9 Beautiful Ways To Get Your Children Hooked On Books--Readers Are Leaders

Well, the cat's out of the bag--so to speak: We've learned that many top executives of the largest technology companies in the world are not allowing their children to use technology. So there. Case closed. I don't know about you, but this is striking, like a drug dealer selling products that he would never let himself or his children come near. Steve Jobs was one of them. His children didn't know about the second generation iPad when it first came out and people, and their children, were popping their eyes out over it. You see, they know something we don't: that iPad, iPods, and anything resembling them, are highly addictive, impair healthy neuron development, and, when used unchecked, remove users from the real world (yes, tech executives believe in one). 

Kids love the library

What do these powerful and highly 'enlightened' tech executives allow their children to entertain themselves with? You got it--books. Yes, books. The question is, how? How do these people get their children to read books, and shun the temptations of YouTube, Netflix, and iTunes? It's easier than you think.

Reading remains a critical part of learning. I heard one story of a man who holds a Ph.D. in Astronomy, and has written several critical books on the science. He was homeschooled. When asked if his parents were scientists and academics as well, he replied, "Oh no. My parents were hippies--didn't teach me much. They just had lots of books lying around that I sat around all day reading." When your children are turned on to reading, the world opens up to them. They explore more passionately, ask more questions, and align their learning with their experiences in a more passionate way. 

Below are some ways you can turn your kids on to books, and have them reading better than ever. 

J.R.R Tolkien

1. Audiobooks: This may sound technological, and in some ways a good case can be made for it, but it is just such an amazing way to turn kids on to books that it demands mention here. If you have a tv screen in your van or SUV, turn it off, and put on an audiobook--you won't believe the difference. If your children are 6 and up, put on the Chronicles of Narnia or Lord of the Rings. If they're younger, Geronimo Stilton is a favourite among kids, as well as Judy Moody and the spin-off series Stink. By hearing the English language read out loud, they're learning to connect words with images in their imagination, rather than a screen making those images for them. Some audiobooks can be found free from places like OpenCulture. Libraries are also amazing resources of audiobooks. 

2. Move the TV: Most houses have tv(s) in the main rooms, and even in the children's rooms. If you want your kids to turn on to books, move the TVs to less used/less accessible parts of the house. If you have multiple TVs, consider giving them away or selling them. A good place for a TV is in the basement where it's dark and where kids don't really like hanging out. If you have TVs in your children's rooms, seriously consider removing them. 

Readers are leaders...

3. Buy books: Those tech executives who disallow their children from using technology have a lot of books in their houses--and beyond that, there's nothing really available for them to entertain themselves with. If you haven't already, you've got to get books in the house. The library is an amazing place to get books. I know families who go at least once a week, and bring home stacks and stacks of books on every subject imaginable. Thrift stores are amazing places to buy used books and begin a book wall in your home. Do you find your interests are limited? No problem: just buy those books that seem interesting. There are countless lists online for the best children's books. You'll want to find those classic titles like The Black Stallion and Robinson Crusoe and Huckleberry Finn. The more the better. What else will your kids do with all that free time off technology?

4. Leave books lying around: Our kids love books--during the day, they're reading nonstop. It's not uncommon for us to have to take books away at the dinner table. And on car trips--even short ones--books are being hauled into the van by the arm-full. We leave books lying around all over the house, especially picture books--animals, artists, bugs, it doesn't matter; what matters is that they're bold and colourful and pique the kids' interests. The great Canadian author Mordecai Richler used to leave books lying around his house, and even at the bedroom door of his kids' rooms with little notes like "You should look into these..." It's a way of encouraging them to read without shoving it down their throats. 

5. Read to your kids: There's nothing like reading to your children, especially good literature. When they are listening to you, they're listening to language at its best. If you're reading classics like the Chronicles of Narnia or The Hobbit, they're engaging in a magical worlds richer and more complex than they would by watching a movie. This activity will also build a bond between you and your children, for there's something timeless about nestling up with your family over a good story. An added benefit is you'll be stimulated too; your vocabulary will grow too; your desire to read will grow too. 

6. Let them see you read: Your kids will do what you do, not what you tell them to do. If you're telling them to lay off the technology and read more books, but they see you comatose between the covers for hours drooling over Fox News or Top Chef re-runs, that's what they'll do. But if you put hard limits on their technology, and they see you pouring over a 2000 page biography of Winston Churchill or War and Peace, that'll speak volumes! (Pardon the pun.) 

