Year of the Munis!

Over 30 states are figting to bridge the budget gap!

Over $450 Billion to enter the market this year!

From California to New York - deficits are translating into higher taxes and benefit cuts.

With the credit easing up in the Corporate debt market - this year will be flooded by the States on top of what the Treasury & Fed are doing....Illinois going global to raise money...A repeat of Iceland?

Trying to be COOL! Intel , Microsoft & Sony!!

Every one wants to be cool! But there are some who go the extra mile to Look COOL the easy way!



First it was Mr Balmer & Mr Gates of Microsoft- various clips from trying to be comedic and play a HipHop and everything stupid- outright miserable...couldnt get up!

Then it was Intel - very open when Mr Otellini of Intel came in a Bunny Suite on stage with Steve Jobs! It didnt last very long!

Now its Sir Howard of Sony - This time he dod not minse words....went straight on the air and said They would like to be Cool!

Is this just a trend of Grown Ups and Matured companies trying to be creative in their market acceptance and failing to be innovative?

Peter Schiff for Senate! Bluementhal follows soon!!

Peter Schiff rose to celebrity status with his Economic melt down predictions - after hiding behind the shadows of Ron Paul!

Pushing the Connecticut Republicans to back him might not be enough to gain momentum!

Bluementhal's popularity within the Democratic state is very compelling and might be difficult to shake his chances!

This election will be a keenly contested one as the outcome will decide the future of Washington Politics! Can the Tea Party movement gain momentum to capitalise on this shift in ground within the democatic party?

Lockheed Martin Lay off - A beginning for Defense Companies?

Lockheed Martin's 1200 layoff seems like a small insignificant blip in the complex things of Economy!

After 2 terms of Republican Ruling supported by Terrorists action globally and the Fear factor - LMT and other companies in the Defense sectors enjoyed a great growth!

With a change in DC and the Democratic Party Politics shifting the ground with a poerful force- Defense sector will be a casualty - unless a major terrorist act shifts the national sentiment.

LockHeed Martin - one of the best run Defense company is also a one of the largest IT System Integrator - which has been a well kept secret. This might be the beginning of the downward push of the defense stocks- However any mjor sell off in LMT could be a buying opportunity as it is well hedged in non-defense businesses and its IT strengths will start to push its earning power higher soon.

Buffet and Cadbury - no sweet tooth here?

Warren Buffet is not happy with Kraft's courting of Cadbury!

Mr Buffet and Berkshire has always claimed Hands-off strategy in portfolio companies and in companies where they have a significant interest. Kraft is one such and they too exception and expresed their displeasure.

The last time Mr Buffet thumped on the table was when Coco-cola wanted Quaker and Gatorade! Coke bowed to Mr Buffet, Respectfully - Only to see Pepsi succesfully take it and make it a money spinner for their ever expanding brands and shelf spaces in etail markets- GLOBALLY! What Buffet won in the Boardroom - Coco-cola lost in teh market to Pepsi!

Kraft is a brand with lot of holes in its international startegy and desperately needs Cadbury to keep its growth edging higher!

Mr Buffet is right in expressing his alarm in seeing a blank Check from Kraft- However there are ways to control the price tag- Doing that is prudent! But let it be that and no more!

Let the Kraft Management have the liberty to expand globally through acquisition - as Krat is not a Brand that cn successfuly expand organically!

PIMCO loading up German Bonds!

PIMCO exiting US Bond and going Patriotic!!

German Company PIMCO unhappy with its political clout in DC in shaping up the Federal Policy and Government Direction has decided to go head to head! By dumping US Investments and loading up on German Bonds!

And being vocal as they do it! Now that is a new image that we have ome to expect from PIMCO during the last two years - during which they managed to strong arm Paulson and Executive branch to make policy changes by the hours that directly or indirectly benefitted PIMCO!

This time around as we have mentioned before - the war could escalate ot a different level! We have a different power house in DC and the intensity with which changes are being bull dozed - it will be a nice time to watch and enjoy the power politics!

Change of Guard with Dodd's Exit!

Two of the vocal faces of the Democrats are no more!

After Kennedy - it was left to Dodd and Frank!

After 8 terms and over 3 decades - Dodd is no more!

Politically he survived 2009 - from Scandals to abrasive differences with the Executive branch!

Is this the beginning of the CHANGE that we can expect from the New Democratic Party? Old way of thinking and faces leaving for a new direction and politics?

Or just an inevitable outcome from the likes Tea Parties of middle America?

Or the forces behind Connecticut - Wall Street getting ready for a New Leadership to represent them!

Mr Dodd Good luck and Thank you for long years and hours in DC!

Banking on America! Mr Moynihan and BofA!

Bank of America for a while had a tag line - Banking on America!

And indeed it did!

After scooping up Merrill Lynch and CountryWide - Bank Of America went down the tube along with the Banking System forcing a Federal bailout!

From being the strongest to the weakest in less than 30 seconds!

Having built a great franchise - Ken Lewis was not spared!

Now crowning King Mr Moynihan - from the Fleet team - looks very vocal and outgoing! A diametric opposite to Mr Ken Lewis! Lewis let the numbers speak for him!

Mr Moynihan does not have time on his side to let the numebrs come and speak- He is on the circuit- speaking and speaking strong!

This is a different time! There is no room for the weaklings!

When there is only one Gorilla roaming the Wall Street under Goldman banner - there is a split second opportunity for a retail brand to regain leadership!

Mr Moynihan looks determined to capture the moment and lead Bank of America to its glory days!

This is a Good time to Bank on Mr Moynihan and Bank of America which has some fo the best of breed Brands and reach under Merrill Lynch and CountryWide not to mention its coast to coast retail presence!

Economic Data shows a recovery!

The last few weeks has seen a steady stream of data showing not just a leveling of the economic data but has shown a steady uptick.

With the Currency showing some strength and the bond market being receptive to the heavy dose of Treausry auctions.....and the perenial Bears of America Faber and the likes jumping shipsbefore the tide rises- the new year appears to be headed for an usual early stage Economic cycle.

With Europe , Japan and China competing for the American consumers - and the Obama Administration keen on Major changes Domestically with an eye of Manufacturing export- The next Decade should bode well for Corporate America!

Iran and the Rumours!

With the Energy complex closing on a relatively high note- it is difficult not to raise an eyebrow to the rumours surrounding Iran!

From a plan waiting to fly the Ayatollah to Russia and even the recent attempt of stepping into Iraq might hve been a distraction tacticts by the ruling Government in Iran!

Can it survive the New Year? Is it a Twitter & YouTube coup? Or just another Oil market speculation and rumour to push the il abouve the $80 resistance for another run at the century mark?

A Humble request to Mr Wozniak!

Mr Wozniak - the world credits you as one of the Founders of Apple & a great Technology Genius- and RIGHTLY So!

It is a bit dis-heartening to see you riding that SegWay and promoting Auto-Body with a Blonde? Yes - it could be for a friend , or could also be a pure business deal ...still- it is difficult to see a person with such an Image associated with a low quality TV commercial.

Even if you dont want to remove from the commercial - please have a better Agency produce an Elegant and Image appropriate spot.

Apple and Googe: A conspiracy Theory!

The firt decade of the new Millenium saw the gradual rise of two unusual Tech companies to emerge as the pillars of the future- Apple and Google! With Google's Eric Schmidt on Apple's Board and both having additional common Board Members and supporters - And ofcourse a common Enemy in Microsoft!

Suddenly as the decade is coming to an end - Eric is gently booted out of Apple's board; Genentech's CEO who warmed the seat's of bith these companies - quietly resigns from Google! All in the middle of sum rumblings in DC about possible conflicts of collisions for an Anti-competitive possiblities againts the MIghty Microsoft and the old generation Technology Giants!

Shortly after these - Google announces its full force entry into Mobile market and a possible iPhone look alike- only to be dubbed as an iPhone Killer by the media and the analysts!

Buddies for a decade and suddenly Google and Team - after being in Apple's iniside quarters all these years - stabbing Apple?

Both companies quiet on the exit of Eric and the entry of Droid!

Is it a classical case of traitor or just another step of collision to fight against the Mighty Microsoft and the 8000 Pound Gorrillas of the Telecom Giants - Att and Verizon and the likes who have kept their hold on Telecommunications and Internet and prevented the spread of free access to information and innovation?

May be Time will tell!

May Be , Just May be - The consumers are sowly getting a look at what change of Guard can do and what innovation through free mind and access can provide!

Calling Bluff on the Currency!

All of this decade we have been seeing pundints, Economists and Investent Bankers calling on teh Demise of the King Dollar!

From European Politicaians to Chinese Government Officials have been calling for the American Policiy Makers and Bankers to get in control of the runaway deficits.

In the Middle of the crisis the printing machines around the world went overtime with the Domestic ones using its Economic might and sophistication to be even more efficient in leveraging the additional availability and its reach!

More doom sayers and prognasticators for the fall of Dollars- Only this time it was joined by the Mighty Rusputans and the Middle East Oil Barrons!

Come the new Administration and the Obama Administration - Under Larry Summers they started this very straight forward endorsement a Weaker Dollar!

The Music stopped! The Tide went down! The Dollar went up!

With Chinese Government refusing to let go of the Dollar forced the Japanese government to jaw bone the currency market to support the Dollar to change the Yen strength! Europeans with their Export oriented economy threatened at a strong Euro and weaker Yuan and YEn - started backing the Dollar!

Did the Obama Administration change the tide by simply calling Bluff on those Policy makers of the global closed economies who relied on Exports allowing the Domestic Economists and the Policy Makers to readjust their strategy for the next Decade?

Now from Faber to Biggs to every one else around the world is caling for a Stronger Dollar!

Is this a political game of the haves and the have nots playing in the capital market- with the Governments and POlicy makers blindly throwing darts without really understanding either the capitalism or the Economic Fundamentals? Or just another Investment manipulation by the allmighty Investment Bankers?

Trends and Changes for the Next Decade!

These are what to expect in the next decade that could change or disrupt things for tethe better or worse:

The Next Decade

 Bio generics
 Natural Gas as the next shift in energy play
 General Motors regaining Global Leadership
 VOIP replacing Cell phones
 Second coming of Microsoft
 Collapse of Euro
 Japan center of controversy
 India as a battle ground for Terrorism
 Left Brain development leads to a new form of global political unrest and a new order in international governance
 End of Goldman Sachs

The Netscape moments of the last Decade!

Internet and Networking was in a cross road when Netsape swept people to the mesmerizing experience of distributed and easily accessible information. Though Netscape was short lived the omnipresence of Internet and its not yet recognized impact on the Human evolution is leaps and bounds.

In this madness of advancement and media polarization we tend to overlook those moments , the Netscape moments , that paves the way for a major change and shift in people behaviour or conveniences - not to mention corporate improvement. This might be products, innovation or just political encounters or events that has a far reaching implication that is overlooked after its initial moments of notoriety!

The Netscape Moments of the last decade:

 China holding onto American Spy plane
 End of Iraq War and US Policy shifts in Asia
 The Paulson - Bush(s) Family week long stay in China during the Olympics
 Sonya Gandhi passing up PM post in India
 Collapsed merger of WorldCom and Sprint
 The Paulson Bazooka sales pitch
 WebVan - retail and Internet delivery from Internet Supply chain to personalization of product and logistics!
 Napster – from Music and current social networking & viral acceptance of consumer force

Merry Christmas! And the Goody bag missed the coal....

As the year and the Decade winds down in the next few days- looking back certainly throws some above average painful moments from the Telecom and Internet Bubble to 9/11 to the recent almost Depresson scenario....With so many wars in a decade from Rusians marching into Georgia and the US grabbing most of the Middle east and APAC headlines- and CHina having its share - to mention a just a few- is certainly unbeleivable to think that we are closing a high growth quarter.

With More innovation and globalization in the oven - the next decade might prove to be a more sober and successful one with limited disruption.

Tarnishing the Tiger Brand: From Tatiana to Tiger Woods!

Promiscuity , Infidelity , Groupies , Seconds .....Name what you want to we live in a society where Politicians from George Washington onwards to Kennedy and onto Mr Clinton - breached the same delicate line that Mr Woods accidentally stumbled into.

Successful celebrities who managed their public image and private relationship through a very well paid PR agency managed to keep their private lifestyle secret using a very carefully managed group of managers and workers. Even the Boyish Brits from Liverpool who have such a lovable image globally had a very well managed professionals who took care of their not so proud private life and kept it out of the public life until recently. From Musicians to Sports personalities this has been a well accepted practice whether it is morally acceptable or not - and to a large extent it has been kept away from public through some sort of unwritten but widely accepted practice by the press and media....as long as it is managed well from teh celebrity side.

It might have been difficult for Tatiana to use that option - but a successful personality like Mr Woods to have a Brittany Spears like PR team with so much at stake in the corporate world from Accenture to Nike and everyone else in between- and to let it unravel....!

Doing God's Work!! With a little help from my Friend ......!

FT courageously or cowardly spots Mr Blankfein for the covetted Man of the Year award!

Rightly or Wrongly - May be Mr Paulson should have got the award for aiding the Golden Boy to retain its Wall Street foundation and make money.

Betting on borrowed money when the time grinds to a halt - with the candle fading for the world while the select few carving the End of Time.....well its for another generation to dig into the dirt and write history book.

For now we will be fair and endorse the FT research as the year and decade comes to an end of excess with managed manipulation spreading globally and the covetted profit retained by those who knew and had access to the previliged laws...still leaving the door open for more to come.

Exxon and the next Energy direction!

After 100 years of dominance in the energy market giving its employees and share holders the best possible returs for aover 100 years - Exxon decides to enter NatGas with a huge acquisition. Nat Gas has been ignored in large part due to the dominance of the Oil companies like Exxon - making it very difficult for distribution and adoption by users.

With Mr Obama forcing a Energy policy which is moving away from Oil and making it difficult for the Oil Lobbyists to make headway - Exxon might have a good strategy to extend its dominance int eh energy complex - hoping the alternate energy camp will fail to catch up its muscle in speed and cost.

If the bet by Exxon pays in the near term - it could be a big blow for Oil and oil dependent economies and ocmpanies and could play a huge role in reducing deficits.

Microsoft & i4i - The irony of Gates's Kingdom!

Mr Gates found the empire not on innovation but on Execution.

Innovation can be bought and stolen as long has you have a strong bull dog mentality.

One of Gates' friend told in a recent CNBC special - that Bill Gates warned not to disclose or share secrets as him will copy them! Thats a good trait to have to warn before copying!

In its long history of Corporate Pirate Act - All their near monopoly situation was achieved by Bull dozing and impeccable execution! From DOS to Windows - was either bought or stolen , Word, Excel , Powerpoint , SQL Server & its distant cousin , Internet Explorer , and on and on....same story!

In every situation money and time bought them victory both with customers and court rooms.

Until Now - a small company & a small feature! May be insignificant in their importance in a product or its applicabilit or even in critical nature...but in the SoftWare world its a major step- more than EU bribe and verdict!

Even as the desktop and the Microsoft is being driven to the backroom with Internet and Cloud Computing taking a major step into consumers hand and their cell phones and appliances- Innovation will win and the likes of i4i will thrive leaving Microsft to lose respect - even it succeeds to make money through execution!

Biederlack - The blanket from Greven Germany!

In 1994 I bought a couple of Blankets - with Tiger images for the mild Bay Area Winter. For $20 - it was a no brainer so never paid much attention to it's quality or brand. After a few months started realising that the blanket was very comfortable and also had a unique capability to be cool during sumer and warm duringthe winder months.

The design was very captivating - so ended up using on and off on the sofa as a throw! Occassional guests and friends started commenting about the blankets.After 15 years and several other blankets we have come to a conclusion that - thi si sby far the best one we have owned. Kept looking around in retails and failed to see any one carrying it. Thanks to Google it doesnt take much - we finally found the manufacturer- alas the Economy has done a number! They are shutting down the American Operation.

It is a shame! A German blanket - with a history of over 450years of legacy! Shutting down - dont know if it was the economy or something else- but certainly felt bad as we had used the the 20 dollar blankets for so long and still looked like original and gave the same comfort as it did several years ago.

We did manage to stockpile a few that will last a while!

BBC's TOP GEAR!

One of the most fascinating shows that I have watched in quite a while is TOP GEAR that is shown on BBC America. This program is all about cars and races....in a creative and innovative way! In one episode different participants race to teh Airport outside London in different form of transportation - from Bicycling to public mode to boatig and driving! Interesting twist to the routine - very well editted and captured the essence of city life!

The recent episode on Polar Expedition was breath taking - both from an idea to the actual venture. Very UNREAL!

Creative and the participants willing to take the risk on taking such an expedition....is amazing. Words cannot explain or bring out the flavor of the creativity and the adventure that is actually spilled in takin ghtis series. One has to watch to see and appreciate the talent and creative contents.

May be Jeff Immelt of GE-NBC could motivate his producers to watch some of these programs to come with some new and exciting programs in NBC.

Retail and Technology!

After a couple of years of sluggish Christmas season - which was actually quite good for people looking of Computers and laptops - this year was quite interesting!

Walking into a Best Buy or Fry's in Silicon Valley always had a attraction in the Comuter section with a few models discounted rather sharply! Not this time around. Very few models on SALE and that too hardly one would call it substantial.

Going on different websites - same every where! Most of the popula models where sold out and the discounts very skimpy!

Is the consumer Back? And the Technology rebounding in real sense?

From iPhone to Kindle - no discounts to be found anywhere and peope dont seem to mind!

This is not Your Grandpa's GM!

Genearal Motors under SBC's management style will be a profitable and successful company.

Restoring GM takes a new outlook and a little friendly nudge from the US government in way of currency management.

