The variable refrigerant flow is starting to gain popularity in the U.S.

Mary Ann de Lares Norris is Chief Operating Officer of Oblong Industries. She brings her dog LouLou to Oblong's downtown LA headquarters.; Credit: Brian Watt/KPCC

Brian Watt

KPCC recently reported on the tech world’s diversity problem. Technology firms face challenges in hiring diverse staffs of its coders, web developers and software engineers.

It’s also a challenge at nonprofits such as Southern California Public Radio,  parent of 89.3 KPCC, which has always sought to build a staff that reflects the region it serves. The section of that staff that develops the KPCC app and makes its website run is all white and mostly male.

But a small talent pool means the diversity challenge is even greater for nonprofits and even smaller tech firms.

“The first problem is that all of the people working for me are male,” says Alex Schaffert, the one female on KPCC’s tech team.  “I’m kind of focusing on maybe getting another girl into the mix.”

Schaffert can use the term “girl” because she happens to be the leader of the tech team:  KPCC’s Managing Director of Digital Strategy and Innovation. 

Why diversity is important

Schaffert recently launched the topic of diversity – or lack thereof – at a weekly meeting of her team. She expected a “stilted and awkward” discussion from the five white men on her team, but a few of them didn’t hold back.  

“Not having diversity represented on the team leaves us more susceptible to circular thinking and everyone sort of verifying each other's assumptions,” said Joel Withrow,  who was serving at the time as KPCC’s Product Manager. “It impacts the work. It limits what you’re able to build.”

Sean Dillingham, KPCC’s Design and Development Manager, said living in a diverse community is what attracted him to Los Angeles, and he wants diversity in his immediate work team, too.

“When I look at other tech companies, I will often go to their ‘about us’ page, where they’ll have a page of photos of everyone, and I am immediately turned off when I just see just a sea of white dudes, or even just a sea of dudes,” Dillingham said.

Big competition, small talent pool

Dillingham and Schaffert are currently recruiting heavily to fill two tech-savvy positions. When a reporter or editor job opens up at KPCC, Schaffert says close to 100 resumes come in.

"But if you post a programmer job, and you get three or four resumes, you may not get lucky among those resumes," she says. "There may not be a woman in there. There may not be a person of color in there."

In other words, the talent pool is already small, and the diversity challenge makes it even smaller. KPCC is competing for talent with Google and Yahoo and all the start-ups on L.A.’s Silicon Beach. 

Schaffert’s being proactive, mining LinkedIn and staging networking events to attract potential candidates. She’s also trying to make sure KPCC’s job descriptions don’t sound like some she's seen in the tech world.

"If you read between the lines, they’re really looking for someone who is male and is somewhere between 25-30 years old and likes foosball tables and free energy drinks in the refrigerator," Schaffert says. “So you read between lines, and you know that they’re not talking about me, a mother of two kids who also has a demanding career. They're talking about someone different.”

Pay vs. passion

Schaffert's challenges and approaches to dealing with them are similar to those of Mary Ann de Lares Norris, the Chief Operating Officer at Oblong Industries. Based in downtown Los Angeles and founded in 2006, the company designs operating platforms for businesses that allow teams to collaborate in real time on digital parts of a project.

“I think technology and diversity is tough,” Norris told KPCC.  She’s proud her company’s management ranks are diverse, but says only 12 percent of its engineers are female. “Pretty standard in the tech industry, but it’s not great,” Norris says. “We really strive to increase that number, and all of the other companies are also, and it's really hard.”

Like Schaffert at KPCC, Norris works hard fine-tuning job descriptions and communicating that her company values diversity and work-life balance. But sometimes, it just boils down to money.

"We have to put out offers that have competitive salaries,” Norris says, adding that she can’t compete with the major tech firms. "The Googles and the Facebooks of the world can always pay more than we can. So we attract people who are passionate about coming to work for Oblong.  And, of course, we also offer stock options."

KPCC doesn’t have the  stock options, but we’ve got plenty of passion. Could that be the secret recruiting weapon for both small tech companies and nonprofits?  

