The future of packaging is in these five areas and trends.

What Destination Leaders Can Do to Engage Their Workforce jhammond@desti… Fri, 06/21/2024 - 13:19

Recently, we asked, "What's one thing you wish you knew before starting your own private music studio?" Here are some of the comments we received.

We know from talking to hundreds of music teachers over the years that students' practicing habits are always a point of discussion. We've seen parents fall into a whole range of attitudes. Here are a few that we've seen.

How do you handle the possibility of changing teaching schedules in your music studio during the summer months?

Justin had the news from the People's Bank of China here on Monday:

• PBOC governor will maintain yuan exchange rate at a reasonable, balanced level

The PBOC governor Pan Gongsheng emphasized that the Bank will not let the yuan plummet without a fight:

• Will step up countercyclical adjustment
• Should resolutely guard against the risk of exchange rate overshoot

Today is an example of the Bank pushing back on yuan weakness, with the reference rate set 300+ points stronger for the CNY than was expected (in the Reuters model).

Offshore yuan has jumped (lower USD/CNH as shown in the chart below):

As the North American session begins, the bond traders return after a day off in observance of Veterans Day. Yields are higher to start their trading week with the 2 year up 6.5 basis points at 4.319% and the 10 year up 6.3 basis points at 4.371%. The 2 year yield has moved to a new high going back to July 31 today (4.336%). For the 10 year, it traded as high as 4.773% last week, but fell into Friday with the low reaching 4.558% before bouncing modestly on Friday. That upside has reached 4.64% today - off the low but below the high from last week.

Bitcoin moved to a high of $89,983 today - a new record - but has come off and trades at $86,430 currently. The low reached $85208 today in volatile trading.

Oil is higher after falling over 3% lower yesterday. The price is up 43% or 0.64% at $68.52 currently. The high reached $68.76 and a low at $67.78.

Gold is down another $11 or -.045% at $2607.28. The low reached $2589.80 before bouncing.

In the US stock market, the major indices are marginally higher after record closes across the three major indices. The Russell 2000 which has not reached a high since July 2021 got within shouting distance of it record at 2437.08. The high yesterday reached 2441.72. The Dow futures are imploring a gain of 78 points. The S&P is up 1.65 points and the Nasdaq index is now up 7.91 points.

There will be several Fed speakers today with Governor Waller, Minneapolis Fed Pres. Kashkari, Philadelphia Fed Pres. Parker, and Richmond Fed Pres. Barkin all scheduled to speak

ECB policymaker Olli Rehn emphasized that while the direction of the ECB’s monetary policy is clear, the pace of any changes will be data-dependent. The economic outlook, impacted by a struggling manufacturing sector, has deteriorated. Rehn suggested that if disinflation continues, it could support additional rate cuts, with the ECB potentially moving away from restrictive policy territory by spring 2025. He warned against protectionism, noting that tariffs would have a medium-to-long-term impact and are inherently inflationary. With growth in the euro area expected to remain sluggish and downside risks prevalent, Rehn awaits the December projections for a clearer assessment of the economic landscape.

EURUSD: The selling in the EURUSD continue as a less friendly US with Pres. Elect Trump, spell slower growth with increased tariffs the concern. Technically, the price initially moved higher in the Asian session but found willing sellers near the low of the swing area between 1.0663 and 1.06703. That was swing lows in June 2024. Staying below kept the sellers in control, and they pushed lower. The price has since moved down to a low of 1.0606 which tests the lows from April when a series of swing lows bottomed the pair. Those levels are also the lows for the year (going back to October 2023).

USDJPY: The USDJPY rose yesterday and then stalled in the US session between 153.59 to 153.88 (swing area). Recall, the 153.88 level was a swing high from July 31. The highs from October 28 and October 29 was at 153.88 too. Today, the price moved lower and below the swing area low, BUT found support at the 61.8% of the move down from the July high. That level comes in at 153.397. Going forward, that hold increases that technical levels importance as support. Move below would increase the bearish bias in the short term at least.

On the topside, the price has now moved back above the 153.88 level (bullish). If the price can stay above that level now, that would be the most bullish technical scenario as buyers show their strength on the break. On the topside, the 154.54 up to 155.09 would be the next target area to stretch towards. Get above that area over time, and it adds to the bullish bias. Buyers making a play. Can they keep the momentum going?

GBPUSD:The GBPUSD fell below the lows from the last 2 weeks (last week low was at 1.28329) and sellers jumped, pushing the price through the 200 day MA at 1.28178. The breaks are more bearish and the low price reached 1.27915 and has bounced. The price has traded above and below the 200-day MA at 1.28179, but has so far stayed below the low from last week at 1.28329. If the price moves back above that level and momentum back to the upside is able to get above 1.2844 and the 50% of the move up from the April low at 1.2866, the buyers are showing some strength and the sellers will start worrying about the failures more and more. Conversely, if the price can stay below the 1.2832 and 1.2844 that keeps the sellers confidence high, but gettng below the 200-day MA is still required again. The price is currently trading near the 200-day MA but remains below 1.28329.

USDCHF: The USDCHF extended above the 200 day MA at 0.88176 and also a swing area from 0.88187 to 0.8825. That was a bullish move and the price moved to a high of 0.88303 but failed. The price is back below the 200 day MA and swing area. The price is trading near 0.8800 (0.8802 is the low). ON the downside the 50% is at 0.87986. If that is broken, then the swing area, the 200 day MA and the 50% failed. That should give buyers cause for pause as the buyers had their shot, and they missed. But the price still needs to get below 50%.

