Iran’s rugged frontiers with Afghanistan and Pakistan have, for centuries, witnessed a regular flow of people and goods. Cross-border ethnic, tribal and cultural linkages forged before the demarcation of national boundaries have taken root, and continue to influence events in all three countries. However, growing instability in Afghanistan and Pakistan, enmeshed in intense geopolitical rivalry, is posing serious new threats to Iran’s internal cohesion and external security.
The recent spike in violence in Afghanistan has triggered a fresh wave of refugees into Iran. “The situation is becoming alarming again. Every day, 2,000-4,000 refugees are entering Iran from Afghanistan. That amounts to a monthly addition of 1,20,000 refugees,” Carlos Zaccagnini, representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Iran, told The Hindu recently.
Besides, a bumper poppy harvest in Afghanistan is posing new challenges as Iran is the gateway for transit of narcotics into Europe, the Persian Gulf and West Asia. Besides, smuggling of contraband has serious domestic implications, with drug abuse among youth becoming rampant. The escalation of violence in Iran’s Sistan-Balochestan province, which in large measure is attributed to the smuggling of drugs, has also become a major source of tension along the Iran-Pakistan border.
Mr. Zaccagnini pointed out that Iran had faced at least three waves of refugees from Afghanistan since 1979. They first began pouring in when Soviet troops moved into the country. The second wave started in the mid-1990s, when the Taliban established itself in the country. Many of the refugees were ethnic Tajiks and Hazaras, who have traditionally been influenced by the Persian language and culture. The third wave, which began recently, is the result of the deteriorating security situation yet again. “The world is refusing to recognise that once again, Afghanistan has become a refugee-producing state. Unless this mental block is removed, a fresh approach to meet this huge challenge will not be conceived,” Mr. Zaccagnini observed.
Iran’s approach to tackling its refugee crisis has been avowedly rooted in Islamic principles. After the 1979 revolution, it pursued the ideology that Islam has no borders and, therefore, all Muslims are welcome in Islamic lands. As a result, nearly four million Afghans poured into Iran after Russian soldiers pushed into Afghanistan. However, practical considerations forced Iran to modify its approach towards refugees in later years, notwithstanding its commitment to ideological tenets.
For instance, Iran simply did not have the finances to bear the burden of such a large inflow of refugees. Western hostility to the Iranian revolution has also meant inability to secure significant humanitarian aid from abroad. Mr. Zaccagnini pointed out that there was no problem in getting international aid for Afghanistan and for refugees in Pakistan. But in the case of Iran, it has been an entirely different story. Cultural factors, too, have inhibited the flow of humanitarian assistance to Iran. The Iranians are too proud to ask for aid. But there is a view in Tehran that Iranians resent the fact that the world has not acknowledged the Herculean task they have performed virtually single-handed.
Iran has absorbed almost a million Afghan refugees into its workforce, many of them engaged in construction activity, on farms, as municipal workers or as housemaids. However, the fate of nearly two million Afghans who have not been registered continues to remain uncertain. Without external support, Iran is finding it difficult to register additional refugees, as this gesture would entitle them to rights which have significant financial implications. So, Iran in the past deported unregistered refugees, leading to harsh international criticism which many, in the prevailing circumstances, see as unfair.
Human rights groups in Iran have been active in seeking fair treatment for refugees. Rights activist and Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi has been advocating that refugees, who have married in Iran or have had children there, be provided with full legal status. UNHCR officials say children born of an Iranian father and an Afghan mother have not faced significant problems with social integration. But children born of an Afghan father and an Iranian mother face an uphill task. Recently, the government decided that their status be legalised after they turn 18.
Dr. Ebadi is opposed to forced repatriation. However, taking a comprehensive view of the problem, she strongly advocates better border management to ensure that the Afghans who voluntarily seek repatriation do not return. Given the paucity of international humanitarian aid and the difficult security situation in Afghanistan, she has also urged foreign, mainly western governments, to accept in greater numbers, refugees stranded in Iran.The drug menace
Iran is on the frontline of the war against the international flow of drugs originating from Afghanistan. Opium production in Afghanistan in 2007 hit a record high of 8,200 tonnes, amounting to nearly 92 per cent of the total world output. In poverty-stricken Afghanistan, the export of opiates fetches an astounding $4 billion in the international market. Nearly 66 per cent of opium is produced in southern Afghanistan, with the Hilmand province producing the bulk.
Iran is part of the Balkan route that includes Pakistan, Turkey and the Balkan countries, used for the export of drugs. Its prominence is evident as nearly 80 per cent of opium seizures in the world have been made in Iran. Adopting a proactive stance, Iran has mounted a major effort to confront drug barons offloading Afghan supplies into the world. It has suffered heavy losses in the process — about 3,700 Iranian security personnel were killed and 11,000 disabled between 1989 and 2003 in battles with the drug gangs. Fighting has been intense as private armies attached to the drug lords use sophisticated weapons, including rocket launchers, heavy machine guns and Kalashnikovs in their engagement with the Iranian forces.
There are social factors which add to the complexity of interdicting the flow of drugs through the Sistan-Baluchestan province, one of the natural gateways for export. Unlike in other areas, the drug barons are socially well networked here. Baluchi and Sistani tribes, with active contacts with each other, are spread across the geographical frontiers of Pakistan and Iran. Averse to recognising geopolitical boundaries as part of an ancestral tradition, prominent sections within these tribes have been engaged in a sustained combat with the Iranian forces. While many are directly involved in trafficking, including providing logistics, others have generally been supportive of this trade.
Fighting in this area has been focussed around the cross-border routes used for trafficking. Iranian law-enforcement agencies have mapped 50 smuggling routes in the Sistan-Baluchestan province. Key locations in the smuggling trail include Mirjaveh, Zahedan and Iranshahr. Zahedan, capital of the province, is the nucleus of two major smuggling routes, with the historical city of Bam as an interim destination. From Zahedan, one route heads for Bam after passing through the Roodmahi ranges and the town of Narmashir. Another breaches the Kabody mountains before reaching Bam via Noosratabad.
Organised gangs, which do the bulk of drug trafficking, use motorised convoys, usually consisting of several vehicles. Smaller quantities are smuggled out by individuals called “Barduks” who undertake cross-border journeys . With their trans-national tribal networks, Barduks usually travel from Iran into Afghanistan and Pakistan with small loads on their shoulders. On return, some may carry heroin or opium, usually not more than five kg.Emergence of Jundallah
Iran’s security involvement in the Sistan-Baluchestan province has acquired another dimension with the emergence of Jundallah — a militant group apparently demanding greater rights for Sunnis and ethnic Balochis. The group, which Tehran accuses of receiving support from the Americans, captured 16 Iranian border guards at a checkpoint in the town of Saravan on June 12. It has since announced that it has killed four of them, and threatened to execute the rest of them unless Iran releases 200 of its fighters.
Iran views the turbulence beyond its borders and its fallout as posing a severe challenge to external security and internal stability. Tehran sees the positioning of American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan along with the flare-up of violence in the Sistan-Baluchestan province as an attempt to undermine its security through a sustained attempt to encircle the country with hostile forces. The flood of refugees and drug trafficking pose a serious challenge to its economic and social well-being.
However, given Iran’s focus, tenacity and adoption of a proactive approach, it is inconceivable that it will cave in to external and internal pressures. On the contrary, considering Iran’s capacity to exert its influence through a sophisticated religious, social and intelligence network that reaches far beyond its borders — in countries such as Iraq, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories — the West may be running out of options other than engaging Tehran in a sustained dialogue.
Aug 16, 2008
World - Technology at the heart of Beijing Games
This year’s Olympics perhaps more than any other are about far more than the goal of pushing the human body to excel in sporting competition. Embedded in the multiple narratives of the Beijing Games, technology stands out as one strand deserving of some unpacking. Both the Olympics and the experience of their audience are increasingly shaped by technology which has begun to exert a profound impact on our ontological certainties.
