Sunday, August 31, 2008
$5 Haircut
Today, I got a $5 haircut in China Town. Granted, I could have just use my own clippers and cut it for free but where in the world can you get a $5 hair cut.
On the Future
For the gods perceive things in the future, ordinary people things in the present, but the wise perceive things about to happen...in their intense meditation the hidden sound of things approaching reaches them and they listen reverently while in the street outside, the people hear nothing at all.
--Cavafy
--Cavafy
That's Fresh
I recently went to a web2.0 conference where I was searching out deals to do mobile bling. There, I stopped by the Adobe Photoexpress exhibit where I spoke to a product manager. While giving my pitch to her, I exuberantly told her we could bling photos and send to the phone as they did on the web. She looked at me perplexed and asked,"what does bling mean?" I told her that is what they are doing to the photos. She said, "Oh, I get it, you mean edit the photos." I sighed and moved to the next exhibit.
Last week, I was at an inner city baseball practice where I coach 8-12 year olds. I was playing catch with Tay-Tay, a 9 year old outfielder who hit like Reggie Jackson and wore a shirt layered in big SF skyscrapers and overlayed with golden glittered text that read "Bay Area Boy." He asked me what I do. Trying to be as simple and clear as possible to this young man, I said, "I bling mobile phones." He stopped for a moment, thought about it, looked at me in the eye, and remarked, "that's fresh."
Last week, I was at an inner city baseball practice where I coach 8-12 year olds. I was playing catch with Tay-Tay, a 9 year old outfielder who hit like Reggie Jackson and wore a shirt layered in big SF skyscrapers and overlayed with golden glittered text that read "Bay Area Boy." He asked me what I do. Trying to be as simple and clear as possible to this young man, I said, "I bling mobile phones." He stopped for a moment, thought about it, looked at me in the eye, and remarked, "that's fresh."
On Family
A poem by Hey-Hey:
Family is
Always their when you need them the
Most, They are there
In case you are sick or hurt
Love your family no matter what
You do they will always love you!
Family is
Always their when you need them the
Most, They are there
In case you are sick or hurt
Love your family no matter what
You do they will always love you!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Business as an Art
Bharti CEO Mittal after closing his deal with Wal-Mart said, "I like to express myself through large, transformational projects."
Business as a form of art and expression - I love that!
Business as a form of art and expression - I love that!
Biking
I went mt biking yesterday at Saint Teresa Park in San Jose, CA, just before a round of golf. Upon arriving, I noticed a group in the distance but didn't think much of it. So I grabbed my two wheeled terrain hopper and took off. In the middle of my ride, I hear a gunshot and about 3 minutes later a pack of dudes come up behind me. One of the guys yelled Berkeley get out of the f'n way! I thought who is Berkeley, looked back, and peeled off the course and flopped on the hill.
Then I, clad in a bright yellow under armor shirt and navy blue shirts, realized that I was Berkeley. The guys who rode by me were in Stanford, Oregon, Nevada, Chico State, and Berkeley uniforms. I continued along after them, faintly thinking I could actually catch them, and stopped to speak to a cameraman who said it was a Pac 10 race! What are the odds that I stumbled upon a Pac 10 race!
By the time i got off the trail, 45 minutes later, my wheel was in a 90 degree angle and when I lifted it up on my car rack it completely fell off! I'm glad it didn't fall off while I was riding.
Then I, clad in a bright yellow under armor shirt and navy blue shirts, realized that I was Berkeley. The guys who rode by me were in Stanford, Oregon, Nevada, Chico State, and Berkeley uniforms. I continued along after them, faintly thinking I could actually catch them, and stopped to speak to a cameraman who said it was a Pac 10 race! What are the odds that I stumbled upon a Pac 10 race!
By the time i got off the trail, 45 minutes later, my wheel was in a 90 degree angle and when I lifted it up on my car rack it completely fell off! I'm glad it didn't fall off while I was riding.
Doing Biz in Asia
People often ask what I think the biggest differences are doing biz in US, China, and Japan. Here is how I can answer.
A man walks into an American convenient store and asks for a Pepsi (Note: I prefer Pepsi over Coke so I'm using Pepsi in this example.) The clerk says sorry we only have Coke.
A man walks into a Japanese convenient store and asks for a Pepsi. The clerk says sorry we only have Coke but my friend next door has Pepsi. Please tell him I referred you.
A man walks into a Korean convenient store and asks for Pepsi. The store owner tries to convince the customer to buy a Coke but when he does not succeed, he calls his friend who brings him a Pepsi, and sells it to the customer. The two split the profit.
A man walks into a Chinese convenient store and asks for Bai-Shi Kele (Pepsi). The store owner tells the customer to wait a minute. He then walks out the back door, over to his friend's place next door and buys a Pepsi from him. He then comes back and sells the Pepsi to the customer for a 100% markup.
A man walks into an American convenient store and asks for a Pepsi (Note: I prefer Pepsi over Coke so I'm using Pepsi in this example.) The clerk says sorry we only have Coke.
