European Lending merry-go-round...and the US is owned by China

Casa del Libro: There's No Place Like Home

1. My Decision:

If I were the new key player CEO at Planeta, I would stick to the old UNIX platform for Casa del Libro.

2. My Criteria:

In many ways, Casa del Libro was way ahead of the game when they started selling books online in 1995. It was a “very artisan website, not integrated with the back office, running in an IBM AS/400 platform. Everyday operations implied a great deal of manual processing.” For anyone who has been to a Casa del Libro store, this original system actually matches the image I have of them in my mind. When Planeta decided they needed to bring Casa del Libro into the “future” they worked with AOL and a consultant group to revamp their online system so it could handle the expected growth. Of course, this meant they were essentially “building up an entire company.” Their new system was “based on Sun machines, it had 4 servers with 2 CPUs each, running in a Solaris (Unix) operating system. The software included a database manager (Oracle 8.i running in cluster), Vignette 5.6 to manage content and support e-commerce, and Excalibur v5.3 as the search engine. The design was also redundant, in order to guarantee high availability. To complete that, a firewall and a load balancer were also included.”

It is evident that Casa del Libro underwent many changes in a short span of time. And what, exactly, were their needs? Not that many, if you think about it. They were just selling books. They weren’t Amazon and I don’t think they even wanted to be (even if AOL probably did). Switching systems would be like building a new company all over again and would cause some commotion internally as well as leading them to stray even farther from their original purpose. Although switching would save them money, part of the cost cutting was as a result of some bad luck with timing and repositioning decisions made on behalf of executives that weren’t necessarily in touch with Casa del Libro or their target market. Once the dotcom world regained its strength and Casa del Libro went back to its roots, their online market would recapture its strength and possibly gain more clients according to its better operating system (as compared to what they had in ’95).

Tesco: Testing IT

Mission: “to create value for customers to earn their lifetime loyalty.”

A company focused on their client and working to ensure their commitment, Tesco explored IT in order to facilitate client satisfaction and loyalty.  Their exploration and perseverance in the world of the internet through their investment in the NCR Teradata data warehouse and the Microsoft BackOffice, which allowed them to gain a competitive advantage.

The NCR Teradata system is a software that works in conjunction with different operating systems in order to warehouses data.  Tesco used it to get to know their customers and get a 360-view of them in order to better answer to their needs.

Tesco also gained an IT competitive advantage when it implemented a Microsoft BackOffice to allow for an online shopping service based out of their retail infrastructure.  Through their site, customers were able to purchase their food, books, electrical goods, videos, etc. for just an additional £5 delivery charge. Their back office allowed for customer customization, so that every time someone logged in they entered a “virtual storefront” and access their previous shopping list as well as the entire superstore and a help line.  From the online storefront, clients could compare prices with other major supermarkets, could check and use their club loyalty points as well as trade shares.  By 2001, Tesco was the “number one e-grocer on the Web” while competing supermarkets throughout Europe were either going bankrupt or being acquired.  Moreover, Tesco.com discovered a hidden market outside of their original target market of working or stay at home wives.  They began to reach out to people with sight and hearing problems. 

By 2001, Tesco.com was making money and controlled 55% of the e-grocer market share.  The problem, of course, was that their online income only represented 1.5% of their overall profit. Unable to rely on the UK market, Tesco invested in groceryworks.com in the USA, where they hoped to convert the Safeway system into a profitable one more like their own.  While Tesco had the first move advantage in the UK, the USA already had competitors with a loyal clientele like Fresh Direct (an online grocer without actual supermarkets). 

So, while Tesco HAD an IT competitive advantage between 1996 and 2001 that allowed them to move lock in a loyal customer base, I am not sure they enjoy that same advantage today. The technologies used are accessible to most companies. The question is, can they steal the Tesco customers?

Pinkberry: The Movie

Yes, this is where I used to work. Yes, that was my hallway. Yes, I worked with some of these guys. Yes, I trained one of those girls. Yes, I love Hollywood. And WME. And pretty much this whole thing is f*ing hysterical!

ERRRR, ERP?

Excuuuuuusssssse Mmmmmeeeeee!! No. I didn’t burp. And, since I’m not techie genius, I’m going to assume a few of you aren’t either and go ahead and give you the definition of ERP:

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is an Integrated computer-based system used to manage internal and external resources including tangible assets, financial resources, materials, and human resources. It is a software architecture whose purpose is to facilitate the flow of information between all business functions inside the boundaries of the organization and manage the connections to outside stakeholders. Built on a centralized database and normally utilizing a common computing platform, ERP systems consolidate all business operations into a uniform and enterprise wide system environment.

So, knowing this, let’s discuss how I think ERP’s fit into the corporate world and if companies should be adjusting to ERPs or if ERPs should be adjusting to them.

It seems to me that an ERP is like a massive back office. Companies use it for organization and facilitation. Basically, they make your business run better and help connect your business to its target market. Sounds great, right? But, like any office, there is a built in system. Unlike any office, it is computerized (not people run), so the ability for it to adapt and mold in an easy fashion appears to be slightly difficult. I’m basing this on reviews that I’ve read online. Many people seem to find it annoying that the system won’t budge. Let’s use our blackboard suite as an example. Is it an ERP? I have no clue. But it sure does kind of sound like one. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of it. It’s not easy to use or modify to work for you. There is tons of information that is completely irrelevant and unrelated to me and yet it’s my personalized home page. I can’t stand the interface, and logging into it is something I legitimately dread doing. Why? Because I like to keep things simple and it makes things complicated.

So, if an ERP is anything like this then I think that ERP’s should be made to adapt to companies rather than a company adapt to an ERP. Every company is different, with different missions, goals, and systems. Everyone takes a different approach to how they do their work and that doesn’t mean that any one way is better. So why be limited by the system that Microsoft or any other ERP producer deems fit?! Not to mention that success is often hinged on the ability to grow, change, adapt and innovate. A built in system goes against pretty much all of that. Sure, it keeps things organized and clean cut. But, sometimes, running a tight ship is exactly what hinders it from swerving off coarse into the desired triumphant blue ocean.

DELL: TO HELL IN A HANDBASKET?

