Got (cloned) Milk?

After five years of study, the FDA tentatively concluded that milk and meat from cloned farm animals are okay. I think the bigger news is that consumers need not know if their meat or milk is from a cloned animal or not.

Ostensibly, it is not required because: (a) it is just one of the many "techniques" that industrialized farms already use (b) it improves the safety of the animals (c) it improves the "quality" of milk and meat (d) it is cloning, hence there is nothing different! (e) it is actually the meat and milk from the offsprings of cloned animals, not the initially cloned animals (f) it will reduce the cost of food production and therefore the price consumers pay... and more.

I am all for scientific advancements. But, I would like to know if what I eat and drink is from a cloned animal. Would you?

That aside, what scares me is if the next frontier is genetically modified animals, where the main objective is to enhance the yield of meat and milk from a single animal. Once again, this is being done in agriculture crops already. Yield enhancement in seeds and fruits is widely seen as beneficial. Many countries have escaped famine and poverty because of such techniques.

Should we allow this in the case of live stock? It's a tough call.

I think science crosses a line when we raise genetically modified "high-yield" varities of sheep, cattle, pigs, and chicken. I shudder to think how these animals will look like, let alone consume their products.

And before I do, I do want to be informed.

Lalu and the Indian Railways Turnaround Story

There is a lot written in the press lately about how Lalu engineered a dramatic financial turnaround and how MBA students are gathering to really understand what happened.

I think the the story is indeed impressive and worth a close study. After all, consider this:

• the Indian Railways is the world's largest employer. Almost every other statistic about the Indian Railways is equally staggering in scope.
• one of the key hurdles for the continued Indian GDP growth is infrastructure & transport
• the Indian Railways was on the verge of bankrupcy.

Just as much analysis has been done on how the then Finance Minister Manmohan Singh engineered a balance of payments turnaround in 1991, this one is also worth some examination.

I do credit Lalu for his willingness to give his chain of command some responsibility, authority, and accountability. I have tremendous faith in the IAS cadres (still!) -- and I believe that they will do the right thing if they are given a chance. I think that is what happened here. (As a side note, I think IAS officers deserve a much need revision in salaries. There is a significant income disparity between the private and public sector that is unhealthy. We need to pay better if we want to retain and attract the best. But, let's save that conversation for another day).

For now, I am impressed with what the Indian Railways has achieved! Awesome! Great job!

Let's move on to other areas that need similar attention.

Let's see. Seaports? Highways? Airports?

Indra Nooyi: PepsiCo's New CEO

Indra Nooyi is Pepsi’s fifth CEO!

BRAVO!

Now, that’s an accomplishment. An India-born, female CEO for a Fortune company with over $33 billion in revenues. A ringing testament that the American Dream lives on. As a non-immigrant alien in the US myself – news like this makes me truly cherish American values.

Who is she, after all? Here’s a brief on Indra Krishnamurthy Nooyi. (I have collected this information from various sources).

Personal details: Born: October 28, 1955 in Chennai, India; married to Raj Nooyi (Management Consultant); has two daughters; lives in Greenwich, CT

Education: BS in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, Madras Christian College (1976); MBA from Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta (1978); Masters in Public and Private Management, Yale University (1980).

Work experience: Johnson & Johnson and Mettur Beardsell (unknown); Boston Consulting Group (1980-86); Motorola (1986-90), ABB (1990-94), PepsiCo (1994-)

Positions held: Product Manager, (Johnson & Johnson and Mettur Beardsell); Director, International Corporate Strategy (BCG); Vice-president of Corporate Strategy and Planning (Motorola); Vice-President and Director of Corporate Strategy and Strategic Marketing (ABB); Senior Vice-President Strategic Planning (PepsiCo); Chief Financial Officer (PepsiCo)

Other affiliations: Board Member, Federal Reserve Bank of New York; Board Member, President's Council on International Activities, Yale; Board Member, School of Management, Yale University; Board Member, International Rescue Committee Board; Board Member, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City; Board Member, Motorola; Board Member, PlaNet Finance; Board Member, Greenwich Breast Cancer Alliance; Board Member, Eisenhower Fellowships; Board Member, Asia Society; Board Member, PepsiCo; and Board Member, PepsiCo Foundation.

