Metacognition

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/technology/the-one-skill-that-separates-people-who-get-smarter-with-ai-from-everyone-else/ar-AA1Z6Sj3?ocid=msedgntp&pc=ACTS&cvid=6a24b90d350343ce86d116e4f82abfe1&ei=17 After three years of widespread generative AI adoption, our data reveals only a small percentage of U.S. employees use AI in such a way that it enhances their thinking. Most workers either resist the technology entirely or use it passively. A small group — call them fluent users — does something fundamentally different. So, what sets them apart? It’s not IQ. It’s not a technical skill. When we ask people how they’re using AI to make themselves smarter, their descriptions coalesce around a particular skill that rejects asking AI for direct answers to complex problems. These fluent users are thinking about their own thinking, casting AI in a supportive role, not a guiding one. What they are describing is the act of metacognition. The skill that unlocks smarter AI use Metacognition is a fundamental concept in psychology that involves a distinctly human ability: reflecting on our own stream of thoughts, mulling them over, revisiting assumptions, and folding in new ideas to evolve our mental model. When we ask ourselves, “What am I missing?” or “What’s another way of looking at this problem?” We are engaging in metacognitive acts. Few people practice metacognition deliberately, which makes fluent AI users look almost magical to their peers — the way a polyglot seems effortless to someone who only speaks one language. But here’s the good news: the skill is highly learnable. With the right principles and enough practice, anyone can use AI to make themselves smarter. Based on our research, AI fluent users represent between 5–30% of employees at a given organization, depending on industry and role. They don’t ask the chatbot to generate a plan and pass it off as their own. Instead, they remain in the driver’s seat, starting conversations with prompts like: I’ve created a marketing plan that I need help refining. I’m fairly confident it needs to reach mid-career professionals between 28–45 years old, but I could be missing something because of my unconscious bias around the topic. Without providing specific suggestions, can you help me think through my various options for improving the attached plan? Manage Sales and Inventory - Moneris Total Commerce - Inventory Tracking Made Easy Manage Sales and Inventory - Moneris Total Commerce - Inventory Tracking Made Easy moneris.com · Sponsored call to action icon There are several things going on here. Most importantly, notice that the prompt doesn’t hand control to the AI. In our example, the user explicitly tells the AI not to offer suggestions — signaling that the user intends to remain the intellectual authority in the conversation. Three metacognitive habits fluent users share First, the prompt demonstrates humility. The user acknowledges they don’t have all the answers, using certain hedge phrases, such as “I’m fairly confident” and “could be missing something.” These signal a growth mindset, or the belief that one’s skills can be improved over time. Without it, the ego stays in self-protection mode — and learning stops. Second, the prompt shows flexibility. The user acknowledges their point of view isn’t the only valid one. With a bit of digging, other options will come into view, expanding their perspective on the matter. From a neuroscience perspective, cognitive flexibility in AI usage enables us to be adaptive and open to multiple perspectives. Cognitive flexibility is thought to involve an expansive network of brain regions involved in cognitive control, including regions of the prefrontal cortex. Third, the prompt shows the user taking an active role in driving their search for new perspectives — a form of vigilance. The user prioritizes getting it right over feeling right. Bias is a quiet saboteur. Without pausing to question blind spots, users risk having AI simply repackage flawed assumptions in new wrapping. Also, a sense of vigilance is crucial for mitigating any biases that may be embedded in the AI’s answers — including biases baked into the AI itself. The most encouraging finding from our research: metacognition isn’t an innate talent. It’s a trainable skill. The more deliberately you practice thinking about your own thinking, the more natural it becomes — and the more likely you are to walk away from every AI conversation sharper than when you started. In an era when most people worry AI will make them dumber, fluent users are quietly proving the opposite.

SMART SWEDES OUT-MANEUVER(ING) GRREDY AMERICANS

A MIXED AIRFORCE IS NECESSARY AS AMERICA IS SO UNPREDICTABLE I WOULD EVEN ADD FRENCH RAFAELS OR SURPLUS RUSSIAN JETS FOR INVENTORY-MASS AND REDUNDANCY AMERICA IS GOING TO HELL UNDER TRUMP AND HIS ISRAELI BOSSES ... The Idio-Arrogent-President is even threatening Greenland ... Sources said the recently announced plan to buy the Swedish firm's GlobalEye surveillance aircraft was a "first step" in negotiations to partner on the Gripen project. But some in the military have strong reservations with the deal, as Ottawa remains adamant that military spending needs to boost Canada's tariff-battered industrial sector. According to various sources, the federal government would still be looking at a fleet of 72 to 88 F-35s, even if it moves forward with the Gripen. Several sources said Ottawa is exploring a purchase of 72 Gripens, which would create up to 9,000 jobs and be the largest defence industrial project in Canada. Saab is continuing to refine its business plan to build Gripen fighters in Canada, notably by using the supply chain that will be put in place for the GlobalEye production, sources said. "There could easily be a fleet of 140 aircraft," says a source with knowledge of discussions between Saab and Ottawa. CBC News granted confidentiality to several sources directly involved in the file to allow them to provide details on private discussions. https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/ottawa-s-mixed-fleet-of-f-35s-and-gripens-could-total-more-than-100-aircraft-sources-say/ar-AA24Yuex?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=ACTS&cvid=6a24943107a6495483365c0f8e6b026d&cvpid=6a24b42f3a8f4b57962f4629af11e233&ei=15

$9,000 USD A TICKET TO WATCH AFRICANS BOUNCE A BALL AROUND NEW YORK & TEXAS

But there may be a few Mexicans, ASIANS and European-Whites on the benches ... lol Crazy... President Donald Trump will attend Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden. The game marks the first time this century that The Garden will be hosting an NBA title game, as the last time the Knicks made the Finals was in 1999. Given that it will be the first such game in 27 years, while also considering that the Knicks have a very long 53-year title drought - they last won the NBA championship in 1973, when it wasn't named the Larry O'Brien trophy yet it's a must-watch event in New York, and the ticket prices for the game are sky high. When a reporter told Trump that the average American cannot afford a ticket to Game 3, the president didn't seem bothered. They can watch it on television," replied Trump. "It's sort of semi-free to watch it on television. But that's the way life goes." Trump was aboard Air Force One, en route to a farmers' event in Wisconsin, early Friday, when he had that exchange with the reporter. During that conversation, she told him that the cheapest Game 3 ticket was at $8,000. Just hours later, that number went up to $9,000, with former ESPN writer Darren Rovell predicting that it will go up further if the Knicks win Game 2 on Friday night. But while the numbers are astronomical and unaffordable for the average American, Trump noted that the price is set that way because it's a massive event for Knicks fans. If it were just any other Knicks game during the regular season, the ticket prices wouldn't be as high or unaffordable. "If the game wasn't a big one, if the team wasn't a big success, you can go very easily. So you can do that, too. But that's the way life is, you know. And they've had great success. Don't forget they've suffered also, losses. They've suffered through the bad times. Now they have a team that's amazing," he added. New York Mayor also expected to be present in Game 3…but will pay for his tickets Likewise, New York City mayor Zohran Mamdami also said that he will be in attendance for Game 3. However, he told reporters that he will pay for his own ticket and won't be seated courtside or in a suite. "I can tell you that I'm planning to go to a Knicks game. I will be at Game 3. I will be in a very different section of the stadium,"said Mamdami. When told that Trump is expected to attend too, he replied: "I think we're looking forward to welcoming any New Yorker who is excited for the Knicks to have that chance to win a championship." It can be recalled that in Game 2 of the Knicks' Eastern Conference Finals series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Mamdami was caught on video cheering and watching the game from the nosebleeds at The Garden. It's unclear how much he paid for those ECF tickets. But those seats are the ones that cost $9,000 for Game 3.

Hobbies Smart People Enjoy

I've liked and participated in most of these throughout the years. I have a degree in Philosophy, play chess, debate a lot, (and as a Lawyer} argue, like analogue old-fashoned book-reding, enojy crosswords also. But I am shit at Math normally. Corner Brook Chess Club anyone? lol https://www.msn.com/en-ca/money/other/intelligent-people-tend-to-enjoy-these-hobbies-according-to-data/ss-AA1JcY9T?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=ACTS&cvid=6a249efbed6842128e7da51178a4aced&ei=15#image=26

Keep Moving Forward

Einstein recommended fwd progress. In 1930, Albert Einstein sat down and wrote a letter to his son Eduard, who was struggling with severe mental health problems that would soon lead to institutionalization. People are like bicycles, he told him. Only when they are moving can they comfortably keep their balance. BTW - I am ditching my plans to buy an F250 lifted and instead getting my Mountain-Bked tuned up and on the road for the summer... PG over & out ...

