New post (126 ) : Fibonacci in a contemporary tolerant society !
Fibonacci numbers ?
What is that ?
Fibonacci numbers are 0 and 1, and “each subsequent number is the sum of the previous two”.
So after 0 and 1 the next Fibonacci is 1,2,3,5,8,13,………. and so on.
The series grows very rapidly.
In leaps and bounds.
Like un-checked runaway corruption...in societies that tolerate it impassively.
Charlie Brown
Sunday, January 30, 2011
The CAMEL of Europe !
New Post (125) : The CAMEL of Europe !
1. I was flummoxed (confused; perplexed) by my nephew's reference to Germany as “The camel of Europe”.
My protestations that Europe had no desert and hence no native camels, yielded an all knowing quizzical smile.
This is how he explained it to me.
Germany does not do a whole lot of things.
But they do some things a whole lot better than most. Notably…
C: Chemicals
A. Automobiles
M: Machines
E: Energy
L: Logistics
So while the rest of Europe (with the exception of France) has gotten itself stand stuck,
Germany races through the sands of this financial crisis.
I had no choice but to nod my head in approval.
2. Germany and France will not allow the collapse of the Euro. (…nor will China)
But the rest of the European assortment of countries, both old and new, will have to get their act together--- by stopping to “splurge”. Notably the spend thrift south (and the rather impoverished newer eastern members).
One foot on the accelerator and the other foot on the brake !
...will just not do.
Europe has a future. It’s in their own hands. Only an approach of collective responsibility of "all" member states will move them forward. As one whole.
A failure of the great European experiment would be bad news for the world at large.
Charlie Brown
1. I was flummoxed (confused; perplexed) by my nephew's reference to Germany as “The camel of Europe”.
My protestations that Europe had no desert and hence no native camels, yielded an all knowing quizzical smile.
This is how he explained it to me.
Germany does not do a whole lot of things.
But they do some things a whole lot better than most. Notably…
C: Chemicals
A. Automobiles
M: Machines
E: Energy
L: Logistics
So while the rest of Europe (with the exception of France) has gotten itself stand stuck,
Germany races through the sands of this financial crisis.
I had no choice but to nod my head in approval.
2. Germany and France will not allow the collapse of the Euro. (…nor will China)
But the rest of the European assortment of countries, both old and new, will have to get their act together--- by stopping to “splurge”. Notably the spend thrift south (and the rather impoverished newer eastern members).
One foot on the accelerator and the other foot on the brake !
...will just not do.
Europe has a future. It’s in their own hands. Only an approach of collective responsibility of "all" member states will move them forward. As one whole.
A failure of the great European experiment would be bad news for the world at large.
Charlie Brown
Friday, January 28, 2011
The new cancer drugs are so damn expensive !
New Post (124 ) : The new cancer drugs are so damn expensive !
1. Himalayan prices make for a bitter pill to swallow.
The astonishing prices drug companies are charging for cancer drugs…is shocking.
For years, we've been hearing about the "magic bullet" drugs that will expand cancer treatment beyond the long-standing triad of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Also referred to as ---slash, burn, & poison.
A few of these new drugs have won approval and come to market,
…but the prices are so high that many patients who might benefit will not afford them.
(&) Why are these drugs so expensive?
It's hard to know exactly, since drug pricing is a protected sacred prerogative and so the fine details remain shrouded in trade secrets.
Fact is that drug companies can charge whatever price they want.
All pharmaceutical companies, cite research costs and the huge risks involved in drug development
-That many drugs fail.
-That clinical trials are expensive.
Familiar nonsense, …as explanations for the high prices of their drugs.
The real reason is that market forces do not apply to drugs.
2. Isn't any price worth it to save a life ?
Perhaps, but despite the highly extortionate prices, these drugs often accomplish far less.
A 1-6 month extension of life can wipe out all the financial resources of a middle class family !
A marketplace with absolutely no price control will only propel the drug companies to charge even more for future drugs, some of which may offer even less benefit.