Dear Mr. Jarvis,

I understand that you are disappointed in the customer service you encountered when your Dell crashed time and time again.  Let me tell you, I hate Dell too.  I bought a Dell in 2001 as an innocent and gullible 17 year old waltzing into her freshman year in college.  Although my computer still runs (for the most part)), I too encountered many an issue with their customer service.  So, I’ve officially stopped using Dell.  Of course, I’m not sure it’s because I don’t like Dell or if it’s because I just love Apple. Either way, I’m not a customer and for one main reason: customer support. 

This simple phrase, “customer support” is clearly where the Dell business model went completely wrong.  More specifically, “customer.”  Somewhere along the way, they seemed to have forgotten that the point of their company was to serve their customer and not to produce machinery.   And not just customers but people.  Yes, they’re dealing with computers.  But every monitor has a face in front of it, whether it be in Dell headquarters, or outside of it.  So, when they think Dell, they should have been thinking of the reflection of the Dell in the eyes of the person in front of the monitor and not about whether or not the Dell logo stamped on the plastic rectangle at which they’re growling was placed at the correct angle.  So, had I been Mr. Dell, I would have done the following:

1.     Called Dell myself as a disgruntled customer to see what happens and get a taste of what it’s like to deal with the customer support at Dell.  Just pick up the phone and use an alias.  He must have experienced it before when calling your phone service provider, bank or insurance company.  From there, I would then be able to isolate the necessary changes.

2.     Speed it up!  It’s true, you don’t need to answer to everyone’s beckon call but at the point at which a blog about IT hits national press you should start to feel the ground shake a bit. Not to mention that while you, Jeff Jarvis, are no Rupert Murdoch, you are a prominent figure in your own right who could have used multiple outlets to express your concern and you kindly did it on your blog instead of a print publication.  Nowadays, however, blogs get more readership than print so this comment really only applies to 2005.

3.     Speed it up some more! OK, so he didn’t respond at the right speed…and neither did the customer support.  You have to be there for your loyal customers when they need help.  We all know what it’s like to get the death screen and feel like your whole life is just slipping away into the abyss.

4.     Listen up!  At the end of the day, Dell is what we allow Dell to be.  If they don’t listen to the customer complaints or acknowledgements, then how do they plan to produce for the clientele?  The lack of communication between Dell and their customers (probably within Dell as well) created a massive disconnect.

5.     Make the effort!  Innovate!  Dell had been running the same ship for a while, following the same protocol and receiving the same complaints. Just because it quasi works doesn’t mean it’s good enough and just because it’s good enough doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to make it better.  Don’t worry about the protocol of the others. Allow yourself to stand out with new ways of reaching customers and answering to needs.  Come up with new forms of support and just try new things.  People want to see you try even if you don’t get it right the first time.

Jeff, it’s been real.  Are you still a PC guy or are you on to Mac?

Warm regards,

K

Everyone Needs A Leader...

Even during a spinning class.  Today, Kike decided to teach the class not on the bike.  And, as hard as he tried to guide the class according to the beat (waving his hands, yelling out numbers and even mimicking bike movements on dry land), everyone looked like a bunch of uncoordinated bobble heads, going to the beat of their own drummer boy.  At first, it was funny.  Until the empty bike next to me became occupied by the smelliest man ever (peaches, this was worse than the W Hotel woman at Crunch...although I have mentioned that Kike is a lot like Tommy?!).  Anyway, I persevered but really it was atrocious.  On a lighter note, here is a picture of Tommy and another one of Borat in a swimsuit.  Kike looks just like Tommy and wears that amazing swimsuit to go spinning.  No joke. OK, maybe it has a bit more material but you get the picture.  And, on his birthdayday, it was white.  Super attractive.
                                                                                              

New Lady Gaga: Alejandro!

The new Lady Gaga video is pretty spectacular (filmically). It has a little Nine, meets Dr. Zhivago, some Liza Minnelli movements with a bit of a Funny Face Audrey Hepburn-esque feel woven into some scenes, and then a little Janet Jackson (and a little Bedtime Stories and La Isla Bonita...but I don't want to associate her too much with Madonna). It wraps back up with the Nine type imagery, only this time inserting some Brothers Quay at the very end with the puppetry...overall, I would say that I loved it but I know it's not everyone's cup of tea...

Newsies go Gaga!

FB: The Trendy Next Best Bookend?

First let me start with the following video, which is one of my favorite Facebook videos:
I’ve been a member of Facebook since August or September of 2004. I will never forget the day the girl with whom I was interning at my first film-related internship introduced me to Facebook. She went to Princeton and, at the time, Facebook was only for students at Princeton, Harvard, Yale, Duke, & maybe even a few other Ivy Leagues. By the end of the summer, my alma mater Johns Hopkins was officially on. I don’t even remember the girl’s name or the names of the people for whom I was interning. Facebook, on the other hand, hasn’t left my thought process since. Even though I have officially deactivated my account 3 times (and clearly I'm not the only one), it was never out of hatred so much as it was out of confusion about where my relationship with FB was going. So, where is it going? Not sure. But, let’s see where we think Facebook itself might be going in the next couple of years…

Personally, I think Facebook will be around but boring. I may be biased since I have been using Facebook for nearly 6 years. It seems to me, however, that you get to a point where being big goes against the appeal of being in a social circle. This applies mainly to real life. People, by nature, associate to clans and groups. The bigger the group, the more invisible you become. Exclusivity, on the other hand, makes organizations desirable. Clearly I’m not talking about politics. But, lets think about private clubs like Boujis (night club in London), Soho House (hotel, restaurant and meeting place in London, New York and LA), The Harvard Club (university club), Puerta de Hierro (golf and weekend club in Madrid) or A Small World (online social network). The similarity amongst them is their exclusivity and the difficulty to become a member of each; you either have to be invited, recommended or you have to pay your way in. And this doesn’t only apply to the social world. Think about the Council on Foreign Relations or even joining the board of a company or a school. Just because most of these examples are not online does not mean that the principle changes: people like to be connected to the people to whom they want to be connected. As soon as the pool becomes diluted, they look for fresh land where they can dig a hole and fill their new pond. So, when it comes to Facebook it’s fun to joke around about having your entire family on their and being able to be connected to over 1000 people but its rare to find a joke that is eternally funny (barring the aristocrats joke, I guess). Clearly this first intuition on the future of Facebook is based on observation and I have no psychological research to back it up. But, I can tell you one thing: the success of these sites are often centered around how well they click with tweens and the 20 year olds of the world. As I understand it, the new cool thing in the States is My Yearbook. While one site may not effect the giant that is Facebook, the quick rise in popularity definitely implies that people are slowly getting distracted by other options which may effect the role of Facebook in the future.

