VIRTUAL DAN

VIRTUAL DAN

Notes from my travels around the internet

VIRTUAL DAN
  • My Pacific Northwest Solar
  • About
Monthly Archives: January 2014

Consumer Reports vs Pepsi

The thing I found most interesting out this Consumer Reports report on carcinogens in Pepsi was Pepsi’s defense:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2014/01/caramel-color-the-health-risk-that-may-be-in-your-soda/index.htm

Consumer reports found the levels of caramel coloring  in a can of Pepsi should require a cancer warning.

Pepsi’s defense?

 It [Pepsi] cited government consumption data that shows that the average amount of diet soda consumed by people who drink it is 100 milliliters per day, or less than a third of a 12-ounce can. For that reason, they believe that Pepsi One does not require cancer-risk warning labels—even if the amount of 4-MeI in a single can exceeds 29 micrograms.

So Pepsi is stating it can defend that its customers on average drink less than a third of a can a day (this argument is obviously flawed, because an open can of Pepsi goes flat in a couple hours..).  Perhaps they are thinking when people have a couple freinds together the split a can 3 ways.   Or,  maybe they are saying that the average customer drinks one can every three days.    Based on my not-to-scientific observations, I would say people either drink a lot of Pepsi every day or not at all.

So based on their defense – I consider them guilty as charged.

January 24, 2014 Dan Leave a comment

Richard Sherman – Crazy Like A Fox

Richard Sherman is my new favorite Seahawk.  Not only an incredible athelete – but a shrewd businessman.  While I do believe that part of his infamous post game interview with Erin Andrews was an emotional outburst – I also  believe at least part of it was part of the master plan.   Richard Sherman is a smart guy – Graduated from Stanford with a communications degree.  He probably has given some thought about managing the media.

Was it a coincidence that his new Beats commercial documenting his reputation as a thug debuted during the game?  Richard Sherman is a man who knows how to build his brand.  Do you think he gave some thought how best to position himself against golden boy Peyton Manning during the two week media frenzy preceding the Super Bowl?

Below is a chart from Google on the top searches on the day of the NFC Championship:

googletrends

 

More than twice as many searches as the next most popular search term.   That’s not easy to accomplish with a 30 second interview.   I think it will be an interesting couple of weeks to see how the NFL manages this incursion into their brand.  My guess is they will be all for it – build in the reality show angle of crazy personalities.  Most of America thinks Richard Sherman typifies what is wrong with game of NFL Football.  I agree his antics my tarnish the game, but  I think he is providing an interesting model for other players to follow in the business of NFL Football.

 

January 21, 2014 Dan Leave a comment

Gaming Improvements on the Horizon

I am surprised at how long it has taken to make real advancements in virtual reality gaming.  It seems the technology has been around for years, yet no product has really gained a foothold.  Microsoft Kinect, the fastest growing consumer device, has largely been a bust for adventure or first person gaming.

Finally some hope is on the horizon.  The Oculus Rift virtual reality headset has been on the horizon for a couple years now, and it looks to be close to be on the market – with a price point rumored to be around $500.  Couple this with the promise of the Omni Treadmill – and it looks like there is hope for a mass market virtual reality gaming setup.

What I like about the Treadmill is how simple it is – its not a treadmill – its just a sensor platform.  It seems to me if this product gains momentum, they could get the price down to a nice level – maybe a few hundred dollars?

So in the next few years – could I dare envision a world where you can pick up an Oculus Rift and Omni Treadmill for under $500?  If that was to happen, that could be a huge change in the world of home entertainment.

January 14, 2014 Dan 2 Comments

NFL Playoff Predictions

If you believe the business of the NFL is ratings, then there are definitely some Super Bowl matchups that the NFL would prefer and prefer not to have.  Check out these maps of Facebook likes for each playoff game:

http://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-division-playoff-round-fan-maps-2014-1

Based on this data, can we assume:

Super Bowl Ratings Disasters:

1.  San Diego vs Carolina  – little public interest outside of 3 states

2.  Seattle vs San Diego  – A West Coast Super Bowl?  (ESPN Would never allow it)

A couple wild cards here (no pun intended).  San Diego in the Super Bowl would increase NFL interest in the Los Angeles area – where the NFL wants an expansion team, and will likely push for  public support to build a stadium.  Alternatively,  Seattle could be positioned as the bad-guys of the NFL – call it the black-hat team – that could make for an interesting story line against good guy quarterbacks Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, or even an up an coming star like Andrew Luck (I doubt the same storyline could be created around Philip Rivers of San Diego).

