Graduated From An Engineering Bootcamp? Now What? | TechCrunch
Here’s the problem. Learning technology-related skills in 8 weeks is really, at best, the tip of the techberg. We’re selling students an unrealistic short-term outcome
As any experienced product or web engineer will tell you, it takes at least a few years to wrap your head around how the web and business work together.
Monday, August 31, 2015
Greece Revives Privatizations With One Difference: More Time - Bloomberg Business
Greece Revives Privatizations With One Difference: More Time - Bloomberg Business
The government’s previous attempt to raise 50 billion euros by divesting prize assets such as airports, seaports and beach-side real estate failed miserably. The program, which began in 2011, had raised just 3.1 billion euros by the end of 2014, according to the state privatization authority.
Coming up with a development plan and turning it into cash can take as long as 15 years, Mitropoulos said.
Illegal Buildings
The HRADF never came close to meeting its target in part because so many properties lacked clear title and the country has no centralized land register. When officials visited one plot of seaside land destined for sale, they discovered thousands of illegal buildings on the site.
Saturday, August 29, 2015
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Founders Fund Leads $33.5M Round For Modumetal, Maker of Nanolaminated Metals For The Oil And Gas Industry | TechCrunch
Founders Fund Leads $33.5M Round For Modumetal, Maker of Nanolaminated Metals For The Oil And Gas Industry | TechCrunch
“As an investor, you’re walking a thin line between looking for people who are pushing the envelope, but are also hovering on the edge of what’s possible,” said Founders Fund’s chief scientist Aaron VanDevender. “You need something that has the science credibility to pull it off. This does.”
“As an investor, you’re walking a thin line between looking for people who are pushing the envelope, but are also hovering on the edge of what’s possible,” said Founders Fund’s chief scientist Aaron VanDevender. “You need something that has the science credibility to pull it off. This does.”
French Wireless Startup Sigfox Seeks $200 Million in Funding - Bloomberg Business
French Wireless Startup Sigfox Seeks $200 Million in Funding - Bloomberg Business
“There is a real opportunity today to be a leader in the Internet of things space because there is nobody with a network to cover the whole world,” Le Moan said. “The plan for Sigfox is to have global coverage. We already have 10 countries covered.”
Sigfox’s network, used for automated objects rather than mobile devices, is inspired by how submarines communicated during World War I, using wavelengths that carry less information but travel farther. Samsung Electronics Co. invested in June, joining a line of financiers including energy provider Engie and gas-maker Air Liquide SA. They’re all seeking widespread yet cheap networks to collect information from electricity meters or smartwatches, which send small amounts of data at a time.
Sigfox’s networks are constructed in the same manner as those of traditional carriers, with a grid of connected cells that cover an area and link back a central network. Simple information such as the location of a device, energy consumption, an alarm, or any other type of basic sensor information can be sent inexpensively.
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
Where China Goes From Here - Bloomberg View
Where China Goes From Here - Bloomberg View
The world doesn’t seem quite sure what it wants from China's leaders. Critics scold Beijing for boosting stocks, then panic when they don't. They insist market forces be allowed to set the yuan, then howl when those forces push it down. They tell China to accept slower growth as the price of rebalancing its economy, then clamor for stimulus when the economy slows.
The world doesn’t seem quite sure what it wants from China's leaders. Critics scold Beijing for boosting stocks, then panic when they don't. They insist market forces be allowed to set the yuan, then howl when those forces push it down. They tell China to accept slower growth as the price of rebalancing its economy, then clamor for stimulus when the economy slows.
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Why do Germany’s Electricity Prices Keep Falling? - Bloomberg Business
Why do Germany’s Electricity Prices Keep Falling? - Bloomberg Business
...RWE AG and EON SE, the worst performers this year on Germany’s DAX stock index, as margins at their coal and gas-fired plants get squeezed because cheaper green power gets priority to the grid....
...While wholesale prices have fallen 13 percent in the past year, subsidies to fund Energiewende have pushed German consumer bills to the second-highest in the European Union after Denmark.
...RWE AG and EON SE, the worst performers this year on Germany’s DAX stock index, as margins at their coal and gas-fired plants get squeezed because cheaper green power gets priority to the grid....
...While wholesale prices have fallen 13 percent in the past year, subsidies to fund Energiewende have pushed German consumer bills to the second-highest in the European Union after Denmark.
Friday, August 21, 2015
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
The Wall Street Journal & Breaking News, Business, Financial and Economic News, World News and Video
The Wall Street Journal & Breaking News, Business, Financial and Economic News, World News and Video
Russian Court Sentences Estonian on Espionage Charges
A Russian court sentenced an Estonian security officer to 15 years in prison on espionage charges, drawing swift condemnation from Tallinn and the European Union, who say the officer was abducted in a cross-border incursion by Russia.