The AUDUSD has moved lower to a swing area low at 0.65357. The high of the swing area comes in at 0.65537. It would take a move above that level and then the 61.8% at 0.6575, to give the buyers more confidence and cause the sellers to have some cause for pause.

ON the downside, a break of 0.6535 would target the low from last weekend 0.6511. That is near the last two session lows going back to early August. oh below that level and traders look toward 0.6463 to 0.6486.

The price action last week in the AUDUSD was up and down with big moves in either direction.Through the first two days of this week, volatility is less, but the bias is more to the downside. That bias would be even more bearish if the 0.6535 level can be broken along with the low price from last week at 0.6511.

------------------------------------

AUD/USD Summary

The AUD/USD fell to a swing area low at 0.65357.

Key Points:

1. Swing area: 0.65357 (low) - 0.65537 (high).

2. Buyers need a break above 0.65537 and 0.6575 (61.8% level).

3. Sellers target last weekend's low: 0.6511.

Outlook:

Bullish Scenario

Move above 0.65537 and 0.6575 boosts buyer confidence.

Bearish Scenario

Break below 0.6535 and 0.6511 confirms bearish bias, targeting 0.6463-0.6486.

Levels to Watch:

• Resistance: 0.65537, 0.6575

• Support: 0.65357, 0.6511, 0.6463-0.6486

BofA suggests staying short on CHF, particularly against USD and GBP, as post-election volatility subsides and G10 rate repricing supports a weaker CHF. While political risks may pose a minor obstacle, BofA sees CHF depreciation as likely due to policy divergence, with recent fiscal stimulus in the UK reinforcing the case for long GBP/CHF.

Key Points:

• CHF Weakness Expected: Following the US election, BofA expects normalization in volatility and G10 rate adjustments, which support a weaker CHF heading into year-end.

• Policy Divergence and SNB Cuts: CHF depreciation has been driven by Swiss policy moves, including an SNB rate cut, and ongoing yield compression. Increased Swiss inflation has also pressured CHF.

• Positioning in USD/CHF and GBP/CHF: BofA favors short CHF positions in USD/CHF and recently opened a long GBP/CHF position via a three-month ratio call spread, driven by UK fiscal stimulus enhancing policy divergence.

• Risk Management Considerations: While CHF shorts are promising, BofA advises a cautious approach due to potential political uncertainties that could affect CHF.

Conclusion:

BofA recommends holding short CHF positions in USD/CHF and GBP/CHF, as volatility recedes and policy divergence favors a weaker CHF. Though political noise may cause short-term volatility, BofA sees CHF depreciation persisting into year-end, with UK fiscal moves strengthening the case for GBP/CHF.

For bank trade ideas, check out eFX Plus. For a limited time, get a 7 day free trial, basic for $79 per month and premium at $109 per month. Get it here.

The U.S. presidential election draws near, and investors are on high alert as the outcomes of Kamala Harris's and Donald Trump's contrasting economic policies could have significant ramifications for the financial markets. With key decisions looming around tax rates, regulation, energy policy, and trade, the potential for market volatility increases depending on who gets into the White House and what the new balance of power in the U.S. Congress will be. In this article, Octa Broker's financial analyst, Kar Yong Ang, breaks down the candidates' divergent economic visions and outlines possible scenarios for market reactions post-election, offering critical insights for traders to navigate the uncertain financial landscape ahead.

With less than a day to go until the U.S. presidential election, investors and traders are bracing for the potential impact on the financial markets. Although both candidates (Kamala Harris and Donald Trump) proclaim to pursue similar goals–––notably, creating jobs and boosting the U.S. manufacturing base–––they offer very different approaches to economic policy. Therefore, financial markets will almost certainly respond differently depending on who ultimately gets into the White House. Furthermore, it is important to factor in the possible changes in the arrangement of power on Capitol Hill, as 33 out of 100 senators and all 435 delegates in the House of Representatives will also seek re-election this November.

At Octa Broker, we decided to offer our view about what to expect from the upcoming elections and what could be the possible impact on the financial markets in general and on gold and the U.S. dollar in particular. Before we lay out the possible scenarios, let’s first briefly recap the economic policy visions of Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party candidate, and of former President Donald Trump, the Republican Party nominee, and underline their key differences. Please note that this article will focus specifically on the candidates' economic policies that are expected to have the most impact on the financial markets and affect an average trader. Thus, the general focus is on tax policy, regulation, energy policy, foreign policy, and tariffs. The article will not delve into the details of other policies, such as abortion rights, immigration, housing, and healthcare policy.

Table 1: Comparing the Candidates

‘When you wake up on 6 November to check the results of the U.S. presidential elections, there are two things to keep in mind’, argues Kar Yong Ang, a financial market analyst at Octa Broker. ‘Firstly, it is vital to realise just how decisive the victory of either of the candidates is. Secondly, it is very important to ascertain the new composition of the Legislative Branch'. Indeed, if either Harris or Trump wins the national popular vote with only a slim majority or the Electoral College produces mixed and uncertain results, the investors may get nervous, and market volatility will rise. ‘Contesting results are not good for the markets, as they may trigger disputes among the parties and delay important economic decisions in the best-case scenario and lead to social unrest and violence in the worst case’, Karr says.