A man walks into a Japanese convenient store and asks for a Pepsi. The clerk says sorry we only have Coke but my friend next door has Pepsi. Please tell him I referred you.
A man walks into a Korean convenient store and asks for Pepsi. The store owner tries to convince the customer to buy a Coke but when he does not succeed, he calls his friend who brings him a Pepsi, and sells it to the customer. The two split the profit.
A man walks into a Chinese convenient store and asks for Bai-Shi Kele (Pepsi). The store owner tells the customer to wait a minute. He then walks out the back door, over to his friend's place next door and buys a Pepsi from him. He then comes back and sells the Pepsi to the customer for a 100% markup.
MR Ducks
MR Ducks
MR KNOT
SAR
CM Wangs
LIB
MR Ducks!
Translated:
Them are ducks
Them are not
Yes they are
See them wings
Hell, i'll be
Them are ducks!
This was actually an original branding strategy by the apparel company, MR Ducks, which took off in the south circa 1990's. If you could imagine two duck hunters by a lake having this discussion, then you could picture the commercial.
MR KNOT
SAR
CM Wangs
LIB
MR Ducks!
Translated:
Them are ducks
Them are not
Yes they are
See them wings
Hell, i'll be
Them are ducks!
This was actually an original branding strategy by the apparel company, MR Ducks, which took off in the south circa 1990's. If you could imagine two duck hunters by a lake having this discussion, then you could picture the commercial.
Poem by Hey Hey
A poem by Hey-Hey:
Family is
Always their when you need them the
Most, They are there
In case you are sick or hurt
Love your family no matter what
You do they will always love you!
Family is
Always their when you need them the
Most, They are there
In case you are sick or hurt
Love your family no matter what
You do they will always love you!
On Anti-Aging
One thing is for certain in life, your parents will let you know when you are getting old. I've also noticed my close Japanese friends will let me know when I'm getting old or fat but they are more helpful in helping me keep my youth via nice skin whitening cream, i.e. Shiseido.
My last trip back to Tennessee my family told me I was getting wrinkles on my forhead, my receding hairline has worsened, and I have wrinkles under my eyes. Thanks Mom. On the positive note, I was in good shape and some hair seemed to be growing back on my bald spot without any chemicals.
I have a good friend who is about 8 years older than me. A few months ago, we were chatting up two girls in a bar and we asked them how old do we look. The one girl said I was 35 and the other said he was 32. Touche! It is also common for me to go to a bar with a few friends, they get ID'd and then the bouncer looks at me and says, go ahead. I think that this is because I make them look so much younger.
So let's cut to the chase, I look older than my age. I admit it. So now I need some help, what does a WASP do to keep his youth? I've been digging into this and I have a few solutions.
1) Keep the heart healthy. There is no doubt a correlation between staying in shape and keeping a good healthy complexion. It also helps with happiness as well. Nothing beats a nice 6 mile job at 10PM or 6AM. Anything physical will do it. Just do it.
2) Eye wrinkle cream. This stuff helps. It helps crease out some of those wrinkles under your eyes from staring at the computer. I've tried junk I get at the massage shop, nivea, shiseido, Fx. It all is the same to me so just smear it on and go.
3) I don't think the addition of hair keeps you younger. I think it ostensibly makes you perceived as younger even if you aren't younger. I'm not a fan of adding back my hair.
4) Sex. Look, all cards on the table here. A nice consistent sex life keeps a man happy. There is no doubt to that ladies.
5) Music. I don't play or sing, God help the world if I did. But I can cut a rug. Music keeps you going. Play some ghetto rap, play some jazz, play some Francais, play some country music like grandma and grandpa used to play and go on down the river to a cajun hideaway.
5) Working with youth. Working with younger people who have the excitement of youth, new ideas, and grandoise scheme. It really does keep you young.
6) Do feel good stuff. Do some charity, volunteer work. That makes your heart happy and that is good stuff too.
Any help for me? I'm open to ideas.
My last trip back to Tennessee my family told me I was getting wrinkles on my forhead, my receding hairline has worsened, and I have wrinkles under my eyes. Thanks Mom. On the positive note, I was in good shape and some hair seemed to be growing back on my bald spot without any chemicals.
I have a good friend who is about 8 years older than me. A few months ago, we were chatting up two girls in a bar and we asked them how old do we look. The one girl said I was 35 and the other said he was 32. Touche! It is also common for me to go to a bar with a few friends, they get ID'd and then the bouncer looks at me and says, go ahead. I think that this is because I make them look so much younger.
So let's cut to the chase, I look older than my age. I admit it. So now I need some help, what does a WASP do to keep his youth? I've been digging into this and I have a few solutions.
1) Keep the heart healthy. There is no doubt a correlation between staying in shape and keeping a good healthy complexion. It also helps with happiness as well. Nothing beats a nice 6 mile job at 10PM or 6AM. Anything physical will do it. Just do it.
2) Eye wrinkle cream. This stuff helps. It helps crease out some of those wrinkles under your eyes from staring at the computer. I've tried junk I get at the massage shop, nivea, shiseido, Fx. It all is the same to me so just smear it on and go.