To my mind---The only way out is a 100% Government funded and strictly supervised drug development for cancer at a highly select & dedicated small number of private laboratories.
This is not a matter that can be left to “insurance and Pharmaceutical” companies.
Charlie Brown
1. Himalayan prices make for a bitter pill to swallow.
The astonishing prices drug companies are charging for cancer drugs…is shocking.
For years, we've been hearing about the "magic bullet" drugs that will expand cancer treatment beyond the long-standing triad of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Also referred to as ---slash, burn, & poison.
A few of these new drugs have won approval and come to market,
…but the prices are so high that many patients who might benefit will not afford them.
(&) Why are these drugs so expensive?
It's hard to know exactly, since drug pricing is a protected sacred prerogative and so the fine details remain shrouded in trade secrets.
Fact is that drug companies can charge whatever price they want.
All pharmaceutical companies, cite research costs and the huge risks involved in drug development
-That many drugs fail.
-That clinical trials are expensive.
Familiar nonsense, …as explanations for the high prices of their drugs.
The real reason is that market forces do not apply to drugs.
2. Isn't any price worth it to save a life ?
Perhaps, but despite the highly extortionate prices, these drugs often accomplish far less.
A 1-6 month extension of life can wipe out all the financial resources of a middle class family !
A marketplace with absolutely no price control will only propel the drug companies to charge even more for future drugs, some of which may offer even less benefit.
To my mind---The only way out is a 100% Government funded and strictly supervised drug development for cancer at a highly select & dedicated small number of private laboratories.
This is not a matter that can be left to “insurance and Pharmaceutical” companies.
Charlie Brown
Thursday, January 27, 2011
What don't they like ? tells us a whole lot more !
New Post (123) : What don't they like ? tells us a whole lot more !
There's nothing wrong with giving the people what they want.
But if that's all you do, you're missing the chance for major innovations.
More often than not…
The consumers didn't know they wanted it until they had it. But once they had it, they liked it and then they wanted it.
The WANTING IS A POST-RATIONALIZATION. (example: cell phones)
Innovation springs from understanding consumers better than they understand themselves.
If you can do that, you'll reward them with great new products, and they'll reward you with their money.
If you ask people what they want, they will primarily give you responses based on what they've already seen. People are much better at processing and discussing what they know than they are at imagining new things.
We can "want" only things that we have already seen or conceived of. So when you ask consumers what they want, you'll get only the tip of the iceberg of what's possible.
To get to the “real” opportunities for product innovation, you have to dig deeper.
You have to study how consumers behave and interact with their needs and products. Then you can GLEAN INSIGHTS from what you've OBSERVED.
Finally, you feed those insights to your marketing team in a creative environment—and watch the real innovation happen.
Think about this…
-Rather than asking consumers what they want, ask them about what they already have.
What do they like about current products? WHAT DON'T THEY LIKE ? They'll be able to give you much more useful information when they are drawing from personal experience.
-Observe your subjects as they use the products in everyday life. Try to see everything they do that relates to the need your product fills.
[The "Got Milk" campaign emerged from a media team observing real consumers with (and without) milk in their homes.]
-Few products exist in a vacuum.
Chairs and computer desks are built at heights that work together for you.
Also, rather simplistically stated---"You buy butter because someone made bread".
As the relevant peripheral products evolve, new opportunities emerge for you to evolve your product.
The most important thing is to KEENLY OBSERVE & --- “NEVER STOP ASKING QUESTIONS”.
Charlie Brown
There's nothing wrong with giving the people what they want.
But if that's all you do, you're missing the chance for major innovations.
More often than not…
The consumers didn't know they wanted it until they had it. But once they had it, they liked it and then they wanted it.
The WANTING IS A POST-RATIONALIZATION. (example: cell phones)
Innovation springs from understanding consumers better than they understand themselves.
If you can do that, you'll reward them with great new products, and they'll reward you with their money.
If you ask people what they want, they will primarily give you responses based on what they've already seen. People are much better at processing and discussing what they know than they are at imagining new things.
