RioVida Networks

RioVida Networks brings causes, celebrities, music, film makers, artist and corporations together for mutual benefit.

  • Are we still living in a merit based society?

    San Francisco culture of mutual support helped create great opportunities for entrepreneurs to achieve their dreams.

    Since before the formation of this country by great men like Benjamin Franklin one of the best parts of living on this continent is that everyone has a chance to create the life they want to have. Benjamin Franklin is a great example of someone who grew up in a modest home, ventured out on his own to become a very wealthy world leader. Self-educated Abe Lincoln is another example of a young half orphan who made his own way in the world, reaching great achievements as a lawyer and US president. Andrew Carnegie was born into a Scottish weaver’s family that shared a one room house with their neighbors. Yet, later in the US he became synonymous with the Gilded Age. John D. Rockefeller who as the son of a con man and a very religious mother started out as a bookkeeper built one of the greatest wealth an American family ever enjoyed. He is quoted as saying: “The growth of a large business is merely a survival of the fittest”. Even though he was a very tough and sometimes ruthless competitor he ended up donating more than $500 million to various philanthropic causes. Back in his days this was quite a lot of money.

    In recent history we have Steve Jobs, the son of a Syrian refugee, was adopted and started his career in the warehouse. Ray Kroc started as an ambulance driver at 15 years old and later started McDonald’s corporation, considered one of the fastest growing companies. Sarah Breedlove, later known by one of her married names Madam C. J. Walker’s parents and siblings were slaves, yet she became the first known African American female Millionaire. Andy Grove spent part of his childhood in a Nazi concentration camp and came to the US penniless when he had to flee Hungary from Soviet Oppression at age 20. Later he became associated with the success of Intel, a company he led to international success as its CEO. Arthur Rock’s dad had a candy store and Arthur’s education was possible thanks to the G.I. bill. Arthur Rock founded one of the first investment firms in Silicon Valley, called Davis & Rock. He is considered one of the founders of Silicon Valley. Eric Hippeau received a wonderful education in France and chose to come to the US to achieve his fame and fortune. He came to the US as an ad sales manager for IDG, before becoming publisher of PC Magazine, CEO of Ziff-Davis, Softbank, and now runs a very successful venture firm, Lerer Hippeau.

    In the US if you work hard and smart you can succeed. Yes, it is quite clear that in most cases being well educated or rather being able to educate yourself and re-educate yourself is a prerequisite for success. And yes, it possible to reach amazing success in the United States, regardless of background and family ties.

    Is it easier to achieve success when you have a loving and supportive family that can afford to pay for a great education and make wonderful introductions? Of course, it is. Is it harder for children who have to overcome the long-term physiological and psychological challenges of ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences)? Yes, it is harder. However, it is possible. This is what is unique about the USA. Many businesses in the US are merit based, especially in California.

    When communities, business leaders, and educational institutions come together to focus on helping kids become successful adults, entire cities and villages thrive. Providing education that provides students with the life-long ability to learn may be one of the top gifts we can give our local communities. Most thriving towns have benevolent leaders who care about all its inhabitants. Why not bring the leaders in your community together to facilitate a local plan to create a thriving and high-quality place to live and grow up in. Amazing success will be up to the individual, luck, hard work, lots of studying, and the willingness to put in the necessary effort. There are no shortcuts to wealth, short of inheriting it. And as every successful business leader knows making the first money is easier than to hold on to the money and growing the business. This takes management skills, knowledge, competitiveness and most importantly content and satisfied customers.

    It is best if we remind ourselves and future generations that only because someone else inherited their wealth, doesn’t make them the only ones who can thrive. With a strong desire to succeed, great networking skills, and the willingness to learn, the road to success is open to everyone in the USA. For self-made people there are no short cuts to success. It takes work and diligence, and the willingness to try over and over until the necessary skills are perfected.

    In China during the Han Dynasty in the 6th century BC, when Confucius has a strong impact on culture the society was merit-based. Education became the key for social mobility back then in China. Europe opened its mind to become a merit-based society in the 17th Century and is still waffling about it. The US is the only country that was founded on the principles of being merit based. The West Coast naturally has embraced being merit-based since it was founded by people from all walks of life who were seeking fame and fortune in the 19th century during the gold rush era. Life in the Wild West required that towns people were there for each other and pool resources. This spirit of collaboration has survived in California. This is the reason why living is pleasant and easy. There is a “live and let live” attitude, and openness to new and different ways of looking at things, and the willingness to create teams, tribes, mutually beneficial groups, and everyone who is a good fit and is willing to contribute to the overall good is welcome.

    Towns who are willing to support their neighbors’ kids thrive more than towns who live in brutally hierarchical ways without caring about each other. Businesses that receive help from financiers are able to afford an educated workforce. These businesses thrive easier. Invest in educating all kids, invest in your towns future. The investment in lifting the overall level of education of a town pays off within 10 to 15 years. It cannot be accomplished within a quarter. However, if you don’t invest in your city, you wil lend up with a ghost town suffering from unhappy, often drugged and depressed workforce who doesn’t work effectively, nor purchase anything. Every town has a chance to adopt these logical and simple principles if leaders choose to come together for the benefit of the entire population. Check out Oakland, CA it is now safer than Kansas City!