That said, the extreme openness of the network has proven to be beneficial to mass communication strategies that will likely be cloned in the near future. Just looking at the 2008 Presidential election in the USA serves as proof enough of the power of Facebook to convey information on a grandiose level. As the CNN article specifies, the election was won not only because of face time but also because of the candidates ability to seem engaged with the population and one way in which they did this was through Facebook. This wasn’t the first time Facebook, or any other social network, was used for political or social campaigning. So, while Facebook may not allow individuals to be relevant socially because of the lack of exclusivity, it does become a powerful tool when it comes to power in numbers. If anything, the feeling of connectedness and social acceptance is a very powerful tool which, when implemented correctly, can give one great power and attract support. It’s 2010, so we have another election in the states coming up in 2 years. Perfect timing! I think they will use Facebook again (and any other online social network source) and I think it will be still be effective but it will also be a perfect marker to use when comparing the future with the present.

A lot of people have talked about privacy and Facebook. I’m not going to talk about it because it seems silly to reiterate what everyone has said (not to mention that I’ve discussed security in my other entries) but this does seem like an interesting interview with Mark Zuckerberg at D8 which I thought everyone might enjoy!

Finally, I want to talk about Facebook: The Movie. It’s actually called The Social Network and will star Justin Timberlake, Rachida Jones, and Jesse Eisenberg. This is a $50 million movie with Scott Rudin, Trigger Street and Michael De Luca Productions producing. So, this is no joke. And Columbia is distributing and already has deals in Finland, France and Argentina. It is set to be released in October of this year. This seems pretty important to discuss. Not because it will reveal something about the life of Facebook to come so much as the weight that one site has managed to gain in the world as well as the legacy it will inevitably leave behind (assuming, at some point, Facebook is not Facebook as we know it). So, will Facebook be around in 2 years? Well, definitely on DVD, or on OnDemand or GoogleTV or something. And it will probably even still be online…but there’s no guarantee that I’ll still be on it….

Hello World...!

EPIC 2015

Crazy stuff...

My Name is Karina, and I'm A Googler

(After 2 posts for our Info Systems class in which I’ve clearly stated my positioning as a nincompoop when it comes to technology and all things techy, I think it’s safe to move forward without any more hedging and with the faith that anyone reading this knows I am not a technological genius. What I’m trying to say is that I’m not going to excuse my knowledge any more because it’s starting to sound a bit ridiculous.  On that note, just remember that this is all new to me so if I say something that sounds obvious to you, remember that it took the parting of the red sea and the opening up of the sky for me to figure out what was going on.)

So, Google.  Let’s swan dive right in to this evolving simplicity.  Back in 2004 when Google first filed as an IPO, they took on their motto, “Don’t Be Evil” and claimed that their goal was to “develop services that significantly improve the lives of as many people as possible.”  That is quite a hefty goal.  I think God may have even said something along those lines.  Well, mine did at some point somewhere in the Bible and I know after all my years of catechism I still have no clue where in there it is.  So, even if that motto no longer exists, lets see if we can analyze 3 major issues with Google that either helped or hindered it’s ability to achieve it’s goal.  I’m going to focus on privacy, advertisement and future projects.

Privacy is a touchy subject and a big one these days.  One of the main issues that hold people back from going fully online is privacy. We see this everywhere from paying bills online, to online shopping, to using Facebook to Foursquare to Buzz.  My mother, for example, refuses to pay her bills online because she is afraid of identity theft.  As I understand it, however, most identity crimes initiate from paper-based sources and not online hackers.  So, if that says anything, it’s that doing things online may be safer than the old fashioned way (kind of like keeping money in a bank is safer than keeping it under your mattress…another concept that some used to have trouble accepting).  So, how did Google risk losing our trust through loss of Privacy.  Turns out, when Google launched Buzz, their application created to compete with Twitter, they didn’t quite catch the privacy flaw.  Essentially, the people you follow and those who follow you were able to access each others profiles. On top of that, the Buzz mobile application was publishing address and telephone information.  So, Google is clearly working on the issue, but maybe not fast enough.  In situations like these, it’s hard to regain the trust of the consumer.  Google will still be used by most of these consumers, but Buzz will be long gone from the lexicon.  So, based on Issue #1, I don’t really have much of an opinion on Google. We all make mistakes and they were bound to come across some sooner or later. Let’s see how they clean up after that one.  

Advertisement is another major point for the internet and Google definitely shines here.  Unlike any other site, Google has mastered how to advertise online in a way in which they can profit. The are 3 main ad programs: AdWords, AdSense, and AdMob.   AdWords are the ads that pop up on the side panel when you do a search on google.  They are generally related to the search you are initiating.  The company advertising on Google pays according to how many times their ad is clicked.  Pretty much anyone can advertise there and the order upon which you are placed is according to how much you are willing to pay per click.  AdSense, on the other hand, is when an organization or individual allows Google to advertise on their site.  So, for example, I run AdSense on this blog. Every time someone clicks on the ads, Google gets money and I get a miniscule percentage. Finally, AdMob, a mobile advertising application.  Google recently finished the $750 Million deal (much to Apple’s chagrin) which will enable them to expand into the world of advertising in the smart phone arena and battle it out, head to head, against Apple (who recently bought Quattro when Google outbid them for AdMob).  The stakes will be high here, and it will be interesting to see how users respond to these ads.  Thus far, the ads are being positioned in a positive way, insinuating that people are annoyed they can’t see the ad and the site or the application they were using and this will help solve that problem.  Personally, the issue has never been running two programs at once…so much as just never having to receive the 2^nd one. I understand the benefit of ads, however, so I’m interested to see where this will take us.  Either way, Google does win on this end. 

