Things from my Newsblur Reader; 2017 Part III

With summer ending, what better time for the latest “Things from my Newsblur”?   As usual, the more serious (and finance) things are nearer the end.  The final section this time is a little different – it’s a special crypto-assets section, given how much they have been in the news recently.

“We’re creating a world that feels true” – How to Make Great TV, explained by FX spy drama The Americans 
It’s often cited that we’re living in a golden age for television shows (or at least those of a certain genre) and though it doesn’t have the following of some others, The Americans falls into that genre.  It’s a firm favourite in the OM household, and here Vox go behind the scenes to look at the laborious process of making a high-quality TV show.   It’s as painstaking and labour intensive as you’d imagine.  (Vox, Caroline Framke)

Mo Willem’s Funny Failures 
If you have kids of a certain age (by OM’s reckoning 2-5yrs old, though probably older too) then you’ve read some of the Elephant and Piggie books.  Mo Willem’s, the author, reveals a little of how he started to write the books and how difficult it is to write for early readers.   (New Yorker, Rivka Galchen)

What Brands Are Actually behind Trader Joe’s Snacks 
OM lives in Brooklyn, and he can tell you…Brooklynites are bat-sh*t crazy for Trader Joe’s, and their own brand wasabi peas and the likes.  Who makes these (apparently tasty) morcels exclusive to Trader Joe’s – in many cases, it’s not who you think! (Eater, Vince Dixon)  

‘Bro, I’m going rogue’: The Wall Street Informant who Crossed the FBI 
The story of a Wall Street informant who helped the FBI put away over a dozen financial scam artists, and who then spectacularly double crossed them.  To quote the central character, “Remember the movie American Hustle? It’s kind of like that, with way more dirt and twists and f---ed-up shit”.  (Bloomberg, Zeke Faux)  

Airlines Make More Money Selling Miles than Seats 
The golden goose isn’t your ticket or bag fee - it’s the credit card you use to collect frequent flier miles.  Some analysts think the value of these loyalty programs is worth more than the airlines core business.  (Bloomberg Pursuits, Justin Bachman)  

Was it ALL Her Fault?  An Economist Re-examines Brazil’s Crisis 
As you know OM loves Brazil, to the extent that it’s currently over 25% of his portfolio!  Well, here’s the longer-term counter-argument; the problems in Brazil are more structural in nature, and this makes them much harder to fix.  (America’s Quarterly, Gray Newman)  

Why People Still Support Trump 
It’s not all about bigotry and ignorance, and if Democrats want to win (in 2018, and especially 2020) they best recognize that and fast.   Calling your opponents names and assigning the worst traits to them is well, Trump-like.  (Bloomberg View, Clive Crook)

Crypto assets Central
OM has been fascinated by crypto assets for a while, and owns a small amount outside of this portfolio.  While much of the focus has been on the currencies (Bitcoin and Ethereum, and lately tokens and ICOs) the underlying technology (i.e. blockchain) holds interesting possibilities.  While the currencies are doing a great impression of Technology stocks in 1996-2000 (and arguably putting them to shame), it will be interesting to see if the potential of the underlying technology is as important over the longer-period.  

A Blockchain Primer 
Err, what is the Blockchain?  How does it work?  Why does it matter?   Here’s the place to get those answered in language you can understand.  (Daniel Miessler’s blog)  

Why Big Business is Racing to Build Blockchains 
As if to confirm that blockchains aren’t solely for nerds, a number of large businesses are testing them to see what potential they may hold in the real world!  (Fortune, Robert Hackett) 

The Crypto J-Curve 
How should you value crypto assets?   Is it even possible?  Here’s a good place to start your thinking, by combining the current value with speculative value.  (@cburniske on Medium)  

The Bear Case for Crypto 
If you’re positive on Bitcoin/Ethereum and their blockchains, then it behooves you to understand the risks.  The best way to do so, is to find why smart people who think differently/the opposite of you do so.  This is a great place to start…(Preston Byrne)