What is News Worthy

  • Is Musk the new Murdoch?
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  • FTX & Bankman-Fried: Is Silicon Valley Responsible?
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  • Google Search Result: A cluttered Maze
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  • Stanford Hospital Acquires Fremont based Washington Hospital - Obamacare effect?
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  • Bond King is Back and Has a message to Powell: STOP RAISING RATES!
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  • Average selling price of GM has reached BMW, Benz Territory- Legalizing Cannabis effect or just another bubble market?

Silicon Valley Vibes!

  • Tesla & SpaceX didn’t listen to WS and Pundits …Should Twitter & Musk Now?
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  • Would you allow Siri to drive you around?
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  • Finally Adobe is Discounting its products and services
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  • SalesForce departure….is it voluntary or…?
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  • Dot Com burst brought Java Programmers to earth…..are we there yet?
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  • Contract Workers: Secret for Google & Apple not reducing headcounts?

FANG News:

  • Not A Royalty …Just the Benefits, Please! Harry, Megan & Netflix
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  • Where is Bezos….enough Romance & Honeymooning..Amazon shareholders need you!
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  • Is Google missing Eric Schmidt?
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  • World minus USA wedded to WhatsApp more than any other platform.. should FB reap the benefits soon?
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  • When Microsoft drops its subscription fees will it feel the pain? As the new generation does not know Office, Really!

Sunday, May 31, 2009

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!

Saturday, May 30, 2009

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!

Friday, May 29, 2009

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!

Thursday, May 28, 2009

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...?

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

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!

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

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!

Saturday, May 23, 2009

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!

Sunday, May 17, 2009

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.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

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.

Friday, May 15, 2009

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!

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Wednesday, May 13, 2009

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!

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

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!

Saturday, May 9, 2009

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!!

Thursday, May 7, 2009

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!

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

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.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

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!

Friday, May 1, 2009

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
Slowing to Smell....!

After going through several blogs I came to the conclusion that it is very difficult to write about your day to day life!

Fascinating to see how creative people are and how so many people around the world are able to choose a variety of topic and pour their heart out and paint something so wonderful- full of life and color!

Need Humor! Need Depth and more than anything need perspective! I found it is easy to write about something substantial in which a person is well versed in. It made me think - I went around the last few days looking around and paying attention to everything from nature to relationships!

Now curiosity started posing a question - what is more important to writing? Chosing a topic or having the patience to research and articulate about the impressions that every day events brings to a person?

I thought I will try this every day! For 30 Days!

Impulsive and spontaneous
!

No research - just type as the feelings flow and as the words can portray! Thanks to the Blackberry - now I can try doing that the moment the urge happens without waiting!

As I was deciding on this I found myself in a shop - decided to pull my Blackberry and type what I saw around me...so begins my first piece.

PS. Since Blog has major restricitons on how many posting and what kind of flexibility one can have using the standard template I will try to find a work around using a couple of gadgets to display a couple of days posting at any given time till I figure out a way to display the history!

To avoid dilution of this site I have moved the experiment to another blog under

http://dailylifesigns.blogspot.com

The following is a sample on content with no photos- the Daily Life Signs posting will be more of a pictorial experience!






Walking around a woman's shop!

Looking at the colors in a woman's shop is like peeking into a kaleidoscope. However, one doesn't have to change to feel the vibrant mood.

Amazing styles and fascinating fashion! Trying to coordinate gives the several option that is needed to meet the day to day lifestyles of varying moods and differing ages.

Age appropriate colors! Shades for fading moods!

Bold red!

Sober red!

Flashy red!

Bland red!

Blood Red!

Romantic Red!

Decisions! Decisions! and Decisions!

Deciding the color at the time of shopping gives the option to choose and refine to the various rainbow moods that a person possibly can go through in a fast paced connected world!

Sizes and fits to match every form and need.

Having a choice helps in refinement!

And helps!

In Decisions! Decisions and Decisions!

Startup Wisdom!

May be there is a reason they want a Money Man to run the venture- but the following tip will save a buck or two! This will list a couple of grey hairs to keep!

  • Success is contageous- start it immediately!
  • Share the Vision but not Leadership!
  • Smart money is great - but Lucky Money is even better. Get some!
  • Being passionate is essential - but only after motivation to make money.
  • Establish the TRUE Pecking Order!
  • Let Sales be part of your core strategy- everything else can be bought!
  • If you havent done Selling START DOING IT NOW!

Building your 2nd Million!

Skip the first million and go straight to the second- as the first one is the most difficult one to bring home! The second one can be as tough as the first one but is never tougher than the first one! You can make money - working - investing in stocks/etc - real-estate - starting a business - others Choose your area of interest first as this will help you identify the opportunity and make you easily motivated to work on the 2nd million!