3) I don't think the addition of hair keeps you younger. I think it ostensibly makes you perceived as younger even if you aren't younger. I'm not a fan of adding back my hair.
4) Sex. Look, all cards on the table here. A nice consistent sex life keeps a man happy. There is no doubt to that ladies.
5) Music. I don't play or sing, God help the world if I did. But I can cut a rug. Music keeps you going. Play some ghetto rap, play some jazz, play some Francais, play some country music like grandma and grandpa used to play and go on down the river to a cajun hideaway.
5) Working with youth. Working with younger people who have the excitement of youth, new ideas, and grandoise scheme. It really does keep you young.
6) Do feel good stuff. Do some charity, volunteer work. That makes your heart happy and that is good stuff too.
Any help for me? I'm open to ideas.
Managing Pitchers; Managing Entrepeneurs
While watching a Knoxville Smokies (AAA for Chicago Cubs) baseball game last night, a phenomenom that I never figured out during my baseball days dawned on me. Why do left handed pitchers wear their hats crooked - not all of them but most of them for sure? It was so apparent that even on the jumbo cam the pitchers hat was crooked. I took a picture but it didn't come out well. Sorry, there is no zoom on the iPhone.
It just makes no rational sense. Whats even more bizarre is that it slants to the left, not the right. In other words, it covers their left eye more than their right eye so they don't push the hat over far enough. I really don't know why this is but it reminded me of one of the reasons I loved baseball so much: as a catcher I would have the opportunity to work with a plethora of pitchers and deal with their personalities.
A pitcher and catcher's relationship is important to the game and how they think and work together is vital to their success. I call fastball, he wants curveball, I recall fastball, and he gets P*** off. That's not good. Each person has to understand what is going on. It takes a lot of time and effort to get there. Not only do they have to cohesively understand that batter's and games strategy but they have to just understand each other. The job of great catcher, in my opinion, is two fold 1) never be noticed - for a fan only notices the catcher when he screws up, like runs to the backstop to get the ball 2) get the best out of the pitcher every time he plays. If his fastball is slow that day, use the curve or slide-piece. It was a blast working with 10-12 pitchers on a baseball team. Each of them is truly an entrepreneur.
They all have different strengths and weaknesses but they are all in the spot light so they can be the superstar as fast as they can be the goat. Its a tough place to be. Likewise, true entrepreneurs (I have 3 classifications - that is another note) are similar, they try things over and over. They fail, they succeed and hopefully they succeed bigger than the cumulative successes of their failures. Lastly, the game never starts without them. So all hail the pitchers and the entrepreneurs.
It just makes no rational sense. Whats even more bizarre is that it slants to the left, not the right. In other words, it covers their left eye more than their right eye so they don't push the hat over far enough. I really don't know why this is but it reminded me of one of the reasons I loved baseball so much: as a catcher I would have the opportunity to work with a plethora of pitchers and deal with their personalities.
A pitcher and catcher's relationship is important to the game and how they think and work together is vital to their success. I call fastball, he wants curveball, I recall fastball, and he gets P*** off. That's not good. Each person has to understand what is going on. It takes a lot of time and effort to get there. Not only do they have to cohesively understand that batter's and games strategy but they have to just understand each other. The job of great catcher, in my opinion, is two fold 1) never be noticed - for a fan only notices the catcher when he screws up, like runs to the backstop to get the ball 2) get the best out of the pitcher every time he plays. If his fastball is slow that day, use the curve or slide-piece. It was a blast working with 10-12 pitchers on a baseball team. Each of them is truly an entrepreneur.
They all have different strengths and weaknesses but they are all in the spot light so they can be the superstar as fast as they can be the goat. Its a tough place to be. Likewise, true entrepreneurs (I have 3 classifications - that is another note) are similar, they try things over and over. They fail, they succeed and hopefully they succeed bigger than the cumulative successes of their failures. Lastly, the game never starts without them. So all hail the pitchers and the entrepreneurs.
Putting from the Fairway
The last few times that I've played golf, I've used my putter from the fairway. The elusive 25 yard chip is often problematic; its about touch. Sometimes you just don't have it and sometimes you do. Its the same in billiards, dancing, ping pong , and well any other thing you can think of that combines not full effort physical activity and emotional intensity.
The result of my putting from the fairway has been relatively consistent, however. I can basically get it up to the green and in the hole with 3 strokes every time. That's not great but its steady. Its like if I just use my 7 iron on the golf course. I think I could beat my score everytime with just a 7 iron and putter - no joke. I used to do this when I grew up in South Carolina. I'd walk around carrying a 7 iron and putter because I hated using a bag.
My point here is about consistency and its related to investing. It seems to me good investors are consistent. They consistently find good companies or deals at the right time and valuations. They control their emotions with patience and can balance the excitement of the deal with pragmatism. Its very hard but they have the touch. Its not the golden touch but the touch of consistency. By being consistent, they can keep playing the game, sustain, and then put themselves in position to make the big hit which may only happen once every few years. At that time they hit without really having swung for the fences. At that time it was just a consistent allocation of capital of which this investement was one.
