Babe Ruth's Secret and Government Investment in Business

I had a great afternoon today, where first hand I got to hear how the Government's investment in the private sector is delivering some staggering innovation in the primary products industries.

But what was Babe Ruth's secret, and how does it relate to gvernment investment in business in 2013?  Read on.

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is leading the charge through a programme known as Primary Growth Partnership, or PGP.   According to the MPI website, the PGP programmes "are primarily business-led and market-driven innovation programmes that work across the primary industry value chain. The PGP is about boosting productivity and profitability, and delivering long-term economic growth and sustainability across the primary sectors, from producer to consumer."

The government will match funding up to dollar for dollar, although in many cases industry is providing the majority of funding.

Why is the government investing?  In is their goal to help industry realise a potential annual benefit of $7 billion per year to NZ Inc by 2025.

Miraka, participating in PGP through Whai Hua.

One of the reasons I think this is such a valuable programme is that in was started with a long term objective in mind.  How often do we complain that the 3 year cycle of general elections can stop governments from working on long term strategic programmes of work?  Given the PGP initiative started in 2009, this is a case where the government has chosen to work on a 16 year horizon.

Today's presentation summarised 4 new PGP participants' programmes.  One was about doubling the value of premium beef products through the selective breeding of cattle to produce high value marbled beef.  Another was about producing high value immune enhancing dairy products for Asian and domestic health conscious consumers.  Yet another was aimed at improving the productivity of mussel farming through selective breeding (I didn't know that this industry, today, relies 100% on an unmanageable mussel breeding cycle), and the last focused on seed and nutritional technology.

There are many more PGP initiatives under way - 14 in total - and some are already starting to yield.

I was inspired hearing the Minister, Nathan Guy, talk with passion, and industry participants sharing their ideas and strategies for growing our economy. 

There are significant hoops for industry participants to jump through to access MPI funding, but these hoops, while improving the likelihood, still don't guarantee success. 

This is the kind of innovation we need from industry, supported by government.  I hope we celebrate the success of these programmes rather than focus on the one or two that may not realise their goals.

I do wonder how the public, no doubt influenced by a merciless media, will respond when one project doesn't come off?  Or two projects, or possibly even three?  

As one author has said, using an analogy from baseball, "if you want to swing for the fences, you have to be willing to strike out."  Babe Ruth broke 3 world records in the 1923 season.  Most home runs, best batting average and most strike outs.  It is no coincidence.

It is time we licensed our innovators, complete with government funding, to strike out from time to time.  We need them to swing for the fences.

Cheers!

Beer of the Month - September 2013

Last month I said I would move away form my preferred dark beer flavors and spend a bit more time with an APA.

As it turns out, it was a pleasure.  I wouldn't say I am a convert, but I did enjoy a good few pints of Tuatara APA.  Those in the beer community will know that this is not a traditional APA - it is not an American Pale Ale at all.  It is in fact a very kiwi APA, full name Aotearoa Pale Ale.

The story goes that they were getting underway with a good following for the American version, but ran into supply problems of the hops, so undeterred re-engineered the recipe with some hops found locally and voila, Aotearoa Pale Ale was born.

It goes down nice, particularly if it is not over chilled.  I enjoyed mine at Cuckoo Cocktail Emporium on the Wellington Waterfront.  Their website, to be fair, sucks, but on a fine Wellington afternoon, it is a great place for a cleansing ale on the way home.  I also stopped in at Bin 44, also on the Waterfront. Not as quirky as Cuckoo, but equally as nice on a fine afternoon, and they do have a much bigger selection of craft beers (Cuckoo has a very light beer selection).

For October, with summer just around the corner, I may have to sample some IPA's.  I am really not big on IPA's at all, but alas, one must not be stuck in a rut!

Until next time, enjoy a pint of craft beer, and as always please drink responsibly!

Cheers!

Cloud: Is It About Data Security and Privacy or Classification?

For many people in government, or even when just talking about government, cloud computing is something quite scary.  "Why," they ask, "would we put our country's information in data centre in another country?"

On the surface that seems to be a good question.  But is it really?  Or is it an excuse dressed as a credible question... a diversion that stops people focusing on the issue?

