Daily Archives: December 16, 2008

Commenting on Midas Oracle

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1. Some members noticed problems when they logged in in the comment area (at the bottom of a post). I have tested yesterday, and this problem seems gone. Let me know, otherwise. UPDATE: Oops, the problem remains. [Might be a cache problem.]

2. I have installed a new login area, on the top of the right-side sidebar. [It’s hand made, this time. The previous login area was generated by a plugin, which I have now deleted. I need to cut down on the use of plugins, generally. I use 32 plugins, as of today. Still too much, probably. Down from 60.]

You can right-click on the login link so as to open the login webpage in another tab &#8212-and then you come back to your first tab. Alternatively, you can bookmark the login link, and use that bookmark to login &#8212-before loading the frontpage.

login

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2. You have to know that Internet Explorer has conflicted with the WordPress administration internal webpages. Do prefer Mozilla FireFox. (Or Opera, or Safari, or Chrome.)

3. As for the bug that prevents Midas Oracle to show the embedded YouTube videos in the feed, it is not yet resolved &#8212-but an engineer from Automattic (WordPress) is looking into it. :-D

4. Do become a Midas Oracle member. Here is how to comment. Here is how to publish.

5. I am going to send soon an e-mail to all Midas Oracle members about my attempt at creating an &#8220-Open Institute Of Prediction Markets&#8220-. See you soon in your inbox. I&#8217-ll tell you everything you need to know.

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Prediction Market Journalism

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Here&#8217-s a new application of prediction markets now under review for a grant: Prediction Market Journalism.

Here&#8217-s how it works: a journalist in London wants to investigate government plans to fund long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARC) in schools.

The journalist opens an either/or real-money, public prediction market question: Will the government fund LARC for girls in school clinics?

The journalist is interested in questions like: How safe is LARC? What companies make LARC? Which company would supply school clinics with LARC, and why that particular company? Who would profit from LARC distribution in school clinics? What other contraceptives are currently government funded in schools? Both the journalist AND prediction market traders want these questions answered. The former, to publish. The later, to make better market predictions from.

So, in Prediction Market Journalism, traders can help answer these questions. Traders contribute documents, video, photos, tips, links- whatever helps the journalist do the burdensome investigative research. With sufficient vetting, User Generated Content (UGC) is posted for public viewing, thus helping everyone to make better predictions.

In short, PM traders can indirectly effect the market on which they make predictions. Journalists get both crowdsourced investigative research and a percentage of trading commissions.

That&#8217-s a new application of prediction markets.