7. Readers are leaders: Have you heard this one? It's true. When you read, your expanding your vocabulary, conceptual awareness, historical consciousness, belief system, imagination; and all these are key to working with and creating with others. 

8. Never use as a punishment: One of the worst things I heard was a parent punishing her child by forcing her to read a book. Brutal. Talk about setting her up for never reading again. If anything, use books as punishment in the opposite way: when your child misbehaves, take their free reading time at night, or take their favourite books away. 

9. Let them read in bed: Some parents only let their kids read for a few minutes in bed before they turn out the lights. For me, if my children are engaged in a good book, I let them read till they're done. I don't put limits on it--I love to see them engaged in a good book. At night, it's not uncommon for me to put on audiobooks while they're getting ready to sleep--they love A.A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh and C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia. 

There's just way too much technology around. Take a tech inventory at your home: how many devices do you have, including phones, iPods, and TVs? How many books--actual palpable books--do you have in your home? Do your children have book shelves in their room; and, if so, are they for the books they're digging into or their stuffy collection. Nothing wrong with stuffies--if they're surrounded by good books. 

Give your kids the leg up on their future. Don't worry about tech literacy--one Google executive I read about admitted that his grade 5 daughter had never done a Google search before! They'll pick up technology when they're ready. Get their minds built up by and fuelled with good books. Surround them with books. Get them in your house and in your life--you won't regret it.

11 Questions You Are Probably Already Asking About The Future

We don't know what the future will hold, but we can build models of it, ask questions about it, create scenarios of it, and read up on its trends. Sci-fi can also help us out considerably. 

Here are 11 questions you should be asking about the future:

1. What will it mean to be human? Being human in 15-20 years will look a lot different. Already we are nearly glued to our mobile devices, and do almost everything online. We are also seeing the rise of transhumanism--the use of technology to advance human longevity--and opportunities for technology to radically enhance our lives. People are inserting chips into their hands as embedded ID devices. Where will all this go? Will we carry implants that allow us to upload information? We are seeing it happening already. 

2. Will I be driving a car? Sounds like a silly question--perhaps. But look at the rise of autonomous vehicles. Advancements in autonomous vehicles are moving very rapidly. In Germany we already have seen the first autonomous transport truck released on the Autobahn. But will we be driving? There is no reason to think we will. Autonomous vehicles will prove to be more reliable on the road than humans--alas, to err is human. In fact, it is not a stretch of the imagination to see a time in the near future in which human drivers will pay much higher insurance premiums than those carted around by computers. And this is all before the advent of the Apple car, which will most likely bring a user-friendliness to the whole technology and thus drive up its popularity.

3. Will we see a rise in surveillance? We are seeing social issues heating up all over the western world. People want to feel safe; and the best way is to give up privacy for advanced surveillance, such as what one sees in the UK. Already, much of our daily lives--given that we live in a virtual world of social networks--is recorded. In fact we've seen that our mobile phones already record a great deal of our lives that, if ever hacked into, one could use to literally clone us. As social tensions rise, we will see a rise in surveillance and a sharp decline in privacy.

4. Will we colonize Mars? If Elon Musk has anything to do with it, we will. But we have to come to an understanding of what we mean by 'we'. If by 'we' you mean humans in general, then yes. But if you mean by 'we' the whole of the human population of Earth, or anyone who wants, then the answer is likely no. With the current price of $6 Billion to get the first 4 people there, reaching the great red planet will be out of reach to the majority of Earthlings. However, it is very likely that in the next 10 years we will be reading about a colony being established there.

5. Will robots steal my job? If you are in a middle management position, it's likely. Robots are becoming more sophisticated and are already being used in numerous industries, including financial planning (yes--financial planning!). You will definitely need to continue learning, stretching, and thinking about how you'll stay viable over the next 10 years. The world of work is going to change radically as 5 million jobs will be lost to robots by 2020--and that's a modest number. 

6. What about killer robots? With the rise of technology comes the rise of technologies used to threaten and destroy in ways more devastating than ever. We are also seeing the possibility of rogue robots, i.e., robots programmed to deal safely with humans, but whose emergent intelligence and consciousness create a 'flip' in which humans are seen as a threat. Once this happens, it will be very difficult for us to defend against them. It is critical that AI designers maintain a strict code of ethics. Better yet, there would be limits to the kinds of questions scientists and AI designers can ask. 

