#distributed workforce

[sbntech]

7 Ways to Simplify Maritime Procurement Using Maritime Software

In the maritime industry, procurement is a critical process that can significantly impact operational costs and profitability. Outdated and disparate procurement processes can result in inefficiencies and errors that can be costly for businesses. The good news is that advancements in maritime software solutions have made it possible to simplify procurement processes and optimise the entire cycle. In this article, we will discuss the seven ways that modern maritime software can simplify procurement and contribute to operational efficiency and profitability.

1. Manage the Entire Procurement Process

One of the significant advantages of using maritime software is its ability to manage the entire procurement process from start to finish. Companies can automate their procurement processes and deliver operational efficiency by implementing the latest maritime software solutions. The software allows for comprehensive management of various tasks, including the entire RFP fuel management process, operations management, inventory tracking, invoicing, and claims management. This level of automation not only streamlines the process but also eliminates the risk of human error, saving time and costs in the long run.

2. Negotiate with Suppliers

Maritime software can be used to record purchases from suppliers, compare prices, and identify sales tactics to negotiate the best deals. According to a report by Inmarsat, maritime software enables shipping owners and managers to achieve their primary objectives of cost reduction, operational efficiencies, and regulatory compliance. This software facilitates the recording of purchases from suppliers, price comparison, and the identification of sales tactics to effectively negotiate the best deals.

3. Minimise Operational and Counterparty Risk

By recording supplier details in maritime software, you can gain insights into how each supplier operates, and other important information that can help minimise operational and counterparty risk. This information can be used to manage and mitigate potential risks, helping you make better decisions about which suppliers to work with. Ultimately, using maritime software to track supplier details can help you build a more secure and stable procurement process with fewer disruptions and issues along the way. Additionally, the system allows for the flexibility of splitting orders or combining them as needed, further enhancing your ability to optimise procurement and streamline operations.

4. Drive Efficiency and Reduce Errors

Maritime software is a powerful tool that reduces human errors and streamlines operations with best-practice workflows. It automates procurement and invoicing, ensuring regulatory compliance and minimising manual mistakes. By tracing orders, managing item delivery, and optimising supply chain operations, it facilitates end-to-end logistics management. The software also enables efficient comparison of prices, even in different currencies, aiding in decision-making and cost savings. Overall, it empowers companies to enhance efficiency, productivity, and cost-effectiveness, making the procurement process secure and stable while delivering better results.

5. Streamline Budgetary Control

Maritime software plays a crucial role in efficient budgetary control within the maritime sector. With its financial management applications, businesses can effectively manage cash flow, monitor expenses, and track budget allocations. The software provides comprehensive insights into maritime-related costs, allowing businesses to maintain control over their budgetary limits. By leveraging the budgetary control features of the software, organisations can make informed decisions, allocate resources strategically, and ensure that procurement activities align with budgetary constraints.

6. Efficiently Manage Cash Flow and Invoicing

Maritime software offers a specialised solution for simplifying cash flow and invoicing processes in the maritime sector. By leveraging financial management applications tailored to the industry, businesses can optimise cash flow, maximise credit availability, and streamline invoice processing efficiently. These features enable users to easily track maritime-related expenses, payments, and budgets, providing greater visibility of invoicing and payment status. The software’s financial management tools enhance financial efficiency and significantly reduce the likelihood of financial errors or issues in the maritime procurement workflow.

7. Make Faster Decisions

A critical advantage of maritime software lies in its centralised access to data, expediting reporting and facilitating faster decision-making. Decision-makers in the maritime sector can access real-time data specific to procurement activities, enabling them to respond promptly to critical situations and make well-informed decisions swiftly. The centralised data management ensures that all stakeholders involved in maritime procurement have access to the same accurate and consistent information, promoting transparency and agility. This capability allows businesses to adapt to market trends, identify growth opportunities, and maintain a competitive edge within the maritime industry.

8. Inventory Management

Efficient procurement in the maritime sector heavily relies on effective inventory management, a key feature offered by specialised maritime software solutions like Shipmate. Ship owners and managers can easily manage and monitor inventory levels, ensuring optimal stock levels specific to maritime requirements are maintained at all times. This functionality minimises the risks associated with stock outs or overstocking, preventing unnecessary costs and delays that can arise in maritime procurement. By utilising the inventory management features of the software, ship owners and managers can streamline their maritime procurement process, enhancing overall operational efficiency and simplifying the procurement workflow within the maritime context.

Summing Up

Utilising maritime software can significantly simplify the procurement process and benefit your company in multiple ways. From managing the entire procurement process to minimising operational and counterparty risk, reducing errors and driving efficiency, managing cash flow and invoicing, making faster decisions, and accessing the latest software securely, there are numerous advantages to implementing such software in your operations.

Are you looking for a reliable provider of maritime software solutions to simplify your procurement process? Look no further than SBN Technologies. With our expertise in the marine industry and cutting-edge software solutions, we can help you streamline your operations, reduce costs, and improve efficiency. Contact us today to learn more about our products and services.

[ivygorgon]

Let the choir say amend!!

[reasonsforhope]

"The state, which has long ranked worst in the US for child wellbeing, became the first and only in the country to offer free childcare to a majority of families

There was a moment, just before the pandemic, when Lisset Sanchez thought she might have to drop out of college because the cost of keeping her three children in daycare was just too much.

Even with support from the state, she and her husband were paying $800 a month – about half of what Sanchez and her husband paid for their mortgage in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

But during the pandemic, that cost went down to $0. And Sanchez was not only able to finish college, but enroll in nursing school. With a scholarship that covered her tuition and free childcare, Sanchez could afford to commute to school, buy groceries for her growing family – even after she had two more children – and pay down the family’s mortgage and car loan.

“We are a one-income household,” said Sanchez, whose husband works while she is in school. Having free childcare “did help tremendously”.

