Cryptocurrencies | A New Paradigm or One Massive Bubble

It's an exciting time for those interested in technology, economics, and law. Recently I made a post about BitCoin. I thought a follow up post on cryptocurrencies would be appropriate. Cryptocurrencies are a peer to peer, de-centralized currency that is generated by people using their computers to solve mathematical equations - thus earning them a portion of the currency. It's an idea that most people have a hard time wrapping their heads around. BitCoin is just of the many cryptocurrencies that currently exist. For those who don't know anything about what BitCoin is, watch this video.

Understanding the BitCoin Boom

Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency that took off. The currency is traded openly on various exchanges on the internet. The intent was that BitCoin would be an alternative currency when purchasing goods and services online. The benefits to using BitCoin is that is anonymous. The currency is not controlled by one single body or group, i.e. the government or any banking institution.

My last post noted that BitCoin was being traded for $300, and while I write this article they are being sold for a little over $1000. One can't deny that's a volatile market, where people are making and losing wealth in the blink of an eye. Many people are left with the question of, "How did this happen?"

BitCoin was once sold for pennies on the dollar. The idea caught on and investors and speculators started buying the currency. Articles, and worldwide attention only pushed the price up. Most notably linking the currency to an online illegal trading website known as The Silk Road. However, the price really took off when people learned that they could use mining devices (computer hardware) to exploit the amount of coins they got while mining. Devices designed specifically for "mining" were being sold, and the prices began to soar. An example of a mining device is shown in the picture above.

The problems with BitCoin

BitCoin is the guinea pig currency; It's the first and most exploited of all the cryptocurrencies.

BitCoin's utility as a "real" currency is extremely limited, as the price does not rise slowly proportionality over time. The price is volatile and can swing wildly. People do not buy BitCoins to use for goods and services. There is little to no practical use of BitCoin as a "real" currency. The only people who buy BitCoin is those who are looking to try and turn a buck when it balloons. The current and most realistic use of the currency is to purchase other cryptocurrencies, such as LiteCoin, or PrimeCoin. These transactions are completed through online exchanges, such as Cryptsy or Vircurex.

Moving Forward

Just because BitCoin is plagued with problems does not mean the idea is not valid and that this idea is simply going to go away. I believe that people want a cryptocurrency that can be used as an alternative form of money. A currency that would make people feel confident in purchasing at x amount of dollars, and knowing that the value will either go up and down slightly. The average person will not buy into BitCoin. Business does not have to adjust to accepting the currency if it's not going to be used as a real currency.

What I want from cryptocurrencies, that I can't get from BitCoin

• faster transaction speeds
• currency that focuses on a more "fair" way to mine, instead of "paying to win" with mining equipment.
• less exploitation and manipulation
• practical uses for spending the currency at mainstream businesses online or in person

Avoid the Pump and Dump 

Many cryptocurrencies are being created and will continue to be created. Some look like legitimate alternatives to BitCoin. Many aren't. Lots of coins are being artificially manipulated by speculators trying to pump a coin's value up - then cashing out, causing the value to drastically fall. 

Just like the Dot-Com Bubble you will see currencies emerge and fall. One thing is for sure, some of these currencies aren't going anywhere. From an investment standpoint buying a currency for a fraction of a cent may reap some rewards in the long run.

2013 Toronto International Film Festival Highlights

I have been lucky enough to catch a couple of films at this years Toronto International Film Festival (Tiff). On average I see about four to five films each year, due to my work and or school schedule. I generally do spend quite a bit of time trying to read the guides, watch the previews, and seldomly listen to what people are saying about various films. It's good to hear what the buzz films are, as Tiff truly is the people's film festival where the average person gets a chance to immerse themselves in the festival. Cannes and Sundance are great festivals, however they seem to struggle to include normal people into the equation. Not just actors, buyers, sellers, agents, friends of friends, etc.

Tiff always has some hidden gems that I would't have had a chance to see on a big screen if not for Tiff. The purpose of this post is to focus on some of the films that had distribution before or after being presented at Tiff.

