• DESPITE INCREASED CYBERSECURITY FOCUS, DATA BREACHES CONTINUE TO GROW, mostly because Ransomware ‘gangs’ are on the rise, allowing even criminals with minimal computer knowledge to get into the game.  Hackers are always a step ahead (as are any other criminals) driving ransomware attacks, cloud misconfigurations and vendor vulnerabilities to a 78% increase in reported U.S. data breaches last year (according to nonprofit Identity Theft Resource Center) with trends similar in other parts of the world, even after estimated $188 billion cybersecurity spending globally in 2023 and $215 billion forecast for 2024. Still, the likelihood for crisis-level disruption is materially greater without cyber protection. DCG affiliates can help and initial consultation is always courtesy. [SECURETHEVILLAGE.ORG – 3/17/24]
  • THE U.S. HIGHER-EDUCATION SYSTEM is beholden to D.E.I.-focused Diversity hiring, which has effectively created “technocracy run by unelected, self-selected ‘experts,’ whose ranks have swelled with exponential growth of bureaucracies and the emergence of ‘academic’ programs designed to feed pursuit of dubious Credentials (like degrees in pseudo-sciences and quasi-academic subjects) which enable imposition of their personal policy preferences.”  Much to dismay of this Credentialed Class, Americans’ tolerance of this system may finally be waning, with the realities that most such Experts’ (1) don’t necessarily have best interests of non-elites at heart; (2) have issued most proclamations without regard for basis in science (e.g. on vaccines/ masks/ social distancing/ school closures/ transgender sex change), simply ignoring contradictions, exposure of statistical errors, even bald-faced lies; (3) pursue ‘careerism’ – “parlaying advanced degrees into a series of leadership roles focused more on personal ambition than on pursuit of truth… For the most part, while never voting for these decrees, Americans have gone along docilely, not noticing, caring, or unwilling to make waves, but Credentialism is hopefully on the way to collapsing.”  [BROWNSTONE INSTITUTE – 3/16/24]
  • AMERICAN CONSUMERS UTILIZED ‘CASH BACK’ AND ‘TRAVEL REWARDS funded from credit card processing fees paid by retailers for an estimated 15 million domestic trips resulting in $23 billion economic activity in 2022. The megastore chains (Walmart/ Target/ Kroger/ Home Depot/ Costco) have been pressuring Congress to pass new credit card mandates giving the Federal Reserve broad power to manipulate the credit card market, in order to lessen or avoid paying processing fees of generally 2% on usage – a projected windfall of up to $3 billion for the top hundred retailers. Small businesses however would suffer from decline in credit cards which currently support their marketing, employee benefits, and about $12 billion in customer Rewards. A Bill almost passed last year (buried in a package to fund the military) and lobbyists are again pushing hard to get it through.  [TOWNHALL – 3/19/24]
  • SORA IS THE NEXT LEVEL OF A.I., SOON COMING, WHICH WILL LITERALLY CHANGE OUR ENTIRE FUTURE. It will accelerate and impact the structure of day-to-day business & work/ decision making/ jobs/ training in all areas of business/ entertainment/ marketing & advertising/ education/ healthcare/ technology development through acceleration of information into seconds which currently takes days or weeks and teams of people. Get ready for the future: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrX2cRJcqJo

 THOUGHTS FOR THE WEEK:

‘Protocol experts’ suggest when/ where/ how to ‘Tip’ these days — at restaurants, bars, coffee houses 15 -20%; at hotels, $2 per bag to porters, $3 – $5 per day to housekeepers; for taxi or uber drivers 10%.  When possible, hand money directly to people versus leaving on table or counter.  And always check any bill to see if gratuity has already been added.  [READERS’ DIGEST] 

Fifteen years ago, California voters approved $33 billion for a High-Speed Train connecting Los Angeles to San Francisco, by 2020. So far: (1) $12 billion has been spent without completing a single mile of track; (2) Latest plan is for a 170-mile track connecting two inland cities, at cost of another $35 billion, to be completed in 2033; (3) funding the original LA-SF route would cost a further $100 billion which would need to come from the federal government, and without any clue as to completion date.  [WASHINGTON EXAMINER]