After reading the article, it sounds like the Canadian VC industry is looking for steroids. They want to be as big and bad as other players. There were some statements that concerned me as being extremly wishful thinking:
"It also said the industry needs to focus on winners, by cutting off non-performing companies quickly and funding firms who prove successful with investments comparable in size to U.S. companies."
How often does this happen in reality? Yea, every VC wants to be able to know they have a bad investment, but how many times have we watched good money follow bad?
I think they're betting there will be a lot of upside and little to no downside.
I also find this statement funny:
"The government loans would be repaid in full once the venture funds are able to recoup money invested in any startup company that decides to go public or merges with another firm."
Maybe I'm interpreting it wrong, but when has a government ever consistantly made payments in full. It's the nature of the government. Money isn't just sitting around. It has to be appropriated, budgeted, possibly taxes collected. All these things have to happen for this 'backstop' to work correctly. Look at Social Security just as a comparison. It's been chronically underfunded or underexecuted. My point is that you can't rely on the government to save the day.
I think if Canada creates something in their government to do this, it'll end up like the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. A lot of VCs will dump bad debt and bad investments on it. Canadian citizens will be left holding the bill for VC speculation. The boom/bust risk should stay entierly with VCs.
I've had similar discussion with my musical friends about their work. I feel that as everything goes digital and can be manipulated everything will reach the 'least common denominator', an example being manually changing the channel during a commercial or having a box do it for you. These are obvious physical distinctions, but not so obvious legally.
This seems like one of those random things that happens from time to time. I would have loved to see the bid process - since i'm assuming it's a city contract that's paying Wizmark. Did anyone at the police or city government actually test these things? :) Can you imagine the powerpoints for this product?
Is there equity in waiting? You're investing your time, name, various intangible resources. So this company is trying to create equity here and make it liquid.
Personally I'd like to see it go forward. It'd be an interesting experiment. Yes, the initial blowback will be that waiting lists get incredibly long and that opportunists will stalk ticket sellers and the like. I believe that the market will balance itself out though. Just like real estate, when too many people pile on the price goes down until enough people get off and a balanced market is achieved.
In the long run I could see this service benifiting people. Much like eBay does. eBay has really driven down the price of a lot of items and at the same time made a lot of money for a lot of people.
That really seems like a random thing to ban. You could always just go to higher altitudes. Is Denver suddenly off limits? I think this one will fall through.
And how is it unnatural. It just simulates an environment that anyone could go to. It only exists for convience, not cheating.
It's not like the creator of it decided he wanted to play with atmosphere one day. The benifits of high altitude were already known and he just simulated it.
If you're going to have it go off in proximity to sex offenders, what's next? you could theoretically mash this service with Goolge Earth or MapQuest. Anything with local information.
This is going to feed every persons paranoia. Are people on diets going to have alerts sent to their spouses anytime they get near a candy bar or a fast food joint?
I feel that the analogy is missing the point not just in the tangibility of goods, but because software patents are on ideas and processes that are incredibly obvious.
If someone pantented renting out a house and then told you that you couldn't rent your house. That would be anagelous to the situation with software patents.
I read the linked article and it seems a much a come on for a wifi security package as anything else. Secure your wifi or some organization will come and sue you.
There will always be R&D. People think. People tinker. I try to improve things all the time. I'm always looking at source code trying to learn something or taking something apart to see how it ticks.
There will no longer be a monopoly as an incentive for R&D, true. However, R&D is driven by more than just the incentive of a monopoly.
I lived in Taiwan for 3 years and got to deal with the wonderful Zhong Hua Telephone, the government monopoly. They are very protective of their monopoly. I wonder if they'll end up like the RIAA/RCAA.
All in all, I think having a cell network in subways would be more safe, not less. Having all those eyeballs be able to report accidents, crimes and suspicions would make things a lot safer and a lot harder for any would be terrorist trying to sneak something on the subway.
