It can be useful and instructive to observe the turning of a decade by looking back on what life was like in America a mere 100 years ago.On Jan. 2, 1920, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was 108.76. Today it is over 28,000 points.

In 1920, the U.S. had become an economic power, which is remarkable considering the bloody "war to end all wars" that had ended just two years earlier. Republican presidents shifted their attention from foreign entanglements to economic growth (sound familiar?).

The beginning of the Roaring '20s featured new rights for women, including the right to vote, daring flapper outfits and cigarette smoking. It also included Prohibition, which led to the rise of Al Capone and the Mafia. People should have been convinced that attempts to regulate human behavior by government fiat only works if the public is willing to obey the law, which in the case of liquor it clearly was not.

The one thing that hasn't changed in the last 100 years and for that matter since the first humans walked the Earth is human nature. One can change styles of clothing and hair, change modes of transportation, even change politicians, but human nature never changes. Greed, lust and the quest for power are embedded in each of us in every generation.

The impact of the Industrial Revolution found more people living in big cities than on farms for the first time beginning in 1920. That year launched what we today call the "consumer society." America's total wealth more than doubled between 1920 and 1929.

As the website history.com notes: People from coast to coast bought the same goods (thanks to nationwide advertising and the spread of chain stores), listened to the same music, did the same dances and even used the same slang. Many Americans were uncomfortable with this urban, sometimes racy mass culture, and for many people in the U.S., the 1920s brought more conflict than celebration.

Isn't it the same today? Have we learned nothing? The tension between people with opposing political and social views and religious beliefs has increased these last 100 years because of contemporary social media and the 24/7 news cycle in which revolution sells better than resolution.

Cars, washing machines, new forms of birth control and other creations gave women, especially,new freedoms. Radio united the nation and phonograph records, which sold 100 million in 1927 alone, created a common culture, even if some older people didn't like the "modern" music.

Some older folks in the 1920s rejected the dance hall lifestyle and what they saw as the vulgarity and depravity of jazz music and the moral erosion they claimed it caused. But for the younger generation, it was a new world in which the future looked bright.

What will America be like in 2120? In 1920 no one could have foreseen a Great Depression, or a second World War, much less the prosperity and cultural changes that would come, or the threat of nuclear annihilation.

The saying that "the more things change, the more they remain the same" has never seemed more accurate and providential.

Happy new decade!

Cal Thomas is a columnist for the Tribune Content Agency.

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As we move into new decade, at look at life 100 years ago - theday.com

The work world continues its metamorphosis as organizationsincreasingly leverage technology to modernize their business strategies. As thepace of change intensifies, many companies just cannot compete as competitionrains in from every direction.

Digital platforms now deliver immense value, enabling us to connect, collaborate and broaden our minds raising awareness about important issues, bringing people together for a common purpose and achieving new breakthroughs.

The digital revolution has launched a new era of humanempowerment and engagement across business, society and in every aspect of ourlives. Never before has there been a more powerful influence on human behavior,irrespective of country or culture, than the combined effect of digital technologies. The effects of this shift on society aretremendous and, in particular, are dramatically changing our leadershipresponsibilities whether in politics, professionals in business, teachers inschool or parents raising children.

As our work world becomes increasingly digital, understandingthe role of digital technology in shaping culture and behavior and using it toan advantage is key to effective leadership in the future. Moreand more companies are embracing advanced technologies to decrease the cost ofproduction and increase profitability.

While organizations are grappling with the market disruptions dueto digital transformation, leaders are expected to not only keeping pace withthe ever changing business environment, but also ensuring successful adoptionof digital solutions, achieving desired outcomes and also aligning allemployees to the established digital transformation imperatives.

Digital transformation is challenging how the leaders interact, communicate, develop, and oversee the performances of their people. Leaders are expected to create an environment of teamwork, where people can constantly learn, adopt and adapt to the digital systems.

However, in the digital era, physical presence of leaders has beenmostly substituted with virtual form of leadership. Thus, further adding to thechallenge of connecting emotionally and establishing the much desiredinterpersonal connect with the team.

