Friday, January 29, 2016

From BRICs ti TICKs what happened to the MINTs!!

The Brics are dead. Long live the Ticks - FT.com

"


But the deepening recessions in Brazil and Russia have now dealt such a blow to faith in the Bric hypothesis that, late last year, even Goldman closed its Bric fund after assets dwindled to $100m, from a peak of more than $800m at the end of 2010.
In its place, emerging market fund managers appear to have stumbled on its potential replacement — the Ticks, with tech-heavy Taiwan and (South) Korea elbowing aside commodity-centric Brazil and Russia.

Aside from a catchy acronym, the realignment tells us much about the changing nature of emerging markets — and the world in general — with services, particularly technology, to the fore and trade in physical goods, especially commodities, in retreat.


"




The Brics are dead. Long live the Ticks - FT.com

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

China mouthpiece warns Soros against shorting renminbi - FT.com

Soros and the Renminbi, lets see!!??




China mouthpiece warns Soros against shorting renminbi - FT.com

Smart Africa: Smartphones pave way for huge opportunities - FT.com

Smart Africa: Smartphones pave way for huge opportunities - FT.com




A lot of big changes will come about in Africa due to technology and everything from the SDG's to discussions and narratives from NGO's to tech co's seems to be on to it now.




http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6a55808c-c0ef-11e5-846f-79b0e3d20eaf.html#axzz3yFwOoam0

Thursday, January 21, 2016

Ireland, like a Lazerus in europe!

Great words from the Irish leader about 16minutes in:




How to Reboot the Global Economy? - World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2016 | World Economic Forum

Davos: Fourth Industrial Revolution!

Its that Davos time of year!




"One of the central themes of this year’s conference is the “Fourth Industrial Revolution,” referring to how technological breakthroughs are expected to transform industries across the world. Delegates argued that advances in robotics and artificial intelligence will have the transformative effect that steam power, electricity and ubiquitous computing achieved in previous centuries."

Davos: Smart machines set to transform society - FT.com#axzz3xsUWQAkE#axzz3xsUWQAkE




#DAVOS
#Davos2016

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

China annual GDP growth of 6.9% lowest since 1990 - FT.com

China annual GDP growth of 6.9% lowest since 1990 - FT.com




"............... Despite the respectable headline growth figure, pain is deepening in the sectors that have traditionally driven Chinese growth and global commodity demand. Without adjusting for inflation, growth in industry and construction was a paltry 0.9 per cent for the full year, a sign that nearly four years of producer-price deflation has ravaged cash flow in the factory sector.

Overall, nominal GDP grew just 5.8 per cent in the fourth quarter and 6.4 per cent for the full year, implying that the overall economy is in deflation. ................."







".........The country’s leadership has promised structural reforms to boost long-term growth. President Xi Jinping has said that policy in 2016 will focus on “supply-side reforms”, including shuttering zombie businesses in industries such as steel and shipbuilding that are rife with excess capacity. Authorities have also pledged to streamline the bloated state-owned enterprise sector, whose return on assets lags behind the private economy. .........."











Monday, January 18, 2016

World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2016 | World Economic Forum

I always try and follow a little of this each year as it happens so this year could well be especially important because of............




World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2016 | World Economic Forum




..........the progress in 2015 with

#SDG's 17 in place for the road to 2030!

#COP21 a binding agreement at last!

#Oil falling madly due to china, Saudi, iran or what!?

#China growth, recession, restructuring the economy and banks!

#Brazil restructuring and fighting corruption!

#USAelection distraction and/or results!

#UN and new head of the UN!




and a few other matters, like equality, economies, giving and growth:




http://www.cgdev.org/blog/remittances-are-blowing-economic-growth-isnt-what-gives




http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jan/17/china-economic-crisis-world-economy-global-capitalism




http://policy-practice.oxfam.org.uk/blog/2015/12/extreme-wealth-is-not-merited


Global Poverty Infographic

This gives the picture what it is and what can be done about it by individuals and organisations.

https://m2.behance.net/rendition/pm/26941229/max_1200/f25a3e85b7a527591c1e4f463b6d4207.png

With the start of www.globalgoals.org in 2016 these are the sorts of metrics to keep an eye on year by year on the road to 2030!

