品質はどうなるかな？
数多くのApple（アップル）製品が中国で生産される今日このごろですが、一方で一部のMacBookとiPadの生産がベトナムへと移管される可能性が出てきました。
ロイターの報道によると、Apple（アップル）製品の製造を担当しているFoxconn（フォックスコン）がベトナム北部のバクザン省にて、2021年前半からアップル製品の製造を開始する予定だとしています。
さらにこの要請は｢貿易摩擦｣が原因だとしているのです。この貿易摩擦はいわずとしれた、アメリカと中国の貿易に関するギクシャクを意味しています。
実はアップルの製造ラインはすでに国際化がすすめられており、ベトナムではすでにAirPodsとAirPods Pro、そしてiPhoneの製造が実施されています。そこに、MacBookやiPadがくわわったとしてもなんら不思議はないですよね。
｢Assembled in Vietnam（ベトナム組み立て）｣なMacBookやiPadをゲットできる日は相当区内かもしれません。
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さらに「セーブデータお預かり」でバックアップしたセーブデータを自動できる機能や，USB接続でPCに画面写真と動画をコピーする機能，フレンドが遊んだソフトを表示する「トレンド」機能が追加されたほか，スマートフォンに画面写真と動画が転送できるようになった。
[トピックス]Nintendo Switch本体にあたらしい機能が追加。HOMEメニューからNintendo Switch Onlineの全サービスに簡単にアクセス。https://t.co/oIH7rPEHWG
— 任天堂株式会社 (@Nintendo) December 1, 2020
オークションサイト、eBayが、PlayStation 5のコンソールの写真を使った詐欺への対応を実施すると発表した。出品者への対処と出品取り消しを行なうということだ。
eBayはEurogamerで次のように述べている。「購入したいと思う人の気持ちにつけ込んで、ユーザーをだまそうとする出品者に対する対応を実施します。サイト上のPS5の写真を掲載した出品はすべて削除し、こういった出品を行なった出品者には適切な対処をさせていただきます」
これらの出品者たちは、 PlayStation 5のコンソールを販売しているかのように見せかけて出品しているが、実際に出品されているのは「PS5の写真」だ。「ソニー PlayStation5 Digital Edition 1TB 本体 - ホワイト（写真）」と、コンソールを出品しているかのように見せかけるタイトルで、実際に販売している商品が写真だとはわかりにくいようになっている。
この記事を書いている間にも、英国と北米のeBayのサイトにはぞくぞくとこういった商品が出品されている。実際に入札もされており、現在、価格は数百ポンドや数百ドル（数万円）となっている。これらの入札には、詐欺出品者自身がより「合法的に」見せて、入札者をだますために入札したものもあれば、実際にだまされた入札者のみによるものもある。
「どの出品もですが、特に高額なものや需要の高いものには、入札者は細心の注意を払い、商品説明を詳細までしっかり読んで下さい」とeBayはコメントしている。「商品説明と違う商品が届いたという購入者の方は、 eBay上で取り引きを完了後、eBay返金保証制度を通じて返金を申請して下さい」
どの出品タイトルにも、「フォト」、「写真」、「画像のみ」などの記載があり、中には、「お届けするのは写真のみになります」などといった文章が説明内にあるものもあることから、これらの出品者は、「商品は説明と同じでなければならない」という利用規約を明らかにわかっている。そのため、これらの出品は、「厳密には」eBayの規約に沿っているといえるが、eBayがこれらに対処するというのは良いことだ。被害者に対する保証があるのかどうかについてはコメントでははっきりと述べられていない。ただ、「説明と異なる商品は返金の対象となる」となっているため、写真だと記載されているすべての出品に関しては返金保証外ということになる。
Having an early start to planning for your retirement is key to having peace of mind in your golden years. Take the guesswork out of the equation as CPF gets you started with your retirement planning. Here are some CPF numbers you need to know.
This is the amount you can expect to receive every month if you join CPF LIFE with $272,900 in your CPF Retirement Account (RA) at the age of 65. This may seem to be a big sum of money, but with attractive CPF interest rates, you can achieve this by setting aside $181,000, the current Full Retirement Sum, at the age of 55. For higher payouts, you can top up your RA.
There are three CPF LIFE Plans: Escalating, Standard and Basic Plan. Ask yourself whether you prefer a monthly payout that increases each year to help you cope with rising prices, or a fixed budget even if it means being able to buy less as things get more expensive as the years pass. Plan ahead and build up your CPF savings to meet your retirement goals.
*Based on the CPF LIFE Standard Plan computed for a CPF member turning 55 in 2020.
You can start receiving the monthly payouts any time from the age of 65.
However, if you do not have immediate needs, you may wish to defer receiving your payouts. For every year that you defer, the payouts will increase by up to 7 per cent. This will give you up to a 35-per-cent increase in monthly payouts if you choose to start receiving them at 70.
You have until the age of 70 to start your payouts, after which they will automatically begin.