Under Mr Obama - Larry Summers and team are very aware of the currency game played by Japan and Europe to keep their export engine going. This has started showing in how the US government has stopped jawboning the currency market and have openly showed interest in an export driven US Economy and how Manufacturing will play a huge role in contributing to the labor force.

With the strong hand from Mr Whitacre and his recent appointment of Mr Liddell from Microsoft shows how critical Change is to the new GM and its management - mostly owned by the US government!

GM will regain its leadership role in the next several years - and will become a global force once again - supporting the emerging Manufacturing leadership of American economy.

The Harvard SWAP Blame Game!

Mr Summers and his legacy at Harvard may not resonate the way a successful individual might like - but there are some information and evens that need to be looked upon in the right context.

Interest rate swap exposure and its winding down at Harvard might have resulted in a huge liquidity crisis and even take a billion or so in losses - but blaming Mr Summers for the decision to bail out of an instrument prematurely and book the loss- is not right.

Making a decision to enter a trade is only one side to any successful transaction. Equally important is the closing - Most of the successful transactions are done by taking gut wrenching decisions after entering any transactions. In most of the situations the butterflies to hold or double down depends on the personality and often results in making money. After Mr Summers left Harvard - a couple of larger than life personalities have managed the Harvard Investments and has been under different management- and who overlooked the bet during their watch and failed to make any corrective actions - if felt they were caustic.

An immediate reaction by Professors, from Boston U and Bard College who acted less educated than their diplomas would show in their remarks - shows the competitive landscape/landmine that is there in the education world.

Please let the blame go to those who managed the Funds after Mr Summers left Harvard - and a larger portion should go to the Person who took the decisiont o wind down the Swap knowing very well that the Maximum wind down cost is not significantly larger than the premature wind down cost! It is a shame that the press and the media fall prey for political games - they should do a little bit more research before they start throwing darts on a predetermined target - in this case it is a shame - given the political ramifications.

Is Germany's Allianz a Better name for PIMCO?

The bond market Gorilla - ALLIANZ of Germany has been hiding under the American Label PIMCO.

PIMCO ala ALLIANZ played a huge role in Blackmailing the Ben & Hank team during the meltdown - as they were able to have a private puppet show using Mohammad, Paul & Bill - as the government was printing money into their coffers to keep the market afloat. And ofcourse they will have a clean sweep going into the Fund Manager ratings season- for the whole decade.

Now looks like they are on the prowl again- Gross and PIMCO is piling up cash as the year comes to a winding. A full swing from negative 7 percent to positive 7 percent in less than a couple of months - now - thats a huge volatile move unless they are hedging on a big squeeze or a power play. The last time they did was piling on the agency papers before the Government was forced to bail them out!

Only this time around there is a new Sherriff in town! Given what Summers did when PIMCO started circulating the NEW NORM ECONOMY - to be in line with their investment strategy- this could turn out to be a good start to a new power play war!

The bookies might favor the Allianz team purely based on their past 2 years of muscle power- but the the pendulum is beginning to swing in the new Sherriff's favor as Santa circles around the North Pole before heading down!

Climate Control and the Emerging Market Impact!

Copenhagen or No Copenhagen- Carbon trading is here for the profitable few!

The common demonstration during the summit- though politicised is easily hijacked by the paparazi world!

The real impact will be felt by the ones not co-operating! The Emergig markets and their future depends on how fast they can build their Industrial base along with the infrastructure- Any constraints from Copenhagen will have a huge negative impact and they will have to pay a penalty - both the price to build the pent up demand of infrastructure and the time....so is there a reason for them to comply? Not really! As a delay in build out of their infra and industrial base will widen the gap between the developed economies and developing economies. In this world of zero latency internet world it might be difficult to keep anyone from understanding the hidden agenda of the Clean Air crowd.....Ironically Big Al might be doing a BIG favor to the developed economies by his campaign - without really understanding the impact of his Nobel prize!Just like his accidental association with Internet!

How to Prioritise ....The Inside Microsoft Dilemma!

In a World with no Walls- There is no room for Windows!

Looking at the recent Microsoft campaign - it is vary clear that Microsft neither understood what the consumer wanted not what the Technology can do to make this a better world - both professionally and otherwise! Prioritise

After Mama helped in the IBM boardroom - Lotus could be buried! Apple - not even close...Netscape was easy! Novel was too easy! Sybase and Borland- Intuit was a tragedy! WordPerfect - that's a shame! Didn't get past first base! Sun and Oracle gave a run for it but couldn't really win over! In every instance partnering, bullying and copying was done sequentially and encouraged by the US laws.

Now seeing things in multi-dimension and parallel processing - it does not look that easy anymore! Who should Microsoft be focusing on?

Google- A Microsoft in the making in the next generation!

Apple - After getting slapped by Microsoft Mr Jobs had a tough round of bouts with Sculley and the recent Google behaviour- Still seems to have the Mojo - only this time stronger and deep pocketed!

Oracle - Seems to have carved out a lane for its fast moving M&A strategy! From database to applications - the competition is not even in the same stadium!

Adobe - looks like Redmond gave up on this one, at least publicly

Nintendo & SONY - may be there is a chance for the number 2 spot - if Apple does not take over the gaming platform in the next two years

Amazon: the neighborhood bully appears to be a silent retail juggernaut in the making.....but hidden behind the curtain might be a huge cloud hanging over the technology roadmap - with Google and the others bulldozing into Cloud Computing -Amazon is practically spreading like a virus. With its Kindle and other consumer aspirations - could be a strong bulldog in the technology to come...

In today's technology Microsoft and the bullies are still dominant and have managed to pay their way out of all anti-competitive measures.....but what is brewing in the pot is not your grandfather's technology! This is a War in different areas and dimension - with every one of them from Apple to Google to Adobe - strong and deep pocketed...and with likes of Eric Schmidt hobnobbing with the DC folks - might be tough for Microsoft to win all the WARS ...as each one of them is not a battle anymore- even if Mr Gates is back - it will be very difficult to dominate the way they did the last couple of decades.

Thank you Mr Gates and Microsoft - for bringing us to today's stage!

As the new slogan for Microsoft resonates - A world without Walls - talking about Apple and Google- In a world with no Walls there is no room for Windows!

Is Google the Next Microsoft?

Looking at how Google is behaving/projecting itself to the outside world- looks similar to how Gates and Microsoft had behaved before they started losing their mindshare..

Recent Google news:Eric Schmidt is quoted:

"if you don't want to be displayed in Google search don't do it in the first place!"

"We have the knowhow to even predict how the stock prices will behave...but we don't want to do it"

And ofcourse Eric Schmidt was in Apple's board till he was booted out just before their iPhone look alike was leaked!

It will be interesting to see if someone would do a Martha Stewart on Eric marking the slow down of Google? ( Martha Stewart when asked by CNBC about her competitive position in internet against the likes of Gates ...she laughed and said never felt better especially when you look at how Gates spent several million dollars to WIRE his palace just before the 100 dollar wireless router replaced them)

The Gold Bug!

Can Gold be the Next Oil this year?

Gold ride is shaping up like the bull run of Oil and blow up may be this year!

Reasons:

Old story of Fiat currency & hyper inflation will take a new meaning as unlike in the past US government is supporting a weak currency! And pushing big time towards export – through Manufacturing! Now this being a very different approach from the past – brings a dilemma to the investment community- which used to bet on Gold with the hope of higher rates to support currency! Now that assumption is out the door! With China and Japan fighting to keep their currencies weak to feed US market & European Export book is in the verge of collapse with a weaker dollar- ECB is afraid to let the Dollar collapse as it will break their economy!

The Obama administration is playing a delicate & dangerous game in fixing the local economy – and might get away with it and get rewarded - given the precarious nature of the global political climate!

Talking of climate - Even the climate control will work in the developed economies favor as it could slow down emerging economies in the name of carbon!

During the melt down - the Treasury & Federal Reserve were dancing to the tune of the bond/treasury holders...like PIMCOs of the world- now the cards have changed: Recently Larry Summers immediately slapped PIMCO's assessment of the economy and saw a adjustment from the PIMCO management with some soothing words in line with the Obama play book! From Goldman to GM - everyone playing to the same tune! Geithner & Bernake fighting their role and credentials in congress- unlike anything from the past - shows their courage - even as they fine tune their scripted speech to sound like the Obama administration..the Bonus issues...And on and on....all indicating how strong and determined the current administration has become. Unlike any in the past - this Administration has fully focused on domestic issues and politicallly correct foreign issues - to bring back focus to a balanced labor mix to the American Economy - a deviation from the past several decades where the Administrations have left the economy to drift towards services and white collar jobs....leaving a gaping hole for the labor force.

Gold Speculation : While UK and Germany etc sold Gold at $230 an ounce USA kept its 8100 T of Gold and on book it is valued at $45

Weak Dollar:

The Good: Export oriented economy is supported enabling reduced trade imbalance

The Bad : Import prices increases with expansionary inflation – mitigation: RNB wedded to dollar and China being the largest exporter of the Walmart economy -will keep American Economy & inflation in check

The Ugly: Huge debt burden and the chances of revolt by Bond Holders – Solution: Creating uncertainty in the global market and support from foreign central banks which rely a lot on US market will end up eating by fighting against each other ( China 1-Japan -0 ; India with 200T Gold managed to be creative in keeping a sliding Dollar and a surging local economy from strengthening the Rupee), Fractional EU and Middle East turmoils, Russia on the verge of melt down AGAIN with the low oil price.on and on)

Technically speaking - obviously looking at the rear view mirror - Gold has always topped out at 5X - if we take the current bull run to have originated around 250 - it should be there right about now or just around the corner.

Current Gold price target : ranges from a low of $1500 to a high of $6500! Sounds like the oil prediction from Goldman and Morgan Stanley of last year!

Soros: EU would like to see UK crumble- obviously a wishful thinking given the fact the London Bankers still rule the European Financial markets! The fate of PIGS in the EU community - also underscores the ECB's headSTORM! With regional politics and deficits rampant - ECB will be helpless when France and GErmany fare well at the expense of weaker siblings - this scenario will hinder ECB and other European heads to fight US printing at will.

Obama and the Weak Dollar!

With RMB pegged to the Dollar - Japan feels the pinch! Obama talking America getting back in the game by way of Export endorses a weak Dollar - emphasised over and over again by a near nervous wreck Larry Summers! Its amazing to see how emotional Mr Summers gets when talking to press about the Economy and the American enterprises and what the Adinistration is doing to bring back Innovation and Export led growth to America. With Technology alread leading the way - any shift in the Industrial complex towards an export driven mix will bring back jobs.

Gold and the emerging market's Interest!

IMF brokering a transaction with India for 200T of Gold North of 1000 an ounce! With developed economies having close to 50% of reserves in Gold and the emerging economies with less than 10% the recent transaction seems natural as India sits close to 8%...The logical interpretation is China will very soon follow with some more IMF brokered buy!

Is this a diversification or a play played by the Export driven economies to keep their currencies artifically weak? Investing in Gold with a non-market transaction helps in currency support without market disruptions.

These kind of covert operation will only undermine the global economy as any imbalance in markets and economies will not reach an equilibrium unless it is a tru free market!

Universal Chargers!

WOW - Finally EU championed something that consumers can benefit from.

A Universal Charger for Cell Phones!

Compatibility!

Great Job - EU!

Madoff and 150 Years!

Is this the beginning or just a Feel Good for those victims?

Is Madoff the Poster Boy for the Wall Street Excesses?

Or it is just a side show that won the Pitch?

Iraq walks away finally!

As Iraq begins to walk without life support - Finally!

America under the New Administration's philosophy is demonstrating what is to come in the Future!

A forced 9-1-1 for the world NO-MORE!

As MR O takes a softer look at Iran, Russia and Venezuela .... it is getting clear where the focus will be on-

On rebuilding America 2.0

May Be, Just May Be - we are entering a phase of American politics where the energy and resources will be spent on establishing leadership in Innovation and productivity like how the foundation for America 1.o was built!

Madoff and Stanfords....!

Clock ticking closer to the judgement day for Bernie Madoff and Stanford...as we fade away fast from the Financial Whatever of the century!

Even as feel good about the speed at which these unruly individuals to justice it hurts to see the others who made this Financial Whatever happen walk away silently with no recourse what so ever.

Mandoffs and Stanfords even as their fate is being written in the courts of law- it is being painted as part of the scripts from the Financial Whatever.

One fails to understand that these are not the root cause of the Financial Whatever- these are a totally different type of isolated frauds which had nothing to do with the current financial disasters caused by those White shoe criminals of Wall Street who are hiding behind their well mannered and polished degrees from the Harvards and Columbia schools! Madoffs and Stanfords are those typical crooks who get away through their high pitch salesmanship that one sees every day in a small scale targetted towards middle class and old age population- only these were targetted to rich and high net worth individuals!

It is a shame that these two mild mannered crooks didn't go to Harvard or Wharton - and that might also explain their quick meeting with the judgement days - even as the other crooks , alumni of top Business Schools , who made this Financial Whatever - walk away free!

That Annoying Voice....!

Best Ad voice on TV...No matter where you are and how far away you are from the TV ..one could never miss that screaming voice!

Yes- Billy Mays!

That urge to buy the moment you see that product in any shop - with that unique voice from yinside your head-

Its as if it never goes away!

His departure will certainly leave a void in TV infomercias for some time!

May his soul rest in Peace!

An NBC Moment: Dylan Ratigan stays with the Family!!

Even As GE is holding on to a thin wire in this Financial Whatever..Jeff Immelt and NBC score a win!

Dylan Ratigan, often controversial in the final moments of his stay at CNBC with his very polarised views on Wall Street and Corporate shenanigans , quietly lands at MSNBC....as a Morning Joe!!

Sheepish and quiet - very opposite his what appeared to be an authoritative and may be a tad arrogant air on CNBC - Mr Ratigan seems to have shed his opinionated views on MSNBC - atleast for Today!

Good luck Mr Ratigan!

Another indication that Jeff Immelt and GE is good at what they do- build a strong and profitable American Corporation- and this ability to keep Ratigan in the family and still manage his larger than life Persona withine the GE image- takes more than money!

Fear and Greed!

As Fear fades to the background - Greed steps out for a spin!

As the Volatility Index - a proxy for Trading fear - starts to roll back slowly into its usual trading range- the power struggle between the vigilantes and the policy makers around the globe seems to be slowly disappearing at least for NOW!

As Noise of Hyper Inflation and other monetary problems are being thrown at the press from Greenspan to Rogers - the money managers and the press are slowly pushing them away from the headlines.

Is there anything that can be learned in this Financial Whatever that we just witnessed?

When the Lords are at War stay on the sidelines till one side starts rolling over!

Terminator! WoolWorth ,Sears , WalMart and ....?

Even as the Global Economy reels in its past excesses - California and its Terminator are approaching a double digit Tax rates!

Reason for Amazon to not just fight its distribution model but also to educates people on their capabilities.

From WoolWorth to Sears several decades were lost and hanging those Sears Catalogue in toilet as a multi-purpose aid - might have helped the transition but to grab that from Sears and build the largest retail model by WalMart again took several decades.

In every one of these transition in retail industry - consumers and conveniences were leading the pack with innovation.

Again it is time for the Retail Industry to Innovate and bring consumerism to a new level of shopping.

Amazon with its limited spread in products has the incentives given by states and governments all over with climbing sales taxes - to lead that charge and bring down the barriers of wall and take retail to a main stream internet mall. If the fight against North Carolina is a first step - there are several others that Amazon needs to address to make this opportune moment-

- Educate consumers of what a close to 10% taxation really means to their bottom line

- Expand Amazon's offering to every major retail category from indulgences to must have daily consumables

- Move away fro being another Microsoft type of Management and learn from other successful retail leaders to make its brand an every day utterances

May Be, Just May Be JB of Amazon could leave the eBook venture as just a pet project and focus on this enormous opportunity to redefine retail - Again! As this is once in a several decades opportunity!

Amazon and North Carolina!

Is this the first round?

Starting regional and might go all the way to the Capitol Hill?

With Deficit & credibility far from near - this could be a recurring one int he near future - not just limited to the on-line world!

Mr Deepak lashed out on MDs and Doctors!

Even as the World is waiting for the Coroner's office to open to the world what in the heck happened to King of Pop- there are enough individuals pointing fingers - rightly or wrongly!

Couldn't help but notice Mr Deepak Chopra's emotional out pour in CNN with the Situation Room and the Wolf!

Blaming the death on Drugs and accusing all those Hollywood MDs who prescribe for celebrities. Though clear on his accusation initially on MJ's drug addiction and the cause of his death - when asked pointedly he back pedalled and said it was just a hear say!

Understandable about his emotional out pour given his 20 something years of relationship with MJ - However it is difficult to ignore some professional pointers:

- 21 Years with MJ and still could not help MJ out of his emotional trauma and issues? Certainly questions the capability of therapy!

- lashing out on other Doctors and MDs : is it a competitive effort or just an emotional outburst due to loss- but for a seasoned professional who addresses the very same issue ...is difficult to digest

- blaming hte death on Drugs and MDs when the World is still waiting ont he Coroner's report is certainly very amateurish!

Well it looks like just a sample fo what MJ's disappearance will do to people while his Music lovers mourn his death.

Net Mania...! Or just Web 2.0 & America 2.0!

Sites crash!

Text Messages set record pace!

Twitter , Google , ....!

MJ and the world tweets and screams in the cyber world!

IS the World Ready for Web 2.0?

A Resounding Yes! And TEchnology is here for Good!

America 2.0 and TEchnology plays well in the resurgence of post Industrial Era growth for American Corporation!