Raise Robot-Proof Kids Who Think For Themselves

As a an Ecommerce Expert, wanna-be Neuroscientist, International IP Lawyer, PaymentGuy, Virtual World Expert, Mobile Payment designer and entrepreneur, I've spent a significant portion of my later career asking a simple question: What skills will matter when AI can generate answers and automate much of cognitive work? This involves the foundational shifts in how we think about development, moving from knowledge transmission to capacity-building. If you want your children to have an advantage later in life, here's how to raise them to be robot-proof. 1. Institute the 'Failure Resume' In my research and real-life exeriencre, a consistent pattern emerges: A-students are often the most willing to be wrong. My own models trained on thousands of learners show that exploration and even failure predicts deep learning better than repeating correct answers. Yet our education system, obsessed with correctness, often trains this instinct out of kids. It teaches them that failure reflects their worth, rather than fuels growth. What this is: The Failure Resume is a living document, a family ritual where you actively record and celebrate failures. It's explicit evidence of every time the hard work of being wrong paid off feeding into a learner's resilience, curiosity and ability to tackle open-ended problems. For parents: Once a month at dinner, go around the table and have everyone (including you!) add one failure to their resume. A missed goal in soccer, a bombed test, a project at work that went sideways. The key is to reframe it. Don't ask, "What did you fail at?" Ask, "What did you try that was hard? What did you learn from it?" Normalize and even celebrate the act of stretching beyond one's abilities and to tie that effort to the rewards of growth. My own Failure Resume would include entries for a few failed startups, a period of homelessness, 2 divorces and that one time I accidentally convinced the Secret Service I was a national security threat at a White House party. Each failure grew me to someone better. 2. Engineer serendipity Economists often point to the "Harvard effect," the massive life-outcome advantage linked to elite universities. But it's not magic, and it's not just about the classes. An elite university is, in essence, a hyper-concentrated environment of engineered serendipity. The real value isn't just in the formal curriculum; it's in the random conversations in the dining hall, the diverse clubs, the constant exposure to thousands of ill-posed problems that don't have answers in the back of the book. We can't all send our kids to Harvard, but we can borrow its core principle. What this is: Engineering serendipity means intentionally creating an environment that encourages unexpected connections and discoveries. A home or classroom built on managed uncertainty — safe, but not sterile; structured, but not rigid — where curiosity can take root. For parents: Turn your home into a landscape of interesting problems. Leave a broken toaster on the kitchen table with a screwdriver next to it. Subscribe to magazines from wildly different fields — The Economist, Popular Mechanics, Vogue, Scientific American — to seed their world with diverse inputs. It's messy, but it's a mess filled with invitations to explore. 3. Appoint your child as 'Chief AI Critic' I've been playing with machine learning for 25 years. But for a generation just entering a world where large learning models (LLMs) is a constant companion, the temptation to just let it do the hard work will be immense. Why struggle to write an essay, solve a math problem, or learn a new concept when a machine can provide a perfectly good answer in seconds? But a tool that makes you better in the moment but leaves you worse off when you turn it off. We need to teach our kids to engage with AI in a way that makes them more critical and creative. What this is: Reframing the child's role from passive consumer to active critic of AI output. The AI becomes a "brilliant but naive" collaborator, and the child the one who interrogates, guides and evaluates it. For parents: AI should never provide the final answer. Kids can use it to brainstorm or explore, but they must produce their own first draft or solution. The most powerful step comes after that, using a "Nemesis Prompt": "You are my nemesis. Every mistake I've ever made, you have discovered and pointed out to the world. Here is the essay I just wrote. Read it and explain to me, in detail, every flaw in my argument, every logical inconsistency, and every way my evidence is weak. Then suggest three ways I could make my argument stronger." When the LLM returns its critique, the child's task is to wrestle with them. They must decide which critiques are valid and which are just statistical noise from a machine that doesn't truly understand their intent. This is where true learning happens. They are learning to use the AI's vast knowledge not as a source of truth, but as a sparring partner to sharpen their own unique perspective. The world already has the "right" answer in its pocket, nearly for free. The real value your child brings is the answer that only they would give. As Chief AI Critic, they are exploring and creating their own meaning from what the AI knows. That is the essence of creative labor, and what the world needs more of. PG over & out ...

Reward Kids Who Do Good & They Will Always Do The Right Thing(s)

Worked for me with 2 kids as a single Dad livig alone in Helsinki ... Kant's writings, while genius, are written in much too complicated Aristocratic Old-German... A four-year-old in a suburban daycare earns a sticker every time she shares a toy. By age six, she shares less when no sticker is offered. Teachers notice the shift but struggle to explain why. A German philosopher who never raised children of his own predicted exactly this outcome in university lectures delivered more than two centuries ago. Immanuel Kant argued that children taught to be good only for rewards grow into adults who calculate personal advantage rather than follow moral principle. He did not question whether rewards work. He argued they work too well at producing compliance, and that this is precisely the problem. Kant’s core warning, preserved in his collected lectures and writings, is blunt: “If you punish a child for being naughty, and reward him for being good, he will do right merely for the sake of the reward; and when he goes out into the world and finds that goodness is not always rewarded, nor wickedness always punished, he will grow into a man who only thinks about how he may get on in the world, and does right or wrong according as he finds advantage to himself.” The final clause matters most. A child raised on transaction does not become immoral. He becomes a calculator. Kant saw this not as a failure of discipline but as a failure of moral education. The behavior was never internalized. It was only rented. https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/immanuel-kant-german-philosopher-if-you-punish-a-child-for-being-naughty-and-reward-him-for-being-good-he-will-do-right-just-for-the-reward/ar-AA2427IN?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=6a2498d89a2445e384ffedc806af4e5b&ei=17

How To Make Your Kids (& Yourselves) Smarter

Some advice: Over the past 3 decades, as an Lawyer, Enterprise Architect, Payment Guy eCommerce Consultant, Blogger, single Dad, Academic advisor, I've worked with many genius Billionaires and High IQ Tech-People, thousands of middle school, high school and college student and Entrereneurs and I've seen what separates those who struggle from those who thrive. It's not an IQ score, GPA, or even college acceptances to prestigious universities. The real predictor? Executive functioning skills, a set of cognitive skills that help us concentrate, organize, and manage emotions. When you learn these skills early on, you'll be better at handling responsibilities and forming meaningful connections. Prioritizing grades, test scores, and college admissions as the main measures of success often undermines young people's futures and strains parent-child relationships. But when you provide kids with structure and support, they can thrive beyond school. Here are 5 ways to start. 1. Help them build systems that work Many students struggle with managing assignments, tracking deadlines, and organizing materials. This can cause unnecessary stress and overwhelm. I encourage students to self-assess their skills in planning and adapting when plans change. The goal is to find a system that best fits them. For example, many students work best with paper planners, while others may prefer digital calendars. Some might prefer visual color-coding, and others might need notifications and alarms as reminders. A quick way to check the effectiveness of the systems you've established together is to ask your child if they can find a document or file they need in under one minute. If they are struggling to locate it, talk about what you can do to make their systems work better for them. 2. Provide proactive structure and support Today's demands — balancing school, activities, family, and information overload — often exceed where our kids' brains are developmentally. Establishing simple daily habits and weekly routines helps kids build independence in problem-solving and self-regulation. For example, setting aside time to plan the week and review upcoming events creates the space to manage tasks alongside other commitments. Sometimes, kids just need the accountability of someone nearby to motivate them to start or finish tough tasks. 3. Focus on solutions It's easy to get frustrated by a child's perceived lack of organization or motivation, but what we often call "procrastination" is actually task avoidance — a task initiation issue, not a motivation problem. Rather than nagging or framing missteps as failures, create initiation rituals that cue the brain to shift into work mode. Steps like clearing a workspace together or writing down all pressing tasks can make the first step ridiculously small and naturally build momentum. The key is to find fun and manageable ways to make the brain transition from thinking about work to actually doing the work. 4. Prioritize sleep and stress management Everyone's ability to start and complete tasks is severely impacted when they are tired or feel stressed. Emotional regulation suffers, too. Research shows that teenagers need eight to 10 hours of sleep per night for healthy brain and body development, and these are also critical for our executive functions. For stress management, I encourage kids to create an "emotional toolkit" by identifying three to five ways they can navigate stress. Tweens and teens often choose listening to music, drawing, playing outdoors, spending time with a family pet or taking a bath. 5. Model adaptability and buoyancy in your own life There's often a focus on resilience, or the the ability to bounce back from disappointments and challenges, especially during times of transition or change. I encourage my students to think about a related concept: buoyancy. This means reducing the time and energy it takes to process disappointment by learning to adapt when things don't go as planned. Unfortunately, many adults struggle with this skill. Yet I've found that children benefit from seeing their parents model adaptability, in order to develop it themselves. This underscores a crucial point: one of the best ways for children to develop executive functioning skills is by watching their parents and caregivers consistently model those same skills. Kids are watching how we handle stress, manage our time and adapt when plans change. Make sure you're showing them what success actually looks like. Over & Out - PG

Einstein Recommended Fairy Tales For Kids

Fairy Tales make your kids snarter: We often picture intelligence as something built with strict routines, rigorous studying and high grades. We push our children to memorize facts and follow instructions, hoping it will lead to success. But what if one of the greatest geniuses of all time believed the real key to intelligence was something much more magical? Albert Einstein, the man who reshaped our understanding of the universe, had a surprising piece of advice for parents. He didn't recommend more math drills or science kits. Instead, he suggested: "Fairy tales and more fairy tales." This unexpected recommendation comes from a story shared in a 1958 article in Montana Libraries. The author, Rita McDonald, recounted a tale about a mother who asked Einstein how she could prepare her son to become a scientist. To her surprise, Einstein’s answer was “fairy tales.” When the mother protested, thinking this was too frivolous, Einstein insisted. He explained that "creative imagination is the essential element in the intellectual equipment of the true scientist, and that fairy tales are the childhood stimulus of this quality." (Source: Library of Congress Blog, which rediscovered this article). Einstein famously disliked rigid, authority-based schooling. He believed true learning thrived on joy, curiosity, and independent thinking. In a letter to his own son, he advised him to play the piano pieces he enjoyed most, even if his teacher hadn't assigned them, because that was the way to learn the most when you're having fun. (Source: The Marginalian). https://www.msn.com/en-ca/money/topstories/a-mother-once-asked-einstein-how-to-make-her-child-smarter-his-one-word-reply-is-going-viral-again/ar-AA1Q4Izk?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=ACTS&cvid=6a24981402ed483e8f506231bb08b6cf&ei=7

Spike Your Morning Sunlight

The best way to ensure brain health is to get a lot of sun early in the morning: While cortisol levels do rise and fall throughout the day, these patterns can vary significantly from one person to the next, making it challenging to assign a specific number to what constitutes an "ideal" difference. Moreover, people with mood disorders are generally advised against spiking cortisol levels. Huberman says one way to keep that rhythm on track would be to send the body a signal. "The best way to spike your morning cortisol is to get bright light — ideally from sunlight — in your eyes in the first hour after waking. If you can't do that, maybe invest in a 10,000 Lux artificial light," Huberman said. If that's not possible, he suggests flipping on "as many artificial lights as you can." While morning light plays a role in cueing the body's circadian rhythm, scientists aren't in agreement on how directly it affects cortisol levels, which can vary depending on light intensity, duration, timing, and individual lifestyle factors. https://www.msn.com/en-ca/health/other/stanford-neuroscientist-andrew-huberman-says-one-morning-habit-sets-the-tone-for-his-day/ar-AA1TE64z?ocid=msedgntp&pc=ACTS&cvid=6a2494ab7d1b4550bf329181735f4346&ei=22 PG says - For Brain Health Spike Your Morning Sunlight!!!

