Uber and Lyft Have A New Competitor--And It's Not Tesla!

Image from SlashGear

Tesla Motors is a very progress company. Its Masterplan Part Deux is a brilliant blueprint for what a company of the future ought to be. Its vision is beyond compare with the competitors around it, including Google and Apple (both of which have dropped, at least for the moment, the pursuit of an autonomous vehicle), and Uber and Lyft. But is the vision too big, too far reaching, too beyond the here and now to make the difference in the market Tesla needs it to, especially as it pursues ubiquitous solar power? 

BMW has released a TNC program in Seattle in direct competition with Uber and Lyft. The German auto manufacturer has done this through its ReachNow program. In May 2016, BMW released the program in Seattle as a free-floating service: anyone could rent a BMW to get around town in at $.49 per minute. One can access the vehicle through a physical card or mobile app, and park it for free in any of the designated parking spots across town. 

Now, according to GeekWire, BMW has expanded the service to TNC. BMW claims it would be a more premium experience than riding in someone else's Ford Taurus or Toyota Corolla. GeekWire speculates that the ReachNow program would become a hybrid: one could hail a ride with a TNC driver, or drive oneself around. ReachNow is also likely to charge more for the premium experience than Uber or Lyft. 

As part of expanding its services, BMW is also likely to offer a concierge option in which a BMW is delivered to you rather than you having to find one, an airport service (already launched in August), as well as allowing people to lease out their BMWs as part of ReachNow network. 

Does the latter point sound anything like Tesla?

The auto market is so hot, so competitive right now, one wonders if Tesla's grand design might be too far in the future to gain the marketshare it yearns for. Indeed, Musk's plan goes beyond vehicles to solar energy and transforming civilization, but he needs a thriving automobile business to succeed--the solar plan hinges on the vehicular one. With well-established automakers like BMW and GM seemingly catching up in the innovation game, what stops them from taking Tesla's grand scheme and setting forth a Part Trois? 

Tesla seems to be moving too slow. This is a breakneck innovation landscape. Maybe Musk is stretched too thin, with SpaceX, Solar City, and OpenAI competing for his attention. One only has to think back to Steve Jobs who was running both Apple and Pixar, and himself ragged, to see what spreading thin can do to a person. Jobs was a stickler for simplicity, often writing 10 options on a whiteboard only to cross out 8. While Tesla may have been ahead of the electric vehicle game, there are some tireless competitors vying for marketshare that are much on its heels, if not inching ahead. Musk's fleet sounds like a nice idea, but is beginning to sound all too much like a boutique than ubiquity. 

It Looks Like Tesla Has Finally Set Its Sights On Uber

Photo from Business Insider

Is Tesla finally setting its sights on Uber? I've written a bit about both companies on this blog; and while a part of me is enthralled by technology and in moments of lost scruples yearn for the caprice of a Tesla, I remain stolid on the whole matter or electric cars. To me, being in control of a vehicle remains an almost lost symbol of freedom.

Nevertheless, as I've been reading and writing about Uber and Tesla, the latter has remained, for me, on top: Elon Musk is one of the most dynamic inventors the world has seen in many years, and he simply has a bigger, broader vision. Moreover, he's a capitalist: he wants to manufacture great products, and he wants people who buy them to have an efficient way of paying them off quickly and generating further revenue. And that's what's appealing for me about his business model of a self-driving Tesla fleet of cars, and what's at the centre of Musk's competition with Uber.

Here's Musk's brilliant business model quoted directly from Tesla's Master Plan Part Deux:

You will also be able to add your car to the Tesla shared fleet just by tapping a button on the Tesla phone app and have it generate income for you while you're at work or on vacation, significantly offsetting and at times potentially exceeding the monthly loan or lease cost. This dramatically lowers the true cost of ownership to the point where almost anyone could own a Tesla. Since most cars are only in use by their owner for 5% to 10% of the day, the fundamental economic utility of a true self-driving car is likely to be several times that of a car which is not.

This is what makes Tesla superior to Uber--the benefit of ownership with the ability of it to truly be obtained quicker by having your Tesla make money while you're not driving it.

Conversely, Uber wants to take cars off the road; the company doesn't want you to own a car--they think cars are bad. Instead, Uber wants to flood the roads with their own cars, as well as the airways with drones and flying cars. They will own the cars, and you'll be a mere passenger. And this to me is an attenuation of freedom.

