The On-Going Conversation

Detroit: The Dormant City?

The census revealed that Detroit's population fell 25% in ten years, equaling 250,000 and the equivalency of 1 person every 22 minutes. 

The mayor will challenge the recent numbers in light of it directly impacting the cities federal funding. This thriving metropolis was once the firth largest city in the United States, but has continued to dwindle in population as the manufacturing industry has declined.

With more and more people moving out of Detroit, the city is virtually abandoned in some areas. Is this a public relations nightmare or an opportunity to revitalize? We all realize how resilient the city is, although perpetual hard-ache can lead to discouragement and a lack of consolidated effort on a local governmental level.

However, I have noticed an increased number of advertisements showcasing The Motor City, but will it be enough to transform the distressed state of Detroit into an appealing place to call home?

A Simple Realization

"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." - Albert Einstein

Innovation in Healthcare with a Jeopardy Champion

Watson, the computer that defeated elite Jeopardy players in February is re-thinking domination, by helping diagnose and treat patients.

Read the full article via Mashable

Visa: They're Everywhere Customers Want Them to Be

Visa recently announced the ability of U.S. Visa cardholders to send and receive funds from other customers throughout the world, which may make the financial market even easier to navigate.

However, will this potentially put the market at an even more volatile state, with more financial transactions taking place between consumers. I am guessing that customers will be more than satisfied with the recent development, but could there be ramifications for such a decision?

Read the full article at Fast Company

4-Legged Motivation

Ditch the Treadmill! Studies show that dogs provide motivation for a healthy lifestyle and dog owners more likely to take regular walks. Plus, dog owners are more likely to be active than in comparison to those who don't have a four-legged friend at home. 

One study even discovered that older individuals are more likely to take frequent walks if their companion is a canine, with 60 percent reaching federal criteria for moderate to vigorous exercise, according to a recent study. This leads one to question the benefits of having a dog as a pet, which may provide motivation to the humans that they live with. Forget starting a workout routine this summer and take a trip to your local animal shelter to commence the spring.

Read the full article via the New York Times

The Nature of Online Relations

Social networks are helping people stay in touch, but are Internet communities simply tangible cliques taking place online? Social platforms allow friends and family to stay in touch more frequently, although there may be detrimental elements to consider as well.

The ramifications of social media could include the destruction of interpersonal communication skills and the wasting of time throughout the day. I can only imagine how much time people use on a weekly basis to stay connected with their digital friends.

Read the full article and listen to the story via NPR

LinkedIn Wants Users to Visit Daily

LinkedIn launched LinkedIn Today, a social news tool for business users that encourages perpetual use, similar to Facebook and Twitter.

From a consistent use standpoint, LinkedIn has a hard time competing with Facebook and Twitter. Users seem to view LinkedIn as a professional portal that doesn't require continual monitoring. Facebook and Twitter on the other hand seem to have a connected mantra that requires daily attention, and users feel out of touch if they aren't constantly engaged and interconnected.

Obviously this isn't the case, but users feel a subconscious isolation if they aren't checking their digital lives on a daily basis. Most people view LinkedIn as an environment for career networking, which doesn't consist of frequent changes and status updates. Users even have their Twitter updates linked via an external platform that appears on the LinkedIn feed, which is included on the landing page.

As a result, LinkedIn is trying to capture a degree of success with this approach to social media. They want to encourage uses to visit on a daily basis, by providing more value and the ability to directly search news online. To a certain extent, they want to be a one-stop shop for online content absorption. This may be quite challenging, although it is a great place to commence in a difficult social space.

Read the full article via Fast Company

Support International Women’s Day via Social Media

International Women's Day is celebrating its 100th birthday; take the time to embrace the achievements of women worldwide.

Read the full article via Mashable

The Mobile Consumer World

We Live in a Digital World! 57% of Facebook and Twitter users have scanned a mobile bar bode at least one time within the year.

Read the full article via Fast Company

A Social Deal Super Bowl

LivingSocial surged traffic by 80% with a lone discount for Amazon.com during the Super Bowl, while Groupon only managed a 3% increase.

Read the full article via Fast Company