7. Will I marry a robot? Sounds like a sick question--for some; yet there are all kinds of stories around the internet in which some people actually see a robot as a very good life-companion--at least this iteration of them, until they grow in super-intelligence and begin to subjugate. Some think they would make perfectly passively programmed mates who will put up with all their nonsense and cater to them hand-and-foot. In a world of selfies and egoists, this is unsurprising. Who wants a free human being when you can have a programmed machine? The question is, what will 'marriage' mean at that point?

8. What about Minority Report? We are already seeing behaviour-predictive software being introduced to a division of the Chicago Police Department; and we are already experiencing advertising catered to our tastes and surf habits online. We are thus not too far from 'mind-reading' technology being ubiquitously used as crime prevention. This relates to our surveillance question above. 

9. Will I live to 1000 years old? Some argue that the first 1000 year old human being has already been born. Many put a great deal of hope in the exponential growth of technology to add years to human life. Some argue for a linear model of longevity, namely that technology will add continuous years of life that will allow one to take advantage of ever-emerging technology; on and on it goes until one reaches 200, 300, ...n years old. 

10. What should my children learn? This is a very difficult question, and based on what you value. There are innumerable models of education, from teaching Latin and classic literature to teaching advanced innovation skills. It's very difficult to prepare children for a future we know little about, and for jobs that don't exist yet. However, while some things will indeed change, others simply won't, such as integrity, character, virtue, and one's moral responsibility to another--those universal to the human experience, and unlikely to change greatly in the future. 

11. Where do I put my hope? There are many places people will put their hope in the future: government, technology, machines, longevity, their social or religious group, family, and on and on. Where do you put your hope? This will remain one of the most pressing questions as we embark on a future that is largely unknown, and wrought with great opportunity and great risk.

If You Were Told The Minority Report Is Now A Reality, Would You Be Surprised?

How many years ago did you watch Tom Cruise in Minority Report and think, "Ya--as if that'll ever happen!" Well...

Chicago Police monitored by predictive algorithms?

We are in an age of big data, which is a fancy term for all the information we social networkers are hourly providing companies like Google and Facebook about our routines, our desires, our beliefs, our family lives, the foods we eat, and on and on. And what are Google and Facebook, and other companies like it, doing with this data? All kinds of things, including behaviour predictive software. 

It's simple: if you have large samples of people behaving in a certain pattern,

it's probable that those patterns will be followed in the future. And better yet, you can have sophisticated machines rapidly sorting through all that big data to make highly 'educated' predictions, or inferences, about that behaviour. 

One example of this is the Data Science Machine created by Max Kanter, a MIT graduate student in computer science, and his advisor, Kalyan Veeramachaneni, which can approximate human 'intuition' when it comes to data analysis." The article from Fastcodesign continues,

Using raw datasets to make models that predict things like when a student is most at risk of dropping a course, or whether a retail customer will turn into a repeat buyer, its creators claim it can do it faster and with more accuracy than its human counterparts.

"If you have large samples of people behaving in a certain pattern, it's probable that those patterns will be followed in the future."

Turn this to individuals, we already have people claiming that one's mobile phone carries so much data a clone of the user could be made simply by hacking into it. And with all the personal information posted on Facebook, and used in Google searches and other online activity, it isn't difficult to turn these algorithms toward individual human behaviour and predict a continuum of actions. In fact, that's precisely what the Chicago Police Department is doing with a new program to predict when an officer may respond aggressively toward a civilian.

Police will soon be watched by algorithms that try to predict behaviour, headlines an article by MIT Technology Review. It's an effort to improve relationships between police and citizens, but the process seems creepy at best. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is working with researchers at the University of Chicago on the algorithms that will supposedly forewarn of against a spectrum of things from impolite traffic stops to fatal shootings. 

"Police will soon be watched by algorithms that try to predict behaviour."

I remember when I first watched Minority Report back in 2002. The concept of police able to predict a person's behaviour before it happened through advanced brain algorithms was stunning. How could such technology exist, I thought. How would these predictions be verified? What would prevent someone from being wrongly accused, or arrested too early? When would such technology break the tension between one's thoughts and one's actions? 

