Get the answer to your question from Coach John G. Agno. What we all want is interaction with others to clarify our thoughts before taking action and to allow our perceptions to evolve over time.
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According to the Pollfish Valentine's Day National Survey — a survey of 1,000 American consumers by Pollfish [www.pollfish.com], the world's leading self-service mobile survey and market research platform — men are 1.6x as likely as women to buy expensive gifts for Valentine's Day.
Other notable findings include:
A. AMERICANS MOST WANT TO BUY EDIBLE GIFTS FOR VALENTINE'S DAY Q: Which types of products would you like to buy for your significant other on Valentine's Day?
1. Dinner or drinks (58%) 2. Chocolates or candy (54%) 3. Flowers (40%) 4. Greeting cards (38%) 5. Clothing or accessories (31%)
B. HERSHEY'S IS THE MOST COVETED CHOCOLATE BRAND Q: Which chocolate brands would you most like to buy for your significant other on Valentine's Day?
1. Hershey's (50%) 2. Dove (40%) 3. Russell Stover (36%) 4. Ghirardelli (34%) 5. Godiva (32%)
C. ZALES IS THE MOST COVETED JEWELRY STORE Q: From which store would you most like to buy jewelry for your significant other on Valentine's Day?
1. Zales (37%) 2. Kays (37%) 3. Jared (29%) 4. Pandora (23%) 5. Tiffany & Co (20%)
D. MEN ARE ALMOST TWICE AS LIKELY AS WOMEN TO BUY EXPENSIVE GIFTS Men are 1.6x as likely as women to buy expensive Valentine's Day gifts. 55% of men and 33% of women intend to spend $50 or more on their significant other this year.
E. AMERICANS PREFER TO EAT AT RED LOBSTER Q: How likely are you to recommend eating at this national chain restaurant for Valentine's Day to a friend or colleague? Net promoter score, aka NPS, measures customer satisfaction and brand perception on a scale of -100 to +100. (A positive, high score means consumers actively recommend the brand; a negative score could mean consumers actively dissuade friends.)
1. Red Lobster: NPS of 1 2. Olive Garden: NPS of 0 3. Outback Steakhouse: NPS of -1 4. The Cheesecake Factory: NPS of -4 5. TGI Friday's: NPS of -22
The majority of national chain restaurants received a negative NPS, indicating that most Americans might prefer to dine out at an independent restaurant for Valentine's Day.
In 1979, President Jimmy Carter signed a proclamation declaring the first Sunday after Labor Day would annually be honored as National Grandparents Day.
What most people today are not aware of, however, is the history behind this holiday. Marian McQuade, a housewife from West Virginia, is known as the initial advocate of Grandparents Day. A lifelong advocate of the aging, McQuade encouraged grandchildren across the country to relish in the rich history and wisdom of their grandparents’ years.
National Grandparents Day, an often overlooked holiday, falls on Sunday, September 7th this year. It is a time to bring family members of all generations to spend time together.
Planning fun, engaging activities makes it easy to bridge the gap between multiple generations.
On National Grandparents Day, New York City is a great place to find these intergenerational activities, no matter where your interests lie. New York Foundation for Senior Citizens (NYFSC), the only non-profit, non-sectarian social service organization serving elderly throughout New York City’s five boroughs, recommends the following activities:
1. Picnic: Take a trip to the local market or grocery store and pick up lunch foods to restore the lost art of picnicking in the park, whether it is Central Park or the nearest one to you. On a fall afternoon, it is the perfect weather to sit outside and enjoy a meal together. Consider bringing lawn chairs to maximize comfort. http://www.nycgovparks.org/
3. Touring: Book a riverboat tour on the Hudson River. Relaxing on the water is a great way to see New York City from a new perspective, and maybe even learn a new fact or two. Cruises last between one to two-and-a-half hours and prices range from $20 to $40 per person. www.circleline42.com
4. Theatre: Purchase tickets to enjoy a Broadway spectacle together. Enjoy a classic musical together such as Lion King, or opt to see a fun, edgy performance like Kinky Boots. http://www.stubhub.com/theater-tickets/
5. Sports: September is a great time to attend a sporting event. Take advantage of your proximity to the US Open and attend an intense tennis match. Baseball games, whether you’re a Yankees or Mets fan, are an American classic.
Find out how at the 4th Annual Social Mood Conference
By Elliott Wave International
Robert Prechter forecasted more than 10 years ago that the War on Drugs would become more violent, leading eventually to the decriminalization of the possession and sale of recreational drugs. The Socionomist followed up in 2009 with an in-depth story by Euan Wilson called "The Coming Collapse of a Modern Prohibition." We published an update in November 2013, "Marijuana: The Mood Shifts, and Decades of Prohibition Go Up in Smoke," that was a timely reminder just before marijuana stocks exploded in early 2014. The recent rush of new state laws to decriminalize pot bears out these forecasts.
Enter Alan Brochstein, a pioneer in the Green Rush by way of his groundbreaking website, 420 Investor, which provides investors information about how to invest in the nascent cannabis industry. He will be just one of the speakers from around the globe at the upcoming 4th Annual Social Mood Conference on April 5, 2014. Join the many people already scheduled to attend who are also interested in understanding how socionomics makes it possible to understand changes in the world -- before they happen.
Here are the topics of five of the nine researchers and business people who will present their ideas in Atlanta.
