As We Bid Farewell To November here in #Outsiders....

It has been a challenging November and a challenging year. As we look forward to further updates on #COP21 and other challenges around our World, we thought this we ran across (also released to our twitter feed earlier) underscores how we have to look at the true art of the possible. Onward to December with all the hope and the promise and realizing that nothing is impossible--which is why we are here!!

It always seems impossible until it's done." ~Nelson Mandela #dailyqotd #qotd https://t.co/W5sCWKKQ58

— The Daily Outsider (@DailyOutsider) November 29, 2015

Notations From the Grid (W-End Edition): On the True Reality in Syria

 As our World continues to be witness to the Syrian Inferno, we ran across this that underscores the true complexity of  #Syria--as our team noted when it released a "Notation" Earlier on the true realities, a picture is worth a thousand words:

As We Are "Back to Work": A Pleasure to Present the Friday Musical Interlude w/ #Adele Singing While We Were Young

As our team "hits the virtual ground", we wanted to begin with the Friday Musical Interlude with this selection from Adele & her powerful performance on Saturday Night Live--left our breathless:

On the eve of Thanksgiving in the United States.....

We here @ #Outsiders have decided to go "dark" for Thanksgiving week here in the United States to reflect upon our World.      Our team will be "on the prowl" though with the daily twitter curation on our key "hastag" watches including #Daesh, #India, #China, #uselections, #Europe & #americas as we gear up for #COP21 (The United Nations Climate Change Conference) and formally launch "NASIIM".  

As we go "dark" for thanksgiving week, we wanted to feature this from +Jonathan Huie that underscores what we must be thankful for and simply underscore the need to do our best and do what we can to make a difference--it is ever so critical not to forget especially with the profound challenges we are faced with.

From all of us to all in the United States, Happy Thanksgiving as we step back to be ever so thankful and appreciative as we ask all never to "stop thinking about tomorrow":

Notations For the Weekend: Perception of Time (Please Enjoy!!!)

This 3-minute animation will change your perception of time 

VIDEO: The Earth is really, really old. Over four and a half billion years old, in fact. How do we begin to comprehend a number that large? It helps to put it on a more fathomable scale. Watch to see where Earth's major events would fall on a timeline stretching across the US. 
Read»

The Friday Musical Interlude: ColdPlay's "Speed of Sound".....

Welcome to Friday here in #Outsiders as it is time yet again for the Friday Musical Interlude.   We have chosen "Cold Play" as our artist of the week and hope you enjoy this selection here as we wish you all a fabulous Friday and a fabulous weekend:

Notations From the Grid: Thought 4 the Week

For this week's "Thought 4 the Week", we wanted to feature this perceptive thought from the great @Darren Hardy that goes to the heart of what Education should be:

The answers are everywhere.
In fact, that is the problem - they are everywhere, easily accessible, anytime, from anywhere.

Today we have Google, Wikipedia, YouTube, and the rest of the world wide web of answers.
Anything you want to know is a few keystrokes or thumb taps away.

The education system is still trapped in the model of answer collecting and memorization.
The key to success used to be having more answers.
Now answers are a commodity ... Go to post

Notations From the Grid: A "Tip of the Week" On How to Protect Your Privacy on Public WiFi Networks - Techlicious

We just saw this courtesy of the team @ Techlicious and thought it is worthwhile to note especially as Digital Piracy is on the increase: 

How to Protect Your Privacy on Public WiFi Networks - Techlicious

Notations From the Grid: Thought 4 the Week

This simple, yet profound statement was telling as we were reminded of it this morning collectively as +Jonathan Huie noted in his daily collection of thoughts:

Onward.....

Notations For the Week-End (Special Edition): On #ParisAttacks & Beyond

As we write this, we are monitoring updates from Europe as SkyNews is reporting live on the victims and the aftermath.   129 People have died and 99 are still in hospital.

Parisians are gathering at the Place De La Republic to honor the fallen.  . One of the fallen is a 23-Year Old Student From Cal State Long Beach, Nohemi Gonzalez..     Maddona in Sweden said it best last night during a concert when she noted, "...They want to shut us up...we will never let them."   We here @ #Outsiders echo this sentiment in the strongest possible terms we could muster.

