Friday, June 29, 2012

Made In Chicago

Recent FL sketches




Barclays and Libor

So let me get this straight. Banks self-report how trustworthy other banks find them. This information goes into a statistic that is used across the world to set interest rates and make other policy decisions. 

Now it turns out for the three years up to the financial crash of 2008 they were basically "making shit up" to scam more money. Then, when the crash hit, they continued lying to make themselves look more reliable than they were. (Barclays, remember, were the bank that famously didn't need a UK government bail-out because they found private sector loans to support them. Perhaps based on their faked credit-rating?) 

More : http://www.quora.com/London-Inter-Bank-Offered-Rate/Whats-so-significant-about-Barclays-Bank-lying-about-the-interest-rate-they-paid-on-loans , also my Quora Question )

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Wands Are So Last Year

At least if this Leap Motion thing comes out.


For $70 we'll all be making like the Palpatine and blowing away planets with a limp crook of our fingers.





Of course, it will turn a pencil into a mean wand too of course. Looks pretty exciting.


Saturday, June 02, 2012

Spirals and Plant Growth

I think I've seen an earlier version of these, but I guess this is a revamp for the Khan Academy.

Anyway, Vi Hart is absolutely stunning in this three part lesson :