LinkedIn recently surveyed engineers about what they look for in an employer. Good pay and work-life balance were the two top draws. Slightly more women prioritized work-life balance and slightly more men chose the big bucks. 

Clinical Entrepreneurship professor Adlai Wertman says that, historically, nonprofits and small businesses actually had the upper hand over big companies in recruiting minorities and women.

"There’s a feeling that they’re safer, more caring environments, less killer environments, and we know that corporate America has been the bastion of white males," said Wertman. 

But Wertman says that advantage disappears in the tech world because of the "supply-and-demand" problem with talent. When big firms decide to focus on diversity – as some have recently — they have plenty of resources.

"They’re always going to be able to pay more, and in truth they’re getting access to students coming out of these schools in ways that we as nonprofits and small companies never will," said Wertman. 

Wertman worked 18 years as an investment banker on Wall Street, then left to head a nonprofit on L.A.’s skid row. Now he heads the Brittingham Social Enterprise Lab Enterprise Lab at USC’s Marshall School of Business. He believes that, early on, the big companies have the best shot attracting diverse tech talent. But in the long run, much of that talent will turn back to smaller firms and nonprofits.

"I think ultimately people vote with where they’re most comfortable, where 'my values align with my employer's values, and if I don’t feel those values align, then I’m going to leave,'" Wertman said. "Ultimately, I think, for a lot of women and minorities, there’s a lot of value alignment within communities that are doing good in the world." 

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

This year will be the twelfth annual Executive Summit. The Summit, which takes place on Wednesday, brings the perspective of industry and corporate leaders to occupational safety and health (OSH) professionals. Understanding this perspective significantly benefits OSH professionals and improves their effectiveness in directing safety and health programs in their organizations.

Increasing the value of your home with a new garage door.

Atlanta tinting company, The Tint Guy, would like to discuss some of the benefits of getting your commercial tinting done in the off season.

The post Working Families reveals average parental benefits appeared first on Personnel Today.

Mia Lausevic

A campaign highlighting the benefits of composting household waste, supported by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, was launched on 1 July 2016 in Pljevlja, by the Montenegrin Sustainable Development and Tourism Ministry, the Municipality of Pljevlja and the Eco-Centre Dolphin NGO.

Some 40 participants - representatives of the Sustainable Development and Tourism Ministry; the municipal authorities of Berane, Bijelo Polje and Pljevlja; local public utility companies from Pljevlja and Kotor; and NGOs as well as citizens, attended the campaign launch.

“Composting household waste is just an element of broader waste management, one of the most current issues facing Montenegrin authorities in their efforts to bring the relevant policy, strategy and legislative frameworks in line with the international standards and requirements of the advancing integration processes,” said Programme Manager at the OSCE Mission Vladimir Ragozin.

President of the Municipality of Pljevlja Mirko Đačić said: “Our municipality is actively involved in enhancing the local environment, especially regarding air quality improvements.”

State Secretary at the Sustainable Development and Tourism Ministry Daliborka Pejović stated that the primary waste separation is unquestionable and the educational campaigns are crucial bearing in mind the State’s plan of 50-70% of waste to be primary separated d until 2020.

“The waste should be perceived as a resource that can be further used through development of recycling and composting industry,” said Director of Eco-Centre Dolphin NGO Ljilja Radunović. “It is recommended, under the EU Directive on Landfills, to consider the policy of the closure of landfills starting from 2020 because they proved to be unsustainable.” 

Related Stories

• OSCE Mission to Montenegro supports seminar on strengthening co-operation between prosecutors and police on forensic evidence
• OSCE Mission to Montenegro marks World Press Freedom Day: Public Service Broadcaster hosts televised debate on media freedoms
• OSCE Mission and OSCE/ODIHR support Montenegro’s parliament in drafting an action plan on gender sensitivity

Apple's new Mac mini and MacBook Pro models powered by M4 Pro and M4 Max chips introduce Thunderbolt 5 connectivity to the Mac lineup for the first time, bringing the first major bandwidth increase since Thunderbolt 3 debuted in 2015. While this next-generation standard promises significant improvements, understanding its specific benefits can help you decide whether it's really essential for your needs.