Storage Wars Sheets Shot Himself In Head

Darrell Sheets’ manner of death has been revealed nearly two weeks after the Storage Wars star's death at age 67. Sheets' death has been ruled a suicide, the Mohave County Medical Examiner's Office in Arizona confirmed to PEOPLE on Tuesday, May 5. TMZ was the first to report the news. According to a press release from the Lake Havasu City Police Department, obtained by PEOPLE last month, Sheets was found dead from an apparent suicide around 2 a.m. local time on April 22 after officers responded to “a reported deceased individual.” “The male was pronounced deceased on scene, and the Lake Havasu City Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Unit was notified and responded to the scene to assume the investigation," the release stated. Authorities said the incident remained under active investigation and asked anyone with information to contact the Lake Havasu City Police Department at 928-855-1171. Sheets was a fan favorite on A&E’s Storage Wars, which follows professional buyers competing to bid on abandoned storage lockers. Nicknamed “the Gambler,” Sheets was known for his high-risk approach to auctions and appeared on the series alongside his son Brandon. He made his debut in the show's premiere season in 2010 and departed in 2023 following season 15. Sheets retired from Storage Wars in 2023 and later opened an antique shop in Arizona called Havasu Show Me Your Junk. https://people.com/storage-wars-darrell-sheets-manner-of-death-revealed-11956514

BUILDING A TINY CABIN

THIS ONE IS COOL https://www.youtube.com/shorts/yh4p5Q3V7h8

JEWS SPYING ON AMERICANS - Exec Blog

JEWS CROSSED A LINE LATEY SAYS PENTAGON ... Recent U.S. intelligence reports have raised concerns about Israeli spy agencies eavesdropping on American negotiators working on a peace deal with Iran, amid rising concern over a more general counterintelligence threat by Israel. Israel and the United States have long known, and tolerated, that each was spying on the other. But an intensified Israeli effort to learn about U.S. positions in talks with Iran has crossed a line, according to some American officials. The reports include concerns that Israel has stepped up its efforts to eavesdrop on senior American officials, including Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s top negotiator, Elbridge A. Colby, the Pentagon’s top policy official, and one of his main deputies, Michael P. DiMino IV. Another report, written by the Defense Intelligence Agency and other military intelligence offices and focused on earlier events going back several years, said that the counterintelligence threat level posed by Israel had been increased in recent weeks to the top level, from high to critical. The report, to which the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency contributed, outlines various efforts by Israel to spy on American military personnel and government officials. The reports and the intensified concern about Israeli spying come at an especially sensitive time. Israel and the U.S. have been fighting the war against Iran together, and have never had such close military coordination as they do now, with Israeli military officers working side-by-side with their American counterparts at U.S. Central Command. The U.S. military is sharing huge amounts of tactical and operational information with its Israeli counterparts. But senior American officials said that Israel is looking for insights into Mr. Trump’s strategy and shifting stances on the peace talks. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/06/us/politics/pentagon-sees-growing-espionage-threat-from-israel.html?unlocked_article_code=1.oFA.Jg8d.VjwUr1tgzUuD&smid=url-share

JEWS SPYING ON AMERICANS

EVERYONE KNOWS JARED KSHNER IS AN ISRAELI TROPE aka SPY AND TRUMP HAS BEEN OWNED AS A PAWN SINCE HE WENT BANKRUPT IN NY; WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is increasingly concerned about Israel ramping up its spying on the U.S., recently raising the counterintelligence threat level from America’s top ally in the Middle East to the highest level, according to two U.S. officials and one former U.S. official. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/pentagon-raised-threat-israeli-spying-us-highest-level-sources-say-rcna348565 NBC News Icon Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content. arrow The Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency in recent weeks issued the new counterintelligence threat assessment amid rising tensions between Israel and the U.S. over the way forward in the war with Iran, the officials said. They said the DIA posted an internal message, viewed by one of the current officials, that raised the level for Israel to “critical.” The designation stems from concerns within the Pentagon that Israel is making a particular effort to surveil top U.S. officials to get information on the Trump administration’s internal deliberations and decision-making on the conflicts in the Middle East, the officials said. The DIA assessment includes a seven-page document and features a chart, according to one of the current U.S. officials. The document says the assessment of Israel is that its ability to conduct human espionage and technical collection is at a ”critical level,” according to the official. It also identifies a series of specific incidents that heightened U.S. concerns, the official said. A spokesperson for the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C., said in a statement that it is “completely false” that Israel spies on the U.S. “Israel does not gather intelligence on American entities, let alone US government officials,” the spokesperson said. “Israel intelligence collection efforts are aimed at its enemies, not its allies. Any claims to the contrary are either misinformed or politically motivated.” The Pentagon declined to comment. A White House official said in a statement, “This entire story is false and sourced to someone who doesn’t have any knowledge of what’s going on.” The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which oversees all the U.S. intelligence agencies including the DIA, did not respond to a request for comment. While it is commonplace for allies and adversaries across the globe to spy on each other, the current and former U.S. officials said Israel’s recent efforts have gone well beyond what is typical and expected espionage. The officials did not know if a specific incident triggered the DIA’s decision to raise the counterintelligence threat level. The heightened alert comes as President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have clashed over the war with Iran and Israel’s military operations in Lebanon, including in a tense phone call this past week, NBC News reported. Trump acknowledged afterward to reporters that he called Netanyahu “crazy” during the call as questions mount about whether the two countries’ objectives in the Middle East are beginning to significantly diverge. Since a ceasefire went into place in early April, Trump has been pursuing a diplomatic deal with Iran to end the war Israel and the U.S. launched on Feb. 28. Israel has publicly expressed skepticism that Iran would abide by any negotiated deal. Netanyahu has pushed for a resumption of bombing raids against Iran and disagreed with Trump, who has pressed him to scale back attacks against Hezbollah in Lebanon, according to Western officials. Israel is keenly interested in whether Trump decides to resume major combat operations against Iran or to end the conflict, the current and former U.S. officials and outside experts said. Recommended Iran war Air raid sirens in Bahrain as Iranian missiles and drones head for Gulf neighbors 2026 Election Mamdani makes ‘high-risk, high-reward’ move to reshape New York’s voice in Washington The most practical outcome for the Pentagon is that U.S. officials will use extra caution when traveling to Israel or visiting with Israeli officials, the current and former U.S. officials said. They said there did not appear to be any impact on the high-level intelligence-sharing that occurs on a daily basis between the two countries, particularly associated with the war in Iran. “The U.S. already takes extra precautions when visiting Israel,” one of the current U.S. officials said. “They’re well-known to aggressively collect.” The U.S., like other countries, maintains elaborate counterintelligence or “spy catcher” efforts to prevent and track espionage by foreign adversaries as well as by allies and partners, seeking to safeguard state secrets and monitor attempts to recruit or coerce U.S. officials. Under U.S. law, the FBI has the leading role in counter-intelligence efforts, but they also involve a range of government agencies and the military. According to current and former diplomats and former national security officials, Israel for years has had a reputation for aggressive espionage even against the U.S., its closest ally. It’s a practice that has long raised concerns among national security and diplomatic officials, and U.S. intelligence officials closely monitor the issue, according to experts and the current and former U.S. officials. Top U.S. officials often take extra care when traveling to Israel, sometimes using burner phones and computers and extreme caution when speaking in hotel rooms during official trips, the current and former U.S. officials and experts said. Israel has “a hyper-aggressive intelligence service,” said Emily Harding, vice president of the Defense and Security Department and director of the intelligence, national security and technology program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a think tank in Washington. “They are exceedingly interested in what we are up to,” Harding said of the Israelis. In the 1980s, spying by Israel caused a rift with Washington, with U.S. Navy intelligence analyst Jonathan Pollard spending 30 years in prison after he was found to have sold suitcases of top-secret documents to Israel. The U.S. also spies on its allies and seeks to gather intelligence on foreign partners, as evidenced in 2013 by leaks from intelligence contractor Edward Snowden. Those leaks showed that the U.S. was eavesdropping on European leaders, including then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s mobile phone, sparking outrage in Berlin. The U.S. and Israel remain close allies and the two countries’ intelligence services have forged a close, working relationship over decades. But concerns about possible Israeli espionage at such a sensitive moment — when the two governments are not in full agreement about the war with Iran — carry the risk of undermining trust between the two countries, two additional former U.S. officials said

