Digital Commerce

Now times are getting serious. The biggest banks and brokerage houses are on board. Tens of thousands of blockchain startups exist. There is a crowdfunding campaign for a new digital service and token nearly every day. There are so many white papers being issued that no one can keep up. For all the world, it looks like Tulipmania except that this is what many people have claimed for eight years, during which time a new world has been born.

We have separate credentials for nearly every service we interact with but often reuse the same simple passwords, leaving ourselves vulnerable. Our credentials and sensitive data are then stored in databases with thousands or millions of other users, creating attractive targets for hacking and theft. There are better paths to follow.

Payless ShoeSource filed for bankruptcy. Macy's and J.C. Penney are closing a significant number of stores. Everyone is buying online, but can e-commerce jobs make up for the destruction of traditional retail jobs?

The Internet is creating global communities that are organized by common interests and ideals rather than physical location. Lines on a map are less important than ever before.