Take the most anticipated and watched episode of the Games as an example: the opening ceremony on the eighth of August. The show was a technological marvel of jaw-dropping sophistication, featuring 15,000 performers who transformed the National Athletics “Bird’s Nest” Stadium into a scroll upon which 5,000 years of Chinese history was enacted with perfectly coordinated precision.
Watched on TV sets by over two billion people or around a third of the world’s population, according to global media market research company Nielsen, the opening ceremony was clearly designed for audiences at home rather than the mere 90,000 spectators actually present at the venue.
The bird’s eye views of the unfolding spectacle afforded to TV audiences would have been impossible for those physically present to take in, as would have the zoom-ins to the dimpled face of nine-year-old Lin Miaoke singing “Hymn to the Motherland” when the Chinese flag made its entrance into the stadium. The experience of following the fountains of firecrackers exploding in seamless waves across the city was likewise a privilege reserved for those who were far away rather than up close to the ceremony. Controversy
The fact that large, live performances are increasingly catered towards TV audiences is no longer a novel enough phenomenon to generate much social anxiety or discussion. However, certain details that have subsequently emerged regarding the technologically “enhanced” nature of the opening ceremony in Beijing have stirred much controversy within and outside of China.
To begin with it was revealed by Beijing Games Executive Vice-President Wang Wei that certain parts of the televised footage of the ceremony had been pre-recorded and digitally created for maximum effect. These included the 55-second sequence of fireworks “footprints” exploding in consecutive ripples along a south-north axis across Beijing from Tiananmen Square to the Bird’s Nest.
The newspaper Beijing Times further quoted Gao Xiaolong, a member of the video team for the opening ceremony as saying that the sequence was “mostly an animated three-dimensional video that was made over a year. It was not actually live footage except the final stage,” at the stadium itself. Mr. Gao explained that the decision to replace the originally proposed live broadcast with a recording was made due to flight restrictions on the helicopters required to film it, and the timing and complexity of the challenge.
What needs clarification is that the fireworks in question were actually burst at the opening ceremony and witnessed live by tens of thousands. However, what television audiences saw was a pre-recorded version.
Fireworks aside, an additional revelation has come to light. The little girl Lin Miaoke whom the China Daily newspaper declared to have captured the “heart of a nation” with her singing, was in fact merely miming to the voice of a younger seven year old, Yang Peiyi.
Yang’s uneven teeth apparently had the organisers deem her appearance as unsuitable. The musical director of the ceremony Chen Qigang told Beijing Radio on August 10 that the decision to use Yang’s voice and Lin’s face was taken because “It was the image of our national music, our national culture. And especially since it accompanied the arrival of the national flag in the arena, this was an extremely serious matter.”
Both these disclosures have led to outrage in China with tens of thousands of netizens posting comments on chat sites describing feelings of having been “duped” and “cheated”.
On the one hand such reactions seem but natural. They should however also lead us to ask the question why logically speaking we feel the way we do. The very fact of watching a show on TV or the Internet in itself means that our experience of the event is technologically enhanced. Moreover, the fireworks in question did go off at the opening ceremony, even if what was broadcast was a pre-recorded semblance.
The philosophical issue raised by the “fake” bits of the opening ceremony has to do with the assumed intrinsic value we seem to ascribe to authenticity. But is the authentic always “better” than a replica? If the pleasure derived from viewing a fake is as much or perhaps even greater than that drawn from the original, is the authentic still of more value?
Objectively speaking “authenticity” is ethically ambiguous or neutral. It has no superior moral value in itself. Indian visitors to China are often horrified to discover “authentic” Chinese food and experience far greater pleasure from gobhi Manchurian than bona fide chicken feet.Issue of authenticity
The issue of authenticity also problematises the relationship between sports and technology as a whole. The idea of pure human endeavour unsullied by technological intervention is widely accepted as a chimera. Who wins at the Olympics has as much to do with individual talent or “natural” athleticism as it does with high-tech training, scientifically-monitored diets and cutting-edge equipment. To compete at the Olympic-level sportspeople today must be technothletes.
At the swimming competitions in Beijing this year for example, world record after record has tumbled. But does this have to do with talent or the new Speedo LZR Racer streamlining body swim suits that the majority of the swimmers have begun to wear?
Technology is at the heart of nearly every aspect of this Olympics. These are the first Games to be broadcast live on the Internet. Virtually every device that can receive a signal is receiving them from Beijing — as podcasts, RSS feeds, e-mail alerts and videos. The American network NBC that has bought broadcasting rights to the Games will present more than 3,600 hours of Olympic coverage in total, more than the sum of all the hours of Olympic TV coverage ever.
People around the world are moving beyond spectating and actually participating in the event on web blogs and other virtual communities. Individuals who have never met in the “natural” world are busy interacting in cyberspace, swapping, buying and selling tickets.
Regardless of where one stands on the authenticity debate, what the 2008 Olympics really drive home is how enmeshed technology is today with both sporting talent and the experience of its audience. For worshippers of the “authentic” the Olympics can only disappoint.
Take the most anticipated and watched episode of the Games as an example: the opening ceremony on the eighth of August. The show was a technological marvel of jaw-dropping sophistication, featuring 15,000 performers who transformed the National Athletics “Bird’s Nest” Stadium into a scroll upon which 5,000 years of Chinese history was enacted with perfectly coordinated precision.
Watched on TV sets by over two billion people or around a third of the world’s population, according to global media market research company Nielsen, the opening ceremony was clearly designed for audiences at home rather than the mere 90,000 spectators actually present at the venue.
The bird’s eye views of the unfolding spectacle afforded to TV audiences would have been impossible for those physically present to take in, as would have the zoom-ins to the dimpled face of nine-year-old Lin Miaoke singing “Hymn to the Motherland” when the Chinese flag made its entrance into the stadium. The experience of following the fountains of firecrackers exploding in seamless waves across the city was likewise a privilege reserved for those who were far away rather than up close to the ceremony. Controversy
The fact that large, live performances are increasingly catered towards TV audiences is no longer a novel enough phenomenon to generate much social anxiety or discussion. However, certain details that have subsequently emerged regarding the technologically “enhanced” nature of the opening ceremony in Beijing have stirred much controversy within and outside of China.
To begin with it was revealed by Beijing Games Executive Vice-President Wang Wei that certain parts of the televised footage of the ceremony had been pre-recorded and digitally created for maximum effect. These included the 55-second sequence of fireworks “footprints” exploding in consecutive ripples along a south-north axis across Beijing from Tiananmen Square to the Bird’s Nest.
The newspaper Beijing Times further quoted Gao Xiaolong, a member of the video team for the opening ceremony as saying that the sequence was “mostly an animated three-dimensional video that was made over a year. It was not actually live footage except the final stage,” at the stadium itself. Mr. Gao explained that the decision to replace the originally proposed live broadcast with a recording was made due to flight restrictions on the helicopters required to film it, and the timing and complexity of the challenge.
What needs clarification is that the fireworks in question were actually burst at the opening ceremony and witnessed live by tens of thousands. However, what television audiences saw was a pre-recorded version.
Fireworks aside, an additional revelation has come to light. The little girl Lin Miaoke whom the China Daily newspaper declared to have captured the “heart of a nation” with her singing, was in fact merely miming to the voice of a younger seven year old, Yang Peiyi.
Yang’s uneven teeth apparently had the organisers deem her appearance as unsuitable. The musical director of the ceremony Chen Qigang told Beijing Radio on August 10 that the decision to use Yang’s voice and Lin’s face was taken because “It was the image of our national music, our national culture. And especially since it accompanied the arrival of the national flag in the arena, this was an extremely serious matter.”
Both these disclosures have led to outrage in China with tens of thousands of netizens posting comments on chat sites describing feelings of having been “duped” and “cheated”.
On the one hand such reactions seem but natural. They should however also lead us to ask the question why logically speaking we feel the way we do. The very fact of watching a show on TV or the Internet in itself means that our experience of the event is technologically enhanced. Moreover, the fireworks in question did go off at the opening ceremony, even if what was broadcast was a pre-recorded semblance.