The F Word
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan

I absolutely loved this film. One person had told me that "if you loved 500 Days of Summer, you're likely going to love this film". I think this was a great transition film for Daniel Radcliffe. He's a great actor and has spent ten years playing one character (Harry Potter). Radcliffe is fighting against that image and to not get typecast. I don't want to give too many details away but this romantic comedy is based around two friends, Wallace (Daniel Radcliffe) who becomes infatuated with a girl named Chantry (Zoe Kazan), only to realize she's in a relationship - which lands him right in the "friend zone".

The movie was filmed in Toronto, and actually acknowledges it. Toronto is the location of many films that want that "big city look". I'm admittedly biased here, as I enjoyed some local landmarks of Toronto. If a film is set in Chicago or New York, it's usually filmed in Toronto. The reason is that it is cheaper and logistically easier to film in Toronto as opposed to New York or Chicago.

Gravity 
Starring: Sandra Bullock and George Clooney

This highly anticipated thriller focused around two surviving astronauts who were stranded after a space shuttle was damaged. I've read some the reviews and this movie looks solid. I assume that this movie will do fairly well at the Oscars this year. The film already has a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and the North American release isn't until next week!

This movie looks like a safe bet when it comes to purchasing a movie ticket. I unfortunately did not get a chance to see this film at Tiff this year, as it was completely sold out and the rush lines for this film were out of this world. I saw an entire line of over 200 people get turned away for Gravity. Not a single person on standby got in. Insane!

12 Years a Slave
Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Fassbender

12 years a Slave is based on the 1853 autobiography by Solomon Northup. Northup was a free black man who was kidnapped in Washington D.C. and sold as a slave in Louisiana. The movie follows the life of Northup who worked in plantations for 12 years before his release. This film has received extremely favourable reviews throughout the festival - even winning the 2013 Tiff People's Choice Award. The award is based on the audience's vote throughout the festival.

Oscar bound is all I can say.

The Wind Rises 
Directed: Hayao Miyazaki

This film was a very special surprise for me. I had no clue on the day of that I was going to see this film. I was lucky enough to know someone who got me an extra ticket. The Wind Rises is a Japanese animation film produced by Studio Ghibli. It was written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. For those not familiar with Studi Ghibli or Hayao Miyazaki he is the mastermind behind the animated films such as - Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, etc.

The filmed has been hailed as Miyazaki's piece de resistance. The film is a fictionalized biography of Jiro Horikoshi, the creator of the Mitsubishi A5M, which was an air-plane used by Japan in World War II.

I thought the film was beautiful, however I saw the film in its subbed version and spent too much time reading as opposed to watching the rest of the film. At the Q&A after the film a representative from Studio Ghibli spoke on the matter of sub vs dub, and made an interesting point that, "Some people say that a movie once dubbed is not the same film as it is subbed. However, as you probably just noticed you spent a good part of the movie focused on one or more areas of the screen. Our eyes focus on particular parts of the film at different moments, and some of that is lost when someone  is focusing primarily on reading text". Luckily I will get another chance in a couple months to see the movie in its dubbed version.

Sadly Miyazaki has said he is retiring and this will be his final feature film. For lovers of the films of Studio Ghibli there is some good news from all of this, and that is that his son Goro Miyazaki who directed Up on Poppy Hill plans to continue to direct and write films with Studio Ghibli.

Social Media | On Matters of Privacy and Control

I recently attended a conference where Social Media was one of the "hot  topics". I began to explore and discuss the ideas of privacy and social media with some of my peers. I was introduced to an interesting concept, which was that to remove one self from social media is "akin to removing yourself from the conversation(s) of society".

The idea is that Social Media can be good, just as much as it can be bad. Simply closing yourself off to it is not the solution, as there is many advantages to it. I have friends who simply don't prescribe to Facebook, or Social Media in general. I have found that sometimes they're not always in the loop about what's going on in the world, or the various social circles that they are apart of. I'm not saying these people aren't intelligent, they are, however I feel as though these people miss out on some of the interesting and wonderful things that comes along with using Social Media. Too much of anything is obviously bad for you, and the saying applies to Social Media. In small controlled doses the experience can be rewarding, but when people abuse or overuse the service it can not only strain yourself but also your peers and co-workers relationships and perceptions of you.