...Three years ago, New Mexico became the first state in the nation to offer free childcare to a majority of families. The United States has no federal, universal childcare – and ranks 40th on a Unicef ranking of 41 high-income countries’ childcare policies, while maintaining some of the highest childcare costs in the world. Expanding on pandemic-era assistance, New Mexico made childcare free for families earning up to 400% of the federal poverty level, or about $124,000 for a family of four. That meant about half of New Mexican children now qualified.

In one of the poorest states in the nation, where the median household income is half that and childcare costs for two children could take up 80% of a family’s income, the impact was powerful. The state, which had long ranked worst in the nation for child wellbeing, saw its poverty rate begin to fall.

As the state simultaneously raised wages for childcare workers, and became the first to base its subsidy reimbursement rates on the actual cost of providing such care, early childhood educators were also raised out of poverty. In 2020, 27.4% of childcare providers – often women of color – were living in poverty. By 2024, that number had fallen to 16%.

During the state’s recent legislative session, lawmakers approved a “historic” increase in funding for education, including early childhood education, that might improve those numbers even further...

When now-governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced her candidacy in late 2016, she emphasized her desire to address the state’s low child wellbeing rating. And when she took office in January 2018, she described her aim to have a “moonshot for education”: major investments in education across the state, from early childhood through college.

That led to her opening the state’s early childhood education and care department in 2019 – and tapping Groginksy, who had overseen efforts to improve early childhood policies in Washington DC, to run it. Then, in 2020, Lujan Grisham threw her support behind a bill in the state legislature that would establish an Early Childhood Trust Fund: by investing $300m – plus budget surpluses each year, largely from oil and gas revenue – the state hoped to distribute a percentage to fund early childhood education each year.

But then, just weeks after the trust fund was established, the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a pandemic.

“Covid created a really enormous moment for childcare,” said Heinz. “We had somewhat of a national reckoning about the fact that we don’t have a workforce if we don’t have childcare.”

As federal funding flooded into New Mexico, the state directed millions of dollars toward childcare, including by boosting pay for entry-level childcare providers to $15 an hour, expanding eligibility for free childcare to families making 400% of the poverty level, and becoming the first state in the nation to set childcare subsidy rates at the true cost of delivering care.

As pandemic-era relief funding dried up in 2022, the governor and Democratic lawmakers proposed another way to generate funds for childcare – directing a portion of the state’s Land Grant Permanent Fund to early childhood education and care. Like the Early Childhood Trust Fund, the permanent fund – which was established when New Mexico became a state – was funded by taxes on fossil fuel revenues. That November, 70% of New Mexican voters approved a constitutional amendment directing 1.25% of the fund to early childhood programs.

By then, the Early Childhood Trust Fund had grown exponentially – due to the boom in oil and gas prices. Beginning with $300m in 2020, the fund had swollen to over $9bn by the end of 2024...

New Mexico has long had one of the highest “official poverty rates” in the nation.

But using a metric that accounts for social safety net programs – like universal childcare – that’s slowly shifting. According to “supplemental poverty” data, 17.1% of New Mexicans fell below the federal “supplemental” poverty line from 2013 to 2015 (a metric that takes into account cost of living and social supports) – making it the fifth poorest state in the nation by that measure. But today, that number has fallen to 10.9%, one of the biggest changes in the country, amounting to 120,000 fewer New Mexicans living in poverty.

New Mexico’s child wellbeing ranking – which is based heavily on “official poverty” rankings – probably won’t budge, says Heinz because “the amount of money coming into households, that they have to run their budget, remains very low.

“However, the thing New Mexico has done that’s fairly tremendous, I think, is around families not having to have as much money going out,” she said.

During the recent legislative session, lawmakers deepened their investments in early childhood education even further, approving a 21.6% increase of $170m for education programs – including early childhood education. However, other legislation that advocates had hoped might pass stalled in the legislature, including a bill to require businesses to offer paid family medical leave...

In her budget recommendations, Lujan Grisham asked the state to up its commitment to early childhood policies, by raising the wage floor for childcare workers to $18 an hour and establishing a career lattice for them. Because of that, Gonzalez has been able to start working on her associate’s in childhood education at Central New Mexico Community College where her tuition is waived. The governor also backed a house bill that will increase the amount of money distributed annually from the Early Childhood Trust Fund – since its dramatic growth due to oil and gas revenues.

Although funding childcare through the Land Grant Permanent Fund is unique to New Mexico – and a handful of other states with permanent funds, like Alaska, Texas and North Dakota – Heinz says the Early Childhood Trust fund “holds interesting lessons for other states” about investing a percentage of revenues into early childhood programs.

In New Mexico, those revenues come largely from oil and gas, but New Mexico Voices for Children has put forth recommendations about how the state can continue funding childcare while transitioning away from fossil fuels, largely by raising taxes on the state’s wealthiest earners. Although other states have not yet followed in New Mexico’s footsteps, a growing number are making strides to offer free pre-K to a majority of their residents.

Heinz cautions that change won’t occur overnight. “What New Mexico is trying to do here is play a very long game. And so I am not without worry that people might give it five years, and it’s been almost five years now, and then say, where are the results? Why is everything not better?” she said. “This is generational change” that New Mexico is only just beginning to witness as the first children who were recipients of universal childcare start school."

-via The Guardian, April 11, 2025

[efficiencytracker]

The Future Of Work Is Fair: Why Workload Distribution Matters More Than Ever

Optimizing work distribution is crucial for enhancing productivity, reducing stress, and achieving organizational goals. This article delves into the realm of workload distribution, uncovering innovative strategies and best practices to streamline workflows and maximize efficiency in any workplace setting. 

By understanding the principles of effective workload division and implementing actionable techniques, businesses can empower their teams to work smarter, not harder, ultimately driving success and fostering a culture of collaboration and excellence. Join us as we explore the key principles and practical strategies for achieving optimal workload division and unlocking the full potential of your workforce.

What Is Work Distribution? 