The philosophical issue raised by the “fake” bits of the opening ceremony has to do with the assumed intrinsic value we seem to ascribe to authenticity. But is the authentic always “better” than a replica? If the pleasure derived from viewing a fake is as much or perhaps even greater than that drawn from the original, is the authentic still of more value?
Objectively speaking “authenticity” is ethically ambiguous or neutral. It has no superior moral value in itself. Indian visitors to China are often horrified to discover “authentic” Chinese food and experience far greater pleasure from gobhi Manchurian than bona fide chicken feet.Issue of authenticity
The issue of authenticity also problematises the relationship between sports and technology as a whole. The idea of pure human endeavour unsullied by technological intervention is widely accepted as a chimera. Who wins at the Olympics has as much to do with individual talent or “natural” athleticism as it does with high-tech training, scientifically-monitored diets and cutting-edge equipment. To compete at the Olympic-level sportspeople today must be technothletes.
At the swimming competitions in Beijing this year for example, world record after record has tumbled. But does this have to do with talent or the new Speedo LZR Racer streamlining body swim suits that the majority of the swimmers have begun to wear?
Technology is at the heart of nearly every aspect of this Olympics. These are the first Games to be broadcast live on the Internet. Virtually every device that can receive a signal is receiving them from Beijing — as podcasts, RSS feeds, e-mail alerts and videos. The American network NBC that has bought broadcasting rights to the Games will present more than 3,600 hours of Olympic coverage in total, more than the sum of all the hours of Olympic TV coverage ever.
People around the world are moving beyond spectating and actually participating in the event on web blogs and other virtual communities. Individuals who have never met in the “natural” world are busy interacting in cyberspace, swapping, buying and selling tickets.
Regardless of where one stands on the authenticity debate, what the 2008 Olympics really drive home is how enmeshed technology is today with both sporting talent and the experience of its audience. For worshippers of the “authentic” the Olympics can only disappoint.
World - Tsunami reconstruction to destroy homes
Fishing families in Aceh who survived the 2004 tsunami that struck the northern tip of Indonesia and washed away every home in their village, and most of the land, face the prospect of seeing their community devastated a second time.
Months after new quake-proof homes on stilts were built, almost half could be torn down to make way for a coastal highway billed as the U.S. government’s signature project for tsunami reconstruction.
Even as the 118 homes in the village of Kuala Bubon were being designed and built, plans were being laid for the road from Banda Aceh to Meulaboh, west Aceh, funded to the tune of £125m by USAid, the American government’s international relief and development agency.
But the highway route that will scythe through the village could see the demolition of up to 50 of the houses that were built with £750,000 of money donated by Christian Aid in the U.K. and Lutheran churches in the U.S. Absurd
“It’s so absurd,” said Rebecca Young, tsunami liaison officer for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance in Aceh. “Funds from American churches were used to build these houses. Now American taxpayers’ money is going to knock them down for a road the people don’t really want. But USAid said it is not going to bend.”
Locals had finally begun piecing their lives back together after 219 of 928 villagers were killed by the Indian Ocean tsunami that claimed 168,000 lives in Aceh alone. Villagers, helped by the Yakkum Emergency Union (YEU), a non-governmental organisation, wrote to Indonesia’s President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, saying: “In general, we do not reject this road construction” and just wanted it rerouted to empty land 30 metres to the north.
Indonesia’s national commission on human rights is reviewing villagers’ grievances and is due to visit the site soon. But USAid maintains the road must stick to the route selected by Jakarta after it bought the land in 2005, making any houses built on the land after that illegal.
BPN, Indonesia’s national land board, estimates 50 houses will be lost to the road, while YEU says at least 22 homes are to be razed to make way for the four-lane road and bridge that will tower over the surviving properties on either side.
Villagers admit they agreed to the plan when they were shown the route by USAid planners last year. But opponents say officials used old aerial photographs that failed to show that two-thirds of village land had been washed away.
Months after new quake-proof homes on stilts were built, almost half could be torn down to make way for a coastal highway billed as the U.S. government’s signature project for tsunami reconstruction.
Even as the 118 homes in the village of Kuala Bubon were being designed and built, plans were being laid for the road from Banda Aceh to Meulaboh, west Aceh, funded to the tune of £125m by USAid, the American government’s international relief and development agency.
But the highway route that will scythe through the village could see the demolition of up to 50 of the houses that were built with £750,000 of money donated by Christian Aid in the U.K. and Lutheran churches in the U.S. Absurd
“It’s so absurd,” said Rebecca Young, tsunami liaison officer for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance in Aceh. “Funds from American churches were used to build these houses. Now American taxpayers’ money is going to knock them down for a road the people don’t really want. But USAid said it is not going to bend.”
Locals had finally begun piecing their lives back together after 219 of 928 villagers were killed by the Indian Ocean tsunami that claimed 168,000 lives in Aceh alone. Villagers, helped by the Yakkum Emergency Union (YEU), a non-governmental organisation, wrote to Indonesia’s President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, saying: “In general, we do not reject this road construction” and just wanted it rerouted to empty land 30 metres to the north.
Indonesia’s national commission on human rights is reviewing villagers’ grievances and is due to visit the site soon. But USAid maintains the road must stick to the route selected by Jakarta after it bought the land in 2005, making any houses built on the land after that illegal.
BPN, Indonesia’s national land board, estimates 50 houses will be lost to the road, while YEU says at least 22 homes are to be razed to make way for the four-lane road and bridge that will tower over the surviving properties on either side.
Villagers admit they agreed to the plan when they were shown the route by USAid planners last year. But opponents say officials used old aerial photographs that failed to show that two-thirds of village land had been washed away.
India - Facts about Jana Gana Mana
Sept. 11, 1942: Jana Gana Mana played as the official national anthem in Germany in 1942, reveal India’s national archives
* Jana Gana Mana was performed, not sung, as the official national anthem for the first time in Hamburg on September 11,1942.
* A document in the private collections of the National Archives says it was performed by the chamber orchestra of Radio Station Hamburg before an audience comprising Subhash Chandra Bose, Governor Kaufmann, Mayor Krogmann and prominent citizens of the city.
* Venue was Hotel Atlantic and the occasion, foundation of then Deutsch-Indische Gesellschaft (Indo-German Society).
* The document says: “Subhash Chandra Bose, who always attached importance to all spheres of India’s growing consciousness as a nation, has personally decided in favour of Jana Gana Mana as the national anthem.”
* “According to press reports, Jana Gana Mana was played for the first time before a larger public officially as the national anthem of Azad Hind,” it said.
* The function was addressed by Subhash Chandra Bose, Governor Kaufmann and Mayor Krogman.
* Jana Gana Mana was performed, not sung, as the official national anthem for the first time in Hamburg on September 11,1942.
* A document in the private collections of the National Archives says it was performed by the chamber orchestra of Radio Station Hamburg before an audience comprising Subhash Chandra Bose, Governor Kaufmann, Mayor Krogmann and prominent citizens of the city.
* Venue was Hotel Atlantic and the occasion, foundation of then Deutsch-Indische Gesellschaft (Indo-German Society).
* The document says: “Subhash Chandra Bose, who always attached importance to all spheres of India’s growing consciousness as a nation, has personally decided in favour of Jana Gana Mana as the national anthem.”
* “According to press reports, Jana Gana Mana was played for the first time before a larger public officially as the national anthem of Azad Hind,” it said.
* The function was addressed by Subhash Chandra Bose, Governor Kaufmann and Mayor Krogman.
Columnists - Barkha Dutt
First — since there’s no way of putting this lightly — here’s how bad it is. Jammu and Kashmir is standing on the precipice of partition. The danger of disintegration is no longer just the lament of worried columnists. The faultlines of rage running through the state have the force to rip through its centre and tear it apart into small pieces. And while we Zre legitimately all hot-faced about why Pakistan is meddling in our problems instead of mopping up its own mess, here’s the sad truth. India has only itself to blame for the current crisis. A strange combination of passive inaction and blundering aggression has taken us to the brink, and not even one political party seems to care.
