From Joel on Software: ”We will not be "offshoring" our software development because you don't outsource your core competency. I'm not a software broker, I'm a software developer.
”

You can reach SilverKey India at (312) 242 - 1754.

Yes, that's a Chicago area code. How? We are using Voice Over IP baby. So anyone in the US can contact SilverKey India for a cost of local phone call.

Spring apparently starts early this time in Chicago. It's a nize 30 degrees with fully lit sky today.

Life indicator: Drama free. For two weeks already.

I am finishing my third book this week and here's a quick review of one of them.

“Turnaround : How Carlos Ghosn rescued Nissan”

This book outlined the remarkable story of Carlos Ghosn's (affectionately called Ghosn-San in Japan) international career in  reviving companies around the world, starting from Michelin Brasil to Michelin USA, before saving the troubled French company Renault and upping it by being the master behind Nissan remarkable corporate turnaround.

The book is a quick read and offers there valuable lessons:

1. Do not be fazed by stereotypes given to a culture. Go and discover it yourself.

2. There is no inherent obstacle in a culture to adopt new influence.

3. Start with a clean sheet of paper when you move to a new place. Listen and let others teach you new insights. This way the decision you make will be more effective instead of forcing your own mindset and implement it in a new locale.

The book is worth reading.

From Reuters : “The United States on Thursday lifted U.S. travel restrictions on Libya as a reward for scrapping its nuclear arms programs, the White House said. “

Imagine the route you can take. Start from Naples, go east, turn south at Turkey, go back west from Cairo, north from Rabat and end your trip at Rome.

From SI : ”"That ball's gotta go," said DePorter, managing partner of the restaurant group, which organized the event as part of its annual tribute to Caray, the beloved Cubs broadcaster who died six years ago Thursday. "It's like the ring from The Lord of the Rings and we're kind of like Frodo, trying to get it over with."”

From Yahoo! News ” Half of all young Americans will get a sexually transmitted disease by the age of 25, perhaps because they are ignorant about protection or embarrassed to ask for it, according to several reports.”

Ouch.

From John Robb on Tom Peters' 16 points about outsourcing: “His conclusion:  we need to train many, many more creative, risk-taking entrepreneurs.  That will require a massive shift in how we educate our youth.  The only reliable indicator of whether you will be an entrepreneur:  you are the son or daughter of an entrepreneur.”

No snow this morning, just a bucket from the heaven. And Fat Tuesday is today (Mardi Gras)

From Mercury News: ”

Eastern Europe and Central Asia are experiencing the fastest-growing HIV epidemic in the world, said Peter Piot, the executive director of the U.N. AIDS organization.

In 1998, Piot noted, there were only 30,000 people known to be infected with HIV in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. That figure has since risen to 1.5 million, he said.”

From Steph : ”"you know, no one likes their job, it's part of life". I was so ill at the time yet knew it to be totally untrue.”

“DogyG,

Long time, Brother! So much doing of late, trying to position myself for the
new reality in Liberia.”

Friedman on outsourcing:

“Taking all this in, two things strike me about this outsourcing issue: One, economists are surely right: the biggest factor eliminating old jobs and churning new ones is technological change — the phone mail system that eliminated your secretary. As for the zippies who soak up certain U.S. or European jobs, they will become consumers, the global pie will grow, and ultimately we will all be better off. As long as America maintains its ability to do cutting-edge innovation, the long run should be fine. Saving money by outsourcing basic jobs to zippies, so we can invest in more high-end innovation, makes sense.

But here's what I also feel: this particular short run could be a real bear — and politically explosive. The potential speed and scale of this outsourcing phenomenon make its potential impact enormous and unpredictable. As we enter a world where the price of digitizing information — converting it into little packets of ones and zeros and then transmitting it over high-speed data networks — falls to near zero, it means the vaunted "death of distance" is really here. And that means that many jobs you can now do from your house — whether data processing, reading an X-ray, or basic accounting or lawyering — can now also be done from a zippie's house in India or China.”