The composition of the House and the Senate is equally important as they will largely determine the ultimate balance of power and the direction of the legislation. According to ABC News simulation, Republicans win control of the Senate 88 times out of 100[1], meaning that it is highly unlikely that the Democratic Party can manage to take out the upper chamber of the U.S. Congress. When it comes to the House of Representatives, however, the chances are 50/50. Thus, it seems reasonable to infer that only four potential scenarios exist in this election (see the table below).

Table 2: Possible Scenarios and the Dollar Impact

Scenarios 1 and 2

Scenarios 1 and 2 assume that Kamala Harris becomes the next President of the United States, but her executive power is severely or partly limited. In case Republicans capture both the House and the Senate, Harris's policy initiatives will be blocked or substantially amended. On balance, a Harris presidency facing a hostile Congress would bring about a politically unstable and unpredictable environment, which investors despise. As a result, the economy will underperform, stocks will decline, and the dollar will weaken.

‘A government paralysed by dysfunction and gridlock is the worst-case scenario for the U.S. economy in general and for the U.S. dollar in particular’, says Kar Yong Ang, a financial market analyst at Octa Broker. ‘The probability of a protracted government shutdown is very high under this scenario. U.S. stock market indices will certainly take a hit’.

Indeed, Harris's progressive initiatives on climate and the environment will be blocked, while fiscal and economic policy will become a key point of contention, leading to a major standoff over the budget. At the same time, Harris's presidency might result in less government spending, which will have a disinflationary impact, enabling the Federal Reserve (Fed) to continue reducing interest rates. That, too, however, will have a long-term bearish impact on the U.S. dollar.

In turn, the greenback's weakness may have a bullish impact on commodities, especially gold, as it will become more affordable for holders of other currencies. Another bullish factor for commodities in general and for gold, in particular, is that the conflict in Eastern Europe will likely drag on under Harris, given that she has been more in favour of supplying the weapons rather than pushing for a peace deal.

‘All in all, I think Harris's presidency will be met with a bearish reaction in U.S. equity markets–––especially in the energy sector. Companies focusing on renewables may perform better but still suffer in the long term as Harris will struggle to push her environmental agenda. The U.S. dollar will almost certainly sell off, while the euro and Chinese yuan will strengthen’, concludes Kar Yong Ang.

Scenarios 3 and 4

Scenarios 3 and 4 assume that Donald Trump becomes the next President of the United States, but his executive power will either be partly limited by the Democratic House or, alternatively, he manages to achieve a sweeping victory with the Republican Party taking full control over both chambers of Congress. In this case, investors will likely cheer (at least in the short term), as Trump promises to cut red tape and reduce taxes. Stock indices will rally, and the dollar may strengthen. Still, there will be long-term risks associated with Trump’s trade policy.

‘The fears over U.S. debt sustainability will certainly rise under Trump’, says Kar Yong Ang, a financial market analyst at Octa Broker. ‘He will extend as well as enlarge the tax cuts, essentially bringing about a loose fiscal policy, which, in turn, will force the Fed to be hawkish’. Indeed, a Republican sweep victory is the most bullish scenario for the greenback in the midterm. Inflationary tax cuts will boost the economy and may potentially force the Fed to stop its rate-cutting campaign, which will support the U.S. dollar vs other currencies. However, the U.S.'s gigantic deficit will likely keep expanding. Reuters estimates that Donald Trump’s tax cut plans would add some $3.6 trillion to $6.6 trillion to federal deficits over a decade.

On the one hand, tax cuts may serve as a catalyst for U.S. economic growth, which should support oil prices, especially given that Trump is likely to enforce stricter sanctions against Iran. On the other hand, U.S. crude oil and natural gas output may rise as the Trump administration will likely support the companies engaged in fossil fuel production.

Trade policy is not expected to be Trump’s top priority, but he may still introduce new tariffs in 2025-2026. First and foremost, this will negatively affect China and its currency, the yuan. At the same time, Trump’s victory will be a major bullish factor for the crypto industry in general and for digital currencies in particular. He made no secret of his support for crypto and even advocated for the establishment of a national Bitcoin reserve.

‘All in all, I think Trump’s presidency will be met with a bullish reaction in U.S. equity markets–––especially in the energy sector, and especially in case of a sweeping victory. Companies with a focus on renewables will underperform, bitcoin will rally, while the euro and the Chinese yuan will fall. However, the market has already partly priced in Trump’s victory. Therefore, in a classic ‘buy the rumour, sell the news’ scenario, the asset prices I just mentioned may actually drop immediately after the election, but will likely remain supported in 2025’, concludes Kar Yong Ang.

About Octa

Octa is an international broker that has been providing online trading services worldwide since 2011. It offers commission-free access to financial markets and a variety of services used by clients from 180 countries who have opened more than 52 million trading accounts. To help its clients reach their investment goals, Octa offers free educational webinars, articles, and analytical tools.

The company is involved in a comprehensive network of charitable and humanitarian initiatives, including the improvement of educational infrastructure and short-notice relief projects supporting local communities.

Since its foundation, Octa has won more than 70 awards, including the ‘Best Forex Broker 2023’ award from AllForexRating and the ‘Best Mobile Trading Platform 2024’ award from Global Brand Magazine.

Following his win in Pennsylvania and earlier victories in other key battleground states in Georgia and North Carolina, Republican candidate Donald Trump took to the stage shortly after in Palm Beach, Florida.