There is, to start with, the impassive and infuriatingly languid response of the UPA. When Jammu and Srinagar were first ablaze with tension, the government was too busy lobbying for its own survival. If even a fourth of the energy that went into saving the nuclear deal had been diverted northwards, perhaps we wouldn’t be in this mess today. Instead, the government sat paralysed for more than a week when the Valley first erupted into violence. And when the new Governor tried to undo the mess created by his bumbling predecessor (by letting the state government take charge of the 40 hectares of land initially transferred to his office), no one thought it necessary to explain the decision to the people of Jammu. It was another month before violence on the other side of the Pir Panjal range shook the Centre out of its stupor. And by this time, the regional divide was complete and the protests on either side had very little to do with land.
Even beyond the alarming delay, the Home Minister and his team have a lot to answer for. Shouldn’t the obvious decision have been to start talks with both the separatists in the Valley and the protestors in Jammu? So what if the Amarnath Sangharsh Samiti is peopled by members of right-wing groups like the VHP? Or that some protestors in the Valley question allegiance to India? Once they become the face of the agitation in either region, the Indian State needs to find a way to do business with them. If there is one thing that the otherwise polarised state agrees on, it is the unresponsiveness of the government.
It may, at first, seem innocuous that the all-party delegation left the Valley without meeting fruit traders who had waited for two hours to get a mere audience. But when you consider that the traders had pleaded for a meeting on the eve of their protest march to the Line of Control, you have to wonder how many more acts of self-destruction we will witness. The Governor has now promised investigations into the use of ‘excessive force’. But surely everyone should have understood that shooting a separatist was only going to be a force-multiplier for further conflict?
The fact is that there was a complete misreading by policy-makers and intelligence sleuths on how deep the anger and alienation is on both sides. The government did not think that Jammu would have the gumption to sustain a violent agitation. Nor did its advisors anticipate that in the Valley, a sea of protestors would move in waves to protest what they allege is an ‘economic blockade’. The Army may have swiftly taken charge and ensured that the national highway is open for trade and traffic, but the mutual suspicion between the two regions is now so acute that fear itself is the blockade.
LK Advani may describe this clash of identities as a collision between “nationalists and separatists”. But here’s the question. For a party that has always pitched itself as the macho alternative to the Congress’ more effete nationalism, and for a man who has cast himself in the role of the ‘Ironman’ who will keep India safe, don’t he and the BJP understand that they are playing dangerously with the country’s national interest? The conflict within J&K was always isolated within a geographical context. The pro-azaadi voices in the Valley have never found a chorus among Indian Muslims. And we have always cited this as a testimony to our secularism.
We are all ashamed of the forced exile of the Kashmiri Pandits. Still, we have always attempted to see the conflict in the state through a political prism, rather than a religious one. To now mobilise a pan-Hindu anger – over what is essentially a regional conflict (though admittedly tinged by religion) rooted in decades of complicated history and perceptions of discrimination on both sides – is to create monsters that could come back to devour us all. It was Advani who officially dismissed the proposal to bifurcate the state when he was Deputy Prime Minister. It was Vajpayee who first promised everything “within the boundaries of humanity” to the Kashmiri people. History recognises the BJP as the architect of the peace process within the state. But now, every day that extremist anger in either region feeds off the other, it only strengthens the opponent across the border. Does the BJP not see that?
And what of the homespun political groups? In the Valley, there is now a dangerous blurring between mainstream and separatist groups. Their agendas are almost indistinguishable as the state prepares for a volatile and bloody election. But they have a responsibility to their own people as well. For years, they have claimed that their demands are ethnic and political and not communal or religious. Well then, this is the time to reach out across the divide and prove that. Instead of marching toward the Line of Control, let them march to Jammu. Let them defy the curfew if they must and break down the blockade that stands between their people. They can’t always paint New Delhi as the villain and themselves as the victims. Their credibility is as much on test.
Finally, we now know that the PM can be single-minded about things he cares about. Can he please spare some of that obsessive passion for Jammu and Kashmir? He can no longer leave this to bureaucrats and naysayers within his government. He needs to make an imaginative and personal intervention. Before it is much too late.
Barkha Dutt is Group Editor, English News, NDTV
There is, to start with, the impassive and infuriatingly languid response of the UPA. When Jammu and Srinagar were first ablaze with tension, the government was too busy lobbying for its own survival. If even a fourth of the energy that went into saving the nuclear deal had been diverted northwards, perhaps we wouldn’t be in this mess today. Instead, the government sat paralysed for more than a week when the Valley first erupted into violence. And when the new Governor tried to undo the mess created by his bumbling predecessor (by letting the state government take charge of the 40 hectares of land initially transferred to his office), no one thought it necessary to explain the decision to the people of Jammu. It was another month before violence on the other side of the Pir Panjal range shook the Centre out of its stupor. And by this time, the regional divide was complete and the protests on either side had very little to do with land.
Even beyond the alarming delay, the Home Minister and his team have a lot to answer for. Shouldn’t the obvious decision have been to start talks with both the separatists in the Valley and the protestors in Jammu? So what if the Amarnath Sangharsh Samiti is peopled by members of right-wing groups like the VHP? Or that some protestors in the Valley question allegiance to India? Once they become the face of the agitation in either region, the Indian State needs to find a way to do business with them. If there is one thing that the otherwise polarised state agrees on, it is the unresponsiveness of the government.
It may, at first, seem innocuous that the all-party delegation left the Valley without meeting fruit traders who had waited for two hours to get a mere audience. But when you consider that the traders had pleaded for a meeting on the eve of their protest march to the Line of Control, you have to wonder how many more acts of self-destruction we will witness. The Governor has now promised investigations into the use of ‘excessive force’. But surely everyone should have understood that shooting a separatist was only going to be a force-multiplier for further conflict?
The fact is that there was a complete misreading by policy-makers and intelligence sleuths on how deep the anger and alienation is on both sides. The government did not think that Jammu would have the gumption to sustain a violent agitation. Nor did its advisors anticipate that in the Valley, a sea of protestors would move in waves to protest what they allege is an ‘economic blockade’. The Army may have swiftly taken charge and ensured that the national highway is open for trade and traffic, but the mutual suspicion between the two regions is now so acute that fear itself is the blockade.
LK Advani may describe this clash of identities as a collision between “nationalists and separatists”. But here’s the question. For a party that has always pitched itself as the macho alternative to the Congress’ more effete nationalism, and for a man who has cast himself in the role of the ‘Ironman’ who will keep India safe, don’t he and the BJP understand that they are playing dangerously with the country’s national interest? The conflict within J&K was always isolated within a geographical context. The pro-azaadi voices in the Valley have never found a chorus among Indian Muslims. And we have always cited this as a testimony to our secularism.
We are all ashamed of the forced exile of the Kashmiri Pandits. Still, we have always attempted to see the conflict in the state through a political prism, rather than a religious one. To now mobilise a pan-Hindu anger – over what is essentially a regional conflict (though admittedly tinged by religion) rooted in decades of complicated history and perceptions of discrimination on both sides – is to create monsters that could come back to devour us all. It was Advani who officially dismissed the proposal to bifurcate the state when he was Deputy Prime Minister. It was Vajpayee who first promised everything “within the boundaries of humanity” to the Kashmiri people. History recognises the BJP as the architect of the peace process within the state. But now, every day that extremist anger in either region feeds off the other, it only strengthens the opponent across the border. Does the BJP not see that?
And what of the homespun political groups? In the Valley, there is now a dangerous blurring between mainstream and separatist groups. Their agendas are almost indistinguishable as the state prepares for a volatile and bloody election. But they have a responsibility to their own people as well. For years, they have claimed that their demands are ethnic and political and not communal or religious. Well then, this is the time to reach out across the divide and prove that. Instead of marching toward the Line of Control, let them march to Jammu. Let them defy the curfew if they must and break down the blockade that stands between their people. They can’t always paint New Delhi as the villain and themselves as the victims. Their credibility is as much on test.