We all know the importance of physical interactions and how ithelps leaders to gauge responses and actions of colleagues and team members,according to their emotional disposition, which is missing in a digitalcommunication setup and making it difficult for a leader to read or interpretemployee emotions.

WhereShould You Focus? Not every competency has the same impact onan organizations digital performance. Following six competencies that have thegreatest impact on performance and of these six most critical skills, most leadersare relatively strong in four areas, weaker in two:-

Although, information technology in this era offers multiplemediums of interacting and communicating seamlessly, there are certain softeraspects which the leaders are required to adapt to and manage with utmost care.For communications in virtual settings, the information could possibly lose itssocial or contextual meaning compared to traditional face-to face conversationsthat allows for direct responses. Additionally, e-leaders find it difficult tocommunicate to their global teams due to different time zones.

Digital transformation has enabled globalization, helping companiesspread their businesses across the globe. However, leaders have a challengedeveloping a single communication strategy or approach when working with suchdispersed staff and high cultural sensitivity.

Whereto Start?

With all the variances between generations, leaders have to evolve their styles to motivate a very diverse workforce.

Here are Top 8 Skills of Todays Digital Leaders:-

Howto Differentiate?

In conclusion, it is important to acknowledge the need forleadership training, and accordingly tailor the trainings aligned to currentdigital technologies, will benefit the organizations in their digitaltransformation journey. Looking to the near future, every organizationwill need to embrace new technologies if they are to flourish. And, those withthe most capable digital-ready leaders will continue to stay ahead of thecurve.

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Leading people in the times of digital transformation | SC Media - SC Magazine

BOSTON (PRWEB) January 02, 2020

Perceptive Automata, the leading provider of human behavior prediction AI for machines, announced today that it will exhibit at CES 2020 as part of Toyota AI Ventures innovation area within the Toyota booth. Attendees visiting the Toyota AI Ventures exhibit will have the opportunity to experience Perceptive Automatas best-in-class artificial intelligence through a live animation sequence and real demo clips showing Perceptive Automatas software in action.

Perceptive Automatas technology gives autonomous vehicles the ability to understand peoples intentions so they can drive safely and smoothly in our human-dominated road environments. The company successfully demonstrated that its AI enables automated vehicles to better understand what people might do next so they can navigate safely and smoothly around pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. Perceptive Automata refers to this as human intuition for machines, which allows machines to interact and integrate with people in a more human-like manner across a range of applications where machines and humans need to cooperate, starting with enabling the large-scale roll-out of autonomous vehicles.

Toyota AI Ventures has been a long-standing supporter and investor of ours, and we are beyond excited by the opportunity to exhibit our technology this year at CES along with some of the greatest minds in our field and the mobility ecosystem at large," said Sam Anthony, co-founder and CTO at Perceptive Automata. We've seen a lot of advancements in the autonomous vehicle industry in 2019, and look forward in 2020 to further enable self-driving vehicles to interpret human behavior the way they need to in order to successfully operate in today's society.

Perceptive Automata is actively working to help solve one of the toughest issues that continues to puzzle AV developers, said Jim Adler, Founding Managing Director at Toyota AI Ventures. Prediction is a critical layer in the autonomous driving stack and, by giving autonomous vehicles the ability to perceive and process the world around them the way humans do, Perceptive Automata is bringing a new and thoughtful approach to the world of mobility. We are excited to have them join us at CES, and to see what they have in store for 2020.

The Toyota AI Ventures exhibit space will be inside Toyotas booth in the Las Vegas Convention Center North Hall, Booth # 6919. For more information please visit, https://toyota-ai.ventures/.

About Perceptive AutomataPerceptive Automata is helping automakers solve a complex problem for self-driving cars: understanding the human state of mind. The company combines behavioral science techniques with machine learning to give autonomous systems the capability to anticipate and react to human behavior, enabling autonomous vehicles to navigate safely and smoothly around pedestrians, cyclists, and other drivers. This is essential for autonomous systems to seamlessly roll out in human-dominated road environments and to deliver a smooth ride experience for passengers of autonomous mobility services. For more information about Perceptive Automata, visit http://www.perceptiveautomata.com.