Trump is set to become the 47th President of the United States (US) as he took an early victory lap on stage and expressed gratitude to his family, friends and team. Interestingly, alongside Grover Cleveland – the first Democrat elected following the Civil War – Trump is the second president to serve for a second non-consecutive term for four years.

In a surprising turn, Trump’s victory speech was relatively subdued; no threats of tariffs were mentioned, and he did not refer to his opponent, Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, who postponed her scheduled speech at Howard University. ‘Winning the popular vote was very nice’, Trump said in his speech, adding: ‘America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate; we have taken back control of the Senate’.

Several members of Trump’s team and friends were invited to speak on stage. His running mate, JD Vance of Ohio, thanked Trump for allowing him to ‘join you on this incredible journey’. Vance added, ‘I think we just witnessed the greatest political comeback in the history of the United States of America’.

Dana White, the CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), also addressed the nation, stating, ‘Nobody deserves this more than him [Trump]’. He remarked that Trump ‘is the most resilient man I have ever met’.

Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, also received significant praise from Trump, voicing his appreciation and calling Musk a ‘super genius’, emphasising that ‘we have to protect our geniuses’. Musk has been vocal in his support for Trump and reportedly invested over US$130 million in his campaign.

Foreign leaders applauded Trump for his victory. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer congratulated Trump and said he looks forward to collaborating with Trump in the years ahead. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to the platform X to convey his wishes as well, emphasising his desire to strengthen the partnership between the two countries. Additionally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described Trump's win as ‘history's greatest comeback’ in his post on X.

What Does Donald Trump’s Victory Mean for the US?

Donald Trump will be inaugurated on 20 January 2025 at the US Capitol building in Washington, DC. Americans can expect tax cuts, immigration controls and tariffs.

A Trump presidency will also likely mean lower taxes, a move with plans for widespread changes to taxation, which should increase spending and spur sentiment, at least in the near term.

In his own words, Donald Trump’s second term is expected to be ‘nasty a little bit at times, and maybe at the beginning in particular’. Trump has promised an aggressive approach towards illegal immigration in the US, which could include plans of mass deportation of undocumented migrants, noting that he ‘will launch the largest deportation program in American history to get the criminals out’.

Trade tariffs are another one of Trump’s policies that the US economy can expect, as he is expected to increase the protectionist policies he introduced in his first term. However, as noted, he failed to address this in his victory speech today.

Another important issue that Trump and the team must address is the debt ceiling (or debt limit), which is the maximum amount of money the US Treasury can borrow to pay its debt obligations. You may recall that the ‘statutory debt ceiling’ was suspended in early January and is due to be reinstated on 1 January 2025. This may involve the Treasury drawing on its existing cash to fulfil its short-term obligations until another suspension of the debt limit is imposed or the debt ceiling is further increased.

Trump Trade is Alive and Kicking

Markets responded as expected, reigniting the Trump Trade, with the US dollar (USD), US Treasury yields, US equities and digital currencies all catching a strong bid.

Despite moderately fading session highs, the US Dollar Index is up 1.5%, which could eventually see the Index aim for June peaks at around 106.13, closely followed by 106.52, the high for the year. US Treasury yields remain underpinned, with the benchmark 10-year yield holding near session highs around 4.42% (up 3.5%).

While commodities experienced a selloff, we have seen a modest recovery unfold, drawing spot gold (XAU/USD) and WTI oil off session lows. In the crypto space, versus the USD, Bitcoin clocked a fresh record high of US$75,415 (up 6.4%), and Ethereum is up nearly 9.0% and testing the upper boundary of a symmetrical triangle, pencilled in from US$2,062 and US$2,790.

Welcome to the US CPI Day! Inflation is back at the top of market's focus after the Fed's 50 bps cut in September, the acceleration in the US data and Trump's victory.

If we look at the markets, there's been already some pre-positioning/hedging into a potentially higher than expected CPI print, so there's some risk of a "sell the fact" reaction. Of course, a bigger than expected upside surprise would be much more straightforward.

The market is currently pricing a 63% chance of a 25 bps cut in December and basically two more 25 bps rate cuts in 2025 which is already much less than the four projected by the Fed in September.

13:30 GMT/08:30 ET - US October CPI

The US CPI Y/Y is expected at 2.6% vs. 2.4% prior, while the M/M measure is seen at 0.2% vs. 0.2% prior. The Core CPI Y/Y is expected at 3.3% vs. 3.3% prior, while the M/M figure is seen at 0.3% vs. 0.3% prior.

At the latest Fed’s decision, Fed Chair Powell said that they expect bumps on inflation and that one or two bad data months on inflation won’t change the process. This keeps the 25 bps cut in December in place even if we get higher inflation readings.

The market though is forward-looking, and the rise in Treasury yields showed that the market sees risks to the inflation outlook. Moreover, the red sweep could increase those fears if the progress on inflation stalls, or worse, reverses.

Therefore, higher inflation readings might not change the near-term monetary policy outlook, but I personally see it changing the market’s outlook and eventually the Fed’s one.

Central bank speakers:

• 09:45 GMT - BoE's Mann (hawk - voter)
• 14:35 GMT/09:35 ET - Fed's Logan (neutral - non voter)
• 18:00 GMT/13:00 ET - Fed's Musalem (neutral - non voter)
• 18:30 GMT/13:30 ET - Fed's Schmid (hawk - non voter)

Why it's important?

