Tuesday, November 18, 2008

My inspiration for today

L-am primit de la Paola

Intr-o familie erau doi copii: unul foarte pesimist altul foarte optimist. Disperati parintii se gandesc sa le schimbe copiilor parerea de viata in ziua de Craciun. Se duc copiii fericiti sa-si deschida cadourile. Pesimistul primise o super bicicleta la care zice: "O bicicleta ... de cand mi-am dorit ... dar nu stiu sa merg ... si o sa ia mult pana invat ... si o sa cad ... daca fac accident ... daca moare cineva?" apoi isi intreaba fratiorul "tu ce-ai primit?". ( optimistul primise o balega ) "Pai eu ... un calut ... trebuie sa fie pe aici pe undeva !"

Monday, November 17, 2008

I'm forever blowing bubbles

I'm forever blowing bubbles,
Pretty bubbles in the air,
They fly so high, nearly reach the sky,T
hen like my dreams they fade and die.

West Ham United.

Am vazut zilele trecute Green Street (preview here: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=TkSlrox7Mo0&NR=1)

M-a impresionat sa vad oameni care mor pentru ceva in care cred cu toata fiinta lor. Dar nu m-a impresionat moartea in sine. Cat entuziasmul si nebunia, flacara si fanatismul lor. Ce importanta ai ca mori la 20 sau la 70. Nu cei 50 de ani fac diferenta. Ci minutele de nebunie, alea in care te arunci cu capul inainte fara sa te gandesti la riscuri. Minutele in care simti ca viata are un sens. Ala de pe care i-l dai tu. Si nu o societate ingropata in conventionalisme.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Raport de noiembrie. Mituri despre scotieni

Sofa bed cumparate (0)Primite (2)
Laude la servici (nenumarate
hurrrrrrraaaaaaaayyy)
Boyfriends in octombrie (1). In noiembrie (1). Si acelasi. Buuun
Esarfa rosie de matase cumparata de la GAP care imi place tare tare(0)
Gogosi cu ciocolata/gem (234.564)
Vizitatori cu nume de Tzucu pe care ii astept vineri (1)
REviste in care am aparut (1, pe bune!!!)
Bine, e revista interna a companiei, dar totusi, I am FAMOUS
Numar de ori de uitat in oglinda si incruntat la noua mea culoare de par (54.609)

Mi-am dat seama ca imi place tare mult Scotia. E asa….pe gustul meu. Desi mi-e frig de mor dimineata cand ma trezesc si mormai tot drumul pana la servici…m-am obisnuit. Pana si cu ploaia care vine uneori inopinanta.
Ma tot gandesc la o tipologie a scotienilor. Li se duce vestea ca ar fi zgarciti, lucru care ma intriga, cel putin in Dundee, pentru ca nu recunosc simptome ale zgarceniei. Ce stiu sigur e ca sunt oameni foarte modesti. Cu greu o sa iti spuna un superlativ, sau o sa devina foarte familiari cu tine , dar macar sunt lipsiti de ipocrizie. Scotienilor le place sa petreaca zgomotos, sa se imbrace super elegant cand ies in oras, sa se implice in tot felul de acte de caritate (probabil si pentru ca isi permit), sa vorbeasca despre vreme (pentru ca e un big issue pentru ei), sa fie laudati pentru traditiile lor (au si de ce), sa manance toata ziua fish and chips sis a se imbrace cat mai subtire posibil chiar daca afara sunt abia cateva grade peste 0.
Scotienii sunt cei mai civilizati soferi in traffic.. daca limita e 70mph, rar o sa vezi pe cineva pe dual carriage incalcand limita. De aceea poate ca scotienii nici nu au patrula de la politia de circulatie din 5 in 5 kilometri si nici camere de supraveghere.
Scotienii sunt prea politicosi. Nu conteaza cine e vinovat intr-o situatie, ei isi vor cere scuze. M-am izbit din greseala intr-o tanti in supermarket si si-a cerut scuze. Mi s-a facut dor de un “Vaco, nu vezi pe unde mergi” cand ea mi-a zambit timid.
Scotienii ca barbati nu is prea aratosi. Nici inalti. DEsi cele cateva exemplare ce formeaza exceptia ridica mult de tot media de frumusete masculina. Dar barbatii scotieni sunt educati si miros foarte foarte bine (au si ei uscaciunile lor, ca un tip in bus acum ceva vreme, care si-a scos nonsalant ghetele, apoi sosetele si a inceput sa se scarpine printer degete cu zel)
Autobuzele in Scotia nu vin niciodata la timp. Atunci cand vin. Soferul de autobuz, cand e sunat pe mobil, trage pe stanga si incepe o conversatie in timp ce calatorii asteapta cuminti ca si cum ar fi lucrul cel mai firesc din lume. Soferul de autobuz, cand motorul ia foc (foarte des), trage pe stanga si nici macar nu isi anunta calatorii de ce s-a intamplat. Oricum ei nu sunt afectati, continua sa citeasca sau sa asculte ceva in casti pana cand nu mai pot respira de fum si atunci sunt usor uimiti ca s-a oprit busul.
Scotienii sunt foarte calmi. Dar nu as vrea sa traiesc o situatie care ar putea sa ii scoata din sarite.
Pe 30 plec la Liverpool pentru o saptamana. Looking forward to. Mai schimb aerul de Dundee. Aer minunat de proaspat si fain.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Carbon Credits. Or why the rich will always get richer and the poor will get poorer

