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1006 days ago
For this past week (updated: 3 weeks ago), I have been in New York to attend my Grandmother’s funeral. This is my first experience attending any funeral ceremony and has stirred my mind thinking about all the formalities associated with arranging the last rites for a dearly departed. Arranging a funeral ceremony is one of the most, if not the most, emotionally intimate activity a child can do for a parent. If you think about it, parents fully determine the situations which children are welcomed to this world: the place of birth, the nationality, the name, etc. However, children have final control over how parents will ultimately rest: the mode of burial, location of internment, remembrance ceremony --everything. I find this reciprocity interesting and never really noticed the connection until I was thrust into this very situation. For some people, broaching the subject about death and burial rites is a gruesome topic that is best left untouched till situations require the ...
1015 days ago
You have got to love Toyota. It is the representation of how hard work, focus and deep perseverance can overcome the goliath. The slumbering, slowly staggering goliath is of course Ford, GM, and even Chrysler. Some tenets: 1) Mutual ownership of problems 2) Solving problems at the source instead of behind desks 3) Constantly looking for and implementing improvement, particularly at the level of an individual worker or a work team. People often overlook corporate/company culture as a source for competitive advantage. I think the Toyota Way is a strength that Detroit will never match. Detroit can attempt to adopt the manufacturing improvements like Just In Time Manufacturing, or Six Sigma. However, Detroit will never be able to the one thing that the Toyota Way requires --treating their employees with respect and empowering them to implement change. Take this example: Assembly line workers can stop the process line if they feel there is a potential problem. Can you ever ...
1035 days ago
So I have been gradually noticing that I am becoming more and more a movie snob. Normally I disdain most forms of snobbery -- being a wine/food snob, fashion snob, class snob etc. But, I find no such feelings for being a movie snob. I guess I only have Netflix to blame. Though, saying that is like saying drug addicts only have heroine to blame. So I'll say it once again Netflix is like crack. Addictive as hell and warps your mind. Part of the reason for my Netflix changeover lies with the overall crapiness of television programs and the shallow drivel from Hollywood. Therefore, I'm watching more international and independent movies.I have always considered watching international movies partly educational. It allows one to view how other people from other cultures and different geographies live their lives. In place of actually going to these places, watching foreign flicks provides the best alternative. Watching these films always reminds me that my current living situation is ...
1043 days ago
This makes me depressed. http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2007/01/17/business/20070117_LEONHARDT_GRAPHIC.html For all that is great about this country, there's a whole lot of things screwed up about where we set priorities. That's the risk of aggregate numbers. Numbers by themselves are meaningless unless put into perspective. This one number $200 Billion is the same. This is what it costs us for continuing to be in Iraq each year. The $200B is a conservative estimate because it does not take into account the opportunity costs $200b would have had in stimulating the economy had it been put to proper use. More details here: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/17/business/17leonhardt.html?_r=1&oref=slogin1044 days ago
Here's an interesting article about the richest woman in china: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/16/business/16trash.html The most interesting tidbit from the story is that this lady is probably the richest self-made billionaire. Take that Oprah :-P. Also, it highlights the potential of yet another Chinese based company to threaten the established multi-nationals in Europe and America. In this case the product in question is paper and cardboard. Not exactly the most awe inspiring thing in the world, yet with a country with huge exports in consumer durables, you need to shipping materials for transport.