I feel like people can miss the point, or don't understand their audience. Obviously obnoxious and annoying things happen to all of us every day, but if the main focus of your online social experience with other people is to bitch you're simply doing it wrong. This is why it's important to understand the message, and always control the message. On the flip side people don't want to hear about how everything is perfect or amazing, remember people aren't one dimensional - so neither should your posts be. Sustenance is key.

Obviously the majority of users have problems with businesses selling their information (Facebook). The unfortunate reality is that we trade our rights to privacy and information (on some level) to use a service like Facebook or Twitter. Being part of this conversation is important, however one must examine the cost of each service as they differ greatly. Twitter, in my opinion is a far better trade off when it comes to giving up personal information, compared to what the user gets out of the service. The beauty of Twitter is that users relationships are kept separate of their personal lives, where as Facebook intermixes communication with new and established relationships online - this can be dodgy at the best of times. Also, Facebook requires a steep cost, and provides a moderate service for what they ask, take, and sell of you.

On a personal note, if someone ever figures out how to properly work Facebook's privacy settings, I'd appreciate an explanation or crash course. Facebook's privacy settings are convoluted. I feel like it's blatantly obvious when you're on someone's limited profile - and I have had the wonderful experience of being friends with someone but not being able to see their photos, wall, posts, or friend list. To top it off this person added me! It's almost like you want to say to this person, "What's the point in us being friends on Facebook? I'm obviously sharing my information with you, on some level to feel connected and engaged in your life - however this relationship is not reciprocal". The problem more than not falls back on the fact that Facebook's privacy settings either make you board your Facebook up, or open it up completely; It's hard to establish a middle ground. This is why controlling the information is necessary, as you should never put something out there that you would not want one single person to see, read, or know about. Taking ownership for the things you say in person is just as important as taking ownership for the things you say online. This may sound like it requires a great degree of control, but it really doesn't. I'll explain.

I began several years ago realizing that there is times when photos are being taken that they may come across as inappropriate. This can be damaging to a person in the short and long term. I also had a run in with one of managers several years ago where he quoted something I said online, luckily I wasn't fired but it did wake me up to the realization that I am accountable for what I do and say online. I began to actively exercise better judgement when photos are being taken and whether I choose to be part of them. I will actively walk out of a shot sometimes, which isn't always great to do as you might offend people - but it is great card to play when you're protecting your own interests.

Rob Ford | My Outlandish Mayor

Recently Toronto's Mayor Rob Ford has come under scrutiny from Gawker and The Toronto Star, after they accused the Mayor of  appearing in a video,which he is seen smoking crack and making homophobic and racist comments. Unfortunately, the video isn't available to the public. Recently three journalists, one from Gawker and the other two from the Toronto Star met some Somali men involved in the drug trade in the back of a car. The men are "shopping the video around", as they are looking to make a monetary gain off of it. A link to the full story, is found here.

I honestly want the public to see the video, don't get me wrong but should the public seriously be interested in raising $200,000 - which they plan to hand over to drug dealers? Probably not. As much as I personally think Rob Ford isn't the best mayor, or the right fit for a population as diverse as Toronto - I don't think handing over large sums of money to drug dealers is something people should be involved in.

I think Rob Ford's career is headed towards the tube anyway, and that money could go to some great and positive things. I'm a big fan of crowd funding, just not when it's used to make criminals rich. Hopefully Rob Ford saves people some money, and stops this circus before it gets out of hand (might be too late for that to be honest). If he was smart he'd step down and admit to smoking something other than Crack in the video, and play down the comments he made during the video.

Eventually the video will come out, so it is really up to Ford about how he wants to go about this. I think waiting for the video to either be purchased or leaked is a bad call. I think Ford needs to bite the bullet, and admit some wrong doing before this balloons out of control for him. He should try to retain some dignity, while there's some to retain.