In short, Carbon Credit Mechanism is an Emission Trading Scheme to mitigate global warming. It all started with the Kyoto protocol, which limited the amount of Greenhouse Gases that the developed and developing countries (their businesses in fact) can emit. Each local business (called operator) has the right to emit a certain number of credits (one unit = one metric tonne of carbon dioxide or equivalent GHG). Their excess quota/unused credits might be sold or bought on the open market. A very attractive market I might add and with high perspective, as the emissions will continue to grow over time.
A credit can be an emissions allowance which was originally allocated or auctioned by the national administrators of a cap-and-trade program, or it can be an offset of emissions. Such offsetting and mitigating activities can occur in any developing country which has ratified the Kyoto Protocol, and has a national agreement in place to validate its carbon project through one of the UNFCCC's approved mechanisms. Once approved, these units are termed Certified Emission Reductions, or CERs
What happens on the market?
Basically, if I was a factory that emits a lot of greenhouse gas and I have exceeded my emission quota for this year, according to the Kyoto protocol, I have some alternatives:
- I can pay the carbon tax – too expensive
- I can invest in a new, lower emission machinery, but the capital cost would be very high
- Or…I can buy carbon credits from the open market from two different sellers:
1. From an organization that is investing in a lowering emission project in a developing country (the main idea: it is cheaper to invest in lowering emission in a developing country, so as long as we are still lowering emission levels, it does not matter where this takes place)
2. From a seller that has already invested in low emission machinery so that he might have surplus of allowances.
Let’s say US Steel is running a plant in Ohio. Say, that it is emitting more gases than the accepted norms of the UNFCCC. It can tie up with its own subsidiary in Kosice under the Clean Development Mechanism. It can buy the 'carbon credit' by making the Kosice plant more eco-savvy with the help of technology transfer. But it can also tie up with any other company like Indian Oil , or anybody else, in the open market. Under the CDM you can cut the deal for carbon credit. Under the UNFCCC, charter any company from the developed world can tie up with a company in the developing country that is a signatory to the Kyoto Protocol. These companies in developing countries must adopt newer technologies, emitting lesser gases, and save energy.
Interesting is that India and China are likely to emerge as the biggest sellers and Europe is going to be the biggest buyers of carbon credits.
India, China and some other countries have the advantage because they are developing countries. Any company, factories or farm owner in India can get linked to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and know the 'standard' level of carbon emission allowed for its outfit or activity. The extent to which they are emitting less carbon (as per standard fixed by UNFCCC) they get credited in a developing country. This is called ‘carbon credit’. These credits are bought over by the companies of developed countries.
How and who can apply for selling carbon credits?
Only those companies that meet the UNFCCC norms and take up new technologies will be entitled to sell carbon credits. There are parameters set and detailed audit is done before you get the entitlement to sell the credit.
Ex: In India, already 300 to 400 companies have carbon credits after meeting UNFCCC norms
So far, the sellers have been large manufacturing companies who are adopting UNFCCC norms. Retail investors can come in the market and buy the contract if they think the market of carbon is going to firm up. Like any other asset they can buy these too. It is kept in the form of an electronic certificate.
Carbon Credit Market, as any other market is a supply-demand interplay. Say, if the Indian buyer thinks that the current price is low for him he will wait before selling his credits. The Indian government has not fixed any norms nor has it made it compulsory to reduce carbon emissions to a certain level. So, people who are coming to buy from Indians are actually financial investors. They are thinking that if the Europeans are unable to meet their target of reducing the emission levels by 2009 or 2010 or 2012, then the demand for the carbon will increase and then they may make more money.