Other Information: At PepsiCo, she led worldwide strategic direction, and merger, acquisition and divestiture activities. She played key roles in the Tricon spin-off, purchasing Tropicana and the public offering of Pepsi-Cola Bottling Group. She was President of PepsiCo-Quaker Oats merged entity.

Controversy: Stirred the blogosphere with negative remarks made during a speech to the 2005 graduating class of Columbia University’s Business School. She issued a public apology later on.

There you have it.

Why am I so excited? Although I don't know her, I see several things I can learn from her.

• She has been in the “corporate world” for over 20 years. She has worked in four companies during that time. Just four companies before she joined PepsiCo. You don’t have to switch too many jobs to get ahead. Patience and hard work pays.
• That said, she has switched jobs to get ahead. I think she found "home" in PepsiCo since she has been with PepsiCo since 1994 (that’s 12 years and running). You need to find a "home" and once you do, you need to stay, sow, and reap rewards. This could take time.
• She is a Member of the Board of Directors at Motorola (her former employer). You can advance in your career without burning bridges.
• PepsiCo is home to one of the best “marketing talent” in the world. Check out the Pepsi brands.
• Her “formula” for success:
• True success is being happy with yourself, and being fulfilled. Success isn’t about money, prestige, or power because net worth can never define self worth.
• Aim high and put your heart into it. There are no limits to what you can do.
• Fulfill your potential by trying to be the best. Work hard to get there.
• Devote your time, your life, to doing what you love the most. Knowing what you want to do in life, those who have triumphed at figuring out that issue should consider themselves tremendously blessed.
• Be yourself, and never hide what makes you.
• Make the best of what you’ve been given.
• Keep an open mind. Be curious and never stop learning. Such learning should not be restricted to academic knowledge, but be supplemented with “street smarts” and being aware of matters and issues in the real world.
• Success comes with reaching out and integrating with the community. Give back to the communities and neighborhoods, more than what you took out of them.
• The pillar of success rests on family, friends and faith. When things look bleak and uncertain, it’s your family, friends and faith that pull you through.

Congratuations, Indra! And thanks for shining the light and leading the way.

Stock Markets: What if they are open on the weekends

Just a thought.

What if the stock markets remain open through the weekends? Okay, okay... maybe not Sunday as well... but seriously, what if a stock exchange said, we are open and trading on Saturday?

I think there will be a lot of "individual investors" who would be willing to invest in stocks, research, etc. And they can come back to work on Monday for their regular jobs.

Thoughts? (By the way: Post Offices are open on Saturday, so are Banks, public transportation systems, and your local grocery stores. Why not the stock markets?)

Immigration: US at a Cross Roads

As a legal alien on a H1B visa, I truly empathize with Wall Street Journal's article on Dr. Sengupta. Very nicely written.

It is true that illegal immigrants play a important role in the US economy and their status needs to be addressed. However, it saddens me that this often blocks real solutions to the plight of those who played by the rules. It is an irony that legal immigrants aspiring for citizenship are stuck in process, backlogs and paperwork for years, in an inefficient system very similar to that which plagues the countries they emigrate from.

This, especially from a country that welcomes immigrants, values meritocracy, and rewards those who chase the American Dream. Of late this dream is turning to just wishful thinking, and for some a nightmare. Congress needs to act now to ensure US continues to remain attractive to bright young minds worldwide such that they are willing to relocate, earn advanced degrees, buy homes, raise families, launch companies, create jobs, and contribute enormously to the economy.

US Needs Immigration Policies That Make Sense

Student Visas: Advanced education and US research depends on immigrants. Students who come to the US to pursue degrees should be welcomed, and not shunned. Today, US consulates worldwide deny student visas to those who don't show a reasonable evidence proving why they won't stay back in the US after getting their degree. Instead, let us encourage students to study in the US and settle here.

Employment Based Visas: I can see how US citizens could feel deprived of job opportunities if H1B visas are given without due process or diligence. But that should not be the case for those international students who have graduated from US universities. For example, any international student who has studied and obtained a degree in the US on a full tuition scholarship should be automatically be given a employment visa and a path to a green card. Why would the US not want these students to stay here, and instead prefer they return to their countries. And let's allow their spouses to work too.