These same questions remain. While there is no question that big data is being gathered on human behaviour, creating programs as spurious as behaviour-prediction remains as concerning today as it did when millions were introduced to it by Tom Cruise. There remains a huge gap between what one could do and what one will actually do, regardless of complex algorithms. Humans are not machines running meagre software in which what happened yesterday is likely to happen today. We change. We have the power to grow, to modify our behaviour, to become better. In the same way, we have the ability to get into situations in which we act contrary to how we have responded in the past. We can fall prey to pressures and tensions that push us over the edge. This is the problem with such predictive algorithms: it foists the universal on the particular and turns it into a law--simple enough to do, but very difficult to verify, especially in court. 

In spite of what you might believe about behaviour-predictive software, there remains something just as troubling: that everyday we continue to fill the coffers of Google and Facebook, and other tech giants, with reams of data about our lives; and we're at the point now where we don't think twice about it. Having someone snoop through our purses or underwear drawers remains detestable, yet having third parties gather data on everything from what you eat to whom you have relations of various kinds with isn't even thought twice about. We have wittingly or unwittingly wandered into the transparent society, and, barring a major catastrophe from North Korea or otherwise, there's no turning back.

8 Ways To Become A Person Of Integrity

Character is very important in life. Your character is what underlies who you are. When you are alone, your character determines the choices you make; when you're with others, your character is what people see. 

An important part of character is integrity, which can be defined as the quality of being honest and fair. Integrity goes a long way in building a strong and good character; and the more integrity you display, the more you gain the trust and respect of others. 

Every aspect of our lives requires integrity: our jobs, our families, even our leisure time. If you are an artist or designer, you will want your work to show integrity--you want your work to be a result of honesty to yourself and to the medium you're working with. If you are a manager or executive, you will need to build a great team of people; and that can only be done when you have integrity. If you are a parent, your children will need to trust you; and the trust they have for you will only be a great as the integrity you show them.

As humans we are always in flux. We have the ability to change, to make different decisions, and to grow. If you are having difficulty with integrity, perhaps these tips will help you start toward change and growth. 

Here are some ways to grow in integrity:

1. Do what you say: There is the well-known saying, "Talk is cheap." Doing is the hard part. It's really easy to talk a big game, but are you willing to put the work into backing it up with action? When we make statements, when we tell people we are going to do something, when we agree to commit an action, we have to stick to it--simple as that. (The exception to the rule here, of course, is in committing a crime or immoral act). You will feel good about yourself and gain the respect of others when you back your words up with consistent action.

2. Be honest: Do you want to be known as the person who beats around the bush or one who is respected by speaking clearly? To have integrity means you stand for something--your words don't flow out of shaky ground. 

3. Know when to speak: There is a time for speaking and a time for remaining silent--and more often than not, silence is the best approach. Someone once said, "I am often ashamed by the things I say, but rarely ashamed at the things I didn't say." In fact, you can show more integrity when you don't speak often then when you do. Those who let their mouths flap all the time often find themselves in a world of trouble. The tongue is a small muscle, but can inflict great destruction.

4. Stand for something: We are seeing in our world today a great many people swept away by a lack of belief, and an overall sense that truth is just another word for opinion. Think about people who have changed history: they have had very strong beliefs--they stood for something. In a world of wishy-washy people and the loose beliefs of the masses, having a strong foot to stand on is critical to integrity; being true to yourself and having the courage of your convictions.

5. Flexibility: Standing strong for something is good; however, sometimes we are struck with new information and experiences that give us pause, and may even encourage us to change our beliefs. Do you allow yourself to reflect on your beliefs and tweak them with new information? There's a difference between this and being wishy-washy: when you are serious about how your beliefs are shaped, and take pains in understanding your world and your place in it, you walk with integrity; however, if you are just uncritically going with the crowd, you will lack integrity.

6. Learn: Growing is partly achieved through reading and learning. Integrity deals with what some call 'universals'--those values that impact all of us, such as justice, and love, and truth. To grow in such universals is to study them; to read what others have written about them and apply those ideas to your own life. What are the great sources for understanding love and justice? Where do you learn about friendship and service to others? Find those sources and read them and apply them to your life.

7. Maintain Order: Indeed, there can be an advantage to not showering for days and letting your work space clutter up beyond comprehension, but keeping yourself and your home and workplace orderly can be an amazing character booster. Some psychologists will be able to tell if someone is depressed by their persona appearance: is the person letting him/herself go, or looking after him/herself? Also, maintaining order speaks to others about you; it shows you care about your environment and your work. 