When it comes to innovation, Google is always coming up with new programs and applications.  A recent one which has been commented on in nearly every blog is Chrome (which is a speedy home base, application running, life enhancing web browser).  What I found most fascinating, however is how they are investing their own money on the trading floors.  As Douglas MacMillan put it, “The bottom line: Google built a state-of-the-art cash-management system to improve returns. It may use that money on future deals.”  OK, so not quite Gordon “Google” Gecko in the Greed is Good sense, and they aren’t sitting on a pile of apple cash like Jobs does, but they are playing it somewhat safe in a risky environment to make sure that the future allows for more innovation.  That, in and of itself, seemed like the core of innovation and like a promising jump off point for a company I would now totally and 100% invest in.

Fast Company did a nice financial breakdown in which they compared Google to Apple and Amazon.  Based only on this, I would say that it would be smart not to allow your eyes to wander too far from Google.  On top of that, on a more personal level, I use Google for GMail, GChat, Google maps, Google blogger, Google reader, Google sites, Google calendar, Google books, Google translate, and probably more than I even realize.  I feel that these “issues” or just subject matters related to Google are not enough to hinder me from investing in the company. If anything, they draw me to the company more as they serve as proof of its constant attention towards change and innovation and improvement for the user. They help me feel connected and like I have so much more to learn and explore.  I’m still a fan. I can’t help it!

Animating a Blockbuster: Toy Story 3!

Honestly, I haven't really been a huge Toy Story follower but this one has definitely caught my attention...

Animating a Blockbuster: How Pixar Built Toy Story 3






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WOT'S...UH, THE DEAL [Microsoft]?

Having been both a PC and a Mac owner throughout my life as a computer user, I feel comfortable stating that while Microsoft is slipping into the world of redundancy in my life, I feel that it will continue to be a relevant and necessary information systems company in the future (although, they will likely no longer be the pioneers they once were). Let’s get one thing clear (here is my disclaimer): I am not a technologically savvy person and I am basing my opinion solely on my personal preference (as this is an opinion piece after all).

It seems to me that one way to analyze where Microsoft is today is by looking at where it isn’t. Microsoft has a bunch of “enemies,” if you will. The 3 major competitors (apart from itself) that first come to mind are Apple, Google and Oracle. From my perspective, it seems that all these companies managed to fulfill a want in the eye of the consumer, and masked it as a need by comparing it to the inefficiencies of Microsoft. Apple offers design innovation and user-friendly technology. During it’s rebirth, it positioned itself as the computer for the digital artist, making itself the go to system for people in advertising, sales, marketing, film, television, art, music etc. With the right, cutting edge, hip and loyal clientele, the image of the company changed. Mac, the iPod and the iPhone are revolutionary not only for the technology they offer and how they serve as a highway of information (because, at the end of the day, that’s what they really are), but also because they allow the consumer to assume an image by simply owning the product. Similarly, Google has positioned itself as this hip, young, encyclopedic appendix that somehow provides products to its users way before we even realized we wanted them. I use google for everything from email, maps, photos (ha, yes, you can’t see my photos on facebook but you can see them on Picasa…why I seem to trust them more is a mystery), rss reader, work groups, and calendar. When google comes up with their 4Square, I will likely actually try it out as well (I switched from AIM to Gchat seamlessly so the argument that people don’t like switching programs is still yet to conclude in my mind). And, finally, Oracle seems to be the way of the future. I don’t know enough about Oracle and the products but I do know that they are a force with which to be reckoned both in software and in their vision for information storage and, maybe more importantly, information sharing and distribution. With regards to Oracle, cloudware appears to be the thing on which to focus (of course, don’t stare too long…haha, get it? Clouds? Sun? Don’t stare? Not funny? OK…). Clearly a useful tool for businesses, if marketed correctly, cloudware will be what allows us to maximize our autonomy and mobility, reducing friction and increasing efficiency. The key here is how it helps laymen like me (and not just big companies). Like Apple and Google, Oracle will have to make this useful for the people in order to make it succeed and, thus far, it looks to be going in that direction.

Of course, this isn’t about the above 3 competitors. But what do they tell us about why can’t Microsoft keep up? Or, are they keeping up and I’m the idiot who just can’t tell? It’s hard to say from my perspective. It seems to me that Microsoft just isn’t as interesting any more. The value they bring to the market is the same as the value they brought before. Unfortunately, other companies have managed to bring more new value in the last few years, pushing Microsoft from the helm of innovation into a world of predictability. There are the key products upon which we still rely (and will continue to rely for a few more years) but the new products and services they offer are never eye-catching (I’ve never once stopped to look at Bing). I wanted to say that Microsoft lacks interesting innovation, but then I saw this TED talk (because I love all the TED talks) and it has definitely shown me that Microsoft is actually very innovative and just really bad at letting people know:

Blaise Aguera y Arcas demos augmented-reality maps | Video on TED.com

Their inability to communicate their interesting and innovative strides in technology, coupled with the security issues encountered by users has led to a loss of trust in the consumer and, therefore, a shift in loyalty from good ol’ Microsoft to any of the above competitors.

Another interesting project Microsoft is taking on is palm reading. I read in Wired Magazine that Microsoft is shifting into the world of predicting the future by monitoring the actions and habits of individuals. Thus far, this doesn’t seem all that unusual (google and amazon are only two examples that successfully target their market by doing the same thing). Instead of using the information to further sales, however, they will use it to predict the future. Exactly what they plan on doing with the predictions seems a bit unclear. Although, the benefit of such information and statistics is, obviously, extremely useful and a very powerful source to control. It will be interesting to see exactly where this new business approach will lead and what it will do to the Microsoft business model. I have a feeling that Microsoft will stick around, just not as we know it today.

So, Wot’s…uh the deal, Microsoft? Pink Floyd asked this pertinent and ever relevant question on their Obscured by Clouds album in 1972 which I, in turn, would like to pose to Gates. There’s a lot of pressure if you’re the “man on the outside looking in” trying to “turn my land into gold” as you are “growing old,” and you “try to keep up with the turning of the wheel. Mile after mile, stone after stone…you’re on your own.” And can Microsoft maintain their position on the outside? Or do they fall in and become the “man on the inside looking out” shouting “what’s the news and where you been?” since “there’s no wind left in [their] soul and [they’ve] grown old?” Well, I’m pretty sure that the song is not about Microsoft. In my opinion, they were their own competitors and isolated themselves in a way in which now it seems the albatross may be on its way and they are doomed to drown their dinosaur ship. There are lifeboats on board, however. So which one will they take? And will it save them? It’ll be interesting to watch….

