• BOTAGEDDON IS COMING. Latest California law now requires BOTS – autonomous programs that can interact with computer systems, particularly internet users, to “self-identify.” Starting July 2019, platforms with over 10 million unique monthly U.S. visitors require Automated Accounts “to provide a clear, conspicuous and reasonably designed disclosure that they are non-human.” The law specifically targets deceptive commercial & political robots, versus artificial intelligence chat or email bots, but is likely to face litigation from multiple directions before ever getting implemented. [QUARTZ.COM – Oct 3, 18]
  • BROADWAY THEATER IS NOW RIVALLING THE MEDIA IN TAKING A FULLY POLITICAL TURN. Current and upcoming productions now focus audiences on current cultural issues including: “race & justice, gay love & shame, rapacious greed & hucksterism, perverse news spinning, a vain ruler undermined by his inner circle, the relation between factual accuracy & deeper truths, the moral duties of art, the relevance of small details in telling a larger story, the Constitution’s creation by white slave-owning men, and ongoing domination by white male justices.” Evening-at-the-theatre is a new ball game. [THE ECONOMIST – Oct 13, 18]
  • “THE WORLD IS FULL OF TALENTED PEOPLE WHO WILL NEVER FULFILL THEIR DESTINY because of a lack of consistency and/or focus, very often attributable to anxiety arising from pressure or stress… A few simple ‘anchoring’ steps can generally rivet attention to make a positive difference, by creating word/picture impressions in your brain which trigger ‘mindfulness.” Try: (1) Performing any physical gesture (e.g. circling thumb & forefinger) while closing your eyes and ‘relaxing’ by taking a few deep breaths thru the nose; then (2) Inwardly concentrating on how you will perform the upcoming activity, by silently telling yourself things like ‘I will ask appropriate questions/ listen well/ speak with confidence/ close assertively/ handle this matter/ place this golf shot/ etc. while remaining calm and relaxed throughout.” It works. [DEVELOPMENTAL EXCELERATIONS – Oct 23, 18]
  • THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CHANGE MANAGEMENT IS DEPENDENT ON LEADERSHIP and the degree to which business executives develop support team leaders. What makes leaders truly effective is, beyond intellect and technical knowledge, having emotional intelligence and sophistication of soft skills – the capability to align, engage and empower others since, without engagement & buy-in, people resist change.” DCG have decades of experience in facilitating change management to achieve strategic objectives with minimal push-back.  Let us help.  [FORBES – Oct 16, 18]
  • ODDS & ENDS: (1) Facebook has removed 82 groups of accounts with over a million followers which represented themselves as U.S. or British citizens posting “liberal or progressive viewpoint, with inflammatory content on politically-charged topics (including race relations, immigration, Trump opposition & police violence)…then inserting messaging on Saudi & Israel which amplified the Iranian government’s narrative.” The ‘false flag’ accounts however were originating in Iran. [TECHNOLOGY NEWS – Oct 26] (2) In Virtual Reality, food evidently tastes better on a farm, according to Cornell Univ. researchers who used VR headsets on “panelists tasting identical samples in a standard sensory both, a pleasant park bench, and a cow barn… Because food tastes differently in different surroundings, the VR process provides an immersive environment for cost-efficient studies.” [TELECRUNCH – Oct 19]   (3) The U.N. reports that four in every ten U.S. births are now to unmarried parents and 60% in European countries, and “the traditional progression of Western life has been reversed, due to changing societal & religious norms, as well as millions of childbearing-age women now in the workforce.” Meanwhile, rock-star Marilyn Manson now sells “a $125 dildo emblazoned with his face, noting that the paint is environmentally safe but may fade with multiple uses.” [LBN EXAMINER – Oct 24]
  •  VOTER TURNOUT THIS WEEK MAY BE LOWEST EVER – despite the outrageous level of media hype as to its criticality. Latest survey results suggest that this time one-in-five won’t even bother (one in four with 18 to 34 year olds) “largely because of feeling they have little control over how to address bad actors leveraging internet-enabled technologies which compromise the election voting system.” Reality appears to be that over 60% are “extremely concerned with not only identity theft and bank card fraud, but also view the internet as scarier than earthquakes, terrorism and wars.” [UNISYS.COM – Oct 24, 18]
  • THOUGHTS FOR THE WEEK: Nearly half of practicing doctors say they are “burned out” – predominantly from “too many bureaucratic tasks” (like charting & paperwork), based on the latest Medscape survey of 15,000 physicians from 29 specialties.

        For those who (want to) remember the ‘50s’ culture & environment, take a look: tps://biggeekdad.com/2013/09/remember/