April 23, 2006

Simply the best


No one doubts that Fernando Alonso is one of the best drivers in F1, however there is a huge difference between being good and being the best driver ever. Some of his achievements are impressive, but most of them are just based on circumstancial elements outside his control, e.g. youngest world champion. Fangio won his championships on his 40s and no one doubt that was one of the biggest drivers ever.

Today at Imola we have seen a battle between two great drivers, but a profound anaylisis is requiered. Last year some sold as a great success that Fernando won the race over Michael with the worst Ferrari on 10 years.

This year Schumacher has resisted to more than 30 laps the pressure of Fernando without any mistake and with a car more than 1.2 seconds slower. Amazing!!! During that time Fernando made more than 6 errors: 2 at Ribazza, 2 at the Chicane, ... Alonso is great, but he has to much to learn from MS.

Congratulations Schumacher!!!

April 21, 2006

What I missed !!!


After three hours hanging around the NY Auto Show, after three hours where I have the chance of trying a M5 and a M6; of being seated on a Porsche 911; of walking around a amazing Aston Martin Vantage, two Ferrari F430 and a Porsche Carrera GT; I feel desappointed. Why is that instead of focusing my attention on that, I was missing some of the most hot news on the Car Industry:

The Ferrari 599 GTB
The Alfa 8C Competizione

or more regular cars like the BMW Series 3 Coupe.

What a shame !!!

April 19, 2006

Any wall is gonna be a big screen


Who do not remember the scene of Total Recall? Sharon and Arnold having breakfast in the living room and incredible landscape close the scene through the windows. What? Ah, it's not a window, is a full wall screen where our dear Arnold can watch the last news about Mars.

This seems SciFi. Fortunately we are going to live that world. Panasonic has presented the first screen of 103" and they expect to reach all wall screens in a couple of years. I like it ...

April 18, 2006

Famous, where are they?


One of the best things of being in NY is that you have the chance to see very famous stuff, e.g. my favorite building (Chrysler Building); my favorite library (NY Library); Wall Street; Columbia University; ... But if you are one of these persons that find the gossips and the famous people appealing you can check out this web page: Gawker Stalker.

This webpage has a record of the famous that are now in NY. For example, you can find William Dafoe at 14th street, our dear hobbit Elijah filming at St. Marks Pl. or Kevin Bacon (Panceta para los de casa) running at 54th street.

Personally I would prefer to hang around with Halley Berry who was shopping today at Columbus Circle; by the way my favorite Shopping Center. I guess it is the destiny :-)

April 17, 2006

NY Auto Show!!!



This week is the NY Auto Show. Some of the most beautiful cars are going to be exhibit here. Some of the debuts are the new Audi TT and the Lexus LS600h (Hybrid, V8 engine, power of an V12, comsumption of a V6).


Sadly I am going to miss the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione that finally got the green light and it is going to be produced. Just 300 units ($150,000 each) of an amazing 500 HP car.

April 16, 2006

Opa, yo viacé un corrá

Some of us are hardly working overseas to show the world that Spain is a advanced country, that all those traditional topics: 2 hours siesta, all day fiestas, ... are just part of the past.

However there are no way that we can compete with this: Opa, yo viacé un corrá, the 21st century Macarena.

I am seeing that as the new start music for Sex & The City.

PS: I have found that El Koala has their own Blog to explain all the history.

Making history, when?

Reading the books, one has the idea that there were really incredible moments in the history to be lived; but after a profound reflexion one realize that history usually is wrotten every day and all of us that live the present time usually past through them without figure it out.

Let me give you an example. After decades of cries, complaints, shouts ... from a lot of groups against the fuel consumption, gas emission from cars, ... This year we have lived an authentic revolution in the car industry. In 30 years, someone would say, 2006 was the year when cars change from gas to electric, bio, ... fuel.

Right now there are in the market dozens of cars with hybrid solutions (most of them from Japan, of course), from 65 to 368 horsepower and with levels of emissions of really small cars. Wellcome to the future!

March 31, 2006

Peter Luger, NY No. 1 Steak House for 22 years in a Row


Peter Luger Steak House has been serving the best steaks since 1887 (just think in the age of this city, whoaaa!). The section of beef used is called the short loin, and the process of selection is really careful.