8. Confess when you mess up: You're going to make mistakes. You're going to let people down, fib once in a while, get busy and no-show, and on an on. It's ok. When things like that happen, it's best to confess what you did, apologize and move on. One of the best ways to end a matter when you've caused it is to ask for forgiveness. People want to be around someone who is fine with admitting wrong-doing and looking to make up. The social order may show otherwise, but those with integrity will appreciate it.

Is Interrupting Always Rude? You Won't Believe The Answer

Do you consider it rude when someone interrupts? Are you an interrupter of conversation? For many people, interrupting someone is considered rude; however, there are cultures in which interruptions are a sign of engagement in the conversation. Some call this distinction 'wait' versus 'interrupt' cultures. 

Case in point: over the past 20 years, my wife and I have had innumerable conversations, and it was not until recently when we discovered our differences in communication. She is European, and I am Canadian; she comes from a culture in which interrupting is part of being engaged, and I from one in which interrupting is considered rude. One night, we were at a get-together, and she interrupted me while I was making a point. I didn't think much of it--I'm used to it by now--but for some reason, it bothered her. Once home, we had a lengthy conversation in which we realized this cultural difference--it did wonders for our communication, and that between me and her family. In conversation with them, I could expect to be interrupted, and, in turn, I could interrupt--how liberating! In fact, I have realized this cultural difference in others who tend to interrupt while engaged in a conversation; and I have noticed those for whom waiting is the default. 

There is plenty of documentation on this subtle yet polarizing style of communication. One study revealed that French speakers use interruption more frequently than American speakers. In the same study, Chinese tended to interrupt more frequently than Fins and Dutch. 

But interrupting cultures are not only found in different human cultures. You might find an interrupting culture at your work place, possibly originating at the executive level. If it's a creative company, you might also find interruption to be routine, especially when new ideas are being kicked around. This typically offends those who are not used to interrupting, while fuelling those who thrive on it. The key here is if you're from a waiting culture, it's important that you learn to interrupt.

So, is interrupting someone during a conversation rude? Well, the first question to ask is whether the person speaking is an interrupter him/herself. Secondly, you can ask about the context: if you're in a waiting culture, then interrupting will be considered rude; however, if you're in an interrupting culture, then it's all good. 

Now, what about interrupting in a waiting culture? Perfect. What better way to practice interrupting than in a culture of waiters? 

 

10 Reasons Why You Love To Follow The Top Dog

In one part of our world, we are seeing almost nightly a whole lot of posturing and debating by very strong people--but there is always one top dog. What distinguishes a top dog from all the rest? Why is it that people gravitate to some and not others? 

Here are 10 traits of the top dog:

1. Dominant: Alpha dogs take control. They dominate conversation, they dominate situations. They are natural leaders.

2. Risk-taking: The alpha dog is not afraid of taking risk to get what he wants. He has a strong vision, and will do what it takes to fulfill it.

3. High failure tolerance: With risk-taking comes failure--but to an alpha dog, failure is just a minor set-back to getting what he wants. You may see an alpha dog down, but he won't quit--he'll just come back stronger and more calculated.

4. Tells people what to do: Alpha dogs naturally tell people what to do. If you are working with an alpha dog and tell him what you're going to do, he'll repeat it back to you in the form of a command. Here's an example:

You: "I'm going to go and send Jim that email..."

Alpha: "Ya you go and send Jim that email!" 

See how that works? 

5. Self-talk: Top dogs have tremendous self-talk, and often it is verbalized to as many people as possible. They'll describe themselves as winners and call others losers; they'll gloat over their successes and expose their rival's weaknesses; they'll talk about others only in relation to themselves. 

6. Comfortable with selves: Top dogs are very comfortable with themselves, and know how to look poised even when stressed or under attack. 

7. Loud voices: Alpha dogs typically have loud voices--and they love to talk. When they have something to say, they say it--especially over the voices of their opponents. 

8. Convincing: They are often very convincing in their statements, whether using the power of manipulation, strong use of language, or plain street smarts. For some reason, they can spout and rant, and rave, and masses agree with them. 

9. Mental flexibility: "Do I contradict myself? Fine--I contradict myself!" These words of Emerson is typical of the alpha dog. They change their beliefs based on new information, and aren't afraid to defend them wholeheartedly--even if they held the opposite belief the day prior. 

