Ideas, Rule

Go over any news site, blog you will see the entire space filled up with Recession, crunch, layoffs, unemployment. Thought I might try to help here, with my “2 cents” (in literal terms, as can’t afford in these times to spend more)

1. Starting a web site

Yeah, I know you might have already guessed it. But it is just not writing “TOP 10″ or “TOP 15″ things the way I am doing right now.

Check them out - http://unemploymentality.com/

I just loved the way John Henion and Tania Khadder have set up the entire site.  Very creative and catchy.

2. Stand up Comedy

I don’t say being an artist is everyone’s cup of tea, but surely if you have the panache go for it. There are so many things going wrong these days and surely you will get your punchlines and subjects from the turmoil. Layoffs, wall street bonuses, white house comments, recession news, company bankruptcy — there is no dearth. BTW, I came across this video by George Carlin, which is worth a watch.

George Carlin - Who Really Controls America

3. Buy and Sell Gold

I was extremely shocked to see these signs while walking down to my office on the Wall Street. Bunch of guys with all funny messages strapped around their body, trying to send a message on/ around Wall Street.

We Buy Gold

4. Blogging

On common, now don’t complain that this should have been on the TOP at #1. When I was reading about blogging, I was trying to understand the whole SEO and stuff. Somewhere I read that you can become famous and attract readers, if you can create controversies .. Don’t know if I will support that, but makes sense to me. The following blog is making some noise these days. People are putting all adjectives for them, but I found them quite funny. Check it out .. http://dabagirls.com/ (Dating A Banker Anonymous)

5. Business around cars

Uncle Sam wants you to buy a car — Whoa, this sounds great to me. America runs on cars (hmm, Dunkin Donuts will not agree) but yeah I really liked that idea. If people get cars, they will travel and money starts pouring in. Think about any business around cars then.

Garage, rental businesses more like Zipcars, accessories around cars might work.

6. Being Patriotic

I really liked the video below, even if Thomas L. Friedman would disagree to make his Flat World, around again

http://money.cnn.com/video/#/video/news/2009/01/30/news.costello.013009.cnnmoney

Well, what one can do is gather list of all the products, services, materials which are consumed in United States but produced elsewhere, fire up the patriotic feeling amongst fellow Americans, and when local businesses start pumping up, they share revenue with this guy who generated the patriotic feeling

7. Joining Meetups, Social Networking sites, Business Networking Sites

Well I thought about this and whether it will be helpful. What I realized is you anyways have nothing to do. And what you can definitely do now without spending any bucks is make contacts, connections. After all it’s all networking and personal connections which matter. Be it Satyam Computer’s Mr. Raju scam or Madoff’s ponzi scheme — nothing gets executed without a connection. I am not suggesting to build connections right now, and then be tomorrow’s Madoff, but the emphasis is more on Networking. As we know most of the successful companies originated around similar times. So go for it, and try to find your business partner.

8. Act and make films - Concentrate on home entertainments

Because Netflix is going to help you there .. apparently when everyone is reporting losses, they are posting profits, because they feel recession is good for home entertainment.

Height of the internet-age would be registering the user name of an unborn child and creating his social profile.

There are hundreds of applications, thousands of enterpreneurs and young talent and resulting in millions of users of the world wide web. Applications connecting people — yeah, the so called Social Networking phenomenon has impacted everything from selling car to sharing music to reviewing movie.

I am neither an environmental speaker nor tend to become one. These are few suggestions I would like to make to these social data crunchers, about what they can do.

1. Platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Myspace, Orkut should make sure to have atleast 5% of their space/ advertisement devoted to some social message.

2. These platform should encourge and promote the vendor apps, which can make a difference for the environment or carry a message in their business model.

3. This can be a little tricky — Sublimal message — it does work, right? Now if used in the right way it can do wonders considering the number of users looking at these messages.

4. Hammer the users with some low hanging suggestions/ inputs — e.g. Switch off you laptops/ computers when not in used. Don’t just keep them running.

5. Build functionalities and promote them which are around car pooling, sharing a ride

6. Build functionalities which allow users not only share just music and pictures, but also share information about things they want to re-cycle or give away non-degradable items so some other friend can use it instead of being thrown away.