The Government helps you grow your CPF savings by paying good interest.
Singaporeans who are 55 and above earn 6 per cent on the first $30,000 of their total CPF savings, and 5 per cent on the next $30,000.
Boost your retirement savings by making small and regular top-ups to your Special Account before you turn 55, and Retirement Account afterwards.
Adding just $5 a day to your CPF savings will net you over $35,000** in 15 years with the power of compound interest.
The earlier you top up your CPF accounts, the more you will benefit.
**Computed using the base interest of 4 per cent per annum on your Special or Retirement Account.
Brought to you by
MacBook Air (M1, 2020) とMacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2016) で、Other World ComputingのThunderbolt 4対応ハブ「OWC Thunderbolt Hub」に付属するThunderbolt 4ケーブルを使用し、MIWAKURAのUSB 3.2 Gen 2接続M.2 NVMe SSDドライブケース「MPC-DCM2U3C」をマウント後、M1ネイティブ対応した「Blackmagic Disk Speed Test」を使ってベンチマーク計測してみた。
Blackmagic Disk Speed TestM1のApple T8103USBXHCIコントローラーと、Intel MacのApple USBXHCIARコントローラーの場合、Apple USBXHCIARコントローラーの方が約1.7倍速いという結果だった。
今度は、MacBook Air (M1, 2020)とMac Pro (2019) に、Samsung製Thunderbolt 3接続ポータブルSSD「Samsung Portable SSD X5」をマウント後、ベンチマーク計測してみた。
Blackmagic Disk Speed TestWriteはMacBook Air (M1, 2020) の方が少し速く、Readは同等性能で、Thunderbolt 3接続ドライブを使用する上で差はないという結果だった。
AppleのM1チップを搭載したMacで外部ドライブを使用する場合、Thunderbolt 3接続ストレージを使った方が良いようだ。
協力：江東支部
SINGAPORE - Customers can now choose from about 17,000 items on the iShopChangi platform, more than triple the number available before the coronavirus outbreak struck.
That is one of the ways Changi Airport Group (CAG) has moved to help retailers at the airport reach out to non-travellers in Singapore, as international travel remains at a standstill amid the pandemic.
CAG said online sales by Changi Airport retailers have surpassed pre-pandemic numbers, though it did not provide specific figures.
Said CAG spokesman Ivan Tan: "Currently, more than 90 per cent of our customers are non-travellers... Wines and spirits, beauty and electronics continue to be most popular with our customers."
The pivot to online sales comes with barely any travellers passing though the airport. Passenger traffic remains at less than 5 per cent of what it was before the pandemic, and retail sales at Changi Airport have plunged 74 per cent this year.
At Terminal 1 and Terminal 3, which have remained open, only about half of the outlets in the transit areas are operating. Operations at T4 have been suspended, while T2 remains closed after plans for upgrading works were brought forward.
Mr Tan said work has been done to transform Changi's food and beverage business through the launch of the Changi Eats food delivery service in June.
There are now 40 brands offering over 800 food, drink and snack items on the platform.
He said the number of orders received had grown almost fivefold since its launch, proving it was "plugging a market gap and demonstrating how we are value-adding to our customers".
CAG has also helped businesses in areas such as rental rebates, shorter operating hours and training opportunities.
Most recently, it launched shopping tours of its transit areas, held on weekends and by invitation only. They are targeted at customers who would otherwise have been travelling and shopping at Changi during the year-end holiday period.
Mr Tan said: "These shopping tours allow us to continue to engage our customers and share our deep knowledge of travel retail products with them."
Article From & Read More ( Changi Airport turns to online sales to keep retail businesses going - The Straits Times )
SINGAPORE: From February next year, eligible non-bank financial institutions will have direct access to retail payment services like Fast and Secure Transfers (FAST) and PayNow.
This will allow users to make real-time funds transfers between bank accounts and e-wallets, as well as across different e-wallets, said the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) in a media release on Monday (Nov 30).
Currently, most e-wallets require the use of debit or credit cards to top up funds. Transfers between e-wallets are also not possible.
Businesses that are partnered with any of the 23 FAST or nine PayNow banks will benefit from this move.
E-wallets that have traditionally been "closed-loop ecosystems" will also be able to receive real-time payments from other users of e-wallets of mobile banking applications that join FAST or PayNow.
"This will enable businesses to access a larger market of consumers than before for receiving e-payments instantly and seamlessly," said MAS.
The eligible institutions, which have to be licensed as major payment institutions under the Payment Services Act, will be able to connect directly via a new Application Programming Interface (API) payment gateway.
"The API payment gateway is better geared to the technology architecture of banks and non-bank financial institutions, and can also be used by other banks and non-bank financial institutions in future," said MAS.
MAS managing director Ravi Menon said direct access to FAST and PayNow "closes the last-mile gap in Singapore's e-payments journey".
"Consumers who may not have ready access to debit or credit cards to fund their e-wallets will now have the option to do so directly through their bank accounts," said Mr Menon.
