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Drug cartels emerging in Afghaistan.
07/27/2008
The UN OFfice of Drugs and Crime ses the growth of drug cartels in Afghaistan as 10,000 tons of drugs from the opium crop have been stockpiled inside Afghistan and are controlled by narco-gangs. This is estimated as 2 years of world demand. This as efforts to curb opium growing have reduced the land devoted to the crop by 22% and reduced the crop by 10%.
Linked Articles
U.N. Sees Afghan Drug Cartels Emerging
New York Times 09/02/2009
Is Afghanistan a Narco-State?New York Times 07/27/2008
The presidential candidates Obama and McCain, agents of change or agents of lobbyists?
07/23/2008
Fannie and Freddie takeover and the reporting of high level ties with lobbyists of both candidates shows the agents of change argument like the free markets argument "as only a thin veneer" as one expert puts it. In this case though the lobbyists who are in other roles as close advisors to the two candidates and the candidates themselves may not realize that politics as usual here had huge implications. Without the hard work of Secretary Paulson and Bernanke the collapse of Fannie and Freddie could have endangered the American economy, not an overstatement, and could also have serious ripple effects all over the world economy.
Linked Articles
For ’08 Rivals, a Skein of Ties to Loan Giants
New York Times 09/10/2008
The Fannie Mae GangWall Street Journal 07/23/2008
Differing timelines for Bill Ford and Mullaly at Ford and Wagoner at GM in their shift to smaller cars.
06/04/2008
GM was late in the shift to smaller cars than Ford even as the shift was taking place. Both companies though remained mired in a decades long stagnation in fuel efficency even as companies like Honda moved forward, and as the gap with the Europeans and the Japanese in the technology and skills of making small cars widened.
Linked Articles
G.M. Closing 4 Plants in Shift From Trucks Toward Cars
New York Times 06/04/2008
Bill Ford on Tipping Points and Thinking SmallBusinessWeek 07/31/2008
The Toyota Prius hybrid - top selling in Japan and a hard sell in China
04/21/2008
Linked Articles
Toyota's Prius top sellig car in 2009.
Detroit News 01/09/2010
In China, Hybrids Are Tough SellWall Street Journal 04/21/2008
Ford Motor Company and the shift in message to "Quality, Green, Safe and Smart," from "American" and being "powerful"
03/18/2008
Ford is showing originality and focussing on safety and innovation as one of its advertising themes in a "Ford, Drive One" campaign which will be done with dealers and after listening to dealers.
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 03/18/2008
Ford Displays a Wreck to Score Safety PointsNew York Times 03/18/2008
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01/23/2008
EU's proposed change by 2013 would require companies to buy emissions permits. Previously under Kyoto Protocal rules these permits were first handed out free and then bought by the heavy polluters in a carbon market.
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 01/23/2008
U.S. Given Poor Marks on the EnvironmentNew York Times 01/23/2008
How McDonalds has changed by borrowing ideas from Starbucks and from the next generation of franchisees
01/07/2008
McDonald's takes the ideas of baristas from Starbucks and gets ideas for picture based ordering, credit card payment and community event participation from younger franchisees. Along the way it is trying to change perception of the chain as not being healthy eating. A lot remains to be done to move away from the super size obsesson.
Linked Articles
McDonald's Takes On A Weakened Starbucks
Wall Street Journal 01/07/2008
'Super Size Me' Generation Takes Over at McDonald'sWall Street Journal 03/08/2012
Russia's sovereign wealth fund modeled on the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund
11/16/2007
Russia is trying to model its wealth fund on the Norwegian example with no more than a 5% stake in a company allowed.
Linked Articles
Russia Government Fund Will Tread Carefully
Wall Street Journal 01/25/2008
Sovereign Funds Look to NorwayWall Street Journal 11/16/2007
The dangers of single hit products like Motorola Razr phone and the Ford F-150 truck and Explorer without a full line of new products to transition to
09/14/2007
How Motorola's experience with single hit products like the Razr cell phone compares with Ford's single hits like the F-150 truck and the Ford Explorer. Why this got both into trouble and the lack of new product at both companies during a critical period as competitors moved ahead.
