In this live interview with Oculus and Anduril founder Palmer Luckey – joined by Anduril Chief Engineer Shane Arnott – we look at the future of defense, geopolitics, and Australia’s future in a transformed Indo-Pacific region. Have we shifted toward a defense-driven future? Recorded at the ArtHouse Hotel, Sydney, 18 August 2022. (Photo credit: Mr Snow)
Author mpescePosted on Episode 6.16 How to be a Futurist
Three big transformations – one that’s has already happened (the Web), one happening now (augmented reality), and one about to happen – illuminate the path (and pitfalls) for those anyone who wants to articulate the future. Listen, and learn how to be your own futurist!
Big thanks to the folks at Quantium for allowing me to share this in-house talk I gave to staffers in August 2022.
Author mpescePosted on Episode 6.15 Palmer Luckey Goes to War
At the age of 19, Palmer Luckey founded Oculus, bringing a comatose VR industry back to life. Will he to do the same for defense with his new startup, Anduril – and has he solved Australia’s submarine problem? A wide-ranging interview covering everything from the search for the ‘ultimate’ gaming display to the future of warfare.
“Rebooting the Arsenal of Democracy” is Anduril’s own statement about what they’re about.
And an article about the XL-AUV project Anduril is doing with the ADF.
Palmer Luckey is speaking in Sydney on the 18th of August, 2022 – book your tickets here.
Author mpescePosted on Episode 6.14 Are you Crypto Crazy? Put it Somewhere Safe
If you own cryptocurrency, where do you keep it safe? Who’s responsible for the contents of your ‘wallet’? Both ‘custodial’ and ‘personal’ wallets have strengths and weaknesses – which is right for your needs?
Author mpescePosted on Episode 6.13 Are you Crypto Crazy? Hopium and Silver Linings
In the middle of a bad ‘crypto winter’, Mark and Josh go looking for good news – all this bad news has a silver lining, as folks wean themselves off ‘hopium’ into more realistic expectations for the future.
If you’d like to listen to the full interview with Block Earner‘s Jordan Momtazi, click here to visit the website for my other podcast, This Week in Startups Australia.
A recent article in The Guardian looked at the crash in the NFT market – in which Josh’s friend Tony lost all his paper gains…
Author mpescePosted on Episode 6.12 Horizon Report FY2023: The Stars Align for an Energy Transition
Caught between an energy crisis and a climate crisis, the Lucky Country has stumbled upon a unique opportunity to solve both problems with one solution – a complete electrification of our homes, saving us money while saving the planet. The amazing Saul Griffith outlines his plan to electrify Austinmer, NSW – and reveals a blueprint for Australia’s future.
Saul Griffith’s new book The Big Switch: Australia’s Electric Future is a must-read. Get it here.
If you’re an aspiring energy geek (like myself), you’ll be interested in Spark Club – a monthly get-together of like-minded people working hard on Australia’s energy transition. Learn more here…
Author mpescePosted on Episode 6.11 Horizon Report FY2023: Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy ride
Four huge trends will shape all of our lives over the next twelve months. This ‘Horizon Report’ provides the information you need to prepare for what looks like a bit of a rough patch of road directly ahead.
Author mpescePosted on Episode 6.09 Are you crypto crazy? Ethereum: The Big If
Ethereum marries money to code, creating ‘smart money’ that can think for itself, invest for itself, and earn a profit for itself. Ethereum was the future – five years ago. But with big problems to solve, can it remain top dog much longer?
Author mpescePosted on Episode 6.08 Are you crypto crazy? Bitcoin: The Firstborn
How does Bitcoin work? Is it really worth anything, or could its value fall to zero? Why would ‘value investor’ Warren Buffet refuse a deal to buy all the Bitcoin in the world – for just $25?
Watch Warren Buffet’s full argument against Bitcoin here.
Author mpescePosted on Episode 6.07 Turn off the digital licence NOW
Since 2019 Service NSW has provided a Digital Drivers Licence (DDL) Today we learned it’s extremely easy to counterfeit by anyone with modest technical skills. That’s a huge security risk – for businesses and ourselves!
Author mpescePosted on Episode 6.06 Where’s My Crypto Gone…? Don’t Panic!
My producer, Josh, just lost his shirt on a cryptocurrency known as $LUNA. Should we be prepared to lose everything when we speculate? And how can anyone focus on the long-term in the middle of a wild roller-coaster of a ride?
Read more about what happened to $LUNA and the $UST stablecoin it backed in this article from the Australian Financial Review…
Author mpescePosted on Episode 6.05 Briefing: Feeding the Feed
The pandemic has produced numerous supply chain issues, some impairing our ability to manufacture fertiliser. Could this mean we won’t be able to grow all the food we need?
Read the article from Bloomberg Quint that inspired this briefing.
Read this article from ABC about how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could spark a food crisis.