The ranges of estimates are important in terms of market reaction because when the actual data deviates from the expectations, it creates a surprise effect. Another important input in market's reaction is the distribution of forecasts.

In fact, although we can have a range of estimates, most forecasts might be clustered on the upper bound of the range, so even if the data comes out inside the range of estimates but on the lower bound of the range, it can still create a surprise effect.

Distribution of forecasts for CPI

CPI Y/Y

• 2.7% (2%)
• 2.6% (56%) - consensus
• 2.5% (28%)
• 2.4% (12%)
• 2.3% (2%)

CPI M/M

• 0.3% (17%)
• 0.2% (73%) - consensus
• 0.1% (10%)

Core CPI Y/Y

• 3.4% (8%)
• 3.3% (81%) - consensus
• 3.2% (11%)

Core CPI M/M

• 0.4% (4%)
• 0.3% (82%) - consensus
• 0.2% (14%)

Analysis

We can ignore the headline CPI as the market will focus on the Core figures. We can notice that we have a pretty strong consensus and not much skew on either side.

Nonetheless, there's been a consistent bid in the US Dollar going into this report with Treasury yields higher and stocks kinda rangebound. The market might have already assigned some premium to a higher than expected print, so there's some risk of a short-term "sell the fact" reaction on a higher than expected number.

It goes without saying that a bigger than expected upside surprise should see the momentum increasing immediately with the US Dollar likely rallying across the board and Treasury yields shooting higher.

On the other hand, a soft print will likely see the US Dollar and Treasury yields falling, although one can argue that it's just going to provide a pullback to go long the US Dollar and short bonds again at even better levels as future conditions will likely see inflation getting stuck above the target or even moving back higher.

Washington, D.C.— With tens of millions of individuals worldwide engaged in the growing creator economy, NAB Show emerges as the central hub for networking, exploration and education within the evolving creator market. The 2024 NAB Show, slated for April 13 – 17 (Exhibits April 14 – 17) at the Las Vegas Convention Center, promises to empower creators with invaluable insights and opportunities. Leading the charge is renowned YouTube star, digital creator, filmmaker extraordinaire and multi-media innovator Casey Neistat, who will inspire creators to think outside the box and redefine their creative potential when he takes the Main Stage. Known for his signature "Do What You Can't" motto, Neistat will share his career journey, the unconventional choices that propelled him to success and offer actionable lessons on innovation and creativity.

Do you work for your students or what others will think?

Music classes are different from most other classes. They are performance based classes. This means that multiple times through out the school year we get to put on public display what we are doing in the class room.

This is not always easy to do. I would love to see a math teacher or science teacher put all of their students work on public display to be scrutinized. And they can't only put the best student work on display it has to be all skill levels. Sure, it is not a perfect analogy but you get the idea.

The point is, it is easy to allow public opinion to sway what we do in the classroom.

Our groups, while we strive for the best are not professional groups, they are school groups and the intent is to deliver a balanced education to all students. When we let public opinion that is based off of our performances sway what we are doing in the classroom we need to assure that it is not at the expense of education.

For years, I’d heard about “rules” that I was supposed to follow when figuring out bass fingerings. Honestly, it was a bit confusing to me. They all seemed to conflict with each other, and I was never sure where to begin. Over time, I figured out how these rules work, when to follow them, and […]

Recorded live at OTN Architect Day in Los Angeles, a panel of experts responds to an audience question about what happens to traditional IT roles in a Cloud environment.

Forget the hype! A panel of working architects share their insight into the trends and technologies that will have the greatest impact on their work in 2013.

The panel of working architects discusses the trends, technologies, and other aspects of enterprise IT that will lose steam in 2013.

The panel of working architects discusses how the evolution of enterprise IT is profoundly reshaping the IT architecture profession.

Forget the hype! Which technologies made a genuine difference in the work of software developers over the past year? For this podcast we gathered five highly respected developers in a tiny hotel room in San Francisco, tossed in a couple of microphones, and let the conversation happen.

The panelists for this podcast are busy, working developers with stellar reputations:

(Listed alphabetically)

• Lonneke Dikmans, Chief Product Officer at eProseed. Utrecht, NL
• Lucas Jellema, Chief Technical Officer at AMIS Services. Rotterdam, NL
• Frank Munz, software architect and Cloud Evangelist at Munz and More. Munich, DE
• Pratik Patel, Chief Technical Officer at Triplingo and president of the Atlanta Java Users Group. Atlanta, US
• Chris Richardson, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Eventuate Incorporated. San Francisco, US

This wide-ranging conversation spans containers, microservices, PaaS, IoT, machine learning, and much, much more. Listen!

You’ve heard the term API monetization, but do you really understand what it means? More importantly, do you understand what API monetization means for developers? In this podcast you’ll learn why API monetization is about more than money, and why developers should care.

View the complete show notes.

The good news is that the US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 24% growth in software developer jobs through 2026. That’s well above average. The outlook for database administrators certainly isn’t bleak, but with projected job growth of 11% to 2026, that’s less than half the growth projected for developers. Job growth for system administrators, at 6% through 2016, is considered average by the BLS. So while the news is positive all around, developers certainly have an advantage. But there is another story behind those numbers. Powerful forces are driving change in long-established IT roles. This podcast examines the trends and technologies behind this evolution, and looks at what roles may emerge in the future.