Now the most interesting part, they do not accept Credit Cards, so you must pay in Cash. It is easy to sum: no credit cards, just cash, $150/person, hundreds of meals each night, ... It is the perfect robbery, there are more money there than in a regular bank. :-D

F1 has a 100% owner

F1 now has a 100 per cent owner - 'CVC Capital Partners'.

The private equity firm, which already held shares sold by Bernie Ecclestone and banks, snapped up the remaining 14 per cent from bank Lehman Brothers.

Said that we must remember that Melbourne's race is this weekend. Do you want to bet?

1. M.Schumacher
2. Kimmi Raikonnen
3. Fisichella

March 21, 2006

Accounting is cool!



Julian Yeo is such a character. He is not just the best accounting teacher you can find, he can deal with a bunch of MBA olders than him and teach them one of the hardest courses having fun at the same time; but he is an incredible singer.

Today I have the pleasure of attend to his cabaret performance. A selection of the best Cole Porter songs sang in a very personal way. Some of my favorites songs where included there: For once in my life, The way you look tonight, Fever, ...

March 18, 2006

My New York playlist

I firmly believe that the success of the iPod is due to the fact that let you enjoy your own dairy soundtrack. You can ride the subway, walk through the streets, jog in central park with your own personal soundtrack.

These are some of my favorites tracks to listen here in New York, the city that never sleeps.

1) Walking on sunshine, Katrina and the waves. There are music that you can not overanalyze. This upbeat, catchy dance track from the 80s is perfect to walk through Wall Street (just like Patrick Bateman did in the early 90s with his "state of the art" walkman).

2) New York, New York, Sinatra. An all times classic that never dies, New York, New York is one of the perfect tunes to get into New York from JFK at night when the lights of this city bright.

3) Summer in the City, Joe Cocker. How hot the city could be during the summer. This song reflects these days where swearing is unavoidable.

4) Raphsody in Blue, George Gerwshin. Probable the last classic compositor, Gerwshin is not only responsible for some of the most beautiful master pieces of music. It is the music that creates the perfect beginning for Manhatan, the great Woody Allen's movie.

More to come ...

March 17, 2006

St. Pattrick's Day and Don Pelayo

My friend Alex always talks about the importance of Don Pelayo and about the idea that really Spain is nothing more than an extension win to Asturias (tell that to your friends in Catalunha).

The St. Pattrick's Day Parade comes to show that Alex is completely right. Among Police Dpt., Fire Dpt., Marines, ... I found this:



BTW, how beautiful is the spanish flag! I am sure that most of you are thinking that was a spot arranged by Renault to promote Fernando Alonso in F1. I am sorry, you are wrong. It was real manifestation of the Asturian spirit in the middle of the St. Pattrick's Day. Let me show you.

March 15, 2006

This friday is ....


St. Patrick Day!

Stay tuned to now more about the big parade here in NY. Meanwhile you can learn more about it here.

Talking about Non Profit!!!


Here at Columbia, there is an initiative call CORPS FELLOWSHIP 2006. The main idea is that all the students that have got a summer intership help with donations to the students that are going to spend the summer working for Non Profit organizations that do not have the resources to pay an MBA salary.

Let me rephrase to be sure that is clear. The people that get a job, donate money to pay to the students that give their job as a gift during all the summer. What do you think about that? I want to hear your thoughts.

March 14, 2006

Menos mal que nos queda Portugal!

It was the year 1984 and Siniestro Total wrote a song to Keke Rosberg. After the incredible performance of his song during the Bahrain Race, we need to recover this amazing piece of typical Galician Culture. Thanks Jorge!!!

Minum mini on Keke Rosberg.
Tardas demasiado
cuando entro en boxes;
te ña estás jugando;
yo soy Keke Rosberg
yo soy Keke Rosberg
y tu eres un mecánico fatal.

Me han adelantado
todos los Ferrari
todos los McLaren
y hasta un Bugatti,
el de Nuvolari:
eres un mecánico fatal.