Not in any particular Order!

  • First lets know the facts: 1) Your work life is 40 something years (even at conservative estimate) so lets make sure we plan that Properly
  • 2) Lets identify opportunity to make money with out too much effort- living for Today is Good but lets not lose today's free money in the process like - benefits, tax breaks, sale,coupons,etc
  • 3) Lets not try to make ALL THE MONEY in the same way! Lets break the objective into smaller chunks and assign different ways to make them individually
  • 4) Put the 1st Million in Auto-pilot and set a 10 Years plus Time table
  • Convince yourself that you need the Money
  • Set a time line to achieve the goal.

Relationships - Learning to enjoy them!

Do we retain relationships? Expectations out of frienships vary from society to society & age group to age group. How long do we carry them? Some of them bring fond memories- and some not so pleasant! Here you can expect to see nuggets from my experiences and analysis!

Family & Friends: We spend less time with family than with friends- yet we feel more comfortable with family than friends- Why? Is it because we dont have expectations with family members but we have some on friends?

Allowing the other person to finish their train of thought builds a very long lasting relationship - as it makes you understand the other persons point of view fully & also to respond being aware making even an opposing point of view reasonable.


  • Cherry Pick your arguments - Left or Right Brained!
  • Make every encounter a transaction - this will make leaving baggages behind easy!
  • Qualify the type of relationship - however strange it might be
  • Chasing friendship is not always helpful as it leads to compromise.
  • Family circles - define it and accept it whether you like it or not!
  • Its ok to do different activities with different people!
Prof Dr Peik A Monie's Corner

  • if being number two is not enough go to a lower market
  • .
  • proceeds from a street dog dont bark
  • .
  • shooting the papparazi dont break cameras

DIGITAL IRIS - An inexcusable view of the photograpic world!

Let me see if I can add a few lines every week highlighting my 2 cents on photography- my experiences and desires

Things that make good photos -

- excellent and expensive set of lenses; in this digital era spend less on the body and keep investing in the high end lenses as the lenses will not lose value and the body is still under construction!

- accessories and the right tripod; never underestimate your advantage with a tripod

- plan & choose the subject and the location

- know your subject well!

- look and follow the calendars; simple things like a night with a Full moon- we dont realise that it does not happen every day - if you narrow it to the summer when the sky is still blue - I guess it becomes a couple of times a year- and if you factor n the location and your availability at that location and time...so Knowing the calendar and season helps for a good but not so common picture

- Take some luck with you!

  • Print and Enlarge Some Too
  • Delete Bad Pictures from Storage
  • Isolate Subject's color
  • Assess various profile
  • Add a subject to the frame
  • Take Nature after rain - they look better
  • Transparent Objects like flowers have creative effect with light behind them
  • If you want to enjoy the trip - leave the camera behind!
  • Define the subject for the shoot out trip
  • Take a survey trip before the real shoot out
  • Learn & Buy the Best Tripod
  • Always take a handy utility camera
  • Use Multiple exposure & shots in action oriented moments- this will help you pick the ideal snap - as even a fraction of a second makes a HUGE difference in photos.
  • Know your camers settings!
  • Understand Shutter Lag
  • Understand the camera shakes

AfterMarket Pulse- The boring Services Industry!

Keeping it inefficient is good for every one- A success story and why it will be restricted to a handful in the services Industry- A serious look at the Service Industry and my views on improving them. As a society we have accepted that everything breaks down and needs periodic maintenance. We are willing to pay both money and time to accomodate such services. What we have not done is define what is the service level that is needed for every such incident. From household appliances to industrial equipments we are forced to accept the cost and quality that the market offers. In such a sellers market room for mediocracy is enormous- giving way for opportunities. Yes predicatability is not always easy when it comes to failure or repair - or for that matter to identify what is wrong once the item is broke as it is not always possible to run the equipment ot see what is going wrong! And there are companies that can afford stupidity & those that cannot- if you want to change choose wisely!

  • Three steps: 1) Localize Failure 2) Response to Events 3) Time to Life
  • Inter-dependency at a higer level accelerates return
  • Resposiveness is rewarding - even if it is just to show on site of event!
  • Failure Prevention is difficult - yet possible
  • Know your Industry problems: Inventory, Turn time, Forecasting Failure, Estimating Cost, Finding Talent, Automation tools
  • Know your industry Practices- Swapping parts, using refurbished items, penalty
  • Define Quality of service
  • Attract talent - as service industry does not attract fresh talents
  • Innovote service packages

About Me

Seen me go through cycles driven by Age, Money, Deception, Affection, Success, Failure, Fear- etc. The current cycle puts me in a middle aged bucket with sculpted bitterness trying to tame it to embrace the sweet crime of success and affection.