Green Cards: Any one who has legally worked in the US for five or more years, paid taxes, social security, abided by the laws -- should be given the option to obtain a green card. Current green cards don't offer the "secure permanent residency" the way a citizenship offers. By that I mean: if you have a green card, and choose to work out of US for longer periods of time (more than once), and decide to come back to the US -- you could risk losing your permanent residency status. You would need to wait for five more years, before you can apply for a US citizenship, that confers you those rights. Why?

Is Security at Odds With Prosperity?

I understand the need for greater security after 9/11. At the same time, the world economy is in transition. Rapidly growing economies like India and China are tantalizing for emigrants to return back to. Great many have. The US is at a cross-roads. Let not 9/11 be the beginning to the end of the miracle makes USA work. Let's be paranoid. Not because we may be attacked once again, but because we may forever lose the charm that was once US. Let's tear down walls and build bridges instead. Let's be the land of free and the home of the brave. Once again.

Canon Digital Rebel: My Review

I own a Canon Digital Rebel. Many of my friends have asked me my thoughts. Here are some comments.

Number of pixels: As you may be aware this is a 8MB camera. I find that 8MB is the perfect pixel size support needed and I intend to stick with this for long time. Unless you are into professional / commercial photography -- where you may need to blow up pictures to poster sizes -- you really don't need more than 8MB. {Remember: photos quickly fill up your computer hard-drive. More on that later. Now, I am quite ruthless about the photos I keep, and I trash many pictures I take. But I digress.} The BIGGEST advantage I see in having an 8MB camera is that it gives you the luxury to crop images to remove extraneous noise and helps you dramatically improve picture composition without sacrificing quality of the image when you print it (or) view it online. Finally, I think the Canon EOS 20D, is a bit of an overkill, for my needs. It is bulkier too.

Size of the camera: If you are graduating from a simple point and click, you may find this camera a bit bulky to haul around. But, when the pictures come back and when I see what I have taken, I find it is well worth it. {By the way, I also have a Canon Powershot A80, which I also carry around, just because it is quicker, smaller, etc. And most importantly, my wife finds the Digital Rebel a bit overwhelming to handle, so she uses the Canon Powershot A80}. Speaking of point and click... since I used a Canon before, I was very familiar with the menus on the Rebel (which are quite similar to the Powershot). In that sense, you may have a learning curve, if you are graduating from a Nikon or some other camera.

Lenses: I have the 18-55mm lens that came with the package, and I also went to Wal-mart and bought a zoom lens from 75-300mm. (Cost: around $200). Yes, I am not covered from 55mm to 75mm (and there have been instances when I have seen my photo subjects fall in that range... but oh well... for the most part I am covered). Since Canon comes with over 300+ lenses, you really have a wide array to choose from. I recommend you purchase the zoom lens as well, because it gives you unbelievable liberty to shoot subjects from a distance (kids playing, etc), without making them conscious.

Additional accessories: If you are going to invest in a digital SLR camera with a 8MB pixel range, there are some accessories that you absolutely need to buy. (a) Simple UV filters for your lenses, to protect them from dust, specks, etc. (b) An external USB based hard drive, to quickly transfer your photos, especially when you are on a trip (doesn't need a computer). (c) A compact flash card reader (reading pictures from the camera directly takes ages). (d) a tripod (you never know when you want to take an awesome long exposure shot) (d) 1GB compact flash card (don't buy a 2GB card. if you want 2GBs, buy two 1GB's instead. Gives you greater flexibility). (e) an extra camera battery. (f) lens cleaning solutions, etc.

I recommend you also visit these two websites to read and learn more, especially the comparisons between Canon and Nikon.
http://www.dcviews.com/
http://www.dpreview.com/

Here are some of the pictures I took on my India Trip last Winter -- with this camera:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/98013786@N00/

I will keep adding to this post as I keep using the camera.

Call to Action: Bollywood

There is a lot of positive press about India and its prospects. Yet, Bollywood and the "rest of the world" frequently potrays India as what it was in the 1950s or the 1970s. Productions are packed with melodrama, family feuds, corruption, and lack an adequate representation of the real change that is sweeping through the Indian society.