Republicans' Obamacare Alternative, Finally - Bloomberg View
Republicans' Obamacare Alternative, Finally - Bloomberg View
What we will debate instead is who Obamacare should be for. Obamacare promised that it was for the middle class. In practice, it has overwhelmingly been a program for the poor and near-poor.
What we will debate instead is who Obamacare should be for. Obamacare promised that it was for the middle class. In practice, it has overwhelmingly been a program for the poor and near-poor.
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Today's Tech Is Like Yesterday's Wall Street - Bloomberg View
Today's Tech Is Like Yesterday's Wall Street - Bloomberg View
I'm willing to believe that Musk doesn't remember sending the e-mail, and that Bezos has a picture of his company that's different from the one the Times reporters pieced together by talking to former and current employees. The problems, however, are there; it's enough to read Glassdoor reviews about both Amazon and Tesla to see that the companies have fiercely competitive environments and are very demanding of their employees' time.
I'm willing to believe that Musk doesn't remember sending the e-mail, and that Bezos has a picture of his company that's different from the one the Times reporters pieced together by talking to former and current employees. The problems, however, are there; it's enough to read Glassdoor reviews about both Amazon and Tesla to see that the companies have fiercely competitive environments and are very demanding of their employees' time.
Saturday, August 15, 2015
Friday, August 14, 2015
Greek Banks Need Political Protection - WSJ
Greek Banks Need Political Protection - WSJ
Without an overhaul of laws and processes for bad-debt resolution and bankruptcy, Greece’s banks will be unable to clean up their balance sheets, or regain the trust of depositors and investors. Bankruptcy hearings can currently be put off for over a decade. Laws also make it very hard to repossess primary residences, encouraging people to default.
Almost 40% of domestic loans were nonperforming even before the banks closed in June and capital controls imposed, severely disrupting the economy.
A trickier problem is the question of deferred tax assets and credits, which account for almost half of the combined equity of the four main banks. These can’t soak up losses as equity should. They rely on billions of euros in future payments from the Greek government, which it could struggle to honor.
... Some in Greece argue that directed lending and other political meddling are in the past. However, that doesn’t mean they will never reappear. The total lack of trust from Europe means Greece won’t get any money without meeting these demands.
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Boom-bust cycle renews renminbi doubts - FT.com
Boom-bust cycle renews renminbi doubts - FT.com
As China proceeds cautiously but inexorably with financial reform, the importance of the renminbi is bound to increase. But whether the currency will ever take on an importance commensurate with China’s status as the world’s largest economy (in purchasing power parity terms) is still an open question.
As China proceeds cautiously but inexorably with financial reform, the importance of the renminbi is bound to increase. But whether the currency will ever take on an importance commensurate with China’s status as the world’s largest economy (in purchasing power parity terms) is still an open question.
Monday, August 10, 2015
Here Are Alphabet’s Most Notable Businesses Besides Google - Bloomberg Business
Here Are Alphabet’s Most Notable Businesses Besides Google - Bloomberg Business
Google Ventures and Google Capital
These are Google’s investment arms. Google Ventures, which invests in early-stage companies, has made over 300 investments, including Uber, Periscope, Blue Bottle Coffee, and 23andMe. Google Capital invests in later-stage companies, including LendingClub, SurveyMonkey, and FanDuel.
White House Should Leave Politics Out of Iran Deal - Bloomberg View
White House Should Leave Politics Out of Iran Deal - Bloomberg View
Congress should not act based on the opinion of the rest of the world, nor the opinion of the American public, which opposes the agreement by a 2-to-1 margin, according to a recent poll. Congress should make its own hard and careful assessment of the agreement -- something it cannot possibly do without seeing the yet-to-be-revealed side deals. How can you vote on a pact that you haven't been able to read in full?
Congress should not act based on the opinion of the rest of the world, nor the opinion of the American public, which opposes the agreement by a 2-to-1 margin, according to a recent poll. Congress should make its own hard and careful assessment of the agreement -- something it cannot possibly do without seeing the yet-to-be-revealed side deals. How can you vote on a pact that you haven't been able to read in full?
The Tech Productivity Mystery - Bloomberg View
The Tech Productivity Mystery - Bloomberg View
They note that it's very difficult to measure the quality of IT products. If quality increases while prices and sales stay the same, productivity has gone up, but official statistics won't record the increase. There is also the problem that innovation in IT regularly produces new kinds of products, which people use to replace old kinds of products. When this happens, the overall cost of living goes down -- for example, if people read free social media instead of watching TV for their entertainment. But economists measure inflation by measuring changes in prices for the same goods, so they will miss this kind of change, and end up overstating inflation -- which understates productivity.
If you believe that the official price statistics give an accurate measure of the cost of IT, then you should be worried about a slowdown in the sectors. But if you think that the unique nature of IT makes price statistics unreliable, then you shouldn't be worried.
