Listen: Marc Ross on A Load of BS: The Behavioural Science Podcast | Part 1

“If you liked House of Cards (UK version wins every time) or The West Wing, you’re in for a treat. This week, I welcome political strategist, namesake and keeper of our eponymous tartan and ice shelf, Marc A. Ross to A Load of BS. Marc’s storytelling, his exuberance and his experience at the forefront of global politics glitters through both Part 1 and Part 2 of our conversation.

“Marc is a political nut; he fell in love with Reagan’s campaign in 1984 as a young teenager and has been immersed ever since. You’ll hear in the pod that Marc’s knowledge and interests fly way beyond home affairs; he is no partisan, his outlook is utterly global and he is a keen student of our British system amongst other, believing firmly that a broad lens gives perspective.

“He is the founder of Caracal, a communications and political intelligence firm specializing in international trade, commercial relations, economic diplomacy and global business. He is also the founder of Brigadoon, a global membership network helping leaders make better connections and helping them better understand the emerging issues shaping commerce and culture.

“This only scratches the surface of Marc’s affiliations. Best is to see here for the fullest picture.

“If that quality of build up hasn’t attracted you to subscribe to A Load of BS (if indeed you aren’t already!), then here is your moment. I won’t reveal names just now, but trust me, we have some quite phenomenal individuals joining me over the coming weeks.”

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Marc dropped so much BS; Daniel broke their discussion into two parts.

In this first part, they discuss:

+ Power and influence, vs. control

+ President Clinton's Candy Shop + reciprocity

+ Political attractiveness + M&M's ad strategy

+ Delusions of grandeur: what it takes to be a successful politician

+ Confirmation bias + The West Wing

+ How politics really works beyond the sport of media reporting

So notable political figures referenced:

+ Thomas Sowell: American economist, social theorist, and senior fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution

+ Tom "The Hammer" DeLay: Texan, former Republican Party Majority Leader - my first job in Washington when he was Majority Whip

+ Roger Ailes: former chairman and CEO of Fox News, the media consultant for various American Presidents

+ Henry Kissinger: American politician, diplomat, and geopolitical consultant

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You have a bathing problem.

In more than 500 scientific studies in recent years, researchers have linked time spent in nature with decreased anxiety, reduced risk of obesity, and even reduced overall mortality.

In fact, one 2018 analysis by researchers from Britain's University of East Anglia found nature prescriptions "may have substantial benefits."

"Forest bathing," or immersing yourself in nature, is being embraced more and more by doctors and medical professionals as a way to combat stress and improve health.

The Japanese tradition of shinrin-yoku, or "forest bathing," is gaining more attention in the West.

Florence Williams's best-selling book, "The Nature Fix," has a chapter dedicated to the benefits of forest therapy. And now, it appears that more North American doctors are starting to incorporate spending time in forests into their practice.

The Northside Hospital Cancer Institute in Atlanta now formally offers forest therapy as part of a pilot project collaborating with the Chattahoochee Nature Center.

The New York Times reports, at the University of California, San Francisco, Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland, Dr. Nooshin Razani, a pediatric infectious disease doctor and director of the Center for Nature and Health, has offered a similar program for years. The “Shine” program, linked to the East Bay Regional Parks District, offers “park prescriptions,” a movement that is growing in popularity and aims to improve accessibility to nature for low-income children.

Research from Japan and Korea suggests that spending time in nature, specifically in lush forests, has shown a decrease in stress and blood pressure (especially in middle-aged men). Plus, it improves heart-rate variability and lowers cortisol levels while boosting one's mood.

Additional benefits by exercising in nature, improvements in self-esteem, and overall effects on mood were heightened when there was a stream or other body of water nearby.

The New York Times reports that several theories have been proposed about why spending time in forests might provide health benefits. Some have suggested that chemicals emitted from trees, so-called phytoncides, have a physiological effect on our stress levels. Others indicated that forest sounds — birds chirping, rustling leaves — have a physiologically calming effect.

Regardless of the specifics, from forest trails in Korea to islands in Finland, to eucalyptus groves in California, Florence investigated the science behind nature's positive effects on the brain.

Delving into brand-new research, she uncovered the powers of the natural world to improve health, promote reflection and innovation, and strengthen our relationships.

As our modern lives shift dramatically indoors and involve working with and staring at screens, changing how one bathes is essential to performance and productivity.

A walkabout with trees and water, this forest bathing could be just the fix to make you happier, healthier, and more creative.

Make plans to attend the Brigadoon November Call with Florence Williams at 2:00 pm ET on Wednesday, November 17.

Florence is the prize-winning author of The Nature Fix. A contributing editor at Outside magazine, her writing has appeared in the New York Times and National Geographic.

Moving from the mountain air beauty of Boulder, CO, to the urban swamp of Washington, DC, inspired her deep dive into what makes people happy.

The aim was simple: Does place matter, or not so much?

Her global exploration of this question led her to determine that one of the most significant variables was, it is not who you are with or what you are doing; it is where you are.

"How we spend our days is how we spend our lives."