Work distribution refers to the allocation and assignment of tasks, responsibilities, and projects among individuals or teams within an organization. It involves distributing the workload in a balanced and equitable manner to ensure that each team member has a manageable amount of work that aligns with their skills, capacity, and availability. Effective work distribution aims to optimize productivity, minimize bottlenecks, and prevent overburdening or burnout among team members. 

It often involves strategic planning, communication, and coordination to ensure that tasks are assigned appropriately and that resources are allocated efficiently to meet organizational objectives. By implementing sound work distribution practices, organizations can enhance efficiency, promote collaboration, and achieve better outcomes across projects and initiatives.

Is Workforce Management Software Beneficial To Analyze Work Efficiency?

workforce management software can be highly beneficial for analyzing work efficiency within an organization. These software solutions typically offer a range of features and functionalities designed to track and analyze various aspects of workforce performance, such as time and attendance, productivity metrics, task completion rates, and resource allocation. 

By capturing and consolidating data from different sources, workforce management software provides valuable insights into how employees are utilizing their time, where productivity bottlenecks may exist, and how resources can be optimized for better efficiency.

Additionally, workforce management software often includes reporting and analytics tools that allow managers and stakeholders to generate customizable reports and dashboards, providing visibility into key performance indicators (KPIs) and trends over time. This data-driven approach enables organizations to identify areas for improvement, make informed decisions about resource allocation and staffing levels, and implement targeted interventions to enhance work efficiency.

How To Balance Unbalanced Workload?

Balancing an unbalanced workload within a team or organization requires a strategic approach and effective communication to ensure that tasks are distributed fairly and efficiently. First and foremost, it's essential to assess the workload division among team members, identifying any disparities or areas of imbalance. This may involve analyzing the volume and complexity of tasks assigned to each individual, as well as considering factors such as skills, experience, and availability.

Once the workload imbalance has been identified, the next step is to reallocate tasks and responsibilities in a manner that promotes equity and maximizes productivity. This may involve redistributing tasks among team members based on their strengths and capabilities, leveraging cross-training opportunities to build skill diversity within the team, and prioritizing tasks based on urgency and importance.

Tips To Managing Workloads

Prioritize Tasks: Start by identifying tasks that are urgent and important, and focus on completing them first. Use tools like Eisenhower's Urgent/Important Principle to categorize tasks based on their priority level.

Set Realistic Goals: Be realistic about what you can accomplish within a given timeframe and set achievable goals. Break large tasks into smaller, manageable steps to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

Delegate Tasks: Delegate tasks to team members who have the necessary skills and capacity to handle them. Effective delegation not only lightens your workload but also helps develop the skills and confidence of your team members.

Communicate Expectations: Clearly communicate deadlines, expectations, and priorities to team members to ensure everyone is on the same page. Regular check-ins and status updates can help keep everyone accountable and informed. Also Watch: Leading Employee Engagement and Workforce Productivity Tool

Final Words!

Effective workload distribution is a cornerstone of organizational success, ensuring that tasks are assigned equitably and efficiently to maximize productivity and employee well-being. Throughout this article, we've explored the importance of balancing workloads, the challenges associated with workload division, and strategies for managing workloads effectively. 

By prioritizing tasks, setting realistic goals, delegating responsibilities, and fostering clear communication, organizations can optimize workload division and create a supportive work environment where employees can thrive.

[stratuspropertygroup]

Atlanta Industrial Realtors

Partner with the experienced industrial realtors at Stratus Property Group to unlock prime industrial opportunities in Atlanta, tailored to your specific requirements and goals!

[theaologies]

My issue with self fulfillment you hook up with a billionaire books is that they have to take place in a universe where trump doesn’t exist because otherwise I can’t divorce knowing who they definitely voted for from the fantasy

[consolecadet]

Advice from Ask a Manager for federal workers rn. Most important section is at the bottom:

A journalist who is one of many reporters asking government employees who are willing to talk to contact her. You can ask to remain anonymous and stay off the record. How to securely send anonymous tips to ProPublica Info on how OPM handles severance pay A guide to the first-day executive actions on the federal workforce (this has excellent, concrete advice for what federal employees should be doing right now) What civil servants need to know in week two (this too) A DOJ attorney’s guide to upholding ethical obligations and the rule of law A civil servant’s checklist of current rights Resources for civil servants (tons of useful stuff here) How *you* can protect democracy (for everyone, not just federal workers) Contact your elected officials And I’ll just leave this here — a CIA guidebook that was distributed in Nazi-occupied countries with advice for office workers and bureaucrats on how to safely resist the Nazis without putting yourself or your family in danger (and here’s a link to it at the Wayback Machine instead if you’re concerned about viewing it on a government website).

[mostlysignssomeportents]

The future of Amazon coders is the present of Amazon warehouse workers

I'm on a 20+ city book tour for my new novel PICKS AND SHOVELS. Catch me in BURBANK with WIL WHEATON TONIGHT (Mar 13), and in SAN DIEGO at MYSTERIOUS GALAXY on Mar 24. More tour dates here.

My theory of the "shitty technology adoption curve" holds that you can predict the future impact of abusive technologies on you by observing the way these are deployed against people who have less social power than you:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/06/11/the-shitty-tech-adoption-curve-has-a-business-model/

When you have a new, abusive technology, you can't just aim it at rich, powerful people, because when they complain, they get results. To successfully deploy that abusive tech, you need to work your way up the privilege gradient, starting with people with no power, like prisoners, refugees, and mental patients. This starts the process of normalization, even as it sands down some of the technology's rough edges against their tender bodies. Once that's done, you can move on to people with more social power – immigrants, blue collar workers, school children. Step by step, you normalize and smooth out the abusive tech, until you can apply it to everyone – even rich and powerful people. Think of the deployment of CCTV, facial recognition, location tracking, and web surveillance.