As I mentioned in a previous blog, we all use cloud all the time.  Many of the same people who hate the thought of using cloud in government use cloud services at home all the time.  They trust cloud providers with some of their most intimate details, yet they don't want the government to store, in some cases, the same information in the same cloud. 

I was therefore very pleased to drink coffee with a fellow IT professional who is, at the moment, working for a large government department.  He reflected back to me something I have been saying for months.

His organisation is talking about data classification, not cloud security.

The issue with citizen data and the cloud is not an issue of privacy or security.  It is an issue of classification.  The primary reason why the New Zealand public sector organisations can not yet fully leverage the benefits of true public cloud is because their data has not been  classified - they can't separate the sovereign data from all the other data. 

It is good to know that inside more and more public sector organisations data is being properly categorised and classified. The tidal wave of true cloud adoption will continue to build. The cost and performance benefits are just too great for NZ Inc to not leverage for cost savings, service improvement and competitive advantage.

Cheers!

When Did News Get Replaced With Infotainment?

We have no real mainstream news service in New Zealand anymore.  What we do have is organisations that provide information in a way that is supposed to 'entertain' us - it keeps us coming back for more and it's called Infotainment.

There is an old saying that goes along the lines of, "if you're not paying, you are the product being sold."


Why do news centric radio stations, web sites and free to air TV programmes need to entertain you?  Because they are selling you and they can only sell you if you are listening, reading or watching.  You are a statistic in their sales proposal's to advertisers.  And what keeps you listening, watching and reading?  Not real, investigative, detailed news, that's for sure.

Has any New Zealand news agency talked about the links between all the players in Syria?  Not that I have seen, but then I am ignoring them more and more these days (by the way, if you are interested, here is a really useful story from PolicyMic).  Instead we are being told over and over again about hundreds being killed while we wait with a sense of expectation and impending doom for the UN to hurry up and do nothing and for the US to once again intervene to save us all from tyranny.

I like the following picture.  It really does show us that what an editor chooses to include or exclude from a 'story' will ultimately be used by you and I to form our judgements about a situation.

Look, the soldier is providing water to a thirsty victim.  Or is he?  Perhaps he is just keeping the 'victim' alive long enough to be tortured for intelligence gathering purposes?  Or was a guy with a gun just walking by?  We may never know.  The point is the media an influence what you and I think simply by the way the represent the facts.

What if Brian Tamaki is not the highest paid preacher in New Zealand?  I suspect he isn't, but there is just no 'story' in a white middle class minister on Auckland's North Shore earning zillions from his 'flock'.  Nothing like a  a Maori boy from Tokoroa riding a Harley - that's news!   

What if David Shearer was the man for the job?  Why is Shane Jones the media darling of the Labour Leadership race?  From his time at Te Ohu Kaimoana one could wonder if he was running a sham of an organisation set up by well intentioned but nonetheless misguided legislation?  Has anyone asked why Te Ohu Kaimoana was set up when the Te Reo version of the Treaty makes no mention of fisheries?  Has anyone asked?  No, because as with Brian Tamaki, Shane Jones is good for selling airtime and web pages.

What is forming your world view?  Hopefully a little more than a cursory glance at Stuff or the 25 minutes of infotainment (including the very infotaining commercials) on free to air TV news before they get to the sport and weather.  To be honest, you'd get more information from The Civilian.  Check out this article  titled 'Equivilent of 13 White Men Killed In Egypt'.

It is a point well made and I suspect it will make you stop and think.

Cheers!


 

Beer of the Month, August 2013

A few days late getting this post out, so it will be short.

I enjoyed quite a number of lovely pints throughout August - hard not to when Beervana is in town!


My pick was the Parrot Dog Otis (ABV 6.3%).  They describe it this way; "Brewed with a generous lashing of rolled oats in the mash to achieve a silky smooth body, this deep black winter-warmer is perfect to sip on during these chilly evenings."

A couple of pints, once again at The Bruhaus, with another Wellington lad who enjoys a dark beer, @JOSNZ hit the spot nicely.

I can feel myself heading towards an APA or two this month - slightly out of character for this dark beer lover.

Until next time,
Cheers!