Western Europe will soon hit by this phenomena. No doubt. In the future, you'll survive on the creations of new ideas and capital. That's it. The cost of production is so low overseas that it affords almost anybody a production capability that they will not have here in the US.

If you are in the rat race in the corporation, be very good at it or skip the game and start your own company. I predict of rapid growth in the one-two micro size business in this coming decades.

As a global trend, we will see more and more water flow effect downstream based on cost and quality. All commodities will be done at the cheapest price (the Wal Mart effect),  which is a moving target as the reality of cost shifted from one high demand place to another.

India will get more expensive as the economy improves and other smart countries will style itself just like India and take the price/brain that India has over US.

One thing is, never bet against the US. As long as the United States keeps its border open, it will still become the place of destination for the smartest and hardest working people on earth.

From The Grey Lady : ”While women have long been involved in the sex industry as providers and consumers, their participation now has become more of an economic phenomenon, largely because of the Internet. In fact, experts say, the Internet has been a major factor in unleashing women's interest in all things sexual. Surveys by Nielsen/NetRatings, which measures Internet audiences, have found that women account for more than a quarter of all visitors to sites with adult content, with more than 10 million women logging on to such sites in December alone”

I don't cherish Friday as much as I think I should. It's probably because I don't take weekends regularly. Just one year ago I would be bouncing up and down in anticipation of incoming weekends (and work schedule in Aiesec was bad enough). What I do like is the possibility that anything can happen in a weekend, especially after Chicago is unseasonably warm right now (we got rain this morning, not cold enough for the 'good stuff' to form)

From Digs: “ I was talking to one of my friends about going to Belize over new years and he said "it must be nice to have the money to do things like that"  and I just laughed because he made twice as much as I do.  It's all about priorities.  You work to live, not live to work. Even though I work very long hours and like to be good at what I do, I see my job as a means that provides me with the financial resources I need to live the life I want to live, nothing more.”

Digs and I differ starkly on this issue (view of life). I don't see any separation between work and life. What I choose to work on is my life. What I choose to do outside of work is also my life. There is no distinction between the two. Both are two things that I choose to do. Work is not a necessary evil for me because I find them meaningful. I can safely assume that the day I stop working would be the day I die. As long as I live, work will always be part of my life, in whatever form they might be. And I like the Jewish motto of “To mend the world”, which can only be accomplished through work. And I also regard financial power as very important because it affords me not only to take care of myself, but also of others because there are essential things that only money can buy.

But then again, I'm a Puritan builder and my ideological ancestor got kicked out of England for being boring.

Oh well, the screening of City of God at the Chicago Cultural Center was packed. I got there early and managed to get one reserved then I left because there was no way Andrea could get in after the door was closed and the screening started. So I waited for her on the stair outside in a suprisingly warm weather of Chicago. No movie. Just dinner at her place instead.

Am darn tired right now as I've been awake for almost 21 hours now. It's time to crash.

From Joshua :

“So, what paybacks am I talking about? well, last month the media people decided to publicly humiliate the people's choice for a candidate, and instead substitute their choice. I'll vote for him because I have no choice, really. A vote for Bush is a vote against my interest, and so I'll go Kerry, I won't shoot myself in the foot by boycotting him. But there is no question that the press engineered Dean's destruction. Dean may have made it easier, but there wasn't even lip service to the concept of equal time.

So what we have to do is pick one of theirs, someone conspicuous, well connected (so that all of the right people take notice), and destroy them. This is utterly disgusting, but it is how politics is played. It's diplomacy. It happens. Anyone here ever see a Star Trek TOS episode called "Balance of Terror"? If the Romulan ship makes it home alive, we have a war on our hands. So it must not get home alive.

So, I hereby nominate Diane Sawyer and her senior staff for sacrifice. “

I finished two books so far this week.

1. “Renegades of the Empire”, a book narrating the story of how three developers in Microsoft set out to create DirectX. That's all you need to know. There is nothing interesting in the book.