All this means that blue collar workers are the pioneering early adopters of the bossware that will shortly be tormenting their white-collar colleagues elsewhere in the business. It's as William Gibson prophesied: "The future is here, it's just not evenly distributed" (it's pooled up thick and noxious around the ankles of blue-collar workers, refugees, mental patients, etc).

Nowhere is this rule more salient than in Big Tech firms. Tech companies have thoroughly segregated workforces. Delivery drivers, customer service reps, data-labelers, warehouse workers and other "green badge," low-status workers are the testing ground for their employer's own disciplinary technology, which monitors them down to the keystroke, the eye-movement, and the pee break. Meanwhile, the "blue badge" white-collar coders get stock options, gourmet cafeterias, free massages, day care and complimentary egg-freezing so they can delay fertility. Companies like Google not only use separate entrance for their different classes of workers – they stagger their shifts so that the elite workers don't even see their lower-status counterparts.

Importantly, almost none of these workers – whether low-status or high – are unionized. Tech union density is so thin, it's almost nonexistent. It's easy to see why elite tech workers wouldn't bother with unionizing: with such fantastic wages and so many perks, why endure the tedium of meetings and memos? But then there's the rest of the workers, who are subjected to endless "electronic whipping" by bossware and who take home wages that look like pocket change when compared to the tech division's compensation. These workers have every reason to unionize, living as they do in the dystopian future of labor.

At Amazon warehouses, workers are injured at three times the rate of warehouse workers at competing firms. They are penalized for "time off task" (like taking a piss break). They are made to stand in long, humiliating body-search lines when they go on- and off-shift, hours every week, without compensation. Variations on this theme play out in other blue-collar sectors of the Amazon empire, like Amazon delivery drivers and Whole Food shelf-stockers.

Those workers have every reason to unionize, and they have done their damndest, but Amazon has defeated worker union drives, again and again. How does Amazon win these battles? Simple: they cheat. They illegally fire union organizers:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/03/31/reality-endorses-sanders/#instacart-wholefoods-amazon

And then they smear unions to the press and to their own workers with lies (that subsequently leak):

https://pluralistic.net/2020/04/03/socially-useless-parasite/#christian-smalls

They spend millions on anti-union tech, spying on workers and creating "heatmaps" that let them direct their anti-union efforts to specific stores and facilities:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/04/21/all-in-it-together/#guard-labor-v-redistribution

They make workers use an official chat app, and then block any messages containing forbidden words, like "fairness," "grievance" and "diversity":

https://pluralistic.net/2022/04/05/doubleplusrelentless/#quackspeak

That's just the tip of the iceberg. A new investigation by Northwestern University's Teke Wiggin draws on worker interviews and FOIA requests to the NLRB to assemble a first-of-its-kind catalog of Amazon's labor-disciplining, union-busting tactics:

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/23780231251318389

Disciplining labor and busting unions go hand in hand. It's a simple equation: the harder it is for your workers to form a union, the worse you can treat them without facing labor reprisals, because individual workers' options are limited to a) quitting or b) sucking it up, while unionized workers can grieve, sue, and strike.

At the core of Amazon's labor discipline technology is "algorithmic management," which is exactly what it sounds like: replacing middle managers with software that counts your keystrokes, watches your eyeballs, or applies a virtual caliper to some other metric to decide whether you're a good worker or a rotten apple:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/11/26/hawtch-hawtch/#you-treasure-what-you-measure

Automation theory describes two poles of workplace automation: centaurs (in which workers are assisted by technology) and "reverse-centaurs" (in which workers provide assistance to technology):

https://pluralistic.net/2021/03/19/the-shakedown/#weird-flex

Amazon is a reverse-centaurism pioneer. Take the delivery drivers whose every maneuver, eyeball movement, and turn signal is analyzed and inevitably, found wanting, as workers seek to satisfy impossible quotas that can't even be met if you pee in a bottle instead of taking toilet breaks:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/20/release-energy/#the-bitterest-lemon

Then there's the warehouse workers who are also tormented with impossible, pisscall-annihilating quotas. Some of these workers are fitted with haptic wristbands that buzz to tell them they're being too slow at picking up an item and dropping it into a box, pushing them to faster, joint-destroying paces that account for Amazon's enduring position as the most worker-maiming warehouse employer in the nation:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/02/05/la-bookseller-royalty/#megacycle

In his paper, Wiggin does important work connecting these "electronic whips" to Amazon's arsenal of traditional union-busting weapons, like "captive audience" meetings where workers are forced to sit through hours of anti-union indoctrination. For Wiggin, bossware tools aren't just a stick to beat workers with – they're also a carrot that can be used to diffuse a worker's outrage ahead of a key union vote.

Algorithmic management isn't just software that wrings more work out of workers – it's software that replaces managers. By surveilling workers – both on the job and in social media spaces (like subreddits) where workers gather to talk, Amazon can tune the "electronic whip," reducing quotas and easing the pace of work so that workers view their jobs more favorably and are more receptive to anti-union propaganda.

This is "twiddling" – exploiting the digital flexibility of a system to "twiddle the knobs" governing its business logic, changing everything from prices to wages, search rankings to recommendations, in realtime, for every customer and worker:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/19/twiddler/

Twiddling combines surveillance data with flexible business logic to create an unbeatable house advantage. If you're an Amazon shopper, you get twiddled all the time, as Amazon replaces the best matches for your searches with paid results. If you buy that first product result, you'll pay an average of 29% more than the best match for your search:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/11/06/attention-rents/#consumer-welfare-queens

Worker-side twiddling is even more dystopian. When a nurse is assigned a shift by an "Uber for nurses" app, the app checks whether the worker has overdue credit card bills, which trigger lower wages (on the theory that an indebted worker is a desperate worker):

https://pluralistic.net/2024/12/18/loose-flapping-ends/#luigi-has-a-point

When it comes to union-busting, Amazon's found a new use for twiddling: lessening the pace of work, which Wiggin calls "algorithmic slack-cutting." The important thing about algorithmic slack-cutting is that it's only temporary. The algorithm that reduces your work-load in the runup to a union vote can then dial the pace of work up afterward, by small, random increments that are below the threshold at which they register on the human sensory apparatus. They're not so much boiling the frog as poaching it.

