Category Archives: humour

Sixty Nine Years Ago Today …

GATT was created. Originally signed by 23 nations in Geneva on October 30, 1947, it was the foundation for global trade until January 1, 1995 when the WTO was formally established (after being agreed to by 123 nations in Marrakesh on April 14, 1994). GATT was important not just because it created critical multi-lateral agreements, but because it offered a substantial reduction of tariffs and other trade barriers for its member countries, with average tariff levels for major GATT participants of only 22%. This might sound high as a tax rate, but when you consider some acts can see tariffs as high as 100% or 200% (to prevent market flooding with foreign goods), this is very advantageous. And these levels dropped over time. By 1967, average tariff levels were 15%, and by 1993, two years before the creation of the WTO, average tariff levels were 5%.

Any comments, LOLCat?

One Hundred and Twenty Eight Years Ago Today …

While Constantinople may have fell 563 years ago, it was remembered 128 years ago today in the The Convention of Constantinople which guaranteed free maritime passage through the Suez Canal during war and peace. Connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez, it provides seagoing vessels with a short route between the North Atlantic and North Indian oceans, reducing the journey (which used to go through the South Atlantic and South Indian oceans) by 7,000 kms. Without this treaty, global logistics could have been brought to a halt with canal blockage.

And LOLCats everywhere rejoiced!

The Coupa Factory … Reboot!

In Honour of Coupa’s Recent IPO …

Oompa Loompa Doom-pa-dee-do
We’re still building great product for you!
Oompa Loompa Doom-pa-dah-dee
Humble is hard when your work is marquis

What do you get when you go enterprise?
Encroaching upon the ERP course?
Where they are going terribly flat!
What do you think will come of that?

I don’t like the look of it

Oompa Loompa Doom-pa-dee-dar
If you are willing, you will go far
You will live in happiness too
Like the Oompa Loompa Doom-pa-dee-do

Oompa Loompa Doom-pa-dee-do
We have a great product for you
Oompa Loompa Doom-pa-dee-dee
Humble is hard when your work is marquis

ERP’s fine when your systems are old
They store all your data on drives that are cold
When you need real-time you’re hung out to dry
To watch the vultures circ’ling high

Up in the dark’ning skies

Oompa Loompa doom-pa-dee-dar
But now there’s Coupa, you can go far
You will buy in happiness too
Like the Oompa-Loompa doom-pa-dee-do

Oompa Loompa Doom-pa-dee-do
I have a great product for you
Oompa Loompa Doom-pa-dee-derd
If you are wise, you will heed our word

Ask who they’ll blame when your spend is off track?
Deep in the red and there’s no turning back
Contracts alone are never enough
If your software’s not up to snuff

And doesn’t track your stuff

Oompa Loompa doom-pa-dee-dar
But now there’s Coupa, you can go far
You will buy in happiness too
Like the Oompa-Loompa doom-pa-dee-do

Oompa Loompa Doom-pa-dee-do
I have a great product for you
Oompa Loompa Doom-pa-dee-dise
If you are wise, you’ll buy enterprise

Requisitions with a single mouse click
Budget checks integrated and quick
One click receipts when the order arrives
Invoice matching that always jives

You’ll have no … you’ll have no … you’ll have no regrets

Oompa Loompa doom-pa-dee-dar
But now there’s Coupa, you can go far
You will buy in happiness too
Like the Oompa-Loompa doom-pa-dee-do

Fifty Years Ago Today …

The National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act became law in the US and the roads got a lot safer for everyone. Considering that this was about the time that trucking became the major means of transport in the US (despite the fact that well designed rail could be more energy and cost efficient, but as per Tuesday’s post, many industries are not energy or cost efficient), this was a very good thing as safer roads make surer deliveries.

What do you think LOLCat?