Well, there are a few venture investors with different strategies. Buffet doesn't even believe in full portfolio diversification. He finds something he knows and bets big. Another one of those would be Vinod Khosla who only swings big. He swings so big it moved the entire world into clean tech. He thinks I'll lose 20 times but the 1 time I'll hit it will make so much money that it will dwarf my losses. Those two guys are amazing and are probably the two smartest investors in the world. And then that reminds me of a few of my old sayings, if you don't think big league, you'll never be big league. The other is SWING BIG or GO HOME. Otherwise, its not as fun.
I had an old baseball coach who described our second baseman as "steady at being steady" - there is a lot to be said for that. Then we had a 5 hole hitter who was as hot as he was cold and he said he only swung to hit the ball as hard as he could everytime. Why else would he play?
So this brings me back to strategy lesson #102, don't get stuck in the middle. Pick one strategy and be the best at it.
The result of my putting from the fairway has been relatively consistent, however. I can basically get it up to the green and in the hole with 3 strokes every time. That's not great but its steady. Its like if I just use my 7 iron on the golf course. I think I could beat my score everytime with just a 7 iron and putter - no joke. I used to do this when I grew up in South Carolina. I'd walk around carrying a 7 iron and putter because I hated using a bag.
My point here is about consistency and its related to investing. It seems to me good investors are consistent. They consistently find good companies or deals at the right time and valuations. They control their emotions with patience and can balance the excitement of the deal with pragmatism. Its very hard but they have the touch. Its not the golden touch but the touch of consistency. By being consistent, they can keep playing the game, sustain, and then put themselves in position to make the big hit which may only happen once every few years. At that time they hit without really having swung for the fences. At that time it was just a consistent allocation of capital of which this investement was one.
Well, there are a few venture investors with different strategies. Buffet doesn't even believe in full portfolio diversification. He finds something he knows and bets big. Another one of those would be Vinod Khosla who only swings big. He swings so big it moved the entire world into clean tech. He thinks I'll lose 20 times but the 1 time I'll hit it will make so much money that it will dwarf my losses. Those two guys are amazing and are probably the two smartest investors in the world. And then that reminds me of a few of my old sayings, if you don't think big league, you'll never be big league. The other is SWING BIG or GO HOME. Otherwise, its not as fun.
I had an old baseball coach who described our second baseman as "steady at being steady" - there is a lot to be said for that. Then we had a 5 hole hitter who was as hot as he was cold and he said he only swung to hit the ball as hard as he could everytime. Why else would he play?
So this brings me back to strategy lesson #102, don't get stuck in the middle. Pick one strategy and be the best at it.
Truman on Leadership
1. Know their stuff, defend their men, be a man.
KD: Take one for the team if you have to.
2. Power, money, and women will destroy a man. Note he said women not a woman.
KD: I wouldn't know about the first two but the last one definately will make you crazy.
3. Ride the Tiger by mastering your job.
KD: To be great at something you have to be obsessed by it. That means that one would have little time for anything else. BLING BLING!
4. Give Hell and Get it in Return.
KD: If you don't get it in return, then the people you are with aren't warriors.
KD: Take one for the team if you have to.
2. Power, money, and women will destroy a man. Note he said women not a woman.
KD: I wouldn't know about the first two but the last one definately will make you crazy.
3. Ride the Tiger by mastering your job.
KD: To be great at something you have to be obsessed by it. That means that one would have little time for anything else. BLING BLING!
4. Give Hell and Get it in Return.
KD: If you don't get it in return, then the people you are with aren't warriors.
A Train from SF to LA
if there were a train from SF to LA
my flight would not have been delayed
if i didn't have to wait in a security line
i wouldn't have to arrive an hour b4 time
if i were in a mag lev bullet train
i wouldn't have to worry when it rained
even if it didn't save me time from door to door
i could relax, sit, stand, surf the net, and do lots more
if and only if i were on a mag lev bullet train.
god, i wish there were a train from SF to LA
I'm going to build that bullet one day.
KD
my flight would not have been delayed
if i didn't have to wait in a security line
i wouldn't have to arrive an hour b4 time
if i were in a mag lev bullet train
i wouldn't have to worry when it rained
even if it didn't save me time from door to door
i could relax, sit, stand, surf the net, and do lots more
if and only if i were on a mag lev bullet train.
god, i wish there were a train from SF to LA
I'm going to build that bullet one day.
KD
Making Bombs
Peter Guber tells the story of his first meeting with his Sony bosses in Tokyo, after they installed him at what was then Columbia/Tri-Star, and he told them his business plan: make about 14 movies a year — 6 will do okay, maybe break even; 2 or 3 will do a bit better, and have franchise possibilities; 2 will be hits; 1 will be a monster hit; and at least 3 will be total losses, total bombs. They listened respectfully, then one of the older guys asked (through an interpreter), “May I ask Guber-san why he bothers to make the bombs?"