Meanwhile, Amazon gets to flood the zone with anti-union messages, including mandatory messages on the app that assigns your shifts – a captive audience meeting in every pocket.

Between social media surveillance and on-the-job surveillance, Amazon has built a powerful training set for algorithms designed to crush workplace democracy. That's how things go for Amazon's warehouse workers and delivery drivers, and the shelf-stockers at Whole Foods.

But of course, the picture is very different for Amazon's techies, who enjoy the industry standard of high wages and lavish perks.

For now.

The tech industry is in the midst of three years' worth of mass layoffs: 260K in 2023, 150k in 2024, tens of thousands this year. None of this is due to a shortfall in profits, mind: Google laid off 12,000 workers just weeks after staging a stock buyback that would have funded their salaries for 27 years. Meta just announced a 5% across-the-board headcount cut and that it was doubling its executive bonuses.

In other words, tech is firing workers not because it must, but because it can. When workers depend on scarcity – instead of unions – as a source of power, they dig their own graves. For well-paid, scarcity-based coders, every new computer science graduate is the enemy, eroding the scarcity that your wages depend on.

Amazon coders get to come to work with pink mohawks, facial piercings, and black t-shirts that say things their bosses don't understand. They get to pee whenever they want to. That's not because Jeff Bezos is sentimentally attached to techies and bears personal animus toward warehouse workers. Jeff Bezos wants to pay his workforce as little as he can. He treats his tech workers with respect because he's afraid of them, because if they quit, he can't replace them, and without their work, he can't make money.

Once there's an army of unemployed coders who'll take your job, Jeff Bezos doesn't have to fear you anymore. He can fire you and replace you the next day.

Bezos is obviously incredibly horny for this. Like most tech bosses, he dreams of a world in which entitled hackers can't call their bosses dumbshits and decline to frog when they shout "jump!" That's why Amazon PR puts so much energy into trumpeting the business's use of AI to replace coders:

https://www.hrgrapevine.com/us/content/article/2024-08-22-amazon-cloud-ceo-warns-software-engineers-ai-could-replace-your-coding-work-within-2-years

It's not just that they're excited about firing coders and saving money – they're even more excited about transforming the job of "Amazon coder," from someone who solves complex technical problems to someone who performs tedious code review on automatically generated code barfed up by a chatbot:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/01/human-in-the-loop/#monkey-in-the-middle

"Code reviewer" is a much less fulfilling job than "programmer." Code reviewers are also easier to replace than programmers. A code reviewer is a reverse-centaur, a servant to the machine. Every time you hear "AI-assisted programmer," you should substitute "programmer-assisted AI."

Programming is even more bossware-ready than working in a warehouse. The machines coders use are much easier to fit with surveillance technology that monitors their performance – and spies on their communications, looking for dissenting chatter – than a warehouse floor. The only thing that stopped Jeff Bezos from treating his programmers like his warehouse workers is their scarcity. That scarcity is now going away.

That's bad news for Amazon customers, too. Tech workers often feel a sense of duty to their users, a "vocational awe" that drives them to put in long hours to make things their users will enjoy. The labor power of tech workers has long served as a check on the impulse to enshittify those products:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/11/25/moral-injury/#enshittification

As tech workers' power wanes, they don't just lose the ability to protect themselves from their bosses' greediest, most sadistic urges – they also lose the power to defend all of us. Smart tech workers know this. That's why Amazon tech workers walked out in support of Amazon warehouse workers:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/01/19/deastroturfing/#real-power

Which led to their prompt dismissal:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/04/14/abolish-silicon-valley/#hang-together-hang-separately

Tech worker/gig worker solidarity is the only way workers can win against tech bosses and defeat the shitty technology adoption curve:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/13/solidarity-forever/#tech-unions

Wiggin's report isn't just a snapshot of Amazon warehouse workers' dystopian present – it's a promise of Amazon tech workers' future. The future is here, in Amazon warehouses, and every day, it's getting closer to Amazon's technical offices.

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/2025/03/13/electronic-whipping/#youre-next

Image: Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

[mesetacadre]

Does every single european country benefit from imperialism? Even a country like ireland?

Yes, to varying degrees. Ireland specifically is a good example because despite being fully integrated in the EU and being the fiscal headquarters of many companies like Google, it is perceived as still being an oppressed nation. In part because of the confusions created around the national question in certain European countries by the third international in its VI Congress, and partly because a large portion of "leftists" don't bother actually analyzing the current state of imperialist relations, its past as a colony of the UK has given it a good reputation to this day.

The EU is nothing more and nothing less than an organism for coordinating the imperialists of Europe and for making a more efficient use and distribution of imperialist spoils. It is not in NATO but it still has a close relationship of cooperation with it. What the UK and French monopolies get out of mining in the Congo, Ireland and the rest of the EU take part in, more or less directly.

The strongest argument could be made about the Balkans, which have a more peripheral situation wrt the EU and NATO. The monopolies of minor powers such as Austria and Sweden often carry out operations in these countries with a lot of similarities to, say, Sub-Saharan Africa, and within the EU these countries have been a stable source of a cheap workforce for decades, such as Romanians in Spain. To some extent, though, they do still recieve some benefit. The relations within the higher strata of the imperialist pyramid might be at times very unequal and predatory, but it's still the imperialist pyramid. Similarly to how minorities of the imperial core still are beneficiaries of imperialism in some form or another.

[loaf-of-wren]

This is not a Glitch Productions show.

Glitch Productions is not the boss

Glitch Productions is not in charge

Glitch Productions is not the reason that X Thing is like that

Glitch Productions is the publisher. The business end. They make it financially and physically viable and possible for people to make their shows, and they distribute those shows. They provide the funds, the workforce, and heck, even the audience.