He added that the adoption of e-payments will become "even more simple" for individuals and businesses.
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高知東生、”自死遺族”の胸中語る 過熱報道に「SOS出すまで待って」（オリコン） Yahoo!ニュースSINGAPORE: For more than two years since she started working at a bank, Mavis (not her real name) has been keeping a secret from her bosses: She suffers from depression and anxiety.
While her company has hired counsellors, Mavis has never used their services, and seeks external counselling instead.
She has kept her mental health condition under wraps due to the “toxic” work culture, said the 25-year-old associate, and she fears that her chances of a promotion will be stymied if her condition is out in the open.
“Some have told me that (the company counsellors) will report back to the bank, though my boss said that this doesn’t happen - but you never know,” she said.
"In my industry, you are expected to work very hard and expected to have endurance … Those who can work a lot and handle a lot are seen as better."
A former trainee at a law firm, who wanted to be known only as Chloe, had a similar experience.
The 26-year-old, who began working at the firm early last year, developed anxiety attacks throughout her six-month traineeship. Things worsened to the point where she broke down during several lunch breaks, after feeling like she was manipulating her clients by withholding information.
“I felt like I had to lie to my client ... and I was under so much anxiety. During lunch, I would go down to cry, because I felt like I just couldn’t cope.”
Like Mavis, Chloe did not tell her bosses about her deteriorating mental health, but put on a poker face when she returned to the office after each breakdown.
“I have friends in the legal practice, and the advice given to me was that I could not speak to anybody about (my emotional issues). The concern was really stigma, so I had to go for private counselling,” said Chloe, who is no longer with the firm but is furthering her studies.
This is what some employees here have to face. But what about the employers? What do they have to say?
Those interviewed stressed that they are open to listening to their staff about whatever problems they may have, including mental health issues. However, they admit that a line has to be drawn, especially when it comes to business-critical roles.
If the employees continue to fall short of expectations or are unable to work for long periods of time due to their mental health conditions, the employers said they may have no choice but to refer the workers to other roles within the company or fire them.
Still, having to support staff who have reached their breaking point may not be the biggest challenge when it comes to mental health issues at the workplace in Singapore.
It is actually tackling the stigma surrounding mental illness and encouraging employees to speak up about their problems, based on interviews with workers, employers, human resource (HR) experts, general practitioners (GPs) and psychologists.
While calls to improve mental health awareness in the workplace are not new, the issue has taken on an added urgency this year with COVID-19 creating new stresses and pressures for everyone.
And with more people forced to work from home as the pandemic rages on, the boundaries between work and rest have been blurred, taking a further toll on the mental health of many employees.
But even before the coronavirus struck, the mental health situation here has been a growing concern: The Singapore Mental Health Study conducted between 2016 and 2018 found that one in seven people experienced a mental disorder in their lifetime, compared with one in eight people in 2010’s Mental Health Study.
Just earlier this week, TODAY reported that the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is investigating allegations made against a firm here where a former employee has committed suicide allegedly due to harsh working conditions.
Against this backdrop, a tripartite advisory on mental well-being at workplaces was issued last week by the MOM, Singapore National Employers Federation and National Trades Union Congress.
In introducing the advisory, Manpower Minister Josephine Teo said “protecting workers’ mental health has become even more important” during the pandemic.
Among its guidelines are:
While these guidelines are a step in the right direction, more can be done in ensuring that these initiatives are not treated as a paper exercise, and that cultural changes are enacted at the workplace, HR experts and mental wellness advocates said.
Ms Anthea Ong, founder of the WorkWell Leaders Workgroup, a community of leaders from various companies and national agencies which champion workplace mental well-being, said that the guidelines are “solid building blocks” but it will be up to the bosses to take the lead in eradicating stigma at the workplace.
“If the leaders do not catch on and only leave it to the HR department to go and fulfil the requirements on the advisory, then I don’t think we have actually made a dent,” she said.
“Until it is actually embraced, acknowledged and acted upon by the leaders ... only then do we start seeing these programmes, policies and practices making an impact on the ground,” said Ms Ong, a former Nominated Member of Parliament.
CHALLENGES FACED BY EMPLOYERS
While larger firms may have more resources to implement the tripartite advisory guidelines, this is not always the case for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), many of which are feeling the crunch from the current economic slowdown.
Mr Adam Esoof Piperdy, chief executive officer and founder of events company Unearthed Productions, said that SMEs like his are in a “very precarious position” during the pandemic and it may not be practical for them to tick every box in the advisory.
“Such measures would (require) quite a high investment. I think what we would rather do is to have more informal practices of checking in with each other,” he added.
Even for larger firms with comprehensive mental health initiatives, the issue of employees not speaking up about their conditions remains a problem - one that has been exacerbated by remote working.
Ms Anuradha Purbey, people director at insurer Aviva Europe and Asia, said that a consequence of remote working is that managers are not able to meet their employees on a frequent basis.