¿Crees que soy un idiota?
¿Crees que soy Villota?
Yo soy Keke Rosberg
y llevo el número 6.
¿Crees que soy un idiota?
¿Crees que soy Villota?
¿Crees que soy Villota?
Yo soy Keke Rosberg
soy el rayo finlandes
Minun mini on Keke Rosberg

Ponme gasolina
cámbiame las ruedas
revísame el turbo
aféitame con Williams,
aféitame con Williams,
eres un mecánico fatal.

Tengo la sospecha
de que tú trabajas
sin que me dé cuenta
para el equipo Brabham;
te he descubierto:
eres un mecánico traidor.

Perkele, minimun on Keke Rosberg
Corre Keke corre.
Corre, corre Keke Rosberg. (Bis)

March 13, 2006

To Read: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy


It was 1978 when the BBC started the broadcast of a radio show call Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. The success of the program was followed by 5 books (first of them call The hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy).

Finally and sadly after the death of Douglas Adams, a film was made last year. One of the best adaptations of a book to the big screen.

To all of you that really enjoy the Terry Patcher's Disc World books, this is a must.

Remember the answer to the ultimate question is .... 42

Real Winner, also why does Michael smile being second?


After an event like the last Bahrain F1 Grand Prix, there are a lot of interpretation. You can read the Spanish Newspapers things like: "Alonso plays with his rivals", "He is back to the top", "Unquestionable"

However, as usual, the story can be tell in a different way. Ferrari came from the worst year of her present history, they laked the pace, they struggled to be on the race. Now, suddenly they are as fast as Renault.

McLaren was able to recover from last to third, good pace and reliability (both cars finish, better than Renault).

So, you can say that all the scuderias have improved over the winter but Renault. If you have memory enough to remember the last three years, you will recall that Renault start strong every year and finish below its competitors. Why does Michael smile?

Ferrari has recovered pace, they have just losen due to a new regulation, see article below at F1 Live. Ferrari has improved from last year three or four times more than the rest of teams. McLaren is strong and is performing well. Renault must be scared.
________________________________________
The FIA's new '110 percent' qualifying rule may have cost Michael Schumacher victory in Bahrain.
Ferrari's veteran driver had expected an extra 2.75 kilos of fuel to be added to his car prior to the race - which would have been enough for one more lap before his decisive last pit stop in the heated duel with Fernando Alonso.

But, after getting held up in traffic on one top ten qualifying flyer on Saturday, the FIA deleted the lap - and therefore the fuel allocation - because it was not within 110 per cent of his pole position.

"Maybe that extra bit would have been enough to stay ahead," principal Jean Todt said.

Schumacher himself was more adamant, reporting that the FIA omission was the 'decisive factor' in the loss to Alonso.

March 11, 2006

We are back!



Schumacher’s first pole Position since Hungary last year gives him a career total of 65, equalling the long-held record set by the late Ayrton Senna. For Schumacher and Ferrari, it was the perfect way to remind his championship rivals that we are still a major force in Formula One.

Schumacher owns all the records right now. Most important though is that the car seems to be incredible fast. Felipe Massa was mighty impressive in what was his first qualifying session for Ferrari as he missed out on his first pole by just 0.047s to Schumacher.

WE ARE BACK!!!

March 8, 2006

Place your bet!



This weekend finally the F1 is back. Bahrain is going to be the first race of the year. My personal bet:

1) Honda (Button)
2) Renault (Alonso)
3) Ferrari (Schumacher)

Out of the race: McLaren (Raikonnen)

We will see ...

About hated people!!!



Have a look to the CraigNotBond project where people is getting signatures to boycot the new Bond Film: Casino Royale.

The problem came with the replacement of Pierce Brosnan by Daniel Craig. Obviously, Bond is an stereotype of tall, dark and brown hair man. A short and blonde guy doesn't fit the character.



The comparison with the best Bond ever is really bad.

From my point of view there are just two actors that could make a good Bond right now: Clive Owen and Patrick Bateman (also know as Christian Bale).


March 3, 2006

I hate Horatio Caine!!!

If you are a regular spectator of CSI: Miami, you will understand that. I am one of the few that really like Horatio Caine. It was amazing to figure out that most of the people love the character: selfish, self sufficient, vain man, prepotent, ...



