OF ALL THE dramatic introductions in the Star Wars series, few are as mysterious, or as crucial, as the very first scenes of Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia in 1977’s A New Hope. Standing amid a fog of smoke, she deposits a mysterious object into R2-D2 before retreating back into the dark, only to emerge later to fearlessly blast a stormtrooper—all moments that set the original trilogy into motion, and which helped make the then-21-year-old actress one of the most recognizable faces in the world.
How Smart People Deal With People They Don’t Like | Life Hack
In a perfect world, each person we interact with would be nice, kind, considerate, mindful, generous, and more. They would get our jokes and we would get theirs. We would all thrive in a convivial atmosphere where no one was ever cross, upset, or maligned.
However, we don’t live in a perfect world. Some people drive us crazy, and we (admittedly) drive a few mad as well. Those we dislike are inconsiderate, rushed, malign our character, question our motives, or just don’t get our jokes at all — but expect us to laugh at all theirs.
You might wonder whether it is possible to be fair to someone who ruffles you all the time, or someone you’d rather avoid eating lunch with. You might wonder if you should learn to like every person you meet.
5 Ways Museums Are Using Technology for New Experiences | ABC News
Museums are always looking for ways to make their exhibitions more exciting. Now, new technologies are making that easier.
From 3-D scanning and 3-D printing, to virtual reality and special apps, these technologies are being applied in a multitude of ways. Still other technologies are being tested and developed as museums seek to ever broaden public access.
“Where we used to have one way of visiting and experiencing a museum, people now expect a variety of ways,” said Catherine Devine, chief digital officer at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. “It’s about exploring technologies.”
A look at some of the ways museums are integrating and developing technologies to engage their audiences:
How to Spot Student Loan Forgiveness Scams | The Simple Dollar
After completing college, you may feel overburdened by your student loan costs, but don’t fall victim to student loan forgiveness scams that offer false promises of easy debt relief.
That’s not to say there’s no such thing as student loan forgiveness — federal loans really can be forgiven under certain conditions. But debt relief companies know that millions more people are struggling to repay student loans and, in response, they’ve set up programs that offer to help reduce your debt — for a fee.
Often they offer services that you could perform yourself at no cost. According to the U.S. Department of Education, such companies solicit business through mail, mobile phone ads, social media, and direct phone calls.
UN Will Take on ‘Killer Robots’ in 2017 | Live Science
Good news, fellow humans: The United Nations has decided to take on killer robots.
At the international Convention on Conventional Weapons in Geneva, 123 participating nations voted to initiate official discussions on the danger of lethal autonomous weapons systems. That’s the emerging designation for so-called “killer robots” — weapons controlled by artificial intelligence that can target and strike without human intervention.
The agreement is the latest development in a growing movement calling for an preemptive ban on weaponized A.I. and deadly autonomous weapons. Last year, a coalition of more than 1,000 scientists and industry leaders, including Elon Musk and representatives of Google and Microsoft, signed an official letter to the United Nations demanding action.
This Is the Future of Retail, According to 1 Silicon Valley Engineer | Inc.com
The retail shop might be beleaguered in this era of convenient online shopping and free returns, but it’s not dead yet. Far from it: just look at the storefronts operated by formerly online-only brands such as Bonobos, Warby Parker, and Rent the Runway.
But e-commerce has definitively changed the way people shop–and according to one Silicon Valley engineer, retailers are failing to adapt.
Most bricks-and-mortar shops are never going to be able to beat the Amazons of the world at supply chain efficiencies, says Vibhu Norby, formerly a lead engineer at the smart thermostat company Nest. So, he concludes, “the future of retail has to do with discovery and customer relations.”
Washington, D.C. Passes 8 Week Paid Parental Leave Bill | Forbes
The new legislation will grant all full- and part-time workers in the city eight weeks of leave at up to 90% of their full weekly wages for birth, adoption or fostering. The bill also provides for six weeks of family leave to look after a sick relative and two weeks for a personal medical emergency.
The law will only cover private-sector workers, excluding those on city or federal payroll. To qualify, a worker need only be employed in D.C.; residents of other cities and states with jobs in the capital are eligible. Non-profit workers and the self-employed are also covered.
4 Surprising Words That Should Define Your Digital Strategy in 2017 | Adweek
The tree-decorating selfies have inundated Instagram, you’re receiving multiple festive discount emails each day, and you’re already having flashbacks to office holiday parties from years past.
That’s right, it’s the end of the year for marketers, and that means it’s time to look ahead to what trends, obstacles and issues we can expect in the coming year.
Instead of pointing you to some of the more popular acronyms of late—IOT, OTT, VR, AR, AI, etc.—I’ve instead boiled it down to four deceptively simple words that should help you focus your digital strategy in 2017.
Facing the Inevitable: When Business Bankruptcy May Be Your Only Option | AllBusiness.com
Bankruptcy was a big topic in this year’s presidential campaign. With President-elect Trump previously filing for bankruptcy protection, the topic has probably never before received so much attention.
As much as I don’t want to admit it, I have personal experience with bankruptcy. A failed business, regardless of the reasons, can often leave you in a position where you have no other choice. While most of the advice I write about is on starting a business, I thought it would be a great time to talk about what to do when your business is failing. Keep in mind that being broke is not always a reason to close your business. In fact, that is why there are numerous options afforded to you as a debtor.
CodeFights: Play this coding game, score a job in Silicon Valley | Money Cnn
It took less than three months for an online coding game to transform James Johnston’s life.
Johnston, 31, was designing software for orthodontists and living in Chattanooga, Tennessee, when he landed a better-paid software engineering job in Silicon Valley at a major tech startup.
The key to this career upgrade and cross-country move? CodeFights, an online game that offers programmers the chance to improve their skills and get noticed by Silicon Valley titans like Uber and Dropbox.
Johnston told CNNMoney he discovered the game through a Facebook ad in June.
“I was kind of intrigued and thought it was a fun little activity,” he said.
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