BRotD - Entry 0247 - Big Data in the Information Revolution

Best Reading of the Day

I'm a technology guy and a data guy so I'm very interested in all things related to those two.  I've also written about the challenges of the Information Revolution we are going through.  Finally, we are also aware of the "Black Swan" concept where we can't see a house of cards until it is too late and we plan for stability and certainty where a rare event can bring it all crashing to the ground.

Combine these with the American Political system and what do you get?  The 21st Century version has been very, very messy.

If you like big data, technology, and have any interest in what is happening in the USA then this article is for you:

http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/how-big-data-broke-american-politics-n732901?cid=sm_npd_nn_tw_ma

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Big Data revolutionized the way American politicians win elections. In the process, it broke American politics.

Polarization is no longer just polluting the system — it's paralyzing it. The deepening divide between the right and the left has largely hollowed out the center of American politics, from the politicians who once occupied the large "middle" to the voters who once gravitated to them.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Chase Acquires MCX Mobile Payments Tech for ChasePay

A bit of news in the retail mobile payments space hit recently.  This is not an unexpected move given the events of the last 2 years.

Read more:

http://www.digitaltransactions.net/news/story/Chase_s-Technology-Deal-With-MCX-Is-Likely-to-Boost-Chase-Pay-As-CurrentC-Declines

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Twitter and the Fakes

Twitter is the streaming consciousness of the world. I'm convinced of it and follow a lot of what is going on very closely thanks to it.  We've seen its impact in strange ways and good ways.  The immediacy is amazing.  Simply no better way for mass communication of simple ideas.  Yet that immediacy can be an issue too.

What if some of the accounts on Twitter are fake accounts to help distribute a fake idea?

What if 48 million accounts are fake and whole waves of "news" can be faked, moving markets, pushing public opinion, and forcing action?

Scary.

Read on:

http://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/10/nearly-48-million-twitter-accounts-could-be-bots-says-study.html

Here is a snippet from the piece:

A big chunk of those "likes," "retweets," and "followers" lighting up your Twitter account may not be coming from human hands. According to new research from the University of Southern California and Indiana University, up to 15 percent of Twitter accounts are in fact bots rather than people.

The research could be troubling news for Twitter, which has struggled to grow its user base in the face of growing competition from Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and others.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Netflix is the Master of Streaming

... for now.

I have a Netflix account and enjoy some of the original content.  Especially 'Stranger Things'.

What about you?

http://fortune.com/2017/03/10/netflix-video-streaming-market/

Here is a snippet from the piece:

There's no question that Netflix is currently the king of the over-the-top streaming-video providers, with a service that reaches more than 80 million users in over 200 countries, and hit shows that drive millions of those users to "binge-watch" entire seasons in a matter of days.

All this has put Netflix in an enviable spot...

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Facebook Copying Snapchat

Back when Microsoft was doing this sort of thing they encountered anti-trust concerns.  The EU eventually forced them to take action.

Wonder how long Facebook has?  Read on:

http://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/09/facebook-copies-snapchat-examples.html

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Mark Zuckerberg's company tried to purchase Snap for $3 billion in 2013, but the camera company politely declined the offer. Since then Snapchat's popularity and worth have skyrocketed. The company's market cap has been pegged as high as $34 billion, and held its initial public offering on March 2.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Loyalty and Marketing

Great little post with 15 "facts" about loyalty.

Cool stuff.

http://www.cmo.com/features/articles/2017/3/3/loyalty-mind-blowing-stats-tlp.html#gs.iXMhRkc

Here is one of them:

8. Nearly 80% of companies spend less than 30% of their time and budget on customer retention-focused messaging and content.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Are You Drinking Enough Water?

There's an app for that.

And a "smart water bottle" too.

Yeap.

http://www.nbcnews.com/better/diet-fitness/i-stayed-hydrated-two-weeks-it-changed-my-life-n731131

Their conclusions?

... I tried to drink four liters of water a day, which is when I really started to see a difference.

Pre-water challenge, whenever the clock would strike 2 pm, I'd have a headache. The afternoon slump and caffeine withdrawals were certainly real for me. Drinking more water throughout my day helped make my afternoons much more pleasant and headache-free, which made me more productive.

Happy ... Water Drinking,

J.W. Gant