Understanding Different Personality Styles | Navigating the Personal and Professional World

I recently attended a workshop under the direction of public speaker, Drew Dudley. Drew introduced my group to the four personality styles, which are 1) Analytical 2) Driver 3) Amiable and 4) Expressive. Essentially working in team requires people to work with a diverse number of people. This is common, however I started to think about how these personality types translate into peer relationships, and more importantly personal relationships. I've included a link to an article that is entitled, How to Negotiate with the 4 Personality Styles - and let's be honest anyone who has ever been in a relationship knows that negotiation is pivotal to maintaining a relationship that is prosperous, but also harmonious.

We often consider the notion that it is important to understand the personality styles of those we work with, as our purpose is to create an effective team. Although we forget about friendships and personal relationships, as if they require less understanding or tact. I started to think about my conceptions of people, or rather misconceptions. I started to begin to realize that conflict or a preconceived notion that there was in fact a conflict may be based off our interpretation of other people's personality. Meaning that I assumed there is a conflict in which I did something to offend or upset someone.

For example, a person who is analytical can come across as cold or ineffectual. That might not be the case, as an analytical person is self controlled and serious. They take time to develop established relationships, which is confusing to Expressive person as we see an Analytical person as possibly disliking us. In that sense it is very hard for an analytical person to develop new relationships, as being reserved sends an Expressive person mixed signals - we assume that the individual doesn't want anything to do with us simply because they are unwilling to immediately open up to us, which is ridiculous to assume someone would. I can identify where some of my analytical friends struggle to develop new relationships, outside of their pre-existing ones. In fact, I can remember how long it took for me to develop friendships with these individuals to a level where they felt comfortable enough to involve me in the intricate parts of their lives. I'm grateful that this happened, regardless of the time it took for it to happen as I consider some of my analytical friends some of the best friends I have.

Another personality trait is Amiable, which is classified as being the Supporter. A person who is an Amiable is not assertive, but responsive. They are the soft-hearted person who wants to be everyone's friend. They tend to be over-sensitive and their good nature can easily be taken advantage of. Amiable's make great friends, however one must be careful not to influence their beliefs or decisions as an Amiable is easily persuaded. Drivers are another great example of someone who is often "misunderstood". Drivers are often called the doers or implementers. Drivers are focused on getting things done. Drivers are time oriented, as opposed to Expressive's who are people oriented. Drivers are firm, and controlled. Drivers do enjoy relationships, and are often confused as being Analytic's. However, this is untrue as a Driver prefers to get to know someone before determining whether they are interested in developing a relationship with that person. It's almost like a screening process that goes on to determine whether they will open up to you or not. 

"We dislike people, because we see character traits in others that we dislike in ourselves" (Drew Dudley)

An example of this is that I'm often annoyed when an Expressive person constantly raises their hand to ask questions, or enjoys over involving themselves in group discussions or lectures. Why do I dislike when people do this? Because I myself do this! It's important to understand your personality style and fulfil your personal needs, such as my need to be expressive - but to do it in a format that does not dominate the conversation or alienate myself from the team or group. It's about knowing yourself, and controlling yourself.

At the same time, a person who is analytical could benefit from being openly more expressive as to help foster and promote new relationships. Obviously, people don't fit perfectly into four categories as many people have traits that translate into various quadrants. 

Canadian Jobs | Our Problem with Understanding Supply and Demand

I've recently seen a lot of activity on social media regarding an article posted by the website, CareerCast.ca. The article outlines The best 200 Jobs of 2013. Interestingly enough Newspaper Reporter was pegged as the worst job in 2013. This came as little surprise to me, as wages and the number of jobs related to Print Journalism has been going down for years. Having interned for a local paper several years ago, I know first-hand how rough the Print industry is.

There's an assumption made that Print Journalism jobs are being replicated elsewhere, mainly into New Media and Social Media. This is false. If you were to add up all the employees at Facebook, Twitter, and Groupon you're looking at a meager 20,000 employees - yet these companies are valued at over 80 Billion Dollars (Generation Jobless).

