kaiyen: pepper

kaiyen: pepper

the life and times of Allan Chen

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sunlit and winding path




sunlit and winding path

Originally uploaded by kaiyen

I have been trying to carry a camera with me everywhere I go. I think I’ve mentioned this before. Not as a “photo a day” project, as sometimes it’s a film camera, but the goal is to be ready when the light is right, when the scene presents itself, etc.

I walk by this bench and very small stone pathway 100 times a day. This time, the light was hitting it just right that it made me stop. I cropped the image a bit but this is all about the light.

And yes, I wish those cars weren’t back there. But I didn’t have a forklift handy so they stayed.

February 10, 2009 Uncategorized 1 Read more >

Toxic Assets – finally doing something about it

Geithner Unveils Revised Bank Plan – BusinessWeek

Paul Krugman, the economist, wrote a while ago about how one of the factors in any stimulus plan was that government spending alone would not be enough.  The government had to get “toxic assets” (bad mortgages, etc) off of bank balance sheets so that those credit institutions could start lending again.  This is a pretty critical aspect.  Even if it’s just psychological, our lenders are not lending, and our economy is based on 1) consumption and 2) borrowing (because, in general, we never have as much money as we’d like to spend).  The machine just starts to break down at that point.

Jon Stewart, in assessing all the tax problems Obama’s appointments have had, commented that Geithner got through because he’s the only one that can save our economy.  Good first step, IMO.

Oh, btw – key point is that there is going to be a test to see whether banks can really lend or not.  I like requirements for giving out up to $1 trillion.

February 10, 2009 2008 Economic Crisis, Articles from the Web, , , 0 Read more >

Hadron Collider – still time to end the world

BBC NEWS | Science & Environment | Hadron Collider relaunch delayed

Remember how people theorized that the Hadron Collider would, in trying to recreate the big bang (but in a small, controlled manner!) was going to end the world (there was a great article somewhere that debunked those fears but I don’t know where it is…)?  Then it turned on and nothing happened?  Then it broke down?

Well, now they’re fixing it so we got another chance!  Woohoo!

February 10, 2009 Articles from the Web, , 0 Read more >

sign as art. art as sign.




sign as art. art as sign.

Originally uploaded by kaiyen

While my wife and in-laws went to “tea” at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, I wandered the streets around there, camera in hand. I have been doing an alleyways project for a while and found a number that were heavily decorated. More than just graffiti – more like murals.

This one was different – it actually included the signage that was next to the door. Part of me thought this was great. It certainly is creative. Part of me wondered whether the braille letters would be as discernible having been painted over like that.

February 9, 2009 Uncategorized 0 Read more >

Just when it seemed Ticketmaster’s monopoly was ending…

Live Nation and Ticketmaster may merge: WSJ – MarketWatch

I still remember when I could buy seats – not lawn tickets – but seats at the major area amphitheater for $30 with a $8 surcharge.  This wasn’t that long ago – maybe 8 years.  Not recent, either, but not forever ago.  Now it’s $75 with a $15 surcharge. 

Live Nation, with a very different (though expensive to them) model, was proving to be a real challenge to Ticketmaster.  Now they are merging.  Yay.

February 9, 2009 Articles from the Web, , 0 Read more >

Panasonic’s “tough love” approach to fighting the recession

Huge Recession-Fighting Cuts at Panasonic – BusinessWeek

Those opposed to a massive stimulus plan for the US might want to look at this article…Panasonic is taking a hyper-aggressive approach to fighting off its losses in profits.  Laying people off, closing plants, and taking a HUGE bath on losses for this year.  $3.85 BILLION this year, though March.  That’s TWICE the size of previous estimates.  This will increase the net loss for the year to $4.2 billion. 

However.  Next year’s savings could top $1 billion.  That’s a remarkable number considering this is a consumer electronics company in a market where people are saving at potentially scary rates (US savings rate should be at 4% right about now, possibly more, which is quite high) and consuming at very low ones. 

This speaks to a few things.  First, taking a bath isn’t necessarily bad.  A gigantic government deficit, unto itself, is not a good thing, but in terms of recession, it’s almost always necessary.  Government spending means government deficit, unless you raise taxes at the exact same time (kinda defeats the purpose, though, if you raise taxes the same amount you raise spending).  If huge deficit right now can mean a faster recovery (which, under sound fiscal management should then pay off that deficit), then that’s quite meaningful.

February 6, 2009 Articles from the Web 1 Read more >

General rant

This is a general rant based on a conversation where, to be honest, I was a jerk because I took the below comments too far.  But having said that…

  • If someone mentions something in IM, even in passing, I’m allowed to react to that.  We’re allowed to do that in conversation in general right, unless they qualify with a “this is just a random question” or something?
  • I don’t believe I have to know exactly what it is that an office does to have opinions on the management style of those in that office.  
  • Management and leadership have certain qualities that transcend things, and apply to many topics regardless of actual day to day activities.  For instance, managing growth vs. having people do the jobs of 2-3 positions is not dependent on the tasks being done (well, other than getting the space shuttle landed when people get sick or something, I guess).
  • If a company is growing too fast, then it should grow slower. Still grow, and expectations should be managed, but slow down or people burn out.
  • Until a company moves into a new building to enable growth, then they haven’t moved in yet.  Proof is in the pudding.

Finally, if someone wants to make a flippant, random complaint about something and specifically not want any response, they should tell me so.  I’m allowed to my opinions and to state them unless I’m told to keep my mouth shut.

This has nothing to do with work, by the way, lest someone from SCU be reading this…

February 6, 2009 Musings, Rants, and Random Thoughts 1 Read more >