Disrupted

Piotr Cichosz

Disruptive technology isn't always sustainable.

Take, for example, Alexa. Amazon sells its device at cost and with more than 10,000 employees working on the project, it is bleeding cash. Amazon's devices and services unit, which oversees Alexa, had an annual operating loss of $5 billion in recent years, according to a report earlier this month in the Wall Street Journal.

Innovators have failed before, and it may be too soon to deem Alexa a failure, but yearly losses in the billions sure seems like a lot to overcome. But, they are not alone, Siri and Google Assistant are having problems. The idea behind Alexa was that people would buy products suggested by Alexa through Amazon.  Popular Science reports that didn't work out. They go on to say,  A rake of privacy scandals certainly didn’t help and, despite Alexa getting roughly a billion user interactions per week in 2018, they were mostly simple requests to play music or deliver a weather report. Not exactly the kind of asks that can easily be monetized. That year, it lost almost $5 billion.

The problem, Alexa is a stand alone speaker. Siri and Google come standard on smart devices. And the result; Alexa is the third most popular voice assistant. It's hard to compete that way. Amazon announced 10,000 layoffs. Forbes says, The cuts will primarily focus on money-draining units, such as Amazon voice-assistant Alexa and ebook-reader Kindle.

So, what happens when the disruptor gets disrupted by an economic reality? Other innovations and  innovators take over. The market is littered with innovative failures. Here are four from Under 30 CEO.

With the exception of Windows Vista, I'm not sure I remember any of these.

• Facebook Phone
• Navdy
• Windows Vista
• Nike+ Fuel Band

In my world, broadcasting, there's been several innovations cast aside on the media highway.

• AM Stereo
• Quad FM
• HD Radio
• Beta Max 
• 3D TV
• Digital Audio Tape (R-DAT)

Then again, maybe the next big thing wasn't really measuring up to expectations. 

Did you buy any of these? I did. I bought a Beta Max.

Things That Work / Thank You

 

Two Simple Words

Saying thank you is simple really. In my youth It was part of the magic words, please, thank you, and I added you're welcome. For me it was an acknowledgement I received the message.

Being thankful is shown to make us more positive, more resilient and improve our relationships too. People who regularly take time to notice and note the things they're thankful for, experience more positive emotions, sleep better, and express more compassion and kindness toward others.  20, 2021 cleanspace.com

Newsela.com points out, saying thank you goes beyond beyond being polite. Recent research in social psychology suggests that saying "thank you" goes beyond good manners. It also serves to build and maintain social relationships. Prakash Joshi Pax points out in an article published in Medium in 2020 it's an attitude of gratitude. 

He's come up with 5 Reasons Why Saying ‘Thank You’ Is So Important for Everyone.  

#1: It is the simplest form of expressing gratitude.

Saying thank you is the simplest form of expressing gratitude and the attitude of gratitude is what keeps us happy. Being grateful for what you have in life, even the smallest things bring more abundance and happiness in your life.

#2: People feel appreciated and loved.

Thanking others never makes you inferior. In fact, it shows a great sign of respect for another person, for his time and presence in your life. When you say ‘thank you’, people develop a feeling that they have done something to help you. This gives them inner happiness.

#3: Making others feel good brings good back to you in unpredictable ways.

When you make someone feel important and appreciated, you brighten up their days in the smallest of ways. And they are more likely to pass on that feeling to someone else. When you say than you, it also makes people more willing to do something for you again in the future.

#4: Saying thank you makes you happier and healthier.

Studies have confirmed that the simple act of saying ‘thank you’ can lead you to a happier life. When you express your thankfulness to others, it not only makes others feel great but also makes you feel great. It provides peace of mind and inner happiness.

#5: You bring abundance in your life.

When you say ‘thank you’, you attract that person or even other things. Think, for example, do your friends come around when you say thank you for their presence and every little effort or when you condemn and criticize them.

For the Ungrateful

For those of us who are ungrateful, the consequences could take on biblical proportions.

Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment. A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion. When wickedness comes, contempt comes also, and with dishonor comes disgrace. The words of a man's mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook. It is not good to be partial to the wicked or to deprive the righteous of justice. Proverbs 18: 1-24

Then, there's always karma. 

Thanks for reading this

Things That Work / The Big Picture

 

Chris Leboutillier

Power Bills to Pop

Eversource and United Illuminating announced eye popping increases starting in January. Connecticut’s two biggest electric utilities requested a massive rate increase Thursday. The proposal could raise the average electric bill for residential customers of Eversource and United Illuminating by about $80 each month and would take effect Jan. 1. (CT Public 11/17/2022)  Then regulators rubbed salt in the wound by stating they can't do much about it.