Beyond that, they do not control the end product. The creators and showrunners have full control of what they create. Glitch Productions did not make Murder Drones, Liam Vickers made Murder Drones with the Glitch Productions workforce. The Amazing Digital Circus is a Gooseworx Show, not a Glitch show. The Gaslight District is the same story, and so too shall be Knights of Guinivere.

You can't call these Glitch Productions shows the same way you call something like Gravity Falls a Disney show, because corporations like Disney have the final say in every creative decision a creator wants to make with their show. Glitch does not control their creators.

This is not a Glitch Productions show.

[globalnewscollective]

The U.S. Department of Education Is Collapsing—Here’s What That Means for You

If you're in high school, college, grad school, or you owe student loans. Listen to this. It concerns you. This isn't a drill, and I want you to stick around to the end. I'll tell you exactly how it's going to impact you.

The U.S. Department of Education is going to lay off half of its more than 4,000 employees today, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. Earlier today, the department told staff that DC offices would be closed on Wednesday and they would reopen on Thursday for security reasons. Employees were told to take their laptops home with them and to work remotely on Wednesday. They were also told that they would not be permitted in any education department facility on Wednesday for any reason.

Now combine this with the news that Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order directing the Secretary of Education to take steps to close the department. Maybe you think that it's not going to matter to you, but it does.

The Department of Education allocates billions of dollars in aid to colleges, to universities and to public schools at the K through 12 level. It also issues about $100 billion in student loans and more than $30 billion in Pell grants every single year. Cutting 50% of the staff makes it more likely that colleges, universities, and K through 12 schools won't receive their institutional aid. Pell grants may not be issued. Student loans may not be funded. FAFSA information may not be sent to your school, which means that other aid may also be held up. Without that money, millions of students won't be able to start next semester on time, or maybe not at all. Colleges may not have the funds necessary to remain operational. Student loan repayment plans will expire. Forgiveness applications won't be processed. The entire system is collapsing in real time, and nobody knows what happens next.

What’s Happening?

The U.S. Department of Education is experiencing massive cuts, leading to fears of widespread disruptions in student aid, school funding, and loan services. This move comes as part of a broader effort by conservatives to dismantle federal oversight in education, pushing responsibilities to individual states. With over 2,000 employees being laid off and the department’s ability to operate severely weakened, the ripple effects will be felt nationwide.

How This Affects You

Student Loans & Financial Aid: The Department of Education is responsible for distributing federal student aid, including Pell Grants, subsidized loans, and debt forgiveness programs. With half the workforce gone, these processes will slow to a crawl, leaving students unsure if they’ll receive their expected financial support.

Public School Funding: Many K-12 schools rely on federal funds to support special education programs, free and reduced lunch initiatives, and low-income student services. The disruption of these funds could devastate public school districts already struggling with tight budgets.

FAFSA & College Admissions: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a crucial step for students seeking tuition assistance. Without proper staffing, FAFSA applications may be delayed, and students could face uncertainty about their tuition costs.

School Closures & Higher Tuition: Colleges and universities that depend on federal funding to operate may be forced to raise tuition, cut programs, or even shut down entirely. Students at risk of losing their financial aid may drop out or delay their education indefinitely.

Why Is This Happening?

Trump and his allies have long pushed for the elimination of the Department of Education, arguing that education should be handled at the state level without federal oversight. This latest move to slash the department’s workforce is a step toward that goal. Trump’s expected executive order would accelerate this process, stripping the agency of its power to distribute funds, regulate schools, and enforce civil rights protections for students.

The Bigger Picture

This isn’t just a bureaucratic reshuffle—it’s an attack on the foundations of accessible education in America. The Department of Education exists to ensure that all students, regardless of income or background, have access to quality education. Its dismantling would disproportionately harm marginalized communities, lower-income students, and those relying on federal aid to pursue their education.

What Can You Do?

Stay informed and share this information with those affected.

Call your representatives and demand action to prevent further cuts.

Support organizations that advocate for student rights and education funding.

Vote in upcoming elections to hold policymakers accountable.

This isn’t a drill. The dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education is happening in real-time, and its consequences will be felt for years to come. If we don’t take action now, an entire generation’s access to education could be at risk.

[project2028]

The Dilemma Bulletin: Wednesday February 5th, 2025

Keeping you informed about the daily events of the Trump Administration

President Donald Trump held a meeting at the White House with Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu where he reaffirmed his stance on forcing Palestinians to relocate to Egypt and Jordan and then occupying the Gaza Strip under United States control. Trump boasted that Gaza would be the “Riviera of the Middle East” This is a full on support of ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.

Congressional Democrats held a press conference and protested In front of the US Treasury after Elon Musk and 6 college students unlawfully gained access to sensitive information and payment distribution systems. Multiple lawsuits against Musk are being filed as we speak.

The United States Postal Service (USPS) announce all packages and parcels from China and Hong Kong have been suspended until further notice. Reason is speculated to be because of Trump’s tariffs.

Republicans have introduced a bill in the House of Representatives to ban OSHA (The Occupational Safety and Health Administration) This department ensures workplace safety and health within the workforce.

Trump signs an Executive Order withdrawing the US from the United Nations Human Rights Council with further explorations in withdrawing from the United Nations altogether.

The White House is drafting up plans to eliminate the Department of Education. This would be detrimental to underrepresented communities who look to the DOE for protections against discrimination, civil rights and school funding. Dozens of employees have already been placed on leave.

President Donald Trump is exploring options to send American prisoners to El Salvador. This would remove Constitutional protections for prisoners which could ultimately lead them to be subject to various human rights abuses.

The CIA has offered buyouts to all federal employees. Trump continues to purge longtime federal employees from the government in unprecedented and unlawful ways.

All USAID federal employees could be placed on administrative leave as soon as Friday.

The Senate Finance Committee has voted to advance the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Dept of Health and Human Services. His confirmation now heads to the main Senate for a vote.