“Hence, it becomes harder to ‘visibly’ identify any mental health and other challenges that employees are facing,” she said.
“So, we have to rely, primarily, on the online catch-ups and frequent surveys.”
And like what Mavis and Chloe faced, Ms Anuradha acknowledged that the stigma surrounding mental illness is what prevents many firms from detecting mental health issues in the first place, since employees are reluctant to reach out for help.
“While mental health awareness has been gaining traction in Singapore, for many it is still considered taboo to acknowledge their struggles,” she said.
“At Aviva, we want to make talking about mental health as normal as talking about physical health and continue to do what we can do to remove this stigma."
While there are firms which are willing to cut some slack for employees with mental health issues, they also said that there is a limit to how much employers can do.
Mr Piperdy, for example, said that he will try his best to get any colleagues struggling with mental health to seek professional help or give them days off if they are unable to cope. However, since the event industry is a client-facing role, he cannot continually make concessions at the risk of letting his clients down.
“At the end of the day, the job scope doesn’t change … if they’re not able to manage the workload that comes in, which is something we actively do, then I think we will help this person to transition to another job, maybe we will look for opportunities for this person.
"We have successfully redesignated some of them, to find suitable jobs in more fixed, permanent (roles) such as working in a venue instead of working for an events company,” Mr Piperdy added.
“But we are actively trying to avoid that by having early intervention, coaching and mentorships.”
TAKING THE FIRST STEP: BOSSES SAYING ‘IT’S OK TO NOT BE OK’
In recent years, some companies in Singapore have come up with a slew of measures to promote mental wellness at the workplace, many of which are in line with the tripartite advisory’s guidelines.
For instance, national media network Mediacorp introduced earlier this month an emotional and mental well-being support initiative that consists of emotional and mental wellness training and a one-on-one confidential counselling service, among other things.
Mediacorp Chief Human Resources Officer Yvonne Ee said: “As part of our corporate wellness initiative, we continue to support our people with resources they need to adapt positively and perform well, during these unprecedented times.”
She added: “Through (the initiative), we look to create an environment where staff can build strong mental and emotional resilience, and feel secure as they continue to contribute to the organisation.”
Biopharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca Singapore said that among its mental wellness initiatives is an internal online platform for employees to discuss mental health issues and queries within chat groups. It also has in place the employee assistance programmes which provide confidential counselling.
President of AstraZeneca Singapore Vinod Narayanan said: “While we continue to build our open and inclusive culture at the workplace, we also recognise the impact COVID-19 has on mental well-being of our employees and will continue to build that space where it is safe for employees to speak openly about mental health issues.”
In response to queries, business consultancy PwC Singapore said it provides several avenues to support mental health including an employee assistance programme, workshops, support groups and online resources to drive awareness of the subject.
Online marketplace Carousell said it has a dedicated wellness programme where employees “come together as a team to focus on our well-being”, at least once a month. It is also looking into establishing an employee assistance programme to offer support to employees struggling with personal and work-related problems.
While companies ramping up their mental wellness initiatives is a positive sign, HR experts said that this has to be coupled with bosses who lead by example in creating a more open company culture.
Earlier this week, Bloomberg reported that Economic Development Board managing director Chng Kai Fong had opened up about his mental health struggle during the pandemic at a technology conference on Nov 22.
Mr Chng - who was formerly the principal private secretary to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong - said that family matters that occurred in April had affected his emotional and mental state, leading to feelings of “heat and anger” and depressive bouts.
According to Bloomberg, Mr Chng said he wanted to openly share his experience with others who might be facing mounting pressure to lead during times of fear and uncertainty.
“We can do a lot more as leaders to acknowledge that (it’s OK not to be OK) and to share a little bit more about ourselves,” Mr Chng said. “And that builds trust.”
Otis Asia Pacific president Stephane de Montlivault, who is a member of the WorkWell Leaders Workgroup, said that being more open about his struggles with mental health meant that employees of the elevator company were more willing to share their problems as well.
“I shared my personal situation as I happened to also have a number of difficulties (amid COVID-19). I lost a colleague and very close friend who died in a car accident … and shortly after that my father-in-law had a heart attack and was in the ICU,” he isaid. “I was facing a lot of stress, and had sleeping issues, anxieties."
When he shared these issues at a forum with his employees, many of them started opening up, and subsequently many were willing to go to their bosses directly with their problems, he said.
“(We) made it very open and clear that it is not only okay, but normal and encouraged to talk about our difficulties and to work on them as a team,” said Mr de Montlivault.
“This actually caused us to take some actions in some cases when we found that people had difficulties when we were constrained by not being able to come to the office.”
Agreeing, Ms Ong said that bosses who are willing to reveal their vulnerable side send a clear signal to employees that having mental health issues does not mean that they will not be able to succeed at work.
