Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz Announces New Return-to-Office Policy for Corporate Employees in Seattle

Starbucks is brewing up a storm with its new return-to-office policy.  Three-time Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is calling all corporate employees to come back to the office a minimum of three days a week to "rebuild and revive the energy" of the headquarters and regional offices. 

Starting Jan. 30, Seattle employees within commuting distance are expected to work in the company's headquarters building on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and a third day determined by teams and leaders. 

The other two days work from anywhere. So, grab your coffee and head back to the office, partners!"

AI is about the question, not the Answer

There are some in the education industry lobbying for the restriction and outright ban of AI tools in schools. Predictably, the establishment is gaslighting parents everywhere.

It won't matter.  At first, chalk tablets were lamented when paper and pencils entered the one-room schools.  They squawked when calculators hit the market and barely hung on when the world moved from longhand to QWERTY.

ChatGTP is making them lose their minds.  For now.

Connecting the Dots: How Technology is Uniting Industries and Revolutionizing Business Models

Humans tell immortal stories about figures in the sky by creating illusions by drawing imaginary lines from one point of light to another. 

Connecting the dots illuminates a pattern and tells a story. For instance, the "lights" in the nighttime sky that we see as the belt of the constellation Orion - Alnitak, a triple star system located several hundred parsecs from the Sun; Alnilam, a massive blue supergiant star some 2,000 light-years distant; and Mintaka, a multiple-star system some 1,200 light-years from the Sun - are visible throughout the world.

We are adept at making connections and telling stories - it is in our nature. At first, industries may appear unrelated and vaguely disconnected, but just like the constellations, when observed from afar and with a fanciful, imaginative eye, connections are made and great stories are revealed.

I Conducted a #ManagedPrintServices Assessment and Analysis - Then Gave it to ChatGTP

ChatGTP is a linguistics program that interrupts and responds to questions.  It's getting lots of attention on social networks.  The program either excites or intimidates, depending on perspective.

I loathe automatic proposal generators.  But this thing is incredible.

First, I asked the Super Smart Thing in the Sky:

What are the components and process of a successfully managed print services program the costs involved with implementing a program for a 400-bed hospital network?

Five Points About Artificial Intelligence You Won't Like

Inspiration: a question on Reddit,

"Why everyone keeps on saying A.I. will replace accountants it's just getting annoying now this makes me feel like I am pursuing something which would be worthless in the near future"

My response:

"Functions that require a 'process' to complete, which is every, single accounting function, will be taken over by a faster, more knowledgeable, entity. 

Functions that require a 'process' to complete, which is every, single accounting function, will be taken over by a faster, more knowledgeable, entity. 

Think of AI as the smartest, most educated employee with 500 years of experience in accounting and is updated every second with the latest GAAP, legislative, tax, and legal changes.  

How would you compete with this 'person'?  How could you?

Why The Work From Anywhere Movement Is Important & What Your Peers Are Saying.

At one time the range of ‘office technology’ consisted of expensive devices and platforms like networks, printers, copiers, filing cabinets, desktop computers, postage machines, telephones, and fax machines to name a few.

Technology evolved. Fewer company networks, smartphones in every pocket, laptops instead of desktops, faxes in the form of email attachments, and filing cabinets in the Cloud.

What remained was the physical place to meet – meeting rooms, company kitchens, watercoolers, open

and shared areas, and the essential, Executive Conference room.

Words Only Mean What We Let Them

I love words and phrases.

The power of words, separates us from lower-order species - sure dolphins communicate with sound, but can a dolphin make a good Old Fashion?  No, dolphins cannot make an old fashion, drive a car or hit goofballs on the moon.

Words mean things.

I asked the super-duper AI thing to summarize the meaning of, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." 

This is what came back: 

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" is a proverb that is meant to encourage resilience and to suggest that physical injuries are more significant and lasting than verbal ones. It suggests that people should not be affected by hurtful words and should instead focus on ignoring or brushing against them. The phrase is often used as a way to encourage people to not let insults or verbal abuse get to them and to instead focus on building resilience and inner strength. 

 - Not Bad for an algorithm imitating speech patterns.