-

[reasonsforhope]

"New York is marking the early achievement of its Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act statutory goal a year ahead of schedule, announcing that 6 gigawatts (GW) of distributed solar have been installed across the state, enough to power more than one million homes.

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) president and CEO Doreen M. Harris broke the news onsite at a distributed solar project in New Scotland, NY today. The project, developed by New Leaf Energy and owned by Generate Capital, participates in the state’s Solar for All pilot program with utility partner National Grid, meaning its generation benefits low-income households. The site’s 5.7 MW solar array will generate 6.7 million kilowatt-hours of solar energy annually, powering about one thousand homes.

“New York State has provided a replicable model for others to deliver clean, low-cost renewable energy to more consumers,” asserted Harris. “Our public-private partnerships are the catalysts which have helped us to achieve our 6-GW goal well ahead of target, trailblazing New York’s path to an equitable energy transition.”

Governor Kathy Hochul says this achievement brings New York one step closer to a reliable, resilient, zero-emission grid. The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act contains goals to generate 70% of the state’s electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and 100% zero-emission electricity by 2040.

“Distributed solar is at the heart of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, expanding the availability of renewable energy, and delivering substantial benefits for our health, our environment, and our economy,” Hochul added.

New York achieving its distributed solar goal of 6 GW has generated approximately $9.2 billion in private investment across the state, according to NYSERDA, creating more than 14,000 solar jobs from engineering to installation. Three years ago, Governor Hochul directed to expand the goal to 10 GW by 2030.

“While we’re incredibly proud of the work and partnerships that have led to this achievement, we’re more excited that it can be repeated and multiplied. With the State’s continued leadership, we’re confident we can get to 10 GW and beyond,” predicts New Leaf Energy director of policy and business development Sam Jasinsk.

The state says it has another 3.4 GW of distributed solar projects already in development, making a 10 GW goal quite feasible.

“Customers and consumers are asking for access to clean energy, and New York state is listening,” Generate Capital Investments managing director Peggy Flannery said. Generate Capital operates 69 projects and counting in New York.

In 2023, New York installed more community solar capacity than any other state. Last year was also the state’s most productive year ever for solar installations, with 885 MW of capacity installed.

In April, NYSERDA was selected to receive nearly $250 million from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Solar for All program to enhance New York State’s existing portfolio of solar deployment, technical assistance, and workforce development programs for the benefit of over 6.8 million residents that live in low-income households and disadvantaged communities. As part of the grant funding, the New York State Housing and Community Renewal, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, and New York City Housing Preservation and Development, will implement new programs that target specific barriers to solar deployment for this population."

-via Renewable Energy World, October 17, 2024

[notwiselybuttoowell]

From 1862 until 1923, US senators and members of Congress provided vast numbers of seeds to constituents. At its peak, the congressional seed distribution program delivered over 60m seed packets directly to farmers and market gardeners every year, helping introduce new varieties of everything from wheat and corn to oats, soybeans, flowers and vegetables. A century later, far fewer Americans till the soil for a living, but seeds remain central to our lives.

Maintaining the seed diversity and abundance we rely on requires constant development of new varieties to combat disease, increase production and adapt to changing conditions. Seed advances are particularly urgent now, as farmers confront the fickle weather of a warming planet while working to meet a projected 50-60% rise in global food demand by 2050. Although elected officials no longer send out seeds through the mail, federal support for these efforts remains vital.

In the era of Doge, that support has been flipped on its head.

The US Department of Agriculture employs many plant breeders directly and funds many more through grants and partnerships, but the crown jewel of its seed program resides in a bunker-like building in Fort Collins, Colorado. The national seed bank houses more than 2bn carefully preserved specimens in a facility designed to withstand floods, fires, earthquakes, power outages and tornadoes. With over 620,000 varieties from nearly 17,000 different species, it is one of the world’s largest seed collections and a major supplier to the global seed vault in Svalbard, Norway.

It is also at risk.

While words like “vault” and ��bank” imply simply turning the key and walking away, managing a seed collection demands constant activity. Even in cold storage, the specimens steadily degrade and must be tested regularly to make sure they’re still viable. When germination rates drop for any particular sample, those seeds must be planted and grown to maturity – in the right conditions – to produce a fresh supply. That activity takes place at over 20 research stations in locations (and climates) as diverse as North Dakota, Texas, California, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.

Known officially as the US National Plant Germplasm System, the seed bank and its network of regional facilities recently lost 10% of their workforce in the Doge firings, including farm managers, research scientists, lab technicians, IT specialists, orchardists and more. Some have since been rehired, at least temporarily, but the program remains in turmoil. Projects interrupted or suspended range from germination trials to seed regeneration, research lending and many longterm breeding programs, weakening the entire enterprise.

Plants don’t wait on politics. Any seed varieties lost now will simply be unavailable to improve crops and address challenges in the future. The importance of a robust and diverse seed bank cannot be overstated. To combat the invasive Russian wheat aphid, for example, plant breeders screened over 54,000 wheat and barley samples to find a handful of precious strains with natural resistance.

It’s time for Congress to return to the seed business. Without its intervention, backed by the courts, additional firings appear imminent. Undermining the nation’s seed security undermines its food security and embodies the definition of reckless: “utterly unconcerned about consequences”.

[stratuspropertygroup]

Industrial Real Estate Market

Atlanta's Industrial Real Estate - Where Opportunity Meets Innovation

In the realm of commerce, the significance of industrial real estate cannot be overstated. It forms the bedrock upon which businesses flourish and prosper. Nestled in the heart of Atlanta lies a realm of opportunity for organizations seeking to establish or expand their footprint. From sprawling warehouse facilities to cutting-edge manufacturing plants, Atlanta beckons with its strategic location, unparalleled infrastructure, and vibrant business landscape. Join us as we dive into the benefits and advantages that Atlanta's industrial real estate offers, making it the ultimate choice for businesses on the rise.

