Mr DCF's Profile

Great post – Seattle have also started smart metering that uses dynamic pricing technology – http://www.seattlemag.com/article/seattles-smart-meter-switch – do you think that these technologies unfairly skewed towards benefiting those with higher incomes – i.e. those who have the technology to take advantage of the new system and those who can afford to pay? How can the government level the playing field so that everyone can benefit?

Great post – I was sad to read about the first death directly attributed to self driving cars http://www.forbes.com/sites/briansolomon/2016/06/30/the-first-self-driving-car-death-launches-tesla-investigation/#516bb4bc62d0 – do you think that self-driving car companies should be allowed to iterate on software design on our roads without fully proving and testing the concept? It feels like the stakes might be too high? Forbes notes that ‘there has been scant regulation of the industry.’ Seems pretty concerning…

Great post Kamisha. I wrote about one of the Fintech start-ups, Transferwise, who are revolutionising the way we move money around the world… do you think that banks should have in-house venture capital arms that invest in FinTech startups? Do you think that typical banking culture needs to change to facilitate innovation and rapid change – it feels like the culture of banks and the need to keep abreast of modern technology might be at odds with each other.
In a similar vein to Wilson, given the pace of change in the industry, I would question whether in-house innovation should be the number 1 concern for banks. I would prioritise acquisition as a means for banks to protect themselves from becoming obsolete.

Interesting post. As you alluded to in your post – I think the biggest threat to FitBit is Apple integrating the technology into the Apple watch. In light of this how would you position FitBit, should it expand into new products or position itself for sale to Apple? Also do you think medical companies should be able to target ads towards customers based on their health data? Seems like that could be an additional (and controversial) revenue stream for FitBit??

Great post, Ty. I have to say that I agree with your skepticism, I’m not sure that Lynk & Co is differentiating itself from other car brands in the right way. It feels like someone trying to claim they have reached a new frontier in nuclear power generation by re-designing the outside of a power plant. It feels slightly superficial, however when full electric capabilities come into action this may change…
What role do you think the government should play in providing data to car users? e.g. data on parking spaces or on congestion. Should car users be incentivised to take certain routes?

Great post. As a diver I can really resonate with the issues. I just read this great article on the subject – https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/nov/07/climate-change-is-intergenerational-theft-thats-why-my-son-is-part-of-this-story – Naomi Klein writes: “In a way, that’s the good news: we still have both the time and power to force our politicians to change course.” – if you agree how do you think the population can force politicians to make change?

Great post. Given that water is proving to be an ever-scarcer commodity, how much room do you think there is for a ‘water tax’ similar to the much muted sugar-tax in the UK? Should the consumer be paying for scarce resources or for the negative externalities posed on society by his or her consumption?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-35824071

Great post. Given the severity of the situation do you think PepsiCo should be the master of its own destiny with regards to climate change and corporate social responsibility? Or should governments impose a tax that covers the social cost of using the amount of resources that companies like PepsiCo do? There seems to be an imbalance in the cost to society between consumers that use water for services that are deemed to be a necessity vs those who consume large amounts of water for non-essential purposes.

Interesting post Spencer. I agree with Dan that this has many parallels with the Eco Securities case that we looked at in Finance – the issue I am struggling with is whether a human necessity and pre-requisite to good health should be commercialised? What role do you think the government should have in this market, should a capitalist model even be employed with regards to water rights?

Great post – “Beef’s environmental impact is astronomical compared to that of chicken and pork – per pound, it requires 28 times more land and 11 times more water, translating into 5 times more climate-warming emissions.” particularly struck me – what role, if any, do you think fast food chains and other protein intensive companies should have in developing sustainable sources of protein or in developing protein alternatives? Are taxes the answer?