10. Protectors: People feel safe(r) with alpha dogs. Whether a CEO or presidential candidate, people follow alpha dogs because they see them as protectors, as winners--and we all want to be on winning teams. Alpha dogs rally people around them because of what they promise they'll do, or simply because their confidence brings people to their side. 

There are many other traits of top dogs. If you want to perform better in your job or in various aspects of your life, you may want to try out these traits. Remember: actions breed habits. If you want to change your habits, change your behaviour. 

If you work with a top dog, understanding these traits will help you get along with him, without taking things too personally--it's just how they're wired.

Your Smartphone Knows So Much About You It's Scary

Smart phones are tracking the private details of our lives. Take most apps on your phone, and they're recording where you are, what you're doing, what your interests are, and whom you're getting together with. 

According to Bloomberg, if someone were to break into your phone, they would have a near-clone of your life--not just personally, but professionally. Use a map, your phone is recording where you're going; use a hear monitor, your phone is recording the passing of every beat; have a new iPhone with finger ID, your phone has a record of the very thing that identifies who you uniquely are. 

According to Time Magazine, the top 10 most popular apps of 2015 track everything from who your friends are (and all the details of their lives as posted on Facebook), what you listen to, what you are watching, what information you're retrieving, where you're going, where and what you eat, and your favourite photos. Think about this.

Would you let a video camera follow you around throughout your day, the capture from which would be uploaded in real time to the internet? Would you like records of your conversations and the locations of your family members uploaded to Twitter? Would you like medical and insurance companies to have access to your medical files without your consent? While there is a minority of people who would, many would answer no to these questions. 

In spite of living in a time of transparency, people still want to maintain a semblance of privacy. While this may be desirable, however, how we behave with our phones reveals how badly we want our lives to be public. As Tim Cook claimed, "There's probably more information about you on your phone than in your house." Think about that.

According to the Wall Street Journal, marketing companies collect information about you through apps; and they use that data to create sophisticated dossiers about you. Would you give out personal information to a stranger, such as where you live, where your kids are, and where you're travelling next week? Well you already are. 

Why are we doing this? Do smartphones really provide us with so much value that we're willing to give our very finger prints over to it? Does the value of having a smartphone warrant the divesting of intimate information about you to strangers? 

As a civilization we are still very new to these technologies. We don't understand or appreciate their sophistication, their complexity. And we don't understand that the value of the information we give out far outweighs the benefit we might receive from the device itself. 

What You Really Need To Know About The Google Car That Crashed Into A Bus

So a Google car hit a bus, according to numerous news reports that stretched even out across the ocean to the BBC. On the surface, it's a car crash--so what? However, as you go deeper into this simple report, there are very strong deliberate statements made about human unpredictability and machine reliability. These statements are critical for swaying government and public opinion toward autonomous vehicles over against human-powered ones.

According to the report, the Google car was attempting to merge into traffic from an on-ramp, and the human operating the vehicle assumed the bus would let it merge in front of it, but continued driving. The autonomous vehicle struck the bus's side. Google's comment? They bear "some" responsibility, but the operator thought the bus would slow down and let it in so he didn't over-ride the system and take over. 

Here's a strange statement by Google: 

"The Google AV [autonomous vehicle] test driver saw the bus approaching in the left side mirror but believed the bus would stop or slow to allow the Google AV to continue. . . ."

Believed? The AV (autonomous vehicle) had a belief about what the bus was going to do, and thus acted accordingly. Can computers have beliefs? Can a self-driving car have beliefs? Apparently so. It's a strange way of describing an action made based on a series of predictions and algorithms. Can machines have beliefs? 

Nevertheless, what's the key to this? Is is a big failure? Of course not. It is simply an opportunity for the AV and Google to make an adjustment to the belief-centre of the computer: Buses most likely will not stop to let you in. And with that adjustment, the computer is better now--it can drive with more confidence, learn from the mistake, and move on. 