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Perceptive Automata Set to Exhibit with Toyota AI Ventures at CES 2020 - PR Web

Since the comprehensive Vision Zero initiative was launched in 2018 by the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT), Highway Patrol and Department of Health, traffic fatalities in the state have decreased from 116 in 2017 to 105 in 2018 to a preliminary total of 98 in 2019, which would be the lowest total since 97 traffic fatalities were recorded in 2002. It will take up to 30 days to finalize the 2019 total as crash reports and investigations are completed.

The only acceptable number of deaths on North Dakota roads is zero, and every year that we move closer to that goal represents important progress, because these arent just numbers theyre peoples lives, and every life matters, Burgum said. Were grateful to our Vision Zero partners for their dedication to keeping everyone safe and secure, and to the traveling public who have heeded the initiatives emphasis on personal responsibility, including driving sober and distraction-free, buckling up and slowing down.

This past year, Vision Zero was expanded with additional safety measures including more highway safety engineering systems, law enforcement equipment and programs; the establishment of highway safety corridors; crash data improvements and dashboards; and Vision Zero Schools, a new peer-to-peer program in high schools.

We must keep in mind that lives lost on North Dakota roads are family, friends and community members, NDDOT Director Bill Panos said. Of the 98 fatalities, approximately 47% were not wearing their seat belt. Seat belts are the single most effective safety device to prevent death and injury in a motor vehicle crash. We are working to establish a culture of personal responsibility where motor vehicle fatalities are recognized as preventable and not tolerated, because when it comes to those we love, zero is the only acceptable number of lives to lose.

Of the 98 motor vehicle fatalities in 2019, 42% were alcohol-related and 25% were speed-related. Victims ranged in age from 3 years old to 93 years old, and 83% were North Dakota residents. By mode of transportation, 74 of the fatalities were in a passenger vehicle, 11 were motorcyclists, five were pedestrians, four were on all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and two were bicyclists. One fatality involved a train and 14 involved commercial motor vehicles.

Vision Zeros ongoing success requires strong partnerships and buy-in from the public, said Col. Brandon Solberg, superintendent of the Highway Patrol. If every driver and passenger chooses to buckle up, and every driver obeys speed limits and traffic laws and drives sober, the vast majority of traffic fatalities would be eliminated. Preventable human behavior contributes to 94% of motor vehicle crashes. Personal responsibility is the foundation of Vision Zero.

Vision Zero continues to educate through various mediums about the importance of passenger safety and dangers of speeding, distracted driving and impaired driving, including a new Not Funny campaign that stresses the importance of always driving sober or finding a sober ride.

Parents play a vital role in keeping their children safe on the road, no matter the age, State Health Officer Mylynn Tufte said. Parents should talk often with their young drivers about alcohol, lack of seat belt use, distracted driving, speeding, and driving with passengers. Young children should always be buckled in a car seat that is installed correctly and appropriate for their age and size.

Excerpt from:
North Dakota ends 2019 with fewer than 100 reported traffic fatalities as Vision Zero safety effort expands - The Dickinson Press

The prayer asks God, ... that we may share the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our humanity ... and in that prayer, we hear ourselves wanting to be what we cannot be and also recognizing that this manger child was more than just another baby, but was both human, and divine, a condition mankind has always sought, but could never obtain.

Many kings proclaimed their divinity, and were worshiped by their subjects in acts of obeisance, currying favor. The Caesars were famous for it, and had statues of themselves made and erected where people could worship and seek favor by praying to their effigies. Kings and queens and other rulers have been honored with God like qualities, but all have died and been buried as any other human, none were really divine, except this child, Jesus. And the Child grew in understanding, and in the knowledge of who he was and who his father was.

With direction from God, the child was protected by Joseph, and taken to Egypt where Herod could not harm him. Even after Herods death, when it was safe for Mary and Joseph to return to their own country, they chose to go to Nazareth, in the district of Galilee, a small remote city in the North, a good journey from Jerusalem. This assured them of some protection from the son of Herod, and new King, Archelaus. And the child grew as any child would, safe in the family of Mary and Joseph, who loved him and nurtured him.