View the complete show notes.

If you listened to our previous episode -- and of course you did! -- you heard a panel discussion of the ins and outs of low code development. In this episode we expand on that initial conversation to bring you a discussion that compares and contrasts low code with cloud native development. 

Returning for this discussion is Joel Kallman, who heads the Oracle development team behind Oracle APEX. Joel is in Columbus, Ohio. Also returning is Oracle ACE Director and Groundbreaker Ambassador Martin Giffy D’Souza. Martin is Director of Innovation at Insum Solutions, and lives in Alberta, Canada. Joining the panel is Oracle ACE Director and Groundbreaker Ambassador Roel Hartman. Roel lives in the Netherlands, where he is Director & Senior APEX Developer at APEX Consulting. Also on the panel is Oracle ACE Director Niels de Bruijn. Niels is Business Unit Manager at MT AG in Cologne, Germany. 

See the complete program show notes.

Elections are supposed to clarify policy uncertainties, and on the economic front, Donald Trump's victory over Kamala Harris has done just that. All three major US stock indices and US Treasury yields jumped after Nov 5, reflecting expectations of both strong economic growth and soaring debt and inflation.

"This is the shot we have. We may not get another one... Let's finish it." Ready? Marvel has dropped the new official trailer for the latest season of What If...?, their fun anthology series taking crazy all-out "what if" imaginative looks at different characters and ideas in the MCU. This might be the final season because Marvel's own intro from YouTube states: "Witness the season that ends it all." The Watcher even comes out and says this, too. The first season launched in 2021 to mixed reviews, and this second season debuted in late 2023 one year ago. The opening once again is: Welcome back to the multiverse. So much to see in these 8 episodes! The voice cast set for Season 3 includes Jeffrey Wright as The Watcher, once again, along with Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, David Harbour as Red Guardian, Laurence Fishburne as Goliath, Oscar Isaac as Moon Knight, Simu Liu as Xu Shang-Chi, Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness, Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson / Cap, Hailee Steinfeld as Kate Bishop, Hayley Atwell as Captain Carter. Plus a few other surprises, of course. Looks like it has a rad Gundam style Avengers segment. Up for an adventure? […]

What’s at stake for climate policy? ‘Who the hell cares,’ Trump says. The presidential race features unusually sharp contrasts by the candidates on whether to address rising temperatures. By Benjamin Storrow, Scott Waldman, Adam Aton Excerpt: In Phoenix, temperatures this year spent 70 days over 110 degrees. Hurricanes lashed the Southeast, with back-to-back storms killing more […]

CNN on Trump's victory: A U-turn on US climate policy could be disastrous for the planet, as it raises the risk of emulation. When America does something on the world stage, at least some countries tend to follow. “Paris is one of those agreements where you need a critical mass of economic powers and emitters, past and present, to actually be able to address this challenge,” said Oli Brown, an associate fellow at the London-based think tank Chatham House. ... 

“And it will allow big emitters to not take the kind of ambitious action that’s needed, because they don’t want to be at a competitive disadvantage to the US, if the US is unburdened by any sense of collective responsibility,” he told CNN. ... 

But the real sting is, that as the world’s biggest economy, the US has more power than any other country to fund climate change action in the developing world. Even if it stays in the Paris Agreement, an “America First” Trump administration is unlikely to be more generous with grants and loans for other countries’ green transition. That alone sets the talks up for failure — their main aim was to agree to a transfer $1 trillion a year from wealthy countries and institutions to help developing nations build clean energy systems and to adapt to worsening extreme weather, like heat waves, floods, drought, storms and wildfires.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/nov/11/first-edition-cop29-climate-crisis-donald-trump US election | Donald Trump has been declared the winner in Arizona, completing the Republicans’ clean sweep of the so-called swing states and rubbing salt in Democrats’ wounds as it was announced that the president-elect is scheduled to meet with Joe Biden at the White House on Wednesday to discuss the presidential handover. Trump reportedly spoke on the […]

And it's also the bloodiest, goriest, gnarliest entry in the Christmas horror subgenre, yet.

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The FDA continues to take creative and flexible approaches to address access to critical medical products in response to COVID-19. Researchers at academic institutions, non-traditional manufacturers, communities of makers, and individuals are banding together to support and fill local and…

A proposal to strip Disney World of its ability to self-inspect its rides could also alter its participation in a deal that allows these companies to self-report injuries.

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Tom MacCubbin gives advice on gardening in Florida including care of broccoli, pindo palms, tibouchina, California poppies, azaleas, flax lilies, liriope and bromeliads

Trump tried to ban the social media platform the last time he was in the White House.

If the words Super Nintendo bring back fond memories, Nintendo intends to keep refreshing your memory banks with more nostalgia. The next Super Nintendo World Direct will be presented today, November 11, at 5 PM ET with new exciting tidbits. The primary candidate on the calendar is not the limelight superstar Mario, nor is it his green-wearing

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Hi! I’m Igor Artiukhov, the Lead Designer at NIX United. During my nine years in IT, I’ve become acquainted with various domains and participated in the development of large products. In my current project, I regularly interact with the client’s team, so this article is written based on real experience and will be useful to […]

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DNA-testing company 23andMe (Nasdaq: ME), once an industry leader that attracted millions of customers, including rapper Snoop Dogg and investor Warren Buffett, has announced significant cuts to its operations, with plans to lay off 200 employees or roughly 40% of its workforce. The company also said it will discontinue development of its therapeutic programs. Here’s what to know about the latest development and what led up to it.