Super Bowl Ratings Winners

1.  New Orleans vs New England – Tom Brady vs Drew Brees

2.  Denver vs New Orleans – Peyton Manning vs Drew Brees

Denver vs New Orleans would provide a better national audience – Denver brings in more West Coast interest.  Its all about the marquee quarterbacks. Therefor it might be interesting to introduce Andrew Luck to the national stage – start transitioning the marketing away from these aging quarterbacks.  I doubt Cam Newton and Colin Kaepernick is in the NFL’s long term marketing plans.

San Francisco would be a reasonable alternative for the Super Bowl – though New Orleans brings in the south plus the upper Midwest where Drew Brees was the star QB at Purdue.

So as I watch the playoffs progress – these are the storylines I am watching.

 

 

January 11, 2014 Dan 3 Comments

More Japanese Developments

Several months ago I wrote a post regarding the Japanese economic experiment with Quantitative Easing.  Since then, a couple other interesting developments have occurred in Japan that have me thinking.

1.  Quantitative Easing continues:  While I am skeptical that Abenomics will work, so far it appears to be pleasing the masses:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/16/us-japan-economy-tankan-idUSBRE9BF02N20131216

For 2013, the Japanese stock market closed up 57 percent, while the Yen depreciated against the dollar by 25%.  So printing money appears to be the short term solution to Japan’s economic woes, however they are building a huge debt hole that they will eventually have to deal with.   And there is more to come.  According to the above article:

A Reuters poll conducted earlier this month found that almost two-thirds of Japanese firms expect the BOJ to increase its stimulus in the first six months of 2014.

I still think this policy will be seen as greatly helping Japanese industry at the expense of Japanese labor – much like the impact of American Quantitative Easing.

2.  National Secrecy Bill

In an odd move, Japan rushed through a National secrecy bill to ‘restrict state secrets’ from the media:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/29/world/asia/secrecy-bill-could-distance-japan-from-its-postwar-pacifism.html?_r=0

Quoting from this article:

Mr. Abe has said that tighter controls of state secrets were needed to plug holes in Japan’s protection of information and, most important, to persuade the United States to share more of its sensitive military intelligence. With China’s rise and increasing assertiveness, Mr. Abe has been leading Japan to become a more full-fledged military ally of the United States.

The tighter controls are very vague:

The current wording gives the heads of government agencies the power to declare information off limits if it touches on such sensitive national security areas as diplomacy, defense and anti-terrorism policy. Those found guilty of leaking these secrets could face up to 10 years in prison, far longer than under Japan’s current laws.

and finally:

The secrecy bill was submitted in tandem with the bill to create a National Security Council that Parliament approved this week.  Political analysts say the twin measures are the first steps in a legislative agenda that could eventually see Mr. Abe try to fulfill his long-held goal of revising his nation’s antiwar Constitution to allow for a fully developed military instead of purely defensive forces — still a controversial idea in Japan.

3.  Shrine Visit

Prime Minister Abe recently made a calculated visit to a controversial WW2 shrine:

http://www.economist.com/news/asia/21592659-shinzo-abe-takes-dangerous-gamble-slap-face

It’s not clear what Abe had to gain by visiting the shrine – except to increase Japanese Nationalism at the expense of its relationship with its neighbors.  Given the ongoing land dispute between Japan and China that has the potential to escalate into a conflict, it seems an odd time to purposely cause a ruckus.

So maybe these 3 developments won’t amount to much – just more noise in world news.  However,  I am taken by the parallels to the 1930’s,  where Japanese and German leadership spurred economic growth to fuel industry, at the same time encouraging nationalism fervor.  Add in manipulation and government restriction of what information can be reported to the public, and it sure looks like history has the potential to repeat itself.

