GENE AMDAHL FIGHTS TO SALVAGE A WRECK His failed supercomputer swallowed most of the $230 million that investors bet on Trilogy Ltd. Now the wizard of high tech is trying a new strategy.
(FORTUNE Magazine)
By Myron Magnet

GENE AMDAHL FIGHTS TO SALVAGE A WRECK His failed supercomputer swallowed most of the $230 million that investors bet on Trilogy Ltd. Now the wizard of high tech is trying a new strategy. - September 1, 1986

Delta Air Lines Inc. and Northwest Airlines Corp. may unveil their long-delayed merger announcement as early as Tuesday, said people familiar with the matter, in the latest move by airlines to grapple with high fuel prices and a softening economy.

The deal could value Northwest at roughly $3 billion, these people said, though terms were still being negotiated. That would be well below Northwest's market value of more than $4.6 billion as of Feb. 1, reflecting the industry's worsening prospects in recent weeks.

Please don't devalue my mileses.

Delta Aims to Unveil Northwest Merger Pact - WSJ.com

CHICAGO — The Boeing Co. delayed its 787 jetliner program again Tuesday, pushing back its expected debut in commercial service to the third quarter of 2009 as it continues to grapple with problems involving its supply chain and the need to redo work done by contractors.

The newest delays push the 787's schedule back approximately another six months and mean the aircraft touted for its potential to be more fuel-efficient than other large jets is now more than a year behind its original schedule.

reportonbusiness.com: globeinvestor.com - Boeing again delays 787 jetliner

Sub-prime explained through stick figures.

Subprime Explained - Google Docs

Perplexed by the U.S. economy? You're not alone. Law professor Michael Greenberger joins Fresh Air to explain the sub-prime mortgage crisis, credit defaults, the shaky future of other types of loans and what we can expect from the U.S. financial markets.

Greenberger is a professor at the University of Maryland School of Law and the director of the University's Center for Health and Homeland Security.

Really good explanation of OTC derivatives' contribution to the current economic crisis.

Our Confusing Economy, Explained : NPR

Giving you the Future of a Modern World, we present our latest product the 'Cozy Suite'

A first for the economy cabin, a seat design offering you a truly relaxed sleeping position. It has a contoured shoulder area specifically profiled for sleeping. The shape was derived from numerous prototype and passenger trials to minimise the step-back of the seats. You do not feel like the seats
are even staggered, allowing interaction between you and other passengers, while reinforcing a high level of privacy.

The Cozy Suite can be installed from 31" to 38" pitch.

OMG, dignity in coach!

Innovative Aircraft Seats | Cozy Suite

Introducing Twine.
The Smartest Way To Organize, Share and Discover Information About Your Interests.
Interest Networks

Twine is a new service that helps you organize, share and discover information about your interests, with networks of like-minded people. You can use Twine alone, with friends, groups and communities, or even in your company.
Twine Is Smart

Powered by semantic understanding, Twine automatically organizes information, learns about your interests and makes connections and recommendations. The more you use Twine, the better it understands your interests and the more useful it becomes.
Twine Ties it all Together

Organize. As you add information to Twine, it is automatically tagged so that you and others can find it more easily.

Share. Connect with individuals and groups, gather and share content, and engage in discussions around your interests.

Discover. Twine connects you with new people, content and products that match your interests, and also helps other people discover you and your contributions.

To see how Twine works, take our tour.

Reminds me of some other site.

Twine

Read these characteristics. Sequoia thinks that they lead to enduring and lasting companies. Me thinks Sequoia is also dead on. Must, must reading.

Clarity of Purpose
Summarize the company's business on the back of a business card.

Large Markets
Address existing markets poised for rapid growth or change. A market on the path to a $1B potential allows for error and time for real margins to develop.

Rich Customers
Target customers who will move fast and pay a premium for a unique offering.

Focus
Customers will only buy a simple product with a singular value proposition.

Pain Killers
Pick the one thing that is of burning importance to the customer then delight them with a compelling solution.

Think Differently
Constantly challenge conventional wisdom. Take the contrarian route. Create novel solutions. Outwit the competition.

Team DNA
A company’s DNA is set in the first 90 days. All team members are the smartest or most clever in their domain. "A" level founders attract an "A" level team.

Agility
Stealth and speed will usually help beat-out large companies.

Frugality
Focus spending on what's critical. Spend only on the priorities and maximize profitability.

Inferno
Start with only a little money. It forces discipline and focus. A huge market with customers yearning for a product developed by great engineers requires very little firepower.

Peach Seedz: Sequoia Rules

JPMorgan now will bear the risk of the first $1 billion of losses if Bear Stearns' assets go bad. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York will cover the risk for the remaining $29 billion, instead of being on the hook for all of the first $30 billion in losses, as was originally announced March 16.

To do this, the New York Fed will take control of $30 billion of Bear Stearns' assets through a newly formed limited liability company managed by BlackRock Financial Management. The assets would serve as collateral for $29 billion in financing from the New York Fed at a 2.5% rate.

JPMorgan Chase will be responsible for the first $1 billion of losses in the portfolio, while the New York Fed would keep any gains.

JPMorgan ups offer for Bear Stearns - Mar. 24, 2008

Positioning is a crucial step and a foundation of any startup marketing strategy. If you don't do it, your competition will, and in a way that does not put you and your company in the best light.

With that said, I have found that entrepreneurs hate to try and position their companies. Why you may ask. Because it forces a niche approach. A niche approach forces you to decide what you want to be when you grow up. Entrepreneurs typically don't like to address this because it reduces options. If you don't reduce options you become Yahoo!.

So, how does one go about the act of positioning. I have found that a combination of the concepts presented by Geoffrey Moore in Crossing the Chasm (page 161) and Chris Coleman in The Green Banana Papers (page 36) work best. While it takes a lot of research, strategic thought and time (it will take at least 90 days to distill this), simply fill in the blanks or modify to suit your needs.

For __________________
(target customer)
__________________
(company/product name
is a __________________
(category in which you compete)
that __________________.
(functional need filled)
Unlike __________________
(your primary competitor)
we __________________.
(why you are different).

And once you get that down you consistently repeat it. Consistently repeat it.

Force_of_Good: Positioning