Making the World Better. Jaws is Back. Mid-July Takes. Give Me Some Bad Company.
- Quote of the Week: “We are still in the position of waking up and having a choice. Do I make the world better today somehow, or do I not bother?” – Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks’ quote including the phrase “…or do I not bother” is troubling. Is Hanks referring to the general population or is he specifically thinking about individuals born between 1997 and 2012, also known as Gen Z. To be clear, Gen Z characteristics include big-time gamers, anxiety orders, everyday users of social media, and the ability to absorb many realms of technology. If Hanks was referring to Gen Zers, he is wrong as I believe that the Gen Z generation does want to make the world better.
Gen Z grew up with technology, some of which I still have little grasp of. They are social, in a media kind of way, but nonetheless they stay in touch, informed, and are not shy to share their opinions. Are they different than millennials and baby boomers? Are they different than Gen X and Gen Y? Yes, certainly they are as we are different than our parents, who were way different from their parents. From the Pew Research Center: “Gen Zers are known for their social responsibility, dedication to social and political issues, and they demand authenticity when it comes to brands and advertising. They are resourceful, independent learners who value an inclusive culture and place a priority on well-being and mental health in the workplace.”
The video content below references Gen Z and generational differences. A funny and interesting take.
- Thirty-three years ago this week, Discovery Channel launched Shark Week with their primary goal to increase summer viewership. Three decades later, Shark Week is a cultural phenomenon with an amazing amount of promotion and sponsorship. The week of the show is now treated like a point in time, no different than President’s Day in February. The spin regarding the show and sharks does bring science into play, but the stickiness of the show and its millions of viewers are that sharks represent an example of a common fear. Watching divers deal with sharks is exciting and dangerous, though the odds say that you are more likely to die in a car accident or by increasingly unstable weather (thoughts and prayers to all who have been affected by Hurricane Beryl).
Shark Week, for all the right reasons, is TV’s longest-running programming event. The show has great writing, production value, and that never-ending combination of education, danger, and fear. Iliza Shlesinger sums up all we need to know about Shark Week:
Things I Think for Mid-July
- Snowflake is AT&T’s data-warehousing service provider. After Friday’s disclosure that a hacker downloaded call and text message data from AT&T’s ninety million wireless subscribers, Snowflake tells us they have not found evidence that the data breach was caused by any vulnerability with Snowflake’s platform. Sorry Snowflake, I am calling bulls–t on that press release. Yes, I am an AT&T customer.
- Later today and tonight hopefully delivers two great final matches of the European Championships (a.k.a. Euro), and Copa America. Last Wednesday’s semifinals were great, especially the crazy match between Colombia and Uruguay.
- Regarding the sports world, we are about six weeks away from the start of college football, the NFL, and the Europe’s soccer leagues. Are you ready for some football?
- Some good: Financial services firm CME reports that traders are now betting on a 94.4% chance of a Fed rate cut by September, up from 77.7% a week ago. Positive thinking, but have we not been betting on a rate cut since November of last year?
- Some more good: Artificial intelligence is outperforming clinical tests predicting progress of Alzheimer’s disease. Let us hope that this is a game-changer with this debilitating disease.
- Some not so good: Residents of the state of Florida have been enduring ridiculous and alarming rate hikes from their insurance carriers. Just when you think Florida is being singled out by insurance carriers, Allstate announced that they are seeking a 34% increase for California homeowners.
- Pure Talent. Bad Company is a British hard rock band that was formed in 1973. The band consists of members Paul Rodgers, Simon Kirke, Mick Ralphs, and Boz Burrell. They are known for their bluesy rock and roll style with a touch of heavy metal. Bad Company quickly rose to fame in the 1970s due to their unique sound and captivating stage presence. The band has solidified its place as one of the most iconic rock bands of all time, with a legacy that influences music to this day. Bad Company and Paul Rodgers with a live version of the song Bad Company: Pure Talent.