How far have we progressed from New York trying to stomp out the competition by introducing the "
BitLicence" and creating a barrier to entry for small Bitcoin Businesses, to them embracing Blockchain technology like this? Some might say that they are backing the competition by doing this and
sabotaging Bitcoin once again. I think, if they open their city to all Crypto currencies and not just some Blockchain based solutions that are
endorsed by them, then people would support this endeavour.

Isn't bitcoin more of a Silicon Valley darling. Why not have the conference at the West coast rather than New York. Maybe when the conferences move to SV, we can take them more seriously than the underwhelming gathering that Consensus turned out to be.
And it does look like that the Blockchain buzzword is being thrown around to discredit bitcoin. There is a simultaneous push on BCash with Roger Ver getting airtime at CNBC (Posiibly orchestrated). Frankly, Pushing BCash as the 'real bitcoin' makes bitcoin look like a joke. The way Roger repeats the same one-liners in every one of his interviews and keeps saying "Bitcoin Cash" with the longish "shhhh", it makes the 'real bitcoin' look like a joke.
Can't help but think that these are all concerted.