2. “The Art of Innovation”, a book about creating culture of innovation inside a company. The book is author by the folks at IDEO, a renowned design firm. This book deserves your time.

I rarely have dreams and remember it afterward. This one was an exception. I had a dream of winning a billion dollars lottery and live in fear because everyone is out to get me and my money. I woke up tired. Bummer.

I will have today off. Finally I have my normal cycle back. The dinner last night was sweet though. I can use some more of those.

First marker for Dody's Kitchen recipe.

Middle of the week, my favourite day. I've been awake all night and I feel great. It's time to reverse my sleep cycle today, back to normal, instead of Indian time. Andrea's back from Thailand last night, hopefully (avian) virus free.

From Time  ”The government's investigating a one-second flash as though it were the Iran-contra scandal does seem a bit preposterous. Whatever is turned up, the crimes were committed long before, and by many hands. The NFL, for instance, has not exactly been dainty in courting those vaunted 18-to-34-year-old men; before the indecent exposure, it was parading the bodacious Coors Light twins like game trophies. If the league has expressed any reservations about the sponsors' objectifying messages, it has been hard to hear them. (Asked about the beer-ad and cheerleader culture, NFL'S Browne demurred, "Let's stay on the halftime.") “

Go read them. It's an angry piece on American popular culture (which is rare for Time Magazine article)

From John Robb

”This is particularly true in export-oriented start-ups aiming at niche global markets (this is the growth area I am most excited about).  It's possible, using outsourcing and offshoring to build a large virtual company for pennies on the dollar.  However, the founding entrepreneur still needs a core team to help him/her get the start-up off the ground.  Retaining the talent necessay to do this (this isn't burger flipping), is almost impossible.  You can't do it by taking a second mortgage out on your house, you need to go to VCs (which are, as we all know, almost impossible to deal with unless there is a financial bubble in play). “

Another side effect on this early trend would be the demise of office rental business. All you need now is to be located in a city where third spaces are vibrant.

I'm currently toying with the idea of working on a Rhapsody Playlist Exchange. It shouldn't be taking too much time to make one.

From CNN/Money

”The economy should shed its jobless label this year with the creation of about 2.6 million new positions, the White House forecast Monday.

Last year, the Bush administration was looking for the creation of about 1.7 million jobs. But the economy actually lost 53,000 jobs, bringing the total number of jobs lost since Bush took office to 2.2 million. “

I think I will try to attempt 400 swimming laps sometime this week. That will take me about 2 hours to accomplish. I'll become the Chlorine man by the time I'm done with it.

I slept for half an hour and woke up angry. This is not going to be a good day.

First rule of blogging, never blog when you're drunk. There you go. I broke it.

http://tools.schwimmerlegal.com/miss_piggy.jpg

If you are in search of gift for your man, check out LuxuryHaven, a luxury store for men. They offer free shipping worldwide.

The CEO is a good friend of mine and he's successfully build his company from scratch since 2001 (when I was in Singapore, he was still in the planning stage and he showed me the products he was scouting for his store). He was my 'fashion consultant' when we were roommates in New York, giving funny and insightful critique of my style and wardrobe collection.  

So check it out, you will be pleasantly surprised.

I did 300 laps today. Finally. On the downside I smell like Chlorine.

A collection of kiss stories.

“My first one - my very first one was at a party - a good chilling and talking kind of affair, and the whole night I wanted to kiss her, but didn't know how to bring it up. We got to talking, and finally I said, "You know, I really wish I could do something romantic, like say 'Shut up and kiss me,' but I dunno..." The conversation lulled as I looked at the ground. When I looked up, she said, "Well, do you see me talking?"”

Slate has a long list of Janet Jackon incident cartoons.

create your own visited country map

This map utility has been the rage in Aiesec weblog community for the past two days. That maps counts to 32 countries. I'm still missing Latin America and Africa totally.   

