ordinary Americans as the heart of the nation and to call for a government that protected them, rather than an economic elite. FDR’s distant relative Theodore Roosevelt, a Republican, made a similar argument as president thirty years earlier. Responding to a world in which a few wealthy industrialists—nicknamed “robber barons”—monopolized politics and the economy, he called for a “square deal” for the American people. 

“[W]hen I say that I am for the square deal,” TR said in 1910, “I mean not merely that I stand for fair play under the present rules of the game, but that I stand for having those rules changed so as to work for a more substantial equality of opportunity and of reward for equally good service.” He called for conservation of natural resources, business regulation, higher wages, and “social” legislation to create a “new nationalism” that would rebuild the country. Overall, he wanted “a policy of a far more active governmental interference with social and economic conditions in this country than we have yet had, but I think we have got to face the fact that such an increase in governmental control is now necessary.”  

But TR didn’t invent the idea of government investment in and protection of ordinary Americans either. In his New Nationalism speech, TR pointed back to his revered predecessor, Republican president Abraham Lincoln, who believed that the government must serve the interests of ordinary people rather than those of elite southern enslavers. When South Carolina senator James Henry Hammond told the Senate in 1858 that society was made up of “mudsills” overseen by their betters, who directed their labor and, gathering the wealth they produced, used it to advance the country, Lincoln was outraged. 

Society moved forward not at the hands of a wealthy elite, he countered, but through the hard work of ordinary men who constantly innovated. A community based on the work and wisdom of farmers, he said in 1859, “will be alike independent of crowned-kings, money-kings, and land-kings.” In office, Lincoln turned the government from protecting enslavers to advancing the interests of workingmen, including government support for higher education. 

Biden has recently embraced the term “Bidenomics,” a term coined by his opponents who insist that their embrace of tax cuts is the only way to create a healthy economy. But Bidenomics is simply a new word for a time-honored American idea.

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[delphinesaintmleux]

FOUNDATIONS MADE OF STONE CAN TURN TO DUST

Name: Delphine Saint Mleux

Nickname: Del

Gender & Pronouns: Cis woman & she/her

Age: 47

Occupation: CEO of Serres Communications, Inc

Origins: Woodside, California

Neighborhood: Oak Gardens

Relationship status: Married

Important note: serres communications, inc is the rp version of hearst communications, inc

SUMMARY: Born to be an heir Delphine was raised and groomed to be the best and brightest. Young life was routined and disciplined from private schools to every hour plotted out for music lessons, art lessons, extra education, etc. When she came out at as a teenager her mother distanced herself from Delphine and her father pushed her even harder and forced her to hide that part of herself. She went onto Yale where she earned top honors with an MBA as well as a PhD in comparative literature. By then she was working her way through the corporate ladder within her own family's company, obviously with a bit of a leg up, but her ideas and savvy business put her in charge. It wasn't until her father passed away 10 years ago that she took over as CEO of Serres Communications, Inc but it has been a role made for her. Living In Chicago and part of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra board Delphine eventually found herself as the Director of Operations. She was dating Valentine Finch, a fabulous cellist within the orchestra, and they eventually married. Things crumbled two years in when Delphine was accused and arrested on embezzlement charges from the orchestra. Her lawyers worked tirelessly to clear her and her spouse's name but it was already too late and Valentine had filed for divorce and fled from the damage and their ruined reputation.

BIOGRAPHY

trigger warnings: homophobia, death, embezzlement

Some generations ago the Serres family emigrated from France to the United States where the opportunity for entrepreneurship was so fresh that a motivated businessman was able to create the beginnings of an empire. What started off as a venture into the newspaper business expanded into a multinational mass media and business information conglomerate over decades (over a century in total) and generations within a family.

Before Delphine had been born the empire had already encompassed newspapers across the country, television and film productions and channels, radio stations, publishing in books and magazines, and several business-information companies. From the start of her life Delphine was groomed into eventually being a part of the family enterprise. She was enrolled into the best private schools and institutions that money could buy, enrolled and involved in music programs with private instructors, a young equestrian, and societies that would only further her social standing and outreach.

Music had a stronger hold and influence on Delphine. Attending symphonies, concerts, and operas impacted her in a way that her other interests and things she was pushed into hadn't. Even with piano and violin lessons she didn't quite have the talent to really pursue music in a way that she quietly dreamed, she was much more like the business minded leads of generations past, she followed music throughout her life. It was her love of literature and language that sent her off to Yale when the time for university came around, in which, during her attendance there, Delphine earned an MBA and a PhD in comparative literature.

For most of her young life Delphine moved through it robotically. There was always a routine and an expectation. While she had time as a child to be just that the older she got the more it came about in means of acting out. Rebelling against the strict structure of her life. When she was just a teenager she lashed out at her mother during a fight, choosing that moment to hurt the woman with an imperfection: Delphine was gay and had no desire to get married and have children within the same societal norms and demands of what a proper life looked like. They, her parents, had invested too much time and money into their daughter to completely write her off despite the lifestyle they couldn't and wouldn't agree with so her father continued to push Delphine for success. Her mother, on the other hand, nearly ignored her existence after the spontaneous coming out.

Fear of rejection and being ostracized within her own family Delphine buried her sexuality. Plus, the social climate for such an outing was vastly different at the time and that only further instilled a fear and solidified her decision to keep that part of herself hidden. Throughout university she remained publicly single and kept her short lived affairs with women deeply secretive. By then she was already working within what was then Serres Corporation and post graduation and with freshly printed higher education degrees Delphine began her ascent up the corporation ladder. It didn't hurt that she had fresh ideas on pushing the company ahead in future business ventures.

Eventually residing in Chicago, Delphine branched out personally into her interests as she became further involved within the city she'd decided to call home. One of those interests was the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and what had started merely as a donation based pledge (along with season tickets) eventually morphed into being on the board and then somehow the Director of Operations. It was fitting in the sense that Delphine was accustomed to involvement in various businesses. The only exception was that this was personal and not under the then Serres Communications, Inc brand.