We can "want" only things that we have already seen or conceived of. So when you ask consumers what they want, you'll get only the tip of the iceberg of what's possible.
To get to the “real” opportunities for product innovation, you have to dig deeper.
You have to study how consumers behave and interact with their needs and products. Then you can GLEAN INSIGHTS from what you've OBSERVED.
Finally, you feed those insights to your marketing team in a creative environment—and watch the real innovation happen.
Think about this…
-Rather than asking consumers what they want, ask them about what they already have.
What do they like about current products? WHAT DON'T THEY LIKE ? They'll be able to give you much more useful information when they are drawing from personal experience.
-Observe your subjects as they use the products in everyday life. Try to see everything they do that relates to the need your product fills.
[The "Got Milk" campaign emerged from a media team observing real consumers with (and without) milk in their homes.]
-Few products exist in a vacuum.
Chairs and computer desks are built at heights that work together for you.
Also, rather simplistically stated---"You buy butter because someone made bread".
As the relevant peripheral products evolve, new opportunities emerge for you to evolve your product.
The most important thing is to KEENLY OBSERVE & --- “NEVER STOP ASKING QUESTIONS”.
Charlie Brown
The Blood Demon/S inside us !
New post (122) : The Blood Demon/S inside us !
1. A highly acclaimed Social Hindi play, “Rakht Beej” (meaning: Blood Seed)
Written by : Dr. Shankar Shesh
Directed by : Arun Mathur
"Rakht Beej" explores & exposes the blood demons inside all of us.
To be something or to get everything these blood demons (inside us) encourage us to : ………………“use each other”.
Strongly recommended. An absolutely must watch play. Theater at it’s insightful best.
2. The mythology of Rakhht Beej:
According to Hindu mythology there was a demon named Rakhtbeej ( Rakht means blood and Beej means seed) which means his blood would work as a seed. He had a boon that if his blood ever touched the ground, it would grow a new body of that demon. He started taking benefit of this boon by killing people, doing anti-religious activities and doing all sorts of evil work. Finally Goddess Durga had to descend to the earth in the form of Kali to kill this demon. But the problem was that as Durga would cut off his neck, a new fresh body of this demon would appear because his blood would fall on the ground and create a new body. So he would get a new body every time Goddess Durga tried to kill him. Finally Goddess Kali (an incarnation of Durga) cut off his neck and collected all his blood in a pot and drank it. She did not let a drop of blood reach the ground and this is how she was able to kill this demon. Since most of the Kali photos show Kali killing this demon and drinking his blood, and she has body parts wrapped around her body, a lot of people mistakenly think that she likes the blood, which is not true. These body parts are of the demons, not of some innocent people or some innocent animal. She had to drink the blood only because she wanted to kill this demon, not because she likes the blood.
Note/Clarification:
The play only uses the mythology as an inspiration. However the setting is a 100% contemporary. To perhaps make it easy to relate to. Hence it comes across as more real. More shocking !
Charlie Brown
1. A highly acclaimed Social Hindi play, “Rakht Beej” (meaning: Blood Seed)
Written by : Dr. Shankar Shesh
Directed by : Arun Mathur
"Rakht Beej" explores & exposes the blood demons inside all of us.
To be something or to get everything these blood demons (inside us) encourage us to : ………………“use each other”.
Strongly recommended. An absolutely must watch play. Theater at it’s insightful best.
2. The mythology of Rakhht Beej:
According to Hindu mythology there was a demon named Rakhtbeej ( Rakht means blood and Beej means seed) which means his blood would work as a seed. He had a boon that if his blood ever touched the ground, it would grow a new body of that demon. He started taking benefit of this boon by killing people, doing anti-religious activities and doing all sorts of evil work. Finally Goddess Durga had to descend to the earth in the form of Kali to kill this demon. But the problem was that as Durga would cut off his neck, a new fresh body of this demon would appear because his blood would fall on the ground and create a new body. So he would get a new body every time Goddess Durga tried to kill him. Finally Goddess Kali (an incarnation of Durga) cut off his neck and collected all his blood in a pot and drank it. She did not let a drop of blood reach the ground and this is how she was able to kill this demon. Since most of the Kali photos show Kali killing this demon and drinking his blood, and she has body parts wrapped around her body, a lot of people mistakenly think that she likes the blood, which is not true. These body parts are of the demons, not of some innocent people or some innocent animal. She had to drink the blood only because she wanted to kill this demon, not because she likes the blood.