Every year these parents went to Jerusalem to the festival of Passover. It was their custom, and that of their friends and neighbors. When the festival was over, as a group, they began their journey back toward Nazareth. After a time they discovered Jesus was not among the group. When they did not find him they went back to Jerusalem. After searching they found their twelve-year old son in the temple, sitting among the teachers. All who heard him were amazed at his answers and understanding.

These parents were, as parents of any human child would be, irate over Jesus actions; and they berated him for his actions. But Jesus, in some divine knowledge of who he was, answered their anxiety by saying, Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my fathers house? They did not understand. All went to Nazareth, and Jesus was obedient to them, and increased in years and wisdom, in divine and human behavior. AMEN

The Rev. George O. Martin is an Ordained Deacon at St. Johns Episcopal Church, 17th and Adams, Great Bend. Send email to georgeom@hbcomm.net.

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And the Child grew in understanding - Great Bend Tribune

As 2019 ended, many people dug out their crystal balls. Here are five predictions for 2020 that we will check a year from now. They are taken from Artificial intelligence predictions for 2020: 16 experts have their say by Ellen Daniel at Verdict UK. Should be fun:

One: Deepfakes will become a serious threat to corporations Jesper Frederiksen, VP and GM EMEA, Okta. Deepfakes are highly realistic AI misrepresentations of people and events that could be used to manipulate electionsor perhaps change brand loyalties. Deepfakes can be detected. But will staid corporations adapt or fall victim?

There is, however, a legitimate question of how much difference deepfakes can make, for several reasons: Perhaps any technology, however sophisticated, leaves some evidence of its existenceevidence that other technologies can find. More generally, as we noted earlier, the deepfakers target audience may simply want to believe the doctored images. For the same reasons, it may reject authentic accounts of the misdeeds of its favorites.

Two: Ramp up in autonomous vehicles Specifically, removal of the on-board safety driver Danny Shapiro, Senior Director of Automotive, NVIDIA Shapiro fudges a bit by talking about the whole decade but lets see if, by January 2021, the onboard safety driver has indeed vanished. Meanwhile, a more persuasive sign that the automated vehicle industry is maturing would be a diminished cowboy element. Yes, Elon, your name did come up in this discussion

Our own #1 AI hype of 2019 here at Mind Matters News was Elon Musks phantom fleet of robotaxis for 2020. Such fun for investors with money to burn. Meanwhile, well keep an eye on how well automated cars (Level 5) begin to address real transportation needs in 2020.

Three: Voice technologies will infiltrate the office Specifically, Voice assistants have established themselves as common place in our personal lives. But 2020 will see an increasing amount of businesses turning to them to improve and personalise the customer experience. Alberto Pan, Chief Technical Officer, Denodo

Will chatbots prove less frustrating than the muzak punctuated by fits of corporate self-promotion that we all endure in the hapless helpline queue? Can they replace the real human being we so much need to talk to at that point? No harm trying, perhaps, but the history of chatbots is not encouraging. Consider, for example, Microsofts unfortunate chatbot progeny: Politically correct Zo was apparently an even more tiresome brat than politically incorrect Tay.

Four: The ethics of AI Specifically, 2020 will be the year research & investment in ethics and bias in AI significantly increases. Ashvin Kamaraju, CTO for Cloud Protection and Licensing activity at Thales. Kamaraju is referring to the problem of racist and sexist attitudes getting baked into the data that the AI works with.

One problem is, as Brendon Dixon has pointed out, the delegation to a machine of what should be a human decision. He adds, Like a magnifying glass, a machine can help us see that which we might miss but it cannotbecause there is no ghost in the machinedecide what to do. Lets see what happens.