Why people hate him?

Here you can find an interesting page: Die Horatio, Die!

On the other side, you can measure here your horatio caine-ness: Could you be Horatio Caine, the MAN MEGA?

February 26, 2006

Ferrari Enzo's crash ($ 1.2 million)

The dramatic crash of a Ferrari Enzo in California a week ago has continued to feature prominently in the US media as more and more information emerges, fuelled by news that the suspected driver was a driving force behind the computer games console manufacturer Gizmondo which plunged into liquidation in the UK last week after racking up huge, unsustainable losses.

This report written by Hans Laetz in the The Malibu Times on Friday summaries the Enzo crash story and outlines developments since: Deputies investigating the Tuesday destruction of a US$1.2 million Enzo Ferrari said they have taken into evidence the blood-smeared air bag from the driver's seat, and will again question the Swedish millionaire owner of the car who says he cannot remember how his car was destroyed.

...

Do you remember the Larry Ellison's Speech at Yale?

I assume that all of you know perfectly that was a fake. In some way, I liked that speech but nor Larry Ellison is able to say something like that publicly.

To compensate the effect of that, let me share with you one real speech from one of the men that has win all my professional respect, Steve Jobs. That is the speech that Steve gives at Stanford.

You can also watch it through you iPod Video using this link. Really, you only need iTunes to watch it on the computer.

Laptop stolen at Berkeley

Have a look to this story.

First, the professors threat

Second, the result

This guy not only portrayed himself as a Grade A idiot. Any true researcher KNOWS you do not permanently store so much important information on one laptop, and if so you don't tell all the world that all your important and private information was stotel.

Love prestige handbags!!! Why buy when you can borrow?

With this motto is born a new entrepreneur project that uses the same ideas of NetFlix but in the Luxury Purse market.

How it works? Instead of acquiring a really expensive pursue, the user pay a fix amount all the months and she would get a luxury pursue. When she gets tired of the pursue, sent it back to Bag Borrow or Steal and they will sent the next one chosen: Vuiton, Prada, Gucci, Fendi, Chloe, Juicy Couture, ...



One of our teachers has invested a lot of money through his Venture Capital firm. What do you think? Does it make sense?

Calico Electronico

The people of Calico Electronico are preparing the first flash movie for the big screen. It is going to be crazy. Some of the voices: San Francisco, Reyes, Carbonell, Coronado, ...

Lets have a look to the webpage and expend some moments with the teasers: Taxy Driver, Blade Runner, The Godfather...

Awesome!!!!

February 23, 2006

Wellcome to the Real World!

With this phrase Morpheous welcome Neo in the first movie of the trilogy Matrix. I want to take it and use it to welcome my friend Carlos to the digital revolution.

Today is a great day. Not only he joins this blog to publish about ..., but he creates his own blog: From Collado Hermoso, highly recommended.

The idea of love in the IB (Investment Banker) world!

Let's have a look to this article. I found it very interesting and it is going to show you some interesting ideas about the real life in NY, not the Sex & the city TV approach (that in the other hand is a very good proxy).

The Leverage Sell-Out: Free Meal Melissa. It is a "love" in the new world story.

February 22, 2006

February 21, 2006

To Read, When Genius Failed


Let me start a new kind of post in the blog, book recomendations. I sincerely recommend to read "WHEN GENIUS FAILED, The Rise and Fall of Long-Term Capital Management". Obviously a book centered in capital markets that requieres some understanding of spreads, bonds, stocks, treasury bills, and so on.

Regardless that it is a really easy to read book that give you some interesting ideas about markets, management and the humble need in every situation.

Roger Lowenstein captures the roller-coaster rise and fall of LTCM a "Hedge Fund" funded in 1993 by J. Meriwether including in the partnership two Nobel Prize winning economists and a cadre of Wall Street's and academias's elite traders.

Just let me say that this company almost collapsed completely all the financial system.

Beasts and the Beauty

Here is the picture of the complete team:

Will this affect the F1 championship?

My dear friend Jorge has the idea that Alessandra Ambrosio could be the final weapon in the BMW's fight for the F1 World Championship.

What do you think?



