Saturday, August 16, 2008

Dissertation ...and all its academic mess...

I got my weekly traffic report just a while ago. I had totally forgotten about the fact that I hadn't update my blog in a while. Not that there are any readers who bother keeping an eye on the Oh so interesting articles that I post.

What I realised was that I had not kept my mind preoccupied with unnecessary thoughts for a while. They say an idle mind is a devils workshop! Believe me, its better left idle rather than put on overtime work writing up a dissertation ( 10,000 word research essay). The whole last 3 months of mine have been completely wasted writing up an academic style essay. I am not cut for academics. But then, is academics cut for the real world?

I have been toiling over the last few months, trying to understand the nuances of building an online community of high net worth individuals. It started with me writing up a business plan for an online network for doctors. Two investors found this idea very interesting and were keen on taking it up. I guess that's when it dawned on me that this idea had a lot more potential than I had initially attached to it. Further, I worked with an Doctors.Net, an organisation in the UK, that has been running an online service for doctors. What I learned over that past few months has been mind blowing to say the least.

While attempting to put that understanding on to paper, I ended up losing half the interesting facts. Applying all the LSE formatting and academic references ended up destroying the paper, with me falling asleep by the time I read half way through my first draft.

Right now, I sit half awake in front of my pc, trying to wrap up this dreaded paper - hoping against hopes that it passes all the LSE's academic requirements for a dissertation paper. The other half of my brain is praying that Lehman doesnt screw up my work permit and that I can start work on the 8th of September as planned. Until then, I feel like a Zombie - more dead than alive.

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Sunday, August 03, 2008

Ian Angell on Intellectual Property Rights

This video, where Ian Angell talks about Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and Museums, was made in January 2008 during a visit by Dr. Prodromos Tsiavos to Ian's office. The voice you hear is pRo's. Prodromos was interviewing Ian as part of his research, and the Departmental video camera was close at hand, and so Pro had the idea of videoing Ian's responses.

Part 1


Part 2

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Ian Angell on Hard Talk - the millenium bug

The Hard Talk programme, where Ian Angell was interviewed by Tim Sebastian about his book -- The New Barbarian Manifesto, was recorded just before the book was published in January 2000. It seems quite odd eight years on just how much panic and wasted money were caused by the non-event of the 'Millennium Bug', but the references here were very timely.

Ian Angell's warning of systemic breakdown is now proving spot on! The credit crunch is where the old institutions don't work any more! Watch this video ...dont miss out

Part 1


Part 2


Part 3

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