ECOMMERCE DESCRIBED, DEFINED & APPLIED

WHAT EXACTLY IS eCOMMERCE? E-commerce (electronic commerce) refers to commercial activities including the electronic buying or selling products and services which are conducted on online platforms or over the Internet.[1] E-commerce draws on technologies such as mobile commerce, electronic funds transfer, supply chain management, Internet marketing, online transaction processing, electronic data interchange (EDI), inventory management systems, and automated data collection systems. E-commerce is a part of retail. It is the largest segment of the electronics industry and is in turn driven by the technological advances of the semiconductor industry. Defining e-commerce The term was coined and first employed by Robert Jacobson, Principal Consultant to the California State Assembly's Utilities & Commerce Committee, in the title and text of California's Electronic Commerce Act, carried by the late Committee Chairwoman Gwen Moore (D-L.A.) and enacted in 1984. E-commerce typically uses the web for at least a part of a transaction's life cycle although it may also use other technologies such as e-mail. Typical e-commerce transactions include the purchase of products (such as books from Amazon) or services (such as music downloads in the form of digital distribution such as the iTunes Store).[2] There are three areas of e-commerce: online retailing, electronic markets, and online auctions. E-commerce is supported by electronic business.[3] The existence value of e-commerce is to allow consumers to shop online and pay online through the Internet, saving the time and space of customers and enterprises, greatly improving transaction efficiency, especially for busy office workers, and also saving a lot of valuable time.[4] E-commerce businesses may also employ some or all of the following: Online shopping for retail sales direct to consumers via web sites and mobile apps, conversational commerce via live chat, chatbots, and voice assistants.[5] Providing or participating in online marketplaces, which process third-party business-to-consumer (B2C) or consumer-to-consumer (C2C) sales. Drop shipping is commonplace in such operations. Business-to-business (B2B) buying and selling.[6] B2B, or what is referred to as business-to-business is defined by the Cambridge dictionary as business arrangements or trade between different businesses, rather than between businesses and the general public.[7] Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) sales, in which manufactures or brands sell directly to end customers without traditional retail intermediaries. This model has expanded rapidly with the growth of digital storefronts and social commerce platforms such as Shopify, TikTok Shop, and Instagram Checkout. Data-driven marketing, gathering demographic and behavioral data through web analytics and social media. B2B electronic data interchange. Marketing to prospective and established customers by e-mail or fax (for example, with newsletters). Engaging in pretail for launching new products and services. Online financial exchanges for currency exchanges or trading purposes. There are five essential categories of e-commerce:[8] Business-to-Business Business to Consumer Retail Business to Government Consumer-to-business Consumer to Consumer Direct-to-Consumer Forms Contemporary electronic commerce can be classified into two categories. The first category is business based on types of goods sold (involves everything from ordering "digital" content for immediate online consumption, to ordering conventional goods and services, to "meta" services to facilitate other types of electronic commerce). The second category is based on the nature of the participant (B2B, B2C, C2B and C2C).[9] On the institutional level, big corporations and financial institutions use the internet to exchange financial data to facilitate domestic and international business. Data integrity and security are pressing issues for electronic commerce. Aside from traditional e-commerce, the terms m-Commerce (mobile commerce) as well (around 2013) t-Commerce[10] have also been used. Governmental regulation In the United States, California's Electronic Commerce Act (1984), enacted by the Legislature, the more recent California Privacy Rights Act (2020), enacted through a popular election proposition and to control specifically how electronic commerce may be conducted in California. In the US in its entirety, electronic commerce activities are regulated more broadly by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). These activities include the use of commercial e-mails, online advertising and consumer privacy. The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 establishes national standards for direct marketing over e-mail. The Federal Trade Commission Act regulates all forms of advertising, including online advertising, and states that advertising must be truthful and non-deceptive.[11] Using its authority under Section 5 of the FTC Act, which prohibits unfair or deceptive practices, the FTC has brought a number of cases to enforce the promises in corporate privacy statements, including promises about the security of consumers' personal information.[12] As a result, any corporate privacy policy related to e-commerce activity may be subject to enforcement by the FTC. The Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008, which came into law in 2008, amends the Controlled Substances Act to address online pharmacies.[13] Conflict of laws in cyberspace is a major hurdle for harmonization of legal framework for e-commerce around the world. In order to give a uniformity to e-commerce law around the world, many countries adopted the UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Commerce (1996).[14] Internationally there is the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN), which was formed in 1991 from an informal network of government customer fair trade organisations. The purpose was stated as being to find ways of co-operating on tackling consumer problems connected with cross-border transactions in both goods and services, and to help ensure exchanges of information among the participants for mutual benefit and understanding. From this came Econsumer.gov, an ICPEN initiative since April 2001. It is a portal to report complaints about online and related transactions with foreign companies. There is also Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation. APEC was established in 1989 with the vision of achieving stability, security and prosperity for the region through free and open trade and investment. APEC has an Electronic Commerce Steering Group as well as working on common privacy regulations throughout the APEC region. In Australia, trade is covered under Australian Treasury Guidelines for electronic commerce and the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission[15] regulates and offers advice on how to deal with businesses online,[16] and offers specific advice on what happens if things go wrong.[17] The European Union undertook an extensive enquiry into e-commerce in 2015–16 which observed significant growth in the development of e-commerce, along with some developments which raised concerns, such as increased use of selective distribution systems, which allow manufacturers to control routes to market, and "increased use of contractual restrictions to better control product distribution". The European Commission felt that some emerging practices might be justified if they could improve the quality of product distribution, but "others may unduly prevent consumers from benefiting from greater product choice and lower prices in e-commerce and therefore warrant Commission action" in order to promote compliance with EU competition rules.[18] In the United Kingdom, the Financial Services Authority (FSA)[19] was formerly the regulating authority for most aspects of the EU's Payment Services Directive (PSD), until its replacement in 2013 by the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority.[20] The UK implemented the PSD through the Payment Services Regulations 2009 (PSRs), which came into effect on 1 November 2009. The PSR affects firms providing payment services and their customers. These firms include banks, non-bank credit card issuers and non-bank merchant acquirers, e-money issuers, etc. The PSRs created a new class of regulated firms known as payment institutions (PIs), who are subject to prudential requirements. Article 87 of the PSD required the European Commission to report on the implementation and impact of the PSD by 1 November 2012.[21] In India, the Information Technology Act 2000 governs the basic applicability of e-commerce. In China, the Telecommunications Regulations of the People's Republic of China (promulgated on 25 September 2000), stipulated the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) as the government department regulating all telecommunications related activities, including electronic commerce.[22] On the same day, the Administrative Measures on Internet Information Services were released, the first administrative regulations to address profit-generating activities conducted through the Internet, and lay the foundation for future regulations governing e-commerce in China.[23] On 28 August 2004, the eleventh session of the tenth NPC Standing Committee adopted an Electronic Signature Law, which regulates data message, electronic signature authentication and legal liability issues. It is considered the first law in China's e-commerce legislation. It was a milestone in the course of improving China's electronic commerce legislation, and also marks the entering of China's rapid development stage for electronic commerce legislation.[24] Global trends E-commerce has become an important tool for small and large businesses worldwide, not only to sell to customers, but also to engage them.[25][26] Cross-border e-Commerce is also an essential field for e-Commerce businesses. It has responded to the trend of globalization. It shows that numerous firms have opened up new businesses, expanded new markets, and overcome trade barriers; more and more enterprises have started exploring the cross-border cooperation field. In addition, compared with traditional cross-border trade, the information on cross-border e-commerce is more concealed. In the era of globalization, cross-border e-commerce for inter-firm companies means the activities, interactions, or social relations of two or more e-commerce enterprises. However, the success of cross-border e-commerce promotes the development of small and medium-sized firms, and it has finally become a new transaction mode. It has helped the companies solve financial problems and realize the reasonable allocation of resources field. SMEs (small and medium enterprises) can also precisely match the demand and supply in the market, having the industrial chain majorization and creating more revenues for companies.[27] In 2012, e-commerce sales topped $1 trillion for the first time in history.[28] Mobile devices are playing an increasing role in the mix of e-commerce, this is also commonly called mobile commerce, or m-commerce. In 2014, one estimate saw purchases made on mobile devices making up 25% of the market by 2017.[29] For traditional businesses, one research stated that information technology and cross-border e-commerce is a good opportunity for the rapid development and growth of enterprises. Many companies have invested an enormous volume of investment in mobile applications. The DeLone and McLean Model stated that three perspectives contribute to a successful e-business: information system quality, service quality and users' satisfaction.[30] There is no limit of time and space, there are more opportunities to reach out to customers around the world, and to cut down unnecessary intermediate links, thereby reducing the cost price, and can benefit from one on one large customer data analysis, to achieve a high degree of personal customization strategic plan, in order to fully enhance the core competitiveness of the products in the company.[31] Modern 3D graphics technologies, such as Facebook 3D Posts, are considered by some social media marketers and advertisers as a preferable way to promote consumer goods than static photos, and some brands like Sony are already paving the way for augmented reality commerce. Wayfair now lets you inspect a 3D version of its furniture in a home setting before buying.[32] China Main article: E-commerce in China Among emerging economies, China's e-commerce presence continued to expand every year. With 668 million Internet users as of 2014, China's online shopping sales reached $253 billion in the first half of 2015, accounting for 10% of total Chinese consumer retail sales in that period.[33] The Chinese retailers have been able to help consumers feel more comfortable shopping online.[34] e-commerce transactions between China and other countries increased 32% to 2.3 trillion yuan ($375.8 billion) in 2012 and accounted for 9.6% of China's total international trade.[35] In 2013, Alibaba had an e-commerce market share of 80% in China.[36] In 2014, Alibaba still dominated the B2B marketplace in China with a market share of 44.82%, followed by several other companies including Made-in-China.com at 3.21%, and GlobalSources.com at 2.98%, with the total transaction value of China's B2B market exceeding 4.5 billion yuan.[37] In 2012, Alibaba Group delisted Alibaba.com from the Hong Kong stock exchange after acquiring full control. In 2014, it was privately held again following a $2.5 billion buyback.[38] The company's NYSE debut under the stock ticker BABA made headlines for being, at that time, the biggest IPO in U.S. history.[39] Alibaba's International Digital Commerce Group (AIDC), which includes Alibaba.com's B2B operations, reported 22% year-over-year revenue growth in the quarter ending March 31, 2025 (Q4 FY2025).[40] China was also the largest e-commerce market in the world by value of sales, with an estimated US$899 billion in 2016.[41] It accounted for 42.4% of worldwide retail e-commerce in that year, the most of any country.[42]: 110  Research shows that Chinese consumer motivations are different enough from Western audiences to require unique e-commerce app designs instead of simply porting Western apps into the Chinese market.[43] The expansion of e-commerce in China has resulted in the development of Taobao villages, clusters of e-commerce businesses operating in rural areas.[42]: 112  Because Taobao villages have increased the incomes or rural people and entrepreneurship in rural China, Taobao villages have become a component of rural revitalization strategies.[44]: 278  In 2015, the State Council promoted the Internet Plus initiative, a five-year plan to integrate traditional manufacturing and service industries with big data, cloud computing, and Internet of things technology.[45]: 44  The State Council provided support for Internet Plus through policy support in area including cross-border e-commerce and rural e-commerce.[45]: 44  In 2019, the city of Hangzhou established a pilot program artificial intelligence-based Internet Court to adjudicate disputes related to e-commerce and internet-related intellectual property claims.[46]: 124  Europe In 2010, the United Kingdom had the highest per capita e-commerce spending in the world.[47] As of 2013, the Czech Republic was the European country where e-commerce delivers the biggest contribution to the enterprises' total revenue. Almost a quarter (24%) of the country's total turnover is generated via the online channel.