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Perfect storms, Global, Europe, UK....

At a global level the rise and/or meltdown of China and South America is going to be interesting for the next few years. In Europe the issues around Spain and Italy after Ireland and Greece persist and with Oil heading to $20 or maybe $10 and the chill of the global economy (or more transparency) means Europe aint done yet.




And then there is a cocktail of issues for the UK left and right, from Europe to Growth, Inflation and Interest rates, Devolution (Scottish economy, oil, education, health, progress) to Northern powerhouses. London Mayor and retiring PM, etc etc




Jeremy Corbyn’s strategist Seumas Milne in the eye of Labour storm - FT.com




Its difficult to read right now but the truth is out there. Will it break through first?

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Falling oil prices should help Europe’s ailing economies, but the wider implications of the price drop remain to be seen | British Politics and Policy at LSE

The likely trade and commodities schism is like a sheet of fog, we know the sunshine is above it but how thick and deep is the fog. Like all things "the edge" is the interesting bit, where you enter and where you exit and right now this fog is the edge of uncertainty where industry and business meets economics and politics and especially political interference if not economic and industrial IMHO. We will see!! Hold on to your hat!




Falling oil prices should help Europe’s ailing economies, but the wider implications of the price drop remain to be seen | British Politics and Policy at LSE




"The change in the oil price is far from a zero sum game and, as with many economic changes, some will benefit while others lose out, ensuring there remains plenty of food (or oil) for thought."







http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2016/01/11/china-economic-crossroads/5Y37ZljkOUTypYNy1Tc0KO/story.html?s_campaign




"We now depend mainly on the central banks and a handful of key politicians at the top to keep their heads, calm their colleagues, and avoid the worst.

The cost of Chinese financial reversal to the real world of jobs and production is still small. Cool heads can keep it that way. "

Monday, January 11, 2016

“Planet Earth is blue and there’s nothing I can do……” – David Bowie RIP | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem

From my music mate, the biggest Bowie fan I have ever known, with not only the full collection on vinyl but with so many limited and special edition packs and bootleg versions, that if I borrowed them all today I probably would be listening until this time next year. Great blog Bill , chin up mate!




“Planet Earth is blue and there’s nothing I can do……” – David Bowie RIP | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem




#Bowie

David Bowie, musical legend behind Ziggy Stardust, dies at 69 from cancer | Reuters

David Bowie, musical legend behind Ziggy Stardust, dies at 69 from cancer | Reuters

David Bowie obituary | Music | The Guardian

David Bowie obituary | Music | The Guardian




Few others would you put along side him other than Elvis, Dylan, Hendrix, perhaps Lennon and McCartney, perhaps Clapton and Paige, perhaps none in the rock and pop era(s)!




http://www.theguardian.com/music/gallery/2016/jan/11/david-bowies-life-and-career-in-pictures


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturepicturegalleries/12092387/David-Bowie-1947-2016-His-life-and-career-in-pictures.html?frame=2445736


"BBC6 Music" playing Bowie all day today!


Animated Bowie > http://helengreenillustration.com/Sky-Arts-David-Bowie-Weekend

and a great great cover>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsvuipGq2ns&feature=youtu.be by Peter Gabriel!

Bowie hunky dory youtube

My favourite David Bowie Album!




bowie hunky dory youtube - Google Search




#Bowie

#DavidBowie

#RIP

Friday, January 08, 2016

The great British curry crisis - FT.com

Just a little food for thought as a different post, its a trend that you can feel all around, in towns and cities, tastes and needs are changing and new styles of restaurants and bars are moving in! We'll see!!




The great British curry crisis - FT.com

Wednesday, January 06, 2016

China, Brazil, India, USA, Europe, what changes in 2016?