What is Foursquare?!

It is no secret that I have a slight dislike for numbers. It may be a dislike based in fear. Or maybe just a dislike built from a relationship with tumultuous history. Or maybe I just love them so much that I hate them because I can’t master something I love that much. Either way, when we were told to look into Foursquare, join it and write about it I had a slight visceral reaction. To be fair, the site never had a chance with me. You put a number in your title and I turn a blind eye. Throw in a mathematical term like “square,” “logarithm” or, I don’t know, “addition,” then you may as well stop wasting your money trying to reach a potential customer like me because you’ve officially been tucked (and chained) away into the Hades of my brain. It’s like when your parents are selectively def to you only I do it with numbers. On top of that, I hate signing up for things online and having yet another account on another website that asks for another log in with another password that has to have another set of random numbers at the end of it and that asks me to type in the stupid random letters in the fishbowl view because, somehow, typing those letters means something. And, hey. Maybe it does. In which case, I welcome enlightenment and will happily include them every time someone tries to read my posts or when my professors need to open my assignments or when anyone opens my emails. Because, if it’s that important, then shouldn’t we all just instigate it?!

(NB – for all non-school readers, the rest of this may prove to be boring…or you may learn something that you feel like posing to your boss as some brilliant outlet for viral marketing or digital distribution or something)

Anyway, I’m digressing. Back to Foursquare. The business model is simple and, thus far, seemingly effective. Launched in 2009, Foursquare claims already to have more than 2 million users. If nothing else, Foursquare is a social networking tool used to disburse and take in information. There are 3 ways to be a Foursquare user: the person posting, the person reading and the company being referenced. As the poster, every time you go to a location and you want your friends to know where you are, you simply mark it on your Foursquare account. On the flipside, if I’m supposed to meet a friend and he says “Starbucks on 82nd Street” but there happen to be 2 Starbucks on 82nd street directly across the street from each other (since one of them is in Barnes and Noble*), then I could log into my Foursquare account and narrow down in which Starbucks he’s waiting. Thankfully, you don’t have to disclose your location to everyone (because, Jose Ramon, like you, I like my privacy too). As is evident by my example, there is the automatic benefit to Starbucks, our 3rd user.

Foursquare makes itself a bit more interesting through this gaming badge thing program that it runs. The way it works is that every time you check in somewhere, you gain points. Eventually, if you check in to a specific type of place enough you will receive a badge. They had a recent issue with their “douchebag badge.” It seems that if you went to Barney’s enough, you ran the risk of getting the douchebag badge. I find this hysterical for two reason: first of all, I actually love Barney’s so it’s funny that I’m on my way to douchebag-dom, and second of all, I love that Foursquare seems to blindly be digging it’s own grave. Or, do they think that all publicity is good publicity? Because, I'm not so sure that I agree. Also, if you check in to the same place more than once, you can be awarded the “mayor” title. Certain restaurants are actually doing mayor specials. Foursquare will even keep tabs on your activities and can draw up stats on your activities and where you check in so you can see your general habits. As of now, apart from being interesting to read about these offers, there is nothing about the badging mayoral system that seems enticing.

The final activity Foursquare offers, and the only one which seems semi-useful to a laymen user, is the navigator type tool that helps you discover the ins and outs of the city which you’re in. If you are on your phone (and that phone happens to have GPS), Foursquare will use the GPS to track where you are and recommend local bars, restaurants, shops around you. It presents you with tips from fellow users about that location. This is where their corporate partnerships mainly come in. They have deals with Zagats, Bravo, Lucky Magazine, and Harvard, to mention a few. Their partnerships allow for greater streaming of information to users and an increase of exposure to clientele for the companies. On top of that, the gps (and even the badging bit) is a passive form of viral advertising, allowing users to think the site is about them even though it’s really about generating profit for the companies. This aspect of the model is definitely worth exploring and dissecting to see how it can be applied in other industries.

Yelp, MyTown, Loopt, and Gowalla, (Google and Facebook are not far behind) all provide similar check-in services. So, who will win? Well, I can’t say but I’m pretty sure it will be whichever site your 14 year old niece/cousin/sister/neighbor and all of her friends prefer. Foursquare has already been referenced on Gossip Girl, giving them a nice step up amongst the tween community on the east coast (GG isn’t so popular out west).

One commendable thing about Foursquare is its success in making itself available to all users, no matter their mac, pc or smart phone preference. Apart from being easy to access by the users (which, interestingly enough, is parallel to their mission for their users to have easy access to each other), the ability to be located on a map visible to your friends, receive badges and become a mayor serve as the 3 major reasons why I wouldn’t join Foursquare. First of all, I don’t want to be found most of the time. Being connected to your network and being able to found by them are very different things. The idea of badges seems dumb to me. Becoming the mayor of a specific location is equally as silly. The main attributes seem to be the user sponsorship of certain locations, the user commentary on those locations and the development of corporate partnerships. The potential of this kind of a site seems to have barely been tapped since, as of now, this online playpen is only populated by the clientele. As soon as the little white rabbit in every company pops up with their clock reminding their corporate headquarters that they’re running quite behind and very late, I’m assuming they will jump in and begin a somewhat ethereal online promoting, cross-marketing, information streaming Wonderland frenzy. I really do envision this like a sandbox in Times Square.

So, am I sold on this site? Honestly, no. Obviously not. Foursquare seems to be scratching the surface of the future. It's a nice tease for what's to come but it seems to be more of an interim-fad geared very well for user #1 & 2 and a good instrument for experimentation for companies trying to figure out how maximize use of the internet and generate profit from it. Although I will not pretend to know what the future will have in stock for us, it won't, in my opinion, be about looking at a screen to see where we are all checking in...since, the screen is kind of what seems to be holding us back a bit. 

