Insomniac Conundrum

After a long time a personal post. The start of Finnish summer season is always 3 hours of sleep for me, lasts for a week and is more pronounced on weekends. Yeah, the reason I am writing this is that I could not sleep for more than 3 hours, and don’t want to do anything meaningful when I am up at my computer at 4 am.

It has always been weird for me to have dinner in sunlight or sleep when the sun is shining outside. Both of these meant that I went to sleep at 5 minutes to midnight on a Saturday, when I I worked all day from home. Even though the blinds are down on my bedroom’s huge window, I could see the sun shining at 4am. The archaic elevator in my building should take some blame for breaking my sleep at 3am. For some reason, I have seen every other apartment in Helsinki having those 1920s elevator. The modern ones are only reserved for office buildings. This in the country of ‘Kone’ accentuates the surprise factor. Anyway few riddles are better left unsolved. So the archaic elevator makes kind of rumbling noise, not usually on weekdays at 3am, but on weekends, that’s the time when people come from nightclubs. I am sure there is some rule pasted on the building notice board for usage of elevators at night time but I don’t want that to get invoked -I use it myself on those times on those days. So here I am, sleepless on a Sunday. Even without elevator, it will take a week to get used to get good sleep in summers or may be I would not be here.

So I watched ‘Good Luck Chuck’ once again. I don’t know what I like in it, may be subconsciously, I as well want to get a hex like that. This also makes me think of Ashlee Simpson (you would have figured out the connection, and I know it is Alba who is in the movie) and her engagement. I should not be analyzing her engagement, but I never knew someone would like to get married to an ‘Emo’ guy. I don't think I know much of these new age concepts.

Also, are those two songs of Foreigner – ” I want to know what Love is” and “ I just died in your arms tonight” good to be together, or may be paired with “Stop & Stare” from One Republic? Guess, that’s what is playing on my computer now.

2008 - Top 50 innovative companies

I think this should be the most watched in times of recession,corporate instabilities and sinking businesses. Business Week is out with the list of 2008 top 50 innovative companies, it determined along with Boston Consulting Group. The description by BW for the list says it all; “Smart ideas for tough times: The 50 companies that make up our annual ranking nurture cultures that value creative people in good times and bad”

The list in itself is not surprising, but few rankings are.There are new names as well, like India’s TATA Group, Reliance Industries and gaming company, Nintendo. The list spans across the industries from Finance, Banking, Telecommunications, Oil companies, Retailers to Car manufacturers.

Apple keeps the topmost position with its iPhone becoming No 3 in smartphone category. Its nearest rival in the segment, Nokia is at number 10, powered by its convergence themed handsets. Google is number 2 in the list, and though not many would think Microsoft as an innovative company, it is very close to Google at No 5.

The first new entrant on the list is India’s TATA group. It has been hogging the global media after its buyout of Corus and most recent acquisition of Jaguar and Land Rover. But what made it entry, and gave it No 6, was the 2500 dollars, world’s cheapest car 'Nano'. The second new entrant is Nintendo, powered by gaming that also improves your fitness. Reliance Industries, one more new entrant is at number 19, which has been diversifying in grocery retailing from its traditional petrochemicals.

The hottest social networking site, Facebook, finds itself on number 25 and McDonald's on number 30. It was surprising to see Intel at No 48 and the No 50 lies with American Express.

The recessionary times will separate the grain from chaff, and it is only comforting to see innovative companies across the industry verticals.

Olympics of China

What a bizarre and surprising Olympic torch run it has been? There was everything in it, except peace, harmony, goodwill and happiness, things that the run symbolizes. The security detail was something that is provided to head of states or may be only to President of US. The most surprising was the scenes played out on the streets of London. One would be forgiven if they thought it was some dictatorial state and not some free democratic country. The glaring part was presence of Chinese security personnel, who were the part of innermost ring of the security bubble, on the streets of London. The Chinese security men were seen beating one of the demonstrators who tried to grab the torch from Konnie Huq, later that person was tackled by police, as with many other demonstrators.

Judging by the comments on several news sites and Youtube, average Chinese citizens have not taken well of these protests. They see it as offending and against their country. May be they don’t know the truth. They have always read, heard and talked what the ruling Communist party wanted? I will not be surprised if those born after 1989 would not know that there was ever a Tiananmen Square incident. I have talked to few of Chinese colleagues, and it so surprising that they don’t even have casual talk among themselves on these issues. I don’t know how many of them know about Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1951. I don’t think any one in China can even read this blog. Till couple of years ago, blogger was blocked in China, may be it still is.

As I write, the scene in San Francisco has yet to unfold. It should not be anything different than that of London or Paris, but news reports say that US has done massive security arrangements. In India, they are barricading the streets for safe run of the torch, but it would be most unfortunate if a single Chinese security person is present on the streets of Delhi. If China can’t trust the local security arrangements, it should not allow its torch to be paraded. Till now the heavy handed security has only refreshed the memories of Tiananmen Square. Perhaps, in place of the Olympic torch, China should have rolled over one of its Tiananmen Tank on the world capitals. It would have been more befitting to Chinese Olympics.

PR Co-incidence

We have seen lot of strange co-incidences across the world many times. I don’t know how many of us noticed, but there was one such co-incidence this week as well. It was about two big corporate names fighting their PR battle.

First case is of British airways, which is now facing one of the worst PR disasters ever. BA would never have imagined that the much hyped opening of Terminal 5 at Heathrow by the Queen of England herself, would land it in such a trouble. There are reports of heaps of 20,000 backlogs of misplaced luggage. One can only imagine the plight and helplessness of the harried BA customers. The prediction of Martin Broughton, BA Chairman that the new terminal would “put some fun back into flying” came totally true. Who can tell more about it than Naomi Campbell herself? The job of BA CEO Willie Walsh seems to be secure as no one other than harried customers have asked him to be sacked. BA might term it as ‘teething problem’ but it has made a huge dent into image of BA How is British Airways fighting its way back to reputation? It is taking use of its website and put a permanent “We’re Sorry” board to apologise to its customers.

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Internet website is being put to use across the Atlantic as well. Two American corporates are fighting an epic PR battle, which is getting interesting with each passing day. The case is 35 Bn USD contract of US Airforce refueling aircraft. Boeing would never have dreamt that it will lose the contract after already supplying refueling aircraft previously. To add insult to injury, the contract was won by joint group of Northrop Grumman and Europe’s EADS (parent of Airbus). Boeing has appealed against the contract and trying to invoke popular sentiment of job loss to the case. It ran full page advertisement in the major US newspapers about the tanker deal, saying “Why It Doesn’t Add Up”.

Northrop Grumman was fully prepared to return the favour. It didn’t use the newspapers but its website. It put a picture of the deal winner plane with the words “It DOES Add Up” This particular deal is a case study who has even a slightest bit of interest in sales strategy and more has to come.

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Two corporates in the same week fighting their PR battle through their website in the same week. It could not get any more interesting.