Five: Manipulating AI Specifically, 2020 is going to be a tipping point, when algorithmic decision making AI will become more mainstream. This brings both opportunities and challenges, particularly around the explainability of AI. We currently have many blackbox models where we dont know how its coming to decisions. Bad guys can leverage this and manipulate these decisions. Kevin Bocek, Vice President, Security Strategy & Threat Intelligence at Venafi

If algorithms make decisions no one understands, when things go wrong, we have a brand new problem: Diligent research might not uncover the cause. Bad guys are inevitable but in this case, they might make a bad situation unresolvable. Think of the millions of dollars locked forever in Bitcoin and only a dead man knows the code.

The good news is, we are not stuck with failed AI. We can do without it and make decisions later about better AI. After all, Amazon dumped the sexist recruiting program. Boeing scrapped the underperforming fuselage assembly robots. And one Kaiser Permanente hospital no longer tells patients they are dying via a video-linked TV mounted on a robotic cart. Hey, things could be worse. At least no one thinks that the last item was an improvement in patient care just because it was high tech.

Lets see how the predictions fare this time next year.

See also: 2019 AI Hype Countdown #2: Big Data is our crystal ball! The biggest problem is that human behavior is not as predictable as the models imply. Many models are ridiculously simplistic, making the results worse than worthless. They become a way of solidifying biases.

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Five AI Predictions to Watch in 2020 - Walter Bradley Center for Natural and Artificial Intelligence

Co-founded in Montreal, the algorithm-based application aims to help millions find true love through its unique and distinctive features

MONTREAL, Jan. 2, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ -After a successful launch in the US in 2018, Say Allo, a smart dating application makes its way into the Canadian market, launching today in Montreal. Co-founded and developed in the city, Say Allo is not just another dating application. It's a "relationship discovery" platform for more mature singles ages between their late 20s and early 50s, who have valuable life experience, are less interested in casual relationships and yearning for the ideal partner and a relationship that will stand the test of time.

An anti-dating application to foster meaningful connectionsThe intelligent dating discovery app intends to reinvent how people find and make new connections. Say Allo is the result of Montreal developer Stephen Shaw's skills combined with the brains of Toronto psychologist Dr. Brian Shaw and entrepreneur Zackary Lewis. The app uses cutting-edge technology to maximize the best results for each and every user. Powered by an intelligent algorithm that continuously learns to put forth truly compatible profile matches, Say Allo also offers a different user experience with added safety features to ensure an optimal user experience.

"Finding a compatible connection needs to be more than swipe left or right," said Say Allo founder and CEO, Zackary Lewis. "We want users to spend their time having real conversations with compatible singles, which is why we've built the first application that uses a continuous learning algorithm as a driver to compatible matching."

Technology at the core of the connections Unlike other dating applications, Say Allo's goal is to create lasting relationships. And to do so, Say Allo relies on artificial intelligence and a continuous learning algorithm that includes face-mapping technology to learn user behaviors, interests and physical attraction - hence, cueing in on what each and every user likes and dislikes, maybe even before they do!

Montreal developer Stephen Shaw worked closely with Toronto-based Dr. Brian Shaw, PhD, an original co-developer of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) to identify human behavior and reactions, and transfer this knowledge into a fully functional app. "The application is constantly learning user preferences based on their activity on the application, allowing for a more personalized experience and better profile suggestions", says Stephen Shaw.

In addition to offering users unique features like compatibility reports, and smart-swiping technology working synergistically, Say Allo users can also schedule a secure video meet-up via the application, removing the need to share sensitive personal information like a phone number, while still enabling a real face-to-face connection.

About Say AlloSay Allo is a smart dating app developed for people seeking compatible connections and is the first relationship discovery app that uses artificial intelligence and a continuous learning algorithm based on Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) technology. Say Allo is available throughout Montreal and the US for both iOS and Android devices. For more information on Say Allo, visit: https://www.justsayallo.com/

SOURCE Say Allo

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Say Allo, the smart dating application launches in Montreal - Benzinga

3.5/5 stars

By Peter Bosworth EBS CONTRIBUTOR

The Shivers, aNew York based folk-rock band, quietly released their debut LP Charadesin 2004, and in anera defined by garage-rock revival, The Shivers release zigged where Billboardleaders like the Libertines and the Strokes zagged. Those bands documentedfrivolous love affairs, disappointing parties, and urban malaise with a scuzzylo-fi soundThe Shivers, on the other hand, were making intimate acoustic balladsabout romance and heartbreak.