I must say, however, that I am very happy to have even looked into Foursquare and had the opportunity to decide that it wasn't for me...it's something I would have never done sans Dans (haha, it rhymes...I know, I'm a dork).  In the end, however, if it had a little more Ferris Bueller and a little less douchey-ness, I would be more driven to explore the site a bit more. Apart from that, however, I’m pretty happy without Foursquare in my life as I wait for the actual next big thing. It’s shocking, I know.

*By the way, the two Starbucks are actually not across the street from each other. One is on 81st and the other is on 82nd street. But you get the point…

INCEPTION TRAILER

I'm sorry but this Inception Trailer looks AMAZING


 And, who doesn't love a dream plot line? I mean, if it goes well then it's amazing and if it goes poorly then you can always just blame the dream plot to be a challenge and at least they gave it a good shot. Not to mention the effects and the cast. Cillian Murphy is by far one of my favorite actors. I would pretty much go see this movie for him and not for anyone else in it.

Sarah Palin says America is a Christian Nation on Bill O'Reilly

I can't believe I just wasted 5 minutes watching this...is this seriously an argument in which Sarah Palin feels like engaging? Clearly she's going full force ahead and making this her niche subject of sorts. If I were she, however, I would watch out. The Free Masons will probably pop up any second arguing that the constitution was, in fact, based on their ideology and not on the bible...I love the history channel. I learn so much from them and then lose all my brain cells after watching the following...

Jon Stewart (and Aasif), I love you

OK, since I'm an idiot and have no clue how to get a video image on to this blog, here is a clip from The Daily Show from this week that I loved:

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-april-22-2010/wham-o-moves-to-america

A Poison Tree

I have a new enemy.  Her name is Sallie Mae.  Or maybe it’s not Sallie Mae. Maybe it’s the IE administration.  In the past few months, Sallie Mae and IE have come together in my life and given birth to my loan.  And for the money, I am grateful. Seriously and truly.  But, the road to get it resembled the traffic jam scene in WEEKEND (Godard) and the road to pay it off will surely be arduous.

How deceiving can a name be? Sallie Mae is possibly one of the friendlier names.  For me, just thinking of the name triggers images of southern belles and sipping delicious iced tea on a hot summer day sitting on the porch of their mansion, looking out onto their Terra-esque estate...as they grip the leather handle on their whips while monitoring the slaves toiling away on their property. So, I guess a name is not deceiving so much as our associations are ever-changing if, in this case, Sallie Mae is starting to make me think of the confederate south, white supremacists, and the kkk as they force me to pay back my loan while I'm in school at a whopping rate of 10% which, in my eyes, resembles extortion.

It’s not hard to believe that an organization to whom I would be in debt would be an enemy. It’s also not fair to abhor an organization who lends me money as they are, on the surface, helping me.  Loans are a common evil so it’s not the loan that makes me angry and it’s not the loan itself that is my enemy. So, I guess I should clarify and say that Sallie Mae is an enemy in my life only when seen in relation to IE.  

Which brings us to IE.  Along the same lines, it’s not hard to believe that a student would be frustrated with their school’s administration. I mean, has anyone attended a school where all their administrative deals have gone smoothly? In this case, I am mad at the school for the type of loan they have assigned to American students and on how difficult they make it to get a clear and descriptive answer from anyone in the administrative offices. 

I just spent the past week in Launch classes which have forced us to evaluate ourselves and the world around us, and have given us a small peek into worlds to which we may never have been introduced in the past. One major point that was stressed in our commencement and then hammered home during launch is the idea that we cannot change the world but we can change ourselves and, in doing so, can effect the world (in the long run). So, what they basically said was get over seeing yourself as the person who knows everything and is doing everything the optimal way. Change yourself, adapt, make yourself malleable in a way in which you are yourself and confident in your knowledge but open to expanding your cultural IQ and receiving thoughts and ideas from the world around us, thinking outside the box and implementing your multi-fasceted skills in global business. Even seeing how the classes themselves related to business was, at times, tricky but clearly the point wasn't how does A relate to B.  You would think that the school would at least try to be a reflection of the message they are disseminating or maybe even try to serve as an example of how a good business is run (it is an mba program, after all, and within the top 10 in the world).  I think you see where I'm going with this (n.b. - just imagine the aforementioned traffic jam scene). The professors have been amazing thus far, the executive administrative staff has been nothing but supportive and unbelievably catering to the students.  A few of the other people with whom I've dealt (outside of the student office, b/c they are superb) have left more than just some things to be desired.

So, I’m not going to sit here and complain anymore about this. Instead, I’m going to share a poem I read in high school that slightly resembles how I feel (only the end bit is a bit extreme…just remember this is William Blake and this is poetry so let go a bit as you read):

A Poison Tree

by William Blake

I was angry with my friend;

I told my wrath, my wrath did end.

I was angry with my foe:

I told it not, my wrath did grow.

And I waterd it in fears,

Night & morning with my tears:

And I sunned it with smiles,

And with soft deceitful wiles.

And it grew both day and night,

Till it bore an apple bright.

And my foe beheld it shine,

And he knew that it was mine.

And into my garden stole.

When the night had veiled the pole;

In the morning glad I see,

My foe outstretchd beneath the tree

On another note, I went to the German supermarket yesterday and found walnuts from Trader Joe's!  This seriously turned my day around yesterday.  For those of you who don't know, Trader Joe's is actually owned by a German company (sorry to burst your bubbles; I liked the idea of their being a trader named Joe somewhere in California too).  Also, classes officially start this week.  Eek!

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Police Station

I encountered the most interesting array of musicians in and on the metro today. 