Finally, we now know that the PM can be single-minded about things he cares about. Can he please spare some of that obsessive passion for Jammu and Kashmir? He can no longer leave this to bureaucrats and naysayers within his government. He needs to make an imaginative and personal intervention. Before it is much too late.
Barkha Dutt is Group Editor, English News, NDTV
Sports - Light on Olympic Torch Design
BEIJING: Why did the flame seem to be extinguished in the first three seconds when final torch bearer Li Ning was lifted up to light the main cauldron at the opening of the Beijing Olympics?
“The flame was not put out — it was just burning inside the torch and wasn’t visible to the audience,” said chief torch designer Huang Qijun, revealing the secrets of the design in Friday’s Beijing News. It was designed to allow the flame to be seen when the bearer held up the torch at a 30-degree angle.
“At the opening ceremony, it took a few seconds for Li to make the right pose. That’s why the flame seemed to have gone out,” he said. To make sure the flame would continue burning in a strong wind during the “flight” around the Bird’s Nest on August 8, the designers tried a variety of features.
“The last torch has more and bigger vent holes than the others so enough air will flow through,” said Mr. Huang. Each vent hole was 1.5 mm in diametre, compared to 1.2 mm on the standard torch, and the last torch had 600 holes compared with the standard 430. A special grip helped the bearer to hold on to the torch during his spacewalk-like flight at a height of 50 metres.
An extra aluminium insulation plate inside the torch protected his hand from the heat, reducing the temperature on the surface of the torch to about 40 degrees Celsius, but adding two to three grams in weight. “To keep the lighting plan secret, I was informed about it on July 24. We had only 10 days to develop the torch, which was tested on August 5. Then we only made three of them,” he added. According to the IOC rules, the mould that produced about 26,000 Beijing Olympics torches would be destroyed after the Games, he said. Though the flight around the stadium lasted only about three minutes, it was difficult for Mr. Li to hold up the torch all the way so the engineers fixed another wire to his arm as well as the two on his body, said Mr. Huang.
The impressive spectacle resulted in Mr. Li “flying” with his torch to send a torrent of flame spiralling upward to light the Olympic flame in a huge cauldron overlooking the stadium. — Xinhua
“The flame was not put out — it was just burning inside the torch and wasn’t visible to the audience,” said chief torch designer Huang Qijun, revealing the secrets of the design in Friday’s Beijing News. It was designed to allow the flame to be seen when the bearer held up the torch at a 30-degree angle.
“At the opening ceremony, it took a few seconds for Li to make the right pose. That’s why the flame seemed to have gone out,” he said. To make sure the flame would continue burning in a strong wind during the “flight” around the Bird’s Nest on August 8, the designers tried a variety of features.
“The last torch has more and bigger vent holes than the others so enough air will flow through,” said Mr. Huang. Each vent hole was 1.5 mm in diametre, compared to 1.2 mm on the standard torch, and the last torch had 600 holes compared with the standard 430. A special grip helped the bearer to hold on to the torch during his spacewalk-like flight at a height of 50 metres.
An extra aluminium insulation plate inside the torch protected his hand from the heat, reducing the temperature on the surface of the torch to about 40 degrees Celsius, but adding two to three grams in weight. “To keep the lighting plan secret, I was informed about it on July 24. We had only 10 days to develop the torch, which was tested on August 5. Then we only made three of them,” he added. According to the IOC rules, the mould that produced about 26,000 Beijing Olympics torches would be destroyed after the Games, he said. Though the flight around the stadium lasted only about three minutes, it was difficult for Mr. Li to hold up the torch all the way so the engineers fixed another wire to his arm as well as the two on his body, said Mr. Huang.
The impressive spectacle resulted in Mr. Li “flying” with his torch to send a torrent of flame spiralling upward to light the Olympic flame in a huge cauldron overlooking the stadium. — Xinhua
Aug 14, 2008
World - Japan & Socks ( V.G.Read)
One of the first things the foreign visitor notices in Japan is the immense importance attached to socks - and the vast range of foot coverings available in every shape and form.
Molly Tanahashi, a Japanese American who moved to Tokyo from Honolulu, says the first year spent in her new locale was the year she spent "worrying over socks."
"Everyone knows the Japanese don't wear shoes in the house," Tanahashi said, "but I had no idea there would be so many instances outside the home where I would be asked to take my shoes off."
In restaurants and hair salons, in bars and even trendy boutiques, Tanahashi was made, inadvertently, to expose her feet. Within a week she caught on. "Bare feet are considered unsanitary and impolite, so I was always careful to wear socks but then I worried whether they were socially, culturally or fashionably acceptable. The worst of course, is when after a long day I take off my shoes in a restaurant and there's this big hole around the toe. VERY embarrassing."
Many Japanese will sympathize with Tanahashi - we all know how Bad Socks Days can be. On the other hand, wearing great socks is a good way to boost morale. By great socks the Japanese mean they must be functional, lovingly made, attractive and comfortable.
To the Japanese, the feet are a separate entity from the rest of the body, an appendage with special guest status that must be treated with care and respect: "This is because so many Japanese traditionally suffer from foot trouble," said Masami Domoto, a physical therapist. "Flat feet, for example, are rampant among men. And one in every three women over the age of 20 suffer from some degree or symptom of a condition known as hallux valgus," or bunions, "when the big toe is deformed and is twisted inward."
Domoto works at a reflexology clinic in the Aoyama district and treats many "young women who come in dragging their feet in pain. The combination of high heels and long commutes, plus working 8 to 10 hours a day in air-conditioned offices are murderous on the feet," she said. To combat these ills, she recommends wearing flats instead of heels, soft suede instead of hard leather. And above all, she advocates wearing socks instead of panty hose.
The operative word is circulation. Alert to the fact that good socks enhance blood flow, relieve fatigue and prevent athlete's foot, sock makers throughout the country, from major companies like Fukusuke and Gunze to small but innovative companies like Takeda legwear, have launched one innovative sock after another, with the famed "five-fingered sock" topping the list.
Designed to encase each toe with snug precision and ease the pressure that comes from standing in commuter trains or pounding pavements, the five-fingered sock is a coveted item among men, and among male and female athletes. "I'm out there stomping the streets five or six hours a day and I look upon these things as comrades in arms," said Minoru Uehara, who works as a salesman for Nissei Life Insurance.
A colleague, Hisami Tanaka, said that although she appreciates their "amazing functionality," she tends to go for socks that are more decorative, humorous or just beautiful. "My own comrades are the pumps socks," she said, referring to the socks designed to wear with high heels. These are elegant contraptions that cover the toes and heel and are held together with thin strips of lace or ribbon that make them resemble ballet shoes. "I love them because they're both casual and formal, acceptable for any occasion," said Tanaka. "In my teens I used to wear mules on bare feet and endure the pain but those days are long gone!"
Japanese socks evolved from the "tabi," a sock split at the toe and hooked up in the back, at the Achilles heel, that encased the foot like a soft boot. Functional and beautiful, the tabi went out along with the custom of wearing kimonos, with which they were always worn. But now they're back - albeit in a much trendier mode - thanks to the efforts of a Kyoto-based company called Sou Sou. The brand, headed by Katsuji Wakisaka, updates traditional Japanese kimono-related products like tabi and obi sashes, by combining old functionality with new designs and textiles. From the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s Wakisaka was on the design team of the Finnish textile company Marimekko and the textiles he creates now are bold, clean and unsentimental.
Sou Sou is also renowned for its mix-and-match approach; the company has come out with a collection of quirkily patterned sneakers in collaboration with Le Coq Sportif, while continuing to cater to the tastes of kimono-lovers and classic tabi fans. "Sou Sou products are one of the things that make me glad to be Japanese," said Miwako Okuno, an enthusiastic customer. "This is one company that knows the value of pampering one's feet."
Molly Tanahashi, a Japanese American who moved to Tokyo from Honolulu, says the first year spent in her new locale was the year she spent "worrying over socks."