IMHO you can not have this beautiful model to represent the brand and have this couple of drivers :-(

February 20, 2006

"O", Cirque du Soleil

 

One of the most impressive things that you can find in Vegas is all the incredible shows that are in the city. Cirque du Soleil has actually "O" (Bellagio), Mystere (Treasure Island), Zumanity (New York, New York) and Ka (MGM). It is relevant to say that this shows are designed to performance in a specific scenario that is created inside the hotel.

"O" is completely unbeliveable. It is not just that the pirouettes, twins, spins, ... are incredible, is the scenario, the vestry, the pool, the pirate ship, ...

One of the best shows I have ever seen. Posted by Picasa

It's Vegas, baby!!!!

What a city!!!

The impression that we have from Europe of Vegas is cheap, vulger, mean, ... These adjectives do not describe at all the real Vegas. Obviously, as any city, it has good and bad parts, however the overall impression is pretty good. Amazing hotels (have a look to the Wynn, Steve Wynn rose $4 bn in a IPO before constructing it), good and cheap food, a lot of entertaiment and gambling ...

  Posted by Picasa

February 12, 2006

Dude, where is my bike?

It has been snowing for the last day. Tomorrow, it is not going to be easy to find exactly where he/she has left the bike. Gladly, I walk ...

 
 Posted by Picasa

Blizzard of '06, no The Perfect Blizzard

New York has been covered by the white snow. What a magical picture!!! Really? This is the worst blizzard since 1947 (someones say that something call Ice Age was worst, but most of us do not remember this time) in the NY area.

Marta, do you want to know how they fight it? Let me show you (basically hard work and planning):

February 11, 2006

Chocolate requires now a sommelier

From New York Times:



So it has come to this. Chocolate, a comfortable world that for many people exists between the downscale joy of a Kit Kat bar and the exhilaration of a well-made ganache, now requires a sommelier.

It is no longer enough to understand the difference between milk and bittersweet. Even the know-it-all chocolate cowboys who brag about eating nothing less than 85 percent cocoa bars are out of their league.

Now, the game is all about origin. As with olive oil or coffee, knowing where one's chocolate came from is starting to matter. Even the most casual wine drinker can name a preferred varietal, and the neophyte cheese fan understands that Brie is French and good Cheddar comes from England.

Terroir, it turns out, matters in chocolate, too.


Read the complete article here.

February 7, 2006

90 years!!!



Today it is the 90th birthday of Columbia Business School. Feb. 7th, 1916 CBS started their walk to become one of the best Business Schools in the world.

Want to know more ...

February 2, 2006

6 more weeks of winter!!!

We are having the warmest winter of the last decades. It is incredible, but the temperature in NY is higher than in Madrid. We should be at -10 degrees and the temperature right now is 10 above zero.

Despite this, Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog, saw his shadow, that means 6 more weeks of winter.

Don't know what I am talking about? You must see: "Groundhog Day"

I am back!!!!

Finally, after the winter break, the classes start, ... I have found the time to start again with the blog. Sorry to the usual readers.

December 20, 2005

December 19, 2005

Message from John Cleese To the Citizens of the United States of America

One of my peers has send me this. Amazing…

In light of your failure to elect a competent President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your Independence, effective immediately. Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths, and territories (excepting Kansas, which she does not fancy).

Your new prime minister, Tony Blair, will appoint a governor for America without the need for further elections. Congress and the Senate will be disbanded. A questionnaire may be circulated next year to determine whether any of you noticed.

To aid in the transition to a British Crown Dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect: You should look up "revocation" in the Oxford English Dictionary. Then look up aluminium, and check the pronunciation guide. You will be amazed at just how wrongly you have been pronouncing it.

The letter 'U' will be reinstated in words such as 'favour' and 'neighbour.' Likewise, you will learn to spell 'doughnut' without skipping half the letters, and the suffix ize will be replaced by the suffix ise.

Generally, you will be expected to raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels (look up vocabulary). Using the same twenty-seven words interspersed with filler noises such as "like" and "you know" is an unacceptable and inefficient form of communication.

There is no such thing as US English. We will let Microsoft know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell-checker will be adjusted to take account of the reinstated letter 'u' and the elimination of -ize.