Dollar , Iran , Nigeria and Oil!

Event after Event an attempt to push Oil higher.....the wounds from the previous speculation is still hurting those speculators - including Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley who pushed Oil to its previous speculative highs- Appears it will take something more than evenst already tried to push the oil higher from here!

China and its voice on Sovereign Currency!

Even as Mr O plays his card carefully in rebuilding America 2.0 - China speaks!

Replacing Dollar with a super Currency!

Coming from someone whose market is Closed, Manipulates its currency to help it EXPORT TO USA , encourages hoarding , ...on and on and on!

This can only be a negotiations tactic to establish a better hand in trading Globally!

Lookinga t what happened to Japan , Yen and their cyber rattling after they reached a pinnacle with their American supported Export Economy .....one can only imagine the imact of this!

Even as Consumers begin to Walk...!

Is the capital market ready for a sustained rally?

Looking at reports every where when people are going beyond the Green shoots - if the strike of the money holders fade to the back ground this bottoming process has the legs to attempt to move to a incremental growth path-

Growth might be scattered in Developed economies - but the emerging markets have a bigger and better future if this continues.

Mr O's warmth to Germany & Ms Merkel!

SMART PRACTICAL AND I CAN TRUST HER WHEN SHE TALKS! said Mr O about MS Merkel!

Says it All!!

This is a major change in American Policy towards a new and stronger global Economy!

It is a revolutionary shift that will rebuild America 2.0 to a level that will not only bring prosperity to America but will also ensure a global uplift of socio-economic issues every where!

Jackson's Tune!

Even as the World is shocked and mourns the premature death of Mr Jackson- there are opportunities for companies which have been aligned with Mr Jackson's talent-

Apple and iTunes

Amazon and its collections of Jacksons

MTV and its innovations around MJ

Sony

And then there are some losers - those who underwrote the London Concert series & those who paid enormous black market rates for those tickets!

Germany & Ms Merkel

As Ms Merkel faces the American Administration & White House- It is very encouraging and heart warming to see a change in outlook from both sides to take this relationship to a different level.

A new relationship like nothing before since the WWII will open new opportunity for a Global Economy which relies on Innovation and Productivity & not on Financial ingenuity like the last several decades championed by Wall Street and head quartered out of London!

A new era in this relation is a step removed from the English solidarity established during the WWII.

This is a new beginning &

May Be , Just May Be - a New Era for a well managed global economy with a level playing field for every one!

Michael Jackson - Pop King is no more!

It is a shock & a Sad truth!

He changed the music lovers!

He will be Missed!

May his sould rest in Peace!

Beginning of the Exit...?

Or is the Federal Reserve playing ball to the PIMCO's of the world to keep the game into overtime?

Looking at he Dollar and the recent auction reslts from 2, 5 and 7Y - it seems to be working!

IBM and the Outsourcing Myth!

Even as American corporationsa are fighting the Image fallout of Outsourcing - IBM is capitalizing and winning over its competition - on being just American!

Winning several F500 accounts since the Financial Fallout - capitalizing on keeping American Jobs at home - it leaves the details to the fine prints-

With over 80,000 employess based in India - it is very close to becoming one of the top employers in India!As it keeps hiring in India and China!

May Be, Just May Be - IBM should be I(ndian) Business Machines? And American companies should pay attention to the details as well!

While that happens - it is a good stock to invest in and participate in the price appreciation!

Tesla's New life!

As Tesla gets a second life from Mr O - clean energy rolls without thunder paving the way for a new generation of innovators!

Creating new technology to create , store and distribute energy - America will reinvent what was invented during the first hundred years of Industrialization - bringing back new jobs and prosperity to the world, Once Again!

Intel and the Quest for that evasive hand!

Another year and another relationship!

This time with Nokia who just called it quits fighting with Qualcomm!

Can two bruised Giants join and create the break throughs that is needed for the next generation communication devices?

With the likes of Apple and Palm creating the motivation for the new generation to move to an ever connected world - can Intel use its manufacturing capabilities and mighty power of Nokia's presence int he low cost hand helds - provide Wi-Max and similar -platform for the new world?

May BE , Just May BE - Mr Otellini might have just found the right partner to go for the Dance!

Roubini Calls it Bottom!

Still negative - but the operative is bottom and anemic recovery!

Not collapse and no recovery that he has used for the past several quarters.

An early indication that the battle is over but the war is not!

The agencies and policy makers around the world - if smart could use this opportunity to adjust the monetary and fiscal policies to cope with the modern economic conondrums driven by globalization and economic velocity augmented by technological innovations.

2y , 5Y and Now 7Y!

Demand for American paper is enjoying an upswing - giving an indication that the money flow is slowly willing to accept a closure to the Financial Whatever we witnessed the last couple of years.

100 plus bIllion dollars in auction in 2 Years , 5years and 7 years - every one of them accepted with a warm reception!

A couple of more months and we should be back on track for a normal economic cycle -with the money makers calling off the strike!

Swiss Intervening to support Currency?

What has been a Black Box for hiding black money - seems to be losing its magic touch.

Even as we recover from this Financial Whatever - Swiss is finding difficult to keep its lustre.

Can Swiss maintains its magic wand it keeping other people's money when EU and US are trying hard at breaking the Swiss code?

What is with these Governors?

From New York to Illinois and now South Carolina?

Is there a conspiracy or just a mere coincidence?

Every one falling from grace just after opposition to political forces?

Who will be next?

Where is China spending its Money?

2.1 M for a Lunch date with the Omaha?

Its not a Buffet but a Steak!

Well Done Mr Buffet to keep a premium on American Intelligence!

Ben & Lewis Show!

Aftermath of Financial Whatever is still being felt- only this time the actors are Bernanke and Lewis!

Soft spoken, mild mannered - BUT Vicious!

Now that the Financial Whatever is taking a back seat - the politicans are back at what they are good at - Humilite those who are not!

PIMCO and Bernanke sing same tune!

No rate raise for another 18 Months - say Mr McCulley of PIMCO!

No Inflation!

No Bond Worries!

No Immediate Currency problem- just a nudge on Fed on housing!

From Soros to McCulley - looks like they have changed sides , FOr the Good - Atleast for NoW!

Lawn Tennis getting Green Shoots in England!

Even as Sir Richard and the Queen are looking squarely at the worst end of the Financial Whatever - the English have something to cheer at their Tea Time!

Yes - this time Lawn Tennis and Wibmledon has something to offer - their very own PRide Andy Murray!

Yes - they could keep the Cup and possibly bring back another beginning!

Retired Soros Talk Bottom!

Fourteen years of reitrement- after Greenspan burned his last attempt at breaking teh Financial Market , and still having the magic touch during the recent Financial Whatever - Mr Soros successfully made over a Billion dollars working hard voicing revolution in Political Governances and Free market Economics.

Now on Retirement again - this time on a positive note , is back on the circuit calling a bottom to the market!

What a Billion makes in Attitude!

The British Virgin!

Let the British Airway Fail - So says Virgin's Chief Sir Richard!

Thats a first time A British Icon - for that matter anyone , who spoke like an American in UK.

Change of time to come? Or Just Srir Bronson being himself?

I think its the change of things to come in this currently distrupted and technologically driven Economy!

Iran & Media Black out!

Reporting through organized media has taken a back seat in the current turmoil in Iran!

Editing and controlling has meaning when it is channeled and organized by a handful for careful creation and delivery of message or News!

We have entered a new medium where communication is free and delivery is instantaneous - and the common man's voice is omnipresent!

Blocking communication whether it is organized media or the free format internet media does not prevent the ability of people to express, organize and succeed in fighting force be it religion or politics.

Internet and Media is only the messenger! And cannot supress the voice for long in this Twitter era where every face has a story be it via facebook or blog expressing solidarity and freedom of choice!

Internet's Influence on Modern Communication & Evolution!

Much has been talked about Left Brain and Right Brain!

Every one wants to live in the Now!

Education to a large extent has defined the mix of a society - Every country has an education system which has an evaluation/comparison based growth or progression through the defining ages of a person. This leaves a fear of failure in almost every individual as the person is growing and builds a life style which has an insecure and linear side which rows with time- irrespective of the profession the individual chooses.

This type of education system makes everyone compete in the level and success is measured accordingly. This results in a sought after successful line and least sought after and less popular - which is more often equated to winner and loser! This exaggerate the class system in the society and develops discontent and unhappiness through out based on relative performance and not on individual need.

Most of this behaviour is having a system which has the society develop into a left brain dominant society. It is not a conscious effort by an individual to become left brain or right brain. Thinking linear on everything makes it difficult to not compare and get aggitated. Education system play a major role in the evolution of the behaviour o fhte society.

American Education system has avoided such development by creating a voluntary mechanism for choosing what line to progress a person wants and gets- allowing a balanced society with a predominant right brain oriented thinking- this voluntary mechanism has enabled people to be happy and content on what they do irrespective of what others have or do. Occassionally media and news might exaggerate the mob mentality in choice - but to a large extent this is limited to insignificant part of the day to day life.

In an economy the balance between left brain and right brain dominant profession has to be carefully managed to establish harmony between policies that are political and that are socio-economic in nature. This balance is not very apparent and can not be changed over night- takes decades of change in education and government policies.

With th eadvent of Internet and the progress on availablity of content and reach of the same at a close to zero cost - the whole population has access to knowledege and education in an informal set up with no performance or failure pressure making it more rewarding and successful.

Ability to communicate in a large scale with absolutely no effort - instantaneously - brings in the ability to organize and express likes and dislikes has become even more real.

This development brings the society even closer to being left brain dominant - making it easier to instigate and cause disruptions- as linearity is volutanry and addictive.

What is happening around the globe - with Iran being the latest example - will redefine the way we evolve as a society...and American society so far has stayed safe as the balance is still well within the proportion that the economy can handle! The education system and the job opportunities need to be planned carefully to let this voluntary choice continue and yet accomodate the involuntary movement towards linearity to maintain a harmony in the society.

Peek-A-Boo!

Fed Meeting next Week!

No Expectation going into a meeting - which has been the most tracked even of the past couple of years!

No Photo-op for anyone with a couple of days left for the meeting?

Is there a feel of comfort?

Is Growth Relevant?

A few months back on a totally unrelated conversation a friend of mine quoted a well noted Professor from Georgia questioning the overplay of Growth in Corporate world. Though I disagreed at that time , I was willing to give it a second thought when another famous Professor Dr Peik A Monei supported that observation.

Looking at the current state of Economy & the Financial affairs -

Near Bottom , Bottom , Almost Botttom, etc from the Bullish camp while the Bearish camp saying Bottom doesn't mean Growth , recovery is still far away , printing money for growth and similar arguments!

At 14 plus Trillion in Size if people are generally happy with the state of economy and general life style - does it really have to grow?

Is there a reason for it to keep growing if it is not causing pain and anger in the society?

Just another irrational thought which had an academic spin from a totally different time and subject - by intellectuals of different caliber!

Largest Regulated Free Capital Market!

ECB & EU concerned that EU will lag US in Regulation!

From Free Wheeling Market to the Largest Regulated Free Capital Market! What a change in outlook!

Another Negative Article..?

Looking at this mornings headlines - my own - looks more negative than I would have liked them to be!

Looked a bit out of sink when there is so many nuetral to good news going around- made me think- what makes a news newsworthy & commentable?

Is it the headline or the reporting and the medium which is used to propogate?

Couldn't think of a clear answer - other than to decide to be a bit more carefull in chosing what to comment on going forward! May be Not as FAIR & Balanced like some!!!

A new life to Microsoft by Goldman Sachs!

Market up 40 some percent!

Some individual stocks including Microsoft is up much higher than the market!

For most of this time Goldman Sachs has stayed on the side lines or throwing stones at Microsoft!

And Now they add it to Conviction Buy List! WOW!

Lets look at what is driving the Technology these days:

- cell Phone

- social networking

- digital music

- digital video

- search

- gaming

- web publishing

And corporate Computing - Enterprise Applications to Desktop Automation.

Microsoft does not figure in any of the top three positions in all those categories!

Microsoft - is a monopoly in the categories in which it does well - Desktop Automation from OS to Productivity software at the desktop level. And they make a ton of money!

Microsoft coming of a blotched attempt at Vista!

As Oracle and others takinga serious job at Deskless Corporations - the future for Windows without Walls(!!!) looks a bit fogged at this juncture! Can it happen - may be not in the near future!

But to be in a conviction Buy List after being bearing for most of the recent run up and having stayed out of the biggest bullish run & being bearing on the company - mmmmm - hope they are right this time!

May Be , Just May Be - the GS analyst just like Ms Cohen has a bit more than the market wind to make this call-!

iPhone & AT&T - Redefining Speed?

AT & T screaming through all corners and in all forms of Tubes from Net to Cables - touting about the best and fastes speed in the country!

Apple claims time and time again that the new Apple is the BEST ever! Super fast!!

It doesnt take a rocket scientist to find that AT&T 3 G and Apple's iPhone is one of the slowest implementations in the Cell world - behind Japan, Behind Verizon & even the lowly Sprint!

Shouldnt some one from FCC or some other acgency Bar these companies from spending millions and millions touting about a capability as a primary benefit on a false statement?

I gues this is a Free market economy & every thing goes!

Even as Apple gives free Bagels and Donuts for those individuals standing in lines to get a hold of the NEW SUPERFAST iPHONE 3G S(speed as in slow speed) one can only wonder -

Why , Why & Why!!!

1300 Hedge Funds Closed in the last 2 Quarters!

Yet the greed breeds with high velocity!

Government Healthcare - Is it a Misnomer?

In the middle of a major Healthcare reform - initiated by Government: Opposition from major participants - From Doctors,Insurance Companies to policy makers!And by more participants & people!

Is it about providing Free Healthcare or providing Affordable Insurance for Healthcare?

If it is about providing Affordable Healthcare Insurance - And the participants are paying insurance - is it about subsidy for insurance premium? When scale is what decides the premium rate or bulk discount & not the individual's eligibility - where is the equality in free market principles?

It certainly not marketed by either party as Affordable Insurance - it is led to believe that it is Free Healthcare - by both the parties! And certainly Press is not doing a good job about it!

May BE , Just May BE - everyone- from Politicians to Executives of the Corporate World and every common man and woman - should have an opportunity to hunt for their Insurance policies every 2 or 3 years to see what it takes to not just get the policy but what control they have in what kind of services they get and then come for a referendum on this!

Wal-Mart and Affordable Healthcare!

It is a shame when the whole country is anxiously look at the Administration's foray into the most controversial initiative - afforable Healthcare- One leader Exits!

Walmart quietly started phasing out o fits most innovative and bold initiative ever ventured by any corporation.

Affordable Healthcare using Telemedicine and other innovative mechanism to reach and offer day to day medical needs at a very reasonable prices.

It is a mystery that Wal-Mart would exit at this juncture when delivery of any healthcare depends on reach and network and scaleability- WHich Wal-Mart has it. It can even extend its care to its employees - giving it the scale that is needed to make it a viable business- with half a million employees in every nook and corner of the country-

Having hte vision to roll out such a grand scheme to take medicine to the masses where it is needed - falling short of implimentation.

May BE , Just MAy BE - some one from Mr O's administration would pay attention to this and see if they can leverage the lessons learned by a private sector entity - and may be join forces with the corporate entities in offering practical and afordable Healthcare to the nation.

Nearing Bottom , At Bottom , Far From Bottom ....!

What is better?

Fat Bottom?

May be Fat Bottom Line?

Backward Compatibility!! Apple & iPhone 3.0

Apple's new iPhone is backward compatible!

Amazing! How great such a capability is for consumers!

Microsoft & Intel for a couple of decades have managed to maintain their installed base happy by providing innovation and backward compatibility not just from their offerings but also ensuring all third party applications also comply with the same policy!

Does Innovation always come with a price ? Yes!

But the consumers were protected from such a price by Intel & Microsoft-

May Be, Just May BE - Apple is seriously thinking about BIG league, Now that they have learned a new concept - Backward Compatibility!!

Goldman Sachs and Abby Cohen calls end of RecessioN!

Goldman Sachs and the very soft spoken and ever optimistic Ms Cohen sees an end to this recession - NOW!

Ms Cohen popular during the dot com boom for being bullish for the better part of the dot com boom was put in the dog house for missing the turn & being adamant and sticking to her target even after the collapse of the tech bubble!

She has started hitting the road with a bullish assessment!

I might be still waiting for her targets from a decade ago - but this time we might be wise to listen to her assessment on the current economy!

May BE , Just May BE - Ms Cohen has learned a bit from her Bubble mistake & we should listen to her words of Wisdom!

GE and Immelt!

Jeff Immelt's GE is not your father's GE!

Mr Immelt has resaped GE that was the talk of town during the flamboyant Jack Welsch! It is sitting way back and not even in the 5th page on Wall Street!

GE and Mr Immelt escaped the Finanacial Whatever!

Shows the foundation that GE has put itself on during the Immelt era- very different and very sobre - not Jack Style -but plain common sense.

GE has positioned itself very well for any recovery - with the new emphasis not just on traditional Industrial base but also on Industries being brought to the forefront by the emerging American Economy 2.0

The price does not reflect the full potential of GE in a bottomed out economy- GE is a steal at these levels and can bring back retirement opportunity for those who lost it int he past couple of years!

A confident Geithner!

A few months into the job & he has emerged as a confident and possible authoritative voice for the new Administration.

With a stronger Dollar in the back drop - MR Geithner is looking more and more mature in steering the policy makers and money hawkers globally - to where he wants them to go!

With Mr O and his Chicago Style management finding very little opposition - things are looking a bit easy for Mr Geithner.