[48] Arab states The rate of growth of the number of internet users in the Arab countries has been rapid – 13.1% in 2015. A significant portion of the e-commerce market in the Middle East comprises people in the 30–34 year age group. Egypt has the largest number of internet users in the region, followed by Saudi Arabia and Morocco; these constitute 3/4th of the region's share. Yet, internet penetration is low: 35% in Egypt and 65% in Saudi Arabia.[49] The Gulf Cooperation Council countries have a rapidly growing market and are characterized by a population that becomes wealthier (Yuldashev). As such, retailers have launched Arabic-language websites as a means to target this population. Secondly, there are predictions of increased mobile purchases and an expanding internet audience (Yuldashev). The growth and development of the two aspects make the GCC countries become larger players in the electronic commerce market with time progress. Specifically, research shows that the e-commerce market was expected to grow to over $20 billion by 2020 among these GCC countries (Yuldashev). The e-commerce market has also gained much popularity among western countries, and in particular Europe and the U.S. These countries have been highly characterized by consumer-packaged goods (CPG) (Geisler, 34). However, trends show that there are future signs of a reverse. Similar to the GCC countries, there has been increased purchase of goods and services in online channels rather than offline channels. Activist investors are trying hard to consolidate and slash their overall cost and the governments in western countries continue to impose more regulation on CPG manufacturers (Geisler, 36). In these senses, CPG investors are being forced to adapt to e-commerce as it is effective as well as a means for them to thrive. The future trends in the GCC countries will be similar to that of the western countries. Despite the forces that push business to adapt e-commerce as a means to sell goods and products, the manner in which customers make purchases is similar in countries from these two regions. For instance, there has been an increased usage of smartphones which comes in conjunction with an increase in the overall internet audience from the regions. Yuldashev writes that consumers are scaling up to more modern technology that allows for mobile marketing. However, the percentage of smartphone and internet users who make online purchases is expected to vary in the first few years. It will be independent on the willingness of the people to adopt this new trend (The Statistics Portal). For example, UAE has the greatest smartphone penetration of 73.8 per cent and has 91.9 per cent of its population has access to the internet. On the other hand, smartphone penetration in Europe has been reported to be at 64.7 per cent (The Statistics Portal). Regardless, the disparity in percentage between these regions is expected to level out in future because e-commerce technology is expected to grow to allow for more users. The e-commerce business within these two regions will result in competition. Government bodies at the country level will enhance their measures and strategies to ensure sustainability and consumer protection (Krings, et al.). These increased measures will raise the environmental and social standards in the countries, factors that will determine the success of the e-commerce market in these countries. For example, an adoption of tough sanctions will make it difficult for companies to enter the e-commerce market while lenient sanctions will allow ease of companies. As such, the future trends between GCC countries and the Western countries will be independent of these sanctions (Krings, et al.). These countries need to make rational conclusions in coming up with effective sanctions. India Main article: E-commerce in India India had an Internet user base of about 460 million as of December 2017.[50] Despite being the third largest user base in the world, the penetration of the Internet is low compared to markets like the United States, United Kingdom or France but is growing at a much faster rate, adding around six million new entrants every month.[citation needed] In India, cash on delivery is the most preferred payment method, accumulating 75% of the e-retail activities.[51][citation needed] The India retail market was expected to rise from 2.5% in 2016 to 5% in 2020.[52] Brazil In 2013, Brazil's e-commerce was growing quickly with retail e-commerce sales expected to grow at a double-digit pace through 2014. By 2016, eMarketer expected retail e-commerce sales in Brazil to reach $17.3 billion.[53] Logistics Logistics in e-commerce mainly concerns fulfillment. Online markets and retailers have to find the best possible way to fill orders and deliver products. Small companies usually control their own logistic operation because they do not have the ability to hire an outside company. Most large companies hire a fulfillment service that takes care of a company's logistic needs.[54] The optimization of logistics processes that contains long-term investment in an efficient storage infrastructure system and adoption of inventory management strategies is crucial to prioritize customer satisfaction throughout the entire process, from order placement to final delivery.[55] Impacts Impact on markets and retailers Store closing flags outside a Toys R Us in Deptford, New Jersey. Despite investments, the chain struggled to win market share in the age of digital commerce. E-commerce markets grew at noticeable rates. The online market was expected to grow by 56% in 2015–2020. In 2017, retail e-commerce sales worldwide amounted to 2.3 trillion US dollars and e-retail revenues were projected to grow to 4.891 trillion US dollars in 2021.[56] Traditional markets are only expected 2% growth during the same time. Brick and mortar retailers are struggling because of online retailer's ability to offer lower prices and higher efficiency. Many larger retailers are able to maintain a presence offline and online by linking physical and online offerings.[57] E-commerce allows customers to overcome geographical barriers and allows them to purchase products anytime and from anywhere. Online and traditional markets have different strategies for conducting business. Traditional retailers offer fewer assortment of products because of shelf space where, online retailers often hold no inventory but send customer orders directly to the manufacturer. Dropshipping is a means of shipping goods from a manufacturer or wholesaler directly to a customer instead of to a retailer.[58] This process results in the vendor not holding any stock but serves as an intermediary between the buyer and the third-party supplier.[59] The dropshipping market is expected to reach $1.51 Tn by 2032, according to a Global Market Insights report, which studied the main dropshipping markets, including Alibaba.com, Chinabrands.com, Doba, Printful, Salehoo, Shopify, and Spocket.[60] The pricing strategies are also different for traditional and online retailers. Traditional retailers base their prices on store traffic and the cost to keep inventory. Online retailers base prices on the speed of delivery. There are two ways for marketers to conduct business through e-commerce: fully online or online along with a brick and mortar store. Online marketers can offer lower prices, greater product selection, and high efficiency rates. Many customers prefer online markets if the products can be delivered quickly at relatively low price. However, online retailers cannot offer the physical experience that traditional retailers can. It can be difficult to judge the quality of a product without the physical experience, which may cause customers to experience product or seller uncertainty. Another issue regarding the online market is concerns about the security of online transactions. Many customers remain loyal to well-known retailers because of this issue.[61] Security is a primary problem for e-commerce in developed and developing countries. E-commerce security is protecting businesses' websites and customers from unauthorized access, use, alteration, or destruction. The type of threats include: malicious codes, unwanted programs (ad ware, spyware), phishing, hacking, and cyber vandalism.[62] E-commerce websites use different tools to avert security threats. These tools include firewalls, encryption software, digital certificates, and passwords.[62] Impact on supply chain management Main article: Supply chain management For a long time, companies had been troubled by the gap between the benefits which supply chain technology has and the solutions to deliver those benefits. However, the emergence of e-commerce has provided a more practical and effective way of delivering the benefits of the new supply chain technologies.[63] E-commerce has the capability to integrate all inter-company and intra-company functions, meaning that the three flows (physical flow, financial flow and information flow) of the supply chain could be also affected by e-commerce. The affections on physical flows improved the way of product and inventory movement level for companies. For the information flows, e-commerce optimized the capacity of information processing than companies used to have, and for the financial flows, e-commerce allows companies to have more efficient payment and settlement solutions.[63] In addition, e-commerce has a more sophisticated level of impact on supply chains: Firstly, the performance gap will be eliminated since companies can identify gaps between different levels of supply chains by electronic means of solutions; Secondly, as a result of e-commerce emergence, new capabilities such implementing ERP systems, like SAP ERP, Xero, or Megaventory, have helped companies to manage operations with customers and suppliers. Yet these new capabilities are still not fully exploited. Thirdly, technology companies would keep investing on new e-commerce software solutions as they are expecting investment return. Fourthly, e-commerce would help to solve many aspects of issues that companies may feel difficult to cope with, such as political barriers or cross-country changes. Finally, e-commerce provides companies a more efficient and effective way to collaborate with each other within the supply chain.[63] Impact on employment E-commerce helps create new job opportunities due to information related services, software app and digital products. It also causes job losses. The areas with the greatest predicted job-loss are retail, postal, and travel agencies. The development of e-commerce will create jobs that require highly skilled workers to manage large amounts of information, customer demands, and production processes. In contrast, people with poor technical skills cannot enjoy the wages welfare. On the other hand, because e-commerce requires sufficient stocks that could be delivered to customers in time, the warehouse becomes an important element. Warehouse needs more staff to manage, supervise and organize, thus the condition of warehouse environment will be concerned by employees.[64] Impact on customers E-commerce brings convenience for customers as they do not have to leave home and only need to browse websites online, especially for buying products which are not sold in nearby shops. It could help customers buy a wider range of products and save customers' time. Consumers also gain power through online shopping. They are able to research products and compare prices among retailers. Thanks to the practice of user-generated ratings and reviews from companies like Bazaarvoice, Trustpilot, and Yelp, customers can also see what other people think of a product, and decide before buying if they want to spend money on it.[65][66] Also, online shopping often provides sales promotion or discounts code, thus it is more price effective for customers. Moreover, e-commerce provides products' detailed information; even the in-store staff cannot offer such detailed explanation. Customers can also review and track the order history online. E-commerce technologies cut transaction costs by allowing both manufactures and consumers to skip through the intermediaries. This is achieved through by extending the search area best price deals and by group purchase. The success of e-commerce in urban and regional levels depend on how the local firms and consumers have adopted to e-commerce.[67] However, e-commerce lacks human interaction for customers, especially who prefer face-to-face connection. Customers are also concerned with the security of online transactions and tend to remain loyal to well-known retailers. In recent years, clothing retailers such as Tommy Hilfiger have started adding Virtual Fit platforms to their e-commerce sites to reduce the risk of customers buying the wrong sized clothes, although these vary greatly in their fit for purpose.[68] When the customer regret the purchase of a product, it involves returning goods and refunding process. This process is inconvenient as customers need to pack and post the goods. If the products are expensive, large or fragile, it refers to safety issues.[57] Impact on the environment In 2018, E-commerce generated 1.3 million short tons (1.2 megatonnes) of container cardboard in North America, an increase from 1.1 million (1.00)) in 2017. Only 35 percent of North American cardboard manufacturing capacity was from recycled content. The recycling rate in Europe was 80 percent and Asia was 93 percent. Amazon, the largest user of boxes, had a strategy to cut back on packing material and reduced packaging material used by 19 percent by weight since 2016. Amazon is requiring retailers to manufacture their product packaging in a way that does not require additional shipping packaging. Amazon also has an 85-person team researching ways to reduce and improve their packaging and shipping materials.[69] Accelerated movement of packages around the world includes accelerated movement of living things, such as invasive species.[70] Weeds, pests, and diseases all sometimes travel in packages of seeds.[70] Some of these packages are part of brushing manipulation of e-commerce reviews.[70] Impact on traditional retail E-commerce has been cited as a major force for the failure of major U.S. retailers in a trend frequently referred to as a "retail apocalypse."[71] The rise of e-commerce outlets like Amazon has made it harder for traditional retailers to attract customers to their stores and forced companies to change their sales strategies. Many companies have turned to sales promotions and increased digital efforts to lure shoppers while shutting down brick-and-mortar locations.[72] The trend has forced some traditional retailers to shutter its brick and mortar operations.[73] E-commerce during COVID-19 Further information: Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic § E-commerce In March 2020, global retail website traffic hit 14.3 billion visits[74] signifying an unprecedented growth of e-commerce during the lockdown of 2020. Later studies show that online sales increased by 25% and online grocery shopping increased by over 100% during the crisis in the United States.[75] Meanwhile, as many as 29% of surveyed shoppers state that they will never go back to shopping in person again; in the UK, 43% of consumers state that they expect to keep on shopping the same way even after the lockdown is over.[76] Retail sales of e-commerce shows that COVID-19 has a significant impact on e-commerce and its sales were expected to reach $6.5 trillion by 2023.[77]