This is also the reason for Tesla's recent disclaimer on its order form:

Please note that using a self-driving Tesla for car sharing and ride hailing for friends and family is fine, but doing so for revenue purposes will only be permissible on the Tesla Network, details of which will be released next year.

While Uber has been accused of dumping its employees and using them as a step into autonomous vehicles, Tesla is creating a product that comes with a way of quickly paying it off and even making money with it. 

That said, it's interesting to note that creating revenue with a Tesla outside the Tesla Network will not be permissible. This suggests that the vehicle will be programmed to somehow block revenue generation outside the network. And here's where, indeed, the freedom of Tesla reaches its limit.

Reed Hastings Is Missing The Point About The Future Of Streaming Television

We are now binge-watchers of TV shows. I don't like watching TV, but find myself sometimes in the throes of a binge-watch, and all the guilt associated with such a mindless pleasure. It's no doubt a phenomenon, especially with Netflix. 

In a recent Wall Street Journal event, Netflix co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings claimed that the future of TV could come by taking a hallucinogenic pill that takes you on a trip, and another pill to bring you back. The pill would give you the same experiences that at the moment come from streaming services like Netflix. He made this prediction not as an innovative idea--though who knows, he might run a pharmaceutical spin-off--but as a potential threat to TV:

“In twenty or fifty years, taking a personalized blue pill you just hallucinate in an entertaining way and then a white pill brings you back to normality is perfectly viable,” Mr Hastings said. “And if the source of human entertainment in thirty or forty years is pharmacological we’ll be in real trouble.”

Hastings is being facetious here--it won't take thirty or forty years for pharmacology to be used as a delivery device for simulacra. And the many who reacted to Hastings predictions as a mere throw-back to the 1960s or A Brave New World are missing the point entirely. Pharmacological simulacra will be a reality as Hastings predicts, but within only 5-10 years--just long enough for brain chips to advance enough for them to become ubiquitous and the ideal source for television and every other kind of human experience. In fact, this will be the time when TV is obsolete, given that the brain chips will create virtual reality in the brain itself. The kind of voyeurism that TV provides will become internalized. 

Reed Hastings at WSJ on Future of Netflix

Virtual Reality goggles are one way that televisual experiences are being enhanced into personal experiences. Hospitals, in the absence of the kind of pharmacological solution Hastings doled out in the WSJ event, have turned to VR to provide pain relief, the 'trips' of which harken back to the opium dens of the Asian 19th Century. A problem with VR goggles today is the spread of ocular herpes--the result of VR parties in which like drugs of the 60s people pass around and use, regardless of how sweaty and grimy the goggles are after a while. A hallucinogenic drug could provide a deeper internal experience while mitigating the risk of ocular herpes. 

In spite of Hastings predictions, it could be the case that we're all just living in a simulated reality already--at least according to Elon Musk, who believes that with the ubiquity of computers and the sophistication of video games, we are already living in a simulated reality. Hence, the technology simply has to develop a bit more before we see the kinds of things Hastings is predicting way too far into the future. 

Elon Musk: Are we living in a video game? Yup.

By 2040, we'll be living in a highly sophisticated virtual reality world in which perhaps we'll have an avatar watching streaming TV for us.

Are We Really Surprised That Our Smart Devices Are Used For Widespread Cyber Attacks?

For those interested in scenario planning, there are black swan events that are considered low-frequency/high-impact events, and those that are more like white swans that are high-frequency/low-impact events. Typically when a black swan happens, it takes a majority of people by surprise--for a moment, after which comes the 20/20 hindsight knowledge: "If you really think about it," so the typical response goes, "we saw that one coming over a year ago when . . ." 

Black swan events don't take place often, but like a tsunami beginning as faint vibrations on the ocean's floor, there are tell-tale signs that present themselves to the scrupulous.

Last week's massive internet crash is the perfect example of a black swan that had tell-tale signs. According to MIT Tech Review, the crash was caused by a DDoS attack (Distribution Denial of Service) in which servers were bombarded by requests from other servers that caused the meltdown. What we're learning now is that the DDoS attack was armed with internet of things technology, in which one's 'smart' fridge and 'smart' TV--and any other smart device in one's home--were harnessed by hackers and unleashed on Amazon, Twitter, and other large social networking sites.