It’s 7 AM and I’m on my way to the police station to get my ID card.  Although I tried to make an appointment ahead of time to get the card, I was told you need an ID card issued by the state in order to get an ID card, even if you’ve never had an ID card before.  How this makes sense is a mystery.  I don’t think anyone actually sees the logic in this. Instead, I think it’s the Spaniards’ way of forcing an inordinate amount of people to go to the police station and help keep the people at the station employed by giving them a constant flow of too much work to do.  Anyway, back to the metro…

The metro ride started off as all my metro rides start, with my metro card being rejected.  Turns out that everything with a magnetic strip in this country is demagnetized when exposed to a magnet.  So, my Spanish ATM card, my health insurance card and my metro card can no longer be placed in my wallet because they immediately become defunct thanks to the magnets on the flap. So, after reciting my normal seemingly scripted lines to the attendant, I finally am granted a new metro card.  Without further delay, I am back en route through the maze that is the metro station by my flat.  As I go down the first set of escalators, the first few notes of a song I think I recognize start to trickle into my ears.  Very melodic and with quite the orchestral back up, I initially think this performer is about to break out into the Avatar song by Leona Lewis. But then, it takes a sudden turn and I realize that, no no, wrong James Cameron movie.  It’s actually the Celine Dion song from Titanic sung by a raspy and more pastel voice that sounds almost like it belongs in a hotel lounge at 3 AM.  As the escalator approaches the ground, I look up from my book (yes, I walk and read…what?) only to see that it’s a 5’5, north African dude with dreads, in jeans and a tee shirt whose heart is about to go on as he loses all his fear because we’re here.  Hmm, fascinating.  And he has 2 speakers, a cd player and is belting his smoker’s whispers into a microphone.  But, I keep walking because there are still 2 more escalator rides to go and a few more hallways to plow through.

The next downward journey is a bit different.  This time, it’s The Streets of Philadelphia by Bruce Springstein. Ugh, what a tear jerker.  And this guys sounds just like Boss.  Every time I hear the song, I think of Tom Hanks and that amazing loft in which he lived with Antonio Banderas and I want to cry.  Not because of the loft. Obviously. It’s possible they didn’t even live in a loft but I do remember a scene in the film that involves a party at a loft/apartment.  Anyway, reading, at this point, is not happening.  I put away my book and look forward to reaching the bottom so I can see this brilliant vocalist who should be doing Springstein covers all the time.  First I see two greyed sneakers, followed by light blue jeans bunched at the ankles.  His legs are bent. Clearly this dude is sitting…and he’s sitting in what now appears to be a beach chair.  And, we’re getting close to his face and…oh.  What? Hold on.  Yes.  This is happening.  It’s just a white dude sitting in a chair playing a Bruce Springstein cd with a guitar case in front of him and no visible guitar around.  He is making absolutely no effort to pretend to be performing. Apart from highlighting his talent in plugging in his cd player to speakers and being capable of picking a good cd, this guy has brilliantly marketed himself as the most amazing sitter in the subway station with an exceptional ability to resist performing at all costs and still making a few coins here and there.  Why are people giving him money?  I really, truly, have no idea.   I mean, he’s funnier than a lot of stand up comedians I’ve seen and he’s doing nothing so even I would give him money if only for a good inside laugh he provided as I marched deeper into the dungeons of the metro station.

The rest of my journey to the train itself was uninterrupted.  It was a short wait until my train arrived and, at this hour, there are plenty of seats.  I pull out my book, get through another page when suddenly more music pours out of a speaker just like Mr. Dion’s.  Seriously? It’s 7:13.  Is this the magic music hour I had never heard of? This speaker, unlike the last few, is strapped to a luggage pulley thing and is being pulled by a real gem of a woman who is a cross between Olive (Popeye’s girl) and Kristen Schaal (Flight of the Conchords). She is wearing flowery tapered khakis, red sailor shoes and a flower embroidered top with poufy sleeves.  Unlike our first two “musicians,” she is truly belting into her microphone.  And, she is belting Edith Piaf, with no regrets whatsoever.  And, she doesn’t appear to be asking for any money. Because she didn’t stop once and she didn’t have a change cup anywhere.  So, either she actually fancied herself as the reincarnation of Edith Piaf or she was on the search for a record deal in the country with the 2^nd largest pirating problem in the world at 7:15 in the morning.

And you might be asking how this happened all in one day.  That’s a very very good question to which I don’t have an answer.  I just hope I haven’t exhausted the number of interesting encounters allotted to me in my genesis.

Also, I got rejected from the police station so now I have to go back tomorrow. Super.

As Promised...

Alexandra and Karina do Bratislava...

I mean, the photos are nearly identical to the one in the canyons in LA.  Please tell me you see the resemblance...

McDonald's: A Source of Comfort

Wait, what? Did I just write that?

Yes.  Yes, I did.  The last time McDonald’s saved the day was on a rainy day in April 2006 when Alexandra and I ventured from Vienna to Bratislava.  It was actually the perfect day to be in the Slovak Republic visiting a castle.  The clouds were hovering over us, low enough to mar the view of the top of the castle and dark enough to inhibit our ability to see more than 50 meters (is that a lot or a little? I’m trying to learn the metric system) ahead.  The air was cold and moist (ahhh, sorry).  The castle was nearly empty, with a handful of paintings and armor on display and the rest of the rooms under construction.  The women employees had mastered the art of dumb staring every time we asked questions.  They followed us into each exhibition (the 2) quietly shuffling their feet, ensuring they could be heard and seen and serving as absolutely no source of communication or information. The dust whispered warnings to us every time our feet allowed for movement and brought it to life.  It pushed us to leave, reminding us of the impending doom should the organ mysteriously start playing itself and initiate a reenactment of Dracula.  Smart girls, we heeded its warning and went to McDonald’s for lunch.

I have a photo of us there that my Kodak Gallery swallowed.  Instead, here is a similar photo of the two of us in LA that is nearly identical to the one we took in Bratislava.  Instead of sunny canyons, just imagine a castle on a rainy day.  I promise you, they are super similar. And if I find the Bratislava photo (Alexandra, will you send it to me?) I will post it!

So, back to my story.  Since April 2006 McDonald’s has served as nothing more than a constant reminder of capitalism, franchise, obesity, mcflurry’s, and artificial food and flavoring.  This story has nothing to do with eating at McDonald’s so much as just being so excited to see that creepy, charitable clown smiling down at my panic stricken face.