This could help the Fed and Dollar in the near term and give the much needed breathing room for getting things in order and get the Economy back on a recovery path.

Internet & the new Power of People!

First Mr O capitalises the reach and effectiveness of Internet and emerging omni present cell to sweep into power!

Next China builds the New Wall - going beyond the Great Wall of China - reaching well within to protect itself from the uproar of people's voice-

Now it is playing out in 3D in Iran!

From Wall Street to Main street the voice can be heard with a thunder - only without the latency of a thunder from the lightning!

Technology & Internet in its varous form is reshaping the way the society has evolved for decades if not centuries! From Tribal leaders to modern day policy makers - the leaders and kings have relied on lack of co-ordination and fear with uncertainity to build an inefficient and moderately self-fish administration.

May Be, Just May Be - A new Sheriff with a new set of rules and policies is about to arrive in this connected Global village!

134 Billion crossing Borders!

Japan Supports US dollar before G8!

And now two Japanese carrying undocumented bonds worth 134 Billion Dollars!

May be headed to Germany hearing that they have ATM machines that dispenses Gold!

Microsoft and EU!

Microsoft takes a typical Mr Balmer Move in Europe!

As the fight with Ms Kroes reaches a pinnace -as Ms Kroes enters her final stretch in her career as a EU police Mr Balmer refuses to open!

No Soup for Europe!

A bold Move!

Might come at a cost at a time when Microsoft is struggling hard elsewhere to the recent innovation engine coming from Valley & the 2.0 Gangs!

Made in China!

As more and more shelves of Wal-MArt are filled with products made in China- China is learning from Wal-Mart executives!

Buy China!

BRIC finishes its meeting with borderline support for Dollar & American Free market Capitalism!

Understandably!!

Iran & Twitter!

Democracy hangs on Twitter!

Twitter asked by Government Agency to postpone routine shut down for maintenance to help flow of information!

mmm- Amazing Technology!

Germany & the Golden ATMs!

Retail demand for Gold in Germany jumps 200 percent! Inflation wary Germans & Ms Merkel are looking at the newest innovation in retail distribution of Gold since Slice Bread!

Yes- Since Slice Bread!

A German company is planning to install ATM style machine to vend and distribute Gold in small quantities. They will be located in Malls, Train Stations and Airports!

Now people can buy Gold in small quantities from vending machines - upto $500 dollars! And get a mint from the same machine?? At a $30% premium to Gold'sspot price!

Either Ms Merkel & the Germans are planning something the others don't see yet or the pain from the past is still fresh in memory!

May Be , Just May BE we are the end of Gold's inflationary pricing!

Change of Tune for Dollar?

Timothy G- Is he taking iPOd to the Summit?

First the Japanese- then came the Russians, Chines & the G8 - so did the rest of G8.

The relevance of IMF for Dollar has been felt never like this before!

Appears the Governing agencies are united against the Vigilantes - For now!

As you paint your FaceBook...!

Not far back - we had to pay to keep us off the White Pages!

A few years back we fought to get that DO NOT CALL list!

Companies make money blocking Caller-IDs!

Lawyers make money for invasion of Privacy!

But We are entering the most hyped up event of the Internet days - Having vanity labels to expose everything on the Net - making it easy for every one in the connected world to pry into our personal details - ALL FOR FREE!

Yes $500 Million in Revenue and growing in repid clip - FaceBook gives the privilege for users to attaching their own Names as an identifier!

For every Ying there is a Yang trying to make money!

Yes - I will stand in line to get my name too!

Yes - I will call all my telephone companies and stop paying for blocking my number & printing my name!

What a decade does to privacy!

Is Conan Late for the Show?

As the Tonight Show does a transition to Mr Conan- it sure does look more crisp , more funky and a bit over the edge!

Looks more and more like Mr Letterman!

Who Blinked at the Golden Quarters as Fink stole the base!

BlackRock running home with Barclays Crown Jewel to make it the largest Money Managers in the World - controlling $2.7 Trillions!

Goldman Sachs while trying to return well timed TARP money & controversial AIG & other Bail out benefits- looking dazed and sugared from Washington.

Even as Mr.Lewis of Bank America gets drilled and fights for his life at Bank OF America - one of his own - rises to the top!

As BlackRock bubbles to the top & CountryWide - not too far behind with the Government bailout - With Merrill already making money....retail Banking holding Steady, Mr Lewis did well afterall for the shareholders- looking at the price - it may not look like it!

Another BRIC in the Wall?

G8 meet warming for a potential strong arm from the BRIC nations!

As China & Russia playing strong trying to deal a hand that is hard to digest by the free world- open market philosophy with a close door politics!

Japan - having learnt its lessons from the fall from power - looking at its neighbors stealing what has once been a safe haven for the Japanes manufacturers!

As the BRICs bicker prior to the G8 - with a stronger push for concessions - Japan standing by American Dollar is major set back for not Just the BRICs but also the bond vigilantes.

May be , Just May be - this is just another BRIC in the Wall - and the wind blowing from Japan might keep the G8 sailing for a while!

As the Summer Rolls....Summers looks ahead!

It certainly is the end of another Financial Whatever, which is still trying to work on a name!

Summers of today is certainly not the Summers from the past!

Shaken & A bit out of touch with his own personal reach!

Reading from a well prepared & thought out notes - well coreographed for the G8 and the BRIC meeet by the Mr O administration - certainly looks far from the Summers we have known prior to the Harward experience!

As Mr Summers looks beyond the scripted thoughts into the pending appointment of the Federal Reserve at the end of Summer - thoughts do need to flow differently than what it is!

With so much of political agenda & polarised views - it will be difficult to head a position that is more of a poster boy post for the rest of the world - a proxy for Dollar & the Great American Capitalism!

May Be, Just May Be - this summer will pass and Mr Summers will have a better job elsewhere and express his originality and creativity right from his heart and not from a scripted notes.

Another Day in the Citi!

And Another Change!

Banks are not out of the woods & not out of the city - DC !

Bank of America & citibank still having teething problems with the new political climate that has swept the country! Mr Lewis - soft spoken been tarnished with the Merrill episode will not go down without a fix to the change in rule!

Citi & FDIC

Sheila Bair and Vikram Pandit!

It is a shame that the American Political Powerplay is coming to personal vendatta - between what was once the largest Financial Institues in the World & its leader on one side & the so called the last resort agency FDIC & its leader who managed to consolidate her position even after the political switch over in Washington!

If this gets any uglier than it has already - the intervention of the Administration in a politically neutral process could be impossible and will taint the way this recovery has been influenced by Mr O's administration!

Did Mr Pandit go over board in lashing out at Ms Bair during that late night/early morning conference call following the WellFargo ran away with Wachovia with FDIC playing what appears to be acheap shot at Citi?

Is Ms Bair going too far to act like a High school fued gone bad during the prom?

Is it time to put the cheap bikkering aside and work like professionals!

Payback Time!

Close to six months since we hit the eye of the storm!

From JP Morgan to Amex - they are back! This time to pay them with interest!

Amazing how six months will change the future of not jus these institutes but also America & the Dollar!

As Europe just went through a major Election which was to a large extent ignored by the market - shows how important American Politics and Economy play in the Global Enterprise!

If the current Administration follows through with its promises without getting into cheap politics - there is a good change we might start Growing Again!

May be , Just May Be - we are not too far from an economic growth cycle!

Tube Going Digital!

4 Days and the Nation goes digital!



Government supports in a very smooth transition for the telivision upgrade!



NEW Wireless services in the oven!

Comcast had one up on this transition - Amazing at such a smooth transition that Comcast managed to have- people winding down blocks to ge the converter in every Comcast office! All a few weeks ahead of the NAtion going digital!

AT&T's UVerse may be capitalized in switching a handful - but couldnt full realize the potential yet! May be At&T Wireless could feel the full potential from hogging the newly released spectrum!

The Great Wall of China!

Someone is really listening to Mr O!

Just a few days back Mr O moved Internet & Technology to be under the national Security threat category!

China - Listens to Mr O!

Is it the beginning of a new order in how the modern defense and trade need to work around?

NYT , Nobel Prize & Krugman!

Recession to end in September!

Speechless! Or is it Wordless!!

Difficult not to look at the rear view mirror - From Depression to End of Recession!

Must be a Short Squeeze!

Ireland and the Rating Agencies!

Another Week & Another Country!

S & P , Fitch , Moody's and the queue lengthens!

These are the same agencies who failed to see what the financial instruments were capable of doing to the Global Economy -

- for individuals

- for companies

- For Agencies/Institutions

- For Municipalities/Cities

And now at the tail end of the Financial Whatever they are going after the countries!

Brazil , England , Ireland & America in the wings!

As Prof Dr Peek A Monie of Harwood once said "If there are Suckers to pay for it - You don't need a Sales department"!

Reinventing the Wheels!

GM the way we know is over!

Chrysler and the influences of Iaccoca and Mercedes is taking a different shape!

Ford - still vintage Ford with someone up there smiling and saying You build the color you want and they will buy as long as it is Ford Black!

When it is all said and done - they all have fragments of each one of them taking roots in different soils and having their own innovative teams to grow into something bigger than what we have come to expect from Detroit!

Hummers in the hands of Chinese, Saturn in the hands of Penseke and may be a few more from Fiats to some one new to the industry- the American roads are ready for the change - and sure these new spin on the wheels will offer something new for the next 100 years!

The Queen's Dilema!

The British Empire extends in ethereal!

Every other dynasty fell in its own popularity over time- every ruler had a vision and willing to sacrifice for their visions!

A global reach beyond their means! A mighty ego which will eventually fall in the hands of their own people! From Taj Mahal's ShahJahan to modern Presidents & rulers!

Not the Queen & the British Empire!

Another agency downgrading the Country!

Another country balking at their excursiveness!

Another Chancellor humiliated by the British wickedness in managing Financial ingenuity!

Another political fall-out in Downing & the House of Cards!

But the Pound keeps marching up & so does the FTSE!

How does the Queen do it?

May Be they know how to influence the world beyond the borders? What is their weapons for Global success & mighty influence which is transparent but lethal?

- Language: From Education to current day business everything relies heavily on the Queen's language. If intelligence and its effect is based on language as its major component & as the Queen's language is deployed in a diluted form every where else- it certainly has its effect! IF not negative at least has a competitor whose capability is naturally tailored for excellence!

- Economics: From Adam Smith to Maynard - every aspect of monetary system is developed for a purpose! Leverage and the influence of the ruler or government in modern parlance in what is the underlying theme! Leverage and acceptable rates for success and failure alike in everything -for the better of the society, was hand crafted for prosperity - unfortunately not every agency is managed with a proper understanding of the foundation on which the modern global economics is laid on!

- Administration of the country : This is the only country no matter who is elected they always work for the Queen & the people are shielded from expressing their anger to the Queen - as they have an intermediary to blame it on! Making it easy to be loyal to their Real Ruler & Country! Have you seen a Brit ever curse his home land or the Queen?

The Modern financial conundrums and irrational exuberances might have their influences on global economy but the British Empire and its influences will not fade for a long time to come!

May Be, Just May Be - if we learn a bit more on the Queen's language we might have a better understanding of the current day Financial Whatever!

Job losses and the Long end of the curve!

345,000 Job losses - 9.4 Unemployment rate!

Long end of the curve still on strike!

Mr O's team quick on its heel to calm the market and show the Administration is still worried about the current state of the American Economy!

Good process to dampen the runaway train!

Market holding on to a modest gain and staying put at an elevated level from its Msrch lows and still not willing to give in!

Long end hedgng its bet on deficits and hyper inflation - for a good reason!

We will any day take this dilema to the one we faced the last couple of years!

Caterpillar - Ready with a lean cost structure!

Not too long ago Caterpillar embarrased MR O and the Whitehouse about recovery and rehire!

With the current printing machines around the world finally calming the world economy and paving the way for a growth once again - there is one company that is geared well for this renewed opportunity!

Caterpillar!

A Dow component which has shed thousands of jobs preparing for a major slow down and has its cost structure to manage at a very low fixed cost.

With any growth this will immensely show in its bootom line.

If this bottoming process is real - which it appears to be , Caterpillar shows a great for this global recovery!

Time for America to Switch Sides?

America has been a proxy for the Queen for quite some time!

Directly or indirectly the relationship has paved the way for modern economics and global market. The progress in any monetary system has always been initiated either in UK or US and the other endorsing and patting each other in the back.

Is it time to change it?

Change couldnt come at a much more important juncture in the global market that now!

Change has been overwhelmingly endorsed in America and has paved the way for another major overhaul to the way America does business!

Change is propogating through the corridors of Washington!

Changes has been reluctant to come in one major aspect that has been dragging the foreign relationships- being a proxy to the Queen!

Change is a good thing! It is time to embrace in everything- Its time to give Ms Merkel and her country a higher visibilty than she has been enjoying presently!

It is Time to look past the Ghostly images of the past and move on!

May be , Just May be - Mr O will change this for the Good! Hopefully This visit to Germany is more than a formality and paves the way for a stronger and closer ties with the most authoritative force in the post modern Industrial Economy who can contribute a whole lot than that meets the eye!

Countrywide Ponzi scheme & a Scapegoat!

Mozilo and the charges are a poor excuse to blame the Financial Whatever of the current millennium!

Looking at the root of the scam and the scam artists - from Wall street to Washington - CountryWide and Mr Mozilo was far from the cause.

From Goldman Sachs to JP Morgan - from Merrill lynch to Lehman brothers- whether it is the leverage or the synthetic products - it is a shame that SEC and the regulatory agencies are finding a scapegoat in Mr Mozilo! For not disclosing the risks? PLEASE!

It just shows how easy it is to have an industry wide ponzi scheme and find out who has the least popular vote and blame them and continue to do what burnt the house int eh first place.

If there is lack of understanding or need more clarity to what caused the current melt down - the least they could do is read just one book Fools' Gold by Financial Times columnist Gillian Tett- which digs deep into the origin and show how the plot evolved from the heart of Wall Street.

Duality at PIMCO Management helps in strong arming!

While Mr McCaully and Mr Gross are frequenting American tubes in expressing their views on what the fed should do and when they would support the fed and treasury - Mr El Erian have decided to cross the ocean and express and campaign PIMCO's agenda - unusually and Frequently!

The last last year saw how PIMCO - a Swiss controlled company managed to almost blackmail Treasury and the Federal Reserve when it came to bailing out the market!

This year as we start to hear Fed backing out of further support and propping up of the bond market - we start seeing the PIMCO Trio's conveying where theu stand on their expectations and keep sending a message to the Fed and Treasury!

Money power does shift - from dormancy to blackmail; In a normal economic cycle they are don ebehind the doors and in a subtle manner- but now in this internet age where global carnage is driven by financial egos- we see them play out realtime and live - and with higher frequency.

If the near term history were to be applied- it is no secret what Fed and Treasury would do!

Ms Merkel 1 - Mr Trichet 0

24 Hours after Ms Merkel expressed her opinion about the ECB and BOE - both the agencies left the interest rates unchanged- willing to take the risk of recession in better part of Eurore than face the wrath of GErmany and Ms Merkel.

Mr Trichett while emphasised his agency's independence was unconvincing in his arguments to leave the rates where they were!

Kudos ot Ms Merkel- her cheerleading did work in her country's favor!

RIO in the lime light again!

RIO a few weeks back was on the verge of folding after blowing away what could have been their dream offer! From BHP Billiton - How quickly those fantasy game ends!

As commodities caved in so did the fortune and survival of these suddenly glamourous companies! Multi-offer became close to auction block over night!

Almost a forced marriage when China came with the Dowry!

A couple of months later - after a major bailout and pump up by various government and government sponspored agencies - the game changes!

RIO from being a beggar has become the choser! From being abride on the block has become the Groom on the prowl!

What appears like a random transaction - actually shows where the future for the commodities is headed and where that could take the market along with it.

Inflation whether moderate or hyper might be at the end of the rainbow - but from here till there looks like a different cycle!

Intel and Wind River Acquisition!

Technology is gearing up for a new future!

The newly crowned Prince - Oracle of Software has just entered the fight with a new set of objectives! With road to thin client and Net Computing Real...

Apple redefining the game of software taking the thunder from Mr Softie with billion downloads of application

Facebooks and Twitters of the world laughing at the Unlisted Numbers and the charging for listing/unlisting era of privacy

Google with its every day dig at free sotware...

Palm , Google and Apple - not to mentions Blackberry trying their best ot steal that metal clunk from the consumer's lap and move it closer to the hand..

The New Age of Technology is being charted without the big boys?? Not So Soon says Intel- after all the current road to innovation was paved with the Intel Boys and Andy Grove!

Yes Andy Grove, A visionay who beleived on the great American theme of You Build and They will come - and took technology to places one could only dream of.

With the Wind River acquisitiona and a major push for Wi-Max - Intel is making a statement!

The future may not be dictated by one company - But does go through the Heart of Silicon Valley and that is Andy Grove's Intel!

Oil and the Golden Boys!

Oil creaping slowly to levels just before the speculative bubble of the commodoties! $67 and inching higher from hitting low $30s during hte middle of the Financial Whatever of the century!

Now comes our once popular Analysts who DID IT last time again with a call to the higher!

$85 by the end of the year and $95 Next year! And what is more remarkable is the reason for such rise is different than real Demand!

After indulging in Bailout money - Morgan Stanley is back int he business of Oil Hording and oil manipulation...and so are others who hedge and trade on commodoties with absolute no intention or knowledge of real use of such commodoties!

By not going through the real effect of a Financial Correction we dont give enough time to cleanse the excess and the raw elements that were part and parcel of such excesses!