Let's take a closer look at Thunderbolt 5 – what it does, whether it's necessary, and which accessories leverage the latest standard.

Thunderbolt 5: What It Does

Thunderbolt 5 doubles the standard data transfer speed to 80 Gbps in both directions, with a special "Bandwidth Boost" mode reaching up to 120 Gbps for video-intensive tasks. This asymmetrical mode allocates 120 Gbps to display data while maintaining 40 Gbps for other data transfers, effectively tripling the bandwidth compared to Thunderbolt 4. The standard also increases maximum power delivery to 240W, up from Thunderbolt 4's 100W limit, enabling faster charging for power-hungry devices like the 16-inch MacBook Pro.


The increased bandwidth supports more demanding display configurations for M4 Pro and M4 Max-powered Macs. Thunderbolt 5 also incorporates DisplayPort 2.1, enabling features like 4K displays at 240Hz refresh rates, for smoother motion during gaming and video playback. Like previous versions, the standard maintains backward compatibility with older Thunderbolt standards and USB devices, including the latest USB4 2.0 specification.

Latest Macs With Thunderbolt 5

Apple's latest Mac models featuring Thunderbolt 5 offer enhanced external display support, varying by specific chip configuration. Both the Mac mini with M4 Pro chip and MacBook Pro with M4 Pro or M4 Max chip provide three Thunderbolt 5 ports. Here's a detailed breakdown of what's capable in terms of display configurations:

MacBook Pro Models

• MacBook Pro with M4 Pro Chip:




• Supports up to two external displays:




• Two displays with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt.


• One display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one display with up to 4K resolution at 144Hz over HDMI.




• Alternatively, supports one external display:




• One display with up to 8K resolution at 60Hz over HDMI.


• One display with up to 4K resolution at 240Hz over HDMI.







• MacBook Pro with M4 Max Chip:




• Supports up to four external displays:




• Three displays with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one display with up to 4K resolution at 144Hz over HDMI.




• Alternatively, supports up to three external displays:




• Two displays with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one display with up to 8K resolution at 60Hz or one display with up to 4K resolution at 240Hz over HDMI.

Mac mini Models

• Mac mini with M4 Pro Chip:




• Supports up to three external displays:




• Three displays with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt.




• Alternatively, supports one external display:




• One display with up to 8K resolution at 60Hz or one display with up to 4K resolution at 240Hz over HDMI.

Note that the Mac mini with the standard M4 chip features Thunderbolt 4 ports and supports up to three external displays, with specific configurations as detailed in Apple's technical specifications.

Do I Need Thunderbolt 5?

For most users performing everyday tasks like web browsing, document editing, or even photo editing, Thunderbolt 4's 40 Gbps bandwidth remains more than adequate. Even 4K video editing and working with large file sizes works smoothly with Thunderbolt 4 connections, as many professionals will attest. The new Mac mini and base 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 chip includes Thunderbolt 4 ports that should serve most of these users.


It's worth considering Thunderbolt 5 if you work with 8K video, require multiple high-resolution displays, or regularly transfer extremely large files. The technology will be particularly beneficial if you work with virtual reality, 3D rendering, or high-end video production where every bit of bandwidth matters. However, remember that taking full advantage of Thunderbolt 5 requires compatible peripherals, which are just beginning to enter the market and typically command premium prices.

For most users, the presence of Thunderbolt 5 shouldn't be the deciding factor when choosing between M4 and M4 Pro/Max Macs. The standard M4 models with Thunderbolt 4 will continue to serve the majority of users well, making Thunderbolt 5 a "nice-to-have" rather than a necessity for typical Mac buyers. The technology's true benefits will likely become more apparent as compatible peripherals become more available and affordable over time.

