• THE LATEST CDC REPORT NOW ATTRIBUTES ONLY 6% OF DEATHS REPORTED AS COVID-CAUSED were in fact attributable to the virus. The other 94% were people who died from other ailments – mostly lung-related, but also hypertension, heart failure, circulatory system diseases, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, obesity, even poisoning – while also having contracted the Covid-19 virus. “The most, by far, occurred in hospitals, a healthcare setting or nursing homes… It would appear that Covid-19 was a simple bystander – like blaming a man for a car crash when he was simply on the sidewalk witnessing it.” [RED STATE – 8/31/20]
• SOME $40 BILLION IS NOW HELD FOR INVESTMENT IN PRIVATE COMPANIES THROUGH ‘SPACs’ – Special Purpose Acquisition vehicles also known as Blank Check Companies – which raise monies & ‘go public’ without any operations or acquisition targets necessarily even identified. The Funds get 24 months to do so, and investors get to vote with right to redeem their shares if not happy with the acquisition deals, but if none close, the company liquidates and monies are refunded. So far in 2020, over $30 billion has been deployed in conventional and in ‘futuristic’ businesses (like driverless cars and space tourism). The boom has stemmed from a perfect storm of: (1) Historically low interest rates on bonds, while stocks continue to grow a record valuations; (2) Investors in Private Equity & Venture Capital funds who want to cash out at those all-time high valuations; and (3) Financiers needing new ways to earn transaction fees, often 20% of a deal plus warrants. “Investors may soon find out whether SPACs are a new way of doing business or just the latest shiny object in a bull market.” [BLOOMBERG BUSINESSWEEK – 8/31/20]
•  THE BIASES WE FACE IN BUSINESS DECISION-MAKING CAN BECOME CRITICAL FACTORS IN TIMES OF HEIGHTENED UNCERTAINTY. Recognizing cognitive biases is a precursor to most effectively taking strategic action with least risk, and a few are paramount:  (1) Framing bias – which stems from the context in which we receive data, from whom or what resource and how the data is presented, which can constrict thinking; (2) Salience bias – based on historical data which tells us nothing about future direction, and often leads to overweighting new or noteworthy information; (3) Clustering Illusion bias – which stems from ‘patterned’ data which, even if existent (like a winning blackjack hand which happens every third deal), has no realistic predictive value. “When we feel high uncertainty, our decision-making processes can break down and we may become paralyzed & afraid to act, or act on the basis of bias, emotion & intuition instead of logic and facts.” DCG can help.  [HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW – 8/28/20]
•  “THE COUNTRY CANNOT AFFORD ANOTHER 4 YEARS OF TRUMP,” is perspective from a DNC committee co-chairlady, blaming today’s “American carnage” fully & solely at the fault of President Trump, based on opposition politicians & media (largely mis-)reporting of: “(1) His mishandling of the coronavirus by not marshalling the full resources of government or political capital to stop the virus once and for all… (2) American business dying in the wake of the resulting economic recession… (3) The painfully high unemployment rate… (4) His rhetoric being the ‘mobilizing factor in hate crimes’… (5) His doing nothing to assuage the ‘pain and anger’ felt by African-Americans after encounter with heavy-handed police officers… (6) Minority communities feeling marginalized, scared and unwelcome.” This is the political pitch against re-election of a conservative administration, based on the premise that ‘Best Defense is a Good Offense.’ Hating Trump’s personality/speaking style/morals is one thing; ignoring the true impacts of his actions and policies likely to continue is a sad depiction of low respect for intelligence or integrity of American voters. [THE HILL – 8/30/20]