@dgwbirch: Most notable difference between UK Unconference and Canadian one was lack of discussion around APIs, big part of London event #TTTU2015 Continue reading Bank as a platform – not in Canada apparently
#TTTU2015 Dave comes up with the darndest examples to make his point and these are frequently brilliant. This from Modern Mechanics, August 1931 was a new concept – a glass bank. Apparently in the 1930’s bank robberies were a serious problem. Architect Keally developed the concept of a glass bank. The idea was that if everyone could see inside the bank, no-one would rob it. Keally was in fact referring to the concept of transparency hence we flowed nicely into a Blockchain discussion. Continue reading Glass Bank and the evolution of transparency – 1931
Dave discussed potential uses of blockchain. There are 5 examples, and only 4 have potential. I will leave you to debate/ figure out 🙂 It was equally fascinating to listen to Dave and also to be dumbfounded with the initial lack of audience interest. Once we got into discussion that changed. It turns out there is interest but lack of knoweldge about the potential in separation of blockchain from bitcoin. Bitcoin is crowding out the discussion apparently. Anyhow enjoy. Continue reading Tomorrows Transactions – blockchain #TTTU2015
@dgwbirch – The original Apple Watch from 1930’s – scrolling map on wrist #TTTU2015 moving through the hub of innovation – Guildford Continue reading The original Apple Watch – @dgwbirch
Dave is telling us to complete the post it notes. He points out that the post it notes are in fact not a blockchain. Let the humour begin. Continue reading Tomorrows Transactions – Toronto Sept 8th #TTTU2015
I was reading the comments on this exploit story on AppleInsider. I loved lkrupp’s comment (below). The first paragraph might just be the best and simplest explanation for how to avoid virus and malware problems. (if you use Windows then you’ll need to substitute Microsoft approved or the likes for App Store). Several of the other comments are laced with common sense. “So the danger is not that someone outside can get into your machine: the danger is that anyone who has physical access to your machine can take it over.” The second paragraph is just a nice description of … Continue reading “Hacking is a business model”; some simple advice from an expert
This quote from Rana Foroohar on CNN this weekend makes one stop and think. A similar comment related to Connecticut (similar GDP to Greece) effectively bailing out any of the smaller southern US states every year. Why Greece Matters for Everyone It’s not that the economy of Greece itself matters so much–China creates a new Greece every six weeks–it’s that a Greek exit from the Eurozone calls into question the entire European experiment. Its easy to understate the importance of small economic areas, but they matter immensely within their geographic and economic context within which they belong no matter what … Continue reading Greece is important and so is Alabama
My wife just came across this term on a recent trip back to Japan. Garakei or another version, Gara-phone. It literally means “Galapagos Cell Phone”. The backdrop actually goes back to Charles Darwin and how he made the Galapagos Islands famous for uniquely eveolving animal forms and this formed the basis of his “Origin of Species”. Garakei: Galapagos cell phone Recently I’ve been hearing about a Japanese electronic device called a “garakei ガラケイ”. Mystified by this katakana word, which I assumed to be at least partially the transcription of some foreign term, I set about trying to find out more … Continue reading Garakei: Galapagos cell phone
Maybe there are just some things that cannot be controlled. Despite massive government intervention, the Chinese stock market is collapsing in light of an overbought bubble. Fresh turmoil hits China’s stock market ft.com China’s central bank stepped up state support for sinking stocks on Wednesday, as investors rushed to sell what they still could after a fresh wave of share suspensions that have now halted trading in half the market. …. The renewed selling followed another round of share suspensions overnight, which have now halted trading in 1,476 stocks — or more than 50 per cent all listed companies on … Continue reading China stock market is unplugged
This interview with Thomas Piketty by Die Ziet is a landmark. As the interview rightly points out this 700+ page best seller has not been read beyond probably Page 26 by most of the purchasers. This is obvious to me by the book reviews. However this interview has two main aspects of interest: it highlights some economic history, history meaning anything previous to the last quarter, and that in which most folks have no interest. This stuff is not in the history books. Economic history is boring and unless you read Niall Ferguson, Thomas Piketty, or Kenneth Rogoff will not … Continue reading Piketty brings academic pragmatism to Greece debate
Bankwatch 