Thursday, April 30, 2020

As A New Month Dawns & International Labor Day is Celebrated: A Closing M-End Thought Courtesy The Daily Stoic


From the outside, it can all seem very impressive. Think of Marcus Aurelius, marching into Rome in triumph. Think of him looking down at the crowds in the coliseum. Think of him looking up, as they erect a 39 meter marble column to his accomplishments.

But those who have had these things, they know. They know what Lyndon Johnson—a man who chased power harder and more desperately than just about anyone—knew when he described a life “filled with trips… chauffeurs, men saluting, people clapping… in the end it is nothing.”

In the end it is nothing. Money. Power. Fame. It doesn’t mean anything and it does not last. That’s what Marcus Aurelius reminded himself constantly. Who cares now of Alexander the Great’s victories, he said? Who remembers Vespasian? Who will care how fancy my house is? Who will be impressed at how many servants I had? Or how much the crowds cheered for me?

The only thing that mattered to the Stoics was “good character, good intentions, and good actions.” Right now. The only thing that should matter to us is whether we were acting rightly in the moment, whether we were striving for that summum bonum—towards and for virtue.

Just do the right thing, Marcus said, the rest doesn’t matter.

Monday, April 27, 2020

Notations From the Grid (Weekly Edition): On Our World During #LIfeIntheTimeofCorona & Beyond....



As we begin, we wanted to simply say thank you to all the healthcare workers.   We also are with Governor Cuomo as he noted that there is no BOX--and we here at the Daily Outsider will be part of the solution to help build a new "Box" as we bring a curated perspective to bear.

As a new week dawns, as part of our commitments to bring perspectives, we present a snapshot of perspectives courtesy the Bulwark, The Real News Network and The Visual Capitalist.

#WeWillGetThroughThis


Don’t Deny Pandemic Relief Loans to Second-Chance Entrepreneurs
By Stan Veuger and Ames C. Grawert

A new regulation threatens to exclude people with criminal records—and their employees—from the recovery.
What Makes SARS-CoV-2 the Perfect Pathogen
By David Shaywitz

The Case Fatality Rate (CFR) measures how lethal the virus is. Meaning: If you are infected, how likely are you to die?
The Ten Weeks That Lost the War
By Tim Miller 

A Timeline of How Trump Lied, Bungled and Screwed America in the COVID-19 Crisis
How Trump Turned the Pandemic Into Identity Politics
By Charles Sykes

Forget the people dying. Forget the economic collapse. Trump, Republicans, and Conservatism Inc. have turned COVID-19 into just another front of the culture war.

On today’s show: TRNN visual producer Andrew Corkery, “By Any Means Necessary” co-host Jacqueline Luqman, TRNN investigative reporter Stephen Janis, and special guest DC consultant Dante Atkins. Hosted by Kim Brown.

The for-profit healthcare system has failed to protect most people during the coronavirus pandemic, and it’s increasing demand for policies like Medicare for All.

Khalifa Haftar’s onslaught on the Libya’s capital was openly supported by the UAE, but evidence has emerged that his forces received weapons and training from Israel.

Big tech volunteers to create platforms that facilitate digital contact tracing, but how will they protect private health data?

Kweisi Mfume wants to return to Congress representing Maryland’s 7th District. He discusses the 2020 elections, the Democratic Party, how governments should respond to COVID-19, and the fifth anniversary of Freddie Gray’s death.

In 1970, Sen. Gaylord Nelson and an enormous grassroots movement held the first Earth Day. Nelson’s daughter, Tia Nelson, discusses how the environmental movement has changed in the last 50 years.

On today’s show: Director of the Earth System Science Center Michael Mann, Earther staff writer Dharna Noor, Climate Justice Alliance policy coordinator Anthony Rogers Wright, and TRNN climate reporter Steve Horn. Hosted by Kim Brown.   This story is broadcast as part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story…

Now in the midst of a crisis, Canada will lift its embargo and sell armored vehicles to the Saudi military, which is engaged in brutal repression inside the country and the ongoing war in Yemen.

Fired Amazon employee Chris Smalls says workers will protest until they feel protected, while Amazon-owned Whole Foods is ranking stores where employees are most likely to unionize.

Trump demands that states take the lead on COVID-19 response but won’t give federal support for local governments or workers, and is still fighting oversight for the trillions already spent on stimulus.