According to the article, the people who regulate this stuff, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), says they can't do anything.  The agency said Connecticut’s decision to deregulate energy markets more than two decades ago made it so “PURA does not have the authority to reject or modify the standard service rates.”

Eversource said in a statement: “As has been widely reported, energy costs continue to rise globally, with regional electric supply prices reaching all-time highs this year due to increased global demand for and the high cost of natural gas, world events, extreme weather, and other issues.” (CT Public 11/17/2022) 

 Immediate Relief?

The gist of the article from CT Public suggests no quick fixes. There are some things that can be done in the short term. They offer temporary relief at best. 

• Release more oil and gas from the reserves.
• Cut taxes on fossil fuels.
• Offer heating assistance.
• Improve oversight of Connecticut's utilities.

These solutions offer no relief from increased demand and dwindling supplies. A situation made worse by the war in Ukraine. 

What works? 

A broader perspective. Dependence on fossil fuels and radical change to our environment caused by carbon emissions will continue to worsen the global crisis. "The UN says, Limited natural resources, such as drinking water, are becoming even scarcer in many parts of the world that host refugees. Crops and livestock struggle to survive where conditions become too hot and dry, or too cold and wet, threatening livelihoods."

An article in Zurich.com offers the grim prediction of 1.2 billion climate refugees by 2050. "Climate change does not just pose a threat by causing immediate harm to people and infrastructure, it is also a long-term danger that can slowly destabilize societies and economies, making them more vulnerable to other threats. Take for instance sea-level rise. Over the past 30 years, the number of people living in coastal areas at high risk of rising sea levels has increased from 160 million to 260 million, 90 percent of whom are from poor developing countries and small island states."

The Big Picture

The Union of Concerned Scientists has come up with Climate Solutions listed below. These are not immediate fixes. We cannot wave a magic wand and make everything better. the changes are incremental, but they offer an improvement on the direction we're headed right now.

Cut Emissions 

Carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases are the main drivers of global warming. While climate change cannot be stopped, it can be slowed.To avoid the worst consequences of climate change, we’ll need to reach “net zero” carbon emissions by 2050 or sooner. Net zero means that, on balance, no more carbon is dumped into the atmosphere than is taken out. The scale of these changes will require significant federal policy that puts a price on carbon. It also requires international cooperation.

Remove Carbon Dioxide

To reach net zero emissions, we need to do more than just reduce our emissions: we need to actively remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or offset its effects.The easiest way to do this is by planting new forests (afforestation) or restoring old ones (reforestation). Other enhanced land management practices can help, as can new technologies that suck CO2 out of the air (“direct air capture”), or prevent it from leaving smokestacks (“carbon capture and storage”).

Fight Disinformation

For years, media pundits, partisan think tanks, and special interest groups funded by fossil fuel companies have raised doubts about the truth of global warming.These contrarians downplay and distort the evidence of climate change, lobby for policies that reward polluters, and attempt to undercut existing pollution standards.

Prepare and Adapt

No matter how quickly we reduce emissions, the reality is that certain climate impacts are inevitable. The seas are rising. Temperatures break records every year. Droughts, floods, and extreme weather are damaging communities today. Cutting carbon is the only long-term solution for avoiding climate impacts. In the short-term, we need to adapt.

Act

Speak up. Organize. Demand change. Promote alternatives to fossil fuels. Hold those who stand in the way accountable. Vote for politicians who understand and are willing to do something to make this a better place. 

Positive News recently posted Seven Solutions to Climate Change That Need to Happen Now. 

Embrace Renewables - The cost is coming down. Way down.

Electrify Transport - Their batteries can play a key role in the renewables revolution by acting as mini power plants, trickling energy to and from the grid when not in use.

Retrofit Houses - Most homes can be warmed by ground- or air-source electric heat pumps.

Reduce Waste - One third of all food produced never gets eaten – either because it spoils between being harvested and hitting the shops, or because it’s thrown away by the purchaser. For farmers in the global south, a combination of agricultural market reforms and provision of refrigerated storage can drastically cut wastage and boost their income.

Restore Carbon Sinks - Plant trees. Beyond trees, we need to farm in a way that locks carbon in the soil, rather than releasing it, using low- and zero-till methods, rewilding land where appropriate, and boosting agroforestry and other sustainably intensive approaches. The seas matter too: we need to adopt fishing methods that conserve marine carbon sinks and encourage habitats like mangroves and seagrass, which captures carbon up to 35 times faster than rainforests.

Reduce Consumption - Cutting resource consumption is key to many climate solutions. The rise of the circular economy, as celebrated by the Green Alley Awards, is helping break the link between quality of life and quantity of stuff.

Shift the System - It means putting a high enough price on carbon that industry is incentivised to move away from it – and reflecting that in fiscal policies that shift the burden from labour to resource use. In other words, tax what we don’t want (planet-warming activities), and not what we do (jobs).

