Author: scott.hodges

Google Investing in Adaptations to Work Environment

Posted on by scott.hodges

Over the next five years, Google is putting $1 billion into nonprofit organizations in an effort to help people adjust to the changing nature of work.  This marks Google’s largest philanthropic pledge ever.

Part of the reason Google is  making this investment is due to its sense of responsibility of its part in advancements in technology have impacted industries, reshaping them and eliminating the need for various jobs throughout America and the world.  As Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google explained:

“The nature of work is fundamentally changing. And that is shifting the link between education, training and opportunity. One-third of jobs in 2020 will require skills that aren’t common today. It’s a big problem.”

The money will be split into three main areas: education, economic opportunity and inclusion. The largest single grant — $10 million — is going to Goodwill, for the establishment of the Goodwill Digital Career Accelerator. Through this the non-profit will spend three years in an effort to provide “digital skills and career opportunities” to a million people.

West Lake Landfill

Posted on by scott.hodges

All landfills are different.  They are monitored differently and cannot be treated the same.

Take for example the West Lake Landfill.  Given that this particular landfill is one of the country’s “most monitored sites of its type,” the EPA have concluded that the best way to deal with remediation there is via a permanent cap at the site, as opposed to moving the landfill which will actually be “more dangerous to local communities than leaving it where it is.”

What should also be understood is that landfills were originally created as a solution to the fact that people were causing great harm to their areas by just dumping waste without any consideration for the public’s safety.  In addition, landfills such as West Lake Landfill (and it is important to remember all landfills must be assessed independently as no two are the same) are able to protect the ecosystem by containing waste that pose a hazard to the environment.

Financially, moving the West Lake Landfill is not good either. The cost of excavation would be over $600 million and at taxpayer expense.

Therefore, when looking at landfills, it is imperative to realize that each case must be regarded as a separate entity since there is just no “one size fits all solution when dealing with these types of sites containing our country’s legacy waste.”

 

The Face of Corporate America

Posted on by scott.hodges

Corporate America is in a great shape, at least when it comes to acquisitions, investments, and the face of its overall economy.  According to recent Federal Reserve Q2 data, non-financial companies’ liquid assets (currency, foreign deposits, money-market and mutual fund shares) reached a record of close to $2.3 trillion, marking a jump of nearly 60 percent since the middle of 2009 when the recession ended.

How does business today in the US impact this?  It is definitely evolving, today featuring many more types of businesses and companies (as well as startups). These comprise different types of executive leaderships and mission statements, as well as public organizations (interested in CSR – Corporate Social Responsibility) and community development.

We have also encountered a shift in the geopolitical business scene and all indicators point to our need to encourage democracy and diplomacy globally. This is not just for our economy though; it is also so that we don’t slip through the cracks of public policy. Things are good for the man on the street as well, with wages finally increasing and employers adding more than 2 million jobs a year.

It is absolutely not a bad time for America economically and developmentally.  Right now it is just a case of how much we’re prepared to put into our global advancement to ensure we have a presence around the world.  Because if that slips, it will negatively impact all the work we’ve done at home over the last few years.

Lucky iPhone 8 in China?

Posted on by scott.hodges

Apple Inc. is excited to be launching its iPhone 8 in China – but the Chines public isn’t jumping for joy. That’s because it has a price tag of as much as $1000 attached to it – and that’s about double the average Chinese monthly salary. The iPhone has slipped to the fifth position in China behind many other offerings, and Apple is trying to get its footing back.

Greater China did, however, account for about 18% of iPhone sales in the quarter that ended in July. This makes it the top market after the US and Europe but those sales have been declining and are now down 10% from a year earlier.

Time will tell if the Chinese will get behind the new phone or if it will be left in the dust.

 

What’s the Best Way to Handle the West Lake Landfill?

Posted on by scott.hodges

Businesses and individuals are extremely impacted by landfills and waste management, albeit indirectly. The topic is often controversial, but limited options exist today. In Missouri, the West Lake Landfill has been cause for heated discussion in recent months, but experts have stated that moving the waste will prove more detrimental to the environment and locals.

For more information, see this YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDZOBiil33wWWvRrCuyMSkw/videos