Theyve nevercared about being cool, only being honest.

Naturally,their hushed tunes never amounted to the commercial success that othercontemporary bands achieved, but they did land the group a cult following. Celebritieslike Patricia Arquette and Daniel Radcliffe are die-hard fans; Aaron Paul,famous for his role as Jesse Pinkman in Breaking Bad, even recruited the bandto play their popular track Beauty at his wedding.

So much of therock n roll aesthetic is centered on maintaining a devil-may-careindifference. Frankly, The Shivers could not stray farther from that credo, ledby singer and frontman Keith Zarreillos practically compulsive obsession withsentimentalityand with an eerily erotic voice to match.

Jim Harrison,author of the epic Legends of theFall once said, the [artist] who refuses sentiment refuses the fullspectrum of human behavior, and then he just dries up. I would rather givefull vent to all human loves and disappointments, and take a chance on beingcorny, than die a smartass.

With theirnewest record, Im on Your Side, TheShivers risk being corny, but with great success. Over eight tracks, Zarreilloacts as a cartographer of love: mapping the peaks of passion, and the valleysof heartbreak.

Take thealbums very first track, Capricorn and Cancer; with whispered lyrics Capricornand Cancer, blue sky turning grey, once you were my dancer, you were dancinground my head. For the astrologically ignorant, Capricorn and Cancer areopposing astronomical signs known for passionate love affairs, so when thetracks soft guitar is juxtaposed with the gritty guitar solo, its in homageto the phenomenon. And despite that The Shivers lyrics walk a tight line thatteeters on clich, its their clever instrumentation that demonstrates an attractivetalent.

The Shiversare truly at their best when they slow down and lean into their sentimentality.While The Shivers have made their fair share of slow-burners, Im on Your Side is easily the mostunabashedly melancholic record in the bands catalog. It may not be the coolestrock record youll hear this year, but it certainly is among the most genuine.

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Album Review: 'I'm on Your Side' The Shivers - Explore Big Sky

The 2020s begin today, arriving at a time of increasingly bitter political rancor a disturbing state of affairs that we hope will give way soon to the better angels of our nature. But thats hardly our only aspiration after the tumultuous 2010s, which began with the country still reeling from the Great Recession and ended with three years of spectacularly divisive leadership from President Trump. In no particular order, heres our wish list for how things might be improved during the decade ahead, if we resolve to change them:

A radical transformation in the way we produce and consume power, along with an end to our reliance on fossil fuels. This is more than just a wish; the world has known for years that human behavior is imperiling the habitability of the Earth.

A return to respect and comity, not just in politics, but in how we handle all our disagreements. We hope as well that all Americans recognize that there are such things as facts, and they should be indisputable.

A realization by the various generations of Americans that were not rival interest groups with little in common. OK, boomer? OK, millennial?

For the sake of the planet and for Los Angeles embattled commuters, a public transit renaissance in which Angelenos can leave their cars behind and enjoy fast, convenient and comfortable rides on new rail lines (especially the infamously clogged 405 corridor) and on buses that travel in their own traffic-free lanes.

A complete, global shift away from disposable plastic to packaging thats fully recyclable or compostable.

2028 Olympic Games that leave Los Angeles in the best financial and physical condition of its life.

A recognition that our support of diversity should include not just diversity of race, gender, social class and sexual orientation, but diversity of viewpoint as well.

Access to affordable healthcare in the United States as a human right. Once we embrace that idea as a society, the solutions will flow from there.

A coordinated effort by policymakers, educators, business owners and labor leaders to prepare Americans for widespread automation and artificial intelligence in the workplace, so that the technological advances of the 2020s help rather than replace employees, and ultimately make work safer and more productive.

Public schools, colleges and universities in California that are funded at a level that allows them to produce students ready for the next generation of work. The era of nickel-and-diming public education in this state needs to end.