Did we not see this coming? There has been so much written about the internet of things, both positive and negative. To me, it's pretty obvious that if you have a device connected to the internet--even something as unassuming as a blender or refrigerator--then you'll have a potential object used for all kinds of nefarious purposes from surveillance to cyber-attacks. 

And yet, for all the negative press these appliances are getting, people insist on buying them: they want to get the smart TV as a two-for-one deal on a smart refrigerator. But do they not understand what it all means? First of all, such devices track your voice, your movements, and your purchase history--whether Netflix movies or containers of yogurt. Second, by virtue of being connected to the Internet, your device can be summoned by hackers into a massive cyber-army, as last week's cyber-attack has revealed. 

Technology always presents us with trade-offs, often convenience for a loss of freedom or privacy, though I don't know what's convenient about a TV video recording a couple having a date in front of a movie, or a refrigerator tracking the particular kind of orange juice I drink--not to mention when I drink it--as well as my penchant for peanut butter. 

Some would just blow this off as being insignificant; that disparaging the internet of things is a conspiratorial position on a very clever and useful technology. 

Nevertheless, such a care-free attitude toward the technology, and the routine purchasing of smart products, will put our institutions at greater risk of similar, if not larger, DDoS attacks in the near future. 

Did you ever think your refrigerator would be political? 

8 Signs Of Burnout You Just Can't Ignore And What To Do About It

Burn out is a reality in the modern world. We work harder and longer hours, and, as a result of technology, spend less time outdoors and with family and friends in real-relationship. Binge-watching is commonplace--more so than community functions that build strong relational bonds. All these things can lead to heightened stress, cynicism, and hopelessness. 

Psychology Today outlines the following symptoms of burn out:

1. Chronic fatigue: In the early stages, you may feel a lack energy and feel tired most days. In the latter stages, you feel physically and emotionally exhausted, drained, and depleted, and you may feel a sense of dread for what lies ahead on any given day.

2. Insomnia. In the early stages, you may have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep one or two nights a week. In the latter stages, insomnia may turn into a persistent, nightly ordeal; as exhausted as you are, you can't sleep.

2. Forgetfulness/impaired concentration and attention: Lack of focus and mild forgetfulness are early signs. Later, the problems may get to the point where you can't get your work done and everything begins to pile up.

3. Physical symptoms: Physical symptoms may include chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, gastrointestinal pain, dizziness, fainting, and/or headaches (all of which should be medically assessed).

4. Increased illness: Because your body is depleted, your immune system becomes weakened, making you more vulnerable to infections, colds, flu, and other immune-related medical problems.

5. Loss of appetite: In the early stages, you may not feel hungry and may skip a few meals. In the latter stages, you may lose your appetite all together and begin to lose a significant amount of weight.

6. Anxiety: Early on, you may experience mild symptoms of tension, worry, and edginess. As you move closer to burnout, the anxiety may become so serious that it interferes in your ability to work productively and may cause problems in your personal life.

7. Depression: In the early stages, you may feel mildly sad, occasionally hopeless, and you may experience feelings of guilt and worthlessness as a result. At its worst, you may feel trapped, severely depressed, and think the world would be better off without you. (If your depression is to this point, you should seek professional help immediately.)

8. Anger: At first, this may present as interpersonal tension and irritability. In the latter stages, this may turn into angry outbursts and serious arguments at home and in the workplace. (If anger gets to the point where it turns to thoughts or acts of violence toward family or coworkers, seek immediate professional assistance.)

If you're facing burn out, don't give up--you can get back on your feet and to the level of performance that you are capable of; however, it will take some time and discipline. 

One of the big things you can do is start taking better care of yourself: get plenty of sleep, eat well, and get outside for walks--again, this is basic stuff. As well, you can start to say "No" to increased workload and projects, for every time you say "Yes" to a project you add more stress to your life. 

Why Does Apple's Tim Cook Want To Kill Cash?

Photo courtesy of 9to5mac.com 

In previous posts, I've written about CEOs who seek to usher in a new society, rather than merely design and sell products, such as Travis Kalanick and his mandate to rid the world of cars, or Elon Musk's plans to send humans into space. 

In a recent interview, we have another CEO who wants to create a new society: Tim Cook, who, according to Fortune, claims that Apple's next goal is "killing paper money once and for all." How? With ApplePay of course. Those who use this service store their credit cards, debit cards, and gift cards with Apple and thus can pay with a mere swipe of their phone. Cash is thus obsolete--at least for such users. Incidentally, Google and Samsung have their own competitive services. 

