• WHAT EXACTLY IS CORONOVIRUS?  Actually, viruses are just a bunch of genes whose only function are to replicate. “A single sneeze can release 100,000 viruses into the air – as common colds, flu, measles, HIV, Ebola, etc. They infect the cells of living organisms and hijack the genetic machinery while mass-producing replicas… Coronavirus is a biological term for any group of RNA viruses that cause a variety of diseases in humans and other animals. The latest, named Covid19 (which appears to have jumped species from bats) is considered a ‘parasitic zombie,’ whose infection produces varying responses – from mild respiratory distress to severe aches fever, pneumonia and death – when it triggers an out-of-control immune response that inflames and shuts down the lungs… Americans tend to overreact to temporary disruptions but do face a mindless invader thousands of times smaller than a grain of sand, that knows no natural boundaries and will certainly test our strength & social cohesion” until it, like other viruses, passes on. Still, no reason for panic.   [THE WEEK – 3/6/20]
  • “PASSWORDS ARE A 60-YEAR OLD SOLUTION BUILT ON A 5,000 YEAR OLD IDEA… Today people have an average of 85 passwords which our brains just aren’t wired to keep track of, so the promise of online convenience has been broken by antiquated authentication solutions with unrealistic best practices.” But security experts are developing approaches to avoid requiring a password, which may be utilized by 30% of organizations within the next three years, involving: “(1) something we ARE (facial contour, ridges of our thumb, speech patterns); (2) something we HAVE (physical objects like keycards, mobile devices, fobs, tokens); and/or (3) something we Do (behavior, habits, movements, location)… Anything to replace the flimsy strings of characters which can impersonate us all over the internet.”  [USA TODAY – 2/28/20]
  • FRUSTRATING ILLEGAL ROBOCALLS ARE FINALLY BEING TACKLED BY DEP’T OF JUSTICE, after hundreds of millions of monthly calls being routed from foreign call centers & VoIP carriers to phones in the U.S. which “spoof legitimate phone numbers purporting to be from federal agencies, elements of foreign governments and legitimate businesses, often conveying alarming messages such as that the recipient’s Social Security number or other personal info has been compromised, or faces imminent arrest, or whose assets are being frozen. When consumers answer or return messages, the fraudster then offers to ‘resolve’ the problems following an immediate transfer of funds, as well as getting paid for each call passed through the U.S. telephone system.” DOJ has now sued two U.S. telecommunications operators for facilitating these scams – the first step in hopefully halting this absurd impact of technology.  [MANATT NWSLTR – 2/27/20]
  • SENIORS TURNING 65 ARE “NO LONGER RETIRING QUIETLY INTO THE BACKGROUND.” This year marks the beginning of the YOLD decade – the ‘Young Old’ citizens between 65 and 75, who in prior decades opted to retire. But, “by continuing to work and staying socially engaged, Baby Boomers will change the world, as they’ve done several times before at different stages of their lives.” For this roughly 11% of ‘rich countries’ population, life expectancy has increased by 3.7 years (according to World Health Org), and cognitive capacity by 1.5 years (according to a German study). In America, their median family wealth now exceeds $210K, and Harvard now “has more ‘mature & retired students’ in its Continuing Education Division than in the University itself… By 2030 however, when they hit 75, they’ll be entering a long period of decline for which few rich countries are ready.”  [ECONOMIST – WORLD IN 2020]
  • CLARIFYING CBD VS. CANNABIS CONFUSION:  (1) Cannabis is a plant which contains hundreds of active chemicals called cannabidiols. Marijuana is a broad classification for ‘strains’ of cannabis that contain the chemical THC (tetrahydro-cannabiniol) which provides psychoactive (‘stoned’) effects; (2) Hemp is another variety of cannabis, grown to contain negligible amounts of non-intoxicating THC, and  actually is among the first crops ever cultivated by humans to provide fiber used for industrial purposes (including rope, clothing, paper, building materials, foods & cosmetics);  (3) The moniker ‘CBD’ relates to Hemp-based cannabidiol which has anti-inflammatory properties, most commonly used for anxiety, pain, nausea, muscle spasms & seizure disorders. CBD is now sold online & over-the-counter in most states (allowed since it doesn’t provide the psychoactive effects of cannabis) and is produced & marketed as oil, tincture, topical ointment, tea, and vaporizing liquid (vapes). (4) ‘Full-spectrum’ CBD products contain varying cannabidiol blends which credible brands independently test and label. However, many marketers do not, and public confusion results from mislabeling (often intentional) and falsely making “outrageous claims that CBD ‘cures’ cancer, Alzheimer’s, autism, and so forth.”  For more info on reality-based CBD benefits to skin care, health & wellness, see SeraLabsHealth.com.  [PHARMACY TODAY – FEB 20]
  • THOUGHTS FOR THE WEEK:

Globally, over the past 15 years, companies run by billionaires have outperformed others by double, according to UBS/PwC analysis. The common personality traits of those leaders are: “risk-taking, business focus & determination, combined with discipline to pursue long-term strategy, exceptionally aligned between performance and managerial incentives.”

      For those who appreciate World Class Violists: SOLO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGZoRoWMEiI&feature=youtu.be and QUARTET: https://biggeekdad.com/2014/04/classical-ladies/