A Strategic Nexus of Connectivity

Situated in the southeastern United States, Atlanta stands as a beacon of connectivity, boasting a robust transportation network. Anchored by the world-renowned Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, businesses enjoy seamless access to global markets. With a web of highways and interstates weaving through the city, Atlanta serves as a vital artery for efficient distribution and logistics operations, offering unparalleled connectivity to regional and national markets.

Infrastructure Excellence

Atlanta prides itself on its robust infrastructure, tailored to accommodate the demands of industrial endeavors. From sleek, modern warehouses to state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, the city's real estate offerings are equipped with every essential amenity. High ceilings, spacious loading docks, ample parking, and cutting-edge security systems ensure optimal operational efficiency. Furthermore, Atlanta guarantees uninterrupted workflow with reliable utilities, including electricity, water, and telecommunications.

A Talent Pool of Unrivaled Expertise

At the heart of Atlanta's allure lies its skilled and diverse workforce, a cornerstone of its industrial prowess. Drawing from a rich tapestry of talent spanning myriad industries, including manufacturing, logistics, and technology, businesses find themselves amidst a veritable oasis of expertise. Bolstered by esteemed universities and technical schools, Atlanta nurtures a continuous pipeline of skilled professionals, driving innovation and productivity within its industrial landscape.

Fostering Growth in a Supportive Environment

Embracing a culture of entrepreneurship, Atlanta cultivates a business-friendly environment, primed for growth and innovation. Leveraging favorable tax policies and incentives, the city beckons with open arms to businesses from all sectors. A supportive regulatory framework and a plethora of initiatives further fuel the city's magnetism for industrial enterprises. Moreover, Atlanta's entrepreneurial ecosystem offers access to capital, networking opportunities, and essential business support services, fostering collaboration and innovation at every turn.

Tapping into Lucrative Markets

Spanning the Atlanta metropolitan area lies a vast and diverse consumer market, serving as a lucrative playground for businesses. With a population exceeding six million, the region offers boundless opportunities for growth and expansion. Beyond its borders, Atlanta's proximity to other major cities in the Southeastern United States extends the reach of businesses far beyond the local sphere. This strategic access to consumer markets propels businesses towards exponential growth and heightened revenues.

In Conclusion

Atlanta's industrial real estate represents not just a location but a gateway to unparalleled success for businesses. With its strategic nexus of connectivity, infrastructure excellence, skilled workforce, supportive business environment, and access to lucrative consumer markets, Atlanta offers a fertile ground for industrial enterprises to thrive and prosper. Whether in search of warehouse facilities, manufacturing plants, or distribution centers, Atlanta's industrial real estate market stands ready to cater to every operational need. By seizing the boundless opportunities afforded by Atlanta's industrial landscape, businesses position themselves for triumph in the dynamic arena of commerce. Want to start looking into the Atlanta commercial real estate market? Contact Stratus Property Group today, to ensure you find the perfect home for your business!

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Adrian Carrasquillo at The Bulwark:

DONALD TRUMP’S PUSH FOR MASS DEPORTATIONS was always reliant on a degree of shock and awe. Fear and intimidation were both means and ends. But recently, the administration has had to slow down or even abandon individual deportations in the face of strong popular resistance. And now the president is signaling another huge exception to his deportation policy. “We’re also going to work with farmers,” Trump said Thursday. “If they have strong recommendations for their farms for certain people, we’re going to let them stay in for a while. . . . We have to take care of our farmers and our hotels and various places where they need the people.” Trump’s off-the-cuff comments aren’t necessarily government policy, but they often signal future policy directions. In this case, it sounds like Trump is getting ready to carve out exemptions from his deportation regime for agricultural workers. After all, Trump is right—bear with me—that farms have a special need for immigrant labor. In February, Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) met with California Citrus Mutual, a trade association that represents the growers who provide 90 percent of the country’s lemons, grapefruits, and oranges. Already, just days into Trump’s second term, the association was concerned about the impact Trump’s then-hypothetical tariffs could have on the Central Valley, and the group’s president and CEO, Casey Creamer, had warned that immigration raids threatened the food supply. The problem antedated the Trump administration: After major raids in early January by Customs and Border Protection in Kern County, “one citrus operation reported that 25% of its workers did not show up,” according to Creamer. “By the following day, that number had climbed to 75%.” Locals and labor groups interpret those pre-inauguration raids as the agency trying to impress the incoming president. Trump’s combination of tariffs and deportations has rattled farmers and growers in California, who provide more than a third of the nation’s vegetables and more than three quarters of the country’s fruits and nuts. “Farmers in California and across the country are being hit with a trifecta of damaging Republican policies: chaotic tariffs, haphazard mass deportations, and massive cuts to federal programs they rely on,” Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) told The Bulwark. “These reckless actions are leaving farmers in a dangerous limbo, unable to plan for the future and without the workforce that fuels their industry.” (For his part, Schiff has pointed out that while Trump made an effort to compensate farmers who were hurt during the first round of tariffs four years ago, “the compensation was not evenly distributed, and specialty crop farmers in California got very little compared to farmers elsewhere. So I don’t think anyone should expect to be made whole if we go through another round of that.”)

Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.), whose father in the 1950s was part of the Bracero program that brought temporary farm laborers from Mexico to the United States, recently held a town hall in the agriculture hub of Bakersfield to hear voters’ concerns. He said Republicans like Rep. David Valadao, who represents the district, are AWOL.

[...]

Be Our Guest (Worker)

DESPERATE FOR A STABLE WORKFORCE, California farm groups have come out in support of more H-2A guest worker visas. Labor groups—who represent the people currently doing the work, not those who could theoretically do the work—are less keen on the idea of replacing hundreds of thousands of undocumented farm hands with seasonal workers.

Despite Trump’s crass and cruel anti-immigration and economic-damaging tariffs, farmers across America are finding ways to keep food on the table.