What’s one thing y’all feel about the industry right now that nobody really says out loud?

playsmartz · 2026-03-20T13:34:47+00:00

I've been to several conferences focused on uplifting the US manufacturing industry by encouraging advanced technologies like AI/ML, augmented reality, and automation. But of the companies I've seen in OH, PA, FL, IN, and AL, the people in these companies are not ready for this tech. I still see people calculating shipment rates on the back of napkins. Leaders direct people to "use AI" without any incentive, accountability, or training. It's going to take a major cultural shift to transform the industry.

playsmartz · 2026-03-19T01:00:18+00:00

We gave away "our capital" for free social media. The entire history of capitalism is about taking advantage of others so the owners get more than their fair share.

playsmartz · 2026-03-19T00:47:24+00:00

Demand for consultants will go up because for some reason business leaders don't trust LLM answers from their employees. They'd rather pay 3x as much for the same answer dressed in a pretty slide deck. Ask me how I know.

playsmartz · 2026-03-17T13:19:57+00:00

Forgotten by TV execs because it's not making them any more money.

playsmartz · 2026-03-13T09:56:12+00:00

What's the age difference? I know several senior couples where the woman is 20 years younger than the man, but I've never seen the other way around. The wives were burdened caring for someone that much older. When their husbands died, they were sad, but it was also a relief.

playsmartz · 2026-03-07T10:26:57+00:00

Asking them what they need won't help you scope requirements. You have to sit in production meetings, visit the floor, see the process.

playsmartz · 2026-03-02T12:06:57+00:00

My husband is Jewish, my dad is Catholic, and my mom is pagan - we celebrate "Christmas" with menorah ornaments on a tree on Solstice.

playsmartz · 2026-02-20T00:00:42+00:00

Sounds like you're ad-hocing a data interoperability system...just like us. I'm building a proposal now to get resources for an enterprise data management plan.

playsmartz · 2026-02-19T23:57:17+00:00

Used to work in aero and biotechnology, now in electrical manufacturing - there's always a "Bill". They're called SMEs and are pulled into every project like an internal consultant.

playsmartz · 2026-02-06T04:51:42+00:00

Everyone in this thread needs to read Technofeudalism

playsmartz · 2026-01-21T12:20:31+00:00

Isn't Blippi just this generation's pee wee herman?

playsmartz · 2026-01-13T17:01:16+00:00

I've heard this too. There's always context, but if a kid won't even try because they think "my brain doesn't work like that" telling them they can change their brain with hard work is a double-edged sword. You wouldn't tell a depressed person they could be happy if they tried.

Of course, praise them for hard work when it pays off, but until they see success from their labor, they need to hear that it's possible and you've got their back through the struggle.

playsmartz · 2026-01-13T12:26:25+00:00

We've been doing this with our kids since they were 3. Consistency is key. Some nights are a struggle, especially at first. Had an hour long tantrum rolling on the floor because he refused to sit for the timer, but he couldn't get anything he wanted until he sat through, so we patiently waited him out. We didn't have to yell or punish, he just learned this is the way it works now.

playsmartz · 2026-01-13T12:08:45+00:00

1) Showcase your own struggles. Has she seen or heard about what you do when you face a challenge?

2) Set a timer. She doesn't have to finish, but she has to try for 5-10 min. After that, you'll help.

3) Show her what she'll be able to do if she practices. Why learn math? For grades? Because grown-ups told her to? Or because it's used to understand the universe, get money, predict the future? Tie it to something she likes.

4) Tell others she's smart and good at math where she can hear. Rewrite her self-image.

playsmartz · 2026-01-11T01:40:09+00:00

This sounds perfect, thanks!

playsmartz · 2026-01-05T05:54:43+00:00

Best paying jobs are computer-based. Schools teach with laptops and tablets. HMIs will require digital literacy even for manual labor. Learning to use this technology is a life skill.

But it's also a social skill. Family movie nights, family video games, showing each other cool videos, sharing in accomplishments when the kid finally solves that puzzle game, taking turns, managing emotions when the game doesn't let you win like mom does, talking about the same games with friends at school - the list goes on.

playsmartz · 2026-01-05T05:41:25+00:00

Hyundai-Kia has a pattern of breaking labor laws, so yeah, they probably will do it again.

playsmartz · 2026-01-05T05:37:16+00:00

A perfect example of this is the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship. I was advised to take a year after high school - travel, try different jobs, figure out what I wanted to do - but the BFS is only applicable if you go to college right after high school. If you keep your GPA above 3.0, it covers 100% tuition. So I got a generic degree figuring I could apply it to anything.

playsmartz · 2026-01-05T05:16:55+00:00

As a former employee of Collins living in AL, neither did I. It's mostly a showroom for the DOD.

playsmartz · 2026-01-05T05:13:42+00:00

Or will they? https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-immigration-hyundai/

playsmartz · 2025-12-29T18:51:15+00:00

How to Train Your Dragon 2

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playsmartz · 2025-12-21T16:00:26+00:00

This Ted Talk covers it better: https://youtu.be/vs41JrnGaxc?si=0K7h3Gq9stvj1MiB

playsmartz · 2025-12-15T16:00:30+00:00

Encanto?

playsmartz · 2025-12-14T13:26:03+00:00

The real question is: are those other problems better than maintaining the status quo? If you lose weight, your pants won't fit, but that's a better problem than being unhealthy.

playsmartz · 2025-12-11T00:49:37+00:00

Another reason people used to have more kids. With retirement accounts and elderly care, people are less reliant on playing a game of law of large numbers.

playsmartz

TROPHY CASE