“That’s a very big part of stigma in the workplace, (which) stems a lot from concerns with career progression and advancement,” she said. “When leaders are the ones sharing, then it says that it does not affect your promotion options, your career progress, and your potential.”
Veteran HR practitioner Carmen Wee said that the employer-employee relationship should be one that is centred on the well-being of the employee. “If employees are fearful in asking for help, there’s something wrong with the culture or leadership approach,” she said.
“If you work in a company where the company respects you, wants to look after their well-being, which employee will not flourish and perform?
”There would not be such a fear if employees “feel supported and don’t feel like their psychological safety is threatened”, she added.
Ms Wee noted that for cases where an employee’s mental health condition becomes too severe to continue working at a company, firing the employee should be a last resort.
Other alternatives such as no-pay leave, counselling and job coaching should first be considered.
“If at the end of the day, the person still can’t cope and the job is still contributing to the stress, there needs to be a heart-to-heart talk, and if everything cannot be worked out, they might have to part ways,” she said.
Even when making such a decision, the company must also be sensitive given the pandemic situation, where it may be difficult to find employment. Employers can introduce the affected workers to new jobs that may be more suitable, or link them up with job courses.
“Each person’s circumstance is different, so the company needs to examine and come up with an individualised plan,” Ms Wee said.
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH SHOULD BE SEEN ON PAR
Although awareness of mental health here has grown, there remains a common misconception that physical health takes precedence over it, when both in fact should be viewed on par, said psychologists and GPs whom TODAY spoke to.
Dr Geraldine Tan, director and principal psychologist of The Therapy Room, said that whether it is a physical or mental illness, patients can be “struck down” by it for a prolonged period.
“When they have their diagnosis of anxiety and depression, they cannot go into the office, and someone else has to take over, so it is as bad as having surgery, or breaking your leg,” she said.
Agreeing, GPs said that they would give medical certificates (MCs) regardless of whether it is a physical or mental ailment.
Dr Sunil Kumar Joseph, a GP who runs Tayka Medical Family Clinic in Jurong, reiterated: “Mental illness is treated the same as physical illness from a medical point of view, so there is no issue.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”.
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), physical and mental health are interconnected and cannot be viewed in isolation.
“Stress can take a toll on our physical health, while physical challenges can also bring new stress into our lives,” the APA said on its website.
Regardless of the literature, Dr Sunil said the main obstacle is the stigma that prevents patients from visiting him in the first place. And one policy that propagates the stigma is company-paid insurance, he noted.
“Indirectly, (the company) is able to access all your medical history because you signed a waiver to your rights of confidentiality,” he said. “So very few people who are using corporate insurance are willing to disclose mental health conditions, so that’s one stumbling block.”
He added that a lot of insurers do not pay for mental health treatment.
One guideline in the tripartite advisory says that companies with flexible employee benefits, such as medical benefits, should consider extending the scope of coverage to include mental well-being programmes, mental health consultations and treatments.
Companies such as Aviva Singapore, consultancy firm PwC Singapore and investment holding company Jardine Cycle & Carriage have health coverage plans that include mental health treatment.
Otis’ Mr de Montlivault said that as per the guidelines, his firm will be looking to include mental health as part of its health coverage as well. In the meantime, Otis employees can tap internal company self-funded insurance which has been expanded to include coverage for psychological support services.
If employees are hesitant to get MCs for their mental ailments, some companies have a policy where a limited number of sick days can be taken without having to produce an MC.Some employers also provide medical leave based on trust, rather than having to always provide MCs.
Mr Jeffery Tan, chief executive officer of charity organisation Jardines Mindset Singapore and group general counsel of Jardine Cycle & Carriage, said that if employees report that they have mental health issues without an MC, it will come down to “managerial discretion and empowerment by the supervisors”.
“Even for physical ailments, we don’t always need to be able to produce an MC before we can go off; we can see someone is struggling with an ailment, they can take an afternoon off,” said Mr Tan, who is also part of the WorkWell Leaders Workgroup.
“This is coupled with an element of trust in a safe environment, as opposed to starting off by saying ‘if I have this, are people going to game the system and be less than truthful?’,” he added. “I think those are all the wrong dynamics.”
Agreeing, Ms Audrey Ng, global head of HR for mining firm Anglo-American Marketing, said that trust is “central to the relationship with our teams”.
“We know that the overwhelming majority of them are highly dedicated and committed to achieving great results for the entire organisation, so if we see that someone needs a break, we try to ensure that he or she feels empowered to take some time off with line manager approval,” said Ms Ng.
Still, some employees said taking medical leave as and when they need to is not feasible, as they are on project-based jobs.
A junior art director at an advertising firm, who wanted to be known only as Isabel, said that the number of projects she had to do during the circuit breaker period increased by about 40 per cent as more clients were looking to advertise online.
The longer working hours and higher workload resulted in the 24-year-old feeling stressed and anxious to the point where she would vomit regularly and lose her memory while at work.