  • Mesmerica feels uplifting

    The show is designed to literally play with your emotions in an uplifting way. It works. The music immediately puts you into spa mode. The body relaxes as if you are having a hot rock treatment, with a body scrub, and your favorite full body massage.

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076MPNSTH

    The video provides uplifting messages about relaxation, forgiveness, togetherness and they are intermingled with the sounds of gongs that bring back memories of fabulous mediation sessions. Instant relaxation.

    James Hood has perfected his musical genius. He is still able to make you feel your own feelings, like he did back when he played with the Pretenders. Since then he became one of the founding musicians of the world music genre. He perfected his art with a two-decades-plus run as a visionary ambient/electronica composer and performer. His sonic incense “Ceremony” and Pure Ceremony reached #1 on World and New Age charts in US and Canada.  

    Mesamerica is an instant classic that will be celebrated for many years to come. It represents a trend that will certainly swell as more people become aware of the soothing and healing effect it has – literally – on the body by encouraging the release of endorphins, seratonin, and other happy hormones. Mesamerica is there to reboot your body and soul and it has a long lasting effect.

    It was produced by Poseidon Music who report: “The show is now running simultaneously in 12 North American cities, selling out 9/10 shows. 40,000 tickets and counting.”

    And then there is the art and the production of this master piece. The art is world class.

    The most spectacular thing about this experience to me is the art by Tatiana Plakhova. It is mesmerizing on this little video. Just imagine it or watch it in a setting that allows you to see a large dome of into which the video will draw you travel as you experience the cosmic journey with surround sound.

    Tatiana Plakhova describes her art as infographics, which makes sense. She transmits so much more than just a pretty pictures. Her art communicates – it is the art of the future, now.

    “The main idea is to show a new way of “infographic” drawings. Because everything we see is biological, mathematical or geological information. It can also be cultural patterns or any other thing. Complexity Graphics works are based on mathematical simplicity and harmony. I would describe them as infographic abstracts. This mathematical style helps me to illustrate everything from biological cell to the space and meditative worlds. That’s why I admire by math, because it’s everywhere and nowhere” 
    Tatiana Plakhova

    We will try to find out more information behind the many amazing people behind this new form of entertainment that is certainly here to stay. Stay tuned!

  • Is it wise for those benefitting from the economy to allow the middle and lower middle class to shrink?

    We believe in the American philosophy that free markets help each person rise to the best possible economic achievement for themselves. We are all in favor of a thriving economy.

    The economy is thriving particularly well for the top 25% of the American population.  Around the world poverty is at a 100-year low.  According to Politifacts.com who compared World Bank statistics and other studies: “By World Bank figures, Smith actually understated the reduction. We’ve cut extreme poverty by 58 percent using the 2008 definition of extreme poverty, and 74.1 percent by the 2015 definition.”

    Many business leaders plan to stay with a company only for a few years and therefore the long term stability of their companies is less important than the managers ability to cash out. If the economy shrinks, employees are upset, the companies are vulnerable to foreign or even domestic competition, it does not affect the manager personally as quickly, as it affects the rest of the economy.

    Why might we encourage business leaders to watch the American, European, and Japanese middle-class standards of living?  After all ever more people from the upper middle class are thriving. There are 7.1 million households in this country that have investable assets of $1 million or more. So why be concerned about the middle and lower-income brackets of the middle class?

    What does income inequality even mean?

    A recent study by the Fed reported in the Wall Street Journal stated that 25% of working individuals say they have no retirement savings at all, and 44% worried that their saving isn’t on track. Among younger workers, aged 18 to 29, 42% have nothing set aside, and only 26% believe they are adequately prepared for retirement. Even more disturbing 40% of Americans said they don’t have enough cash on hand to cover an unexpected $400 expense and 17% reported they did not have sufficient funds to meet their current obligations. This indicates that 57% lived either beyond their means or they did not earn enough. With the unemployment rate solidly below 4% it is most likely the later.

    San Francisco has the highest median income in the country. It is reportedly at $110,816.  This sounds great until you realize that how many people are not participating in driving the median income up to these wonderful levels, however they still have to pay the same for housing. The average cost for a 1-bed room apartment is $3,391.12 per month and naturally the rent or mortage for a dwelling fit for a family is even more. This spells trouble for employees who are not in managerial positions, particularly since Numbeo suggests that it takes $4,106.34 for living expenses for a family with 4 members before the rent. Add some student loan payments, the need to save money to take care of their kids the dream of maybe buying a house and it starts to look dismal for those who earn their living as teachers, truck drivers or service personal. This is when reality shows that a shrinking middle and lower-part of the middle class indeed will not foster the consumerism that Westerners have enjoyed for the past 70 years.