KD on KCs
Thus was the quote from the lady I bought my shoes from today. I like shoes; i have lots of shoes. I have running, hiking, basketball, baseball, soccer, black dress, brown dress, loafers, spanish shoes, british shoes, japanese shoes, white kick around shoes, slippers, sandals, cowboy boots, steell toed boots, and soon bling shoes with a big $ sign on the front. Most of these I never wear but I'm ready when I need them. Lately, i wear sandals to work and so has the rest of FunMo caught on.
I have a Kurtism,"shoes can make the entire outfit look good." For that is a strange Kurtism as it was Tim Robbins in Shawshank Redemption who quoted as walking out the front door of the warden's office wearing the warden's shoes, "whoever looks at your shoes anyways?"
I always check people's shoes out. It COULD tell a lot about the person. Are they flashy, fashion conscious, conservative, frugal, frivolous, and so forth? Think about it for a second....
I always pushed our baseball team's to polish their shoes, it looks good, professional. Crash Davis in Bull Durham told Nuke Laloosh, you have to polish your shoes until you make the show, then you can grow fungus and the press will think you are colorful.
So while stumbling along Canal St (kind of chinatown?) in NYC in between meetings I walked into a few hole in the wall shoe shops. I found one particularly interesting with my favorite brand, Kenneth Coles. KC's cost a lot in SF like $150 a pop. I was wearing the same KC's I bought in HK in 2002, newly polished, but the heals were slanted and I've been looking for a new pair of the old version. I'm bow legged and my heals wear out on the outside.
The shoes were priced at $70-$80. I couldn't believe it. I checked Zappos on my iPHone and they are pricing at $125 (I think). I kept prying; these have to be fake, knockoffs. I couldn't find anyway to figure this out. They passed all the KC tests - solid soles, strong leather, and shoe strings that you could pull a horse with. I asked the lady, how these can be so cheap. She said, well it depends where you buy them. Then I flashbacked to econ 101, discretionary pricing - pricing a product depending on the area or wealth of the consumer. Is Canal Street that different from Times Square? The store was run by HKese so that means it was a rip-off or they actually had a good deal. I was putting the odds on the latter. I also realized that they weren't the new editions but a year or two old so I thought that factored in.
So what did I do? I bought two, turned in my old shoes for a new pair and got a cool brown/black pair to go alongside. So 2 shoes for the price of 1 in SF. I just hope they are real - please don't tell me I was duped. So far, I think they are. KC's break in tough, they give me blisters so I think they are real. Conversely, fake shoes give me blisters too. I bought a few pairs in China.
My hometown, Greenville, SC, native, "Shoeless" Joe Jackson used to get terrible blisters on his feet because of new shoes. He knew they were good because they gave him blisters and after he broke them in they would be great. So in the middle of games he would take them off because the blisters hurt too bad, that is how he got the nickname "Shoeless". Anything that is good breaks in tough, e.g. a good baseball glove takes forever to break in but when they do it fits the intricacies of your hand so exactly. I'd think that also goes for a lot of other things in life like relationships and good deals.
Let's hope my KC's are for real.
I have a Kurtism,"shoes can make the entire outfit look good." For that is a strange Kurtism as it was Tim Robbins in Shawshank Redemption who quoted as walking out the front door of the warden's office wearing the warden's shoes, "whoever looks at your shoes anyways?"
I always check people's shoes out. It COULD tell a lot about the person. Are they flashy, fashion conscious, conservative, frugal, frivolous, and so forth? Think about it for a second....
I always pushed our baseball team's to polish their shoes, it looks good, professional. Crash Davis in Bull Durham told Nuke Laloosh, you have to polish your shoes until you make the show, then you can grow fungus and the press will think you are colorful.
So while stumbling along Canal St (kind of chinatown?) in NYC in between meetings I walked into a few hole in the wall shoe shops. I found one particularly interesting with my favorite brand, Kenneth Coles. KC's cost a lot in SF like $150 a pop. I was wearing the same KC's I bought in HK in 2002, newly polished, but the heals were slanted and I've been looking for a new pair of the old version. I'm bow legged and my heals wear out on the outside.
The shoes were priced at $70-$80. I couldn't believe it. I checked Zappos on my iPHone and they are pricing at $125 (I think). I kept prying; these have to be fake, knockoffs. I couldn't find anyway to figure this out. They passed all the KC tests - solid soles, strong leather, and shoe strings that you could pull a horse with. I asked the lady, how these can be so cheap. She said, well it depends where you buy them. Then I flashbacked to econ 101, discretionary pricing - pricing a product depending on the area or wealth of the consumer. Is Canal Street that different from Times Square? The store was run by HKese so that means it was a rip-off or they actually had a good deal. I was putting the odds on the latter. I also realized that they weren't the new editions but a year or two old so I thought that factored in.
So what did I do? I bought two, turned in my old shoes for a new pair and got a cool brown/black pair to go alongside. So 2 shoes for the price of 1 in SF. I just hope they are real - please don't tell me I was duped. So far, I think they are. KC's break in tough, they give me blisters so I think they are real. Conversely, fake shoes give me blisters too. I bought a few pairs in China.
