• THE INTERNET HAS PROFOUNDLY TRANSFORMED CHOOSING A MATE – the biggest decision that most people make in their lives. Over 200 million people use digital dating every month, and over a third of American marriages began efficiently with an online match-up. Harvard/Univ. of Chicago/Stanford research contend that “such couples profess to be happier with greater relationship quality (than those who met offline) and are likely to last longer… But, whereas, romance used to be a distributed activity which took place in a profusion of bars, clubs, churches & offices, now enormous numbers of people rely on a few companies to meet their mate, which hands a small number of coders, tweaking the algorithms that determine who sees whom across the virtual bar, tremendous power to engineer mating outcomes… Beyond an inherent conflict of interest – since perfect matching would leave them bereft of paying customers – digital dating is a massive social experiment, conducted on one of humanity’s most intimate and vital processes, the effects of which are only just starting to become visible.” [THE ECONOMIST – Aug 18, 18]
  •  THE ABSURDITY OF CALIFORNIA’S ‘OPEN DOOR SANCTUARY’ POLICY is “sowing the seeds of future catastrophe.” Of some three million so-called ‘undocumented immigrants,’ well over a third now have state-issued drivers licenses (issued irrespective of driving history or insurance) which “present a doorway to enter the welfare system and to vote…as well as provide not only a legal but easy way to remain even if committing felonies.” Illegal immigrants continue to swarm the border convinced that, once here – (especially if arriving with a purported family – the likelihood of arrest or deportation is remote. According to the Gov’t Accountability Office, nationally over a quarter-million illegals have been arrested for over 3 million criminal offenses including “homicide, kidnapping, drugs, burglary & larceny… California’s lapse into a kind of lawlessness unseen since the days when southern states bucked federal anti-Jim Crow & voting rights…has made a mockery of our national immigration system and controls.” [INVESTORS BUSINESS DAILY – Apr 5, 18]
  • AMERICA IS THE ONLY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD WHICH OFFERS CITIZENSHIP to newborn babies of tourists and illegal aliens. “Every other modern developed nation has gotten rid of ‘birthright citizenship’ policies” after recognizing their lunacy, including Canada, France, UK, Ireland, India, New Zealand and Portugal. Absence of focus of any kind on this most critical element of American culture is why some 80% consistently “disapprove of the way Congress handles its job” in every poll taken over the past year. Yet their re-election rate among all 435 members has rarely dipped below 90%. [LBN EXAMINER – Aug 19, 18]
  • EFFECTIVELY MANAGING A WORKFORCE THESE DAYS is increasingly dependent on establishing and maintaining a ‘culture’ which meets the disparate social expectations of employees, including interpersonal differences & disputes stemming from generational, gender and now political perspectives. Most organizations avoid involvement in these arenas, allowing conflicts to be glossed over and gambling that common sense** will find common-enough ground between workers to not materially impact productivity or customer services. One proactive management step which helps ensure that employees keep focused on company priorities is through periodic update discussions that align work-team objectives and personal career-development with tangible performance measurement correlated to compensation. DCG have decades of experience in developing this process; let us help.
  • MAJOR BUSINESS TAX LAW CHANGES REMINDER: (1) Like-Kind (1031) Exchanges – are now only allowed for Real Property held for Productive Use in a Trade or Business, and no longer allowed on property held primarily for sale. (2) Net Operating Losses – are now carried forward indefinitely, but only offset 80% of future taxable income, and are no longer allowed for carryback two years (except farming & casualty insurers). (3) ALL Entertainment expenses – are now non-deductible when related to amusement, recreation, or any facility involving a social, athletic or sporting club; (4) Business Meals – are still allowed up to 50% when associated with work travel, or when “directly related to a substantial & bonafide business discussion involving active conduct of a trade or business, and supported by documentation for both business purpose and relationship of the parties.”
  •  THOUGHTS FOR THE WEEK: **The sad passing of Common Sense:  http://orthodoxengland.org.uk/obitcs.htm

      Beyond our five human ‘senses’ (sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell), scientists now estimate up to 28 other senses including: balance, temperature, pain, movement, and of course the ‘sixth sense’ – extrasensory perception.  

     The stages of ‘hype’ in social media marketing always flow, over a time span, from Announcement/Launch and Buzz/Keyword programming to blog/internet/airwave promotion, which build enthusiasm (or not). At its peak, a product or service can reach a new paradigm level until customer disappointment from realization as to benefit/tradeoff inevitably drops to a mean level.