"Please direct me to 3 (I'm serious) such sources." Mostly I use Yahoo!News, Google News and other news aggregates to stay abrest of change in the business world. When something strikes my fancy for an investment, I check them out at places like Motley Fool. This tiered approach provides me with all the information in the WSJ and more. (I'm not sure if that counts as 2 or 3 sources for investing info)
On the post: No Troublemakers Allowed In Online Gated Community
On the post: No Troublemakers Allowed In Online Gated Community
On the post: Canadian Supreme Court Groks Trademarks
On the post: Venture Capital Is Risky For A Reason
"It also said the industry needs to focus on winners, by cutting off non-performing companies quickly and funding firms who prove successful with investments comparable in size to U.S. companies."
How often does this happen in reality? Yea, every VC wants to be able to know they have a bad investment, but how many times have we watched good money follow bad?
I think they're betting there will be a lot of upside and little to no downside.
I also find this statement funny:
"The government loans would be repaid in full once the venture funds are able to recoup money invested in any startup company that decides to go public or merges with another firm."
Maybe I'm interpreting it wrong, but when has a government ever consistantly made payments in full. It's the nature of the government. Money isn't just sitting around. It has to be appropriated, budgeted, possibly taxes collected. All these things have to happen for this 'backstop' to work correctly. Look at Social Security just as a comparison. It's been chronically underfunded or underexecuted. My point is that you can't rely on the government to save the day.
I think if Canada creates something in their government to do this, it'll end up like the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. A lot of VCs will dump bad debt and bad investments on it. Canadian citizens will be left holding the bill for VC speculation. The boom/bust risk should stay entierly with VCs.
On the post: Broadcasters Tell Flying J To Quit Changing The Trucking Channel
On the post: When A Bar Urinal Is Smarter Than Its Patrons
On the post: Still Waiting For A Solution To Waiting In Lines
Equity position?
Personally I'd like to see it go forward. It'd be an interesting experiment. Yes, the initial blowback will be that waiting lists get incredibly long and that opportunists will stalk ticket sellers and the like. I believe that the market will balance itself out though. Just like real estate, when too many people pile on the price goes down until enough people get off and a balanced market is achieved.
In the long run I could see this service benifiting people. Much like eBay does. eBay has really driven down the price of a lot of items and at the same time made a lot of money for a lot of people.
On the post: The Media Immersion Pod: Taking The Internet Cafe To A New Level
On the post: Should Living At Altitude Be Banned Like Steroids?
Re: Natural enhancements
On the post: Should Living At Altitude Be Banned Like Steroids?
And how is it unnatural. It just simulates an environment that anyone could go to. It only exists for convience, not cheating.
It's not like the creator of it decided he wanted to play with atmosphere one day. The benifits of high altitude were already known and he just simulated it.
On the post: Nextel Ups The Stakes In Marketing To Paranoid Parents
Where will the paranoid go next
This is going to feed every persons paranoia. Are people on diets going to have alerts sent to their spouses anytime they get near a candy bar or a fast food joint?
On the post: Patent Troll Wins Again
Re: No Subject Given
If someone pantented renting out a house and then told you that you couldn't rent your house. That would be anagelous to the situation with software patents.
On the post: MPAA Sues Man Over Movies It Can't Find
No Subject Given
On the post: Note To Online Newspapers: Stop Removing Old Content
Re: wire services
On the post: Judge Upholds Huge Patent Fee For Prepaid Mobile Services
Re: No Subject Given
There will no longer be a monopoly as an incentive for R&D, true. However, R&D is driven by more than just the incentive of a monopoly.
On the post: Taiwan Looking To Make WiMax That Much Less Valuable
No Subject Given
On the post: California Makes Slightest Push For Naked DSL
Re: No Subject Given
On the post: Plans For NYC Subway Cell Network Move Ahead
Re: No Subject Given
On the post: Does The Wall Street Journal Risk Becoming Irrelevant?
Re: Interesting point.
Mostly I use Yahoo!News, Google News and other news aggregates to stay abrest of change in the business world. When something strikes my fancy for an investment, I check them out at places like Motley Fool.
This tiered approach provides me with all the information in the WSJ and more.
(I'm not sure if that counts as 2 or 3 sources for investing info)
On the post: Cell Tower Switching Causes Driver Distraction?
Re: Cellphones while walking
good points :)
Next >>