My hometown, Greenville, SC, native, "Shoeless" Joe Jackson used to get terrible blisters on his feet because of new shoes. He knew they were good because they gave him blisters and after he broke them in they would be great. So in the middle of games he would take them off because the blisters hurt too bad, that is how he got the nickname "Shoeless". Anything that is good breaks in tough, e.g. a good baseball glove takes forever to break in but when they do it fits the intricacies of your hand so exactly. I'd think that also goes for a lot of other things in life like relationships and good deals.
Let's hope my KC's are for real.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Rise of 'Nam
Did you know that 60% of Vietnam is under the age of 25 and GDP growth has eclipsed China's GDP growth in the last 2 years. In fact, the growth here is so fast that both IDG and DFJ have setup venture funds in the region.
I have grown to appreciate the Vietnamese culture after leaving Asia. While living in San Jose, I interacted with several vietnamese who ran local stores, bakeries, and of course PHO shops. I find them to be a very open, friendly, and hard working culture.
The food is quite good as well. Nothing beats a bowl of pho or some vietnamese catfish. The meals are light yet filling. Another interesting stat is that over 50% of the catfish in the US is imported from 'Nam. Don't tell that to the rednecks, who love cajun catfish, they'll stop eating it.
Recently, I have interacted with some technology companies in the region and was quite impressed with their abilities to build and bring products to market. While they are quite far behind in innovation, they will undoubtedly serve the needs of executional development help. And isn't that where it all starts?
With the upcoming recession, US companies will look to outsource more. India and China are quite mature in this realm with much higher labor rates. Compounding the reduction in both withholding taxes and tariffs on imports like textiles as well as talented low cost labor, Vietnam is the place to be.
I'm long 'Nam, but this is a hold for 5-7 years. How about Yum in 'Nam? I think they would have to expand into selling beef and not just chicken. Look for beer companies to make a big move that is always a tip for a rising economy just as Bud bought into Tsingtao 5 years ago.
I have grown to appreciate the Vietnamese culture after leaving Asia. While living in San Jose, I interacted with several vietnamese who ran local stores, bakeries, and of course PHO shops. I find them to be a very open, friendly, and hard working culture.
The food is quite good as well. Nothing beats a bowl of pho or some vietnamese catfish. The meals are light yet filling. Another interesting stat is that over 50% of the catfish in the US is imported from 'Nam. Don't tell that to the rednecks, who love cajun catfish, they'll stop eating it.
Recently, I have interacted with some technology companies in the region and was quite impressed with their abilities to build and bring products to market. While they are quite far behind in innovation, they will undoubtedly serve the needs of executional development help. And isn't that where it all starts?
With the upcoming recession, US companies will look to outsource more. India and China are quite mature in this realm with much higher labor rates. Compounding the reduction in both withholding taxes and tariffs on imports like textiles as well as talented low cost labor, Vietnam is the place to be.
I'm long 'Nam, but this is a hold for 5-7 years. How about Yum in 'Nam? I think they would have to expand into selling beef and not just chicken. Look for beer companies to make a big move that is always a tip for a rising economy just as Bud bought into Tsingtao 5 years ago.
Rain
Now that I've lived in San Francisco during the rainy season, I have learned about a new type of rain.
Most of you aren't familiar with Carolina Rain, which is a great song by Carolina Rain. Some of the quotes are "rain feels like heaven when the water hits my skin" and "nothing washes my soul clean like Carolina rain."
Carolina rain usually derives from initial thunderstorm that puts the fear of God in you. It is famous because it can be a sunny day, 95 degrees, and bam! here comes the rain from out of nowhere. The clouds convey an ever changing color from dark to green to purple giving one the feeling they are gazing upward into a giant kaleidoscope. The winds swirl, shift violently, and scream as if the grim reaper were coming for you. The clouds, which were once at a safe distance, have run at a pace like a pack of buffaloes that they are on top of you. If you are outside and it comes, It is so sudden and violent that you run for cover in a stranger's garage or curl up in your car praying that the lightning won't pierce the roof. You'll never see the streets clear out faster than when a Carolina thunderstorm rolls in. As they say down south, "Get the women and children off the streets!"
After the initial onset, though, the rainy aftermath may differ.
There are two types of Carolina Rain which is differentiated by the moisture. First, there is "wet rain" which is brought on by a constant deluge that last for hours and will soak your clothes for days. In fact it even seems that after you wash and dry your clothes they are still wet. The water also keeps your skin moist; it has a lasting effect that prevails for days.
On the other hand there is "dry rain". After the heathens from heaven disappear, almost like they never came, dry rain can appear. Dry rain is more than a mist but less than a shower. It will have become a completely sunny, blue clear sky, with only a small dark blob in the distance. Often, one would wonder where the rain comes from. And when the rain hits your skin it evaporates as if it were not raining.
Just as a corollary, I'll throw in a bit about the Japanese rainy season which is a steady rain with a constant mist subsuming the atmosphere. The rain is moisturizing and soothing and has an invigorating scent blending cherry blossoms and honey sickles and I used to call it "sweet rain".