If this trend really continues - what just happened in the last couple of years of sucking common man's money in what ever form of printing and bailout that global agencies did - could make the Dr Dooms heros in a couple of years!

The purpose is not to claim what is right or wrong - just to highlight the emerging rule sof the game!

May BE , Just May be - We didnt change the rules just took a pause during hte recent Financial Whatever and if continues the same strategies and game play will work for the next couple of years before we start labeling this Financial Whatever with a more meaningful Name!

Can He? Yes He Can!

Icahn and the Biotechs-

Yes he Can and Yes He Will! He has no time pressure! He has no capital pressure!

What makes him persistant? Focus on his objectives?

Management or Shareholders? Does it matter for Him?

Does he pick his winners? Is technology a mistake for his strategy or Just out of focus for him - looking at Motorola and Yahoo! Looks like BEA was in the crosswires of Mr Ellison even otherwise.

Everytime the Management fights and Fights! And this time Biogen Board and Management seems to be stretching hte battle beyond the usual proxy fights!

One more and we will count the tally!

Bond King Speaketh!

Another Day - And Another day closer to Market Stability!

If it recovers from this point forward - the pain inflicted from the fall out of the past will be in teh past and will not have an impact in implementing the lessons learnt from this Financial Whatever!

Making Risk appetite easy to come by fixed income returns difficult to comeby!

It was apparent from the stance the Bond King and the likes ae taking - trying to shun the long end of the curve at the risk of inflation, deficit & all those fundamentals which have been ingnored int he past decade!

Good to see the equity people and the fixed income people back in the ring fighting out attention for investors!

He Said, She Said: From Tiananmen to Capitalism!

A couple of days of differing events - which in a volatile global economy would have thrown fits not just in the fixed income market but also in the global equity market!

First Mr O talks about China's outlook on American Printing the Deficit! And closely followed by Mr Geithner from Beijing - closing in on claiming Gold from the Olympic village.

As we burn another candle zeroing in on the 20th Anniversary of Tiananmen Episode - we start hearing the rumlings from the red state - from cleansing the air and throwing out Internet and Blogs and Serches from reaching the common by banning the newly sensational Twitter to an upcoming intelligent Search - BING! As the ban extends to foreign press and any news coverage - on the anniversay - the pressis very effectively used to propogate China's displeasure in sponsoring American deficit and debt!

Right from the heart of Bailout Nation - where Capitalism is democratically implemented till its time for Bailout - looking at a strong handed Communism lead Capitalism where there is no market driven economic cycles, one wonders wether we are entering a new era where a common ground is planned with a Socialistic Capitalism which is a middle ground for both?

Looking at the extent of interventions and bailouts and forced implementation of policies in a Free Market Capitalism & comparing with a Communist Capitalism - may be we are headed for a middle ground- if we continue to move along the current path!

GE & Jeff Immelt's Answer for your Money Prayers!

On the Money with Carmen!
Mad Money with Cramer!
FastMoney with Whoever now!
Money 911 with the CloudMan Al Roker!

And ofcourse our always popular and recently crowned Q from the University of Illinois Dr Orman's :

The Suzy Orman Show!

I wonder what is in store for the newly Political MSNBC! which is already frequented by all their CNBC peers and some of them dont have a program on their own yet!

And if this isnt the end of the Financial Whatever - I dont want to think how much more of these shows can people take?

Scott , Larry & the Saga of NetBooks!

With JavaONE gaining more prominance with Oracle juggernaut behind it - it didnt go un-noticed when Mr Ellison and Mr McNealy joined at hips - not bad mouthing about their Northern nemesis - but talked about their often attempted but falling short objective of having a computing world with no desk top - a.la. Microsoft influence.

Will Mr Ellison talking about NetBook and NetTop - highlights the power of these two companies and what their combined power can bring to the combine entity!

With the current boom in innovation happening in the Internet driven consumer market & the corporate world more and more hesitant to have a loaded end user - we are looking at a very promising future! Coming from these duo!

Between Sun and Oracle they have the technology & the corporate reach to offer very innovative thin computing model which will suit the emerging Cloud computing - paving way for a new paradigm of enterprise computing.

May be , Just May Be this time NetComputing and Cloud Computing is ready and will reach critical mass with Mr McNeally and Mr Ellison spending more time talking and doing technology and less fighting Mr Gates & Mr Balmer!

Does the Citi ever sleep?

Dow booting Citi out as it starts courting new and glamorous companies!

As Citi loses its coverted Umbrella it is feeling naked in front of the new and improved audience of the financial world.

Is it time to move away from Citi?

IF we do it will be a shame as it will show our myopic outlook on corporations!

Outside North America - which is where the future of the global economy lies - CITI's reach is not just enviable but also something to commend!

It is not just the reach that is relevant - it is the premier image it has built around the world that will keep CITI the most sought after in the years to come as we start slowly moving away from the recent pain induced by the Financial Whatever!

Ben and the Hill!

Mr Bernanke's current trip to DC might reflect a deviation of his approach from his visits in teh last couple of years!

Deficit , Debt adn Inflation taking the lime light of the speech - certainly should highlight how far away we have come from the Financial Whatever!

Is it time to put a name or label to the recent Financial Whatever and move to addressing the next Economic cycle?

Inflation , Hyper-inflation and all Economic issues arising out of stimuls extended bottoming and recovery can become a problem if and only if we dont act on signals in a timely manner. Stimulus and Printing money in themselves dont result in Hyper-inflation - it is sleeping ont he wheels on its way to recovery & growth that will result in the next financial whatever!

May be , Just May BE - next time around we will be a bit more vigilant and have enough caffeine to keep our eyes open - and let short economic cycles to continue and not extend the economic cycles to extend beyond hte structural capability of the global market.

Who Crows Against the Germans & Ms Merkel?

As Ms Merkel starts voicing her intellectual interpretation of the modern era Money Machines of the world and tries to understand the underpinnings of the English invented & American endorsed Monetary systems- she is raising some eyebrows in her till now silent players in EU and the governing bodies.

Ms Kroes - known for her flirtatious behaviour with Mr Balmer in her fight against monopolistic behaviours of American Technology Giants like Microsoft & Intel - has started turning her eyes internally-

Ms Kroes' critical comment against the Most powerful and influential country and its banking system underscores the fragile nature of the EU.

As the American Economy stabilises and brings back prosperity to Emerging Markets - if EU does not move away from regional politics and start showing some solidarity that they have been showing during the recent excesses of the new milleium - Euro might be close to taking a back seat for a while.

Microsoft's Struggle against Silicon Valley!

All its life Microsoft went without Firing! or Major Lay-offs!

Even during the middle of the Financial Whatever - last year in a CNN interview Mr Gates talked highly of Microsft's achievements and talked about hiring in USA.

In the last 3 months Microsoft went through not 1 not 2 but three rounds of layoffs- some deep rooted!

Give that background - and looking at its struggle in the Internet World it has been a joke!

Even Ms Martha Stewart once when asked if she could compete with the likes of Mr Gates - she acidly pointed about how Mr Gates fully Wired $47M palace became a joke when in less that 2 years everything went wireless - in defending her foray into internet.

Now looking at the news rolling out the last few days -

BING and new Sensor technology for the Xbox platform- one word! Winner!

If this is not just an abberation - looking at the recent history of the Microsoft Money Machine- one can only feel skeptical about these launches as well- then we are in for a pleasant surprise going forward.

Microsoft finally deviating from its often famous Vapor Wear launches in killing competition - has kept the lid tight till just before the launch!

Bing is really the first real launch from anyone that can really make a fight for Google's near monopoly status!

Looking at the other launch of the Sensor based Gaming - the technology is amazing and its implementation & development platform appears geared for some very innovative applications that can really capitalize the surge in user base for the internet!

May BE, Just May be - This time around Microsoft and Mr Balmer might really have found the trick to Internet!

May be Ms Merkel is justified!

The headlines storming through the English Channel is about those cabinet shuffle winding out of 10 Downing mostly for pety thefts or as they are called expensing personal items on taxer payer money- from Glitttery Toilet seats to porno movies of spouse!

Now Looking at the other side of the tunnel French Bank offers 5 Year paid vacation and a guaranteed job after that in the name of cost cutting!

While Ms Merkel and her people are working hard at keeping their jobs the traditional way elsewhere we have some very creative ways - all in the name of greasing the economy!

May be, Just May Be - we should really listen to Ms Merkel!

Ms Merkel Upset with the English?

Lashing out on BOE , ECB and the Fed - Ms Merkel is showing Germany's vulnerability!

Call what you want if China back America and America supports UK - with a restricted & Helpless predicament ECB would have a tough time playing the Central Bank role without bringing EU to its knees.

Ms Merkel and Germany - having benefitted from a Unified Germany and a pseudo Unified Europe - have a difficult near term.

Is Europe ready for growth at the expense of Germany?

Ms Merkel might have very little leverage in controlling the printing machines around the globe!

Acer , Android & the NetBook!

Acer has found a neat little buzzword driven niche which is making people get into a laptop with very little capabilities and still pay close to a fully loaded laptop!

If only a person shops around and looks for sale - one can easily find a laptop with better capability that is not only cheap but also practical.

Recently I fell into the trap of Netbooks and bought a high end Acer for my kid- with the hope that I can carry around when I am driving without having to lug a heavy laptop or worry about being broken into in the bay area!

Big Mistake!

First my 6 year old returned the NEtbook saying it doesn't work! Later I find that it is not suited for thos Disney & NickJR websites! as it really is slow in those graphics intensive games!

Next everytime I need to do anything other than really browse the net (may be thats why it is a NetBook) - copy , load or backup - ofcourse I need the external drive which is mo money!

And ofcourse any added new applications like - adding music , photos & videos etc which is what is driving the current boom in consumer driven demand - fat chance with NetBook!

Add a another 50-100 bucks and you can really get a Laptop with full capability!

So Please know what you want and how you will use before you venture into a NEtBook!

Now coming into Google and its capability to write usable applications- they do have a lot to learn from Apple and Microsoft!

From email to Google Docs - its a real basic and unstructured form with a usablility that is at best vulgar - with very volative evolution history! What is there today will vanish tomorrow! No co-ordinated effort in building a platform- looks like a bunch of amateurs with good programming capability churning pieces out in the market without co-ordinated effort in development or product management to make them work with seamless interoperability-

So Android - might be a good incentive for people to really buy a Laptop with good capabilities and leave Netbook to that time in future when the world it ready for real net computing!

China playing a prudent Business partner!

Geithner's visit may not have the glamor of Olympian visit of the Bush-Paulson team- but certainly did drive home a bunt resulting in a triple!

With less rumblings coming from China and more Cisco-ish optimism from Geithner- we certainly might have a smooth transition of China dependent Debt to a more manageable and balanced America- atleast for the near term.

With China's immediate future dependent on American prosperity - and there being less open market outside the American Economy - it will take much longer for China spread its export driven economy unless it has the courage and will to open its domestic market and bring prosperity to its lopsided population at the low end of the pyramid. With India as the only major democracy with a significant drive towards a open door policy - hungry and able - China will see this as an opportunity to work even closer with America in building itself as a major force in the global economy.

Unlike Japan - China is chosing wisely in playing very diplomatically and gently nudging when appropriate in settling its concerns with Dollar exposure. With a controlled economy and currency as its weapon - it might have more incentive to support the dollar.

Any weakness in the treasury will be supported by the Administration and Geithner to help alleviate any inflation threat as the market starts moving away from deflation and starts building a case for hyper-inflation!

Mo Money Please!

JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs raising more money, Again!
This time to pay back TARP
As part of repayment requirements!

No Intervention? Just Nudging!

No Reason to Run GM!

Mr O emphasised Whitehouse is not interest in running GM!

Whitehouse has an army of people from Bernstein to GM's own Henderson speaking about the independence of GM's management!

Canada - a new minority shareholder - pledging to stay commited for atleast 8 years as shareholder!

mmm....60 percent owner saying not interested in influencing the management!

mmm.....looking back in the mirror, it is hard to digest the storyline and the plot!

May be, Just May be - Mr O , we will let this one pass!

Robert Reich - Changing Strategy?

Mr Reich has been a constant label in CNBC/Bloomberg & FBN all these days of Financial Whatever.

All along his theme has been defensive against all these channels and reporters who have been to a large extent - against the current Mr O's bull dozing effect on Wall Street and American Capitalism.

Every time he supported or defended Mr O's policies on camera - he was either spoken over or stampeded by the reported - which was very aparent when Mr Reich - though have very credible views and arguments - found himself getting the raw end! Some times he even was on the verge of losing it when he had to yell to get any time at all - where he harly had a chance to speak in a segment he was one of the spoken guest!

US Berkely has by far been an elite institute producing intellectuals and entrepreuners of a different class - but been behind the sheets and have restricted to a few news prints with targetted circulation. But MR Reich has changed that- but has found himself defend his opinions and expertise!

Till Now!

Yes - Mr Reich has changed his stance by writing a pure Capitalistic view on GM and American Auto Industry in Financial Times! Yes in FT!

His follow up on CNBC was even cleaner- YEs very Capitalistic - Never once did he defend the Administration or the Whitehouse!

Now he had all the time he wanted to express, talk and gain the support of the reporters!

A Change of Heart , Mr Reich or just plain being Smart?

And White House's Bernstein found himself defending himself on camera - and CNBC even made MR Reich take the opposing position!

And Mr Reich got more and more time on camera with a change of heart!

DOW JONES AVERAGE: GM & CITIGROUP

At one end GM is screaming through all TV channels and News wires as it is booted out of DJIA the other end Citi closes relationship with DJIA in a silent show!

Who will benefit from this? As Cisco and Travellers enter the elite club?

Is the relevance of more Technology an indication of how much technology is and will play in the post Industrialised world?

Or just a show of maturity for Technology and its common equity- where the power shift has to start moving up the pyramid?

Eitherway we are entering the new millenium - a decade later , with a new hope and order for not just America but the whole Global Capital MArket!

G.M. America! Good Morning America!

Financial Whatever - What started as a minor aberration a couple of years back is in the middle of a turnover spearheaded by the White house and Washington!

Global in nature is an understatement and is clearly reflected in how GM is playing out!

A part of GM will be owned by Germany & Russia!

Another part to be owned by America & Canada!

We dont know who else will be there as only four labels will be retained by the new Government sponsored GM!

Cadillac , Chevy , GMC and Buick!

Each one beautifully re-engineered in the last few years to retain and gain market share and minds of people globally!

Is this a new era in America or a change in the way the global economy will operate?

Made in China! Or is it?

As Geithner prepares his Single most important meeting of his professional life - the long end is drifting higher and the Dollar reaching the low band- having a higher Gold and oil does bring back the same question - Is this another attempt at breaking the dollar? or just another failed attempt?

Can Geithner play by the book in China & not have a silver spoon? Can he show diplomacy and creativity in negotiating like Paulson & Bush-es did during the Olympics stayover which changed the game for Dollar?

As the noise level increases on the debt level and the burden it has on American Economy - it is important to put things in perspective.

Yes - it is diffiult to service the debt if the economic environment stays the same with trade imbalance staying in its present form!

Yes - it is difficult to see the future if China's GDP reaches American GDP in 2027 as per Goldman Sachs!

Yes - it is impossible to not think of Hyperinflation if Dollar collapses!

Trade imbalance and trade deficit will change to the favaroble side when Technology, Manufacturing and Energy change the we conduct business- in every form that we know now. Yes it is not a 3 month switch - looking at the disruption that is taking place in Energy & Technology we will change almost 2/3 of manufacturing and US will gain advantage- see report on Energy/Utility under America 2.0

If China's GDP triples in the next 18 plus years US GDP will atleast double in size keeping a fair amount of advantage on its side

Dollar can not collapse in its current form of Keynesian Economy where the Global Economy is still managed by a handful of individuals with inequal central banks and politicians playing hteir cards blindly!

Ease up Mr Geithner - there is no pressure on your shoulders, Yet!

Barrons and WSJ under the Fox Umbrella!

The recent rumor about Fox planning to go Micro charging the WSJ articles in the not too far future seems far fetched and unrealistice - or is Fox planning a new course of action for the often influential readers of WSJ and Barrons.

Or is itplanning to offer the much more valuable data feeds and research material - which is often affordable only by large investors and institutions and kept out of reach for the retail investors?

Looking at the past several decades there has never been a boom or bust which has not been closely followed by politicians and policy makers without refering to the editorials from WSJ and Barrons- till now! Under Fox!

Surprisingingly this time around - when the global economy is being tossed around from depression to hyperinflation - from Ms Whitney to Dr Doom- nothing from the wwisdom of Barrons or WSj is being reflected either in the Corridors of Washington or in the holes of Wall street!

THe Covers and Headlines from Barrons and WSJ post Fox acquisition has been more partisan and polarised - sometimes and not so forceful opinions or influential on the sentiments!

Charging for opinions and editorials in an age of internet relevance where even the facts fade faster than the time to dry the ink - makes it harder to digest - let alone read!

May be , Just May be - with the society fast becoming a literate world with millions publishing almost about everything , every minute - might eventually look for specialised material making Barrons relevant once again!

Gloom Boom and Doom : Marc Faber from Deflation to Hyper Inflation~

Not too long ago Mr Faber was promoting Depression and Deflation!

With the global market on a 3 month tear - it didnt take too long for the end of America to be promoted by the able prognosticator ONCE AGAIN - only this time around the mantra is not Depression and Deflation but Hyper-Inflation!

At one end of the spectrum Mr Faber talks about a reason for the current rally as technical and inevitable, after 90 days of such event and on the other end for an inevitable correction or a fall off the cliff around the corner - not knowing which and when! Mr Faber not sure on which course the market will take? Now that coming from a self claimed Gloom & Doom Professor - is certainly very humble!