SOBER GUY PODCAST

USEFUL AND INTERESTING PODCAST IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ELIMNATING OR REDUCTING ALCOHOL USEAGE: This week’s podcast might be one of the most controversial episodes I’ve done in a long time. Because today, I’m talking about why I no longer identify as an “alcoholic.” Now before people start throwing coffee mugs across the room, let me explain… When I first quit drinking, that label actually helped me. It helped me admit there was a problem. It helped me break denial and stop lying to myself. But over time, something changed. As my faith grew… As my health improved… As I became a better husband, father, friend, and man… …I started asking myself: Why am I still identifying with the worst version of myself? The truth is, alcohol was never really the root issue for me. Escape was. I didn’t just have a drinking problem. I had a feeling problem. I didn’t know how to deal with insecurity, stress, lack of confidence, pressure, emotions, or purpose. Alcohol became the shortcut. And culture reinforced it every step of the way. “Take the edge off.” “You deserve a drink.” “Loosen up.” We turned emotional avoidance into a lifestyle. In this episode, I also dive into: Why sobriety should set you free, not become your new identity The idea that addiction may be more about disconnection than disease Why purpose, faith, connection, and responsibility matter so much How modern recovery culture can sometimes unintentionally keep people stuck And why becoming sober-minded is the real flex in today’s world One of my biggest takeaways: The opposite of addiction isn’t just abstinence. It’s connection. Connection to God. Connection to purpose. Connection to people. Connection to truth. That’s where real freedom starts. And honestly? That’s where life starts getting really good. Question for you: Have you ever felt trapped by an old identity or label that no longer reflects who you are becoming? Hit reply and let me know! Keep stacking reps, Shane PS - If you're tired of guessing… If you're tired of starting over… If you're ready to build structure instead of relying on willpower… That's exactly why I created the 30-Day Sober Performance Challenge. It's a simple, step-by-step daily framework to help you reset your habits, build discipline, and prove to yourself that you can do this. If you're ready to commit to 30 days and build momentum, you can start here: https://www.thatsoberguy.com/quit-drinking-alcohol-for-30-days

Trump Screwing Around With Canada

This Fat-Ass-Arrogent-Russian-Agent-American-Ahole really needs tobe IMPEACHED ASAP (REMOVED FROM OFFICE BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY) now that he's even attacking Canada. Let's see what happens with Greenland also. And to think he used to be me HER since I read Art of The Deal aged 15 https://www.bing.com/search?pglt=299&q=art+of+the+deal+publicaton+date&cvid=872afdca1f77499fbea18a16dfeed87f&gs_lcrp=EgRlZGdlKgYIABBFGDkyBggAEEUYOTIGCAEQABhAMgYIAhAAGEAyBggDEAAYQDIGCAQQABhAMgYIBRAAGEAyBggGEAAYQDIGCAcQABhAMgYICBAAGEDSAQg3NjkxajBqN6gCCLACAQ&FORM=ANNTA1&DAF1=1&PC=ACTS&source=chrome.ob Dropping retaliatory tariffs on American goods ©Image Credit: Hiva Sobhani / Pexels After Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on Canadian steel, aluminum, and other goods, Canada responded with its own tariffs on American products. These counter-tariffs were designed to pressure American businesses and voters in swing states that export to Canada. Trump now wants Canada to drop all of these retaliatory measures immediately, without the United States removing its own tariffs first. This would put Canada in a weakened position, giving up its leverage before getting anything in return. The retaliatory tariffs are one of the few tools Canada has to make the trade dispute economically painful for the American side. Dropping them without conditions would signal to every other country that Canada caves under pressure. https://www.msn.com/en-ca/money/topstories/trump-wants-canada-to-behave-behaving-means-giving-up-everything/ss-AA24Y8sh#image=3

Trump Building Another Golf Course In Scotland

Trumo & His Family should check out Newfoundland (even Labrador) next as a place to operate a Trump-Course lol; Donald Trump has won the right to turn five properties near his Aberdeenshire golf course into luxury guest houses. The US President’s family firm spent more than £600,000 in recent years buying up the homes which overlook Trump International Golf Links on the Menie estate. https://www.msn.com/en-ca/travel/news/donald-trump-swings-it-us-president-wins-permission-to-build-another-luxury-development-in-scotland/ar-AA24W0o8?ocid=msedgntp&pc=ACTS&cvid=6a2434ae17024d939c3ee3f791db37c6&ei=19 The only problem(s) with Scotland (is) - it's full of Scots (and men wear dreesses lol) plus: 1. Food sucks; 2. The weather sucks; 3. Everything's Expensive; 4. Arrogent People; 5. Men wear dresses (and think it's cool; and 6. Scotland is Full of Scots lol..... Trump and Co. should buy or build a course in Newfoundland...

Digital Payments Job Opportunity But Bilingualism Required ...

I normally laugh when I see job postings requiring French these days such as; Billiingualism in both French and English is required, as this role supports teams and clients in Canada and the US Withore than 1,000 locations across Canada, Indigo Park Canada is the leading provider of parking, transportation, logistics, and consulting services. Our Company’s activities cover the entire value chain of mobility and parking: on-street parking and related services; a complete digital offering; parking enforcement and public space management; mobility and proximity logistics by optimizing the use of available space in the service of cities and their citizens. Making Billingualism a requirement elimantes a lot of viable candidates for Canadian jobs like: Manager, Digital Payments & Field Operations- job post Indigo Park Canada 3.0 3.0 out of 5 stars Montréal, QC H3B 2C6•Remote Full job description About the Role The Manager, Digital Payments & Field Operations, Canada, is responsible for driving client and customer adoption of our digital payment solutions and experiences across Canada, with a strong focus on increasing same-site and new-site performance. This role sits at the intersection of digital platforms, payments, and field operations, ensuring the successful deployment, adoption, and ongoing performance of our solutions in real-world environments. Working closely with Operations, IT, Product, Business Development, and Marketing teams across Canada and the United States, this role plays a critical part in executing the strategy, performance, and expansion of our platforms across physical locations. Important: Candidates must have experience in environments that combine digital transactions with physical or location-based operations (e.g., POS, payments, mobility, retail, or infrastructure). Key Responsibilities Drive Adoption & Operational Deployment Ensure the continued profitability of the digital payments business by maximizing adoption while optimizing deployment and operating costs Collaborate with regional operations and site teams to increase adoption and usage of digital payment solutions at existing locations (same-site performance) Partner with Business Development, client relations, and operations teams to deploy solutions at new locations (new-site rollout) Lead or support the end-to-end rollout of digital payment solutions across multiple physical sites, ensuring smooth implementation and adoption Act as a key liaison between field teams and internal stakeholders to resolve operational challenges and improve execution Strategy, Partnerships & Commercial Execution Develop and execute against clear goals and KPIs aligned with business, operational, and technology priorities Identify and support opportunities for strategic partnerships (e.g., third-party integrations, digital channels, client platforms) Contribute to defining technical, operational, and commercial models for new initiatives and partnerships Support contract development and ensure the successful integration and rollout of new solutions Performance, Analytics & Reporting Track operational and financial performance of deployed solutions using dashboards and KPIs Monitor adoption, usage, and customer behavior to identify improvement opportunities Provide clear, consistent reporting to leadership on: Deployment pipeline Performance metrics Customer feedback and insights Operational challenges and learnings Customer Experience & Continuous Improvement Act as the digital payments and field operations subject matter expert for Canada Collaborate with Product and Technology teams to inform and prioritize enhancements based on field insights Ensure a consistent, efficient, and user-friendly customer experience across all platforms Identify and implement improvements to user support processes, working with customer service and on-site teams Qualifications University degree (Bachelor’s or Master’s) in a relevant field Minimum of 5+ years of experience in roles combining: digital solutions (web, mobile, payments) AND operations or deployment in physical environments Experience in multi-site or field-based environments (e.g., retail, payments, mobility, transportation, infrastructure, or similar) Demonstrated experience with digital transactions or payment systems (POS, mobile payments, QR, or similar) is strongly preferred Strong understanding of operational rollout, implementation, and adoption challenges in real-world environments Skills & Competencies Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills Ability to work cross-functionally across operations, IT, product, and commercial teams Results-driven with strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities Comfortable working in both strategic and hands-on operational contexts Excellent communication and presentation skills Experience with Agile methodologies and tools (e.g., Jira) Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word) Language Requirements Billiingualism in both French and English is required, as this role supports teams and clients in Canada and the US Withore than 1,000 locations across Canada, Indigo Park Canada is the leading provider of parking, transportation, logistics, and consulting services. Our Company’s activities cover the entire value chain of mobility and parking: on-street parking and related services; a complete digital offering; parking enforcement and public space management; mobility and proximity logistics by optimizing the use of available space in the service of cities and their citizens. https://ca.indeed.com/?vjk=64f2e82a7a219d33&advn=8701455970013810

