Big Mac Index

It’s an interesting idea…and I do think it’s scientifically correct!

From  the economist.com

Big Mac Index

Burgernomics is based on the theory of purchasing-power parity, the notion that a dollar should buy the same amount in all countries. Thus in the long run, the exchange rate between two countries should move towards the rate that equalises the prices of an identical basket of goods and services in each country. Our “basket” is a McDonald’s Big Mac, which is produced in about 120 countries. The Big Mac PPP is the exchange rate that would mean hamburgers cost the same in America as abroad. Comparing actual exchange rates with PPPs indicates whether a currency is under- or overvalued.

You can read a full paper related with the BigMac Index here.

Time to start!

Here is an intereting opinion from Bob Tinker CEO MobileIron Inc.

clipped from www.goodentrepreneur.com

Why do great companies get built during downturns?

1. It makes them strong.
2. Darwin is at work. Only really good ideas can raise capital when times are tough. Too many companies spending energy in a nascent market is distracting and destroys value.
3. You can hire great people. People make the company.
4. They also make more money for investors and employees.
5. You catch the wave. By the time the market turns around, your product is solid, your knowledge is deep, and you have a jump on future competitors.

Indeed, I share the same opinion. I do believe that now is the best time to start a business. Unfortunately, timing is not the only thing that we have to look closely when we start a business. More than timing is something called courage (or to be precise: a willingness to deal with uncertainty). Once you have it in your heart, then now is really the perfect time to start.

Anyway, here you can find an interesting competition (open til the end of June). They are looking for “good and green”  business ideas.

If you have those “good and green”  business ideas (which I don’t – I do have a bad and black business idea ) and you are still lacking of courage to make it come true, then I guess it would be a nice option to enter the competition.

Animation vs Animator! Hilarious!

This video is Hilarious! I use most of them (Avast, Firefox, …) I just can not believe that Firefox can be defeated so easily! Enjoy….!

Obama: ‘ I consider it .. my responsibility as president of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam’

Full text can be read read here.

It’s a heartwarming speech, no doubt about it, and I see a hope for the future. Perhaps I am just too naive, but … if we just have another 10 Obama’s – world would be ’slightly’ a better place.

Thanks to Mr. Wimar Witoelar who has shared this speech.

Some interesting responds ( a complete article can be found here):

Even some extremist Web sites, which have carried statements from al-Qaida in the past, gave rare praise for Obama by calling him a “wise enemy.”

The Iranian government, which Obama is trying to draw into a dialogue, was silent. But state television described the speech as: “Too many words. Attractive but unbelievable.”

In Gaza, a Palestinian living with his wife and nine children in two tents after their home was razed in the Israeli offensive this year, cringed at Obama’s demand that Palestinians recognize Israel’s right to exist. “For a man like me, who has been terrorized by Israel, who has lost his home because of Israel … he ignored my suffering, and he started talking about their (Israelis’) rights and that Hamas and the Palestinians should recognize Israel,” said Mohammed Khader, 47, after watching Obama on a generator-powered TV set. “Unbelievable.”

What a wild ride …

Just an update for what I wrote before: Free Prita!

From the Jakarta Post:

What Omni Tangerang has just committed is public-relations suicide. But damage control can still be done. Omni can opt to waive the verdict of the civil court and not press for Prita to pay damages or make a public apology as ordered by the court.

You can read the full article here

Let’s Having Fun!

This presentation is one reason why we (I and my wife) start our small business (KUMMARA.com – in Bahasa Indonesia, it’s all about foods, fun, and friendships). The big idea is that we believe that games (boardgames and others creative family games) will stimulate the creativity’s, therefore we’ll try to provide a place where people can having fun in a creative way. We just start it for a month, honestly we really don’t know what is the future prospects of the business, but we just doesn’t really care because we do having fun and that’s what really matter!

The Buffet Dilemma

Seth Godin’s remind me an important aspect that I really need to consider before we move forward with our family business. He called it the Buffet Dillemma.

Any decent buffet has foods that please 85% of the population. Meats, cheeses, potatoes… the typical fare.

Once your business hits a natural plateau, it’s tempting to invest in getting more people to come. And what most buffets do is double down. Now, they have bacon, plus they have beans with bacon and turkey-wrapped bacon. Now, instead of one chocolate cake, they have three.

This is essentially useless. You haven’t done anything to grow your audience. The base might be a little more pleased, but not enough to bring in any new business. And the disenfranchised (the vegans, the weight watchers, the healthy eaters, the kosher crowd) remain unmoved and uninterested. And one person like this out of a party of six is enough to keep all six  away.

So, there are two ways to go. Much deeper, or a bit wider

Let’s extend the question: which one do you think better? deeper or wider? and why?

Free Prita!

Since 4 days ago, bloggers in Indonesia was starting a movement calls for the realease of Mrs. Prita Mulyasari. Mrs. Prita Mulyasari, a mother of two children, was held in the state prison for almost 3 weeks for allegedly violating Article 27 of the Electronic Information and Transaction Law and Articles 310 and 311 of the Criminal Code on defamation. The movement was receiving wide attention from many internet users in Indonesia. In just a day, they are more than 60k new registered supporters.

The case itself involving an International Hospital in Indonesia. It’s definitely a nightmare for the PR of that Hospital.

Some how I think the hospital doesn’t really understand how to use cost-benefit analysis in their action. Now one small mistake has turn out tobe a big snow ball and still getting bigger and bigger.

I hope they really enjoy their ride, because I belive it will be one wild ride for them!

This Blog is Gonna Change…

Testing my first micro blogging with Ping.fm. If it’s work than I’am gonna use it for most of my post in this blog.

Should we start to worry or be happy?

I am experiencing both feeling; Google is make me happy and in the same time it also make me worry; This one will make everything worse!