I've had the experience of running a company Facebook, and Twitter account for a print magazine during a short stint as an Editorial Coordinator. It was never a specific role or job title, as most companies do not have the resources to make that role a permanent position, even if they do why pay someone to do it if you don't have to? Some big companies do hire a team of Social Media personnel, however most times it is a split role between various other duties.

Most companies are tacking this role onto current employees laundry list of duties - meaning more work is being created, but not necessarily more jobs. Media in general has been transforming for years, as we are seeing individuals create employment opportunities for themselves by creating their own online content. This content is shared openly, and for free. However, the problem with creating your own work through blogging, or video blogging is that only a handful of people actually make enough money at it to be self-sufficient.

Career Cast is not Reward Cast, as it focuses on viability of employment, stress, and work environment. It isn't about the rewarding nature of working in the Media or Journalism. Career Cast is used by many interested in looking into a career or possibly changing their current one, As an intricate, and main reason people go to school besides getting educated is to find employment. Journalism is a highly admirable profession, but using the criterion of employability, stress, and work environment it is easy to see why being a Newspaper Reporter falls to the bottom of the list.

Here's the problem, in Canada we don't track the number of student's who come out of College or University, and more specifically with what kind of  Diploma or Degree. A documentary featured on CBC called Generation Jobless, outlines our problem with not tracking data related to graduates; "There is no national strategy  that requires Universities to gather that kind of information, and then share it with each other" which makes post-secondary institutions "unresponsive to the labour market" (Generation Jobless). This is important because specific industries are over-saturated, and potentially some such as the trades are under-saturated. It's about supply and demand.

We don't have a clue about what the demand is because the government doesn't provide students with labour market information to tell students what jobs are in demand.

The Canadian government relies on industry lead Sector Councils, which incorporates business, labour and educators. The councils are supported (poorly), on a case by case basis to provide and share information on labour markets. When "people don't have that information they just make guesses" and these choices can have detrimental affects on that individual and their future (Generation Jobless).  It's hard to direct your future according to employment when you're going off of anecdotal information. When you're conducting research on a case by case basis, you have no idea what the overall picture of the labour market looks like. Having this information could help post-secondary institution's to increase and decrease the number of programs offered, while helping students better direct their career goals.

It's a sad state of affairs when students must rely on websites like Career Cast and anecdotal information (that may be incorrect) to help guide them through making tough career choices.

Netflix | Can't be Stopped

Netflix took a huge risk on House of Cards, and rolled a hard six. Kudos, the show looks fabulous and has received extremely favorable reviews. It's definitely on my radar for things to watch. I don't live under a rock or anything, I just haven't had the time to start a new series. House of Cards was a steep risk, 100 Million to be exact. Netflix has almost paid for that cost just with new subscribers in a three month period (Atlantic Wire). That's a pretty impressive feat in such a short period of time. With this news came the announcement that Netflix has surpassed the number of HBO subscribers in America.

 Currently Netflix has 29.17 million users, compared to HBO who has 28.7 million users.

I give HBO about a week before they release a statement saying that they are ready to go ahead with offering HBO GO as a stand-alone service, in an attempt capitalize on the news that Netflix can attract so many subscribers based off of one show. Cough, Game of Thrones.

Some of the most interesting news came out yesterday about Netflix implementing a family plan to increase the number of simultaneous streamers. Right now, each Netflix account allows for two devices to be streaming at one time, which will soon to change to four. That is, if you're willing to shell out a couple extra bucks. The new family plan to be implemented will cost $11.99 per month, as opposed to the traditional plan that costs $7.99 per month.

Netflix stated that they project only one percent of users will opt into the new family plan.

I think this is a gross miscalculation, as I see more people interested in this plan than just one percent of users. Most Netflix account holders have "regretfully" shared their account with friends and family, only to find that come Friday and Saturday nights their family has maxed out the number of streamers while watching back to back episodes of Heartland (Really?). On weekends I don't even try to use my Netflix account, which sucks because those are the actual times I get to use it.