In that investment into the symphony she'd met the fabulous cellist, Valentine Finch, and had fallen in love with the extraordinarily talented and intriguing musician. Thankfully she'd come out a decade earlier due to being caught on a date with a woman by the media, the relationship, like all the others in her past, had been short lived but the best outcome had come of it. Delphine no longer had to hide that part of herself. Her family be damned. Already CEO and the head of the family empire post her father's death there was no way anyone could keep her from living the life she'd wanted anymore. When she and Valentine began seeing each other it turned into the longest relationship she'd had. They'd gotten married and seemed to enjoy a charmed life with their spouse. But then accusations and an eventual arrest burned that happiness to the ground.

Charged with embezzling funds the media went wild. A billionaire and head of a mass media conglomerate siphoning funds from the orchestra, the very symphony her spouse was a part of, was violently juicy to the tabloids. Every part of her life seemed to be raked over the coals and that included her marriage. It took time but Delphine's team of lawyers were able to clear her of the charges and both her and her wife's names in the process. However, by then, the damage was already done. Marriage in shambles and unable to overcome the shame, Valentine left Delphine and she now sits with an impending divorce.

[fragile-practice]

Week in Review

October 23rd-29th

Welcome to Fragile Practice, where I attempt to make something of value out of stuff I have to read.

My future plan is to do longer-form original pieces on interesting topics or trends. For now, I'm going to make the weekly reviews habitual and see if I have any time left.

Technology

OpenAI forms team to study ‘catastrophic’ AI risks, including nuclear threats - Tech Crunch; Kyle Wiggers

OpenAI launched a new research team called AI Safety and Security to investigate the potential harms of artificial intelligence focused on AI alignment, AI robustness, AI governance, and AI ethics.

Note: Same energy as “cigarette company funds medical research into smoking risks”.

Artists Allege Meta’s AI Data Deletion Request Process Is a ‘Fake PR Stunt’ - Wired; Kate Knibbs

Artists who participated in Meta’s Artificial Intelligence Artist Residency Program accused the company of failing to honor their data deletion requests and claim that Meta used their personal data to train its AI models without their consent.

Note: Someday we will stop being surprised that corporate activities without obvious profit motive are all fake PR stunts.

GM and Honda ditch plan to build cheaper electric vehicles - The Verge; Andrew J. Hawkins

General Motors and Honda cancel their joint venture to develop and produce cheaper electric vehicles for the US market, citing the chip shortage, rising costs of battery materials, and the changing market conditions.

Note: What are the odds this isn’t related to the 7 billion dollars the US government announced to create hydrogen hubs.

'AI divide' across the US leaves economists concerned - The Register; Thomas Claburn

A new study by economists from Harvard University and MIT reveals a significant gap in AI adoption and innovation across different regions in the US.

The study finds that AI usage is highest in California's Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area, but was also noted in Nashville, San Antonio, Las Vegas, New Orleans, San Diego, and Tampa, as well as Riverside, Louisville, Columbus, Austin, and Atlanta.

Nvidia to Challenge Intel With Arm-Based Processors for PCs - Bloomberg; Ian King

Nvidia is using Arm technology to develop CPUs that would challenge Intel processors in PCs, and which could go on sale as soon as 2025.

Note: I am far from an NVIDIA fan, but I’m stoked for any amount of new competition in the CPU space.

New tool lets artists fight AI image bots by hiding corrupt data in plain sight - Engadget; Sarah Fielding

A team at the University of Chicago created Nightshade, a tool that lets artists fight AI image bots by adding undetectable pixels into an image that can alter how a machine-learning model produces content and what that finished product looks like.

Nightshade is intended to protect artists work and has been tested on both Stable Diffusion and an in-house AI built by the researchers.

IBM's NorthPole chip runs AI-based image recognition 22 times faster than current chips - Tech Xplore; Bob Yirka

NorthPole combines the processing module and the data it uses in a two-dimensional array of memory blocks and interconnected CPUs, and is reportedly inspired by the human brain.

NorthPole can currently only run specialized AI processes and not training processes or large language models, but the researchers plan to test connecting multiple chips together to overcome this limitation.

Apple’s $130 Thunderbolt 4 cable could be worth it, as seen in X-ray CT scans - Ars Technica; Kevin Purdy

Note: These scans are super cool. And make me feel somewhat better about insisting on quality cables. A+.

The Shifting Web

On-by-default video calls come to X, disable to retain your sanity - The Register; Brandon Vigliarolo

Video and audio calling is limited to anyone you follow or who is in your address book, if you granted X permission to comb through it.

Calling other users also requires that they’ve sent at least one direct message to you before.

Only premium users can place calls, but everyone can receive them.

Google Search Boss Says Company Invests to Avoid Becoming ‘Roadkill’ - The New York Times; Nico Grant

Google’s senior vice president overseeing search said that he sees a world of threats that could humble his company at any moment.

Google Maps is getting new AI-powered search updates, an enhanced navigation interface and more - Tech Crunch; Aisha Malik

Note: These AI recommender systems are going to be incredibly valuable advertising space. It is interesting that Apple decided to compete with Google in maps but not in basic search, but has so far not placed ads in the search results.

Reddit finally takes its API war where it belongs: to AI companies - Ars Technica; Scharon Harding

Reddit met with generative AI companies to negotiate a deal for being paid for its data, and may block crawlers if no deal is made soon.

Note: Google searches for info on Reddit often seem more effective than searching Reddit itself.  If they are unable to make a deal, and Reddit follows through, it will be a legitimate loss for discoverability but also an incredibly interesting experiment to see what Reddit is like without Google.