A Chinese government that respects human rights, the dignity of the individual and the commitments it made (but routinely ignores) to abide by World Trade Organization rules. That country must stop abusing the Uighur population in western China and trampling on the freedoms of the people of Hong Kong.

A California housing building boom, with lots of new homes in all shapes and sizes and prices so Californians of all income levels can find and afford to put a reliable roof over their heads. Political leaders at all levels of state government need to rally behind real solutions, rather than clinging to housing and zoning policies that have failed.

Corporate C-suites and boards of directors that reflect the gender and ethnic diversity of the U.S. itself.

Homeless and low-income Angelenos, keys in hand, walking into the 10,000 units of housing that Los Angeles voters helped finance through Proposition HHH. While were at it, how about cutting the number of people falling into homeless each day in Los Angeles from 150 to zero?

An end to federal and state policies that enable or, in some cases, promote the concentration of wealth. Once the land of the upwardly mobile, the United States has become a land of near-stagnant median incomes and intergenerational poverty, despite a steadily growing economy.

An end to the death penalty, which no civilized society should inflict on itself.

An electric grid in California that no longer causes wildfires or relies on massive preventive blackouts to deliver power safely.

A long-term fix for the looming shortfall in funding for Social Security benefits. Longer lifespans and an aging population are combining to threaten Social Security benefits for future generations, and the longer policymakers wait to fix the problem, the harder it will be to solve.

An end to the terrorizing of the Rohingya Muslims by the government of Myanmar, whose security forces have burned villages, committed mass murder and raped civilians, according to human rights groups.

An end to the forever wars in the Middle East, Afghanistan and the Korean peninsula.

U.S. elections free of both voter suppression and voter apathy.

A solution to the unsustainable growth in college debt. The heavy burden of this debt is distorting peoples career choices and slowing the economy.

Comprehensive immigration reforms that secure the countrys borders while providing a path to legal residency for people who have been living in the shadows for a decade or more.

Sensible and workable approaches to gun control, including banning combat-style firearms for civilian use. With Congress approving $25 million in funding for gun safety research, and the National Rifle Assn. reeling from external investigations and internal turmoil, were hoping the tide has finally turned.

An end to the stalemate between Israelis and Palestinians that has left the once-promising two-state solution moribund and the century-old conflict as far from resolution as ever.

A reversal of the habitat destruction and other forces that have threatened the existence of orangutans, vaquita porpoises, western lowland gorillas and other endangered species.

A new determination to lift more people out of poverty in this land of plenty. That means finding and funding programs that work, rather than cutting holes in the safety net and expecting those who fall out to land on their feet.

Ratification, at long last, of the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

A Russian government that abandons Vladimir Putins military expansionism and intrusive meddling in foreign elections, choosing instead to be a responsible player on the world stage.

An end to the politically expedient attacks on American public servants. There is no deep state, nor any vast conspiracy of government employees determined to make their elected leaders fail.

Link:
Editorial: New Year's wishes for the 2020s - Los Angeles Times

When artificial intelligence becomes a major part of society, emotional intelligence is going to be much more important for humans.

As technology advances exponentially, our human minds only progress linearly, which means the gap between people and technology will only increase. How will humans keep up?

One thing we can do is increase our emotional intelligence. As artificial intelligence is already automating most of our monotonous and repetitive tasks (e.g. data entry/analysis, audio transcription, email marketing, bartending, vacuum cleaners, autonomous vehicles, etc), humans will need to become more competitive by creating solutions to the more complex problems that require creativity or insight on human behavior.

Humans are social, emotional beings and we will always have to interact with each other in some capacity, even when technology might be doing most of it for us. Humans will always need each other, so we will need the skills to be able to develop ourselves and our relationships productively.

Unfortunately, were already seeing how technology has been disconnecting us from each other, creating siloed camps of thought, perspectives, and beliefs. We see people who prefer to scroll through their phones at dinner rather than become curious about their company. We see people not able to handle their emotions to discuss sensitive topics. We see how convenience have fueled the introverted side of us, where our cravings can be satisfied with delivery services and instant access to a less fulfilling version of social connection.