At the G20 Summit, the leaders led a minute of silence to honor the victims of Paris and Ankara.   Condementations have been forthcoming from the entire world.   France has declared 3 Days of National Morning--we here at #Outsiders have decided to go dark for the next 48 hrs in honor of all the victims of all the wars as we leave you all with this image of Paris and the Jewish Prayer for Peace that Corey Robin noted in his blog which we have noted below for reference: 

May we see the day when war and bloodshed cease,

when a great peace will embrace the whole world.

Then nation will not threaten nation,

and mankind will not again know war.

For all who live on earth shall realize

we have not come into being to hate or to destroy.

We have come into being

to praise, to labor and to love.

& a Muslim Prayer For Peace:

Merciful God, You made all of the people of the world in Your own image and placed before us the pathway of salvation through different Preachers who claimed to have been Your Saints and Prophets. But, the contradictions in their teachings and interpretations of them have resulted in creating divisions, hatreds and bloodshed in the world community. Millions of innocent men, women and children have so far been brutally killed by the militants of several religions who have been committing horrifying crimes against humanity, and millions more would be butchered by them in the future, if You do not help us find ways to reunite peacefully.

IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE COMPASSIONATE, THE MERCIFUL, look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the controversial teachings of arrogance, divisions and hatreds which have badly infected our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; reunite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish Your purposes on earth; that, in Your good time, all nations and races may jointly serve You in justice, peace and harmony.  (Amen) 

We shall overcome!!!

Notations From the Grid (Week-End Edition) : On #France, #Islam & #Iran

On the dawn of the weekend, we can't help but underscore our profound sadness at the events in France.   This is as we continue to be witness to carnage on a worldwide basis as we hope that the Syria Conference that is about to begin and the G20 Conference shortly thereafter will work to address the fundemental challenges.  

We normally focus on Education here and what we chose for the weekend is in this spirit as we have been  assessing the on-going horrific attacks in Paris.      As the extent of the carnage is becoming clear, the stories of people coming together has been gratifying.   Our team was so moved as we saw images of the people singing the National Anthem of France at the Stad De France (the National Stadium) as they were being evacuated.   There are also reports of people opening up their homes to give shelter and taxis not charging any fees--humanity in action.

What has been of concern is some of the comments especially over the grid over blaming Muslims.   It was quite timely as Professor Juan Cole released this on Informed Comment:

Top Ten Ways Islamic Law forbids Terrorism
Posted by Juan R. I. Cole on Friday, November 13, 2015

The condementations from the World has been far and wide.   President Rouhani of Iran was the latest as he called the carnage in France a crime against humanity as he postpones his trip to France.   We will continue to monitor as we ran across this which is so critical to embrace:

It is also just as critical for the teachings of the Prophet Mohammad to be remembered as the World comes to grips with the aftermath of the carnage of Paris.

The Friday Musical Interlude: Paul Winter Consort Performs "Song For the World"

It is time for the Friday Musical Interlude here in #Outsiders.   Our team chose the Paul Winter Consort and hope all enjoy the music and the message especially as we are faced with profound challenges in our World:

Notations On Our World: Interesting Times on #PC & #TECH

With the advent of the iPAD Pro announced by Tim Cook, the question of the death of the PC has become yet again centerstage:

Tim Cook declares the death of the PC Apple boss Tim Cook asks why anyone would buy a PC any more ahead of iPad Pro going on sale.

 Our team has decided to pursue this as one of the projects for our Education Channel.    

Beyond the PC itself, there is the issue of the Tech Bubble which we have been assessing for quite sometime.   This telling chart from the team @ Business Insider caught our eye with the interesting notations that is noted to underscore it all: 

If you think we're in a tech bubble, look at this chart of Internet company stocks  If we're in a tech bubble, how come investors in Internet companies are getting cleaned out? As this chart from Statista shows, most of the big Internet companies lost at least 25% of their value between April 30th and September 30th. The losers include Snapchat, which is still privately held, but which big investor Fidelity marked down 25% during that period. The big exceptions are the two most dominant Internet companies, Google (now Alphabet) and Facebook, both of which gained about 14%. This suggests that tech investors Sam Altman and Marc Andreessen may be right — we're actually in the middle of a long tech bust. The only tech companies that are overvalued are a handful of late-stage, privately held companies that are taking their sweet time in going public, and are raising rounds that look like equity but are really structured more like debt. Read »

With the changes at HP, Dell/EMC Merger, the struggles at Yahoo, the mark down by Fidelity, The Cisco/Ericsson "Near Merger" and the emergence of the Chinese Giants, it is bound to be quite a challenging 2016 as we look to that year.     We found this especially poignant that Marc Andressen has been selling Facebook shares, Media Companies are trying to be interent companies and now T-Mobile officially being a Cable Company.     