Bandcamp’s Entire Union Bargaining Team Was Laid Off - 404 Media; Emanuel Maiberg

Bandcamp’s new owner (Songtradr) offered jobs to just half of existing employees, with cuts disproportionately hitting union leaders. Every member of the union’s eight-person bargaining team was laid off, and 40 of the union's 67 members lost their jobs.

Songtradr spokesperson Lindsay Nahmiache claimed that the firm didn’t have access to union membership information.

Note: This just sucks. Bandcamp is rad, and it’s hard to imagine it continuing to be rad after this. I wonder if Epic had ideas for BC that didn’t work out.

Surveillance & Digital Privacy

Mozilla Launches Annual Digital Privacy 'Creep-o-Meter'. This Year's Status:  'Very Creepy' - Slashdot

Mozilla gave the current state of digital privacy a 75.6/100, with 100 being the creepiest.

They measured security features, data collection, and data sharing practices of over 500 gadgets, apps, and cars to come up with their score.

Every car Mozilla tested failed to meet their privacy and security standards.

Note: It would be great if even one auto brand would take privacy seriously.

EPIC Testifies in Support of Massachusetts Data Privacy and Protection Act -Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC)

Massachusetts version of ADPPA.

Note: While it may warm my dead heart to see any online privacy protections in law, scrambling to do so in response to generative AI is unlikely to protect Americans in any meaningful way from the surveillance driven form of capitalism we’ve all been living under for decades.

Complex Spy Platform StripedFly Bites 1M Victims - Dark Reading

StripedFly is a complex platform disguised as a cryptominer and evaded detection for six years by using a custom version of EternalBlue exploit, a built-in Tor network tunnel, and trusted services like GitLab, GitHub, and Bitbucket to communicate with C2 servers and update its functionality.

iPhones have been exposing your unique MAC despite Apple's promises otherwise - Ars Technica

A privacy feature which claimed to hide the Wi-Fi MAC address of iOS devices when joining a network was broken since iOS 14, and was finally patched in 17.1, released on Wednesday.

Note: I imagine this bug was reported a while ago, but wasn’t publically reported until the fix was released as a term of apple’s bug bounty program.

What the !#@% is a Passkey? - Electronic Frontier Foundation

Note: I welcome our passkey overlords.

[alphaman99]

Virgil Alexander posted:

Forwarded to me by an executive accountant friend: WHO AND WHAT IS—BLACK LIVES MATTER?

Black Lives Matter might be viewed as a grassroots movement of concerned people gathering together. It is much more.

Black Lives Matter is a corporation whose real name is Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation (BLMGNF). (Yep, it's one of those capitalistic corporations they profess to hate.)

The following information is on their web site. It's a nationwide corporation! BLMGNF has chapters in Boston, Chicago, Washington DC, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Lansing, Long Beach, Memphis, Nashville, New York City, Philadelphia, South Bend and in Canada in Toronto, Vancouver, and Waterloo. (If you were impressed by how all those recent riots erupted simultaneously from a grassroots movement--well, maybe it's not so grassroots.)

BLMGNF is a not-for-profit corporation--but it's not tax exempt, so donations are not tax deductible. Except if you go to its website and want to donate, you're transferred to 'ActBlue Charities' which will take your donation, give you a tax deduction, and then distribute the money you gave to BLMGNF. Sort of . . .

What is ActBlue?

The following is taken directly from ActBlue’s web page: “Our platform is available to Democratic candidates and committees, progressive organizations, and nonprofits that share our values for no cost besides a 3.95% processing fee on donations. And we operate as a conduit, which means donations made through ActBlue to a campaign or organization are considered individual donations.”

ActBlue consists of three parts: ActBlue Charities facilitates donations to left-of-center 501(c)(3) nonprofits; Act Blue Civics is its 501(c)(4) affiliate; ActBlue is a 527 Political Action Committee. These three have raised over $5 billion in the sixteen years since it started. If it's 3.95% transaction fee has indeed been applied to all donations, that equates to over $197 million!

ActBlue is thus a Democratic Party front affiliated with BLMGNF. If only it was that simple and stopped there.

Per Business Insider Australia: “ActBlue . . . distributes the money raised to Thousand Currents, which is then granted to Black Lives Matter.”

So, what, you ask, is Thousand Currents (formerly the International Development Exchange)?

Again, per Business insider Australia: “Thousand Currents is a 501(3)(c) non-profit that provides grants to organizations that are . . . developing alternative economic models." (Is anarchy now an alternative economic model?)

"Thousand Currents essentially acts as a quasi-manager for Black Lives Matter: ‘It provides administrative and back office support, including finance, accounting, grants management, insurance, human resources, legal and compliance,’ (Executive Director Solome) Lemma said.” (Finance, insurance, human resources, legal and compliance? It sounds like General Motors!)

What is the significance of the above?

Black Lives Matter is not some fly-by-night fad that is going to loot and destroy and then disappear into the ash heap of history. It's a multi-corporation, big business that is heavily associated with and supports the Democratic Party--and it's here to stay. Arguing whether Black Lives or All Lives Matter is meaningless and distracts from what it's trying to achieve. It's a left-wing political movement that will have a significant impact on Democratic Party programs for the foreseeable future.

Socialism and Communism are intimately linked to these efforts. The U.S. Constitution and especially the Bill of Rights have no place in their plans. Patrisse Cullors,one of Black Lives Matter’s cofounders is widely quoted as saying, “We are trained Marxists.”

The president of Greater New York Black Lives Matter said that if the movement fails to achieve meaningful change during nationwide protests, they will “burn down this system.” Not the peaceful change we celebrate under our Constitution but violent change. For those of us who like our Constitution, this is a challenge thrown directly in our faces.

If you've been wondering why politicians have danced around criticizing Black Lives Matter, now you know.

[lboogie1906]

Dr. Reatha Clark King (born April 11, 1938) is a chemist, the former VP of the General Mills Corporation; and the former president, executive director, and chairman of the board of trustees of the General Mills Foundation.