This makes the understanding of our individuality that much more important because our emotions heavily influence how we think, behave, and communicate with one another. If you allow your emotions to fluster you, youre more likely to react poorly to that co-worker, your parents, even yourself, harming your relationships and self-regard. And if your instinct is to then retreat or suppress, life will start feeling shallow and unfulfilling.

This is not meant to sound anti-technology. In modern society, its unrealistic to completely avoid technology. Doing so actually puts you at a competitive disadvantage, where those around you would be able to learn, create, and connect more efficiently than if they didnt have these tools. But moving forward, it would benefit us to also look at the effectiveness of technology, as well as its impact on mental and emotional well-being. We need to start thinking about how to use tech with intention rather than allowing it to consume us, both socially and professionally.

Technology is a tool that has been augmenting human performance and progress for centuries. A farmer would not be able to plant her crops efficiently enough to produce enough revenue to support her family if she didnt even have a shovel. To be even more effective, she could upgrade to a tractor, optimizing the farm and giving her time to spend with her family.

When given the opportunity, everyone would choose to save time. Instinctively, we know that time is our most precious resource. Its the only currency that we cant get back. And it makes sense that we want to automate as much as we could, especially the menial tasks that are unfulfilling or cause burn out.

This is the key perspective shift. Automation exists to help us perform certain tasks more efficiently, freeing up time for us to engage in other, more meaningful parts of not just our jobs but our personal lives, the more human parts. Talking to people, being creative/experimental, producing something, exercising, being of service to others, volunteering, spending time with loved ones, staying active in hobbies.

The crucial ingredient to those human parts of life is emotional intelligence (which Ive defined here for you). When we get out of the mindset of scarcity and basic survival mode, well have the physical and mental space to explore deeper. We can then go from stagnation to thriving, taking full advantage of what the human experience has to offer. And the first step is being honest with how youre feeling.

Emotional intelligence is more than being smart with our emotions, or being touchy-feely. Its about understanding who we are at a deeper level and what powers us so that we can show up as our unique and best self to the people around us.

Many people will prioritize acquiring the hard skills needed to perform the job, or the perfect body and looks to impress people on the outside. But not everyone goes through the more intangible, deep, personal work of understanding who they are, how they want to align their interests, skills, and values, and how that all fits into that business or relationship.

That emotional intelligence is what makes you stand apart from the technological future. Its what makes you more human than the future human and robot drones. Every human is unique. Only you have the skills, the training, the practice, the experience, the history, the upbringing, the relationships, the resources, the interest, the gumption to do what you do. It will be different than your siblings, your parents, your co-worker, your boss, that random social media personality you scrolled past.

But you cant find that uniqueness, you have to create it. And you create it by getting a better understanding of how you feel and how thats affecting your habits and behavior.

Besides time, its safe to say that most humans value relationships over anything else. In the end, we can acquire all the knowledge, money, and toys in the world, but it doesnt mean much when we cant share it with anyone.

Theres something satisfying about natural human connection. We can interact with people all day on social media, for example, but for many of us, it isnt as fulfilling as a deep conversation with a good friend in-person.

As technology becomes even more ubiquitous than it already is, there wont be as many opportunities to have these meaningful interactions. Which means the muscle for authentic social and emotional connection will atrophy.

To train that muscle, we have to practice sitting with what we feel. It might be easy and convenient to distract ourselves from any negative emotion that comes up, like boredom, anger, sadness, stress, but we have to learn to stretch those emotions so that we can better understand their stories and validity. Having better emotional self-awareness will help us have better relationships with ourselves, which will then create better relationships with others. When we have a healthy grip on our emotions, as well as the empathy to understand those of others, it will become that much easier to foster the relationships that we want in our lives

The technology has the potential to do so much for us. Its now our responsibility to make the most of it.

Previously published here and reprinted with the authors permission.

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Emotional Intelligence Is The Skill We Need For The Future - The Good Men Project