"Everyone knows the Japanese don't wear shoes in the house," Tanahashi said, "but I had no idea there would be so many instances outside the home where I would be asked to take my shoes off."
In restaurants and hair salons, in bars and even trendy boutiques, Tanahashi was made, inadvertently, to expose her feet. Within a week she caught on. "Bare feet are considered unsanitary and impolite, so I was always careful to wear socks but then I worried whether they were socially, culturally or fashionably acceptable. The worst of course, is when after a long day I take off my shoes in a restaurant and there's this big hole around the toe. VERY embarrassing."
Many Japanese will sympathize with Tanahashi - we all know how Bad Socks Days can be. On the other hand, wearing great socks is a good way to boost morale. By great socks the Japanese mean they must be functional, lovingly made, attractive and comfortable.
To the Japanese, the feet are a separate entity from the rest of the body, an appendage with special guest status that must be treated with care and respect: "This is because so many Japanese traditionally suffer from foot trouble," said Masami Domoto, a physical therapist. "Flat feet, for example, are rampant among men. And one in every three women over the age of 20 suffer from some degree or symptom of a condition known as hallux valgus," or bunions, "when the big toe is deformed and is twisted inward."
Domoto works at a reflexology clinic in the Aoyama district and treats many "young women who come in dragging their feet in pain. The combination of high heels and long commutes, plus working 8 to 10 hours a day in air-conditioned offices are murderous on the feet," she said. To combat these ills, she recommends wearing flats instead of heels, soft suede instead of hard leather. And above all, she advocates wearing socks instead of panty hose.
The operative word is circulation. Alert to the fact that good socks enhance blood flow, relieve fatigue and prevent athlete's foot, sock makers throughout the country, from major companies like Fukusuke and Gunze to small but innovative companies like Takeda legwear, have launched one innovative sock after another, with the famed "five-fingered sock" topping the list.
Designed to encase each toe with snug precision and ease the pressure that comes from standing in commuter trains or pounding pavements, the five-fingered sock is a coveted item among men, and among male and female athletes. "I'm out there stomping the streets five or six hours a day and I look upon these things as comrades in arms," said Minoru Uehara, who works as a salesman for Nissei Life Insurance.
A colleague, Hisami Tanaka, said that although she appreciates their "amazing functionality," she tends to go for socks that are more decorative, humorous or just beautiful. "My own comrades are the pumps socks," she said, referring to the socks designed to wear with high heels. These are elegant contraptions that cover the toes and heel and are held together with thin strips of lace or ribbon that make them resemble ballet shoes. "I love them because they're both casual and formal, acceptable for any occasion," said Tanaka. "In my teens I used to wear mules on bare feet and endure the pain but those days are long gone!"
Japanese socks evolved from the "tabi," a sock split at the toe and hooked up in the back, at the Achilles heel, that encased the foot like a soft boot. Functional and beautiful, the tabi went out along with the custom of wearing kimonos, with which they were always worn. But now they're back - albeit in a much trendier mode - thanks to the efforts of a Kyoto-based company called Sou Sou. The brand, headed by Katsuji Wakisaka, updates traditional Japanese kimono-related products like tabi and obi sashes, by combining old functionality with new designs and textiles. From the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s Wakisaka was on the design team of the Finnish textile company Marimekko and the textiles he creates now are bold, clean and unsentimental.
Sou Sou is also renowned for its mix-and-match approach; the company has come out with a collection of quirkily patterned sneakers in collaboration with Le Coq Sportif, while continuing to cater to the tastes of kimono-lovers and classic tabi fans. "Sou Sou products are one of the things that make me glad to be Japanese," said Miwako Okuno, an enthusiastic customer. "This is one company that knows the value of pampering one's feet."
Mktg - Targeting women
Heather Armstrong's wickedly funny blog about motherhood, Dooce, is more than just an outlet for the creativity and frustrations of a modern mom. The site, chock full of advertising, is a money machine, so much so that Armstrong and her husband have quit their regular jobs.
J.C. Penney and Crate & Barrel, the U.S. retailers, hawk their furniture and offer decorating tips alongside notes of Armstrong's talks with her 4-year-old daughter, Leta. Walgreens touts its photo-printing services next to pictures of her dog. Starwood's W Hotel chain brags about its Internet-friendly rooms on the Dooce home page.
All of these advertisers are eager to influence the 850,000 readers, mostly women, who avidly follow Armstrong's adventures. Although Armstrong won't disclose exact numbers, Dooce's revenue this year is on track to be seven times what it was in 2006, according to Federated Media, which sells ads for the blog.
"Advertisers want more inventory than we can give them," said Chas Edwards, chief revenue officer and publisher of Federated.
Dooce is hardly alone. Sites aimed primarily at women, from "mommy blogs" to makeup and fashion sites, grew 35 percent last year, faster than every other category on the Web except politics, according to comScore, an Internet traffic measurement firm. Women's sites had 85 million visitors in May, 42 percent more than the same month last year, comScore said.
Advertisers are following the crowd. They showed 4.4 billion display ads on women's Web sites in May, more than on sites for kids, teens, and families.
"Moms are the decision-makers of the household as far as purchases are concerned," said Chris Actis, vice president and digital director at MediaVest, an ad agency.
The rapid growth in advertising and traffic to women's sites has also attracted attention from major media companies and venture capitalists, which are rushing into the sector.
Last week, the cable giant Comcast bought the shopping and entertainment site DailyCandy for about $125 million.
Comcast's other Web properties, Fandango, Fancast and Comcast.net, also have a primarily female audience, and Comcast said it planned to share content across sites. In July, Peacock Equity, a venture partnership of NBC Universal and General Electric, and Venrock, a venture capital firm, invested $5 million in BlogHer, a network of 2,200 blogs by and for women.
In March, Yahoo created Shine, a site that publishes original content, blog posts from readers and articles from publishers Hearst, Condé Nast and Rodale about sex, health, fashion, beauty and parenting. Also in March, Turner Media Ventures, part of Time Warner, started The Frisky, a racy site about love, sex and pop culture.
Glam Media, a network of 650 women's sites, has raised $114 million from several venture firms and investors including Accel and Draper Fisher Jurvetson. Sugar, which publishes a group of 17 blogs anchored by popular celebrity gossip site PopSugar, is backed by NBC Universal and Sequoia Capital, an early investor in Google.
"Women are more than half the population and they do most of the shopping," said Tim Draper, founder and managing director of Draper Fisher Jurvetson. "We are constantly looking for more sites that cater to women."
In addition to Glam, the firm has invested in CafeMom, MyShape and NearbyNow, all sites with a female audience.
Other newcomers include SmartNow for women over 35, started with money from angel investors; and Jezebel, a site from Gawker Media that features vitriolic posts about traditional women's magazines. And wowOwow, for women over 40, which was seeded with $1 million from its co-founders.
Although men are heavy users of the Web, they do not visit gender-oriented sites the way women do, at least not explicitly gender-oriented sites. AOL's Living channel for women had 16.1 million unique visitors in June, while its Asylum site, a top men's destination online, had only 3.3 million. ComScore does not even track men's sites as a category.
Joni Evans, the literary agent who has found a second career as chief executive of wowOwow, said the gender disparity comes from the fact that women thrive on sharing anecdotes.
"Women love to reach out and talk; it's just the nature of women," and the Web is perfectly suited to that, she said.
Advertisers are betting that the trust and intimacy that comes from conversing about sex after motherhood or reading about a blogger's battle with postpartum depression will translate into sales of products discussed on a site.
Some are also working with women's sites to create sponsored content in a collaboration that would stun some traditional print editors. At CafeMom, for instance, Wal-Mart Stores offered bloggers gift certificates for Wal-Mart's green products in exchange for writing about what they bought.
For another Wal-Mart campaign, Glam, which touts its "custom content creation" to advertisers, wrote a quiz, "What's Your Steak Style?" to help a reader determine whether her "palate personality" is casual, healthy, decadent or gourmet. Each page featured an ad for Wal-Mart's new steak line-up. Glam also published features with headlines like "Barbecue on a Budget" that looked just like articles but sent readers to Wal-Mart steak ads if they clicked on them.