It’s Saturday night and probably somewhere in the high 30’s or low 40’s.  I went out with Niels and the harem of women he was entertaining like a champ.  Not in the mood for tapas or drinking, I joined the dinner party for the company.  We have a long conversation about the benefits of getting an MBA and the fact that IE has just been named the #6 best business school in the world (woohoo!).  The 5 of us decide to go to an IE party at some Irish Pub.  We pile into 2 taxis and head towards Sol, where said bar is located.  Taxis in Madrid aren’t actually that expensive. They do, however, love just to chill behind garbage trucks and watch the meter go up.  So, 15 minutes later, we arrive in this major plaza characterized by tourists and Spaniards pullulating from one bar to another as they wait for the clubs to open. ‘Irish pub’ should have been the first tip that led us towards finding a different plan for the evening.  Like any typical Irish pub, this place is filled with swaying 20/30 some-odds holding pints of beer, wasted, and watching some form of game.  It isn’t long before I realize that we have just walked into an American frat party.  Every guy is wearing loosely fitted jeans, sneakers and their college t-shirt while every girl is kind of loud, aggressive and wearing far too much make up for a night out in their juicy velour pants and bedazzled wife beaters.  It becomes clear that, outside of the states, all Americans seem like the Jersey Shore crew.  Before I know it, someone is actually crouching down and starting to beat the floor and a girl is flashing her Britney as she does back flips.  Ha, just kidding. But can you imagine?

Thank god we were notified via text within 5 minutes of our arrival that the correct location for the bar was in Barrio Salamanca and not Sol. 

Another taxi ride later, we arrive at a similarly dingy Irish pub by the same name and populated by fellow masters students.  The first person I see is this guy who I happen to see everywhere around IE whom I’ve never officially met.  At least I know we’re at the right place. I proceed to not introduce myself (that would be too logical and friendly and why not maintain the awkward visual acknowledgement that we recognize each other but don’t know each other?!) and, instead, locate our friends only to find out that they are leaving and heading to the next place before going clubbing.  This is my cue to leave.  It’s 1:15 AM and I have to be up at 8:30 the following morning to go to the airport.  BUT, these people already think I’m the most anti-social individual so how will I break it to them that I have no faith this night will be more than a goose-chase for a good time and I’d rather quit while I’m ahead? The beauty of people thinking that you’re lame is that they expect nothing more from you. So, when you’re lame it’s expected and when you’re not it’s shocking and welcomed! As we stand outside waiting for the rest of the group, I say my goodbyes and sprint to the metro so I can catch the train before it closes.

I fly down the stairs to the metro, avoid the girl covering up her friend peeing in the corner (gross) and speed walk to my train.  I exhale a sigh of relief when I see the platform is packed with people. I make my way up the platform, swimming through the hum of Spanish chatter towards a less populated area.  The information screen advertises irrelevant info, naming the stops of the train without listing the amount of time before the expected arrival of the following train. The lulling sound of this mono-linguistic babel is suddenly broken by the nasal, shrilling sound of an American girl exclaiming “seriously, oh my god, that was just like so scary. Seriously. You know? Totally scary. Like what just happened?”  I quickly initiate the guessing game in my head. What could this girl look like? Where is she from? How old is she? I take a peek at her from the corner of my eye and realize, yes, I am a winner!  She is about 5’4 with long dark dark brown her she likes to pass as wavy but is actually straight and dirty.  She is wearing skinny jeans with musketeer black boots and a black top.  She might as well have a Louis Vuitton clutch. Her eye make up has made its way down her cheeks and remnants of her lip gloss are doing a better job of highlighting her nose than her actual lips. She does, however, have a really nice manicure and is definitely from Long Island.  “This train is totally never coming, is it? Ugh. We should take a taxi. Don’t you think? It’s like not coming at all, right?”  

…

“Do you think the train is coming? Or, like is this closed?”

Fuck.

She’s talking to me.

And then it happened.  My inner bitch found her way out again.

“umm, perdona, esque no hablo ingles.”

“Oh” she said. And walked away, grabbed her friend and went for a taxi.  The train came 2 minutes later.

What a relief! The train! Let’s not think about what you just did and let’s remember how great it will be to get home.  So, I take the train to Diego de Leon and then switch to the circular line to bring me to my home.  The cops are standing at the Diego de Leon stop and I ask them if I still have time to switch trains or if the metro is officially closing.  They said I should be fine if I run.

So, running is exactly what I did…for the next 45 minutes.  As everyone files off the train to the right, I go to the left, down a set of stairs and into a corridor.  The corridor leads me towards a sign that points me in the direction of my train. I follow the sign into another corridor and down another set of stairs. The following sign offers more hope, pointing in one direction for certain stops and in another direction for the other stops.  I go my way, down another hall, make another right, go down 3 more sets of stairs and finally arrive at my train platform…where absolutely no one else is standing.  Fuck.  Across the platform, however, there are definitely people. So, ok, maybe it’s ok.  The little info sign says that the train is 3 stops away so I might be ok.  The sign, however, is flashing.  Does that mean the train is stopped there?  Or, just passing through? Hmmm.  I wait. And ponder. And twiddle my thumbs.  And wait.  And look across the way.  And note that no one else has joined me on my side.  And wait. And acknowledge that 7 minutes have gone by. And no train.  And make the executive decision to book it out of there.  So, I leave the platform, sprint up the stairs and follow the signs to the exit.  These signs, however, are not in the same direction in which I came. Ok. It’s ok. Just keep going.  I run down the hallway, make a left, keep going down the hallway, run up the turned off escalator, three flights of stairs, then another 3 flights. I hear the shutting of the gates.  Fuck.  I make a left from the stairs, sprint down the hallway, approach another 2 flights of stairs, take them in twos and hear another gate closing.  I see the abandoned and resting turnstiles and hear another gate shutting. I run. Fuck. Fuck. I get to the turnstiles and they, of course, don’t move because they’ve been turned off.  Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck. Fuck it. I jump the turnstile sprint to the door and see the cleaning woman walking away.  I yell for her, plea that she please please open the gates for me. Rolling her eyes, she comes back down and lets me out.  I sprint up the stairs, thanking her profusely and just so adamant that I need to be above ground.  In my moment of panic, I recognize nothing.  After a deep breath, I notice the plaza and, like a beacon of hope, the McDonald’s pointing me in my direction home.  I begin the trek home.  As I pass the McDonald’s the homeless man asks me for money or for, at the very least a smile. Unable to do much of anything but email my friends, I christen him Ronald, thank him, and go home.

On another note, I’ve recently decided tea tastes better out of glass mugs rather than ceramic mugs.  It’s created a major shift in my daily routines.