You will relearn your original national anthem, God Save The Queen. July 4th will no longer be celebrated as a holiday.

You will learn to resolve personal issues without using guns, lawyers, or therapists. The fact that you need so many lawyers and therapists shows that you're not adult enough to be independent. Guns should only be handled by adults. If you're not adult enough to sort things out without suing someone or speaking to a therapist then you're not grown up enough to handle a gun. Therefore, you will no longer be allowed to own or carry anything more dangerous than a vegetable peeler. A permit will be required if you wish to carry a vegetable peeler in public.

All American cars are hereby banned. They are crap and this is for your own good. When we show you Japanese cars, you will understand what we mean.

All intersections will be replaced with roundabouts, and you will start driving on the left with immediate effect. At the same time, you will go metric with immediate effect and without the benefit of conversion tables. Both roundabouts and metrication will help you understand the British sense of humour.

The Former USA will adopt UK prices on petrol (which you have been calling gasoline) - roughly $6/US gallon. Get used to it.

You will learn to make real chips. Those things you call French fries are not real chips, and those things you insist on calling potato chips are properly called crisps. Real chips are thick cut, fried in animal fat, and dressed not with catsup but with vinegar.

The cold tasteless stuff you insist on calling beer is not actually beer at all. Henceforth, only proper British Bitter will be referred to as beer, and European brews of known and accepted provenance will  be referred to as Lager. American brands will be referred to as Near-Frozen Gnat's Urine, so that all can be sold without risk of further confusion.

Hollywood will be required occasionally to cast English actors as good guys. Hollywood will also be required to cast English actors to play English characters. Watching Andie MacDowell attempt English dialogue in Four Weddings and a Funeral was an experience akin to having one's ears removed with a cheese grater.

You will cease playing American football. There is only one kind of  proper football; you call it soccer. Those of you brave enough will, in time, be allowed to play rugby (which has some similarities to American football, but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full  Kevlar body armour like a bunch of nancies).

Further, you will stop playing baseball. It is not reasonable to host an event called the World Series for a game which is not played outside of America.  Since only 2.1% of you are aware that there is a world beyond your  borders, your error is understandable.

You must tell us who killed JFK. It's been driving us mad.

An Inland Revenue agent (i.e. tax collector) from Her Majesty's Government will be with you shortly to ensure them acquisition of all  monies due backdated to 1776).

Thank you for your co-operation.

December 18, 2005

November 24, 2005

Investment Banking, New York

Sure you are thinking in Patrick Bateman, can he be a personal reference? A small piece of the film script:

My name is Patrick Bateman.
I'm 27 years old.
I believe in taking care of myself,
in a balanced diet, in a rigorous exercise routine.
ln the morning, if my face is a little pufffy,
I'll put on an icepack while doing my stomach crunches.
I can do a thousand now.
After I remove the icepack, I use a deeppore cleanser lotion.
In the shower, I use a water-activated gel cleanser.
Then a honey-almond bodyscrub.
And on the face, an exfoliating gelscrub.
Then I apply an herb mint facialmasque,
which lleave on forten minutes while I prepare the rest of my routine.
I always use an aftershave lotion with little or no alcohol,
because alcohol dries your face out and makes you look older.
Then moisturizer,
then an anti-aging eye balm,
followed by a final moisturizing protective lotion.
There is an idea of a Patrick Bateman.
Some kind of abstraction, but there is no real me.
Only an entity-- something illusory.
And though I can hide my cold gaze...
and you can shake my hand and feel flesh gripping yours...
and may be you can even sense our life styles are probably comparable,
I simply am not there.

November 4, 2005

BMW Films

Years ago, BMW created one of the most amazing marketing initiatives I have ever seen. BMW Films were a series of 8 films where the cars are shown as part of a incredible story. My favorites are clearly: Star (featuring Madonna), Chosen and Ticker.

It was in this films that I know one actor that become one of my favorite ones in the time: Clive Owen.

It seems that the actual cache of Clive has made BMW retired the BMW Films from their webpage. Damn it!!!!!

BTW, don’t miss Clive Owen role at Sin City, probably the best comic based film ever.