Gap between renminbi rates widens to record - FT.com China currency I hear will fall until the hold on their markets is loosened to see what is real about their structure, data, future.




http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6f542aa2-b429-11e5-aad2-3e9865bc6644.html#axzz3wTUgIU38 Brazil




2016 and into 2017 is going to be a real interesting year. While the progress being made by and for so many of us will continue, there is to be a US election, political reform in Europe and South America, a new leader at the UN, structural reform in China and a test of their promise made to Hong Kong for 2017, Africa growing, oil price drifting lower as the Saudi's hedge against the embargo being lifted on Iran, India looking to motor ahead but like with China little accountability and plenty of local and central govt corruption to worry about. I wonder.what will matter the most, hopefully not the politics but the actions of ordinary people, that's always the key IMHO!

Tuesday, January 05, 2016

The loss of a child and the world loses real potential!

People often ask me why do I advocate, speak and post on the issues that I do.


Well the answer is at ONE level my mum - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R1Fglw2TuY - she was an abandoned baby, left in a field in the east end of london in the 1930's, Poverty is thinking you are no one important, she was left thinking that forever! She had almost nothing, little education in WW2 and learnt the piano in street competitions of the east end!!


TWO is because of my sister Tina buried in a field in Guyana having lived with and helped people in the developing world, they had no local healthcare, not the sort too many of us take for granted, a system that prevents early death!


THREE because an abandoned child with little education and the sufferance of generations is not just poverty but its the loss to all of us of the great potential of so many of these people that die before their 5th birthday and never get to shine as we can. My mum died of cancer in the year 2000, she would be so proud of the last 15yrs and Im sure we will all be proud of the next 15yrs >> www.globalgoals.org Shine on you crazy diamonds!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2DGf0z7wqQ Our world, our efforts, our innovations are to be celebrated for all generations past present and future!


Please enjoy my mum, if she was not found non of this would have been possible for me and seeing the news today just reminded me of her as do most events http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/12081900/Moment-Albuquerque-police-officer-finds-missing-3-year-old-girl.html


following her big surprise > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtLmrq6xp2g !

LG will show off its paper-thin, rollable OLED panel at CES

I am expecting to see the mobile newpaper format, still! Having expected in in the early 90's and then again 10 yrs later, see>> http://nickhorslen.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=allthingsd and now.........




LG will show off its paper-thin, rollable OLED panel at CES




#rollupscreen

#CDT

#Genesis




as per my facebook post today:




"And if you dont want to replace your mobile, "so last year", with a car or "mobility service" how about a roll up, no not a spliff but a good old newspaper!! http://www.engadget.com/2016/01/04/lg-rollable-oled/ You will be able to flick the pages and roll it up and read any article or enjoy the rich media anywhere, anytime, just cant wipe your bum with it, like in the good old days, still I guess others will get creative with it.
This is a technology I remember writing a memo about in my early days at microsoft in the mid 90's. I knew of Cambridge Display Technology and the early work they were doing on this as they were financially backed by Genesis, the rock band. Music influences everything for me and yes I was them even before then, my second favorite Knebworth concert of the 70's. Of course Im still a big Peter Gabriel Fan, but Genesis, ehumm!!"

CES 2016: Faraday reveals ‘sixth sense’ concept car - FT.com

Faraday vs Tesla, the great battle of the history of science, discovery, reality and conspiracies!




CES 2016: Faraday reveals ‘sixth sense’ concept car - FT.com




A follow on to the Dark Knight, a new secret US startup backed by a secret chinese financier and calling the company after a Brit, Farraday, the secret spark is in the name! Watch out Tesla another genius product with a conspiracy in the shadows, hollywood couldnt write a better script for a real future.




As my FB post on NY eve said: Mobile phones, so last year!

Who needs to subscribe to a mobile phone when this new "mobile service" has it built in, apparently we will be subscribe to this beast in future, 2017 could get exciting! Built in the US funded as a Chinese startup, Tesla watch out, and Ive been watching tesla since it was at the same concept stage just 10 yrs ago via SpaceX https://www.teslamotors.com/en_GB/blog/secret-tesla-motors-master-plan-just-between-you-and-me And boy does that electric vehicle fly now!




#Faraday

#Tesla

#MobilityService

Monday, January 04, 2016

British entrepreneurs seek to use technology as force for good - FT.com

She for Parkinsons sufferers is pretty novel and a creative force for good!




British entrepreneurs seek to use technology as force for good - FT.com