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The technology revolution has delivered Google searches, Facebook friends, iPhone apps, Twitter rants and shopping for almost anything on Amazon, all in the past decade and a half.
What it hasn't delivered are many jobs. Google's Alphabet Inc. and Facebook Inc. had at the end of last year a total of 74,505 employees, about one-third fewer than Microsoft Corp. even though their combined stock-market value is twice as big. Photo-sharing service Instagram had 13 employees when it was acquired for $1 billion by Facebook in 2012.
Hiring in the computer and chip sectors dove after companies shifted hardware production outside the U.S., and the newest tech giants needed relatively few workers. The number of technology startups fizzled. Growth in productivity and wages slowed, and income inequality rose as machines replaced routine, low- and middle-income, human-powered work.
This outcome is a far cry from what many political leaders, tech entrepreneurs and economists predicted about a generation ago. In 2000, President Bill Clinton said in his last State of the Union address: "America will lead the world toward shared peace and prosperity and the far frontiers of science and technology." His economic team trumpeted "the ferment of rapid technological change" as one of the U.S. economy's "principal engines" of growth.
The gap between what the tech boom promised and then delivered is another source of the rumbling national discontent that powered the rise this year of political outsiders Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders.
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Eventually there'll be only decent jobs for maybe 20% of the population: What economic system is needed for that??
(Score: 1) by khallow on Monday October 17 2016, @07:10PM
I just looked it up online and the US National Park Service and they said that playing dead is best for Brown/Grizzly bears and to run from black bears.
I looked [nps.gov] as well.
Once a bear has noticed you and is paying attention to you, additional strategies can help prevent the situation from escalating. Identify yourself by talking calmly so the bear knows you are a human and not a prey animal. Remain still; stand your ground but slowly wave your arms. Help the bear recognize you as a human. It may come closer or stand on its hind legs to get a better look or smell. A standing bear is usually curious, not threatening.
Stay calm and remember that most bears do not want to attack you; they usually just want to be left alone. Bears may bluff their way out of an encounter by charging and then turning away at the last second. Bears may also react defensively by woofing, yawning, salivating, growling, snapping their jaws, and laying their ears back. Continue to talk to the bear in low tones; this will help you stay calmer, and it won't be threatening to the bear. A scream or sudden movement may trigger an attack. Never imitate bear sounds or make a high-pitched squeal.
Pick up small children immediately.
Hike and travel in groups. Groups of people are usually noisier and smellier than a single person. Therefore, bears often become aware of groups of people at greater distances, and because of their cumulative size, groups are also intimidating to bears.
Make yourselves look as large as possible (for example, move to higher ground).
Do NOT allow the bear access to your food. Getting your food will only encourage the bear and make the problem worse for others. Do NOT drop your pack as it can provide protection for your back and prevent a bear from accessing your food.
If the bear is stationary, move away slowly and sideways; this allows you to keep an eye on the bear and avoid tripping. Moving sideways is also non-threatening to bears. Do NOT run, but if the bear follows, stop and hold your ground. Bears can run as fast as a racehorse both uphill and down. Like dogs, they will chase fleeing animals. Do NOT climb a tree. Both grizzlies and black bears can climb trees.
Leave the area or take a detour. If this is impossible, wait until the bear moves away. Always leave the bear an escape route.
Be especially cautious if you see a female with cubs; never place yourself between a mother and her cub, and never attempt to approach them. The chances of an attack escalate greatly if she perceives you as a danger to her cubs.
Notice this is advice for all sorts of bears, not just grizzlies. They do have species specific advice for black bears.
Black Bears: If you are attacked by a black bear, DO NOT PLAY DEAD. Try to escape to a secure place such as a car or building. If escape is not possible, try to fight back using any object available. Concentrate your kicks and blows on the bear's face and muzzle.
Still not advising you to run even when they advise you to escape.
(Score: 2) by tibman on Monday October 17 2016, @07:58PM
Perhaps "escape" means to stroll away then? Anyways, the OP's story still works here. If two people are running from the bear then you want to be the faster one. Playing dead would be terrible advice for someone trying to stay employed. "Is your job getting more competitive and those who fall behind are fired? Just stop advancing and pretend to be dead weight. Everything will work out fine."
I like how talking to the bear in a calm way is helpful. Morgan Freeman would not have an issue but i'd imagine some people would trigger an instant attack.
SN won't survive on lurkers alone. Write comments.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Monday October 17 2016, @08:10PM
Perhaps "escape" means to stroll away then?
It means:
If the bear is stationary, move away slowly and sideways; this allows you to keep an eye on the bear and avoid tripping. Moving sideways is also non-threatening to bears. Do NOT run, but if the bear follows, stop and hold your ground. Bears can run as fast as a racehorse both uphill and down. Like dogs, they will chase fleeing animals. Do NOT climb a tree. Both grizzlies and black bears can climb trees.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Monday October 17 2016, @08:18PM
Playing dead would be terrible advice for someone trying to stay employed. "Is your job getting more competitive and those who fall behind are fired? Just stop advancing and pretend to be dead weight. Everything will work out fine."
Or job hop. Then you don't have to get into this sort of race at any location you work at. Of course, teleporting away from the bear stretches the analogy a bit too thin.