For much of the twentieth century, America exported its "culture" and the "American Dream", through on-screen and off-screen productions. While there are were movies that discussed black lynching, racial discrimination, hippie culture, etc -- there was a flood of movies about that potrayed fashion, work, money, suburbia, etc.

This is a golden opportunity for India's Bollywood. Let's have some movies specifically targetted at the global audiences, that go beyond "Bride and Prejudice"; "Bend it Like Beckham" and others (which by the way are wholesome entertainment and must be seen).

While there is no dearth in material or ideas in India, most "off-beat" movies are usually copies of American or western themes that have already been used.

Instead, let the movies cover the Indian culture. Let's show to the world, how India works. Its education system, its entrepreneurial culture, its value systems, and its financial policies, etc.

Corruption -- Why Does it Exist?

The Indian Economy Blog has an interesting post on corruption.

Interesting reading.

It is stating the obviosu that corruption in all forms results in inefficient allocation of resources. However, the reasons it exists from time immemorial is because of some fundamental realities.

The foremost of which is the income disparity between public and private sector. Until you see a comparable income level between these two sectors, human tendency is to make up for the difference by getting income from other means. In fact, fostering an articifial inefficiency in the system (such as creating a waiting list for phones, or licenses) -- supports a self fulfilling profecy. Sure, "competition" and "privatisation" helps in removing corruption, but that strategy in a sense accepts the inability to ever achieve parity in incomes between the two sectors.

Gmail -- Making it "Enterprise Class"

Here are some ideas to make Gmail better:

1. Make every "button" on the gmail interface "moveable". In other words, I should be able to pick and choose if I want "Archive" on top of my inbox messages, or if I want "Delete" above it.
   
2. I should be able to create my own buttons, based on frequent actions I execute. For example, I would like a button that says: "Delete Foreever" right in my inbox message view.
3. After I am done reading a message, and I delete it... please don't pop back to the Inbox view... can you show me the next message in the queue? Better still, can there be a "paned" approach to viewing email -- so that I can see both the inbox view and the message view at the same time? (Yes, I am spoiled by Outlook).
   
4. Attach a file: can we support drag and drop, from my file folders, directly? Also, I would like to select multiple files and drag them in.
5. Since I use Google Desktop, would it be possible for Gmail to -- based on the message I am creating (and to whom I am sending it to) -- automatically pop up in a side window the possible files that may need to be attached to the message, so that I don't have to search for them? Similarly, Can Google Desktop Search provide a "button" that says: Add to Gmail message?
6. For the attachments I receieve, can Google Desktop Search "automagically" file them away in the respective folders, based on the content it sees?
7. Can Gmail support shortcuts: Ctrl-S (save), Ctrl-O (open), Ctrl-D (delete), Ctrl-R (reply), Ctrl-E (Send), Ctrl-W (reply-all), and more?
8. Why doesn't Gmail support "right click" new window or new tab? For example, as I am composing this message, I would like to right click on "Inbox" and open it in a new tab or a new window...
9. Yes, I like the fact that you can "search" gmail, and not "file" emails. But, really, I would like to create file folders. I know right now, you can associate labels, and you can search by labels, etc... But, puhlease, can I have my folders?
10. Finally, in the compose pane, automatically open it with "one CC" and "one BCC". Why do I have to click to add it?

Comments?

Gas Prices are High? No Worries -- Will Compensate!

Just read this news article, that GM is going to subsidize gas for drivers.

As I read this, my mind reacted in many ways.

1. Wow. Really, Wow. That shows how desperate and dire the state of affairs are for GM these days. "Please buy our guzzlers. Don't worry about the gas price. Heck, we will pay you the difference. But, please buy our cars."

2. The industry's "deadly addiction" to gas. It is clear that the US automobile industry is staring at the headlights standing in the middle of the road. It will be quite some time before GM and other vendors rejig their assembly lines for fuel-efficient / hybrid cars. The question is: do they have enough time, and will they even survive to see that day?

3. The shape of things to come. I think the next 20 years will usher in a new renaissance. Old companies that are too slow to adapt will be road kill. As the influence by such manufacturing companies wane, the political will towards big oil (and other carbon-fuel dependent industries) will no longer be benevolent. "Environmental conservation" will guide domestic and foreign affairs just as "civil and human rights" did from 1950 to 2000.

The question is, how rough will the journey be in the interim?