My only real criticism of Canadian Netflix is that their selection is lackluster compared to American Netflix. The interface is also sloppy. I've given up trying to figure out why Netflix suggests some of the movies they do based on what I've watched. For example, Netflix suggests I watch Daniel Tosh: Completely Serious because I watched Snatch, go figure. Something went wrong in the programming on that one. Sloppy. 

Three Important Steps to Being a Successful Blogger

 Three important steps to being a successful blogger, from an unsuccessful blogger;

1) Building Communities
2) Self Promotion
3) Consistency

Blogging is about Building Communities. The relationships you build don't necessarily have to be ones that translate into real world experiences. Basically, you're not looking to collectively increase your Facebook friend list. What you are trying to do is increase an online presence where people read, enjoy, and comment on your content - basically a following. There is an interaction process that happens, in some way shape, or form. Some of the best video bloggers I know actively engage their audience into their routine, and consistently encourage interaction. Using hash-tags (#), or directing your tweets (@) at a likely responder is key to interaction. Speaking of which, Seth Rogen - why won't you answer my tweets bro? I feel like you would totally give a shit about what I ate for lunch. I digress. Being realistic about who your audience is, will also increase the chances that people will discover your tweets and blog. Considering there is close to 5 billions tweets in existence, it is easy for your tweet to get lost in the shuffle.

For the TL:DR crowd (Too Long: Didn't Read), NEED MOARR FOLLOWERS!!!

Self Promotion is huge, because if you're not promoting you - then who is? I've had some qualms (yes qualms), in the past about Twitter as I thought the purpose was purely based off of interacting and following the daily lives of celebrities. I'm not denying that Twitter caters to that, but there is also some really cool people with interesting things to say and share on Twitter. Linking your blog to your twitter account is essential, so when someone reads a witty comment you made they click on your name. Once they click on your name they see a quick bio, and a link to your blog. When I see someone say something interesting I click on their name, see who they are, and then click on the website associated with their name. Lay the trap, trap goes off, rinse and repeat.

People want Consistency. Not only do people, or readers want consistency it also increases the likelihood that you will be successful at anything you do - not just blogging. Success can take years, luck takes seconds. Providing relatively re-occurring content increases the chance that viewers or readers will stick with you. Blogging and Video-Blogging is a commitment, just as a consumer reading or watching your content is a personal investment. Sometimes it comes easy, and sometimes it doesn't. I've been able to write a post in twenty minutes flat, and other times individual posts have taken up to two days for me to refine, edit, and post. There's nothing wrong with taking yourself seriously, as long as it's not too serious.

Here's some other ideas that I've come across

•  Post your blog on a blog directory (good luck, who uses those things anyways?)
• Comment on people's blogs more than you blog (I don't follow this rule) 
• End on a question, turning the focus back to the viewer/reader 
• Don't be afraid of failure. Even the most talented and creative people have made huge blunders along the way, a single post or video in the grand scheme of things doesn't matter  
• Theme your blog. I'm going to do a social experiment, in the future where I create a blog about one of my pets - and wait to see how long it takes for that blog to surpass the amount of viewers this blog gets on a daily basis. I give the future blog one week before Google will be writing me cheques bi-weekly, how do you like dem-apples? That's what you call appealing to the lowest common denominator
• Link your blog to social media like Twitter, Facebook, etc

What other ways can you can foster and promote an online community, or following?

Ai Weiwei | The Most Interesting Man in China

Chinese authorities would beg the differ, as they see Ai Weiwei as being one of the most dangerous men in their country. So much so that he has been illegally detained, assaulted by police, and put under constant surveillance. Not because he has made direct threats at the government or its citizens, instead because he has become a symbol for the struggle of human rights in China. Through all the governments coercion they haven't changed Ai's tune.

Currently Ai Weiwei has had his passport revoked and cannot leave the country. After being detained for 81 days in 2011 he was released, but with stipulations. During his detention Ai was interrogated daily about his online activities, and had guards by his side at all times - including when he slept and used the bathroom. Part of Ai's "bail conditions" was that he was "prohibited from giving interviews about his detention, being active on social media, or traveling outside Beijing for one year" (Ai Weiwei - Never Sorry). Above is a link to the documentary entitled Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry. I strongly recommend everyone watch this fantastic documentary.