* * * * * * * * * *
Capitalizing on Cannabis: The Transformation of an Industry and the Creation of a New Investment Bubble
Alan Brochstein, CFA, Founder of 420 Investor.com
Mr. Brochstein has seen the herding impulse up close on a consistent basis through his investing service. The rapidly changing landscape for legal and medical cannabis presents opportunities for many stakeholders, including patients, consumers, entrepreneurs and government entities. Investors, whether through publicly traded companies or privately, are poised to capitalize on cannabis as well.
He will discuss how the combination of a rapidly changing industry and a political dynamic that touches many investors on a deeply personal level is already attracting substantial capital that might even be characterized as a bubble in the publicly traded stocks. At the same time, a highly uncertain financial regulatory environment has left the cannabis industry without ample access to traditional funding sources. Mr. Brochstein will discuss the opportunities ahead for investors who can navigate what will likely be a volatile environment.
Predicting Human Behavior with Internet Data
Suzy Moat, Assistant Professor of Behavioral Science at the Warwick Business School, UK
Our everyday Internet usage generates huge amounts of data on how humans collect and exchange information worldwide. Dr. Moat's recent research asks whether this data can be used to measure and to even predict human behavior.
Her talk will aim to show how large-scale patterns of communication can indeed help us to understand large-scale patterns of behavior. Dr. Moat will describe a number of illuminating case studies that link data (from sources such as Google, Wikipedia and Twitter) to collective behavior in the economic domain and beyond. For example, her team tested a hypothetical investment strategy based on big data about Google searches for financial terms such as "debt," "portfolio" and "stocks." It earned a 326% theoretical profit from 2004 to 2011, compared with 16% if the model had simply purchased the same stocks in 2004 and sold them in 2011.
From Individual Decision Making to Collective Dynamics
Thomas Brudermann, Ph.D., Researcher at the Institute for Systems Sciences, Innovation and Sustainability Research, University of Graz, Austria
How do ideas go viral on a large scale? Decades of research on human decision making have yielded rich insights on psychological biases. We are well aware of the power of social influence, conformity pressure and herding. At the same time, suitable methods have been developed to keep track of collective phenomena. To get an idea about ongoing processes in markets and society, we may analyze Twitter tweets, track Google search trends, observe sales figures of certain products or look at stock market indexes.
What is still missing is a comprehensive understanding of the underlying collective dynamics, that is, the missing link between decisions happening on the individual level and emergent phenomena occurring on a macro level scale. This talk will address prospects and challenges of this research as well as possible links to socionomics, and discuss under which circumstances thoughts, ideas and preferences might go viral on a large scale.
How to Use Socionomics in Real Time
Peter Atwater, President of Financial Insyghts, a U.S. consulting firm
Using examples from his own socionomic applications � ranging from huge unexpected wins to failed applications � Mr. Atwater will discuss the valuable lessons he has learned, some the hard way, in his years as a social mood researcher and finance professional.
He will share some of his real-life experiences with socionomics, such as what happens when he challenges money managers to view what is happening outside the markets as equally important as, if not more important than, what is happening inside the markets. He will also discuss how some pioneering business leaders have adopted socionomics as an indispensable tool for strategic planning.
The Socio Edge: Making Socionomically Informed Decisions in an Era of Dynamic Change
Matt Lampert, Ph.D. candidate at the University of Cambridge, UK
Despite the availability of information in the Age of Big Data, we are consistently blindsided by game-changing events. Mr. Lampert's thesis is that, in a world marked by constant change and fluctuation, being able to see around the corner before others gives you the opportunity to prepare early. Socionomic analysis can cut through the noise to identify the signals that matter most. It can also generate a strategic advantage -- from forecasting entirely new industries to recognizing the potential for swift trend changes. He will explore how the socio edge has allowed analysts to anticipate and adjust for changes in the social landscape that catch most of the world off guard.
Book Your Seat: The 2014 Social Mood Conference Registration is now open
Join these five exciting speakers at the 2014 Social Mood Conference, April 5 in Atlanta, GA.
Over the past few months, leading grain prices have climbed up the commodity wall like a "mile-a-minute" kudzu vine. From late June to early August, the big three grain markets (wheat, corn, and soybeans) soared 40%-plus in a coordinated rally to multi-year highs before leveling off.
The question on the minds of market participants is simple: Is the grains' uptrend set to end?
Well, according to the mainstream experts, the answer is a definite NO -- and an equally definite YES. See, according to recent headlines, grain prices are as likely headed for strong gains as they are for a world of pain. On this, following news items capture the very conflicting grain complex picture:
"Wheat futures decline, fall most in two weeks after Egypt looks elsewhere for supplies... We have a bearish tone." (Wall Street Journal)
"Wheat Soars Despite Reassurance On German Crop." (AP)
Fortunately, there's a quick and easy alternative to the mixed messages of the mainstream: the September 14 Daily Futures Junctures. In that publication, EWI's chief commodity analyst Jeffrey Kennedy presents in depth analysis, labeled price charts, and live video commentary on all three grain markets -- a total of 12 charts in all.
The best part is, you can get instant access to Daily Futures Junctures, along with its long-term sister Monthly Futures Junctures at the unbelievable discount of 100% off. This complimentary admission to one of EWI's most exclusive subscriber resources is the benefit of Futures Junctures Service Free Week. The event runs from 5 pm (EST) on Wednesday September 15 to September 23. Sign up today and start taking advantage of this amazing opportunity.
This article was syndicated by Elliott Wave International and was originally published under the headline Will Grains Gain OR Wane? Find Out For FREE. EWI is the world's largest market forecasting firm. Its staff of full-time analysts led by Chartered Market Technician Robert Prechter provides 24-hour-a-day market analysis to institutional and private investors around the world.