Calling foul on what was done to stop the steep fall is no excuse!

Crying home and showing bitterness has never been new to Mr Faber and his cronies - icluding Motorcycle Romeo Mr Rogers!

As Prof. Peek A Monie of Harwood once said - Listening to anger is prudent if the force to tame is not in your candy shop!

May Be , Just May be - this time around it is still tradeable in a candy store!

GM - who is the loser?

Watching GM story play out the last few weeks and listening to various participants of the GM eco-system one wonders who is the real loser in an Industrial behemoth that has paved the way for most of modern America and World Industrialization through various reach/influences into different industries - Automobiles to satellite communications; from Transportation to Technology; From Aviation to Financial Services to Consumer Electronics!

UAW and the Employees/Retires

Component Manaufacturers/spin-offs

Healthcare

Management

Car Dealers

Shareholders

Bond Holders

Everyone has made quite a bit from GM during the past several decades! Including the consumers!

Now on the verge of Bankruptcy - everyone crying foul and calling the Bond Holders - the dark force - looks like except the BondHolders everyone else want the survival of GM - as they still gain a lot post restrucutring -Except the bond Holders - who legally have the right to break GM and claim...!

As we enter a new ara in Corporate Law when not just policies that are changing colors but so are every beleifs that we have come to accept during the last several decades,one wonders what next? Redefining Anti-competitive behaviour? Free market trade barriers? co-opetition between capital markets and washington?

May Be , Just May Be as we navigate in playing the information game - using media as a vehicle to manage expectation and promote policy agenda - we might stumble across to pave the way for a new force in global co-operation resulting in an eco-friendly global economy!

From Leno to Conan!

As the change of guard takes place at NBC's covetted Late night slot - From Leno to Conan- are we in for a sea of change like what happened from the Bush league to Mr O.

As the aging baby boomers start to hit the bed at an early timeslot - is GE getting smart by retaining the clickers and keeping them up a wee bit late and leave the usual punkish wide awake zone to a younger generation Conan?

GE under Jeff Immelt has also come a long way from the previous Legacy - Management and Corporate Icon, who is still sported by all news channel- Jack Welch. Jeff Immelt has carefully drifted away from JW's Services driven bet to the current growth strategy betting on Media , Renewable Energy & Modern Healthcare!

Given the strength of GE's global reach and management depth - the current strategy might put GE ready for a strong growth driven path for the next century.

From WMD to WMI?

Weapons of Mass Intrusion?

Name what you want - the current Administration's intrusion into the post Financial Whatever paves well for the future of Technology!

Changing Management and corporate philosophy might be debated beyond the political corridors of Washington and might well build new curriculum of corporate interventions and management philosophy in B-schools. One thing that is clear is the politics in Washinton and elsewhere is definitely taking new shapes and they are showing rainbow colors from Milan to Moscow and well past the London-Los Angeles Bridge.

Listening to the impact that Technology will play in either building the economies of the world or destroying the same - coming from Mr O and the new emerging politicians -

May be, Just May Be Technology will become the foundation to building the strength of modern American Economy!

Verdict from Bond King!

With more and more positive response for the auction - 2 , 5 and now 7 Y with a healthy 2.2 BTC.

All banks able to raise money without government intervention.

Now these news are slowly hiding behind the headlines.

PIMCO earlier today on CNBC was optimistic about the fixed income market and continuing to support the treasuries not too far from current levels..Now that is an endorsement that will definitely give a small setback to those who are still hoping for a dollar collapse and enter a hyper inflation state.

Green Shoot: An eco friendly recovery!

CNBC , MSNBC & Jeff Immelt: Appears they are determined to use a not so sensitive terminology to show their enthusiasm about the market bottoming process!

GREEN SHOOT! mmmm....with a Government going Green and standing firm to muscle its way into a recovery, Green Shoot looks like a eco friendly terminology without adding too much into credibility!

Started by CNBC and picked up by all GE family networks from NBC to MSNBC and the latest endorsement by Jeff Immelt on Green Shoot!

Atleast to their credit Ms O friendly Mr O indirectly endorsed Green Shoot when he talked about worst being over! Growing in a conservative town Shoot was the term that was used to alternate the other 4 letter word- so may be Green Shoot , could it be...Naah! An eco-friendly 4 letter...no!

Lets see if this trend really propogates and resonates into the real economy!

G8 : Cartel to Print Money - OPEC

OPEC Al Naomi calling G8 Cartel!

Coming to think of it - it sure does make sense looking at the heel of the recent developments.

Printing Money at will?

Policy changes at the flip of a coin?

Changing sides on mood!

Something to think about...?

Thawing the Financial Iceberg!

JP Morgan raises capital without Governement backing!

Bank of America takes a boat load of money from the market!

US 5 Year auction is a healthy 2.3 BTC

May be the Financial Iceberg is not moving but Thawing?

Retail and Consumer Confidence!

First serious long week-end of the year! Memorial Day and heading closer to the summer holidays!

Looking at the mall parking lots and decreased sale signs in the retail shops - it certainly validates this morning's optimistic consumer sentiments.

Case-Shiller and other RE numbers might still not suport the fast moving houses in certain markets. The number of sales happening in WestCoast is certainly more than that has been reported in the past 12 odd months. Some even enjoying multi-bids and over bids!

May be , Just May Be - we are looking at post bottom syndrome!

TUBE GOING DIGITAL!

I WANT MY TV!

As we begin slowly migrating toward a connected lifestyle the living room tube is fading to the background as more and more time is spent on connected devices.

As I see myself getting connected to the wireless world - I am finding myself being tethered to the internet which makes me slowly start liking my TV days better!

Growing up as a kid we used to look for those family time in front of Must see TV or a Monday Night Football or even those investigative reports. Any significant news bit used to be waiting hot and sassy just around dinner time.

Rationing Tube time as a kid started becoming a self control issue getting in to University as more and more channels and forms of programs from reality TV to in your face competition!, From Oprah to Letterman and other scintillating distractions kept teasing the intellectual mind-yet one could always have their personal life and yet not miss too much or feel left out on these program.

30 mins became 1-2 hours of couch time but seldom became addictive or induced change in personalities or interpersonal skills! Now internet and their various means of getting hooked into it! Innovation has changed our life style more than we are willing to accept. Reaching out to people has improved in several dimensions - from social bars to avatars and second and third cyber lifes. From instant gratifications to instant messaging. From libraries to cyber universities. from daily news to streaming and screaming twitters! Daily mailman to real-time mail! From unlisted white pages to Facebooks and bloggings..and it is only the beginning!

As I step out of my house the influence is felt from gas station net screens to my own personal Flat screens in toilet booths!

Everywhere what I didn't need or when I didn't want to know!

But the convenience was evident from taking side streets and missing that traffic jam I caught pumping up gas or catching that early owl sale with that tip from my cyber friend! Suddenly I am seeing myself squarely in the cross wires of a digital shift which has taken my private time with the tube - which has not only shrunk in shape and size but also in time from my daily routines!

I still can miss my tube time yet not my blog time or avatar routines!

I am beginning to understand the search patterns on Google more than my evening news which is fast fading in the clouds of modern age cyber news!

Now that I have connected myself to anything and everything and can get more than I ever wanted in every digital form - from news to entertainment; from education to personal life - I miss seeing that Thursday night sitcom with my family.. As everyone is either in cyber cafes or watching a few channels on their laptops..while I am sitting in front of my thin Tubeless TV screaming at one end and a soft Dire Straits screaming for His Own M-TV on my net Radio while I surf Hulu for that episode I missed last night while cyber chatting.

Still when my TV went partially static this morning - the whole family panicked!

Yes - partial!

Calling the cable company I realized that as the net world goes wireless the Tube world is going Digital!

And in that transition I lost our favorite tube channels the 40s and 50s which had all those cartoon and teen age channels and the News Channels from Bloomberg to MSNBC! We still had 60 plus channels and all the Network channels from ABC to Fox!

Yet we panicked!

We still had all the programs from live to long dead on every net top to lap top and bellytops!

Yes we panicked!

Yes its a house with partial TV!

Yes its a house with multiple wireless TVs on Windows!

But its my TV that is partially dysfunctional as my cable goes digital.

Now I understand when Dire Straits screamed for his own TV he was talking about what's to come!

Now I am screaming -I want my TV!

Yes! I want my Real TV on my TV!

Strong Dollar to continue?

North Korea, Nigeria and OPEC :What do they have in common?

A good Future for Dollar!

Who decides the price of currency? A handful of powerful Investors/Institiutions! Given that background and the following

Seven reasons:

- Uncertainty
- Wild swings
- Outside USA every other country's Future relies on other people’s hand
- other markets & currencies are too small to accomodate the need
- Every sizeable economy is Export driven
- Unlike USA other countries Policy changes are slow
- Outside UK & USA Economic expertise is inadequate

Indications:

100 B supply and still holding ok
25B Pfizer offer 2,4 & 7 Y in Euro and 29Y in Pound? (betting that their currencies will weaken going forward)
Gold flattening
37% cut in Iron Ore price by RIO
The negative campaign against US dollar is weak and fragmented at best!

What's Brewing in the Currency Market?

If what we are in is really a Financial Tsunami- then the people who have experienced Tsunami will say that the Ocean recedes bringing eery calmness before unleashing its full power!

Looking at the Sudden resurgence of the people who would like the Financial Whatever to be a Financial Tsunami are doing - Attacking with co-oordinated effort in the currency market - mainly US Dollar and British Pound , for a determined reason or cause , one would think this is being scripted for a Financial Tsunami.

A flaw in the current scheme of things -

- For the Dollar to collapse there has to be a replacement; Is Euro capable of satisfying demand? The very people who want the Dollar collapsed dont have a fall back commodity or currency which has the strength to withstand even a slight disruption in the financial market.

What is in their favor:

- Another $5T debt supply coming to the market- Government and corporate debt. The smarter ones have already taken a lot from the market at a very low rate.

It is not always what it should be or who deserves that win the war - However if the initial effort by these vigilantes gain momentum and there is another wave of uncertainity in the political climate we might have a rough patch towards the end of the year!

PCs , Laptops and Bellytops!

Is there a reason for me to have this Laptop wondered my mind as I started shifting it around my belly as I was stretched in my couch with my boots on couple of ottomon sitting on both sides of the TV.

Still waiting on my laptop - which has become more of a Belly top after I stopped playing racquetball a couple of years back- to throw the browser at me. Still thrashing that memory and hard disk with that usual update from Uncle Bill , Yeah Yeah - the other Big Brother from Washington no not DC but the state! As the auto update is complete from Microsoft it prompts as usual for a system restart!

Now I am really wondering why I am I still using a Bellytop for accessing data and programs from the cloud!

As I hit the restart button and start waiting for it to come back AGAIN - I start to think of the things I did on my computer that last few days:

- Check my company email using a secured connection to my Blackberry supported back office application

- did my usual Amazon purchase: no not books! this time some electronics that was cheap!

- checked the weather as the summer came a bit too early in California!

- obviously had to do my suddenly frequent blogging

- opened my twitter account

- set up a GOOG Docs to start using some collaborative stuff with some start up initiative for a friend

- have been using Internet for CNBC TV and Bloomberg TV as my cable company Comcast decided to go digital ahead of the National cut off - making me unprepared and without cable news!

- Use the Word program to cut and paste some articles from the Web for later read

- and more and more from the net; from mail to skype to IM some photo upload and music download to my iTouch!

Now another prompt from my recently updated Windows - asking for changing some default options - stopped my train of thought!

Now I am really wondering - a few years back I was using my Laptop - when It was really a lap top for things that were loaded on my laptop - mostly Word, spreadsheet and presentation stuff! More than 90% of the work used to be on programs that recided on PC. Now I am begining to realise that less than 10% of the time that I spend is actually on programs resident on my laptop and most of that is to update my Windows! I am thinking my be I dont need to update my laptop as often as I am led to beleive!

Now its time for me to shift my Bellytop as the heat from the constant crunching in the background for the update has begun burning my skin. This Bellytop of my mine is more than a super computer of the 80s! Still I use it mainly as a gateway for external world - be it buying, selling ,communicating or accessing data , information or application! Yet I need a Supercomputing Bellytop which puts hole on my tummy!

May be, Just May be - I will stop updating my Windows so often - till they really make the real BellyTop which can access the external world for communication and data processing - with a simple screen and data interative model - either voice or even a modified keyboard to suit my new need and thirst of cloud computing world.

India - Is it vote for Capitalism or Democracy?

The largest Democracy in the world voted in mass to bring back the Capitalistic Congress Party to power amidst the worst economic down turn in the world since the Depression.

With a diversity unrivalled and poverty rampant the intervention of the government is a must for this emerging and surging economy to claim its spot in the fast moving global economy.

With a delicate balance between urban world and the rural emphasis Mr Singh has done a great job in retaining his credibility. With the Gandhi Dynasty - not the original , in the verge of reclaiming New Delhi - with a full life ahead for the Younger politically charged Gandhis - Mr Rahul and Ms Priyanka - the future looks very interesting for India - as Mr Singh invites young Mr Rahul to the Cabinet!

With Communism and sectorial BJP losing ground - in what should have been their election given the economic uncertainilty - Capitalism seems to be entering a new phase. When the Western world is debating the merits of capitalism - the largest democracy has given its verdict: A Big thumbs up to the Capitalistic society!

India with the largest consumer market in sheer size - has the potential to dwarf -closely controlled Chinese market! With an open door policy that has built the recent growth - this nenewed strength in capitalistic congress can only move India farther away from its past and potentially decouple its economy from the rest of the world. This could potentially bring the much needed Manufacturing base to India which will expand the burgeoning middle class further and hopefully remove poverty from a much larger rural community which has suffered during BPO/Tech driven recent boom.With an imminent retail revolution the future bodes well for India.

May Be , Just May Be this time around the government policies will address a broader audience and focus more on bringing the much needed manufacturing base to be part of the Industrialised world.

AUTO 2.0

Turning a leaf as we prepare for a new generation of politicians!

Chrysler in Bankruptcy, Again and General Motors on the verge of imitating Chrysler!

Debt holders , UAW and the Dealers - clearly undergoing a massive shock as they see how the Change Machine operates.

All in the name of rebuilding American Automobile Industry! Yes it is needed to change the way Auto companies have been running the operations.

Losing market share and running a loss making enterprise is not new to modern capitalism. For every loser there is an opportunity and a potential winner willing and able to capitalize. Ford clearly has seen the messy involvement of the Change induced politicians taking contol of DC and decided to build their own dream and seems to be working.

Breaking down the Walls and building a ground up Management philosophy is clearly an advantage for GM and Chrysler - and eventually the American Consumer -as innovation and cost reduction translates into lower ownership cost.

The first structural impact is the inevitable shake up in the dealership concept and how the sales will be booked. Yes - it will change the way we see sales figures. The sales is based on what is shipped to the Dealer and not on actual sale to the end user.By trimming 40% of the dealership - in addition to lowering the reach of customers and reduced inventory - the shipment numbers cannot be easily manipulated! May be this will be an opportunity to book sales on actual sale and not on stuffing the channel!

This is only a side show if we do not capitalize on how the remaining dealership adapt to the changing user behaviour. Looking back at the first hundred years of American Auto History - several changes have happened in:

- hand me down cars

- fixit in my garage

- tune it with my buddies

- change when you like the next fashion show outlook

- use the dealer only for buying cars and nothing more

- rental cars to try out new cars while on the road

All these have been fast fading memories as the new generation have started

- my own low cost car

- less and less hand me downs as

- cars are not replaced automatically but driven till it dies

- garages are not fixit place anymore

- outside services used more for fixing

- more and more people look at dealer as a long term relationship for servicing

- rental cars are cheap alternative with no manufacturer loyalty

Given this changing culture and how we see the cars in the new millenium - by reducing dealership network might give an opportunity to help the remaining dealers to become a service center for the cars they sell. This is not new for Foreign car manufacturers where they have capitalised this changing user patterns to their advantage. This change if implemented along with the other changes that GM and Chrysler management and stake holders are contemplating - we are in for a healthy economic recovery with Automobile Industry bringing back innovation to Detroit!. May be , Just May Be this is a change that will bring back Manufacturing leadership to America!

-

Scape Goat for a Countrywide Ponzy scheme?

We are entering a very dangerous period when the financial market appears to be reconciling about the past excesses and starts to think about a new life- Now this!

Angelo Mozilo's accussation may not be the issue! Mr Mozilo's organization might have been a part of the financial problem - but only a very very small part!

The fall out and the accussation on an individual might sound soothing - but will expose how the better part of Wall street who created, manipulated and indulged in the excesses (see Fool's Gold by Gillian Tett) and managed to get away with it.

If the accusation on Mr Mozilo is an indication - there is a good chance the high road might get drifted along the countryside and will never take the freeway to Wallstreet!

May be, Just May Be - this time it is NO Different! Especially when it comes to blaming the loner and keeping the loot!

Capitalism - Alive and Well!

The effect of Secondary Offerings!

Banks raising close to a couple of hundred billions

Oil & Gas companies raising money

Ford Raising money

Even cash rich Technology raising money!

All in the secondary market which needed thawing a few weeks back!

When even the Queen had difficulty raising less than a couple of Billion!

What to interpret:

The money that is reentering the market is obviously not Retail! As this debt or selected and exclusive share offering is not for the retail.

If this is the smart money – if the current “economic whatever” happened due to money strike – then the strike might be in the early stages of reconciliation!

