Whatever Trump says, the clean energy shift may now be irreversible

June 15, 2017

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Donald Trump’s dream to bring back coal faces a huge barrier: the unstoppable decline of clean energy costs.

Now, analysis by Bloomberg New Energy Finance, combining knowledge of planned energy projects with economic forecasting, shows that they’re falling faster than ever.

By 2040, prices will fall 66 percent for solar, 47 percent for onshore wind, and 71 percent for offshore wind.

BNEF says that means 72 percent of the $10 trillion invested into energy by 2040 will be directed into renewables.

Obama might be right: the clean energy shift may be irreversible.

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The problem with fake news is that it is so affordable

June 14, 2017

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It’s clear that the spread of misinformation on social networks is a real problem.

Part of the issue, at least according to a report by security firm Trend Micro, is that setting up spoof websites, commissioning fake stories, and buying likes is so affordable.

Analysis of fake news services shows that it’s possible to discredit a journalist for $55,000, instigate a street protest for $200,000, and “manipulate a decisive course of action”—like an election—for just $400,000.

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How to build resilience with two simple questions

June 14, 2017

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The business world is changing fast. It is easy to get crushed in the stampede.

Even if you don;t get trampled it’s easy to feel that one’s feelings have been.

In at atmosphere of great insecurity, How do you build resilience?

One method is based on an old Sufi tale wherein a man and his son are alternately, and repeatedly, confronted with bad luck and good fortune. Neighbors cluster around to commiserate over the former and give congratulations on the latter.

Each time, the man retains his poise and poses the same question: “Good thing, bad thing, who knows?”

Here is a three-step process to help you cultivate this new mode of thinking. Experts recommend you begin using it immediately with the minor misfortunes of your life, so that you are practiced in using it when there is a major derailment.

Be clear regarding what you are about to classify as a bad thing and why.

Ask yourself: “Is there any possible scenario by which this could actually turn out to be a good thing someday?” Simply pondering this question will take you to a different emotional domain, one rich with possibility rather than foreboding.

Ask yourself the next question: “What can I — and my team — do to makethis scenario come about? How can we turn this event into a good thing that we can all celebrate someday in the future?

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One upside to the chaotic UK election? Right wing press have lost their influence

June 13, 2017

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The right wing press have lost their political influence. That could be one side affect of the UK’s recent election.

Despite backing Theresa May to the hilt, the Tory press was unable to persuade the UK electorate to give her enough votes to win another majority.

The reason why may be complex, but in part it’s because of demographics and the digitisation of the media.

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US TV heads over the cliff

June 2, 2017

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Fox TV registered growth in viewership of 2% in the 2016/7 season.

That’s if you include sports. If you don’t viewership fell 19%.

Imagine working somewhere where your customer base dropped that much in one year.

At the same time, ABC viewership dropped 8%.

The problem for networks is that their biggest ratings pullers are sports events, assets they don’t won but must bid for. Think the Olympics or the Superbowl.

What happens when Amazon or Apple leverage their access to cheap capital and bid for these assets.

TV appears doomed. And while people have been saying that for years, it does not mean that it will not happen.

As one critic has pointed out US TV will soon be reserved for the poor or the technologically illiterate.

 

 

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