 

January 3, 2014 Dan Leave a comment

Archives

  • February 2021 (1)
  • January 2021 (1)
  • December 2020 (2)
  • November 2020 (2)
  • October 2020 (2)
  • September 2020 (2)
  • August 2020 (2)
  • July 2020 (2)
  • June 2020 (2)
  • May 2020 (2)
  • April 2020 (2)
  • March 2020 (2)
  • February 2020 (2)
  • January 2020 (3)
  • December 2019 (2)
  • November 2019 (2)
  • October 2019 (2)
  • September 2019 (1)
  • August 2019 (2)
  • July 2019 (2)
  • June 2019 (1)
  • May 2019 (3)
  • April 2019 (2)
  • March 2019 (2)
  • February 2019 (2)
  • January 2019 (3)
  • December 2018 (2)
  • November 2018 (2)
  • October 2018 (2)
  • September 2018 (2)
  • August 2018 (2)
  • July 2018 (2)
  • June 2018 (2)
  • May 2018 (2)
  • April 2018 (2)
  • March 2018 (2)
  • February 2018 (1)
  • January 2018 (3)
  • December 2017 (2)
  • November 2017 (2)
  • October 2017 (2)
  • September 2017 (2)
  • August 2017 (2)
  • July 2017 (2)
  • June 2017 (3)
  • May 2017 (2)
  • April 2017 (1)
  • March 2017 (3)
  • February 2017 (3)
  • January 2017 (2)
  • December 2016 (2)
  • November 2016 (3)
  • October 2016 (2)
  • September 2016 (2)
  • August 2016 (2)
  • July 2016 (2)
  • June 2016 (2)
  • May 2016 (2)
  • April 2016 (2)
  • March 2016 (2)
  • February 2016 (3)
  • January 2016 (4)
  • December 2015 (2)
  • November 2015 (2)
  • October 2015 (3)
  • September 2015 (3)
  • August 2015 (2)
  • July 2015 (4)
  • June 2015 (2)
  • May 2015 (4)
  • April 2015 (3)
  • March 2015 (4)
  • February 2015 (4)
  • January 2015 (4)
  • December 2014 (5)
  • November 2014 (3)
  • October 2014 (5)
  • September 2014 (3)
  • August 2014 (5)
  • July 2014 (4)
  • June 2014 (4)
  • May 2014 (3)
  • April 2014 (3)
  • March 2014 (5)
  • February 2014 (2)
  • January 2014 (5)
  • December 2013 (4)
  • November 2013 (6)
  • October 2013 (3)
  • September 2013 (3)
  • August 2013 (4)
  • July 2013 (3)
  • June 2013 (3)
  • May 2013 (5)
  • April 2013 (2)
  • March 2013 (6)
  • February 2013 (6)
  • January 2013 (5)
  • December 2012 (5)
  • November 2012 (4)
  • October 2012 (3)
  • September 2012 (4)
  • August 2012 (3)
  • July 2012 (3)
  • June 2012 (2)
  • May 2012 (3)
  • March 2012 (3)
  • February 2012 (2)
  • January 2012 (1)
  • December 2011 (3)
  • November 2011 (3)
  • October 2011 (2)
  • September 2011 (2)
  • August 2011 (3)
  • July 2011 (4)
  • June 2011 (4)
  • May 2011 (3)
  • April 2011 (6)
  • March 2011 (8)
WEBSITE DISCLAIMER: The operator of this site (Vertical Financial Systems, Inc) are not registered investment advisers, broker/dealers, or research analysts/organizations. The content on this website is issued solely for information purposes and should not to be construed as an offer to buy, sell, or trade in any way, any security mentioned herein. All information presented on this website is believed to be reliable and written in good faith, but no representation or warranty, expressed or implied is made as to their accuracy, completeness or correctness. You are responsible for doing your own research before investing in any securities mentioned herein. Readers are urged to consult with their own independent financial advisors with respect to any investment. Neither Vertical Financial Systems, Inc, nor its officers or employees accept any liability whatsoever for any direct or consequential loss arising from any use of information on this website.
Full Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Powered by WordPress | theme SG Simple