She was born in Pavo, Georgia. Her parents were Ola Mae Watts Campbell and Willie B. Clark. She graduated as valedictorian from the Moultrie High School for Negro Youth. She earned her BS in Chemistry and Mathematics from Clark College. She earned her M.S. and Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry. She earned an MBA From Columbia University.

She was hired by the National Bureau of Standards, becoming the agency’s first African American female chemist.

She married N. Judge King II (1962-2014) and the couple had two sons.

She became the associate dean for the Division of Natural Science and Mathematics at York College.

She has served on numerous corporate boards including the Exxon Mobil Company, H.B. Fuller Company, Wells Fargo & Company, Minnesota Mutual Insurance Company, and Dept 56. She has served on not-for-profit boards including Allina Health Systems, the University of Chicago, the American Council on Education, the Council on Foundations, and the National Association of Corporate Directors. She has served as a trustee of Clark Atlanta University and Carleton College, and she is an emeritus trustee of the University of Chicago. She is the emeritus board chair of NACD and a member of the Board of Overseers of the Malcolm Baldrige Program for Excellence.

She has received many awards including the National Association of Corporate Directors Director of the Year; Defender of Democracy Award from the Martin Luther King, Jr., National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc.; the Exceptional Black Scientist Award from the CIBA-GEIGY Corporation; International Citizen Award from the International Leadership Institute; the Louis W. Hill, Jr. Fellowship in Philanthropy at the Hubert H. Humphrey Center of the University of Minnesota; and Ebony Magazines Top 50 Black Executives in Corporate America. She has been recognized with 14 honorary doctorate degrees. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence #deltasigmatheta

[haggishlyhagging]

“Early-twentieth-century child-raising experts like Holt drew their prestige from science, but the content of their advice—what they actually had to tell mothers—came much less from the laboratory than the factory. Hall had romanticized youth; he wanted its spontaneity and openness protected from the ugly realities of the adult world. But the vulnerability of the child aroused very different impulses in most child-raising experts of the time. If the child was pliant, then the child could be molded. And if the child could be molded, why not begin shaping it at once to fit the "real" world of modern industry?

The goal was industrial man—disciplined, efficient, precise—whether it was his lot to be an industrial laborer, a corporate leader, or another expert himself. The key to producing such a man was regularity. It was never too early to introduce the child to the rhythms of industrial life, as Dr. Winfeld Hall explained at the Chicago Child Welfare Exhibit in 1911:

This period of early childhood is the period during which the child is acquiring habits which may last him through life . . . and many a mother will begin almost with the first day of the life of her infant to guard its habits and to introduce the element of regularity into its life . . .

This federal government’s twenty-five-cent pamphlet Infant Care, which was the best-selling publication of the Government Printing Office during the late teens, counseled similarly:

In order to establish good habits in the baby, the mother must first be aware what they are, and then how to induce them. Perhaps the first and most essential habit is that of regularity. This begins at birth, and applies to all the physical functions of the baby—eating, sleeping and bowel movements.

In the interests of industrial regularity, spontaneity would have to be strangled in the cradle. "The rule that parents should not play with the baby may seem hard," advised the government pamphlet cited above, "but it is no doubt a safe one." Inciting a baby to laugh in "apparent delight" was to impose a dangerous strain on its nervous system. Picking up a baby between scheduled feedings was to invite future mental disease or at least moral laxity. Dr. Winfield Hall painted a lurid picture for the indulgent mother:

Eating a thing because it tastes good, or drinking a thing because it tastes good, is doing a thing that gratifies the sensual! Mothers, if you begin that way with the child on these simple senses of taste and smell, and the flavor of food and drink, what are you going to do fifteen years later when the primordial urge gets into that young person's blood and he looks out at the world and turns to the right and to the left for other forms of sense gratification?

The industrial approach to child raising met with instant approval from domestic science leaders. In one of her rare mentions of children Ellen Richards wrote:

Most powers are the result of habits. Let the furrows be plowed deeply enough while the brain cells are plastic, then human energies will result in efficiency and the line of least resistance will be the right line . . . To the woman, the home worker, we say, "You must have the will power, for the sake of your child, to bring to his service all that has been discovered for the promotion of human efficiency, so that he may have the habit, the technique."

Besides, scientific housekeeping was incompatible with anything but the most obedient, well-programed child.”

-Barbara Ehrenreich and Deirdre English, For Her Own Good: 150 Years of the Experts’ Advice to Women

[hoursofreading]

His vision, he said, “is a fundamental break from the economic theory that has failed America’s middle class for decades now.” That theory is “trickle-down economics,” the idea that cutting taxes for the wealthy and for corporations while shrinking public investment in infrastructure and public education will nurture the economy. Under that theory the most important metric was a company’s bottom line, Biden pointed out, so companies reduced costs by taking factories and supply chains overseas to find cheap labor, leaving “entire towns and communities…hollowed out.” It also meant cutting taxes, which led to dramatic cuts in public investments in infrastructure, research, social programs and so on, with the idea that concentrating money in a few hands would prompt private investment in the economy. That investment would, the theory went, provide more jobs and enable everyone to prosper. This is the worldview that the Republicans have embraced since 1980 and that, Biden said, has “failed the middle class. It failed America. It blew up the deficit. It increased inequity. And it weakened…our infrastructure. It stripped the dignity, pride, and hope out of communities one after another…. People working as hard as ever couldn’t get ahead because it’s harder to buy a home, pay for a college education, start a business, retire with dignity. [For] the first time in a generation, the path of the middle class seemed out of reach,” Biden said.    Biden came into office determined to reverse this policy by investing in the American people rather than in tax cuts. With the help of a Democratic Congress, the president backed legislation that invests in infrastructure, repairing our long-neglected roads and bridges, and in supply chains and manufacturing. Rather than scaring off private investment, as the trickle-down theory argued, that public investment has attracted more than $490 billion of private money into new industries. Manufacturing is booming. Together, infrastructure and manufacturing have created new jobs that pay well.  Central to Biden’s vision is the idea that the prosperity of the United States rests on its working people, rather than its elites. In Chicago he emphasized his administration’s focus on training and education, as well as its emphasis on the trades and unions. He also emphasized economic competition, noting that business consolidation has stifled innovation, reduced wages, made supply chains vulnerable, and raised costs for consumers.  To reduce the deficit that has exploded in the past decades and to pay for new programs, Biden reiterated the need for fair taxes on the wealthy and corporations after decades of cuts. “Big Oil made $200 billion last year and got a…$30 billion tax break,” he said, while billionaires pay an average of 8% in taxes, less than “a schoolteacher, a firefighter, or a cop.” He called for “making the tax code fair for everyone, making the wealthy and the super-wealthy and big corporations begin to pay their fair share, without raising taxes at all on the middle class.” “We’re not going to continue down the trickle-down path as long as I’m president,” Biden said. “This is the moment we are finally going to make a break…. Here’s the simple truth about trickle-down economics: It didn’t represent the best of American capitalism, let alone America.  It represented a moment where we walked away… from… how this country was built…. Bidenomics is just another way of saying: Restore the American Dream because it worked before. It’s rooted in what’s always worked best in this country: investing in America, investing in Americans. Because when we invest in our people, we strengthen the middle class, we see the economy grow. That benefits all Americans. That’s the American Dream.”