Linked Articles
Motorola to Spin Off Handset Unit, As Icahn Waits
Wall Street Journal 02/01/2008
Detroit Auto Makers Try Some New TricksWall Street Journal 09/14/2007
Doug Parker of US Airways and the proposed merger with American Airlines (AMR) in 2012
11/20/2006
Linked Articles
Lessons Learned? How US Airways Would Navigate Merger - WSJ.com
Wall Street Journal 11/20/2006
Steven Pearlstein: Two can play the airline bankruptcy game - The Washington PostWashington Post 04/29/2012
Fiat's full ownership of Chrysler- management and business skills of Marchionne's team leads to valuable diversification (3)
11/10/2006
A win-win for the U.S., Chrysler, and Fiat, is the result of the remarkable business and management skills of Sergio Marchionne of Fiat. An integrated global company emerges for the first time under Marchionne's leadership. An outsider to the auto industry Marchionne looked for good business talent and younger managers not tied to old ways. He benchmarked Fiat products to Apple products in a innovative way only an outsider would do.
Linked Articles
BusinessWeek 11/10/2006
In Turnabout, Chrysler Profit Offsets Fiat LossWall Street Journal 07/31/2012
An earlier incident showing neglect of pipeline maintenance and quality control at BP.
08/07/2006
The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico from deepwater drillig is only one in a line of failures in quality systems and careful preparation at BP.
Linked Articles
BP's Hayward Says Company Could Have Done More Disaster Preparation
Wall Street Journal 05/13/2010
BP to Shut an Alaska Oil Field Amid Pipeline Flaw, Small LeakWall Street Journal 08/07/2006
Levinson and his team's surprise at Roche's takeover move.
07/24/2008
As Genentech board members in a special committe review the Roche proposal its clear they were surprised by the move.
Linked Articles
Genentech Reviews Roche Takeover Bid
Wall Street Journal 07/25/2008
Roche's Big Hurdle with GenentechBusinessWeek 07/24/2008
The apathy in GM's Board with an ever downward spiral.
07/07/2008
GM's Board is not having the vigorous discussion that one expects to see in a company going on a downward spiral.
Linked Articles
GM's Massive Quarterly Loss Adds to Turnaround Pressure
Wall Street Journal 08/02/2008
GM Weighs More Layoffs, Sale of BrandsWall Street Journal 07/07/2008
Karen Elliott House, expert on Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, on the U.S., the EU, and Saudi Arabia- demographics, aspirations and the princes 2007-2014
05/14/2008
Pulitzer prize winning journalist for reporting from the Middle East and expert on Saudi Arabia, Karen Elliott House, describes the changes in Saudi Arabia with the huge young demographic, and what it means for Saudi society, U.S.-Saudi relations, meeting the aspirations of young people.
Linked Articles
As the Middle East Burns, the Saudis Ease Up at Home
Wall Street Journal 06/25/2014
Our Friends in RiyadhWall Street Journal 05/14/2008
Toyota Prius hybrid- hard sell in India and China
04/21/2008
The Prius is priced around $22,000 in Japan and the U.S. In India and China it costs around $40,000 with import duties. This makes it a hard sell where pollution is a major problem.
Linked Articles
In India, 'Green Cars' Look Like a Hard Sell
Wall Street Journal 01/08/2010
In China, Hybrids Are Tough SellWall Street Journal 04/21/2008
The crisis at Motorola in 2008 and at Nokia in 2012
02/01/2008
Smartphone competition from Chinese and Korean brands, Huawei and Samsung, and new technologies with the Android smartphones and the Apple iPhone have upended the market for mobile phones. Nokia an established competitor finds itself in a dangerous situation with a precipitious loss of market share at the low end and the high end, and eroding margins.