Enterprise Architect Job Opp

Interesting. I am a Microsoft/TOGAF-certified EA hmmmmmm: https://ca.indeed.com/?vjk=1d9f43d9180cba06&advn=7253267207780264 Enterprise Architect X2- job post Best Buy Canada 3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars Vancouver, BC V5Y 3X7•Remote $140,000–$145,000 a year - Full-time Job details Here’s how the job details align with your profile. Pay $140,000–$145,000 a year Job type Full-time   Benefits Pulled from the full job description Company pension RRSP match Wellness program   Full job description Enterprise Architect x2 Are you a forward-thinking leader who wants to shape an organization’s strategic technology vision? As an enterprise architect, you will help our product teams understand the enterprise architecture landscape and participate in their solutions by guiding and influencing teams to deliver strategic business goals. We have two retail enterprise architect opportunities open, one in store systems and the other in reverse logistics/ supply chain. In the store systems role, you will own architecture for store systems, including POS, operations, associate tools, omnichannel experience, inventory, infrastructure, and digital-to-store integration. In the reverse logistics role, you will own architecture across retail and supply chain, including operations, orders, fulfillment, returns, warehousing, transportation, inventory, refurbishment, and analytics. We practice a remote-first working model, leveraging in-person interactions at our head office in beautiful Vancouver, BC, for strategic, collaborative, and social purposes. Join our collaborative team as an enterprise architect. What you'll do overall as an enterprise architect: Own the domain technology roadmap — current-state assessment, target-state architecture, capability maps, and sequenced transition plans aligned to enterprise investment cycles. Lead architecture governance, including design reviews, architecture decision records (ADRs), and standards of compliance across your domain. Partner with product, engineering, and business teams to evaluate technology options, define integration patterns, and ensure solutions align with enterprise standards and long-term strategy. In the reverse logistics / supply chain role, you will also: Define and evolve end-to-end architecture for the returns lifecycle — return initiation, routing, triage, refund orchestration, restock, refurbishment, and secondary-market disposition. Architect integrations across order management (OMS), warehouse management (WMS), transportation management (TMS), inventory, finance, and carrier ecosystems. Partner with Supply Chain, Store Operations, and Customer Care leaders to drive improvements in return cycle time, recovery value, and cost-to-serve. In the store systems & omnichannel role, you will also: Define and evolve the target-state architecture for unified commerce, ensuring seamless customer and associate experiences across digital and physical channels. Architect the POS and store operations platform landscape, including modernization strategies, cloud-native POS, and associate-facing applications. Design omnichannel fulfillment architecture — BOPIS, curbside pickup, ship-from-store, endless aisle, and store-to-store transfers. What we're looking for: 5+ years of enterprise architecture experience in consumer-facing retail, with exposure to domains such as store systems, omnichannel, supply chain, or reverse logistics. Proven experience owning technology roadmaps, capability maps, and architecture governance (design reviews, ADRs, standards). Demonstrated ability to translate business strategy into target-state architectures, transition plans, and sequenced investment cases. Working knowledge of at least one EA framework (TOGAF, Zachman, or ArchiMate). Strong technical foundation in cloud platforms (Azure preferred), microservices, APIs, event-driven integration, and data architecture. Experience working within an agile enterprise architecture environment. Why you’ll love it here: Remote-first work environment. Employee discounts on awesome tech from day one. Flexible health benefits and wellness program. TFSA and RRSP programs. 100% matched company pension plan. Training programs to build new and transferable skills. About Best Buy As Canada's destination for the coolest tech, Best Buy offers one of the best work environments in the country! Our culture is one of inclusivity and belonging and provides employees an environment where they can bring their whole selves to work. We believe in a fair and inclusive hiring process. We encourage you to apply if you may not meet all the requirements. Join our amazing team! We are looking for people just like you. #BBYCL Annualized Compensation Range $140,000.00 - $145,000.00 This job is eligible for a company performance bonus in addition to the compensation range above. Starting pay offered will consider skills and experience. Your pay can grow as you build your career with us. Suite 102 - 425 West 6th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V5Y 1L3 This posting is for a vacancy.

Best Online Dating Sites in Canada 2026

See here https://www.forbes.com/health/l/best-online-dating-websites-ca

JewNN's Bolduan & Berman Make Me Sick

Scrawny strutting Kate B's constant caughing and gagging while holding a mega coffee-cup followed by bitching smirking midget Jon Berman yapping into a microphne make me nauseous - all Jews all day - rename the damn channel Jew NN or Israeli-TV. Coffee-sluring midget American Jews and Macho-Mulatto's all day everyday. Hispanics must be next: https://www.thelist.com/1775242/tragic-details-cnn-reporter-anchor-host-kate-bolduan-personal-life/ Kate Bolduan, co-anchor of "CNN News Central," has been a part of the CNN family since 2007. Though she did make our list of worst dressed celebs at the 2024 White House Correspondents Dinner, Bolduan has largely kept herself out of the anchor scandals that have rocked CNN. But that doesn't mean she's had an easy life. In 2021, Bolduan shared some X-ray images on Instagram and wrote, "When life hands you lemons, get a back injection (or 2!) So thankful for great doctors!" It wasn't clear what her condition was, but the injections don't seem to have done the trick, and she had to undergo back surgery. She hasn't been open with all the details (nor should she be if she doesn't want to), but she has talked a bit about her surgery on social media. In early 2024, Bolduan posted on Instagram about returning to work after back surgery and being required to wear flats (medical issues are one of the best reasons to ditch the high heels). A few days later, she posted a picture with her doctor, crediting him with saving her back. It looks like she was able to recover well enough to get back to water skiing at the lake in the summer of 2024, so we're hoping that she's able to stay healthy and pain-free. Read More: https://www.thelist.com/1775242/tragic-details-cnn-reporter-anchor-host-kate-bolduan-personal-life/

EARTH NEEDS A STANDARD CURRENCY ASAP

MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW There is no official universal currency. Instead, the U.S. Dollar (USD) functions as the de facto world currency, making up the vast majority of global foreign exchange reserves and international transactions. A single global currency remains impractical because countries require independent control over their own monetary policies.The concept of a universal currency breaks down into a few distinct categories depending on your intent: 1. Global Financial & Reserve Currencies Because nations cannot agree on a unified world-managed currency, they rely on a few dominant fiat currencies for international trade:The U.S. Dollar (USD): Accounts for roughly 58% of global foreign reserves. Most global commodities (like oil) are priced in USD.The Euro (EUR): Used by the Eurozone and is the second most heavily traded currency in the world.Other Major Currencies: The Japanese Yen (JPY) and the British Pound (GBP) make up the rest of the major global reserve basket. 2. Universal Cryptocurrencies There are decentralized digital currencies attempting to use the name "Universal Currency" or act as borderless mediums of exchange:Universal Currency (UNIT): A decentralized, mineable cryptocurrency.Stablecoins (e.g., USDT, USDC): Cryptocurrencies pegged 1:1 to the U.S. Dollar, functioning as a digital, borderless version of traditional fiat.Bitcoin (BTC): Often referred to as "digital gold," it is globally recognized and borderless, though its volatility prevents it from functioning perfectly as a day-to-day universal currency. 3. Practical Everyday Converters If you are traveling internationally, investing, or shopping across borders, you don't need a single currency—you just need a way to easily convert them.Use the Xe Currency Converter to check live mid-market exchange rates.Use the OANDA Currency Converter to calculate conversions across over 170 global currencies. 4. Metaphorical Currencies In broader philosophical or economic terms, "universal currency" is often used to describe resources that hold universal value, such as: A. Gold: Historically used for thousands of years and still utilized as a universal store of value. B. Time and Attention: Frequently referred to as the only true universal currencies, as every human being possesses a limited amount of them. C. HEALTH - PaymentGuy's personal value-calculator because if you do not have your physical, mental, financial, social health - no amount of $ euro pounds yen or deutschmarks matter... PG over and out

DEATH IS NOT THE END

IN MY EXPERIENCES IT IS A TRANSITION INTO A GLOBAL STATE OF MIND OR EXTENUATED CONSCIOUSNESS IN TUNE WITH NATURE, THE COSMOS AND HIGHERPOWER(S) ‘Instead of seeing ourselves as isolated individuals struggling to survive, I began to understand that we may be expressions of consciousness experiencing life through a physical form. ‘From that perspective, death does not feel like the end of existence, it feels more like a transition in the continuum of consciousness.’ Despite the extraordinary nature of her claims, she continued building a scientific career after the incidents. Ingrid earned a PhD in Marine Science and later worked in environmental research projects involving both NASA and the United States Navy. https://www.msn.com/en-ca/health/other/i-ve-died-three-times-and-i-always-saw-the-same-thing/ar-AA22wvcA?ocid=msedgntp&pc=ACTS&cvid=6a22aeecf0054f96b6d0c7378ce358c0&ei=15

Near Death Experiences

I agree with this analysis as I've had about a dozen near death experiences and recently had "2 non-response events" at my local hospital and what she says here is what I also experienced: The scientist later went through two more near-death experiences. One happened during a motorcycle crash when she was 25, while another occurred decades later after her blood pressure dropped during surgery at the age of 52. Ingrid says the experiences all unfolded in a remarkably similar way. Each time she claims she entered the same calm state where fear vanished and awareness appeared to exist separately from her body. https://www.msn.com/en-ca/health/other/i-ve-died-three-times-and-i-always-saw-the-same-thing/ar-AA22wvcA?ocid=msedgntp&pc=ACTS&cvid=6a22aeecf0054f96b6d0c7378ce358c0&ei=15

Musk Nearing A Trillion!!!

85% there ... https://www.forbes.com/profile/elon-musk/

CNN GONE TO HELL

ANCHORS LIKE BRAD SMITH ARE JUST NOT UP TO THE JOB ... SO MANY JEWS, GAYS & BLACKS ON TV THESE DAYS. The only one I can stomach / or shall I say "tolerate" is Anderson Cooper. Sucks ... Brad Smith will join CNN as an anchor for CNN Headlines, the network’s domestic FAST channel. CNN Headlines is an original, curated news feed covering major stories across entertainment, culture, business, politics and international, showcasing the buzziest and most impactful events of the day. With live news programs and roundups of can’t-miss moments, Headlines taps into a local, on-the-ground perspective in the way only CNN can. Smith’s appointment is part of CNN’s wider investment in its FAST programming, complementing CNN’s existing linear, digital, mobile and podcast offerings and soon-to-launch streaming service and other standalone products. Outside of the U.S., CNN relaunched the previously named CNN Fast channel to CNN Headlines, increasing the timeliness of content, adding a news ticker and refreshing the brand identity. CNN is attracting new advertisers to its FAST channels and developing new commercial product innovations to maximize monetization through advertising and sponsorship directly or through FAST platform partnerships. Smith was previously an anchor at Yahoo! Finance where he covered equity markets and interviewed chief executives of household-known businesses, cabinet officials, members of Congress and economic policymakers as the host of Morning Brief. Prior to Yahoo! Finance, Smith was an anchor for the streaming platform Cheddar where his responsibilities spanned across Cheddar Business and Cheddar News. During his tenure, he hosted the daily live Opening Bell show from the New York Stock Exchange, and regularly steered heatmap and battleground states coverage during the 2020 election. He was also a founding anchor for timely shows “Search for a Cure: COVID-19” and “All Hands: Race to Inclusion.” Before transitioning into news, Smith began his career at the Nasdaq Stock Market as a Global Listings Services Marketing Specialist as companies turned public and eventually expanded interests into video content strategy from the MarketSite Studio in Times Square. Smith will be based out of Atlanta and will start his new role at CNN later this summer. https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/brad-smith-joins-cnn-as-an-anchor-for-networks-fast-channel-cnn-headlines,256632 https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2024/06/these-20-lgbtq-news-anchors-journalists-are-changing-our-worldviews/