She could not take a break as she had to meet the clients’ deadlines, and no one could take over her projects as they would not be familiar with the clients’ requests.
“In advertising, the mindset is always clients first, and that’s very detrimental on the employees,” she said.
WHAT EMPLOYEES CAN DO THEMSELVES
Dr Douglas Kong, a mental health expert and performance coach, said that those who are stressed at work may not be able to identify the signs until it is too late.
“Those who are under stress, or have some issues in their life that they aren’t handling well … they can’t see it, and they do their best to cope and handle it,” he said.
He has seen several cases of employees who would not admit to their stress and anxiety, only for their mental health conditions to worsen and affect their productivity.
“So people think that mental illness is terrible, that you must not have it … But the point is that if you can deal with it earlier... it can allow the person to overcome it and get on with their lives and work,” said Dr Kong.
Mr Adrian Choo, founder of career strategy consulting firm Career Agility International, said that employees must know “when to back off” when caught in a stressful situation.
“Employees themselves need to know when they are being stretched and are hitting the limit… (They) need to ask themselves what is more important, your health or your career?” he said. “Because if you are burnt out, you are of no use to your company anyway.”
For Mavis, the bank employee who is hiding her mental health condition from her bosses, only a significant cultural shift in her company will prompt her to open up about her struggles to her superiors.
“If I see a culture where you’re talking openly about mental health, and it’s very clear that if I say something about it, not just my bosses but my colleagues will not think differently of me,” she said. “(Instead) it will be something that can actually help me, with people being more caring and it is not something that will be looked down on.
”She added: “But right now, it is a far cry from that.”
For more news like this, visit todayonline.com
先日、発売になったM1プロセッサ搭載のMac。すでに各メディアでベンチマークテストなどが行なわれており、結構いい成績が出ているようだ。
筆者もさっそく、M1搭載の新型「Mac mini」を購入し、オーディオデバイスなどが動作するのかチェックするとともに、オーディオ性能についても確認してみたので、レポートしてみよう。
11月11日、M1プロセッサを搭載したMacが3機種発表されたタイミングで、価格的にも安かったので実験用機材としてMac miniを1台注文した。Mac miniは初代から、適時購入してきたので、おそらく今回のものが筆者にとって7代目となるMac miniだ。
スペック的な選択の余地はあまりなかったが、16GBメモリ、1TB SSDという組み合わせで購入したところ、11月20日にモノが届いた。これまでは、ちょうど2年前に購入したMac mini(3.2GHz 6コアの第8世代Intel Core i7、16GBメモリ)を使っていたが、それと並べてみると、色はちょっと違うけれど、形も端子もまったく同じだ。
なお、最小構成は8GBメモリ、256GB SSDで、価格は72,800円から。
届いてさっそく、DTM関連のハード、ソフトに関するテストを行ない、その結果は筆者のブログであるDTMステーションで紹介したのだが、その結論を簡単にいうと、オーディオインターフェイスに関してはUSBクラスコンプライアントのデバイスは問題なく動作するが、ドライバが必要なものは、M1対応のドライバが登場しない限り使うことができない、ということだった。