Well, I've noticed in San Francisco something that is somewhat different. I call this "cold rain", not because it is somewhat cold when it rains but when the rain hits your skin it sends a chill all over your body. It sends a chill down your spine that will run to the back of your knees, down your shin, into your pinky toe, and then back up suddenly into your left earlobe. And as I sit and write this, my skin still feels as if it had a cold plasma layer right under the top layer of my skin that has little crystals embedded within the membrane. These crystals can keep one cool for hours until they seem to gradually sublime .
I'll take any rain over this cold rain. By the way, you may wonder why I've noticed this. Well, I've never used an umbrella. The Japanese thought I was the strangest person ever. I used to just where my Mizuno baseball rain jacket everywhere.
Most of you aren't familiar with Carolina Rain, which is a great song by Carolina Rain. Some of the quotes are "rain feels like heaven when the water hits my skin" and "nothing washes my soul clean like Carolina rain."
Carolina rain usually derives from initial thunderstorm that puts the fear of God in you. It is famous because it can be a sunny day, 95 degrees, and bam! here comes the rain from out of nowhere. The clouds convey an ever changing color from dark to green to purple giving one the feeling they are gazing upward into a giant kaleidoscope. The winds swirl, shift violently, and scream as if the grim reaper were coming for you. The clouds, which were once at a safe distance, have run at a pace like a pack of buffaloes that they are on top of you. If you are outside and it comes, It is so sudden and violent that you run for cover in a stranger's garage or curl up in your car praying that the lightning won't pierce the roof. You'll never see the streets clear out faster than when a Carolina thunderstorm rolls in. As they say down south, "Get the women and children off the streets!"
After the initial onset, though, the rainy aftermath may differ.
There are two types of Carolina Rain which is differentiated by the moisture. First, there is "wet rain" which is brought on by a constant deluge that last for hours and will soak your clothes for days. In fact it even seems that after you wash and dry your clothes they are still wet. The water also keeps your skin moist; it has a lasting effect that prevails for days.
On the other hand there is "dry rain". After the heathens from heaven disappear, almost like they never came, dry rain can appear. Dry rain is more than a mist but less than a shower. It will have become a completely sunny, blue clear sky, with only a small dark blob in the distance. Often, one would wonder where the rain comes from. And when the rain hits your skin it evaporates as if it were not raining.
Just as a corollary, I'll throw in a bit about the Japanese rainy season which is a steady rain with a constant mist subsuming the atmosphere. The rain is moisturizing and soothing and has an invigorating scent blending cherry blossoms and honey sickles and I used to call it "sweet rain".
Well, I've noticed in San Francisco something that is somewhat different. I call this "cold rain", not because it is somewhat cold when it rains but when the rain hits your skin it sends a chill all over your body. It sends a chill down your spine that will run to the back of your knees, down your shin, into your pinky toe, and then back up suddenly into your left earlobe. And as I sit and write this, my skin still feels as if it had a cold plasma layer right under the top layer of my skin that has little crystals embedded within the membrane. These crystals can keep one cool for hours until they seem to gradually sublime .
I'll take any rain over this cold rain. By the way, you may wonder why I've noticed this. Well, I've never used an umbrella. The Japanese thought I was the strangest person ever. I used to just where my Mizuno baseball rain jacket everywhere.
Austin
I departed the plane in the chill of night
Only to be greeted by warmth and nice
For one can tell the culture by those they meet off the flight
I walked down the road facing a sharp wind
Only to be aroused by the sweat smell of BBQ tamarind
For one can tell the culture by the food made from the kin
I drank in the bars with heavy beer in hand
Only to be entertained by the melody of the bands
For one can tell the culture by late nights in the decadent land
I smiled at the the ladies as they walked on by
Only to be acknowledged by open and inquisitive eyes
For one can tell the culture simply by the reaction to a simple hi
And the women wear black jeans and cowboy boots. Hoowee.
Only to be greeted by warmth and nice
For one can tell the culture by those they meet off the flight
I walked down the road facing a sharp wind
Only to be aroused by the sweat smell of BBQ tamarind
For one can tell the culture by the food made from the kin
I drank in the bars with heavy beer in hand
Only to be entertained by the melody of the bands
For one can tell the culture by late nights in the decadent land
I smiled at the the ladies as they walked on by
Only to be acknowledged by open and inquisitive eyes
For one can tell the culture simply by the reaction to a simple hi
And the women wear black jeans and cowboy boots. Hoowee.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Low Hanging Fruit
Low Hanging Rotten Pears.Low hanging fruit is low hanging because its rotten; why do business people go after low hanging fruit. That's a rotten business strategy...
BYO Chopstix
Did you know that China produces 68Bn disposable chopstix per year? That is roughly 60/person. Most of these are sold to small restaurants implying that the average chinese eat out once out of every 6 days. Hmm, I don't think KFC uses chopstix nor does McDonalds so that would even increase the number of times the Chinese eat out.