June 28, 2023 - by Heather Cox Richardson

[reynaoverseas]

Top 10 Courses in Demand Globally: Universities and Career Opportunities

In today’s dynamic and evolving job market, choosing the right course of study is crucial for securing a successful and fulfilling career. Here are the top 10 courses that are in high demand globally, along with the universities offering them and the career opportunities they unlock.

Data Science and Analytics

Top Universities: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley

Career Opportunities: Data Scientist, Data Analyst, Machine Learning Engineer

Computer Science and IT

Top Universities: Carnegie Mellon University, University of Cambridge, National University of Singapore

Career Opportunities: Software Developer, Cybersecurity Specialist, IT Consultant

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Top Universities: University of Oxford, California Institute of Technology (Caltech), ETH Zurich

Career Opportunities: AI Researcher, Machine Learning Engineer, Robotics Engineer

Business Administration and Management

Top Universities: Harvard Business School, INSEAD, London Business School

Career Opportunities: Business Consultant, Marketing Manager, Operations Manager

Finance and Accounting

Top Universities: University of Pennsylvania (Wharton), London School of Economics (LSE), University of Chicago (Booth)

Career Opportunities: Financial Analyst, Investment Banker, Chartered Accountant

Medicine and Healthcare

Top Universities: Johns Hopkins University, University of Toronto, University of Melbourne

Career Opportunities: Physician, Surgeon, Healthcare Administrator

Engineering (Various Disciplines)

Top Universities: Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of Tokyo

Career Opportunities: Civil Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Electrical Engineer

Law

Top Universities: Yale Law School, University of Cambridge, University of Melbourne

Career Opportunities: Lawyer, Legal Advisor, Corporate Counsel

Environmental Science and Sustainability

Top Universities: University of California, Berkeley, University of Oxford, University of British Columbia

Career Opportunities: Environmental Consultant, Sustainability Specialist, Conservation Scientist

Digital Marketing

Top Universities: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of California, Davis, IE Business School

Career Opportunities: Digital Marketing Manager, SEO Specialist, Content Strategist

These courses are designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in today’s competitive job market. Top universities around the world offer specialized programs that are aligned with industry trends, ensuring that graduates are well-prepared for the future.

Ready to embark on a journey towards a rewarding career? Explore these in-demand courses with Reyna Overseas and find the right university that matches your ambitions. Your global career starts with the right education!

[contingentfitness]

Top Corporate Wellness Programs in Chicago | Fitness Training & Personal Trainers | Contingent Fitness - Enhance your company's health with Contingent Fitness, offering top-notch corporate wellness programs in Chicago. Our corporate fitness programs and exercise solutions are tailored to boost employee well-being and productivity. With expert corporate fitness trainers and personal fitness trainers, we provide customized fitness training that meets the needs of your organization. Discover how our corporate fitness training can transform your workplace into a healthier, more energetic environment. Contact us today to learn more about our corporate wellness programs and personal fitness training.

[shivam95]

What to Expect from a Master in Finance Salary in US

If you're thinking about doing a Master in Finance (MFin) in the US, one of the main questions you probably have is: "How much can I earn after I graduate?" The good news is that a Master in Finance salary in the US can be quite high, especially if you attend a well-known school and work in a major city. This article will help you understand what kind of Master in Finance salary in US you can expect, what affects how much you'll earn, and how you can boost your earning potential after finishing your degree.

Average Master in Finance Salary in US

Master in Finance salary in US between $75,000 and $125,000 per year. The exact amount depends on several things like the university you attended, your previous work experience, and which area of finance you choose to work in. Graduates from top schools like MIT Sloan or Princeton often start on the higher end of this range.

But that’s just the base salary. Many finance jobs also offer bonuses, profit-sharing, and stock options. In some top companies, these bonuses can be as much as, or even more than, your base salary, making finance a very rewarding field for MFin graduates.

What Affects Your Salary?

1. The University You Attend

The university you choose can have a big impact on your salary. Graduates from prestigious schools like Harvard or Stanford often get better job offers and higher Master in Finance salary in US. This is because top finance firms actively recruit from these schools, knowing that their graduates have received top-notch training.

Additionally, being part of a strong alumni network from a respected school can open doors to great job opportunities, mentorship, and career growth, all which can lead to a higher salary over time.

2. Where You Work

Location matters a lot when it comes to Master in Finance salary in US. Major financial cities like New York, San Francisco, and Chicago tend to offer higher salaries because of the high cost of living and the large number of top finance firms located there. For example, if you work in New York City, you might earn 20-30% more than someone doing the same job in a smaller city.