Does Google's Advertising Model Work?

Google is a runaway success. It makes money by auctioning advertising slots.

But, is that good enough reason to classify it as being in the advertising business? I really question that.

I really think Google is in the "information access business". Think library or librarians. Customers come to Google because of it's superiority in cataloging and indexing information, and making it easily available in a simple to use format without much clutter. They are the best at it. And that is why I choose them hands down, each time. And that's why I visit the reference section at the local library as well.

I don't recall clicking on the advertisements that show up on the sides. I know the people who advertise will pay Google IF and ONLY IF I click on their advertisements. But, really, many times I am searching for information that doesn't neccesarily lend itself to something I can buy. And even if there is, I would go to www.ebay.com or www.froogle.com or www.amazon.com to buy. I do all the "academic research" in Google.

In fact, for a majority of my recent expenses, I didn't click on Google advts before I purchased. Gas, groceries, photocopies, cable, phone, internet connections, taxi rides, and more -- don't require a Google search. When I bought my home, sure, I did research on Google -- but I didn't click on banner advertisements in Google. Or when I refinanced my home. Or when I bought my new car insurance. Or when I bought my new car.

What about you? Really, when was the last time you clicked on a banner advertisement that showed up on Google's search results page? And when was the last time you clicked on a banner advertisement AND then bought from the page that results.

I am also a marketer by profession. I really wonder if I would keep bidding up on keywords and raising the auction price for the keywords. In effect, while Google's cash machine is ringing, my competitor and I are on a bidding war. That model doesn't work for me.

And I have stopped playing it.

These days, I have stopped investing in Google adwords. I have begun investing in building "real" content on webpages, weblinks, websites -- that Google's search engines presents in its "actual" search results. As does MSN, as does Yahoo, or any other search engine. I tend have greater influence over my readers when they get to my webpages that has pictures, text, content, other user comments, references, etc., than when I bid for a 15 charecter length keyword using Google adwords. Finally, I don't see the direct connection between people clicking my advertisements and people buying my wares.

Thoughts?

What's Shaping Up? Why Are Companies Hoarding Cash?

There is a lot of press lately about now organizations are hoarding cash in record amounts and about how they are not investing in long term growth opportunities.

So, the question is: why are companies doing it?

I think there are three key reasons:

Preparing for a Competitive Onslaught: Companies have been addressing competitive price pressures from globalization by aggressive outsourcing, wringing efficiencies and productivity gains from their processes. The next phase is going to be all out competition on all fronts (price, products, customers, channel, innovation, designs, etc) from companies in the emerging nations. The pattern is emerging already with increasing merger and acquisition activity driven by foreign players. In response to which, incumbents are merging and saving cash to erect greater protective defenses.

Changing Economic and Currency Order: The world economy is booming just as the US economy grew in the very early 20th century driven largely in part by the wars in Europe. At that time, the US supplied goods and services without directly participating in the wars. Today, the emerging economies are vastly benefiting by the unsatiable desire for low-cost, high-quality products and services. Combined with large scale borrowing by developed nations, could cause the world's mightiest currency to fall precipitously. Organizations recognize this and they are conserving cash for a rainy day (and to buy themselves out, if needed).

Significant Uncertainty in Energy, Financial Markets, Foreign Affairs, and Environment: While this is a seemingly unconnected list, there are serious developments that could shape the things to come. Global organizations are conserving cash, and are on a wait and watch pattern see how things shape up. A lot of things could go wrong before they get better. Here is a list.

• An global energy crisis.
• A collapse of the US automobile industry.
• Significant defaults on credits, home loans, foreclosures
• A collapse in the US real-estate asset prices
• A collapse of the US bond market.
• A collapse of the US dollar
• A gradual revival of the global automobile industry based on renewable fuels, hydrogen powered cars, electric cars, etc.
• A gradual, steady drop in the reliance of oil.
• A serious change in the US leadership that values environmental protection.
• An enforcement through global treaties to reduce "carbon emissions" now that the US economy doesn't depend on it any more.
• A fall in the Middle Eastern economies.
• A rise in communist Russia, belligerent Venezuela, a religious and nuclear Iran, and an unpredictable China.

Let's discuss if you agree.

Lawn and Garden Bags

It's summer -- and the green grass grows!