If the Governments and various national & international agencies helped in trying to stabilize the market the last couple of years – the last few weeks they have not only succeeded in propping up the market – but seems to have enticed to bring the Smart Money back to the dance floor even at an elevated level – by not only increasing their poisonous risk appetite but this time they might engage them in a continuous propping and support given their gyrations in the floor and a possible groping for the bottom!

This secondary offering – happening at such a rapid clip might even help in thwarting any deflationary pressures that was being planned in the back ground of the now steadily fading depression era theatrics!

Yes we are still well within the what they would call a bear market rally and there are indications of similarity to previous ones – but “this time around it is different syndrome” also includes several of the “unusual” elements which might support the “this time around” argument! (the recent term the bears are calling : Cyclical Bull in a secular bear market!!)

Flooding the market with unprecedented amount of new debt/equity after a run up still is supporting the macro economic indicators that will support a steady recovery even if the growth is a few quarter out!

> Spread is still narrowing in the risky end of the spectrum

> Libor headed South of a Whole number and still no indication of change in direction

> Ben slowly changing his weapons of vocabulary by identifying the next phase of eco friendly measures by way of reduced use of trees as they scale down the printing measures!

> Secondary offerings are getting a reasonable bid to cover ratio

> Secondary offerings at this highly propped up values are bought by the people who would actually sell in similar situations

> Obama & Washington slowly getting back to what they are good at – playing politics!

> Stability in the currency market

May be this is not a time to lose guard but certainly not the end of time!

Capitalism is here for at least One more round!

Waaas Up? Mr Obama!

Mr President while taking on the Press did send a strong message contending to Jay Leno's new Prime time Job!

Creatively Funny! Who ever wrote this deserve an Oscar! delivery was a classic Letterman!

From embarrassing Steele to some serious jabs at Bush and Cheney - sure came pretty low and didnt miss that opportunity to play down and dirty Chicago politics.

If this is just the type of politics we are going to see - there is no reason for late night routines!

And May Be, Just May Be - they might leave the economy to recover on its own and we might after all return to Free market capitalism!!

Raising Capital! Pump-it UP!

TARP or No TARP!

Bail out or No Bail out!

Stress Test or No Stress Test!

Ben and Tim show with leaks all week about Stress Test! This -so carefully crafted so that the individual stock prices are kept at elevated levels!

$200 Billion plus pumped in through TARP programs and another $200B plus guaranteed by the Tax Payers to show an artifically inflated profits on Banks - while the stock prices kept getting pumped up!

From the lows all these stocks have jumped several hundred percent!

Now on the eve of Stress Test results we have started hearing Banks raising capital through Common shares!! It took less that 60 Days for various agencies and governments to pump these shares in the name of Financial stability!

Yes it is needed!

Encouraging and allowing these Banks to go to the open market to raise capital at this artifically pumped up rates - after being heaviliy dilited by way of Bail out funds??

Is this any different than Pump n Dump during the Dot com era ?

Yes it is need for the economic stability!

Government has already printed money and doled them to these institutes using various terminologies from Stimulus to bailout , from under writing to creative quant easing- just falling short of calling it what it is! Now this?

Right or Wrong - I think this will fix the systemic failure posed by the financial instability and move us back to the classical economic problems! For which we have enough tools to address!

TARP and Private Capital? Stresses over Bank Stress Test!

Over $200 Billion pumped into the top 20 Banks by the Government. Another maybe $200 plus billion raised by Banks in teh market by government guarantees in the name of TLGP! WHAAAT the heck is TLGP - thats what she said!

Now after the stress Test the banks need another maybe couple of hundres billion dollars!

All this while the Fed & Treasury are managing carefully how they handle the Government funding of the long end! Yes today's 30 Yr had a little headwind with the Bond Vigilantes- may be only 10-15 basis points - but enough to create a noise - even though the Bid to cove is still a healthy 2.14!

This at the time when UK had difficulty with a couple of billion dollars and rest of the world having a much difficult time raising anything!

Is it the beginning of a change of guard with the fear of inflation seeds being plowed by printing endless amounts of money in the name of financial stability with the help of quantitative easing or just an opportunity for the bond vigilantes to bark at any abberation?

With the banks and the governments taking money on one side and pumping from the other - they are really bringing the survival to the best minds capable of acting the play in a fictional economic stage!

Short Selling! Up-tick Rule!!

Who benefits from an up-tick rule?

Watching a brief clip on the SEC hearing on Short selling debate is amazing! General Electric's spokesperson builds an argument on why it should be brought back and Credit Suisse's argument goes on to explain why un-restricted short selling is imperative to bring a balance between buyer and seller in the market!

Mary Schapiro's task at SEC is figuring out how this can been played politically into the hands of a pending global economic recovery!

Stocks as an asset class is getting smaller and smaller in the overall scheme of financial world - even though it is by bar the most influential when it comes to investor sentiment & retail investors. Bonds, Currencies and Treasuries in various forms dwarfs the significance of stock pricing.

Now - short selling a piece of the pie of an insignificant yet influential component - if it can work in a bull market them then there is no reason it cannot work in a bear market- if the assumptions we are making is most of the investment strategy has its time and place! And excess in any one direction has its own penalty.

I am sure we will look at this during a bull market and wonder if there is a rationality for this- like the last time when the authority acted on it!

Shorting like every other strategy on any asset class has its own inherent risks if applied in excess and there is no reason to look at it any differently than any thing else.

Blog Surfing & Digital Hunting!

News Print & the Future of News Making!

Listening to a friend of mine the other day who is in the Media enablement business about how the print media and news paper business is suffering made me wonder what can be done differently to revive interest.

As I heard that several news papers around the country are in trouble and the circulation is so bad that they might just shut the operation down makes me want to do something to about it.

It hurts a bit to know that news papers which had been a part of my life for so many decades is finally feeling its age too!

As a crawling kid I was given old papers to scribble and tear – I was told! As I started walking and running - enjoyed the routine of picking up the morning paper for my parents! As age started bringing more refined requirements and needs I had the flexibility to diversify and specialize in reading from professional requirements to local weather patterns. In the last several years a daily refresh of news creation was not just enough for my addiction of reading about what is happening. From local events to international festivities - internet and free internet media enabled me to browse at leisure what ever and when ever about anything.

I sure spend more time reading about everything that I stumble into as there is no structure to what I carry to my breakfast table or my commute train! Driving through and walking around I see the invasion of privacy in the form of digital media and TV in gas station and in Toilets where flat screen panels provide local news from weather patterns to traffic congestions.

Just when I was about to feel a pattern which is trying to retire the traditional news media I was intrigued by something during a Google search which led me into a Blog! A couple of hours later I found myself blog surfing from country to country and about some very fascinating subjects – wood works to city lights and shapes of hand made candles and photos of different shapes of public transportation and on and on …and I couldn’t help but notice that I was being sucked into the blogger’s world with absolutely no need to research or read! Every one of them were very exquisitely articulated and tastefully published- making me feel inadequate! It suddenly occurred to me that we have transformed ourselves into a digital society where we are not bound by what can be packaged and delivered – but have become hunters again!

I started seeing where the news media needs to go if they need to cater to the morphing society!

Digital Hunting and Blog Surfing seems to carve a new form of civilization where new innovation and cultural modifications will become an every day occurrence!

In the Middle of Pandemic & Economic Whatever!

After close to 18 months of continuous coverage of Economic events during the first 10 minutes in every news segment by every channel 7x24 it was interesting to see what is getting mind share of the press!

What’s hitting the headlines in the first 5 minutes of Morning News:

CNBC:

Warren Buffet: Its no longer Economic Pearl Harbor

Paul Volker: We have hit bottom & we no longer need additional stimulus package

ABC: YouTube helps deliver Baby!

CBS Local: Jerry Brown’s( California AG,ex GOV, possible future GOV) Wheel stolen; He has posted on his Facebook about his new replacement and he is mobile now!

AP: Animals and Birds also shake their booties for Music!

MSNBC: First Dog Duties

CNN: Recommends Elbow bump instead of handshake to avoid spreading of Honey Flu, during their Pandemic headline coverage

Fox News: Most Valuable Mom: Pro football player’s mom launching a Kitchen TV program

KRON 4: Why the Swine Flu vaccine was stopped from circulation

Funding CDC for an Epidemic?

WHO just raised the alert level to a close to dangerous 5!

Not to trivialize the importance of the current crisis – but couldn’t help but just see how we are handling the current crisis using technology & may be – JUST MAY BE , Google might help in raising money for CDC & healthcare!

Listening to the Live feed from CDC on CNN the Acting CDC Director mentioned among other important things – How they are communicating and keeping up with events happening so rapidly! Some data

4000 Phone calls

2000 emails

6-7 million hits on their website

Started Web-casting

Started Twitting!!

Just upgraded the CDC servers.

Now this is a number any website would drool to get- May be JUST MAY BE CDC should start advertising using the GOOGLE engine with that kind of numbers- and May be JUST MAY BE – CDC might be able to fund most of its requirements very quickly!!

Chrysler: Systemic Risk or Too much of "A Biggest Little Car" Company to Fail?

Warm and cozy in a negotiation table with the outcome pre-determined by the mediating team!

Intervention or Tipping Point?

Chrysler: Surgical Bankruptcy with a imminent protection and backing of Chrysler by the White House and the Administration.

All in the name of National Interest?

Yes, it is a Legacy!

Yes, its that little company that CAN!

Yes, Its that Phoenix that came out of Detroit!

Yes, its that company that once was adopted by Mercedes!

A National Interest?

With the Administration being very vocal about what outcome they are interested in - A Big haircut for the Bond Holders- clearly didn't take the impartial middleman role!

This at a time when the Government participation is heavily criticized and questioned regarding its heavy handedness in how it is handling the Economic Welfare of the country - by way of setting Management standards - from salary structure to policy polarization, is entering a very nebulous area.

Rationality for Chrysler debacle-

Is it National pride or interest?

Is it another Too Big to Fail Syndrome?

Or is it just a little political game being carefully orchestrated which hides the pentup Anger of a few?

What ever it is - we are now in the verge of extending the political participation beyond Government lending a hand!

Attention Business School OWNERS: Time to CHANGE your curriculum!

Please , Please Mr Balmer!

Balmer's PINK needs to be better than the PINK clad supermodels from Victoria's Secret if they have to steal the innovation that is emerging around the cell phone life style created by Jobs and Apple fast followed by Google and Palm.

It is not just a better phone that is selling – it is creating an eco-system around the emerging wireless generation that is redefining the way we communicate, socialize & entertain as an individual/business entity that is winning.

This new way of thinking forms the basis for creating new products from development cycle – packaging – pricing & distribution to support & services – from consumers to corporate corridors – and is getting the attention. Fast fading are the days when applications were spun around device capabilities – we are entering a new era where usability and human interface with emerging social lifestyle will define how the devices will be built. Force feeding a word processor and spreadsheet in every device that is electronics model developed by the previous generation's vision of computer in a home will have a tough time adopting to the new wave of simplified single purpose applications developed by an innovative platform – which is Internet! Please, Please Mr Balmer – Surprise the world for a change!

Economic Calmness!

Another corporate earnings season comes and goes!

Only this time around the fall is cushioned with another expectation mishap - Favorably?

Media headlines are backing up with the usual entertainment driven attention grabbers as they start moving away from interviews of every day economists & financial advisors! Late night comedians are finding political materials easily to divert the economic monotony of the past couple of years.

As China finds its way into loading up with Gold - the bullion market is still less appetizing as an inflation diet!

With Euro and Pound finding a more manageable intermediate balancing act - Dollar looks like it has managed to hold most of its recent reversals. Quantitative Easing - from Developed economies to emerging ones - having less and less meaning for the theorists.

May be the governing agencies of the post Industrial world has found a temporary antidote to appease the force behind the financial revolt that was eroding the confidence of the haves?

A few more weeks of reduced political gaffes between policy makers and public agencies around the world to neutralize the modern economic vigilantes who were close becoming pirates of the technological & synthetic currencies to destabilize the prosperity induced harmony - may be this Economic calmness will be here for some time as it starts leaving room for more understandable economic cycles!

Queen Sends a Messenger

Reproduced from 4th March 2009 Posting during British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's visit to America.

Queen sends a messenger!

Not since the Imminent End of the End of the British Empire did the Queen send someone to this side of the Atlantic.

Mr. Brown in his address to the US Senate-Congress offered a generous bag of goodies from the Queen-

- A Gratitude for the American Soldiers sacrificed in the European continent-really emotional when narrating the Normandy!

- An acknowledgement for the magnanimity of the American leaders in supporting England and the Good in fighting Evil powers! (Oops must be Germany!)

- An offer to renew the multi-decade marriage between England & America to protect the endangered world from the evil forces, once again!

And aah- the sack was still full of goodies – including a Knightwood to the Great American!
A pence too weak and a pound too rich for the recently Knighted American congressman – Sir Edward Kennedy, as his brethren once said Why did the Kennedys come to America- only the Queen knows and Yes indeed she did drive them out of the continent to reach for the new found land! And talking of economy and the missteps of the world in embracing CDOs and the other esoteric financial weapons- which has the World in this mess, he memory failed to serve him a bit on the details – how for close to a decade Mr Brown himself had the privilege of serving Her Majesty in writing the checkbook for Her Kingdom and overseeing the creation of the very instruments from the shores of Thames!

While comparing Mr O to the Roosevelts, Reagans and the Obamas of the world who made this world a safe and secure place- he did want Mr Obama to Join the Queen to once again fight the Bad!

Its either the Queen was offended from Hillary skipping a continent or the smell from Thames is turning red- that has made this travel a priority for the Queen!Or is it just the Cat fight that is brewing with Ms Merkel and Ms Clinton trying to steal the Throne away from the Queen, either way as any smart person would quip “Indeed we are in an Un-chartered Territory, and Her Majesty Knows it NOW!! Please call Mr.Bond – as Her Majesty needs his service”

Since Mr Q has retired may be Mr Bond could use the services of Mr O thought Her Majesty in sending Mr Brown!

Facebook Conundrum!

Watching news on CNN saw the clip on Obama 100 Days analysis. In that Cafferty file segment requested viewers to post their assessment on CNN website for an incentive of being read on live TV.. My heart started racing. I have been working on the changes that will bring America on top AGAIN.. And I have started collecting anecdotal evidences along with some policy shifts to support that. I have been calling it America 2.0...now suddenly I am seeing an opportunity to push America 2.0 on air..yet I am not ready. Being Opinionated yet opportunistic now I am thinking if I am cute I might be able to get my views aired on air and might get played over and over and over and... ! I go to work. Go get a couple of Blogs going under America 2.0.. Ten minutes later I have my assessment on the subject, decide on what might get the attention and post a crisp four liner - long enough to convey something yet short enough to get the attention! Click! Now its Tick .. Tick .. Tick and Click time to see if it gets the attention. No it is waiting for moderator intervention. Tick..tick.. tick (waiting time) and click ( refresh button time). Nope its still waiting on moderator. Commercial on CNN ... I am nervous to change channel as I don't want to miss that moment when they read my email on TV! And America 2.0 going national!! Decide to see through the commercial... While I tick.. tick..tick..and click again! Now there are 142 responses but mine is still on Tick.. Tick..tick and Click mode..ten minutes later CNN decides to read some mails...anxiously watching. No! No fame this time! A bit disappointment! Go back to website to see..still on Tick.. Tick..Tick and Click mode! Now its up to 300 responses! Well I decide to move on after having wasted about 30 odd minutes!

This morning as I was flipping through channels, again I stop at CNN - only this time the news was interesting.. Its about getting hooked on to and addicted to Facebook. A Medical expert was there addressing how people are addicted to Facebook some extreme cases spending 15 odd hours a day on Facebook and the expert was recommending on how people can address this addiction to Facebook! Now I am really thinking....may be I will go and post this on my Blog!

And thank God for innovation..between interruptions I could actually post it straight from my Blackberry without any computer or waiting through commercial breaks! As I get ready to Click my Blackberry something odd crossed my mind on what I was about to do...I guess the conundrum extends beyond Facebook without labeling and I am stuck in it too!!!

AMERICA 2.0! Healthcare

MODERNIZING HEALTHCARE – Mr. President’s Prescription?

Is social healthcare all about providing insurance for 50 plus million American people with no coverage? Is this a mechanism to marginalize the compensation for this high stress high skill precision services industry? Or a way to remove redundancy in a complex mostly underwritten yet very regulated insurance driven industry? Or is it about new means of Healthcare Delivery which brings responsibility to a very complex service driven yet thankless industry at the same time bringing capitalistic innovation for a new and cost effective healthcare to all human beings- bringing services to where it is needed and when it is needed without compromising quality, capability or compensation for the services. It certainly looks like one of those too good to believe strategy.
Healthcare Delivery need not be about reducing patient care or money to every provider in the health care system.

Looking at how the current day participants - patient, doctor, employer, hospitals, governments - state and central, medical device manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies and insurance providers could change to act responsibly without giving up on free market principles – sheds light on the efficiency a change could bring to this industry.In the current setup If a person is insured either through eligible employment or through dependency coverage or through other state or government programs - most likely the following scenario happens.From dental to vision to any doctor’s or hospital visit the concern is not about what the cure is or the cost of service is - it is more about what the out of pocket expenses are. From a providers perspective it is more about what the individual’s eligibility is and not about what the best available service is.

