Tag Archives: Analysis

Splitting the Bill on the Sharing Economy

A Table for Many A recent report by Australia’s A Current Affair claimed that some so-called restaurants operating within the Menulog website, were providing takeaway meals which were not produced by restaurants under restaurant conditions. Rather, they were produced in homes, by unregistered and unlicensed businesses. Furthermore, where produced by restaurants, some were listing themselves as being multiple different restaurants. Before examining this more, Menulog is part of the newer range of websites and apps seeking to connect the consumer digitally to the restaurants. A change of offering convenience and potential home deliveries of takeaway meals over the more traditional location-bound restaurant experience. Effectively creating a digital marketplace and promotional space for restaurants, restaurateurs, and potential customers. Concerns raised with the A Current Affair report seem more sensational than substantial. Since when did a home-cooked meal necessarily become a bad thing? Furthermore, consider that few if any of the various meals and products ...

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A turning point in digital interface design?

The interweb has been ablaze in recent weeks with discussion about the anticipated release of iOS 7, expected to be announced at the Apple Worldwide Developer Conference in June. Following the departure of Scott Forstall, there has been much speculation about whether Apple will abandon skeuomorphic design in favour of a more modern “flat design” approach. “Skeuo what?” we hear you say? What is skeuomorphic design? The word skeuomorph, pronounced “skyoo-uh-mawf” is compounded from the Greek words skeuos (container or tool) and morphê (shape). It has been applied to material objects since the 1890s, but more recently it has been used to describe computer interface design. A skeuomorph is an ornament or design that is made to resemble another material or technique. It is the design equivalent of poetic metaphor. Typically skeuomorphism is employed to make products designed from new and novel materials feel as comfortable and familiar as the ...

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Predicting the Australian Federal Election and its Policy Directions

Ask Not for Whom the Poll Falls, it Falls for Thee With the Australian federal election still approximately five months away, it may be time to take stock and consider what may be ahead as the campaign trail starts to ramp up. At the time of writing, the polls for the Julia Gillard led Australian Labor Party (ALP) imply a near 13 percent chance of winning the September 2013 Australian federal election; whilst for the Tony Abbott led Liberal Party (representing the overall Coalition including the Nationals) the implied chance of winning is approximately 87 percent. For up-to-date information on the Australian federal election 2013 polls see BetMetrix. As was considered in the earlier post related to the ALP leadership spill, the dominant strategy for Kevin Rudd or any other potential challenger and would-be alternate leader of the Labor Party, was, and is, simply to remain silent and wait until after the election.  This is because, ...

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Bitcoin – Buy or Sold?

Bitcoins in Brief Bitcoins are a virtual currency, created approximately four years ago.  They are exchanged digitally via encrypted codes over the internet.  They represent a decentralised and experimental currency that is not reliant upon governments.  To buy Bitcoins, the payments must be irreversible; and exchanges are made anonymously. The supply of Bitcoins is effectively fixed, with people mining them electronically by having their computer decrypt codes.  This can only continue until the year 2040, and there is a self-imposed limit of 21 million on the number of Bitcoins that will ever exist. Money and Economics 101 The basics of what defines any money, often takes into account three key features that are to be satisfied.  Foremost money must be a medium of exchange, in that it can buy goods and services.  Money must be a unit of account, in that it represents a record of what is owed or ...

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North Korea – State of War

An Ongoing State of War North Korea has declared that it has entered a state of war, and will use wartime protocols to deal with its counterpart South Korea. As a country, North Korea has been largely shut off from, and closed to, the rest of the world.  Where things often taken for granted elsewhere, such as mobile phones and even magazines are not allowed to cross the borders.  This speaks to the level of control the government – or, dare it be called a regime – exerts upon its citizens.  Methods such as this are used as a means of media control.  To stifle the ease, and freedom of speech; and promote the party line (and propaganda) of the ruling body politic.  If one thinks about how hard it is to monitor and censor statements made, especially in real time, on mobile phones, the link between their availability and the level of a society’s ...

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Why Julia Gillard is still Labor’s Leader

Over months, if not years, the embattled Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has managed to hold onto both her position as PM and the leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP). After failing to win the 2010 federal election decisively with a clear majority, yet managing to form a minority Government, Julia’s grip on power has been tenuous, albeit just enough.  A fact reiterated on the 21st March 2013, with the latest Labor leadership spill, this time initiated by Simon Crean. With a voice that some Australians find less pleasant than fingernails scaping down a blackboard, Julia has repeatedly irked many Australians, whom have called for her removal.  This has been largely borne of the way in which she came to the position of the PM.  Regardless of one’s political views, knifing Kevin Rudd in the back for the top job, has not sat well with many Australians. Perhaps oversimplifying things, the paradox of voting states ...

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