From Jackie

”I bring this up because Seems and I decided that the dynamic of our big group significantly impedes our abilities to meet other people.  Imagine a large group of (for the most part) single people, the majority of which is male, who ALWAYS hangs out together.  It is super amusing as hell, but the real downfall to the whole situation is that we literally all cock block each other from potential sexual/love/romantic interests.  Whether intentional or inadvertent, it’s a problem (we girls at least) feel we need to address.”

From NYTimes

“In years past, food companies whose products fell afoul of the latest trend in diets could usually respond by reformulating a bit to cut down or remove an ingredient - fat, say, or sugar - and market a "lite" version. But no such solution is likely for foods like potatoes, orange juice and pasta, because carbohydrates are intrinsic to the food. There is no way to take the starch out of the potato, at least not yet. Mr. Muir has not even asked his researchers to try.”

It's the calorie, stupid.

I checked my referrers and as of now, I have about 4000 hits coming from google search on Janet Jackson breast. Like they say, sex sells :) 

If you are looking for the details on Janet Jackson Superbowl hurrah, here's the link to the post (with pictures, video and explanation). Have fun.

From BG

“[20:38] shar: and then all of a sudden he says will you marry me
[20:38] shar: i was like what?
[20:38] shar: and looked down at the ring and was in shock
”

Nice. Congrats Shar and Izzi. One by one, they move to the dark side :)

From EWeek.

”Meanwhile, Chuck Jazdzewski, formerly chief scientist and architect of Borland's Delphi technology, left the company last month and is also said to be headed to Microsoft. Sources said Jazdzewski will be joining Microsoft's Avalon team. Avalon is the presentation layer of the company's upcoming Longhorn operating system, which is expected in 2005 or 2006. “

“Stone is said to be headed to Microsoft Corp. to pursue "an offer he could not refuse," a source said. “

Wow.

http://trif.technologyreview.com/bk/index.htmlPlay Innovation Futures by MIT.

I proposed similar  idea to Aiesec (Exchange Futures) at the end of 2002 although apparently that went nowhere after I left.

Washington Post on John Edwards.

“From rural courthouses with Confederate memorials out front to the vast judicial complex in this New South capital, lawyers across North Carolina had the same rule of thumb for going up against their colleague John Edwards: Never let him near a jury. “

Now let's talk about the most important developing news in this world tonight.

From Salon

”CBS apologized on Sunday for an unexpectedly R-rated end to its Super Bowl halftime show, when singer Justin Timberlake tore off part of Janet Jackson's top, exposing her breast. “

I was with the band folks down in South Chicago and the whole room erupted when this happen. Wow, what was that? It lasted about 4 seconds until the CBS folks cut it early and went to commercial. Blah.

Expect Janet to come out tomorrow and said it was an accident and she was sorry (from the captured video, it does seems that she was suprised or a very good acting on her part.). She's definately gonna get a lot of inks later on this week. She's *back* in an instant. Is she launching a new record ?

The weblog ecosystem is already full with the buzz.

It was a great game but I wonder if this incident will be remembered more than the game itself. I hope not.

And off course you can find the photographs are already online. A video can be found on this link. The key lessons here, never underestimate what geeks with Tivo can do (rewind, capture)

MTV posted the picture online and has this line “Janet, Justin Timberlake, Kid Rock, P. Diddy and a host of other hot performers threw down mid-field for a halftime show that shocked and amazed. “

(Update: I received an email already. Man, that's quick. “Hi Dody, That silvery thing is actually a nipple ring, not a pasty. Check out this link http://www.cs.montana.edu/~lindh/janet_closest.jpg“)

Anyway, no biggie.

Oh yeah, all the commercials suck.

Today, a year ago, I left for Chicago, leaving everything behind, burning bridges behind me, with my footprint washed away.

No big party tonight, just Jessica keeping me company. This afternoon I'll be rocking with the bands watching Superbowl on a 54 inch TV and 3000 calories food.

Here's to another year. May I lucky enough to live that long.