As Fortune notes, Cook's claim is a specious one, for while Apple has been able to sign on a number of banks, including those in Japan, the service is far from expansive: there are many countries who rely on cash, and the majority of people don't use Apple products. 

So why is Cook making such a claim as "killing cash?" Could be ego. Might be just a brash statement to get publicity and sell more Apple products. Maybe he's trying to show the world he's no longer in Steve Job's shadow, but is emerging as a tech giant in his own right. Jobs killed the record industry as we know it, so why shouldn't Cook try to kill cash?

What we should ask about Cook's claim to kill cash is why he wants to do it in the first place--why he's not just trying to sell another product, but striving to disrupt a fundamental way economies function. For example, cash is untraceable, whereas using ApplePay at a till isn't. And isn't it acceptable for people to carry around and pay with cash? What is wrong with that? Why does cash need to be killed? There seem to be implications for Cook's desire to kill cash that blur the lines between selling products and disrupting society.

Designing and manufacturing products is a good thing. When they're good, they make our lives easier. But when companies deliberately seek to shift the social order, to change social functions and operations, to disrupt human freedoms, then we should perceive them with suspicion. 

Cash isn't a bad thing. In fact, when economies are precarious, there are many instances of people forming their own currencies--cash is just a means of trading one service for another. While "killing cash" might seem cool and innovative, we need to ask ourselves what agenda such an act could be serving. 

And such questions should be directed toward any CEO who blurs the lines between designing a new product and ushering in some kind of new society. 

In whose interest is cash being killed, or are cars being taken off the road, or people's ability to drive cars impaired, or humans becoming multi-planetary species? 

In the age of disruptive CEOs, these are questions we need to ask ourselves and one another.

Who Killed The Apple Car?

A year ago, Apple seemed poised to take over, along with Tesla, the self-driving vehicle market. Who wouldn't love a car powered by an Apple OS? In fact, I wrote that Apple could render car makers like Lamborghini and Ferrari into 'skin' designers, i.e., creating mere exteriors for Apples OS. 

But today, the autonomous vehicle market looks a bit different. We have American car manufacturers testing self-driving vehicles, and companies like Uber and Lyft testing those cars out to power fleets of self-driving taxis. 

What about Apple?

In a recent article in Bloomberg, Apple has been struggling with its Apple Car project, called Titan, and has thus scaled back the project. This has led "to hundreds of job cuts and a new direction that, for now, no longer includes building its own car, according to people familiar with the project," reports Bloomberg. 

Now the key shift for Apple is building a self-driving vehicle system that is flexible and thus can be used in partnership with other automakers, or to design and build its own vehicle. Apple has set a date late into next year at which time it will determine the feasibility of the program and whether it is going to fully move forward with it. 

There remain considerable roadblocks for building cars that a computer company like Apple is finding out, for instance the complexities involved in auto parts supply chains. In phone manufacturing, Apple in many cases holds exclusive rights to certain parts. But auto parts dealers that require heavy investment on the front end are leery of committing fully to a company like Apple whose initial shipments will be small. 

The question in the back of many people's minds when they read this kind of report is 'What would Steve Jobs do?" He was a master at listing ten major projects, then crossing off seven to leave three that Apple would throw all its weight into. Would he be spending money and resources and precious time on an autonomous vehicle? Maybe. Would he have succeeded already? With Steve Jobs reality distortion field, you or I might already be driving one . . .

Uber Launches Creepy Drones To Harass New Mexican Drivers?

Photographer: Brett Gundlock/Bloomberg

Yahoo Sports called it "creepy," and from a dystopian sci-fi movie. MIT Technology Review called it "Ad-Toting Drones Are Heckling Drivers"--and that's coming from a magazine that advocates technological development.

I couldn't believe it when I saw it myself--I thought the company was only into self-driving taxis.

But now Uber is apparently in the business of drone advertisement--and they've locked their sites on New Mexican drivers from which the taxi company is seeking market share, as outlined in a recent Bloomberg article. 

The drones are shown hovering above vehicle windshields with slogans on them, such as "driving by yourself? This is why you can no longer see the volcanos." Am I the only one to see the double-standard in this propaganda? Maybe the driver can't see the volcanos from all the drones hovering over his head. 