PHARMACEUTICALS:

Statins- 40B in revenue and growing and there is no reason for them to lower the cost for several years. Avastin - has the ability to extend the end of life by a few months in conjunction with other expensive cancer treatments for a total cost of 50K. Every person eventually gets into a lifestyle drug to address some form of age related degeneration or lifestyle induced ailment. As the cost of administering is paid by a third party - insurance which in turn is either provided by the employer or the government in most of the cases( 90% of total healthcare expenses for an individual is towards the last 6 months of life & most of the people at that stage is covered by government policies) - it is very easy to adjust to a cocktail of pills every day without adjusting or making an attempt for a change in lifestyle.
This relieves the individuals from the responsibility of putting pressure for a cure. This kind of lifestyle encourages the pharmaceuticals to create lipitors and avastins which does not attempt to cure the disease but provide life enhancing mechanisms by curing symptoms and incremental solutions. It is the equivalent of Software As A Service- Drugs As A Service?? Imagine having a Tylenol for fixing blood-pressure or diabetes or cholesterol – or on the other end imagine taking a daily pill for the rest of the life for a head ache?
The incentive should be to find medicines to cure ailments and not to address symptoms on an incremental basis- making lifestyle addiction, both physically and psychologically, to a basket of pills.

EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS

The next element is equipments and tools that are used in hospitals from MRI to EKGs. Every manufacturing industry from automobiles to semiconductors the common theme is increased capabilities and price compression- in medical GEs and siemens of the world have failed in its responsibility in using the same fundamentals like every other industry - if high tech principle is used today an million plus MRI equipment will be a portable device which will be given away for a couple of bucks.
By keeping costs high it limits the applicability of the device. If you take Intuitive Surgical’s Davinci robotics tool which is million plus - in addition to providing cost effective alternate procedures using minimally invasive operations - it actually increases the odds of survival by a huge factor. The cost makes it very difficult for all hospitals and clinics to afford it and also keeps the skills needed at artificially high levels. By expanding the reach of such equipments and devices we can increase the demand and also provide an inexpensive solution – which will reduce the overall hospital care cost.

HOSPITALS & CLINICS

Either by design or by carefully planned public policies – the states and cities are drawn out to have sparsely populated communities extending to the wide corners of the country- excluding a few major cities. This kind of development makes it economically impossible to have a total healthcare package available in every city and neighborhood. The latest in medical innovation is available to densely populated communities – making it either expensive or untimely to offer services in most of the smaller cities. By adopting a combination of connected clinics with sophisticated tele-medicine we can provide most of the latest development in every corner irrespective of the market size- this will enable the prices of newer innovations to come down dramatically and also have more and more companies entering the market as this will actually address the total population irrespective of the size of individual communities.
Looking at a Wal-Mart’s clinic where most of the day to day medical requirements are available by Telemedicine - it is not just the cost that is important –
- Where it is available
- What it takes to provide services
-increase the productivity of specialist and reach of the specialists to every corner without need for size of area or market
- by easy access to clinics with little cycle time most of the ailments can be detected at a very early stage thus reducing cost both from a productivity standpoint and also from a healthcare point of view.

CORPRATE ADVANTAGES

Moving cost away from the company's structure brings reality to actual pay scale for every position in the company. As the insurance premium is based on average age, size of organization and overall health habits of the employees and their families - the average cost becomes a base wage for every position irrespective of the competitive position of the company's product or service offering. This also gives undue advantage for large companies over smaller rivals as smaller companies end up either paying more or offering less choices to its employees. This movement of cost away from the company enables organizations to focus on products and services and attract talent and contain their costs competitively. From an employee’s perspective - they are able to pick and choose their jobs based on their interest and capability. This indirectly reduces discrimination on prospective candidates based on the individual’s health history. In the long run it pushes the responsibility on the individual which brings more awareness and responsibility to develop healthy habits and eventually bring down cost of patient care. This gives more flexibility for companies to provide different ways to educate and provide a healthy environment for the employees.

INDIVIDUAL & CORPORATE CONTRIBUTIONS

Once the organizations are relieved of the cost overhangs from the insurance subsidies – they have lot of leverage and flexibility to offer better and healthier environment to bring awareness about healthy lifestyles and better medical practices amongst its employees.

Recently Cisco dedicated a huge building for health and exercise with a resident doctor and a full service clinic. At the outset it looks like a PR ploy by the HR Dept. Digging deeper we can see how it can change lifestyle and cost behavior.By offering such a service it enables the employees to use it at the earliest symptoms of any ailments.

This reduces the healthcare costs in several ways-

1- reduces the number of sickness related absenteeism
2- reduces spreading to fellow employees
3- reduces the cure cost as it is found early
4- also reduces the insurance premiums


INSURANCE

Looking at insurance- every person carries insurance from the moment they are conceived. Most of the healthy persons do not start developing any ailments till in their 50s. With a job no issue as the company picks it up. Let us say no job- insurance is impossible to get as the person falls in the high risk category. Now what ever happened to the 50 plus years of low risk period during which the individual carried insurance? Even car insurance offers good driver credit and no accident reduction - doesn't it make sense that if an individual carried a good health for 50 plus years should get something in return?

TECHNOLOGY

As technology is evolving at a rapid clip – from wireless to collaborative innovations – it is very easy to find ways to offer very sophisticated healthcare system that will bring responsibility and accountability to every level of the healthcare supply chain – enabling lowered/affordable yet uncompromising services to everyone without commoditizing and marginalizing the service providers. On an average for every 10 minutes of patient time spent by a doctor 20 plus minutes is spent on non-patient time. BY bringing innovative processes and technology this ratio can be adjusted favorably helping both the patient cost and increasing the productivity of the doctors – without compromising the quality of service or the compensation structure.

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

Acting as a responsible regulator the government can ensure free market forces to provide a healthy yet capitalistic and creative services driven healthcare. By being a pioneer in implementing a broad base health system this will expand the American corporate global market share significantly as they will innovate and deliver more cost effective yet revolutionary products and services which will be sought after globally. This would bring back market leadership to most of the companies which have been losing market share to either low cost generics or to low cost manufacturing bases.

By bringing new innovation and bring responsibility to every participant of the healthcare system – it will also reduce the cost of insurance both for patient care and malpractice alike.

AMERICA 2.0! ENERGY

America 2.0! : Energy

Rebuilding Industrial supremacy:

Clean/Renewable energy: Can this really change the competitive position of America in building the 2.0 version of American Industries? Looking at the root of Industrialization we will see if energy is transformed from how we produce, how we use and how we distribute – and have the added capability to store & forward the generated energy – we will bring every manufactured product whether it is consumer or industrial – back to the drawing table – as all products will have to be re-engineered to adopt to the new energy model.

In the last phase of Industrialization – what took a country to be a manufacturing super power depended on capability to produce Industrial Power, Water & labo. Post WWII US and Europe helped Japan & China acquire that capability. In today’s economy America has lost those two competitive advantages & is dragging itself down by moving its base to low labor cost locations. By changing the way we produce & consume energy – this can be brought back to America as every other economy will be forced to license the technology from American companies which owns the technology & IP. This will give way for massive innovation in America and will bring every lost industry back to America 2.0

What changes need to happen, which appear very doable based on how the Obama train is bull dozing its change platform in rebuilding America.


- Generation: How we generate power. In modern Industrial word the most effective form of generation is Nuclear – which is very highly controlled and managed by the select few. Raw material is expensive & dangerous- and need very proprietary technology.

- Capability to generate in incremental quantities: Given the amount of time, money & resources needed to build a plant – it is difficult to quickly plan and have something up and running – if the technology is there to build a generation capability in incremental quantities – the implications are amazing as we would see less lead time to produce… and locations will be a non-issue.

- rebuild the power grid: with incremental power generation a modified grid could enable users to draw or give power based on daily need.

- Incentive to save and forward for money back: This provides motivation for people to conserve energy.

- motivation to localize generation: by localizing power the cost of distribution is reduced.

- Capability to store generated power: today use or lose power technology makes it very difficult to build low cost remote site generation of power using solar or wind. With innovative ways to store and forward for later consumption will bring raw material needed for generation insignificant & affordable.

- Capability to go wireless: wireless is not very far fetched as the other components of new energy foot print takes hold – this will reduce the dependence of complicated grids – from generation to provisioning.

Impact goes beyond lowering power cost

- From automobile to airplanes they need to be rebuilt

- From homes to commercial buildings they need to be retrofitted

- Transportation model will change

- levels any competitive advantages that were exported to low cost manufacturing locations and brings back both innovation and pricing back to American companies

- From consumer durables to consumer electronics everything will take a new shape, form and innovations

- Industrial and manufacturing will change dramatically as the generation, storage, distribution and consumption of power will totally change everything that is being done.

May be Exxon will buy GM and give the cars for free to convince people to use gasoline!

About Economy ....

This is reproduced from a response to the current economic climate I posted on 1st March 2009:

At the risk of being correct (yes- being correct!! Given the current setup this is a low probability case) let me start by hedging my answers with a convoluted but sincere effort in articulating my thoughts on a possible solution for this conundrum before predicting where we are or where we might go from here!

In a society with socio economic imbalances, it is imperative to have a medium of transaction that will accommodate the imperfections exaggerated by technological gaps between various participating economies thus reducing the capabilities of concentrated ideologies to influence and unduly benefit from sheer econometric manipulations!! The authority to define, execute and police this new medium has to be of supreme nature in by in itself being its sole mission. May be we are not yet ready for this change - however there are symptoms that indicate for such a transition to happen in incremental steps which will ease us from this economic slavery- bringing uniformity with conformity in every process (with objectivity) bringing the much needed beacon of hope with a field glass view to every player that defines the scope of economic priorities for every one else. This could possibly bring capitalism to its true intended form bringing equality among unequal
players yet setting aside any possibility for socialistic or authoritarian communistic tendencies.

Now that I have got that out of the way –

I think the US economy has started turning around (market may trail by a couple quarters even longer as common shares as an asset/investment class will be replaced more and more by other types of instruments). USA will be followed by Germany, China and possibly GB. The casualties will be the rest of Europe and possibly Japan.

Reasons:

1.if you believe in Economics as the TRUE WMD - the countries that will recover first will be those with capabilities to influence and benefit from the movement of blue shifted capital.

2. The vultures and the hyenas will move for easier kill in weaker economies (rest of Europe including France Italy Spain and Sweden) leaving the stronger ones to slowly recover.

3. Credit flow will resume once the fixed income players find it difficult to fight the larger economies and settle for lesser return and more glory/power.

4. USA and Germany will emerge into an economic force once again, however temporary they might be, taking advantage of new emerging industries with pricing power while protectionism will be old fashion again with resumption of material and capital flow across the globe- enabling emerging and weaker economies to participate in the recovery with a time lag.

Indications supporting this:

1. US pumping money into areas that will either create new industries or reinvent a lost matured industry to recapture its pricing power.

2. EU and Euro losing its luster

3. The hyenas and the vultures circling Eastern Europe and other weaker economies leaving the stronger ones( US and Germany) to heal.

4. Japan slowly losing its mysterious strength of the past decade with smart money fading away from Yen and Japan.

5. China slowly emerging as the winner in Asia as Japan seems to be willing to settle for a lower medal.

6. Gold buoyant but not too strong as the support is from money leaving euro and yen due to uncertainty of the fabrication of the new currency basket.

7. Federal Reserve emerging as a confident player once again for US after what appears to be a long and hard fought battle with the dark force. Treasury once again taking a more shadow force role with FDIC chairwoman sporting a generous smile in most of her recent appearances. (Even two weeks back - you can see frustration, anger, humiliation and fear in every one of these players).

8. Dollar and US Treasury losing competition in the replacement battle and the rest of the players fighting for silver on downwards as survival is the new mantra, enabling the US Fed to gradually move out their refi window to longer maturities.

Now if this is the half full argument let's look at what will make it a half-empty scenario.

some indications supporting a possible derailment of the above scenario- any one of these taking a larger than its present form in size or shape could have an accelerated reformation that could really destroy the present day lifestyle!

- A neo conservative party emerging in USA removing what appeared to have been the successful duality policy structure in its administration.

- war moving closer to USA mainland making it impossible to distinguish domestic priorities from external dominance fettered with bodybags.

- US shifting away from right brain dominant society to a more globally acceptable thought process with linearity as the defining objective

- fading away from a distinct separation of state and faith removing the improbable distinction of responsibility and poverty.

Events supporting this:

- debasing the republican foundation with fragmented and lack of focus leadership with no clear direction or clarity on party policies or agenda!

- shortage of weapons

- arsons and hate crime jumping

- Mexico becoming another Afghanistan

- faith based organizations getting more donations and support

- emphasis on what others don't deserve is gaining prominence

- less and less people regretting the mistakes they made in this mess and blaming others for their loss

Thin Computer!

Close to 10 Years! Both Sun's McNealy and Oracle's Ellison have been trying hard to move enterprise computing to a thin client model - either using Java machine or through some other form.

So far they looked very far fetched!

May be not so fast!

With Sun dancing in Ellison's Software Juggernaut - may be it is time to look at this seriously.
Between Oracle and Sun they have all the elements that is needed to make enterprise computing a model similar to an Utility model- where the access to corporate data can be very securedly delivered for various end use purpose on any thin device - wired or wireless - from cell phone to any internet appliance!

May be one step closer to Cloud Computing!

Provided IBM does not spoil the party - As there will be pain for both IBM and Microsoft if they let this marriage happen!

Warren Buffet!

Warren Buffet: Posted a Couple of months back on a question about his wisdom on the latest decisions on investments!

From a long term perspective I think owning BRK shares will be the best form of investment to participate in the capital market for the following reasons:

- has over 50 companies almost every one of them profitable

- most of the operating income comes from insurance and reinsurance

- owns a minority yet a large chunks of shares in solid logo companies like coke, PG, AXP etc

- has lots and lots of free cash

- no layers on what to risk or how much to gamble

- recent GS and GE , even though they appear to be ill timed, they are yielding 10% and has ton of warrants for future stocks if the capital market were to appreciate.

In a few years when buffet retires the following possibilities might bring a major windfall to its investors:

- Most of the equity will be owned by the Gates foundation making Bill Gates either a likely successor or a major influencer in how or what directions BRK takes. Obviously one doesn't want to bet against Bill!

- currently BRK is valued conservatively as a hybrid insurance/MF compared to the individual companies if traded separately. Most likely scenario going forward - if the market is favorable either Gates or the new management will gradually spin off several or all (50 plus fully owned businesses) operating companies getting a high multiple individually compared to its low pe in its current form

high probability

Major DOWNSIDE risk is his exposure to derivative insurance on global capital market indexes- if the market is in for protracted contraction (say 12 or more months) the contract in its current form might force BRK to take some adverse actions to meet which additional collateral requirements forcing him to liquidate some or all of his crown jewels at the depressed levels.

America 2.0

This is about building the new America 2.0!!

America 1.0 was built a couple of centuries ago with some very capable people - intellectuals and industrious people who left their natives to build a new society.

It looks like the foundation that was built was so strong that it lasted a couple of hundred years and more. One element that the founding fathers couldn's have anticipated was the evolution of society in a connected world with a compulsive addiction to language and visual inputs to the brain. This technological implosion has dramatically changed the way the society is moving forward - not just how day to day life is being controlled but how the thinking and adoption is being structered as a global society. This is not something that was planned or envisioned by our fore fathers. Looks like this is a society that is moving excitedly and rapidly towards a left brain dominant behaviour. This is a very critical juncture for America and the world in general - as America is the only Industrialised nation that is built for an efficient left brain yet so right brain driven society.

Growth , prosperity & innovation led happiness was possible in America for this very reason - now that is being threatened. In the next few weeks I will expand on the thinking & address what is needed to stop the faltering of American leadership from innovation to industrialization! Accidentaly or otherwise the current administration seems to be stepping into the four critical areas that need re-thinking for this to take place.

- Healthcare

- Utility ( Renewable/Alternate)

- Technology

- Education

If the changes to these four seemingly separate areas are put in place - America 2.0 will be stronger and more powerful than ever - at the same time will make this world a better place to live - both ecologicaly & economically.

Skipping a Year or so in Market time!

Its amazing how time and money vanishes when we dont pay close attention to!

Since the last time I had the descipline to post my ideas/opinions and follow a routine - so much has changed: from politics - local to global ; asset pricing - from real estate to stocks ; outlook - greed to fear to confusion!

Following the events happening at the speed of market - from dramatic policy changes to political gaffes- from spiralling money pits to manipulated capitalism - its very tough to capture a moment and stick an opinion - let alone ride the opinion into an article or life style ambition - as the shelf life for each one has been less than the time it takes the mind to register - even though the impact or implications is more traumatic and long lasting.

Looking at the past several weeks - it appears the general population has settled at unsettling events as a norm - from software piracy to deep sea piracy!

TO summarise the past 18 plus months of events will be like trying to capture a Tornado with a fishing net - but it does make it fun when looked at some opinionated flavors to pick on nuggets and ride it in slow motion - so in the next few weeks - I will post some thing from the past - using my opinions expressed else where - will help me see how I felt at the time of events and how it appears looking at it now!

Will have a new channel - Contemporay History:The Immediate Past!

Thanks to Mr G! New Era in America!!

Not Greenspan! It is Mr Ron Gettelfinger - the UAW President.

Strong and does come across as a no nonsense pro Union at any cost. When the Global economy and America is in the cross roads Mr Gettelfinger realizes that if America were to regain its Industrial and Intellectual supremacy - which is a must to regain its faltering Economic prowess it has to come from the great Automotive roots.

In spite of all the redericks that is going on- looking at the swift speed at which the current labor talks are progressing with the UAW and its backers leaning towards a redefinition of the UAW- Management relationship. Such a break through deal might be just around the corner which might pave the way for rebuilding Detroit and the Big Three! Thank you to the new teams of the big three- Once the legacy & rocky relationship is resurfaced with a new platform - America will be back! Watch out Toyota and Mercedes - Yes Luxury and Pink can be defined ONLY BY CADILLAC!