I am so tired of never ending graphs of suffering. I am tuning out more each day. But I am highly intrigued by the politics of COVID-19, particularly in a presidential election year. Monday, Joe Biden, likely the Democratic nominee to run against President Donald Trump, called him to chat. This was a play right out of The West Wing playbook. With the Democratic primaries all but over, Biden has been pushed off the screens of America. Trump’s approval ratings have been going up by the day as he holds 2-hour “news” briefings, answering almost every question from reporters who he…
Author: Noah Graff
Today’s guest on the podcast is Gabriele Oettingen, professor of psychology at NYU and author of the book “Rethinking Positive Thinking: the Science of Motivation.” Contrary to conventional wisdom that asserts “positive thinking is always positive,” Oettingen’s studies have shown that people who embrace only positive thinking as a way to reach their dreams are often the least successful in achieving their goals. Scroll down to listen to the podcast. Gabriele’s strategy for success requires people to identify realistic, specific goals and then identify potential obstacles along the way. She calls it WOOP which stands for Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan.…
I am finally taking the time to stretch my neck and shoulders, and particularly my rotator cuff, during my quarantine at home (too many curve balls thrown over the years). I had never taken the time to do it until now. I believe we will look back in a few years and say what an awful yet productive period we are living through right now. I decided to list things I think we will look back on with fondness about this frightful corona time, and ask you to add to the list. 1. Manufacturing is coming back to the US…
Today’s guest on the podcast is Jim Regenor, founder of Veritx, a company which helps clients dramatically reduce lead times and increases readiness for military and airline customers with blockchain technology. Scroll down to listen to the podcast. With today’s 3-D printing technology parts can be produced on site so clients don’t need to wait for products to be sent by land or sea. All that needs to be sent is the digital information for how to produce the parts on site. Blockchain insures the digital information is correct. Main Points (3:30) Jim gives background on his company Veritx which…
My hands are wickedly chapped from washing them so often. So far, they are my biggest casualty of COVID-19. Does anybody out there have a cure–not for the virus, but for my raw palms and fingers? * * * * Until yesterday I did not know anybody who had contracted this virus. Unfortunately, a friend who is a doctor is now showing all of the symptoms congruent with COVID-19, but with the lag in testing results it is not confirmed. His doctor immediately prescribed hydroxychloroquine (the anti-malaria drug) and the antibiotic azithromycin for him, though the FDA has not approved the…
Our guest on today’s show is Terry Iverson, co-owner of Iverson and Company and author of a new book called Finding America’s Greatest Champion: Building Prosperity Through Manufacturing, Mentoring and the Awesome Responsibility of Parenting. Scroll down to listen to the podcast Terry and his family have been in the machine tool and production business for almost 100 years, specializing in Hardinge equipment. In writing this book, Terry draws upon his vast network of professionals in a variety of businesses to understand how mentorship and apprenticeship can rebuild American manufacturing. Main Points (4:00) Terry says his book’s main message is…
One of the more perplexing and upsetting things about the barrage of news about the coronavirus is the fact that its primary danger is to older, compromised people. I’ve always associated that with other people, but the objective fact is that, statistically, I and now my wife, Risa, are members of that group. Fortunately I don’t feel old or physically compromised. I am still playing in a young man’s game, the used machinery business, and blog writing, and I think I can compete with all comers on both fronts. The dilemma is “how do I play it” now and when the…
Our guest on today’s show is Eric Fogg, co-founder and head of machine connectivity at MachineMetrics. MachineMetrics produces a device that connects directly with machine tool PLCs and controls to track realtime and historical data on equipment. Operators use the data to assess how machines are truly performing, which is often quite different from what they perceive. Scroll down to listen to the podcast. Main Points (3:10) Eric explains that MachineMetrics is a machine data connectivity data platform. The company makes a device (he calls an “edge device”) that connects directly to machine controls and sensors of production equipment. The…
The Precision Machined Products Association (PMPA) held its annual Management Update over the weekend in Atlanta (also site of this year’s NCAA Basketball Final 4). Around the world, conferences, exhibitions, Broadway shows, and basketball games have all been canceled, but not the PMPA Management Update. One hundred and seventy people signed up, and everybody showed up except me because my wife’s recuperation from heart surgery kept me at home. This was a true testimonial that the members of this group find this meeting worthwhile and are anxious to attend no matter hell or high virus. Why do people care so…
On today’s podcast we’re delving into a topic that’s been on many people’s minds these days, the coronavirus. Scroll down to listen to the podcast Our guest is automotive supply chain expert Dan Hearsch, Managing Director at AlixPartners. Dan is briefed daily by his associates in China about how people in manufacturing are dealing with the coronavirus. FYI, this interview was conducted one week ago on Feb. 26, 2020. Main Points (2:55) Dan gives his background working in the automotive industry for OEMs, as well as Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers. Today he is a consultant, focusing on supply…