Has it occured to you that the diameter of the lawn and garden bags are smaller than the some of the common lawn mower bags? Why? Why?

This is where some standardization could help. I hope either:

1. Lawn mower companies notice this and make their bags smaller. I really doubt consumers will like this step. Who would want to keep emptying a smaller bag each time? Bigger is better.
2. Which leaves us to the manufacturers of the lawn and garden bags. And there are MANY! I think if a few recognize this problem, and advertise that they have thought of this, and that their bags are "convinient to use", I would buy them even if they costed a dollar more.
3. Also, can we increase the weight of the paper that is used as the base of the bag? Make it stable.
4. Can we provide a stronger "rim" to the mouth of the bag, so that it doesn't crumble when I try to empty the contents from my lawn mower bag?
5. Finally: what's up with the height?? Can the lawn and garden bags be shorter - and may be wider?
   

Until then, I will continue with my mowing and tussle between the lawn mower bag and the lawn/garden bag.

SUGGESTION: Yahoo Finance -- Earnings Calendars

I use Yahoo Finance all the time.

Very useful, but could be made enormously valuable -- just with few minor changes.

How about:

1. Adding a "sort by", for each column. I really want to know which ones of these are EPS positive, which announcements are being made Before Market Opens or After Market Closes or Time unknown.
2. Adding custom columns, for additional data? For example, market capitilization; Price (Hi-Lo); Current Price; etc. Can we use some AJAX programming, please?
3. Exporting to excel.
4. I like the fact that you can add these events to Yahoo Calendars. Proof that there is interaction between the Calendar team and the Finance team. How about providing the option to exporting to iCal format or other calendar formats?
   

The product teams at Google Finance should take note too.

Thoughts?

Online Calendars

Are you into online calendars? I'm not. I think my life is reasonably organized -- and I have an office calendar I manage rigorously.

However, I would like for automagic organization of key events. Google, does my need ring a note?

I am eagerly waiting for the product managers of Yahoo Calendar and Google Calendar, to walk over to their counterparts managing Yahoo Finance and Google Finance respectively. Some thoughts:

1. I have a portfolio of stocks I track on Yahoo Finance. Can my calendar automatically set alarms and events for the earnings calls for these companies?
2. I would like to import US Earnings Calendars, as they are confirmed, into my Yahoo or Google Calendars. A little bit of AJAX programming, and I should be able to remove the companies I am not interested in. I know that Yahoo Finance offers the option for me to manually select and "Add to Calendar" based on the earnings call. That's one click at a time. Not good.
   
3. I would like to set up a stock screen based on certain performance criteria -- and the calendar will provide me BUY / SELL suggestions, based on these criteria?
4. I would like to import local TV channel schedules, to my online calendar.
5. I would like to export my calendars my iPOD or to my Blackberry.

If there is a way to do these today, could you please let me know?

There's a 24x7 Walgreen's Near You? Well...

A couple of days ago, on my drive back home -- I listened to Walgreen's radio spot.

"There is a 24 hour Walgreens near your home. If the one closed to your home is not 24 hour, the next one is". I thought to myself, "Really, Hmmm. I haven't seen one".

So, I did some research. I used the Store Locator function on Walgreen's website. I was right. There wasn't a Walgreens near my home. Nevermind 24 hour. Actually, there wasn't a Walgreens within a 25 mile radius.

More research. As of March 31, 2006 -- Walgreens had 5,193 stores in 45 states. That's quite some coverage. Just that they didn't have stores in my area. Indeed, they intend to operate more than 7000 stores in the year 2010. I am hopeful the expansion plan includes where I live.

Be that as it may, could a radio spot: "Walgreens is coming to your area!" have been a better choice, for now? Even then, wouldn't Walgreen's ad dollars have been better spent in areas where they have stores? How much would the spot I listened to have costed?

In Walgreen's defense (more specifically in the defense of the radio operator), there is probably no way to air specific advertisements based on location. That's why it is called "radio broadcasting". The fact is: in its current state, unless you are universally marketable and universally available, radio advertising can sometimes prove inefficient from an advertiser's viewpoint.

Well, there is hope. In January 2006, Google acquired dMarc Broadcasting Inc.

I can see the connection and the potential possibilities.