Stepping back and taking the time to look at the broader perspective for increases in utility bills led to a greater understanding of the reasons why and some ideas of what can be done to overcome the problems.

Two Years of Obstruction

Aleksandr Barsukov

But in times of crisis, the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another as if we were one single tribe. 
- King T’Challa, Black Panther (2018)

Obstructionists Control Congress

There's a real possibility of obstructionist behavior from Republicans. We went through eight years of this during the Obama administration. With Republicans now in control of congress, we face two more years of political posturing.

Obstructionism is the practice of deliberately delaying or preventing a process or change, especially in politics.

German Lopez wrote in the New York Times this morning:

Republicans are positioned to trot out an old strategy: When a Democrat has been in the White House over the past few decades, congressional Republicans have embraced calls for reducing government spending, arguing that the debt and deficits were out of control. In the 2010s, Republicans used these threats to block spending bills and make it harder for Barack Obama to carry out his presidential agenda — at times risking government shutdowns and economic calamity.

It is a political play. When Donald Trump was in the White House, Republican lawmakers approved budgets and tax measures that raised the debt and deficits to new highs.

But the approach is nonetheless poised for a comeback once House Republicans can use the threat of shutdowns and economic consequences to restrain President Biden. Trump, who announced his run for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination last night, has pushed the party’s lawmakers to use these tactics to get concessions from Democrats.

Obstructionists Are Passive Aggressive

 Passive-aggressive people act passive but express aggression covertly. They're basically obstructionists who try to block whatever it is you want. 

There are strategies for dealing with passive aggressive people. Mindtools.com came up with eight strategies: 

1. Identify the Behavior.
2. Create a Safe Environment.
3. Use Language Carefully.
4. Stay Calm.
5. Identify the Cause.
6. Provide Training.
7. Set Clear Standards and Consequences.
8. Open up Channels of Communication.

Will any of these work on Republicans. Not without leverage. That leverage comes in two forms, accountability and the vote. Accountability is part of what public radio and public media listeners expect from us. The next two years represent an opportunity for us to meet the expectations of our listeners.

Things that Work / Negative Political Advertising

Brian Worthheim
 

Negative Ads

Not all things that work are good for us

I'm sure you've noticed all the negative ads as we get closer to the election Tuesday. But are they working?

They are in Wisconsin, and some heavy hitters in conservative circles are behind Ron Johnson and his campaign.

Up until recently, Mandela Barnes had a sizeable lead on Ron Johnson. That lead has evaporated as Johnson and an advertising campaign, largely funded by two billionaires who the Democrat’s campaign say are rewarding Johnson for his support of tax cuts that benefited them by hundreds of millions of dollars. The campaign is loaded with false hoods and racists dog whistles.

The Guardian and PBS reports Diane Hendricks, a rightwing billionaire businesswoman and Wisconsin native closely tied to Donald Trump, and Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein, founders of the Wisconsin-based Uline packaging company who have a long history of funding far-right candidates, are the main donors to a political action committee, Wisconsin Truth, which until recently was heavily outspending the Barnes campaign.

Their campaign may not be fair, but there's no law against it. NPR reports The federal government does regulate truth in advertising, but that only applies to commercial ads, not political ones. In fact, local broadcast channels - think your local NBC, CBS or ABC news stations - are required to air candidates' ads unfiltered.

After months of flinging mud, Senator Ron Johnson was finally obliged to admit that his Democratic opponent in the upper midwestern state of Wisconsin had never actually made a call to “defund the police”.

But that did not stop the Trumpist senator’s re-election drive from continuing to broadcast racially charged advertisements falsely claiming that Mandela Barnes, the lieutenant governor of Wisconsin, “rationalized violence” against the police and tying him to the most controversial positions of Black Lives Matter. -The Guardian

In a report on PBS NewsHour, Senator Tommy Tuberville in a campaign rally in Nevada with Donald Trump made racist claims. 

Some people say, well, they're soft on crime.

No, they're not soft on crime. They're pro-crime. They want crime. They want crime because they want to take over what you got. They want to control what you have.

They want reparation because they think the people that do the crime are owed that.

Bull (EXPLETIVE DELETED)!

And there's really no getting around the fact that that is a racist statement, the idea that only Black people commit crime or something, which is just patently untrue, and — yes, and just very much untrue.

But what I will say is that the Republican effort to tie Democrats to crime, to say that Democrats want crime or our, like, soft on crime, or want lenience on criminals, that is very much on message with the Republican campaigns.

There is a huge amount of spending on crime-related advertising. You mentioned Wisconsin. -Tamara Keith

The sad part is, standing with the facts may not be enough to offset big money and big lies that resonate with people's fears. It's not ethical, but it will continue to work, unless enough people who care, vote.