It is Dizzying.....

  

On this Veterans Day: A "Thought 4 the Day"

As our team was "on the prowl" on this Veterans Day in the US and Armistice Day in the UK and the Commonwealth, we wanted to share this wonderful thought from the John Maxwell Team as we wish all a Happy Veterans Day:

Today's Word of the Day HEROISM Dear Friend, As we pause on Veteran’s Day to think of those who sacrificed and paid the price for our freedoms, today’s word is “heroism”. A hero is a person who despite of their fears does the right thing. A hero has courage, character and makes a different. How are you demonstrating heroism? Who is the hero in your life?. Click the image, watch the video, leave us your comments and then pass it along to others, and together we can enrich the world. Enjoy! Your friend, John C. Maxwell Click Here to Play Video Inspire someone else by sharing today's message. http://johnmaxwellteam.com/2015-heroism

Notations From the Grid: On #Leadership

As our team prepared to go "dark" for Veterans Day in the United States, we wanted to share this perceptive piece released by the Fortune's Geoff Colvin--which is a must read for us here @  #Outsiders.    The tribute to leadership is ever so critical for all to observe on this Veterans Day Eve as we celebrate service and selflessness:

Daily insights on leaders and leadership By Geoff Colvin

Daily insights on leaders and leadership

By Geoff Colvin

November 10, 2015

The astounding apparent results of the Myanmar elections are a dramatic chapter in one of the great leadership stories of the past 30 years, but only a chapter; this story is far from over. The story’s theme is that crafting the right message isn’t hard at all. What can be hard beyond most human endurance is conveying the message credibly, authentically – and that’s what makes all the difference. The story is that of Aung San Suu Kyi, whose National League for Democracy seems to have won a landslide victory in parliamentary elections Sunday; official results will have to wait for final tallies from remote rural districts. Her message was simple: Myanmar should have true democracy, not the phony kind set up by the military dictatorship that has run the country (formerly known as Burma) since 1962 and that has led the nation into poverty, drug trafficking, and corruption while neighbors like Vietnam have boomed. It’s an obvious message that anyone except a military dictator would support. Yet Suu Kyi has had to devote most of her life to fighting for it, peacefully, and only now at age 70 has she prevailed. Suu Kyi’s father was the liberation hero of Burma. Her husband was British, and she could have lived a quiet life in Britain or elsewhere. Instead she returned to her home country in 1988 to oppose the military junta, co-founding the NLD and resolutely rejecting all violence while promoting her simple message. She was thus a direct threat to the junta, which placed her under house address, where she remained for almost 20 years, continuing to preach her message as best she could. Her winning of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 alerted the world to her situation and began a steady and very slow trend of building global opposition to the junta. Over the years she became an almost mythical figure to the people of her nation. When the dictators finally felt compelled to allow Sunday’s genuine elections, many voters didn’t know or care about the NLD candidate in their local district. They just knew they were voting for the junta or for Suu Kyi. The New York Times quotes a resident in an outlying district saying, “It is unbelievable. Voters don’t even know who they voted for. They only know the Lady.” An obvious lesson is that finding the message is simple because people everywhere want mostly the same things. What continues to amaze is the power of extraordinary personal sacrifice and the message of non-violence. Myanmar is a land of many conflicting ethnic minorities, and such countries are often held together only by dictators; in addition to Myanmar, think of Iraq under Saddam Hussein or Yugoslavia under Marshal Tito. Yet Suu Kyi’s party seems to have won most of Myanmar’s various minority-dominated districts. It’s one of several ways in which her story is Ghandi-like and Mandela-like. Myanmar is celebrating today, but what happens next is far from clear. This isn’t the first time Suu Kyi’s NLD party has won a clear election victory. It did so in 1990, and at that time the military prevented parliament from assembling, arrested NLD members, and kept Suu Kyi under house arrest. This time, the military has said it accepts the election results, but counting on that assurance would be unwise. For now, we’re left with the lesson that authenticity—the willingness to live the right message at any cost—is the true power of leadership. For leaders, it’s a sobering message.