I agree with the Yahoo Sports writer, there are very few things creepier than drones. But an even stranger thing about it is that it's coming from a company that is trying to sell a service. Wouldn't they want to do it with more subtlety? 

In a previous article, I wrote about Uber and Tesla as more than mere companies--they are social planners. The Uber agenda is not just to get its cars on the roads, but to transform how society drives from one place to another. 

Hence, there's an element of tyranny to it; a kind of techno-revolution to Uber that is highlighted in its very aggressive marketing scheme. Yet another inconsistency is Uber's desire to reshape the landscape of our world from pavement to forests, from tar to greenery. 

To me, they are paving the air with drones while trying desperately to coerce people into driverless cars. 

Where's the humanity in that?

Why Becoming A Space Citizen Is Now Fully In Your Reach

Here's an experiment: during your next dinner party, engage your guests in a scenario in which the earth as we know it has collapsed, and you (all) have fled into space to create a new civilization. What would it look like? What would the laws be? What would your culture look like? What would the economy run on? How would you live? Would there be a religion? If so, which one--or would you just create your own?

Stir the conversation around and see what you and your friends come up with. It's not as simple as it sounds, but it will reveal a lot about you and your guests: what they value most, and what things in life are more important than others.

Does this new space civilization sound far-fetched?

We have already seen Elon Musk's vision for a Martian civilization and his desire to be a catalyst for humanity to become a muli-planetary species. But he's not the only person thinking about this future, and putting a plan into action.

The U.K.'s Sun reported a story today reporting that "The first space nation was revealed today and YOU can sign up to be a citizen." And the report goes on to state "We could see people living in space in less than 12 months time, experts say as they christen the new 'country' Asgardia.

Asgardia: The First Space Nation

Space Nation is proposed by Dr. Igor Ashurbeyli, one of the Russian Federation's most distinguisshd scientists and founder of the Aerospace International Research Center (AIRC). Dr. Ahurbeyli also became chairman of UNESCO's Science of Space committee. The project was started by a similar scenario that I suggested for you at your next dinner party: exploring whether it's possible to create a country in orbit. On the Room website that reported today's press conference, it states, "Dr. Ashurbeyli has consulted a group of globally renowned scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs  and legal experts on the development of the concept.

If you're interested in living on this space nation, you can apply to become a citizen via its website. All you have to do is fill in your first and last name, your email address, and country, and verify that you are 18 years or older--that's all! A free invitation to become a member of this space colony--but apparently only for the first 100,000 people. According to Dr. Ashurbeyli, "Asgardia is a fully-fledged and independent nation, and a future member of the United Nations--with all the attributes this status entails." And again, the Dr. reveals the vision and philosophy, as it were, for this space nation: "The essence of Asgardia is peace in space, and the prevention of Earth's conflicts being transferred into space." 

To me, this is merely a utopian vision that fails to consider the cold hard truth of human history: that we have pretty much messed up every civilization we've been in. How would bringing all these people into space suddenly change all that? Will humans suddenly change with that of the altitude? Will zero-gravity bring about a dramatic shift in the human being's quest for power and control that bleed through the pages of history? 

According to Dr. Ashubeyli, there are currently 14 nations in the world that have launched satellites into space, but Asgardia will be the first to be fully independent with its own flag and set of laws. And, as if it needed to get better, a citizenship to Asgardia is a dual one with your own country (though I wonder if Canada, or any other country for that matter, would comply). 

Dare To Be Thankful: 5 Things You Could Be Thankful For Right Now

It's (Canadian) Thanksgiving: a time for getting together with family and taking time to be thankful. 

But do we really take time to be thankful? Or are we too busy moving on from one family dinner to the next? 

What is there really to be thankful for in the first place? Isn't our world wrought with growing crises, break-neck schedules, reality TV that is a far cry from anything remotely 'real', mass-media political brawls that are the stuff of conspiracies and wild headlines weeks after? 

We go from disappointment to disappointment, from broken rule to broken vow, from 6 to 11 24/7/365, and suffer all the crises and stress and medical breakdowns and PTSD and anti-depressants and on and on . . . 

When does it stop? And then we have a day like Thanksgiving which is spent rushing around and eating yet another heavy meal--if you happen to live in the right socio-economic sphere in the western world--and you wonder what the whole deal is.