現状、対応ドライバを出しているメーカーは極めて少ないが、RMEはPublic PreviewというバージョンのM1対応ドライバを出しており、これをインストールしてみたところ、Fireface UCXを問題なく動かすことができた。まだβ版の扱いとはいえ、このスピードでドライバを出せたRMEには感心するが、このことを考えると各社がM1対応ドライバを出すのは、それほど先ではないのかもしれない。
一方ソフトのほうは、Logic Pro XおよびGarageBandはApple製品だけに、いち早くM1対応していたわけだが、それ以外のDAWは現状はIntel版のまま。
これらをM1版Mac miniにインストールしてみたところ、あっさりとインストールでき、ほとんどのDAWをいつも通りに動かすことができた。
M1プロセッサは、Intelプロセッサとはアーキテクチャが異なるCPUなので、Intel用のソフトがそのまま動作するはずはないのだが、それが動くのはRosetta 2というエミュレーションソフトが機能しているから。
細かく検証できているわけではないが、普通に動き、普通に録音、再生できてしまうのには驚いた。考えてみれば、以前MacがPower PCからIntelのCPUに移行した際もRosettaというエミュレータを用いて互換性を実現していたので、こうしたものをAppleは得意としているのかもしれない。
ただ、各メディアで「M1は“爆速”」と騒がれていた割には、それほどの速さは感じなかった。従来のMac miniより明らかに重く、何らかの原因でDAWが落ちる、ということもしばしばだったので、「まあ、まだそんなもんだろう」というのが正直な感想だ。
新しもの見たさに試してみるのには、非常に面白い機材だが、業務用にはまだ使えない。各ハードウェア用のドライバ、そしてDAWやプラグインなどすべてがM1対応してから購入しても遅くはないと思う。そうなったら、かなり使えるマシンに進化することだろう。
一通りの実験を終えた後、ちょっと試してみようと思ったのが、この新しいMacの音楽を再生する際にビットパーフェクトが実現できるのかというテストだ。
今年初め「『Macの音は問題なくビットパーフェクト出力』は本当なのか? Mojave/Catalinaでテスト」という記事で行なった実験をM1版Mac miniで試してみたくなった。'20年1月の時点では、Mojave、Catalinaだったが、今回のM1版Mac miniにはBig Surが入っており、OS的にも初めての実験だ。
常識的には、CPUが変わっても、OSが新しくなっても、変わらないとは思うが、実際どうなのだろうか。
以前の実験では、Mac側にSteinberg「UR816C」、Windows側にRoland「UA-101」を接続した上で、オプティカルのS/PDIFケーブルで接続。Macで再生した音をWindowsのSound Forgeを使って録音した。その後、再生した音と録音した音を比較してみた結果、1ビットも狂わず完全に同じ＝ビットパーフェクトを実現していたことが証明できた。
今回もその組み合わせで実験しようとしたところ、さっそく問題が起きた。
UR816C自体はUSBクラスコンプライアントなオーディオインターフェイスであり、ドライバ無しでも動作する。ただし、UR816Cのオプティカル端子からS/PDIF信号を送り出す設定をするためにはdspMixFx_UR-Cというユーティリティソフトのインストールが必要であり、これを動作させるためにドライバも同時にインストールする必要があったのだ。
なんとかなるのではと、SteinbergサイトからTOOL for UR-CというIntel版のソフトをダウンロードしインストールしたところ、ここまではうまくいった。ところが目的のdspMixFx_UR-1を起動するとデバイスがない旨の表示されてしまい、どうにもうまくいかないのだ。
仕方がないので、つい先日購入したPreSonus「STUDIO 1810c」をM1版Mac miniに接続。が、これはオプティカルのS/PDIF出力がなかったので、Windows側をRME Fireface UCXに切り替え、コアキシャルで接続して実験したのだが、どうもうまくいかない。おそらく筆者が不慣れなためどこかで手順を間違えている可能性がありそうなので、ここは一旦諦め、作戦変更。
次に試したのは、M1版Mac mini側はPublic Previewのドライバを使った状態でFireface UCXを接続し、Windows側にUA-101を接続する方法だ。
Mac miniの出力先をUCXにするとともに、設定画面で、オプティカルの出力フォーマットをS/PDIFのConsumerに設定。さらに、オーディオ機器の出力設定でADAT/SPDIFを設定。この状態で、テスト曲のWAVファイルをダブルクリックするとミュージックが起動。音はUCXのオプティカル端子から出力され、UA-101へ到着。UA-101側はデジタルロックがかかるとともに、Sound Forgeへと流れてくるので、これを録音してみた。
この結果をefu氏のフリーウェア「WaveCompare」で比較してみたところ、完全に一致。当初の読み通り、M1版Mac mini＋Big Surの環境においても、ビットパーフェクトを達成することが証明できた。
次に試したのは、非常にアナログな、音のベンチマークテストだ。
M1版Mac miniにはヘッドフォン端子があるので、この出力の音質がどの程度のものなのか、サイン波とスウィープ信号を使って特性を見てみることにした。
以前、この手の実験では、Steinbergのオーディオインターフェイス「UR22mkII」をWindowsに接続して使っていたが、先日測定機用としてFireface UCXを購入したので、今回からはこちらを使うことにする。
ソフト側は、MAGIXのSound Forge Pro 14 Suiteを使用。もっとも、単純にM1版Mac miniの性能だけを測定しても分かりにくいので、こちらも先日購入したばかりのiPhone 12 Proでも同じサイン波、スウィープ信号を流して、同じくUCXを接続したWindow環境で録音した。
efu氏の計測ツールWaveSpectraで確認してみた結果がこちらだ。iPhone側もMac側もボリュームは最大にしているが、この最大音量でも入力レベル的にはまだ少し足りないため、UCXの入力ゲインを少し上げている。
