Humour

This could be a serious mistake, as I’m an old guy who wasn’t born for rapping, but I can’t help myself. I woke up today and thought: you should make a rap video. Stupid, I know, but can’t help myself. My wife actually wandered into the office as I recorded this and said: are you ok?…

I was relaxing watching a rock concert whilst self-isolating. It made me realise the way it was. 60,000 people sweating next to each other at an open venue, mingling each others juices together. Ah, those were the days. Nothing is going to be the same. My life was concerts, theatre, travel, airports … all those…

I don’t usually share press releases, but this one is too important to hold back. PRESS RELEASE THIS RELEASE IS UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL 23:59 MARCH 31, 2020 [BASEL, SWITZERLAND, MARCH 31 2020] Banking system works out how to respond to coronavirus crisis in massive, global, co-ordinated agreement The Bank for International Settling (BIS) has quietly…

I’m getting really fed up of the number of research papers, videos, blogs, headlines and more screaming: “banks will die”. Sure, sure, you’ll immediately go: “but you say that all the time Chris” but, if you check back on what I’ve written, I’ve only ever said that banks will die … if they don’t change….

Another day, another conference, another meeting. This time we’re chatting and talking with a group of people from banks, and I’m wearing one of my favourite new t-shirts, emblazed with the message: Just hodl it! Before taking stage, someone asked me what hodl meant. I was surprised. I thought everyone knew what hodl meant. I…

Over the years, a few people have likened me to the Yoda of banking. Yoda is one of the most likable characters in the Star Wars franchise, but I’m not sure if I like the comparison. Yoda is seriously old, speaks in riddles and is tiny and wrinkled. Nevertheless, I always take it in good…

I just spent a few days in bars and restaurants in a place where everyone lives underground. It’s called Toronto. A place so cold that even Olaf from Frozen has migrated South. In fact, it gets so cold in Canada, they actually have hair freezing contests. Anyways, sitting in a bar, I was privileged to…

My children are big fans of The Gruffalo. If you’re not familiar with The Gruffalo, it’s the story about a mouse who might get eaten by threatening creatures like a Fox, an Owl or a Snake, but makes up a fictional character who could actually eat them instead. The fictional character, the Gruffalo, turns out…

As it’s Friday, a slightly more whimsical post. I was amused to see a story floating around the internet yesterday that read like this: ‘Missing’ woman mystery solved A group of tourists spent hours Saturday night looking for a missing woman near Iceland’s Eldgja canyon, only to find her among the search party. The group…

When did you last write a check (cheque)? When did you last receive one? Although a valid payment mechanism in some countries, it has been phased out in many. Finland stopped using checks in 1993 and Poland in 2006. The Netherlands have taken it a step further. Having banned domestic checks back in 2002, the…