Main Thesis: With disruption taking place across all industries, it's never been more important than now to have a strategy (psychological, emotional, spiritual, financial) in place to build, grow, protect, & secure your future regardless of job, economy, market ups/ downs, etc.

Key Takeaways:
1. Set aside a minimum amount of investment that you set aside.
2. Place that amount into broad-based index funds - w/ the lowest amount of fees
3. Diversify across asset classes (stocks, bonds, real estate, precious metals, & time)
4. Market timing does not work. Market corrections (>10%) happen ~1/ year. Bear markets (>20% correction, on average, happen once every five years, and last from 1.5 months to 2 years.
5. Most powerful, effective strategy in this category is dollar cost averaging, and compounding.

The Thank You Economy - Gary V

Book written in 2011 by Gary V - social media entrepreneur. Owner of the Wine Library, & Gary V Media.

Main thesis: the way we are interacting with customers has transitioned from face-to-face, direct, email marketing. In the past, it was direct P2P contact between business owners and customers.

With the advent of globalization, and the internet, we are now capable of reaching more customers than ever. Along with email marketing, the advent of social media has created a variety of platforms for businesses to connect and interact with customers and promote/ defend their brand (Twitter, YouTube, FB, Instagram, SnapChat, LinkedIn).

Another interesting point is that various individuals, depending upon their particular niche, product, have better success w/ different platforms (eg - Instagram/Snapchat - photos, YouTube - videos, etc.). Highly recommeded as social media continues to be the major platform for many businesses in the coming age for connecting with customers, and brand awareness. Another epiphany is that these various social media platforms, the communication patterns have changed (ie - how you would engage w/ an angry customer, negative review has dramatically changed because of social media. How will you use the concepts/ ideas in this book, and apply it in your business?

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO - STIEG LARSSEN

This is the first book in the Stieg Larssen series. The central theme behind the character is that an investigative financial journalist is tried (Michael Blomquist) and convicted for libel against a financial power magnet (Wennenstrom). He is convicted of libel, exiled, and his publishing company at risk of going under.

He is approached by a major Swedish business magnate - Henry Vagner. The Vagner Corporation is a storied corporation, having faced trials and tribulations. As successful as the Vagner corporation is, the family is also a storied family, w/ lots of drama and dysfunction.

Michael is solicited by Frode/Henry to write a book investigating the disappearance/questionable death of Henry’s niece Harriett, who disappeared decades ago. In addition to the main plot, the subplot encompasses Elizabeth Salander, who is an interesting character in and of herself - she is an experienced hacker, investigator, who helps Michael w/ the detective process. Together they’re able to piece together the different pieces and figure out what actually happened to Harriet. and ultimately expose Wennerstrom. 

It is an intriguing novel exploring the depths of family dynamics, international mystery/ conspiracy, and the fascinating character development.

Some of the items that stood out to me:

1. the small town, feel of the outskirts of Stockholm
2. the idea of being exiled, living in a small town, doing what you do best
3. the intriguing character of Lisbeth Salander (introverted, small, quiet, defensive, smart, not needing much, self sufficient, having her particular struggles).
4. the use of novel vocabulary, international fiction
5. Hacker, rebel culture
6. the setting, length, look/ feel/ ideas of the novel

Check it out, it’s a great fictional international read. The series was made into a major motion picture. Can't wait to get to the next two/ three. 

Movie Rentals Could Be Coming to YouTube

Hey guys - check out the following Mashable article by Ben Parr about how YouTube is interested in placing entertainment media (movies) on its website. It will be streaming, & users pay a monthly fee to access all the video they like.

Awesome.

OpenCulture.Com - Blog for Free PodCasts, AudioBooks, eBooks

Hey guys - stumbled upon this awesome site blog. Gives a list of top sites for educational & cultural media - PodCasts, Audiobooks, eBooks.

Check it out!

Book Review: FREE - The Future of a Radical Price by Chris Anderson

Hey guys - finished another fantastic book. The book, FREE - The Future of a Radical Price, by Chris Anderson, who previously wrote, The Long Tail, is about the concept of FREE & how it is changing in today's society.

He starts talking about the Industrial Revolution, & how the concept of FREE was either to 1. Entice you (give you a little bit, ie freebies at the grocery store), 2. Be included in the cost when you buy, 3. Marketing gimmick - buy one, get one free (ie buy one at 1/2 off). And how in the Industrial Age, whose concepts are based on scarce resources, goods, the concept of FREE bred distrust, reeked of scams, etc.

However, with the advent of increasing computing speed, bandwidth, and memory, the Internet is changing the concept of FREE, to be actually really FREE. For example, with improving technology, Moore's Law, and others, the amount of information is doubling every 18 months, and the price of computers is drastically falling (down to as close to zero as possible). And with services, digital media, non-tangible goods/services increasing in ever increasing supply over tangible goods/services, small entrepreneurial companies recognizing this trait have started to rake in profits over the slower, larger corporations. The book is filled with tons of examples, from RyanAir, Google, environmental companies (the list goes on & on), Chris Anderson weaves a fantastic thesis on the concept of FREE & how it is changing in today's Digital Age - politically, economically, socially. You can download a FREE audioversion (abridged) at the following link (not affiliate).

Check it out. I liken it to the book, The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman.

US Open Warns Tennis Stars About Tweeting

Recent article by Mashable's Jennifer Van Grove on curbing athlete Tweeting to prevent leakage of inappropriate information. Check the article out.

Tweeting and Insider Information, interesting.