In addition to Web/IT, I have been a University of London, London School of Economics External Student, and also have taken Economics courses at University of Toronto, though principally have learned the most from simply reading for pleasure, much like the web knowledge. I have been a private foreign exchange trader, and did work on wall st for almost 2 years doing investor relations work before heading into consulting.

In addition to some topical blogging here, I have written articles on finance/capital markets/int'l relations topics for www.hedgestop.com and www.wallstreetsurvivor.com

Other Ideas that don't show up on that blog have been included below:

1. (inspired by a reading of Schumpeter's famous theory), is that R & D and total productivity would benefit from spreading Risk in small cap R & D, which I do not believe happens today, although many other types of swaps do occur. What I mean is that 10 R&D companies may undergo research whereby, only one will 'hit the jackpot' and the remainder are losers, their reseach amounts to losses. Thus a disincentive to R&D in this field is the high mortality rate for their line of research, despite what may be huge rewards. We would be best served if seperate lines of research formed pools, like insurance for this type of research risk, so that if one company 'hit the jackpot' - they would be forced to profit share part of their claim on that piece of financial reseach. This is exactly what Insurance companies do, spread risk. Thus 10 companies with risky research but with possible huge benefits may undertake that research with less risk involved. To some degree, large companies, with acquistions do this, and also the government which offers grants. But I think this would be a good idea for small cap research - of which there is lots - working on proprietary things. To develop a standardized legal framework by which risk in small cap R&D could be mitigated. We have to remember that things like Apple computers and Google came from people's workshops, ideas which were high risk, direct out of school - but with huge payoffs for society.

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