My idea here, and i know for sure that at this moment, some of the developing countries have the most polluting steel plants in the world. Do you think they will buy and install new equipment to improve air quality?
Nope, they will buy cheap carbon credit from developing countries who have been struggling to buy and install new technologies for fewer emissions. Yes, of course, big powerful states might be drivers for the carbon projects in the developing countries, but that’s in my opinion a kind of laundry.

So…big steel guys in US will continue to stay big and rich. But…how much now? Because hihihi Indian and Chinese will become more and more competitive because of their new technology, automation and productivity. So, Sam….what do you say now?

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Dragi romani din toata lumea: MULTUMIRI!

Spuneam ca revin cu un post despre Chicago, dar intai vreau sa povestesc ceva foarte funny de mi s-a intamplat la Chicago.
Daca vreodata m-am gandit ca lumea nu e asa mare pe cat mi-as fi imaginat cand eram copil, cu siguranta atat de mica cum mi s-a parut in Chicago nu mi s-a parut niciodata.

Fara sa dau prea multe detalii despre business-ul si meetingurile mele acolo, eram la o masa rotunda impreuna cu concurentii nostri nemti si un potential partener din Chile. Cum eram singura femeie dintre 200+ barbati, ma bucur de avantajul de a capta prima atentia, asa ca omu isi scoate cartea de vizita, mi-o inmaneaza si incepe sa imi spuna ce oportunitate are el pentru afacerea mea etc. In acel moment, cei doi nemti automat si-au scos cartile de vizita, sarind pe interlocutorul meu. Mi-am scos-o si io pe a mea. Aruncand un ochi pe ea, desi sunt mentionate numele si adresa companiei din Scotia, am avut mare uimire s ail aud: “Oana…you are from Romania, aren’t you?” Si din momentul ala, i-a ignorat complet pe nemti, s-a intors total cu fata la mine si cat am stat in Chicago mi-a fost o companie excelenta: m-a introdus la o gramada de lume din North America si din South America, am mers la cina la restaurantul unde ia cina Tom Cruise (yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyyyy m-am ajuns))), la pranz, etc. Nici o sexual innuendo, omul era destul de in varsta sa imi fie tata…Si de fapt care e povestea? Se pare ca pe toate femeile din viata lui le cheama Doinita (ca pe mama btw): nepoata, fiica, nevasta. Are o gramada de cunostinte de nationalitate romana, e fascinat de gastronomia, istoria noastra comunista, de misticul pe care il asociaza Romaniei. Asa ca…acest mic detaliu, nationalitatea mea, a facut diferenta.

Mi-am spus ca e un caz izolat…io fiind obisnuita in Germania/Italia cand eram tinerica, la auzul nationalitatii mele oamenii sa isi verifice buzunarele mai degraba decat sa se lumineze si sa zambeasca.

Si as fi crezut ca e un caz izolat, daca nu mi s-ar mai fi intamplat de cel putin 4-5 ori in aceeasi saptamana si la aceeasi conferinta. S-a intamplat sa fiu introdusa unui American care a facut afaceri cu Romania pe timpul lui Ceausescu. Apoi unui Canadian care inca face afaceri cu Sidex Galati. Apoi unui turc, unui Nigerian, si iarasi un American, toti spunand ca cei mai draguti si mai faini oameni pe care i-au cunoscut vreodata sunt romani.

Deci dragi romani din toata lumea: Va multumesc!
Va multumesc pentru mult hulitul (de mine) pupincurism (a se citi ospitalitate excesiva) fata de toti strainii care au trecut vreodata pragul tarisoarei si cu care v-ati purtat poate de multe ori muuuuuuult mai fain decat ar fi facut-o oricine altcineva.
Va multumesc pentru ca mai exista si romani care s-au remarcat si prin altceva decat prin aparitia la stiri pentru furt/viol/omor.
Va multumesc pentru ca dupa atata timp in care am simtit nationalitatea mea ca pe un complex, in saptamana aceea la Chicago m-am simtit nemaipomenit de bine in pielea mea romaneasca.