However, it’s important to remember that living costs in these big cities are also higher. Even though you might earn more, you’ll also spend more on rent, transportation, and other expenses. Still, working in a major financial center often provides better career opportunities and a higher potential for salary growth.

3. Your Work Experience

Having work experience before you start your MFin program can also lead to a higher salary after graduation. If you’ve already worked in finance or a related field, employers will see you as more valuable because you already have practical skills and industry knowledge.

For example, someone with a few years of experience as a financial analyst before getting their MFin is likely to get a higher starting salary than someone with no experience. Experienced professionals might also qualify for higher-level positions, which usually come with better pay.

4. The Sector You Choose

The area of finance you decide to work in can greatly affect your salary. The finance field includes many different roles, such as investment banking, asset management, risk management, and corporate finance. Some sectors, like investment banking, typically offer higher salaries and bonuses compared to others.

Roles that require specialized knowledge or are in high demand also tend to pay more. For example, financial analysts who work in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) or quantitative analysts (quants) in hedge funds often earn more than those in other areas.

Tips to Maximize Your Salary

Here are a few ways to increase your Master in Finance salary in US :

Build a Strong Network: Connect with people in the finance industry, attend industry events, and use your school’s alumni network to find job opportunities that offer higher salaries.

Get Relevant Experience: Internships or work experience in finance, either before or during your MFin program, can make you more competitive in the job market.

Choose a High-Paying Sector: While it’s important to work in an area you’re passionate about, being strategic about the sector you enter can lead to higher pay. Sectors like investment banking and private equity are known for offering high salaries.

Earn Additional Certifications: Getting certifications like the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) can make you more attractive to employers and help you qualify for better-paying jobs.

Negotiate Your Salary: Don’t be afraid to negotiate your starting salary. Many employers expect it and are willing to offer more to secure the best talent.

Conclusion

A Master in Finance salary in US is promising, with plenty of opportunities to earn a good income. By choosing the right school, gaining relevant experience, and being strategic about your career, you can increase your earning potential in the competitive finance industry. While the journey requires effort and dedication, the rewards, both financially and professionally, are well worth it.

[best-accounting-courses]

What opportunities are available for Indian freshers in the US accounting job market?

The US accounting job market presents a range of opportunities for Indian freshers, especially those who hold relevant qualifications and certifications. With the growing demand for skilled accounting professionals, Indian graduates are finding significant opportunities in the American job market.

For Indian freshers, pursuing a Master’s degree in Accounting or a related field from a US institution can be a strategic move. Many universities offer programs that include internships and practical training, which can lead to full-time job placements. These academic programs often provide valuable networking opportunities and exposure to the US business environment.

Certification also plays a crucial role. Indian freshers with international certifications, such as the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Chartered Accountant (CA), are well-positioned to enter the US job market. These certifications are recognized globally and demonstrate a high level of competence in accounting principles, which is highly valued by US employers.

Networking is another key component of securing job opportunities. Joining professional organizations like the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) or participating in industry events can help Indian freshers connect with potential employers and industry peers. These platforms offer job listings, networking events, and resources that can aid in the job search process.

Furthermore, the demand for accountants spans various industries, including finance, healthcare, technology, and manufacturing. Entry-level positions such as junior accountant, audit associate, or tax analyst are commonly available. Major cities like New York, San Francisco, and Chicago are particularly promising, as they host numerous multinational corporations and financial institutions.

In conclusion, with the right qualifications, certifications, and networking strategies, Indian freshers have ample opportunities to build successful careers in the US accounting job market.

[infograins001]

Why Custom Software Development is Crucial for Business Success

In today's fast-paced business environment, staying ahead of the competition requires innovative solutions that align with your unique needs and objectives. 

Custom software development plays a pivotal role in achieving this, offering tailored solutions that enhance efficiency, productivity, and security. 

Infograins Software Solutions Pvt. Ltd., a leading software development company, specializes in delivering customized software solutions that cater to the specific needs of businesses across various industries. 

With a strong presence as a blockchain development company in Chicago, Infograins is dedicated to driving business success through bespoke software development.

Understanding Custom Software Development

Custom software program improvement involves developing software packages tailor-made to meet the particular desires of a business or corporation. 

Unlike off-the-shelf software program, which offers a one-size-suits-all solution, custom software is designed with your unique necessities in mind. This customized technique ensures that the software program aligns perfectly with your commercial enterprise techniques, desires, and targets, providing a tremendous aggressive benefit.

The Benefits of Custom Software Development

1. Tailored Solutions for Unique Business Needs

Every commercial enterprise has particular requirements that can not be absolutely addressed by means of well-known software answers. 

Custom software improvement gives the flexibility to layout answers that cater especially to your commercial enterprise wishes. This way that the software program integrates seamlessly with your current techniques, enhancing typical efficiency and productiveness. 

For instance, a healthcare issuer may additionally require a custom patient control gadget that integrates with their current electronic health statistics (EHR) machine, streamlining affected person care and administrative duties.

2. Enhanced Efficiency and Productivity

Custom software is designed to streamline and automate business processes, decreasing the need for manual intervention and minimizing mistakes. By automating repetitive obligations and integrating numerous capabilities, custom software application can considerably decorate operational efficiency. 

This permits your employees to attention on extra strategic and rate-delivered sports activities, ultimately boosting productivity and riding business boom. 

For instance, a custom CRM machine can automate lead management, purchaser observe-ups, and income reporting, releasing up time for income corporations to awareness on ultimate offers.

3. Scalability and Flexibility

One of the essential benefits of custom software program improvement is its scalability. As your enterprise grows, your software program can be scaled to house new requirements and extended workloads. Unlike off-the-shelf software program, which often comes with obstacles, custom software is bendy and may be easily modified to conform to converting commercial enterprise wishes. 