This report is very telling in several ways. First, Google took "some" responsibility, meaning it takes two to tango--even though, let's face it, the bus had the right of way. What they're saying is humans are unpredictable. The computer made the action based on algorithms of predictability--the human being is too spontaneous, and that's a problem. Second, Google tacitly blamed the operator of the AV itself--he/she (it's not specified) did not intervene on the computer, thus allowing it to crash into the bus. Third, this is no simple computer--it has beliefs. Whether AVs or other machines Google is building, they are highly intelligent--more than you and I may think or wish to credit. Third, with each little slip-up, the computer is growing in intelligence. Unlike human beings who get shaken up with an accident, and may even slip into post-traumatic stress, the trim little machine gets a simple tune up, adjusts its belief-system, and moves on. If only, I can hear Google saying, the human brain could be so nimble. 

The autonomous vehicle is a mainstay. It will overcome human-powered cars in the next decade. Human-powered vehicles will be denigrated in the media and through such experiments, and the push will be to reduce their numbers on the roads in the name of safety and road predictability. Computers will crash into one another, but that's the price of learning--they have to make up for over a hundred years of human-learning behind the wheels of automobiles. So not only is this 'incident' with the Google car a matter of road-side logistics and algorithms, there is a much deeper ideological statement being made that seeks to sway government and public opinion. 

Top-10 Most Stolen Cars In Canada. Hint: Think Twice If You Drive A Ford F350

Ever wonder about what vehicles are stolen the most in Canada? Think your Mercedes or VW Golf GTI make the list? And why do people steal vehicles in the first place? 

The Canadian Insurance Bureau claims that vehicle theft costs $1 Billion a year, including $542 Million to fix and replace stolen vehicles, $250 Million in police, health care, and court system costs, and millions of dollars more in correctional services. (As an aside, you can see with such costs that many advocate driverless cars fully autonomous and equipped with numerous data tracking devices. Some in the U.S. are already calling for the end to the $100 bill, given its convenience for thieves--could this be a similar argument for the end of the human-driven vehicle?)

There are a number of reasons why vehicles are stolen: they can be shipped over seas and sold for higher profit than in Canada; they can be given a fake VIN and sold to unsuspecting consumers; they can be used for joy-rides and get-away cars; or they can be simply taken out of pure desire. 

So which vehicles made the top-ten Canadian Insurance Bureau list for 2015? First I will list the top ten in Canada, then the top-ten in Ontario, both of which are distinct from the other. 

Top-10 stolen vehicles In Canada

1. 2005 FORD F350 SD 4WD PU
2. 2006 FORD F350 SD 4WD PU
3. 2007 FORD F350 SD 4WD PU
4. 2006 CADILLAC ESCALADE 4DR 4WD SUV
5. 2003 FORD F350 SD 4WD PU
6. 2006 FORD F250 SD 4WD PU
7. 2001 FORD F350 SD 4WD PU
8. 2004 FORD F250 SD 4WD PU
9. 2007 FORD F250 SD 4WD PU
10. 2001 FORD F250 SD 4WD PU

If you (legitimately) own a Ford F250 or F350, as you can see not only do you own a highly desirable vehicle, but also you will need to go to some lengths to prevent it from being stolen. Amazing how they make up 90% of the top-ten list--I wonder why? Crooks need to haul stuff? They're cool and rugged, and powerful--perfect for high-speed get-aways?

Nevertheless, the top-ten list for Ontario is much more varied than that for Canada. 

Top-10 Stolen Vehicles In Ontario

1. 2003 CADILLAC ESCALADE 4DR 4WD SUV
2. 2010 ACURA ZDX 4DR AWD SUV
3. 2009 BMW X6 4DR AWD SUV
4. 2013 ACURA MDX 4DR 4WD SUV
5. 2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500 2WD PU
6. 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 4DR 4WD SUV
7. 2005 HUMMER H2 4DR AWD SUV
8. 2014 TOYOTA VENZA 5DR 4D
9. 2011 BMW X6 4DR AWD SUV
10. 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500 2WD PU

One thing we can observe is that the Cadillac Escalade is a very desirable vehicle, filling out top spot in Ontario and 4th overall in Canada, edged out by the Ford F350. I wonder, however, why the 2006 is more popular as a stolen vehicle than the 2003 in Ontario? Another thing we can notice is thieves prefer SUVs and pick-ups over cars, for none of the vehicles above is a car. 

It goes without saying that if you have any of these vehicles, it will be important to keep them safe. Talk to your insurance broker about vehicle theft insurance, and keep your vehicle locked at all times. 

There is some good news to all of this: if you are driving a heap of kids around in a family van, chances are you won't be finding it stolen anytime soon...