• 14-Inch vs. 16-Inch MacBook Pro Buyer's Guide 2024


• M4 vs. M4 Pro vs. M4 Max Chip Buyer's Guide: Which Should You Choose?


• M1 vs. M2 vs. M3 vs. M4 MacBook Pro Buyer's Guide: 30+ Differences Compared

Thunderbolt 5 Accessories

The first wave of Thunderbolt 5 peripherals is beginning to arrive. Apple's Thunderbolt 5 Pro Cable ($69) features a braided black design, supports the full 120 Gbps bandwidth and 240W power delivery, while maintaining backward compatibility with Thunderbolt 3/4 and USB standards.


For storage, OWC's Envoy Ultra external SSD achieves speeds over 6GB per second – double that of previous Thunderbolt drives – and comes in 2TB ($399.99) and 4TB ($599.99) configurations with a built-in Thunderbolt cable.


Lastly, OWC's Thunderbolt 5 Hub ($189.99) expands a single port into three Thunderbolt 5 ports and one USB-A port, supporting up to 140W power delivery – enough to charge a 16-inch MacBook Pro. The hub enables three separate device daisy chains and can drive up to three 8K displays at 60Hz with Display Stream Compression. Its aluminum enclosure uses passive cooling for silent operation, making it suitable for noise-sensitive environments like recording studios.
This article, "Thunderbolt 5 in New Macs: Features, Benefits, and Is It Needed?" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Benefits-eligible employees have until Friday, Nov. 15, to login to Workday and elect their benefits for 2025.  

Postbank has said that it has reached a profit in the first two quarters of the financial year, with reported cases of fraud down 80% year-on-year.

  United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Africa’s global bank, has partnered with Mastercard to launch a commemorative debit card in celebration of UBA’s 75th anniversary. This collaboration, according to a statement, aims to honor UBA’s long-standing customer relationships and enhance their banking experience with a range of offers and discounts across multiple platforms. UBA’s […]

The post UBA partners Mastercard to launch special debit card with benefits to mark its 75th anniversary first appeared on Business Hallmark.

[Business Day Africa] Africa's biggest pay-television company Multichoice Group has reported a 99 percent dip in half-year profits on the back of subscriber decline and foreign exchange volatility in the operating environment.

Embarking on a road trip is akin to setting out on a journey of discovery, where every turn of the road brings forth new vistas and experiences. While the destination holds allure, it’s the journey itself that often leaves an indelible mark on our memories. However, to make the most of this journey, one must […]

The post Benefits of Renting a Car appeared first on Roads To Iraq - The Cradle of Mankind.

Michelle L. Ross Completes the Risk Management, Insurance Planning and Employee Benefits Course.

The NEA Foundation announced today that Kimberly Johnson, an interventionist, resource educator, and teacher lead at Auburn Junior High School in Auburn, Ala., is the recipient of the 2024 NEA Member Benefits Award for Teaching Excellence, one of public education's top honors. Johnson was presented with the award, which comes with $25,000, by NEA Member Benefits President and CEO Leona Lindner at the NEA Foundation Salute to Excellence in Education Gala on Friday, May 3.

For small and local businesses, it can be hard to stand out against larger nationwide brands. However, content marketing can help your small business attract attention, and for relevant niches in your industry, too.

Content marketing is a marketing approach that involves creating and distributing relevant and valuable content to your prospective audience in the hopes of driving a consumer action, and it has numerous benefits for small businesses. It can give you the opportunity to not only expand your company, but also to build your reputation and establish a place as a trusted leader in the industry.

complete article

Gary Chew says FwB is really, really quite bad. But on the brighter side, it does feature Mila Kunis, Justin Timberlake, Woody Harrelson, Patricia Clarkson, Jenna Elfman and Richard Jenkins. Opens wide July 22.

So I have a 2015 Honda fit EX that I have been bringing from unacceptable conditions but there have been a few issues with my fit that have proven to be more challenging than what I've already dealt...