If you haven't stopped and thought about what to be thankful for, here are some tips. It's not in any particular order, but just things that come to my mind:

1. Life: It's beautiful and at times tragic; it's full of complexity and wonder and pain and joy. It's life, and it's real, and big, and totally beyond you or anything you can fathom. Be thankful for the breath you breathe--right now. Be thankful for those around you, even if they sometimes cause you pain or anxiety--at least you're not alone. Be thankful for the moments of your life that you reflect on in wonder and joy, and at the moments that lie ahead of you, regardless of how many or few.

2. Relationships: Whether you're married or living with someone or just entered a relationship with someone that's more serious than 'just friends' you have a lot to be thankful for. Apparently those who are even in rough marriages live healthier lives than those who live alone. Be thankful for your spouse or fiancee or long-term relationship, and seek to make it better. 

2. Family: Sometimes family is tough. Sometimes family can cause hardship or pain or misunderstanding and miscommunication. Sometimes family can be the furthest from your thanksgiving. For those who have great families, be thankful. For those who don't, or are going through a hardship, be thankful for those moments of clarity, or for moments of peace, and then try to extend that peace over longer periods of time.

3. Food: With millions dying of starvation around the world, you can be thankful for the food you ate today, and for the food in your cupboards. You can be thankful that we are not going through a food scarcity crisis; that food is ample--at least in most parts of Canada. 

4. Shelter: Most Canadians have a place to live. It might not be perfect, it might not be all that you dream of or hope for; it may not be what your relatives or friends have; it may be smaller or older or not as nicely decorated; but when you go to bed this evening, and are protected from the elements, be thankful. It's simple, I know; but we live in a society when houses are investments, and out-dated kitchens are those with the "wrong cabinets" or counter tops or not the newest stainless steel appliances.

5. Employment: If you have a job, be thankful for it. If your job is making you sick, revaluate. Be thankful for the work you're doing if its satisfying; and if you're living your dream, you have much to be thankful for. If you're in a job that's good but not entirely satisfying, be thankful for it, and look for ways to bring more of yourself to it everyday.

These are simple things--I know. But it's important to each day take a moment to be thankful for at least one thing. When you're in a rotten mood, you can be thankful for something. When you feel life is not worth living, if you think of one thing to be thankful for, then you might find that one thing you'll give your entire life to from that moment on. 

Be thankful.

7 Things You Need To Do When You're Stuck In A Traffic Jam

Toronto highways have turned into parking lots during rush hour. In fact, it can be terribly demoralizing to sit in your car for over an hour just to get home after a hard day at work. The 401 and QEW are parking lots, and all you can do is sit there, hang tough, and not fall asleep. 

Here are some tips for dealing with the rush hour parking lot:

1. Remove Distraction: Driving in heavy traffic is draining on the senses--you have to concentrate on a number of things that can quickly fry out your nervous system. The worst thing you can do is crank up the Rolling Stones, and start texting your friends. Instead, turn off your music--or if you insist on music, put on something more soothing, like classical--turn off your cell phone; and if you have passengers who are talking your ear off, kindly tell them to be quiet. You need to pay full attention to the road.

2. Stay Cool: If it's a warm day, keep the interior cool--it will help you stay alert. Rolling the windows down might be too noisy, so keep the air conditioner running on a cool temperature. 

3. Chew on Gum: Having gum or candy in the car is important when you need to focus. There's something about chewing gum or eating candy that stimulates your brain. 

4. Keep your Distance: It's easy to get edgy and tail-gate the car ahead of you; but this can be dangerous. The traffic on the highway during rush hour is highly unpredictable--all it takes is one person hitting his or her brakes and you can be in a major collision. Keep the 3 second rule between you and the car ahead of you. If you're in the left lane and the 3 second rule is driving people behind you crazy, move into a calmer lane. 

5. Look Far Ahead: If you can, direct your gaze about 5-10 vehicles ahead of you. When you see brake lights 5 cars ahead, you'll have more time to respond. 

6. Signal: It's easy to throw all caution to the wind and just jump in and out of lanes. But it's important that you communicate your intentions by using your signals. Communication on the road during heavy traffic is critical. 

7. Get off the Road: If you've broken the 2-hour mark, and you're at a standstill, you can just pull off the highway and take a break. Stop at a restaurant, Tim Hortons, or some other place and chill out. It's better to take even longer to get home than run the risk of accident, or meltdown.