Notations From the Grid: On the Battle For Mother Earth

As we went to press with late breaking developments throughout the #Outsider properties, we received note from the folks at Organizing for Action on President Obama's Call to Action on Climate Change as the United States and the World gear up for the pivotal Paris Conference.    The folks at Take Part  just released this in their newsletter that is worth noting:

ENVIRONMENT

What the World's Cities Would Look Like After Catastrophic Sea-Level Rise

Our team's research reflects that the a 2 Degree Celsius rise in sea levels will force 280 Million People to be displaced over the next 15 years.   This is as the nations of the Pacific Ocean are fighting for their lives as epitomized by the plight of the Maldives which is the midst of a political instability which our team will be reporting on soon.

It is clear that what Dr. King noted as the "Fierce Urgency of Now" is ever so crucial.  This is as we have to remember that as the old American Indian Admonition reminds us all:  We borrow the Earth From our Grand Children.

An #Outsider Newsflash (11/9/2015): Popular Apps Are Secretly Sharing Personal Data - Techlicious

This is quite a story based on a report done which our team is analyzing--Caveat Emptor!!!



These Popular Apps Are Secretly Sharing Personal Data - Techlicious

Notations From the Grid: A "View of the Week" On What CEO's Think

Our team was on the prowl 4 the week-end on on-going developments.    We hope the team enjoys this snapshot of the View From CEO's that Geoff Colvin published last week which is one of our key required readings which we look forward to amplifying further:

Daily insights on leaders and leadership By Geoff Colvin

November 5, 2015

Convene 300 CEOs and other leaders from around the world, listen to them talking for three days about what’s on their minds – as we just did at the Fortune Global Forum in San Francisco – and here are five key words that echo in your mind: -Volatility. Yes, we know change is getting faster and sharper, but it’s easy to miss how pervasive the phenomenon is. Cybercrime and cyberwar could do more damage than non-experts realize, and the threat is growing. FireEye chief Kevin Mandia says that “last year the rules of engagement between the U.S. and Russia in cyberspace changed.” Used to be that when we caught them in a breach, they would back off. Now they won’t. They just keep coming back, day after day. Former German defense minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg says “it’s only a question of time” before “the first truly damaging attack” – originating who knows where – occurs. More broadly, Allianz chief economic adviser Mohamed el-Erian says there’s “a massive disconnect” between the placidity of the markets and global volatility. -Disruption. It was the Forum’s theme, but I was still struck by the scope of the ambitions of the digital giants, mainly Google, Facebook, and Apple, and by the energy of the startups. Facebook is disrupting entertainment, journalism, advertising, quite possibly commerce, and potentially almost anything else. Google would like to disrupt autos, payments, healthcare, energy, maybe insurance, and doubtless much more. Angel investor Ron Conway, known as the godfather of Silicon Valley, says he’s astounded by the disruptive ingenuity of the hundreds of startup founders who clamor for his attention, funding, and connections. -Imagination. It’s a huge challenge for most business people – opening their minds to the possibilities of the digital age. Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Cheskyrecalled how virtually nobody understood his vision, how “everyone told us that no one would stay with a stranger; 60 million people later, I beg to differ.” The key, he said, is that you aren’t staying with a stranger; you get to meet your host online first. Every successful digital startup sounded impossible when an entrepreneur thought of it. Most people are hard-wired for negativity rather than possibility. -Humanity. A session on automation, jobs, and the future of work sparked blunt disagreement between those who predict technology will eliminate far more jobs than it creates and those who believe that view is nonsense. Yet when I asked which skills will be most valuable as technology advances, everyone agreed: creativity, interpersonal skills, relationship building. When I asked Ron Conway how he decides which startups to back, he said he pays little attention to the business idea; that always changes. Instead he just focuses on the founders. Are they leaders? Will great people want to work for them? Can they build enthusiasm and recruit allies? Salesforce founder and CEO Marc Benioff spoke for many when he summed up his business thus: “It’s not about the technology, the cloud, the service – that’s all hard for me to say – it’s about the customer relationship.” -Surprisingly – to those who watch too much TV news – one other theme emerged:optimism. Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen reminded us how tech has lifted billions of people out of poverty, and how, despite hand-wringing in developed economies, it has powerfully reduced income inequality worldwide. More generally, spend three days with successful business people of every age from around the world, and you realize that energy, idealism, goodwill, capability, and opportunity have never been more abundant.