Other advertisers are taking a less direct approach. When J.C. Penney wanted to tell mothers about its Chris Madden bedding and furniture collection last fall, Federated Media built a new Web site called Fall Shopping Guide, sponsored by the retailer, that placed ads for the new designs around content about home decorating borrowed from 10 parenting bloggers in Federated's advertising network.
Ree Drummond, author of the popular blog Confessions of a Pioneer Woman, was remodeling her bathroom that month, and her posts about the remodel appeared on the new site. Even though she did not mention Penney, some commenters connected the ads with the blog anyway - an advertiser's dream. "Love you pioneer woman!" wrote one commenter. "I also heart JCPenneys." J.C. Penney liked the results enough that it just started a new campaign with Federated for its Linden Street line. Armstrong of Dooce, Pioneer Woman and others are writing blog posts about home decor for the site.
Of course, the notion of building a Web business around attracting women is not new. A decade ago, iVillage, Women.com and a number of other sites thought that the women's market would be their ticket to riches. Instead, the sites struggled to find an audience - and advertiser support.
One reason was that brands that market to men, like car and technology companies, were more comfortable advertising online earlier, said Edwards of Federated Media. Brands that market to women are now catching up.
But, to the disappointment of some women who want to focus on serious issues like politics, advertisers are not interested in all kinds of women's content. They gravitate to the tried-and-true topics of women's magazines: fashion, beauty, celebrities and love life. That is also where the heaviest Web traffic is.
"Time and time again, women are happy to see their relationship with their food, their clothes and their relationships externally manifested in entertainment and how-to content," said Lauren Zalaznick, president of NBC Universal's women and lifestyle entertainment networks.
Yahoo's Shine initially vowed to cover current events and avoid the typical women's magazine fare of sex and diet tips. The most popular stories on a recent day, though, were about racy photos of the teenage star Miley Cyrus and whether women are attracted to men with beards. Brandon Holley, Shine's editor in chief, said she had been surprised by the popularity of stories on celebrities. "We tried pure news, and sometimes it doesn't work," she said.
Holley was most recently editor in chief at Jane, the Condé Nast women's magazine that closed down in July 2007. Jane struggled with the same problem - how to offer an irreverent, feminist take on women's topics, and ultimately failed to attract advertisers.
Armstrong of Dooce said readers come to her because she is more honest than glossy women's magazines. "It's really raw and unfiltered, not run through a committee of 12 people who need to approve what you say," she said.
That does not always go over well with advertisers. When Armstrong used a lewd phrase in the subtitle of her blog, two family entertainment companies pulled their ads off her site.
"I thought that was awesome," Armstrong said. "I knew an advertiser would pull out, but I think advertisers are beginning to understand that people come to my Web site because I do that - the reason I have eyeballs is because of my irreverence."
J.C. Penney and Crate & Barrel, the U.S. retailers, hawk their furniture and offer decorating tips alongside notes of Armstrong's talks with her 4-year-old daughter, Leta. Walgreens touts its photo-printing services next to pictures of her dog. Starwood's W Hotel chain brags about its Internet-friendly rooms on the Dooce home page.
All of these advertisers are eager to influence the 850,000 readers, mostly women, who avidly follow Armstrong's adventures. Although Armstrong won't disclose exact numbers, Dooce's revenue this year is on track to be seven times what it was in 2006, according to Federated Media, which sells ads for the blog.
"Advertisers want more inventory than we can give them," said Chas Edwards, chief revenue officer and publisher of Federated.
Dooce is hardly alone. Sites aimed primarily at women, from "mommy blogs" to makeup and fashion sites, grew 35 percent last year, faster than every other category on the Web except politics, according to comScore, an Internet traffic measurement firm. Women's sites had 85 million visitors in May, 42 percent more than the same month last year, comScore said.
Advertisers are following the crowd. They showed 4.4 billion display ads on women's Web sites in May, more than on sites for kids, teens, and families.
"Moms are the decision-makers of the household as far as purchases are concerned," said Chris Actis, vice president and digital director at MediaVest, an ad agency.
The rapid growth in advertising and traffic to women's sites has also attracted attention from major media companies and venture capitalists, which are rushing into the sector.
Last week, the cable giant Comcast bought the shopping and entertainment site DailyCandy for about $125 million.
Comcast's other Web properties, Fandango, Fancast and Comcast.net, also have a primarily female audience, and Comcast said it planned to share content across sites. In July, Peacock Equity, a venture partnership of NBC Universal and General Electric, and Venrock, a venture capital firm, invested $5 million in BlogHer, a network of 2,200 blogs by and for women.
In March, Yahoo created Shine, a site that publishes original content, blog posts from readers and articles from publishers Hearst, Condé Nast and Rodale about sex, health, fashion, beauty and parenting. Also in March, Turner Media Ventures, part of Time Warner, started The Frisky, a racy site about love, sex and pop culture.
Glam Media, a network of 650 women's sites, has raised $114 million from several venture firms and investors including Accel and Draper Fisher Jurvetson. Sugar, which publishes a group of 17 blogs anchored by popular celebrity gossip site PopSugar, is backed by NBC Universal and Sequoia Capital, an early investor in Google.
"Women are more than half the population and they do most of the shopping," said Tim Draper, founder and managing director of Draper Fisher Jurvetson. "We are constantly looking for more sites that cater to women."
In addition to Glam, the firm has invested in CafeMom, MyShape and NearbyNow, all sites with a female audience.
Other newcomers include SmartNow for women over 35, started with money from angel investors; and Jezebel, a site from Gawker Media that features vitriolic posts about traditional women's magazines. And wowOwow, for women over 40, which was seeded with $1 million from its co-founders.
Although men are heavy users of the Web, they do not visit gender-oriented sites the way women do, at least not explicitly gender-oriented sites. AOL's Living channel for women had 16.1 million unique visitors in June, while its Asylum site, a top men's destination online, had only 3.3 million. ComScore does not even track men's sites as a category.
Joni Evans, the literary agent who has found a second career as chief executive of wowOwow, said the gender disparity comes from the fact that women thrive on sharing anecdotes.
"Women love to reach out and talk; it's just the nature of women," and the Web is perfectly suited to that, she said.
Advertisers are betting that the trust and intimacy that comes from conversing about sex after motherhood or reading about a blogger's battle with postpartum depression will translate into sales of products discussed on a site.
Some are also working with women's sites to create sponsored content in a collaboration that would stun some traditional print editors. At CafeMom, for instance, Wal-Mart Stores offered bloggers gift certificates for Wal-Mart's green products in exchange for writing about what they bought.
For another Wal-Mart campaign, Glam, which touts its "custom content creation" to advertisers, wrote a quiz, "What's Your Steak Style?" to help a reader determine whether her "palate personality" is casual, healthy, decadent or gourmet. Each page featured an ad for Wal-Mart's new steak line-up. Glam also published features with headlines like "Barbecue on a Budget" that looked just like articles but sent readers to Wal-Mart steak ads if they clicked on them.
Other advertisers are taking a less direct approach. When J.C. Penney wanted to tell mothers about its Chris Madden bedding and furniture collection last fall, Federated Media built a new Web site called Fall Shopping Guide, sponsored by the retailer, that placed ads for the new designs around content about home decorating borrowed from 10 parenting bloggers in Federated's advertising network.
Ree Drummond, author of the popular blog Confessions of a Pioneer Woman, was remodeling her bathroom that month, and her posts about the remodel appeared on the new site. Even though she did not mention Penney, some commenters connected the ads with the blog anyway - an advertiser's dream. "Love you pioneer woman!" wrote one commenter. "I also heart JCPenneys." J.C. Penney liked the results enough that it just started a new campaign with Federated for its Linden Street line. Armstrong of Dooce, Pioneer Woman and others are writing blog posts about home decor for the site.
Of course, the notion of building a Web business around attracting women is not new. A decade ago, iVillage, Women.com and a number of other sites thought that the women's market would be their ticket to riches. Instead, the sites struggled to find an audience - and advertiser support.