7. I really would like to see an application which comments on industries, factories and organizations which cause huge pollution and doesn’t get caught. Users should know about these culprits, so their products/ services gets boycotted. After all you believe you friend on his movie review, why can’t you believe in him if he comments about someone screwing the nature.

8. Collective intelligence - Obama has already done it. Why can’t these platforms and entrepreneurs do it — create placeholder where every user has to contribute and act.

Frankly, I am thinking about a body which can make sure that every internet social user is paying his or her dues/ taxes through these platforms, which are part of our lives now.

Came across this pretty read post on NY Times. I read all of them and the list was very impressive. Here is the list of 15 top ideas, ofcourse according to me. And frankly while reading you will go, woooo (nice), ahhhhh (why didn’t I get it), grrrrrr (BS), sigh (I still don’t get it)

# Biomechanical Energy Harvester -

A knee-brace-like gadget developed by a Canadian scientist harnesses the power of the human gait, generating enough wattage from your daily walking to power a cellphone or two-way radio and then some.

# Brickley Engine -

Five years ago, Brickley, a self-taught “engine inventor” in Austin, Tex., decided to give it a try. He realized that one of the biggest drags on engine efficiency is friction: whenever two parts interact with each other, they generate heat and drain energy out of the system. So he began designing a new type of engine that reduced friction by doing away with several traditional parts. In the Brickley Engine — as he calls it — there are no piston skirts and several fewer crankshaft and crankpin bearings.

# Fast-Food Zoning

In an effort to provide residents with more nutritious choices, the L.A. City Council adopted landmark legislation in July mandating a one‑year moratorium on the building of new fast-food eateries in a 32‑square‑mile area.

# Gallons Per Mile -

The problem with m.p.g., argues Richard Larrick, who wrote the article with his business-school colleague (and carpooling partner) Jack Soll, is that it leads consumers to significantly underestimate the gains in fuel efficiency that can be achieved by trading in very low m.p.g. vehicles — even for one that gets only a few more miles per gallon.

# Mahlangu Hand-Washer -

Van Peer realized the need for such a device while working on sanitation projects in South African townships; many of the township residents have difficulty washing their hands because they lack easy access to water.

# The One-Room School Bus

An experimental program that transforms the school bus into a mobile classroom.

# Spray-On Condom

Jan Vinzenz Krause, a 31-year-old German entrepreneur, says that condoms should be more like shoes. “You go into a shop, tell them your size and you get shoes that fit your feet,” he says. “Not so with condoms.”

# Two-Tier Teacher Contract

One of the big debates in education today is over teacher quality: how do you reward successful teachers, get rid of unsuccessful ones and attract more high-performing applicants? Michelle Rhee, the young, controversial new chancellor of the Washington, D.C., public schools, thinks she has the answer.

# Vending Machine for Crows -

“Klein designed the machine so that when the crows searched for the missing peanuts, they pushed the coins out of a dish into a slot, causing more peanuts to be released into the dish. The Binghamton crows quickly learned that dropping nickels and dimes into the slot produced peanuts, and the most resourceful members of the flock began looking for more coins. Within a month, Klein had a flock of crows scouring the ground for loose change.”

# Wine from China -

Don’t laugh just yet. China is already the world’s sixth-largest producer, with some 400 wineries. And it has been making grape-based wine for at least 2,000 years. True, most Chinese wine today is unremarkable, even undrinkable to Western palates. And reports abound of counterfeiting and labeling imported wine as Chinese. But China’s 1.3 billion citizens are developing a taste for wine, which experts say will drive better winemaking. Producers are taking steps to raise quality, too, bringing in wine consultants from Australia, France and

other regions. “None of us were drinking wines from Chile or Argentina 50 years ago,” notes Bartholomew Broadbent, an importer and co-owner of Dragon’s Hollow, a winery in China’s northern-central Ningxia Hui region. “Why not China?”

Remember Amitabh movie, Deewar. In this movie Amitabh carried the stigma of his father’s indiscretion, that could not be washed as it was tatooed on his hand (Mera Baap Chor Hai).

The recent trends around corporate failure around the globe is an alarming wake up call for all of us. White collared frauds are no less heinous crime than a mass murder. Don’t you think so. Following the Satyam fiasco, thousands of hearts are broken who were thinking of going overseas so that they can earn more for their child’s education, dreams shattered of paying up EMI of a new house they bought. And all this coming at this hour when India and world economy least needs anything like this.