Sunday Digest: Last Week's Infographics

Here are all the new infographics from last week in one easy place! 
How COVID-19 Consumer Spending is Impacting Industries
This infographic showcases the industries that will benefit from COVID-19 consumer spending, and the industries that have a very uncertain future.
Explaining the COVID-19 Oil Crash
How oil prices went negative: this explainer shows how a collapse in demand, a Saudi-Russia price war, and oversupply led to prices going wonky.
Ranked: The 10 Most Expensive Cities in the World
From Osaka to New York, we look at a global ranking of the 10 most expensive cities, and how those rankings have changed over the last year.
How to Stay Rational During Market Volatility
It can be tempting to sell during high market volatility, but investors who hold onto their investment historically see much greater returns.
Leadership Accountability in Times of Crisis
This infographic explores five key behaviors that CEOs and executives should adopt in order to demonstrate leadership accountability in times of crisis.
Exploring the Expanse: 30 Years of Hubble Discoveries
For 30 years, the Hubble Space telescope has been our eye into outer space. This stunning map looks at 550,000 observations made between 1990-2019.
This Week's Flashback Favorites:

Predictions: What Earth Will Be Like 100 Years in the Future
Predictions from a group of futurists, technologists and architects on what our planet will be like in 100 years in the future.

Originally from Aug 2016

Sunday, April 26, 2020

Notations From the Grid (Weekly Edition): On #LifeInTheTimeofCorona

As our team has been on the prowl to serve as an "aggregator" of resources, we hereby present the following courtesy the Orange County Business Journal.   They publish this daily for the Orange County Business Community & the National Association to End Homelessness: 

The Leading Voice of Business in Orange County                                    
$484B RELIEF BILL SIGNED, CARES ACT, COVID-19 FIGHTING DRUG COMING, AND MORE
OCBC works to get you the best information in these difficult times fighting COVID-19, its health and economic impacts.  Check your email often for important updates AND follow us on FacebookTwitter and Linkedin. In addition, check out our COVID-19 Resources page on OCBC.org.
NOT AN OCBC MEMBER? JOIN TODAY!
Join OCBC and connect with the most influential companies and top executives actively engaged in creating a pro-business environment and prosperous economy. Hundreds of Orange County's leading businesses, cities, and non-profit organizations represent an elite group from every industry cluster, collectively employing over 250,000 people in the county and two million globally. Learn More. For more info, contact Natalie Rubalcava, OCBC Chief Operating Officer.
RESOURCESResources
Utilities
OCBC Member Resources Boeing assists with COVID-19 recovery & relief efforts
California State University Fullerton COVID-19 Resource Page 
CalOptima COVID-19 Resources
Chapman COVID-19 Resources Page
City of Mission Viejo Business Resources / COVID-19 Resources
City of Irvine Coronavirus Emergency Measures
Disneyland: A Letter from Disneyland Resort President, Rebecca Campbell
Irvine Company Resources for Businesses
Kaiser Permanente: SoCal Community Highlights
MemorialCare CEO and Chief Medical Officer Discuss COVID-19 Latest Developments [VIDEO]
OCRegister COVID-19 Daily Updates
Pacific Symphony @ Home, Watch + Listen, and More
UCI Beall Applied Innovation Call to Action: Share Your Ideas to Fight COVID-19
UCI COVID-19 Resources page
UCI COVID-19 News page

OC Community - Support Your Local Business! 
Anaheim Response & Recovery via Visit Anaheim & Anaheim Chamber
Creative Future Resources for Creative Professionals
OC Community Health Initiative Provides Free Health Insurance Enrollment Services

Support Local Restaurants! 

Giving BackDonate
Verizon Small Business Recovery Fund | Local Initiatives Support Corporation
Vital Link Needs Your Support - Help support Vital Link's STEM and career pathways for students
StandUp For Kids Orange County COVID-19 Emergency Response 

Links
OC Health Flyer (available in several languages)

CARES Act Guidance for State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Elected Officials


A newly-released resource can help elected officials maximize federal resources, made available under the CARES Act, to reduce housing instability and homelessness during COVID-19.

This guidance includes recommendations for COVID-19-specific funding for Community Development Block Grants, Emergency Solutions Grants, and the Coronavirus Relief Fund. It also provides suggested action steps for local officials to use the funds and support homelessness and housing efforts in their communities. The resource was created in partnership with the National Low Income Housing Coalition, National League of Cities, and Mayors and CEOs for U.S. Housing Investment.

View the recommendations >>>

COVID-19: Recent Resources

COVID-19 Webinar Series from the Alliance


In an ongoing webinar series, Alliance staff and other experts will be discussing various tools, guidance, and strategies relating to how providers and homelessness system leaders can respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Upcoming webinar:
  • 4/23: COVID-19 Webinar Series: Federal Funding to Address Homelessness and COVID-19: Ask the Experts
     

A Research Agenda for Ending Homelessness


The Alliance has released its 2020 Research Agenda for Ending Homelessness. This document is designed to better inform funders, both private and public, about research questions that will help make policy and practice more effective. 

The Research Agenda is focused on highly relevant sub-populations of people experiencing homelessness: older adults, unsheltered homelessness, individuals, and families.

View the Research Agenda >>>