Random Observation/Comment #816: I like to use “please” and “thank you” in my AI prompts. All hail the glow cloud. //Generated on MidJourney. I find it hilarious an AI overlord bot would just be typing away on a computer with explosions in the background. Why this List? I believe in the decentralized approach to learning and implementing applied AI for...
Random Observation/Comment #814: Faceswapping is my new party trick. Don’t trust anything on the internet. In this Guide I spent a week having way too much fun creating faceswaps using InsightFace and MidJourney discord bots. The bot does all of the work including color/lighting, matching facial expressions, keeping scars/patterns, and addition/removal of glasses. What would take a photoshop expert a...
Random Observation/Comment #771: DAOs – still so hot right now. Why this List? MCON is a gathering of brilliant DAO minds. It’s focused on growing community of organizers and tool builders to tackle the hard questions like – What’s the best way to fight discoordination and harmonize towards a single mission? Does my DAO need a legal entity? Will we...
Random Observation/Comment #729: We should all think about how our works can take different forms to reach different audiences. Why this List? We create a lot of digital content to communicate ideas and expressions of ourselves and our products. In a quest to better understand how my lists of 30 content and other material I create can be expressed, I...
Random Observation/Comment #712: Don’t get rekt! Secure your shitcoins! Why this list? The Internet was fairly low stakes when the worst case scenario of a social media account hack was a few chain letter DMs. With Crypto and DeFi exponentially growing, there could be substantial money on the line. Remember to protect yourself and make sure you follow these practices...
Random Observation/Comment #686: Evolving from projects to products with users and expectations is a huge graduating step. Why this List? I’ve worked on too many research projects (within a company or in my spare time) that are interesting, but don’t have a clear plan operationally to take it into a sellable product. Whenever I start projects that are meant to...
Random Observation/Comment #684: “Let me just basically say how impressed I am by Ethereum, full stop, period.” ~Heath Tarbert, chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Why this list? Experimentation with multiple blockchain/DLT platforms has led me to be very thankful for a lot of aspects unique to Ethereum. It withstands the test of time as a live bounty...
Random Observation/Comment #681: DeFi – so hot right now. Why this list? Never a dull moment in the public mainnet and Enterprise Ethereum space. As broad stroke trends, I’ve noticed: CBDC experimentation and Central Bank commitments for go-live (not to mention the Digital Yuan already being tested) Stablecoins maintaining value for ecosystems to remove the need for fiat off-ramps Payment...
Random Observation/Comment #657: Sometimes marketing is as important as the software. Why this List? I’ve been studying product marketing recently to better understand the lingo from my colleagues. There’s a different set of measurable outcomes from a marketing, sales, consultancy/advisory, and software view of a client journey. It’s always nice when you have a full team and huge budget that...
Random Observation/Comment #650: Looking to raise more money by “sprinkling some blockchain on it” is so 2017. Why this List? If the blockchain platform choice has less to do with the business factors (see 30 Blockchain Platform Business Factors), then you’re perhaps looking at some of the technical aspects for your use case. This list of 30 was pretty easy...
Random Observation/Comment #648: Pick a solution to solve your problem. When you treat blockchain like a hammer, then everything looks like a nail (because everything involves data storage, consensus, and retrieval). Why this List? When picking a blockchain platform that’s “ledger-appropriate” to your business use case, you likely want to do some due diligence and create a rubric that justifies...
Random Observation/Comment #646: Fake internet money is pretty amazing. Much wow. Such awesomeness. Why this List? Whether it’s “number go up” or because you’re scared that the coronavirus outbreak will lead to a series of delayed supply chain impacts on global trade and consumption, you probably want to diversify your portfolio to include some type of cryptocurrency (shameless plug for...
Random Observation/Comment #642: Going to production in enterprise environments is not easy. Why this list? I’m a huge blockchain proponent and love the technology mixed with economics. I love it so much I wrote a list of 30 Blockchain buzzwords back in 2016 and it’s still surprisingly relevant. There are benefits and new business models opened by connecting multiple traditionally...