I don’t know about Hollywood, but I will not be surprised if RGV makes a remake of Deewar, in which instead of making a tatoo with Mera Baap Chor Hai (My Father is a thief), he uses the line Mera Baap CEO Hai (My Father is a CEO)

The very meaning of Satyam is “Truth”. Nice. What is wrong with the corporate world? There was a time when Police Officers, Politicians and other government machinery was mocked by Stand-ups, movies, poets, cartoonists - everyone. People hated to be called policitians. In every hindi movie we saw that Police comes in after the crime is done, isn’t it?

Is the time changed? The recent act by Raju & Co at Satyam has brought utter disgrace to the IT and service industry in India. He has brought disgrace to every IT person who till yesterday was happy that he studies Computers. What happens to our “silver bullet” (IT and Services Sector) which was suppose to take India to super power track? Talking about super power, I think Raju is India’s Madoff and this scam is India’s Enron. Hey Americans, we are already there. Don’t you dare call us Third World or a developing nation!

But on a different note, doesn’t this pattern emerge every now and then, and in all parts of the world? After every such scam we end up saying, “We need more regulations!” WTF! Satyam was on NYSE, audited by PWC, HUH?

But yeah, one thing is sure - Raju Ban Gaya MentalMan (what was he thinking)

Quick video @ WSJ

http://online.wsj.com/video/the-consequences-of-satyam/710EBC51-ED06-4D10-B1DE-CD2B3401FA6A.html

Aditya, a good friend, sent me this link and asked me my opinion on it. While I read this nicely written article what loomed over my mind is why do “WE” (Indians) react in this way? During the attacks, I had several arguments and discussions with other friends on the situation then. One thing which I was always clear on is this is our behaviour and outlook was very normal which is CONDEMN->BLAME->GET ANGRY->PROTEST->GO BACK TO BUSINESS.

I think as an Indian, we have become this way. We don’t mind people coming to our homeland, fool us, rule us, exploit us. Mughals did that. Britishers did that. Politicians are doing it. And since past few years our neighbors.

With the current war between Israel and Hamas, we are questioned why can’t we follow the same route with Pakistan? Can we?

Most of our leaders are typical Indian. That doesn’t mean I am not. There were very few who could swim against the current .. I can recall Sadar Patel, Netaji Bose, Lal Bahadur Shashtri. I am sure I can count these names on my fingers. Since so many centuries we have been ruled, has made us bow in front of anyone and everyone. Be it corruption, foreign policies, domestic casteism riots, language/ regional differences etc; has always made us bow and accept and live with it attitude.

Be it a Mumbai Train Blast, or Mumbai Gun Fire Attack, I guess our resilience to the situation is extremely high. I recall my friend getting onto the same train next day or my uncle driving to work near the same location (while the fight between the terrorists and commandos was going on). LIFE GOES ON, is what they were thinking.

During my school days, I always use to oppose views of Gandhiji, peace, non violence. Then I never really understood the real reason. It was just a feeling I had which told me non violence is not the way to treat a coward who is crushing my liberty, my peace, my happiness over my LAND. I always stood by the views of Netaji Bose. A big fan of Shashtriji. I guess it we also need to revive our educational systems, where too much emphasis on Ghandhi-giri (Thanks Munnabhai for that word) should be taken off. Do you really believe in Gandhi-giri? Real life is no “Lage Raho” … people are losing their lives, investors are turning away, future dreams are getting shattered. Is there any course book in India who talks about Bhagat Singh’s attitude? No. If Gandhi has been bestowed Father of the Nation, why can’t we call Lal Bahadur Shahtri Son of the Nation? (Well don’t want the dirty politics to come in here)

I know much has been said and written around India’s fight against terrorism and this is yet another blog post I am writing.  But frankly, what I conclude is the current generations will continue to “bow”. We have to make the next generation fierce when they see the light of the day. Along with teaching them how to live in harmony with such great diversity, also tell them to be warriors when it comes to integrity of our NATION. Else, this will go on forever. No “Munnabhai” or “A Wednesday” can solve this problem.

Start talking to your young ones, now!

(Image from Flickr by sirwatkyn)

We need this in our new generation