Note/Clarification:
The play only uses the mythology as an inspiration. However the setting is a 100% contemporary. To perhaps make it easy to relate to. Hence it comes across as more real. More shocking !
Charlie Brown
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Turn off that light in the other room.
New Post (121) : Turn off that light in the other room.
How bright…an idea…this is…(wow) !
Cargo ships (and other seagoing vessels) may soon be partly powered by high-altitude kites.
Unlike the previous concept announced, which uses kites to harness wind power to supplement ships' propulsion systems,
the new concept envisages generating electricity to support onboard auxiliary services, such as electronic equipment and air conditioning.
It generates power by raising and lowering kites to and from certain altitudes
Based on this "yo-yo" phenomenon, the energy consumed by the winding phase is just a fraction of that generated during the unwinding stage.
While researchers race against time, working ceaselessly on new and innovative solutions to light up the world……we can do our bit too…….
Turn off that light in the other room.
Charlie Brown
How bright…an idea…this is…(wow) !
Cargo ships (and other seagoing vessels) may soon be partly powered by high-altitude kites.
Unlike the previous concept announced, which uses kites to harness wind power to supplement ships' propulsion systems,
the new concept envisages generating electricity to support onboard auxiliary services, such as electronic equipment and air conditioning.
It generates power by raising and lowering kites to and from certain altitudes
Based on this "yo-yo" phenomenon, the energy consumed by the winding phase is just a fraction of that generated during the unwinding stage.
While researchers race against time, working ceaselessly on new and innovative solutions to light up the world……we can do our bit too…….
Turn off that light in the other room.
Charlie Brown
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
A cryptic anecdote from Switzerland.
New Post (120) : A cryptic anecdote from Switzerland.
Here’s a cryptic anecdote for you to enjoy.
“C” approaches “S” with a bag load of money and asks him to “take care” of it for him.
“S” gives him a receipt with a number scribbled on it.
“C” goes away relieved and cheerful.
“S” invests the money and makes himself rich.
“C” meanwhile comes under the scanner and is investigated for the sources of his wealth.
“S” is contacted to enquire about any bag loads of money he may have received from “C”
“S” feigns ignorance.
“S” meanwhile continues getting richer.
“C” walks away unscathed from the investigation, as the investigation is dropped.
“C” and “S” --- --- --- gloat over their little game.
*** The lesser said about “C”riminals and about “S”wiss bankers………the better. Indeed.
What ? Are you missing the joke here ?
The joke my friend --- is on all of the rest of us.
Banking secrecy law is akin to a cloak of silk …on a pile of stinking garbage.
Can’t hide the stink.
Charlie Brown
Here’s a cryptic anecdote for you to enjoy.
“C” approaches “S” with a bag load of money and asks him to “take care” of it for him.
“S” gives him a receipt with a number scribbled on it.
“C” goes away relieved and cheerful.
“S” invests the money and makes himself rich.
“C” meanwhile comes under the scanner and is investigated for the sources of his wealth.
“S” is contacted to enquire about any bag loads of money he may have received from “C”
“S” feigns ignorance.
“S” meanwhile continues getting richer.
“C” walks away unscathed from the investigation, as the investigation is dropped.
“C” and “S” --- --- --- gloat over their little game.
*** The lesser said about “C”riminals and about “S”wiss bankers………the better. Indeed.
What ? Are you missing the joke here ?
The joke my friend --- is on all of the rest of us.
Banking secrecy law is akin to a cloak of silk …on a pile of stinking garbage.
Can’t hide the stink.
Charlie Brown
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