Board exodus

The latest move comes as the company looks to stabilize after facing significant challenges, including the resignation of all seven independent board members in October.

Data breach

Last year, 23andMe suffered a massive data breach when hackers accessed the personal information of 6.9 million users. The incident led to a class-action lawsuit, which, in September, 23andMe agreed to settle for $30 million.

The problem with SPACs

In 2021, 23andMe went public through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC. It later expanded into drug-discovery and weight-loss sectors. However, as DNA test kit sales declined, so did its financial health. By fiscal 2023, it reported a $312 million net loss, with its stock down 98% since going public, currently at about $4 after a reverse stock split in October 2024.

Separate reports have found that things have often not ended well for companies that took advantage of the pandemic-era SPAC boom, which led to billions in losses for investors and a number of bankruptcies for companies.

What’s next for 23andMe and its employees?

The layoffs are expected to result in $12 million in severance, termination, and transition-related costs and are part of a broader plan to streamline the business and achieve annual cost savings of $35 million.

The company says it is exploring various strategic options for its therapeutic programs, including potential licensing agreements and the sale of assets in its development pipeline.

“We are taking these difficult but necessary actions as we restructure 23andMe and focus on the long-term success of our core consumer business and research partnerships,” said Anne Wojcicki, cofounder, CEO, and chair of the board, in a statement.

Shares of 23andMe were up almost 6% to $4.87 on the news, which was announced late yesterday. The stock is down more than 73% year to date.

President-elect Donald Trump is expected to take a slew of executive actions on his first day in the White House to ramp up immigration enforcement and roll back President Joe Biden’s flagship legal entry programs, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The executive actions would give federal immigration officers more latitude to arrest people with no criminal records, surge troops to the U.S.-Mexico border and restart construction of the border wall, the sources said.

Trump also is expected to end Biden’s humanitarian programs that allowed hundreds of thousands of migrants to enter legally in recent years and could encourage those with expired statuses to leave voluntarily, according to the sources who declined to be identified.

“All of these should be on the table,” said Mark Morgan, an immigration official in Trump’s first term who said he did not speak for the Trump transition team.

Trump’s early executive actions would kickstart his immigration agenda, which includes a promise to deport record numbers of immigrants in the U.S. illegally.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security estimated there were 11 million immigrants without legal status in 2022, a figure that may have increased. Some cities that received migrants including New York, Chicago and Denver struggled to house and aid them.

Trump, a Republican, defeated Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in last week’s presidential election. He made claims that the Biden administration allowed high levels of illegal immigration a focus of his campaign.

Trump’s transition effort remains in its early stages and plans could change before his inauguration on Jan. 20. A Trump spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

Migrant arrests reached a record during Biden’s presidency, straining U.S. border enforcement. But illegal crossings fell dramatically this year as Biden instituted new border restrictions and Mexico stepped up enforcement.

Trump aims to drive illegal crossings even lower and use a whole-of-government approach to arrest, detain and deport large numbers of people.

Trump announced on Sunday night that former hardline U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Acting Director Tom Homan would serve as a White House “border czar” overseeing security and immigration enforcement.

Vice President-elect JD Vance on Monday appeared to confirm that Stephen Miller, architect of Trump’s restrictive first-term immigration agenda, would return as deputy chief of staff for policy, assuring the issue will remain central.

Trump’s aggressive agenda will likely encounter legal challenges from states governed by Democrats, the American Civil Liberties Union and pro-immigration advocates.

Day one takes shape

One of Trump’s Day One executive actions is expected to be an order on so-called interior enforcement, arresting and detaining immigrants in the U.S. illegally, the sources said.

Trump intends to scrap Biden administration guidance that prioritized people with serious criminal records for deportation and limited enforcement against non-criminals, they said.

The Trump order would call for deportations to prioritize people charged with felonies and people who have exhausted their legal avenues to remain, but would not restrict officers from picking up other potentially deportable immigrants.

More than 1 million immigrants in the U.S. have exhausted their legal options and been ordered deported, according to the pro-immigration American Immigration Council.

Homan told Fox News on Monday these people would be a priority. “A federal judge said, ‘You must go home,’ and they didn’t,” Homan said.

Certain groups – such as international students who support Palestinian militant group Hamas and have violated the terms of their student visas—could also be listed as a priority, two of the sources said.

ICE could use military planes in deportations and seek help from other government agencies to transport deportees, one source said. “All options are on the table,” the source said.

Another order would deal with border security, the two sources said. Trump intends to send National Guard troops to the border and declare illegal immigration a national emergency to unlock funds for border wall construction, the sources said.

Wall construction in Arizona—where Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs has opposed Republican enforcement efforts—could be a priority, two sources said.

Ending Biden programs

Trump plans to end Biden’s temporary humanitarian “parole” programs that have allowed hundreds of thousands of migrants to enter legally and access work permits, the sources said.

The programs include an initiative for certain migrants with U.S. sponsors and another that allows migrants in Mexico to use an app to schedule border appointments.

People in the U.S. with expired parole status who leave voluntarily could be allowed to apply for legal admission without penalties, the sources said.

Trump is also expected to talk with Mexico about reinstating his “Remain in Mexico” program which required non-Mexican asylum seekers to stay in Mexico while their U.S. cases were decided.