    When the US economy is turned and/or allowed to be turned into a “third world economy,” the US will become a third world country.

    7.1 Millions of extremely wealthy end up living in a country surrounded by 315.9 Million people, some of whom can’t afford to save $400 for their next emergency. Currently more than 50% of the US population earns less than $50,000. In many cases much less 20.3% of US households or every 5th household earned less than $25K per per year. For millennials the outlook explains why they prefer experiences instead of accumulating products. 58% of 35-yr-olds earn less than $50,000 per year and 81% of 25-yr-olds earn less than $50,000 per year. They barely can afford rent. Yes, many move to places that have more affordable homes, however their salaries may drop drop relative to the price of housing.

    Yes, there are a few “Unicorns,” companies that make more money than ever. Apple is slated to become the first $1 Trillion dollar company. However the US economy is reliant on small businesses. There are 28,000,000 small businesses in the US and only 18,500 large companies. One half of the US economy is based on and relies on small business. Small businesses are the first to suffer when the middle class erodes. In the 70s 1 out of 5 small businesses folded in the first year. Today 50% of small businesses fail often due to lack of earnings. When the expendable income for so many Americans gets eroded due to the lack of “living wages” the US will turn into a third-world country. Currently in San Francisco and Marin County 1 in 5 is in need of food assistance, and 1 in 4 is at risk of going hungry, according to the San Francisco Foodbank. California is the tenth most affluent State in the US with the nearly 900,000 millionnaires.

    While business leaders are not immediately and personally affected by the ever lower standard of living of 70% of Americans, shrinking Americans expendable income to Zero is not healthy for the overall economy, as sales for anything that is not a necessity will suffer and this is already happening. Retail is down, housing size is shrinking , large houses stay unoccupied due to the fact that more than 1/2 of households can’t afford the mortgages.

    Deloitte just releases their 2019 report is based on the views of 13,416 millennials questioned across 42 countries and 3,009 Gen Zs from 10 countries. While this does not provide a statistically correct sample for each country, it does give us a bit of an idea that could be considered a possible trend. The news is somewhat positive. 60% of the Millennials surveyed were confident that they could reach their own goals if they applied themselves. This could mean they are optimistic, or it could mean that they blame themselves for not being as successful as they wished they were.

    Board of Directors may do well to start thinking a bit longer term. If a company doesn’t have a long range vision like most Chinese and European companies do, the US economy may be structurally damaged in ways that will affect its investors and business leaders.

    Fortunately there are great examples of how communities can come together to make sure all the boats are lifted. Check out the articles about how Oakland, a city that was beleaguered by inequality problems, pulled together to lift the city out of poverty. It takes vision and it takes the will of those who have the power to effect change.

  • Cha, cha, cha, changes… so timely. Thx David Bowie!

    Ch Ch Ch Changes

    Low Down, ooh, still don’t know what I was waiting for…
    and my time was running wild, a million dead-end streets and
    Everytime I thought I got it made, the taste was not so sweet…
    So I turned myself to face me, but I never caught a glimpse,
    of how the others must see the faker,
    I’m much too fast to take that test.

    Ch Ch Ch Changes turn and face the strange ch ch changes
    Don’t wanna be a richer man
    Ch Ch Ch Changes turn and face the strange ch ch changes
    Just gonna have to be a different man
    time may change me, but I can’t trace time

    Ooh yeah

    I watch the ripples change their size but never leave the stream of warm impermanence
    and so the days float through my eyes, but the days still seem the same
    and these children that you spit on as the try to change their world
    they are immune to your consultations
    they are quite aware of what they are going through

    Ch Ch Ch Changes turn and face the strange ch ch changes
    don’t tell them to grow up and out of it

    Ch Ch Ch Changes turn and face the strange ch ch changes
    you’ve left us up to our neck in it
    Time may change me but you can’t trace time
    strange fascination fascinating me
    Ah, changes are taking the pace I’m going through

    Ch Ch Ch Changes turn and face the strange ch ch changes
    ooh, look out you rock ‘n rollers
    Ch Ch Ch Changes turn and face the strange ch ch changes
    pretty soon you’re gonna get older
    Time may change me, but I can’t trace time.
    I’ve said that time may change me,
    but I can’t trace time.

    David Bowie performs Changes

    Rock ‘n Rollers pretty soon you will get older

    Boomers and Generation X is older now and here we are with global warming, the world in upheaval and a shrinking replacement generation which may have trouble taking care of themselves, their student loans, their kids, and especially the bulging and self-entitled older generation. As David Bowie tried to explain many decades ago:

    “Time may change me, but I can’t trace time. Gonna have to be a different man. We never saw the fakers.”

    Great song and timely lyrics. Families that pull together will make it through the next 50 years. David Bowie called it. And here we are and it will be fine especially for those who stop judging and instead support each other at a local basis.