In fact, this rise in usage of chopstix has really taken the country's environmentalists at heart. The go green environmental policy has taken ahold so strongly in China that Li Yuchun, last year's China Supergirl winner, (China's rendition of American Idol) sang a song about the need to stop using disposable chopstix to save the environment and she won. I feel the Chinese are starting to hate on chopstix...
I personally hate those disposable chopstix because I occasionally would break them unevenly such that I would poke myself with shredded piece of wood in the side of my mouth or unfailingly would flip one off my rice dish onto the floor and ask for another pair. Dui Bu Qi, Qing zai lai yi ge kuaize. My chopstix ratio: meals eaten were well over 2:1 during my time in China.
So after reading this, it made me think if I were to choose my own chopstix to carry around with me and eat out with which ones would they be?
Would they be the delicate, well designed, and delightful Japanese chopstix that are so pointed on the end they could be used to thread a button on a sleeve or as a discreet Samurai weapon. During my Sunday night dining fests with my host family, I used to poke myself so much that I could only drink miso soup on Mondays. On another note, you'd better not bring those, there are some things that the Chinese and Japanese have tremendous competitive spirits over and one odd thing is their chopstix. I once had a Shanghai girl tell me, "I'd never eat with Japanese chopstix; I'd rather starve to death."
Perhaps the cold, silver, steel, kimchee stirring chopstix from Korea would be a good option? Afterwards, you could use them as a pair of nunchuks. How about the dark wooden Yew Taiwanese chopstix that preserve the taste of dan dan mien so sumptuously that your tongue cannot stop linking them? It is kind of like you how can't stop licking your fingers after eating glazed Krispy Kreme Donuts and 3 hours later you have a quick lick hoping to get the taste just one more time.
Don't forget the Vietnamese who have made plastic chopstix so that pho broth will bead up on it like a raindrop on a lily pad and bean sprouts will stick to one of them magically, without falling. I always had the feeling if I waived them around enough, something magical would happen.
Well, at last, I guess you could always use the porcelain chinese chopstix which have a square end by your hand and a round dull point at the end and break when you drop them on the floor, like everything else does in China. Or better yet, bamboo chopstix from Tibet which I once shot a spit ball through at my buddy Nate while drunk in a Tibetan jaozi shop which we remembered because we thought they were 'jaws' of some animal.
Well, there is no point to this other than my amazement of how many chopstix are used in China and how well I remember the different chopstix in Asia. If you go for the Olympics, save the environment and bring your own, but definately not the Japanese or you may go hungry.
In fact, this rise in usage of chopstix has really taken the country's environmentalists at heart. The go green environmental policy has taken ahold so strongly in China that Li Yuchun, last year's China Supergirl winner, (China's rendition of American Idol) sang a song about the need to stop using disposable chopstix to save the environment and she won. I feel the Chinese are starting to hate on chopstix...
I personally hate those disposable chopstix because I occasionally would break them unevenly such that I would poke myself with shredded piece of wood in the side of my mouth or unfailingly would flip one off my rice dish onto the floor and ask for another pair. Dui Bu Qi, Qing zai lai yi ge kuaize. My chopstix ratio: meals eaten were well over 2:1 during my time in China.
So after reading this, it made me think if I were to choose my own chopstix to carry around with me and eat out with which ones would they be?
Would they be the delicate, well designed, and delightful Japanese chopstix that are so pointed on the end they could be used to thread a button on a sleeve or as a discreet Samurai weapon. During my Sunday night dining fests with my host family, I used to poke myself so much that I could only drink miso soup on Mondays. On another note, you'd better not bring those, there are some things that the Chinese and Japanese have tremendous competitive spirits over and one odd thing is their chopstix. I once had a Shanghai girl tell me, "I'd never eat with Japanese chopstix; I'd rather starve to death."
Perhaps the cold, silver, steel, kimchee stirring chopstix from Korea would be a good option? Afterwards, you could use them as a pair of nunchuks. How about the dark wooden Yew Taiwanese chopstix that preserve the taste of dan dan mien so sumptuously that your tongue cannot stop linking them? It is kind of like you how can't stop licking your fingers after eating glazed Krispy Kreme Donuts and 3 hours later you have a quick lick hoping to get the taste just one more time.
Don't forget the Vietnamese who have made plastic chopstix so that pho broth will bead up on it like a raindrop on a lily pad and bean sprouts will stick to one of them magically, without falling. I always had the feeling if I waived them around enough, something magical would happen.
Well, at last, I guess you could always use the porcelain chinese chopstix which have a square end by your hand and a round dull point at the end and break when you drop them on the floor, like everything else does in China. Or better yet, bamboo chopstix from Tibet which I once shot a spit ball through at my buddy Nate while drunk in a Tibetan jaozi shop which we remembered because we thought they were 'jaws' of some animal.
Well, there is no point to this other than my amazement of how many chopstix are used in China and how well I remember the different chopstix in Asia. If you go for the Olympics, save the environment and bring your own, but definately not the Japanese or you may go hungry.
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