This ensures that your software stays relevant and effective as your enterprise evolves. 

For example, an e-commerce platform may also start with a simple inventory control system and gradually make bigger to encompass advanced functions like predictive analytics and personalized purchaser pointers.

4. Competitive Advantage

In a competitive market, having a completely unique and tailored software answer can offer a significant aggressive gain. 

Custom software lets in you to put into effect innovative functions and functionalities that are not available in general software applications. This can differentiate your business from competition, enhance patron enjoy, and beautify your market function. 

As a main software program improvement company, Infograins enables corporations leverage custom software program to stay beforehand of the competition. 

For instance, a logistics company may want to expand a custom route optimization device that reduces transport times and costs, presenting a unique selling point.

5. Improved Security

Security is a critical concern for businesses, especially in today's digital age where cyber threats are prevalent. 

Custom software development offers enhanced security features that are tailored to the specific needs of your business. Unlike off-the-shelf software, which is more vulnerable to attacks due to its widespread use, custom software is designed with robust security measures that protect sensitive data and ensure compliance with industry regulations. 

Infograins, also recognized as a blockchain development company in Chicago, integrates advanced security protocols in its custom software solutions to safeguard your business. 

For example, a financial institution may require custom software with multi-factor authentication and end-to-end encryption to protect customer data.

6. Integration with Existing Systems

Businesses frequently use more than one software program structures to manage different features. 

Custom software development ensures seamless integration with current structures, creating a unified and cohesive IT surroundings. This improves data go with the flow and accessibility, reduces redundancy, and complements basic device performance. 

Infograins' expertise in software program improvement allows organizations to achieve smooth integration, ensuring that all systems work together harmoniously. 

For example, a production enterprise may additionally want a custom ERP system that integrates with their stock management, procurement, and production systems for seamless operations.

7. Cost-Effective in the Long Run

While custom software program development may contain higher preliminary prices as compared to off-the-shelf answers, it proves to be more value-effective in the long run. 

Custom software program removes the want for common upgrades and changes which can be regularly required with standard software. 

Additionally, the progressed performance, productivity, and scalability that custom software program gives bring about good sized value financial savings over time. Infograins works intently with businesses to develop cost-effective custom software answers that supply long-term value. 

For example, a retail chain may also spend money on a custom factor-of-sale (POS) system that integrates with their loyalty program and stock management, decreasing operational expenses and enhancing purchaser retention.

8. Personalized Support and Maintenance

With custom software improvement, companies obtain personalized guide and preservation services tailored to their specific needs. This guarantees that any problems are directly addressed, and the software program continues to feature optimally. 

Infograins presents comprehensive help and upkeep services, ensuring that your custom software program remains updated, secure, and green. 

For example, a healthcare issuer the usage of a custom EHR device may require normal updates and technical help to comply with changing healthcare rules and ensure uninterrupted patient care.

The Role of Infograins Software Solutions

As a leading software development company, Infograins Software Solutions Pvt. Ltd. excels in delivering custom software solutions that drive business success. Our team of experienced developers, designers, and project managers work collaboratively to create software that meets the unique needs of our clients. 

With a strong presence as a blockchain development company in Chicago, Infograins leverages the latest technologies and methodologies to deliver innovative and secure solutions.

Expertise and Experience

Infograins boasts a team of skilled specialists with deep understanding in various technologies and industries. Our builders are talented in more than one programming languages, frameworks, and tools, enabling us to tackle complicated tasks with ease. 

We stay updated with the ultra-modern industry developments and improvements, ensuring our customers acquire modern-day answers.

Industry-Specific Solutions

Our enormous revel in spans throughout various industries, inclusive of finance, healthcare, retail, logistics, and more. 

We apprehend the particular challenges and possibilities inside every region, permitting us to develop enterprise-precise answers that drive achievement. Whether you need a healthcare management system, a economic trading platform, or an e-trade website, Infograins has the information and understanding to supply terrific results.

Proven Track Record

Infograins has a proven track record of delivering successful projects for clients worldwide. Our portfolio showcases a diverse range of projects, from simple applications to complex enterprise solutions. 

We take pride in our ability to understand client requirements, provide innovative solutions, and exceed expectations.

Why Choose Infograins Software Solutions?

Innovative Solutions

Infograins is committed to innovation and continuously explores new technologies and methodologies to provide cutting-edge solutions. 

Our focus on research and development ensures that we stay ahead of the curve and deliver solutions that give your business a competitive edge.

Quality Assurance

Quality is at the core of everything we do. Our rigorous quality assurance processes ensure that each project meets the highest standards of performance, security, and usability. 

We conduct thorough testing and validation to identify and resolve any issues before deployment, ensuring a seamless user experience.

Post-Deployment Support

Our commitment to our clients extends beyond project delivery. We offer comprehensive post-deployment support and maintenance services to ensure your solution continues to perform optimally. 

Our support team is always available to address any issues, provide updates, and implement enhancements as needed.

Conclusion

Custom software development is crucial for business success in today’s competitive and rapidly changing environment. It offers tailored solutions that enhance efficiency, productivity, and security while providing a competitive edge. 

As a leading software development company and a prominent blockchain development company in Chicago, Infograins Software Solutions Pvt. Ltd. is dedicated to helping businesses achieve their goals through innovative and customized software solutions. 

By partnering with Infograins, businesses can leverage the power of custom software to drive growth, improve operations, and secure their future in the digital age.

Call to Action

Ready to transform your business with custom software solutions? Contact Infograins Software Solutions Pvt. Ltd. today to discuss your project requirements and discover how our expertise can help you achieve success. 

Visit our website at Infograins Software Solutions to learn more about our services and offerings.