Residents of Toronto and the General Toronto Area (GTA), will be lucky to know that Ai Weiwei's exhibit According to What? is making it's only Canadian stop at the AGO in Toronto on August 17th. The exhibit will run until October 27th. This gives residents a couple months to look at some very unique and politically driven pieces of contemporary art.

As the constant struggle for human  rights is being waged in all countries, both democratic and undemocratic. I am often reminded of the stark difference between my country and China, and potentially some of the similarities. The main difference is that I have the freedom and  right to oppose my government openly, without fear of reprisal. It's that freedom that I am thankful for, as freedom of opinion and expression are at the core of liberty. This freedom does not always act as the barrier that prevents governments from violating personal freedoms and rights, as we are all too well aware of in North America. However, what it does do is hold governments accountable for their actions. This is why people such as Ai have turned to Twitter and Blogging as a means of holding their government accountable, as there is little to no other options. Ai most notably accused the government of having shoddy construction in the province of Sichuan, that lead to 5,212 students dying during an earthquake in 2008. The total loss of lives during the quake was around 90,000. The government refused to release the names of the students who were killed in the quake, stating that it was "confidential information". Ai launched a citizens investigation to gather a list of the all the names of the students who had died. It was about transparency, and not allowing those children's lives to be forgotten. Ai created an installation called Remembering, it was made out of nine-thousand children's backpacks to help represent and remember the students that lost their lives.

The government of China fears social media to be the counter-balance to its oppressive laws and lack of concern for the rights of the individual. That fear drove the government to shut down Ai's blog. The government of China also subverts any attempt made by any citizen to openly oppose the government, especially when talking about political reform. Anyone who engages in this act is seen as an enemy of the state and can be thrown into jail for extended periods of time. It is easy to oppose a government when there are rules and laws to protect you, but in China the risks are more serious - as are the consequences. It is common for people to go missing or end up in jail when they start vocalizing opinions that are contradictory to state policy.

“Freedom is a pretty strange thing. Once you’ve experienced it, it remains in your heart, and no one can take it away. Then, as an individual, you can be more powerful than a whole country.” - Ai Weiwei

Micro-Investments | Transforming Business, Changing Lives

Sometimes it's hard to write about ideas and topics you simply don't give a shit about. I applaud anyone who does this for a living, as it is the equivalent of telling a blues musician to play classical music for eight hours a day. I choose to believe that readers are for the most part aware of skill and passion one puts into their writing. Passion is something that is hard to synthesize, and usually a "smart" reader can tell when a writer is not being genuine.

As I often remind myself, people want quality not quantity - yet, as I try to keep this blog active I am sometimes posed with the challenge of coming up with creative and interesting ideas that readers will enjoy reading, but also that I enjoy writing about.  

That said, I am actually really interested in the power and change that micro-investing sites can have on transforming ideas, lives, and history. Sites like indiegogo and kickstarter work to break down the barriers that existed when creative people had great ideas, skill, and ability - but little to no financial support.

Cause let's be honest, it's almost impossible to convince investors or banks that giving fifty-percent of the profits to charity is a good idea, but companies like Me to We located in Toronto actively practice this philosophy. Other responsible businesses like TOMS are flourishing. TOMS has run a "one for one campaign" since their inception in 2006. The program gives a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair purchased. TOMS sold over 10,000 units during their first year in business. TOMS is now a multimillion dollar company that has donated hundreds of thousands of shoes to children in need, possibly close to the millions at this point. Any person who continues to believe that there is no market for investing in sustainable or responsible businesses simply has their head in the sand.

However, the power for businesses to succeed is no longer completely in the hands of those who are motivated by greed, money, and profit margins. It is now up to the public, who can foster small donations to businesses and ideas they personally believe in or care about. The most beautiful part about sites like kickstarter or indiegogo is that the investors receive something in return for their financial support including involvement in the project, meaning this isn't charity. This is opportunity in the making.