Jeremy recently appeared on the Predictable Profits Podcast with Charles Gaudet. Ep #54 – Jeremy Brandt, the founder of WeBuyHouses.com and the creator of five separate companies, joins the show this week to specifically discuss how to maintain productivity as an entrepreneur. Jeremy Brandt is a serial entrepreneur that has founded, funded, and run multiple […]

The post Jeremy Brandt Podcast – Predictable Profits appeared first on Jeremy Brandt.

How to make audio products easily? Here are some easy to use techniques to grow loyal clients through your own audio system! Learn how to produce your own CDs to improve your life.

Statins don't lower mortality rates--niacin can help, flouride doesn't prevent cavities--xylitol is proven to work, vaccines are tampering with our primary immune systems causing lunges in elevations of childhood diabetes, asthma, and yes, autism spectral dysfunctions.

Banks are foreclosing on the lousy loan holders they goosed into biting at the worng hand. Slow moving DA's back east are pouncing on BofA and Wells Fargo for hazy unethical methods of screwing the little guy who wanted to own his own home.

The media makes every little sensational story about sexual deviancy and celebrity maladjustment and being held up to close judgmental scrutiny a huge ational dilemma--it's not.

Where';s the truth these days? If Israel attacks Iran because they built Nuke capable weapons does that help keep those weapons holstered? As the Republicans spout the stupidest nonsense that school children laugh about because if they said it their teachers would wonder why they were trying to be goofy, one wonders where the cooler heads are that need to prevail because in fact  there are seriously mega-desctructive weapons out there that can kill us all, and there are financial greed mongers and drug pushers who could kill us all a little more cleverly, but dead just the same.

Time for the cooler prevailing heads to speak out loudly, before they start getting squashed into a corner by some Gingrich fathead know-nothing amd makes them look like the radicals of the hippie dippy 60's.--You know, the drug-crazed free-sex nuts who thought the War in Vietnam was wrong and took so many years to gain traction because Nixon said they were commie-infiltrated and anti-American.

Is that what we are? A bunch of drugged up terrified hair-brained whacko's? The middle class that goes to work every day and makes the place run? And have to listen and watch nutball junk coming out of the mouths of policitians, CEO's, pundits claiming to have inside expert knowledge. Or are we lacking clear grounded leadership--or avoiding it. We voted for it last time around,. Time to start giving it some creedence after 4 years of seasoning. Stop believeing everything you read and expecially watch on TV.

About the benfits of sports massage and the types of massage.

The benefits for women of strength training.

About the exercise benefits of using a Bosu Ball when you work out.

The health benefits of Omega 3 and how it has benefited my health.

How and why to use a rowing machine at home or at the gym.

How you can benefit in many ways with group exercise workouts.

Strength and stamina exercise benefits of playing cricket. Team sport social benefits.

How Yoga can benefit both body and mind as a form of exercise and meditation.

Benefits and advantages of doing bodyweight exercises to workout and strength train.

Beneficial reasons for for choosing to get breast implants, breast augmentation surgery.

The importance and benefits of taking care of your teeth and gums to your overall body health and well-being.

Benefits of exercising and staying active for the body and mind.

5 valuable reasons to strength train using weights.

Bad and inclement weather is Prime Time to do your treadmill workout at home.

4 perfect reasons to include skipping as part of your overall exercise workout.

Benefits and uses of the natural product kratom from southeast Asia.

Cannabis consumed in moderate and safe quantities has many health benefits.

3 benefits of nighttime exercise workouts.

How cushioned Yoga Mats can really help you to perform yoga better.

Infrared sauna to relax, rejuvenate your body. Offering a variety of possible health benefits.

Here are some ways seaweed can benefit your health.

Yoga for exercise and stretching as well as the overall wellness and health of your body.

Micronized creatine monohydrate is an important supplement to use for any exercise activity due to its many benefits.

Benefits of using a BCAA powder when exercising or weight training and its use as a supplement.

If you have diabetes, you may be looking for an exercise workout program. If so, check out our list of the 3 top benefits of yoga for people with diabetes.