GOOGLE CUTTING JOBS

ai IS @ IT AGAIN & NOW EVEN GOOGLE IS CUTTING JOBS ... The reductions have taken place over the past two weeks and represent another chapter in the ongoing wave of workforce cuts sweeping through the technology sector, according to a Business Insider report. Companies are increasingly reallocating spending toward AI initiatives, leading to restructuring efforts across multiple business units. Tech giants' latest move mirrors broader trend in the industry. Meta reduced its workforce by 10 per cent last month, while Coinbase and Block have previously pointed to AI-focused spending as part of the rationale behind their own job-cutting measures. The cybersecurity industry has also felt the impact. In May, Cloudflare eliminated more than 1,100 roles as it positioned itself for what company executives described as the “agentic AI era.” The developments highlight how AI is increasingly influencing corporate priorities, with companies seeking to redirect capital and talent toward emerging technologies that they believe will drive future growth. https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/other/tech-layoffs-google-is-cutting-jobs-again-here-s-which-teams-were-affected-this-time/ar-AA24ThgC?ocid=winp2fptaskbar&cvid=6a228fc5d6d64fd5afd7c292b0a8824b&ei=14

Smart Norwegians

Smart Norwegians have some great universities like: Norwegian Research Center for Computers and Law (Norwegian: Senter for rettsinformatikk, SERI) at the Faculty of Law, University of Oslo is the second-oldest academic institution in the world working specifically with the interrelationship of law and information / communication technology.[1] Today, the NRCCL is one of the world leading institutions in the field of information/communication technology law. NRCCL's main areas of research are media law and Internet governance, legal technology, electronic commerce, eGovernment, data protection and information security.[2] The center offers a LL.M.-degree in Information and Communication Technology Law.[3] The center was founded by Professor Knut S. Selmer and Professor Jon Bing. [4] Professor Knut S. Selmer was succeeded by Professor Jon Bing as Chair of the Centre in 1989. The present Chair of the NRCCL is professor Lee Andrew Bygrave.[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_Research_Center_for_Computers_and_Law

Trump Takes IQ Test

And scores a perfect 30? Hmmmmm ... Donald Trump has spent plenty of time talking about the results of his latest cognitive assessment. Much less attention has been paid to the test itself. But it has new been made public. Following a recent medical examination at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the president declared that he had once again achieved a perfect score. Statement reignited public interest in the cognitive screening tool used by doctors and raised a simple question: what exactly does the exam involve? https://www.msn.com/en-ca/health/other/trump-says-he-got-a-perfect-score-on-cognitive-test-but-now-the-test-details-have-been-revealed/ar-AA24Pe9O?ocid=msedgntp&pc=ACTS&cvid=6a2216d2092945ddaa3dc75233aba2ec&ei=8

Musk Closing In On A Trillion

Billionaire??? Make that Trillionaire ... crazy https://www.forbes.com/profile/elon-musk/

Change of Name Is Personal

Brad Pitt’s eldest son files to drop actor’s surname as family issues deepen ©Metro Brad Pitt once had six children all carrying his rather famous surname. These days, it's becoming increasingly difficult to find one who still uses it. Maddox Jolie-Pitt has reportedly become the latest of the actor's children to distance himself from the family moniker, filing to change his name to Maddox Chivan Jolie. The 24 year-old is said to have listed the reason for the request simply as 'personal'. (Picture: AFP via Getty Images) https://www.msn.com/en-ca/entertainment/celebrity/brad-pitt-s-eldest-son-files-to-drop-actor-s-surname-as-family-issues-deepen/ss-AA24wL00?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=6a220055bc22459896719bdd106a9cec&ei=13

Living To 150

The tech billionaires trying to hack aging to extend their lives ©Lucy Nicholson/Reuters/Marco Bello/Getty Images/Evan Agostini/Invision/APDrew Angerer/Getty ImagesAnadolu Agency / Getty Images See more A growing number of the world's richest entrepreneurs are using their wealth to fight aging. They're taking supplements, abiding by fitness routines, and investing millions into research. BI rounded up a list of 8 entrepreneurs actively seeking the fountain of youth. These days, a big topic at the diplomatic round table is apparently living for over a century. At least that's what Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian leader Vladimir Putin spoke about earlier this month, when they discussed the possibility of humans living to 150 sometime this century. It's not just world leaders who are intrigued by the idea of a fountain of youth. Silicon Valley's top executives have long used their wealth to challenge the notion that death is life's only certainty — or at the very least, to try to extend their time on Earth. Some — like Jeff Bezos, Peter Thiel, and Sam Altman — are investing in companies trying to reverse aging at the cellular level. Others — like Sergey Brin and Sean Parker — are directing their wealth to combating age-related conditions, from cancer to Parkinson's disease. And others like Bryan Johnson are investing in intensive nutrition, exercise, and wellness plans in a serious attempt to slow the aging clock. Dr. Steven Austad, the scientific director of the American Federation of Aging Research, still enjoys a glass of wine from time to time. Steven Austad/cometary/Getty Images Dr. Steven Austad, the scientific director of the American Federation of Aging Research, still enjoys a glass of wine from time to time. Steven Austad/cometary/Getty Images Dr. Steven Austad is the scientific director of the American Federation for Aging Research. Austad believes too many people are obsessed with longevity, focusing on dubious trends. Austad follows 2 habits for his health: heavy exercise and time-restricted eating. Dr. Steven Austad, the scientific director of a nonprofit researching healthy aging, never fretted too deeply about his own longevity. "I used to train lions for a living," Austad told Business Insider. "It was not something that you would do if you were thinking about living a long time." Prior to his career at the American Federation for Aging Research, Austad was a biologist who focused on field work in places like Venezuela and East Africa. He became interested in aging research not because he wanted to crack the code to living forever, but to learn why healthy cells age at all. When he entered the field, he said many researchers had the same question, and were not necessarily motivated by extending their own lifespans. Things have changed since, as more people pursue anti-aging trends — often, Austad said, with dubious science backing the claims. "I'm not one of those people who spends an hour a day in a hyperbaric chamber or gets infusions of some weird protein-vitamin cocktail," he said. "But in fact, I'm quite healthy, despite the years I spent in the field, and I had malaria." Luxury IV drips are all the rage in the longevity world. Zinkevych/Getty Images Luxury IV drips are all the rage in the longevity world. Zinkevych/Getty Images © Zinkevych/Getty Images For example, Austad doesn't take supplements, citing a lack of strong-enough evidence of their guaranteed longevity benefits, and he enjoys a glass of wine here and there. "If you spend all your time thinking about how long you're going to live, you kind of forget to live," he said. Related video: Pricey anti-aging treatments can't beat sleep, diet and exercise: doctor (CBC) CBC Pricey anti-aging treatments can't beat sleep, diet and exercise: doctor Unlike these longevity clinics that have cropped up throughout North Current Time 0:00 / Duration 1:16 0 View on Watch View on Watch Austad shared a few simple longevity habits he's followed for years, which he said are both science-backed and "basically the things that my mother probably told me." He exhausts himself at the gym When Austad was a field biologist, he traveled to Papua New Guinea. Upon landing, his group had to climb to the top of a mountain. The village headman gave Austad's bag to his 12-year-old daughter to carry, because Austad would "slow them down too much." Offended at first, Austad was grateful to be baggage-free an hour later. He was also stunned by the girl's level of fitness. "To me, that was a window into what our bodies evolved to be like," he said. The villagers never had osteoporosis or other conditions caused by sedentary lifestyles. It's a huge reason he prioritizes serious exercise almost every day of the week. "I am kind of a gym rat," Austad said. Because of an old lion injury on his knee, he bikes for his cardio, ranging from 40 minutes to an hour and a half. He also prioritizes strength training, alternating areas of his body and always including some core exercises. When it's not too hot, Austad (not pictured) bikes outside. Justin Paget/Getty Images When it's not too hot, Austad (not pictured) bikes outside. Justin Paget/Getty Images © Justin Paget/Getty Images "I probably spend one to two hours a day in the gym, which it's a big commitment for someone who's in academics," he said. "I basically physically exhaust my body into submission." Being athletic since youth, he said he always loved the feeling extremely tired at the end of a workout. Bathroom Safety Grab Bar Bathroom Safety Grab Bar usbesty · Sponsored call to action icon Research shows many benefits of exercise. "It used to be that we thought this exercise good for your heart and lungs, good for your muscles, keeping your bones strong," Austad said. "Now we know there are cognitive benefits, there are immune benefits, there are all kinds of benefits that we never appreciated." One of the biggest ones for him is quality sleep, so much so that he sets strict boundaries around his workout time. "I don't have great sleep unless I physically exhaust myself, and I just figure I have to live with that." He only eats twice a day Austad was practicing time-restricted eating, a form of intermittent fasting, before it became trendy in the longevity space. It felt like his "natural rhythm" to eat a late breakfast around 11 a.m., skip lunch, and finish the day with dinner around 6 or 7 p.m. "Now, recently it's come out that there are all kinds of health benefits associated with that kind of timing, and I'm kind of embarrassed that I didn't appreciate that earlier," he said. Intermittent fasting schedules vary and can potentially be risky, according to some studies. Austad's schedule aligns with his circadian rhythm, which researchers believe can improve metabolic health. Austad eats lots of fish, fruits, and vegetables. StockNinja/Getty Images Austad eats lots of fish, fruits, and vegetables. StockNinja/Getty Images © StockNinja/Getty Images He also generally follows the Mediterranean diet, eating lots of fish as his protein source, cutting back on red meat, and eating a diverse range of fruits and vegetables. "But again, I don't obsess," he said. He recalled speaking at a calorie restriction conference and attending the banquet after. "It was basically leaves and nuts and zero-calorie dressing," he said. "Even if it made you healthier, and I'm not convinced that it does, it's just too much for me." If you enjoyed this story, be sure to follow Business Insider on MSN. https://www.msn.com/en-ca/health/other/a-longevity-researcher-says-everyone-s-too-obsessed-with-living-forever-here-are-his-2-anti-aging-habits-instead/ar-AA1NpszE