Bitcoins, Data Privacy, Cybercrime, E-Business Forum

Any of you guys attending this forum? Looks very interesting. I'll be the first to admit that the topics covered are alien to me but what better way to learn than by attending this. If I am not mistaken, one of the speakers, Lawyer JJ Disini, is a pioneer in the field of cyberspace law. He has built his practice around technology and law. I guess it would be safe to say that he is the authority on this matter.

What grabbed my attention was the inclusion of Bitcoin in this talk. I've been hearing about this as a form of digital money that should revolutionise currency as we know it. What I find to be particularly interesting about bitcoin is the anonymity it provides, the store of value it holds (no central bank twiddling with the supply) and the way that this just might disrupt the traditional ways of transferring funds, buying things and as a potential alternative to traditional investments.

Another topic covered is data privacy. This affects all of us and is of utmost importance. In this day and age where governments are supposedly the biggest perpetrators of mass surveillance in the world (e.g. Edward Snowden revelation on mass government snooping). It would be good to know what our legal rights are and how to beef up our privacy in this day and age of social media.

If you guys find the topics interesting then please register at www.disini.ph/events

This event will be held on April 16, 2015 at the Hotel Intercontinental in Makati City.

Bicycle Tourism

Photo of bicycle tourists by bikersbrew

I first came across this concept while reading a blog I was following a while back. This blog featured a couple, who among other things, used Brompton bicycles in some of their bicycle touring adventures. It seemed amazing! They packed most of the things with them and on their bikes, and just pedalled from destination to destination. They did all this on folding bikes to boot! Coolness!

Have I done it? Why yes I have. Not in the way the couple did in the blog but by joining single day bike tours in places where my wife and I have visited. I'm too attached to soft beds and warm showers to go more hardcore, haha. I also prefer the easy but scenic routes over whole day cycling and the like. I do admire the folks who do self-sustained bike tours though, sleeping under the stars or checking in B&B's, going town to town on their bikes, doing whole day rides. Different strokes for different folks I suppose.

Whichever way you decide is for you, I am sure that you guys will have the time of your lives. Bike touring makes you more connected to the place you are visiting. Things don't just whizz by like when you are on cars, buses or trains. You can stop any time you want, have a brew and people watch, things you can't do if you are in buses or trains.

My wife and I are no hardcore riders by any stretch of the imagination, but we both really enjoyed ourselves while on these bike tours. These bike tours just made the trip more memorable for the both of us. I hope you guys try it, believe me, you will be smiling after.

What makes the experience even better is that you support the areas you cycle in. You spend money on the taking the tour itself, coffee, food and what have you in the shops along the way and this helps support the local communities. It's really win win all around.

Now back to the blog I was talking about. I'm sharing the link to their site as they just beautifully sum up what bicycle tourism is all about.

Keep pedalling!

Image by zirconicusso from freedigitalphotos.net

http://bit.ly/1HeHZVM

Whatever happened to Kodak?

Image by anankkml from freedigitalphotos.net

I grew up in a time when film was king. My dad was an avid photography enthusiast. We even had a small dark room (for your young 'uns out there, this is where negatives and photographs were processed and printed).

I remember Saturday mornings and there would be a red light bulb on outside the darkroom door. We all knew what that meant, DO NOT ENTER. We didn't mind because we would look forward to the photographs that my dad would be showing us after his darkroom session.

Nowadays that digital format is king, the film medium is a shadow of its former self. And so is the film empire of Kodak. There are still pockets of film enthusiasts worldwide, but their numbers are nothing like before.

Makes you wonder what happened to Kodak, one time king of the film world. Here's a short video by the New York Times that I came across that hopefully answers some of your questions.

For a guy who grew up around film, this made me a little nostalgic. It's good to know though that Kodak, though a much smaller company now, is transforming itself and still trying to make itself relevant in this digital age.

http://nyti.ms/1bljXeI

Going Clipless

Image from bywayofbicycle.com

So you've gotten more confident on your bike. You're ready for the next step, cycling shoes and clipless pedals.

What are they you ask? Basically these are just cycling specific shoes that attach to pedals for a more efficient way of transferring power from your legs to the bike. Instead of your foot flopping about, slip sliding on the pedals, you clip into the pedals this time for a more secure fit.  Are they necessary? It really depends is the best answer I can come up with. One thing for sure though is that in terms of efficiency, they are a must (just look at all the Tour de France pros, all use one form of clipless system or the other).

Getting used to the clipless sytem takes time and practice though. The more you practice, the more confident you become until clipping in and unclipping becomes second nature.

Here's a short article from Wikihow on how to get more confident in using clipless bike pedals.

Remember, practice makes perfect (and much less road rash, haha).

http://bit.ly/1BTyCaT