In her book, she points out, "we are experiencing a mass generational amnesia enabled by urbanization and urban creep."

Going on, she writes, "we don't experience natural environments enough to realize how restored they can make us feel, nor are we aware that studies also show they can make us healthier, more creative, more empathetic, and more apt to engage with the world and with each other. Nature, it turns out, is good for civilization."

"Homo sapiens officially became an urban species in 2008."

"Yet as humans shift their activities to cities, astoundingly little planning, resources, and infrastructure go into making those spaces meet our psychological needs.

Make plans to attend the Brigadoon November Call with Florence Williams at 2:00 pm ET on Wednesday, November 17.

Let's have a discussion on how nature makes us happier, healthier, and more creative.

Sign up here.

This picture was snapped by Marc A. Ross at Brigadoon Remote | Scotland 2019 in a forest near Carphin House in Fife, Scotland.

Brigadoon ITK | Oct. 26

AP: Sudan’s military takes power in coup, arrests prime minister

Sudan's military seizes control in coup: DW reports military forces have arrested most cabinet ministers and pro-government party leaders. Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has been taken to an undisclosed location and has called on citizens to resist the coup.

+ As Sudan’s economy spiraled in recent weeks—inflation, for instance, has topped 400 percent—the military seized the moment to "accuse the government of ignoring the people’s needs"

Sudan’s democratic transition is upended by a second coup in two years: Economist reports the generals acted just months before they were due to hand power to civilians.

AFP: US pauses $700 mn in aid to Sudan after military takeover

CNN: Biden sending 13 cabinet members, high-level officials to UN climate summit in show of force

+ On Nov. 1, Biden will be in Glasgow for the 26th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26).

Chicago poised to create one of the nation’s largest ‘guaranteed basic income’ programs: Basic income programs are spreading across the country as critics raise concerns about job openings.
WP

Bloomberg: Hertz orders 100,000 Teslas in rental-market shake-up

+ Company exited bankruptcy four months ago under new ownership

+ Electrification plan to eventually include most of Hertz fleet

+ It’s the single-largest purchase ever for electric vehicles, or EVs, and represents about $4.2 billion of revenue for Tesla

+ “How do we democratize access to electric vehicles? That’s a very important part of our strategy. Tesla is the only manufacturer that can produce EVs at scale.” -- Mark Fields, who joined Hertz as interim chief executive officer earlier this month

+ Tesla shares rose as much as 9.8% to a record $998.74, making it one of only five publicly traded US companies with valuations above $1 trillion

The Hertz-Tesla deal will help normalize electric cars: This could be another step in getting drivers to overcome their anxieties about EVs.
Liam Denning

Rockets aren’t enough. The growing commercial space industry now want to build space stations.
WP

Climber and filmmaker Jimmy Chin talks taste: The director of The Rescue on crampons, Ansel Adams – and decompressing with a Dyson.
FT

In the World Series, Hank Aaron’s protégé faces his former team: “If Henry is watching down, he will enjoy this World Series because of Dusty, above all,” Bud Selig said of Dusty Baker, the manager of the Houston Astros.
NYT

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Curating the emerging issues and independent thinkers shaping commerce and culture.

Brigadoon ITK | Oct. 25

COP26 aims to end coal, but the world is still addicted: Humanity remains deeply dependent on coal.
Bloomberg

Broken promises, energy shortages, and COVID-19 will hamper COP26: It is the most important climate conference in years.
Economist

Inside the new plan to make Paris ‘100% cyclable’: The French capital is dramatically expanding its network of segregated bike lanes and more than tripling bicycle parking spots as part of a massive new investment.
Bloomberg

Downtown Brooklyn’s greener, car-free future is taking root: The borough’s 2019 plan for a pedestrian-friendly downtown has been given a push by pandemic-era street changes. But right now, traffic still reigns.
Bloomberg

The number of years since launch:

Amazon: 26 years
Google: 23 years
Netflix: 23 years
Facebook: 17 years
Gmail: 17 years
Twitter: 15 years
iPhone: 14 years
Spotify: 13 years
Bitcoin: 12 years
Uber: 11 years
Instagram: 11 years
Snapchat: 10 years
Zoom: 9 years
TikTok: 4 years

Indra Nooyi: ‘Companies like ours are little republics’: The former PepsiCo chief on changing giant businesses, how to help more women succeed — and why obesity is not the food industry’s fault alone.
FT

Yes, you can only work 5 hours and call it a day. Here’s how to make it productive: An accidental discovery made one worker stop putting in eight-hour days without missing a beat.
Fast Company

The 2021 restaurant list
NYT

At a Loss: Why so few Super Bowl–losing teams make it back: Hangover? Curse? Or something more benign? Only eight times in 55 years has a team that lost the Super Bowl returned to play it again the next year. SI asked runner-up coaches, players, and execs—and took a deeper dive into the data—to find out: Why is it so hard to get back?
SI

The day Chuck Hughes died: Remembering the only NFL player to die in a game
SN

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Curating the emerging issues and independent thinkers shaping commerce and culture.