They note that it's very difficult to measure the quality of IT products. If quality increases while prices and sales stay the same, productivity has gone up, but official statistics won't record the increase. There is also the problem that innovation in IT regularly produces new kinds of products, which people use to replace old kinds of products. When this happens, the overall cost of living goes down -- for example, if people read free social media instead of watching TV for their entertainment. But economists measure inflation by measuring changes in prices for the same goods, so they will miss this kind of change, and end up overstating inflation -- which understates productivity.
If you believe that the official price statistics give an accurate measure of the cost of IT, then you should be worried about a slowdown in the sectors. But if you think that the unique nature of IT makes price statistics unreliable, then you shouldn't be worried.
Sunday, August 9, 2015
What Greece Needs to Prosper by Edmund S. Phelps - Project Syndicate
What Greece Needs to Prosper by Edmund S. Phelps - Project Syndicate
Read more at http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/what-greece-needs-to-prosper-by-edmund-s--phelps-2015-08#JAiegcBXeoAMfCZS.99
So spending more is not the remedy for Greece’s plight, just as spending less was not the cause. What is the remedy, then? No amount of debt restructuring, even debt forgiveness, will suffice to achieve prosperity (in the form of low unemployment and high job satisfaction). Such measures would only help Greece to revive government spending. Then the economy’s stultifying corporatism – clientelism and cronyism in the public sector and vested interests and entrenched elites in the private sector – would gain a new lease on life. The European left may advocate that, but it would hardly be in Europe’s interest.
The remedy must lie in adopting the right structural reforms. Whether or not the reforms sought by the eurozone members raise the chances that their loans will be repaid, these creditors have a political and economic interest in the monetary union’s survival and development. They should also be ready to help Greece with the costs of making the necessary changes.
But it is Greece itself that must take charge of its reforms. And there are encouraging signs that Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is willing to take up that cause. But he will need a sense of the required reforms. Greece must dismantle corporatist arrangements and practices that obstruct whatever innovation and entrepreneurship might emerge. Nurturing an abundance of imaginative innovators and vibrant entrepreneurs requires embracing a vision of venturesome lives of creativity and discovery.
Read more at http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/what-greece-needs-to-prosper-by-edmund-s--phelps-2015-08#JAiegcBXeoAMfCZS.99
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
The Morning Download: Proprietary IT Is Key to R.R. Donnelley Breakup - btbirkett@gmail.com - Gmail
The Morning Download: Proprietary IT Is Key to R.R. Donnelley Breakup - btbirkett@gmail.com - Gmail
In London, for instance, some 6,000 cars and vans were stolen using hacks on keyless entry systems last year, representing 42% of all vehicle thefts. Internet! connectivity, braking and obstacle detection systems all present entry points for cybercriminals.
In London, for instance, some 6,000 cars and vans were stolen using hacks on keyless entry systems last year, representing 42% of all vehicle thefts. Internet! connectivity, braking and obstacle detection systems all present entry points for cybercriminals.
Becoming a 21st-century digital thinker. btbirkett@gmail.com - Gmail
Becoming a 21st-century digital thinker. It's no longer enough for educational paradigms to be based on the assumption that learning is simply about acquiring knowledge and skills to be used throughout a career, writes Irving Wladawsky-Berger. Speaking with John Seely Brown, independent co-director of the Deloitte Center for the Edge, he explores how educational institutions can prepare a new generation of entrepreneurial learners, students who are "constantly looking for new ways, ! new resources, new peers and potential mentors to learn new things." These kinds of learners will be able to pull information from the Web on demand, but also use that information to collaborate with other students.
The Morning Download: German Car Makers Win Deal for Nokia Map Unit - btbirkett@gmail.com - Gmail
The Morning Download: German Car Makers Win Deal for Nokia Map Unit - btbirkett@gmail.com - Gmail
Chinese Eye Australia's Outback in $43 Billion Foreign Farming Frenzy - Bloomberg Business
Chinese Eye Australia's Outback in $43 Billion Foreign Farming Frenzy - Bloomberg Business
For Yin, who was wooed to the Australian Outback by Zhongfu founder Wu Pui Ngai, his former kung fu teacher, his story from 22-year police veteran to superfood farmer reflects that of modern China.
“We were at the bottom of society,” Yin says of his upbringing. “We have benefited from the change in China, the opening to the outside world. The living standard in China has been significantly increased, so there is more demand for good food.”
Sunday, August 2, 2015
Refugees flee ISIS to Iraqi Kurdistan, 'the Israel of the Arab states' - Middle East - Jerusalem Post
Refugees flee ISIS to Iraqi Kurdistan, 'the Israel of the Arab states' - Middle East - Jerusalem Post
In 600 years, there have been 74 genocides of our people. There is a village, Kocho, with 184 families. [Islamic State] took all the girls – 300 girls, a city full of the most beautiful girls – and killed all the boys aged 12 to 18.”
In 600 years, there have been 74 genocides of our people. There is a village, Kocho, with 184 families. [Islamic State] took all the girls – 300 girls, a city full of the most beautiful girls – and killed all the boys aged 12 to 18.”
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