Random Observation/Comment #629: There are times I miss wearing suits and ties. By day 4 of sibos, it’s so much easier to fall into the crypto t-shirt and jeans with AllBirds. Why this list? Sibos is always impressive and insightful. If you didn’t pay the expensive ticket price, you can watch most of the main sessions and panels on the Sibos YouTube channel....
Random Observation/Comment #622: Approach any investment or new technology with skepticism. Also, don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. Why this List? After the announcement of Facebook’s Libra project, I did a lot of reading and digging to see what this was all about. I didn’t realize that in the back of my head, I was checking off this list...
Random Observation/Comment #619: Every industry has its business buzzwords. Speak the language of your peers. Why this list? The past 3 days, I attended the Smart Cities New York conference, and quietly listened and took notes throughout fascinating panels and talks. Much like coming up with my list of 30 blockchain buzzwords, it didn’t take long to hear some common...
Random Observation/Comment #605: A lot of unlearning from the “traditional” hierarchy culture is necessary to fully grasp the self-organizing/decentralized company operational efficiency. Why this list? My unofficial introduction to ConsenSys was through a “self-organizing” workshop between thought leaders and peers. We discussed less about a self management philosophy and more about good practices to share in the community. Coming from...
Random Observation/Comment #599: Don’t just do what you love – work with cool people to do what you love. Why this list? What does it mean to love where you work? Is it just the people? The attitude? The free coffee? The bonding? I’ve been on an incredible journey of joining r3 when it was a 20-person start up with...
Random Observation/Comment #591: Sometimes you need a break to get unstuck. Why this List? I personally love our logo designs. Kudos to Vault49 and their attention to detail. For those who haven’t seen it: I know, so great. The best part is the cr3ativity we can have with c()mbining our logos with words: bar3 (we actually...
Random Observation/Comment #571: Take time to learn your tools. A few shortcuts and quicker defaults can save a lot of time in the long run. Like any other employee moving from an enterprise Microsoft-based infrastructure into the “start up tools”, I immediately fell in love with Slack. It just feels like a series of organic conversations that can replace the...
Random Observation/Comment #570: Protect your digital identity. Seriously. People’s stupidity will always be the weakest link of any security policy, so make sure you’re careful with your passwords, apps you download, browsing, and general information you share. Yes, I’m slightly more paranoid and careful with digital security than the average person, but it’s for good reason. Stories like this one from wordfence: https://www.wordfence.com/blog/2017/01/gmail-phishing-data-uri/...
Random Observation/Comment #556: “Anyone with a phone out while walking is probably playing Pokemon Go.” -Everyone playing Pokemon Go Pokémon Go has capture my heart and inner child. I remember playing my Gameboy Color with the red cartridge from 12 years ago where I literally caught all 151 (mostly without the down+a+b cheat). Since then, I had not followed the...
Random Observation/Comment #546: “That’s an easy solution. Just put it on the blockchain.” ~All the hype Why This List? 2 years of looking at blockchain technologies with financial institutions and VCs has led me to a lot of reading and a lot of meetings where buzzwords are thrown around by savvy strategists and media hype. Most of these are clever ways to...
Random Observation/Comment #534: The future just sneaks up on you. One day you’re turning on lights with your hand, then clapping, and now you’re saying ‘Amazon, turn on the Lights’ I’ve had the Amazon Echo for about 6 months and I think I’ve started using it so much that I take it for granted. Among many other things, I use Amazon...
Random Observation/Comment #534: If I had a nickel for every time I heard “we’re not interested in bitcoin, but the underlying technology of blockchain will change the world” I might have a bitcoin. Blockchain has been on everyone’s mind and I’ve been looking at it for about a year now. I created my own clemcoin, wrote smart contracts, and explored...