6 Basic Ways To Prepare For A Hurricane Emergency

The skull face image of Hurricane Matthew is indeed menacing. It's amazing how many people in Florida and South Carolina are being evacuated--into the millions. Costco and Home Depot are flooded with people buying up the remaining bottles of water and chip board in last minute preparations before evacuation. The storm has already taken 11 lives in Haiti, and is now surging into the souther United States.

CNN Weather shows the skull face image of Hurricane Matthew.

But what do you do to prepare for a storm of this calibre? 

1. Know the evacuation route: Listen to your national weather station that will alert you to the evacuation routes. If you don't have a short-wave radio, it's best to have one beforehand. 

2. Put together a disaster supply kit: including a flashlight, batteries, cash, first aid supplies, and copies of your critical information if you need to evacuate.

3. Have adequate supplies on hand: When you look at photos of people hitting Costco for water and other last minute supplies, you can see the desperation. You don't want to be part of that. It's best to stock up when you can.

4. Remove debris: Loose branches from trees can cause serious damage. Before the storm, remove any dead or loose branches and limbs from trees.

5. Secure your home: Retrofitting to secure and reinforce your roof, windows, and doors will reduce property damage. This is what people are doing when you see images of them boarding up the windows and doors and roofs. It's an important part of securing your home.

6. Safe room: Remember the movie the Panic Room? Well, many people are building such rooms into their homes; and they can be a very good way to hunker down through a hurricane. 

These are basic preparations. If you're not in an evacuation area, don't feel too confident and start wandering around in your car--best to stay home. If you have a generator, you might need it. Turn your refrigerator and freezer to the highest temperature, and open only when necessary; that way, if you lose power your food will stay colder longer. Stay tuned to your local weather station for all updates. Charge your phone so you'll have a full battery in case the storm changes and you have to get out of dodge. 

Innovation All The Time With These 8 Awesome Tips

There's a greater need for innovative teams as competition among companies and marketshare is fierce, and more organizations are starting up innovation labs and departments of disruptive change. If you're a company owner, manager, or an employee climbing the ladder, you need to stay innovative. 

Here are 8 tips that will inspire greatness:

1. Fail: Think of Thomas Edison's famous statement: "I did not fail. I simply found 10,000 ways that didn't work." When you are afraid of failing, you're unable to try new solutions, or speak your mind about a way forward. Those who generate ideas aren't afraid of falling short--if one bombs, they'll just generate more.

2. Riff: It's like jazz: you're working with a team and riffing off your colleagues like Coltrane off of Miles Davis. Don't think of yourself as a lone ranger, but rather like a jazz musician: take people's ideas and riff off them. If you don't know how to do that, check out documentaries of famous jazz musicians like Miles Davis or Herbie Hancock.

3. Look for synthesis: Often people think of ideas as tiny atoms that are isolated. But when you take three people's ideas and sync them together, you possibly come up with something greater. People like synthesizers. If you're a manager, look for synthesis, especially if you have a team of people who love their own ideas and won't move forward unless their ideas are included in the plan. People want to contribute--that's why they love synthesizers.

4. Push the idea to its limit: You need to kick the tires on an idea to see if it'll survive disruption. To do this, come up with wacky scenarios--in our crazy world, there's no such thing anymore as wacky--and run your idea through them. See where the points of failure are, then redesign it.

5. Use divergence: What do mountain ranges and self-driving cars have in common? Or what about bats and mobile technology? Typically, we use the same kind of thinking for old ideas as we do with new ones. If you take two seemingly unrelated things and fuse them together, you'll get a totally different picture of your solution. Don't look all the time for similarities of things, but rather the links between unrelated things.

6. Lock down: Think of your meeting room as an incubator tank. Make it comfortable with food and plenty of caffeinated drinks, and magazines, and cool design books, and plants, and large whiteboards, and Lego toys, and anything else you and your team enjoys--then lock yourself in. Spend a week in that place. Take plenty of photos of your work. Stay there till something awesome emerges.

7. Get outside: Steve Jobs was a master of walking outside during meetings. It's important to get outside, clear your mind, and get your body moving. And did you know that walking provides oxygen to the brain? You're actually being smarter by walking around the block of your office building. 

8. Learn about creativity: There's a lot out there on creativity, from TED Talks to books to articles. If you're a manager, get your team to learn everything it can about creativity, then assign everyone to bring 5 new practices to the next meeting. Create new habits around what you've learned.