Linked Articles
Motorola to Spin Off Handset Unit, As Icahn Waits
Wall Street Journal 02/01/2008
Nokia Posts $1.2 Billion Loss as Sales Drop 29%New York Times 04/19/2012
Safety and affordability for motorcyclists who shift to the Nano and Ratan Tata's vision for the Nano
01/08/2008
About 1800 people die in traffic accidents in New Delhi each year and most of them are on motorcyles, whole families on a motorbike. This was the image in Ratan Tata's mind behind his vision of a 1 lakh rupee ($2000) car affordable to the motorcycle Indian. Is it safe, for the motorcycle rides and passengers its a lot safer being in a car.
Linked Articles
Economist 01/10/2008
Four Wheels for the Masses: The $2,500 CarNew York Times 01/08/2008
India's Tata family and vision of industry and progress over the last 100 years
01/03/2008
The Tata family's vision and the particular vision of Ratan Tata in restructuring the Tata businesses and his vision for a $2500 car. How this will work out, what is Ratan Tata's thinking that makes this a idea and product that will help put Tata in cars in a big way and help India develop its manufacturing industry.
Linked Articles
BusinessWeek 01/03/2008
Four Wheels for the Masses: The $2,500 CarNew York Times 01/08/2008
Boeing's problems with the Dreamliner 787 program that go back to 2007 with outsourcing issues, production problems
10/11/2007
Boeing's efforts to tackle these problems with older veteran engineers putting in their expertise.
Linked Articles
Boeing Brings in Old Hands, Gets an Earful
Wall Street Journal 07/19/2010
Boeing, in Embarrassing Setback, Says 787 Dreamliner Will Be DelayedWall Street Journal 10/11/2007
Increasing scruiny in the pharmaceutical industry
05/29/2007
Drug companies come under intense scrutiny with a chairperson of a House Committe with FDA funding oversight comparing the drug industry to the tobacco industry. Scrutiny from medical journals, congress, the media and public of controversial pricing practices, advertising, and presentation of internal study findings.
Linked Articles
Drug Companies Face Political, Scientific Attacks
Wall Street Journal 01/23/2008
Journalistic MalpracticeWall Street Journal 05/29/2007
Doug Parker of U.S. Airways working on his second merger wih American Airlines after difficulties with the first merger
11/20/2006
Linked Articles
US Airways Chief Describes Biggest Challenges in AMR Settlement
Wall Street Journal 12/02/2013
Lessons Learned? How US Airways Would Navigate Merger - WSJ.comWall Street Journal 11/20/2006
Handan Iron & Steel Works, Hebei Province, and ThyssenKrupp, Dortmund, Germany, a world away- bad decisions and environmental pollution in China
10/02/2006
Did China's government officials underestimate the cost of environmental pollution in bringing the old polluting plant from Dortmund, Germany? How much will a cleanup cost? In 2007? In 2015 or 2020? Were these costs figured in? Who got the better deal- Germany or China?
Linked Articles
Why Beijing Is Trying to Tally The Hidden Costs of Pollution As China's Economy Booms - WSJ.com
Wall Street Journal 10/02/2006
China Grabs West’s Smoke-Spewing FactoriesNew York Times 12/21/2007
Friedman of NYT compared Detroit carmakers to "crack dealers."
06/02/2006
With their gasoline rebates and gasoline purchase paid credit cards to buyers of large SUV's, GM and Ford were increasing America's dangerous dependence on imported oil. Contrst that with the vigorous approach of Hyundai to fuel efficiency. And go fast forward to 2009 when Hyundai sees August 2009 sales 47% higher than August 2008 sales, Hyundai being the only large car company to increase sales by end of 2009 in the American market.
Linked Articles
Detroit's No Good, Very Bad May
BusinessWeek 06/02/2006
Hyundai Aims for Efficiency LeadWall Street Journal 09/03/2008
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