[chitownblackcars]

Seamless Event Transportation in Chicago: Ensuring a Memorable Experience

Event transportation Chicago plays a crucial role in ensuring the success and enjoyment of various occasions, from corporate events and conferences to private celebrations and cultural gatherings. The bustling metropolis of Chicago offers a myriad of transportation options that cater to diverse needs, preferences, and event logistics. Whether organizing transportation for attendees, VIP guests, or coordinating logistics between venues, choosing the right transportation service is essential for delivering a seamless and memorable experience. This comprehensive guide explores the key considerations, benefits, and practical tips for ensuring seamless event transportation in Chicago.

Understanding the Importance of Event Transportation

Event transportation serves as more than just a logistical necessity; it enhances the overall experience and contributes to the success of any gathering or occasion. Whether hosting a corporate event, wedding, gala, or cultural festival, efficient and reliable transportation ensures that attendees arrive punctually, comfortably, and ready to participate in the festivities.

For event organizers, transportation logistics encompass various aspects, including guest arrival and departure, shuttle services between venues, VIP transportation, and accommodating special needs or requests. By prioritizing seamless transportation solutions, organizers can enhance guest satisfaction, streamline event operations, and uphold the event's reputation for professionalism and efficiency.

Key Considerations for Seamless Event Transportation

Organizing seamless event transportation requires careful planning, coordination, and attention to detail. Consider the following factors to ensure a memorable and hassle-free transportation experience for all participants:

Venue Locations and Accessibility: Assess the locations of event venues, hotels, airports, and other key destinations to determine the most efficient transportation routes and options. Consider factors such as traffic patterns, parking availability, and any logistical challenges that may impact travel times.

Capacity and Group Size: Determine the number of attendees requiring transportation, including guests, speakers, performers, and staff. Choose vehicles or shuttle services that accommodate the size of your group comfortably while ensuring everyone arrives and departs according to the event schedule.

Event Schedule and Timing: Create a detailed transportation schedule that aligns with the event itinerary and program. Allow sufficient time for travel between venues, registration or check-in processes, and any scheduled activities or presentations to avoid delays and ensure a seamless flow of events.

Customization and Special Requirements: Consider any special requirements or preferences of attendees, such as accessibility needs, language preferences, or VIP accommodations. Coordinate with transportation providers to customize services, amenities, or branding options that reflect the event's theme or corporate identity.

Budget and Cost Management: Establish a transportation budget that aligns with overall event expenses and objectives. Compare pricing among different transportation providers, inquire about package deals or discounts for bulk bookings, and negotiate terms that offer value for money without compromising on service quality.

Safety and Compliance: Prioritize safety measures and regulatory compliance when selecting transportation services. Ensure that vehicles are well-maintained, licensed, and insured, with trained drivers who adhere to traffic laws and passenger safety protocols.

Benefits of Professional Event Transportation Services

Professional event transportation services offer several advantages that contribute to the success and enjoyment of events in Chicago:

Efficiency and Logistics Management: Experienced transportation providers specialize in managing complex logistics, including route planning, scheduling, and contingency management. They ensure that attendees arrive promptly and safely, minimizing disruptions and optimizing the event experience.

Variety of Transportation Options: Chicago's transportation services offer a diverse range of vehicles to suit different event needs and preferences. Options include luxury sedans, SUVs, limousines, shuttle buses, vintage cars, and specialty vehicles that cater to various group sizes, themes, and event requirements.

Professionalism and Customer Service: Event transportation providers prioritize professionalism, reliability, and exceptional customer service. They offer personalized assistance, coordinate with event organizers and venue staff, and respond promptly to inquiries or last-minute changes to ensure a seamless experience for all participants.

Enhanced Guest Experience: Seamless transportation enhances the overall guest experience by providing comfort, convenience, and a positive first impression of the event. Guests can relax, socialize, or prepare for the event's activities without the stress of navigating traffic or finding parking.

Brand Representation and Image: Transportation services reflect the event's brand image and values, contributing to a cohesive and memorable experience for attendees. Customized branding options, such as vehicle signage or digital displays, reinforce the event's messaging and create a professional atmosphere.

Tips for Organizing Seamless Event Transportation

To ensure successful event transportation in Chicago, consider implementing the following tips and best practices:

1. Early Planning and Booking: Begin researching and booking transportation services well in advance, especially for large-scale events or peak seasons. Early planning allows sufficient time for coordination, customization, and securing preferred vehicles or services.

2. Detailed Communication: Maintain clear and open communication with transportation providers, venue managers, and event stakeholders. Share event schedules, participant lists, special requests, and any relevant information to facilitate seamless coordination and execution.

3. On-Site Coordination: Assign dedicated staff or volunteers to oversee transportation logistics on-site. Ensure they have contact information for transportation providers, schedules, and contingency plans to address any unforeseen issues promptly.

4. Guest Communication: Provide attendees with detailed transportation information, including pick-up/drop-off locations, schedules, and contact details for assistance. Use digital platforms, event apps, or signage to communicate transportation options effectively before and during the event.

5. Guest Experience Enhancement: Enhance the guest experience with amenities such as Wi-Fi connectivity, refreshments, or entertainment options during transit. Consider themed decorations, personalized greetings, or branded merchandise to create a memorable journey for attendees.

6. Sustainability Considerations: Incorporate sustainable transportation options, such as hybrid or electric vehicles, bike-sharing programs, or public transit routes, to minimize environmental impact and support eco-friendly event practices.

Conclusion

Seamless event transportation in Chicago plays a vital role in enhancing guest satisfaction, optimizing event logistics, and reinforcing the event's success and reputation. By prioritizing careful planning, communication, and collaboration with professional transportation providers, event organizers can ensure a memorable and stress-free experience for all participants.

From managing venue accessibility to coordinating group travel and accommodating special requirements, seamless event transportation contributes to a positive event atmosphere, efficient operations, and lasting impressions. By leveraging Chicago's diverse transportation options and implementing best practices for organization and execution, event planners can create an enjoyable and memorable event experience that exceeds expectations and leaves a lasting impression on attendees.