—Ted Hesson, Reuters

I am a huge baseball fan, so World Series time is one of my favorite times of the year, especially when my Yankees are playing. (Yes—I’m a Yankees fan. Winners can handle the hate.) I went to my first game at Shea Stadium to see the Yankees play the Senators and played stickball in Lefferts Park imagining I would pitch for the Yankees someday.

I came up as a fan towards the tail end of the first generation of integrated baseball. Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in the late forties. By the 1950s, the Negro League, which had until that point been the main place for Black men to play professional baseball, was essentially defunct.

This year was the 100^th anniversary of the Negro League. It began in 1924 and grew in popularity from there. Despite the talent of the players in those teams, the all-white Major League did everything they could to keep Black men out of baseball. They resisted it for years until Jackie Robinson came along.

Why? Racism, sure. But also, because they were afraid.

They were afraid of putting Black men and white men on the same playing field—literally. They were worried—in some cases, rightfully so—that Black men would outperform white men at the game. Instead of opening the ballparks to everyone, creating a true meritocracy and better baseball for all, they artificially kept a part of the population out of the game.

The problem with limiting inclusion

I see a similar trend playing out in our economy now: We are artificially keeping a whole class of people out, limiting the true potential of what we can achieve.

Almost 400 laws have been introduced in the past few years to stop or restrict the use of social impact considerations in private sector decision-making. These include laws that would ban diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives to support the most marginalized among us to start and grow businesses. This push has been exemplified by the legal effort to stop a privately funded program from the Fearless Fund, which aimed to help Black women founders and their companies. The Fearless Fund recently settled to avoid creating a legal precedent against these kinds of programs in the future.

I will not put on my attorney hat and get into the merits of these laws or lawsuits. That’s for another time. But clearly, a group of people felt threatened by the support of Black women entrepreneurs, enough to spend time and resources to take legal action.

They are doing this, even though Black women, women of color, and people of color in general, have the most barriers to success as entrepreneurs and small business owners. Black and Latiné business owners are usually constrained by undercapitalization and often lack access to traditional advisor and investor networks. As a result, people of color are less likely to be approved for small business loans, and when they are approved, receive lower amounts at higher interest rates compared to their white counterparts.

Investment returns are the same, yet . . .

The picture on the equity side of the equation is not any brighter. While white men receive at least 77% of the venture capital funding, Black men receive less than 1% of it. However, data have also shown that investment firms managed by people of color perform no different from firms managed by white people, for most asset classes.

For four major asset classes—mutual funds, hedge funds, real estate, and private equity—with a combined $69.1 trillion in assets globally, less than 1.3% are managed by people of color and white women. And of this asset bucket, only 1% percent are managed by Black people. This results in a lack of diversity in which founders are funded with venture capital and private equity. Like segregated baseball, it also begs the question about what innovation, creativity, and productivity are all of us missing out on because of this pattern of exclusion.

Legal advocates and their supporters are doing everything they can to stop anyone trying to upset this norm, just like they kept baseball segregated for as long as they could. Beyond a single case, they have effectively cowed potential investors from expanding economic opportunity for fear of becoming a target of groundless litigation. While Major League Baseball colluded to exclude Black men from competing with white men, white MLB players were also barred from competing in the Negro Leagues and feared reprisals.

Now, similar forces seek to bar Black women’s access to competition with white men by threatening reprisals to private investors and philanthropists. So far, their strategy seems to be successful. Unlike Dodgers owner Branch Rickey who invested in Jackie Robinson to win and ultimately improve baseball, white investors seem to be standing back, avoiding being called out as champions for economic equity and inclusion. (Their support for Robinson is probably the only reason I wasn’t too brokenhearted when the Dodgers beat my Yankees for the series title.) Perhaps investors do not want to find out if Black women entrepreneurs are actually better than the average white male entrepreneur.

We can all win in an inclusive economy

Our nation does not need to impede everyone capable and courageous enough to start a business, keeping up yesterday’s systemic barriers to economic opportunity. Such barriers need to be broken so we can all enjoy the fruits of an economy that recognizes talent and drive.

In the same way, we celebrate Jackie Robinson today and MLB has adjusted its records to include men like my grandfather, New York Cuban all-star pitcher Patricio Scantlebury, we will celebrate those with the courage to demand and strive for excellence and inclusion. They may not win before courts skilled in today’s ahistorical sophistry, but they will win in the court of public opinion. Our history will remember them and those who invested in them as champions for the equitable and inclusive economy we all deserve.

Joe Scantlebury, JD, is CEO of Living Cities.

Our bootcamps are a great study resource for CCIE candidates. No matter whether you’re just starting out on your CCIE training journey, or have been studying for months, an INE bootcamp can help you gauge where you’re at in the study process and what you need to focus on before attempting your CCIE Exams. What [...]

JavaScript continues to grow and evolve. While new libraries are important, there’s much more happening. The language itself is improving, there’s a lot going on in the community, and the tools are rapidly advancing. Let’s take a look at what’s new in JavaScript. Vue.js Creator’s New Company Raises $4.6M to Build Better JavaScript Tools Evan…

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2024 World Wide Technology Championship prize money: What champ Austin Eckroat and field earned  NBC Sports

Derek Collins of Huawei Ireland thinks that the global research landscape will have to evolve as humans begin to demand better technologies and 'dare to dream'.

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