11 Jobs Of The Future That Sound Sci-Fi But Aren't

We are in a time of transition. In fact, when the future and the present collide as quickly as is in only this second decade of the 21st Century, perhaps we will always be in transition. Often we think of the future as a place to which we will arrive--period. But that's not the case. As difficult as it is to 'catch' the present moment, so it is to somehow 'catch' the future. Transition is reality.

In a previous post, I expanded a bit on the claim by world leaders at the World Economic Forum that robots will steal 5 million jobs by 2020--only 4 years from now. I wrote how disruptive this time in history will be, and how important it is for us to be constantly learning, up-skilling, and preparing ourselves for this future. 

But there is another side of the issue that is just as important to understand, namely all the jobs that will have to be created for this future, which will give rise to opportunity. Perhaps by seeing some of these opportunities now you'll get a leg up on the competition.

What will these new jobs look like? We don't know for sure, but here are some of them:

1. Jobs of the Future Consultant: This may seem obvious, but with the rate of change there will be many out of jobs looking for new ones; and with new kinds of jobs emerging at lightening speed, a person who has a pulse on the times will be in high demand for career consulting.

2. Future Researcher: Right now, information is said to double every 12-18 months--imagine when it doubles every month, or week! Those who are able to research future trends and apply that knowledge to new innovations, business models, and inventions will be on the right side of change.

3. Designer: There will be many new problems arising that we can't yet conceive of. Design is the process of solving problems through creative means. Hence, designers will remain in high demand in the future, from human bio-design to environment, products, and services--even experiences. 

4. Education Specialist: Education will continue to be critical, especially in a world of constant transition. But we're not talking here merely of the 4 Rs, but training in areas such as innovation, design, future research, adaptability--things many may consider soft skills, but are really the hard ones to learn and apply. And schools will be very different in the future--not so much brick-and-mortar, but rather networks of organized knowledge. With brain plug-ins, people will be downloading information to their brains faster than they do now on their computers. But how to use that information will require wisdom, philosophy, ethics. 

5. Systems Navigation Consultant: We are spending more time in a virtual network--a very large, somewhat chaotic nevertheless ordered system. There are those who can think systemically and those how can't. Being able to navigate this growing web of humans and machines, virtual and non-virtual, will require skill; and if you don't have that skill, consultation. 

6. Life Hack Consultant: As the world becomes more 'virtual', many will seek to live outside it--to return to the way humans lived for tens of thousands of years before the technological age. They will need people to help them transition back to a life of self-sustainment--to (re-)learn the basics of human living: building shelter, finding food, building fires, bartering with others, to name only several. 

7. Seniors Specialist: With the rise of senior citizens, this is going to be a massive field of work, from designing residences to providing various kinds of technological-wellness services, to career consulting.

8. Biography Manager: While transitioning to a time of prolonged life, many people will opt for cryogenic preservation, which will require storage of their memories--this is where the Biography Manager comes in. A place that stores all the photos and documents and childhood paraphernalia that will be scanned and uploaded to a series of servers. 

9. Longevity Consultant: What do you do when you return from the doctor and are given another 500 years to live? First you'll probably need to see a psychologist to help get your head around it, and what then? See a longevity consultant who will set you on a fulfillment plan: a series of alternatives for spending those 500 years. 

10. Bio-transition Consultant: As humans and machines converge, many will be seeking guidance on the right techniques and procedures. While there will be scores of early adopters of, for instance, brain chips, there will be many who will want to take it slower, will need guidance and consulting for the program that's right for them. 

11. Human-Machine Relationship Specialist: Psychology will branch into areas dealing with human-machine dynamics and relationships, especially as more machines enter the workplace, and humans and machines couple romantically. As humans and machines intermarry--whatever that looks like in the future--there will need to be specialist who can help counsel such couples through myriad challenges of communication and even empathy. Add to this the need for conflict resolution between humans and machines--who will write the textbook on that?

We don't really know what the future will hold, but we can take some of the big trends of today and push them ahead 20 years and see what pictures they create. The list is consultant heavy; but given the number of consultants in our society today, and the rise of those seeking a career outside of a large corporation, I can only see the demand for consultants rising. Essentially, the ones who will be most successful at navigating and capitalizing on the new job-terrain will be those who are adaptable, able to see a market niche, and, for a time, leverage it.