続いてM1版Mac miniでも同じ実験を行なってみた。
M1版Mac miniはiPhoneよりもさらにレベルがずっと小さかったので、UCXの入力ゲインをさらに上げて、揃えることにした。その結果がこちらだ。
違いは明らかで、やはりiPhoneのほうが圧倒的に高音質ということがわかる。
大きな差が出たのはSNの違い。まあ入力ゲインの引き上げによってノイズが増幅されてしまう可能性も否定できないが、そうはいっても、結構な違いである。同じApple製品であり、同じARMコアのCPUを使ったiPhone 12 ProとM1版Mac miniだが、アナログのオーディオ出力という意味では、結構な差がある。やはりMacで高音質に音楽を聴くには、USB-DACやオーディオインターフェイスが必須であるということだろう。
以上、ちょっぴり変わったベンチマークテストではあったが、今回はM1版Mac miniの音質性能を検証してみた。前述のオーディオインターフェイスの別の組み合わせなど、まだ消化できていない部分もあるので、追々検証していこうと思っている。
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ロボット風な見た目を裏切らず、中身もハイテク。
カナダのトロントより、感染予防をしつつ電動ファンと骨伝導イヤフォンで通話もできる、ハイテクな機能を持ったマスク｢Glask｣が登場しました。
これは口元が透明で、曇らない素材が使われており、メガネのように耳にかけて装着します。その姿は、まるで鎧武者の目の下頬（めのしたぼお） か、『新世紀エヴァンゲリオン』を想い起こさせるイカつさです。
Glask has a multi layer filtration mechanism coupled with electronics. Including: smart fans and air pressure sensors.It can detect your body status and adjust airflow in your mask. So, when you are working out, it smartly adjust fan speed to get you enough oxygen.#COVDI19pic.twitter.com/pKbNBzl5CU
— glask (@glask_ca) November 21, 2020
フィルターは5層構造になっており、内部には二酸化炭素センサーを装備しています、これのおかげで、たとえば運動している時など、身体の状態を検知して内蔵ファンの速度を調節するのだそうな。また声を発した時によく聞こえない問題を解決するべく、下部には電子マイク＋スピーカーと、電動ファンおよびHEPAと活性炭フィルターも内蔵されています。
その他の機能としては、耳にかけるツルの部分は柔軟性があり、マスク内は天然のミントの香りが感じられ、スマート体温計が1時間毎に検温し、Wi-FiおよびBluetoothでスマホのアプリと接続し、データを記録します。
｢Glask｣には3つのモデルがあり、200ドルの｢Basic｣には電動パーツがなく、450ドルの｢Pro｣は3段階の空調、電動ファン、スピーカー、充電池が追加。そして700ドルの｢Pro Plus｣だと上記の機能に加えてやっと骨伝導イヤフォンと無線接続が追加されます。
カラバリは黒、紫、紺、ワインレッドのようなバーガンディー、空色、そして薄ピンクのクォーツの6色。明るい色なら女性が着けてもゴツさや和らぐ…かな？ サイズもS、M、Lから選べるので、注文画面からどうぞ。
フェイスシールドやバルブ付きマスクは効果がザルだと判明していますが、口元をピッタリ覆う｢Glask｣なら、接客業や医療関係なんか特に良さそうですね。
Source: YouTube, Twitter, GLASK via uncrate
サンコーは、消毒液などを広く素早く撒ける「狙い撃ち! 消毒液バスターガン CRAMGWTW」を11月27日に発売した。価格は5,980円(税込)。
広範囲にミストを噴射できる充電式スプレーガン。消毒液以外にも水を入れて使えるため、植物の水やりなどにも活用できる。
タンク容量は800ml。トリガーを引くと先端の噴射口からミストが広範囲に噴射される。本体のダイヤルで無段階に噴霧量の調整が可能。1分あたり最大100ml噴霧できる。
本体サイズは300×65×250mm(幅×奥行き×高さ)、本体重量は746g。充電時間は約2時間、連続稼働時間は約30分。ACアダプター/予備芯/安全ピンが付属する。
2020/11/30 06:22 ウェザーニュース
今夜はゆっくりと空を見上げてみませんか？
一方、北日本から北陸にかけての日本海側は雲が広がりやすくなりますが、秋田周辺は雲の切れ間から満月を見るチャンスがありそうです。
11月の満月は“Beaver Moon（ビーバー月）”と呼ばれることがあります。
11月は、ネイティブアメリカンがビーバーを捕まえるワナを仕掛ける時期という説と、ビーバーが冬の為のダム作りを始める時期という2つの説からビーバームーンと名づけられたといわれています。
そして、太陽の光が当たっている月面の半球が地球から見てどちらを向いているかによって、三日月や上弦、満月、下弦など、見かけ上の形が変わります。
地球から見た太陽の方向を基準に、太陽の方向と月の方向の黄経差が0度の瞬間が朔（新月）、90度の瞬間が上弦（半月）、180度の瞬間が望（満月）、270度の瞬間が下弦（半月）と定義されていて、およそ1か月弱で1周します。
つまり満月は、地球から見て太陽と月が正反対の方向にならぶ瞬間（太陽、地球、月の順に、ほぼ一直線にならぶ瞬間）を指します。
半影月食とは、月面から見て部分日食が起こっている状態です。
月食という名が付いているものの月が欠けて見えることはなく、グラデーションのように片側が少し暗く見える現象です。照明を半分隠したような状態というと想像しやすいかもしれません。
半影食の始まり：16時32分頃
半影食の最大 ：18時43分頃
半影食の終わり：20時53分頃
※全国共通
東京では、食の始まり時点の月の高度は0.5度と目視できる高さではありませんが、その後は徐々に月がのぼり、食の最大時点で25.3度に達します。月の出の遅い那覇でも、食の最大時は13.2度になりますので、各地で半影月食も楽しめそうです。