One reason was that brands that market to men, like car and technology companies, were more comfortable advertising online earlier, said Edwards of Federated Media. Brands that market to women are now catching up.
But, to the disappointment of some women who want to focus on serious issues like politics, advertisers are not interested in all kinds of women's content. They gravitate to the tried-and-true topics of women's magazines: fashion, beauty, celebrities and love life. That is also where the heaviest Web traffic is.
"Time and time again, women are happy to see their relationship with their food, their clothes and their relationships externally manifested in entertainment and how-to content," said Lauren Zalaznick, president of NBC Universal's women and lifestyle entertainment networks.
Yahoo's Shine initially vowed to cover current events and avoid the typical women's magazine fare of sex and diet tips. The most popular stories on a recent day, though, were about racy photos of the teenage star Miley Cyrus and whether women are attracted to men with beards. Brandon Holley, Shine's editor in chief, said she had been surprised by the popularity of stories on celebrities. "We tried pure news, and sometimes it doesn't work," she said.
Holley was most recently editor in chief at Jane, the Condé Nast women's magazine that closed down in July 2007. Jane struggled with the same problem - how to offer an irreverent, feminist take on women's topics, and ultimately failed to attract advertisers.
Armstrong of Dooce said readers come to her because she is more honest than glossy women's magazines. "It's really raw and unfiltered, not run through a committee of 12 people who need to approve what you say," she said.
That does not always go over well with advertisers. When Armstrong used a lewd phrase in the subtitle of her blog, two family entertainment companies pulled their ads off her site.
"I thought that was awesome," Armstrong said. "I knew an advertiser would pull out, but I think advertisers are beginning to understand that people come to my Web site because I do that - the reason I have eyeballs is because of my irreverence."
World - Laos,Big,Busy,Traffic Plagued,Expensive
The governor's son sits hunched at the bar, contemplating his nearly empty bottle of Hennessy. On the dance floor, the airline director's daughter sways back and forth to a hip-hop beat. Nearby, the star soccer player, just in from London, tries to squeeze past his growing circle of fans and hangers-on. In the center of the club, the oil magnate's son gets on top of a table and takes a swig from a bottle of Dom Perignon.
Just another Saturday night in Lagos, one of Nigeria's and Africa's money- and contrast-rich boomtowns. Already a city of superlatives (it has variously been deemed Africa's most traffic-plagued, most populous and fastest-growing megacity), Lagos has a new title to add to its mantle: most expensive.
Lagos has always been one of the most powerful commercial hubs in West Africa, ever since slaves were first shipped from here to Europe and the Americas. But because of the rising price of oil, the declining dollar, the relocation of foreign workers from the oil-rich but kidnapping-prone Niger Delta, large privatization efforts and a mad dash for the city's remaining plots of land, Lagos is more flush with cash and full of glitter than ever.
A recent study of the most expensive cities for expatriates by the consulting firm Mercer found that Lagos ranked 30th, making it only slightly less costly than New York but considerably more expensive than Los Angeles, Miami and Washington. Lagos moved up seven places from the previous year's ranking, while most African cities moved down.
Even European cities like Stockholm and Barcelona were found to be more affordable - and in Lagos the high prices are that much more eye-popping because the average Nigerian survives on less than $2 a day.
Evidence of vast amounts of money floating around the "islands" - two small pieces of land poking into the Atlantic that anchor the city's economic activity and are home to banks, foreign consulates and oil and telecommunications companies - is everywhere. Dinner for two at an average restaurant costs more than $200. A cocktail costs more than $15. A box of cereal costs $12 at a supermarket. Hotel rooms under $400 are difficult to find.
In the aisles of glistening new malls, expatriates and wealthy Nigerians browse for - and often buy - $10,000 watches and $5,000 cellphones. New BMWs, Mercedes-Benzes and Bentleys plod along through grinding traffic, bumping over rocks and weaving around potholes.
Multimillion-dollar yachts speed up and down the creek separating the two islands. (The creek was recently determined to be too shallow for the biggest yachts, so a dredging project has been started to deepen the waterway and make it accessible for the more lavish boats.)
Apartment rents on the islands start at $3,000 a month, but rents of $6,000 to $7,000 a month are common here, and renters are required to pay two or three years of rent in advance.
But high prices do not always mean high quality. The city was built to accommodate fewer than 100,000 residents, but it is now home to an estimated 14 million people or more, according to the state government. So no matter your station in life, it is impossible to avoid the city's traffic or its lack of reliable water and electricity. Most homes and businesses on the islands run on diesel-powered generators nearly 24 hours a day, resulting in thousands of dollars in energy bills.
Tayo Emden, 33, a British-educated Ghanaian who has lived in Lagos for five years as a director for a telecom company, said the costs were just too high to stay. "After living in London with colleagues, we thought Lagos would be nice and cushy, but we're having second thoughts," Emden said. "You used to get a lot of bang for your buck, but that's not the case anymore."
Several efforts have been made to create economic hubs away from the islands to reduce traffic and lessen the burden, but none have been successful. So at least three million commuters fight their way through hours of traffic to the islands every day. Many leave before 5 a.m. to beat the traffic, and many do not return home until after 10 p.m.
Moreover, most Lagosians do not enjoy the privileges of the city's new wealth, and perhaps no economic division cuts deeper than housing.
On the islands, plots of 60 square meters, or 645 square feet, sell for millions of dollars, and houses built on the plots are subdivided and rented out to wealthy Nigerians or expatriates whose companies do not bargain down.
"Living in Lagos is tough, that's the bottom line," said Bola Sobande, the general manager of the popular Palms shopping mall. "But Nigerians are survivors. We survive against all odds. Until something else comes up, we'll just hang in there."
More than 70 percent of the city's residents live in informal housing, crammed into slums with no electricity or water, according to Felix Morka, the executive director of the Social and Economic Rights Action Center, a local economic rights group.
"Only the superrich can compete in this market," Morka said.
"Most people are looking for a small plot of land where they can build a shack, or to rent space in what are known as 'I See You, You See Me' buildings with no facilities at all. That's what people can afford.
"The oil companies can afford to rent out huge complexes for all their staff," Morka said, "so why would a landlord want to rent out to the Nigerian teacher who barely is even assured of a salary at the end of the month?"
Because of widespread corruption, the vast amounts of money coming in rarely trickle down in Nigeria. Still, more and more people stream into the city every day, drawn by the prospect of wealth absent from most of the rest of Nigeria.
"People are moving to Lagos because you can find work, you don't need to know anybody or have anything," said Francisco Abosede, the Lagos State minister for public planning.
Early Sunday morning, as the rich and famous begin to stumble out of clubs and into the hazy light, they are quickly surrounded by dozens of young boys acting as informal parking attendants or hawking chewing gum, mints and phone cards. The boys are paid little mind, but if they are lucky, a small bill may be handed to them from behind the narrow slit of a tinted window of a departing BMW.
Just another Saturday night in Lagos, one of Nigeria's and Africa's money- and contrast-rich boomtowns. Already a city of superlatives (it has variously been deemed Africa's most traffic-plagued, most populous and fastest-growing megacity), Lagos has a new title to add to its mantle: most expensive.
Lagos has always been one of the most powerful commercial hubs in West Africa, ever since slaves were first shipped from here to Europe and the Americas. But because of the rising price of oil, the declining dollar, the relocation of foreign workers from the oil-rich but kidnapping-prone Niger Delta, large privatization efforts and a mad dash for the city's remaining plots of land, Lagos is more flush with cash and full of glitter than ever.
A recent study of the most expensive cities for expatriates by the consulting firm Mercer found that Lagos ranked 30th, making it only slightly less costly than New York but considerably more expensive than Los Angeles, Miami and Washington. Lagos moved up seven places from the previous year's ranking, while most African cities moved down.
Even European cities like Stockholm and Barcelona were found to be more affordable - and in Lagos the high prices are that much more eye-popping because the average Nigerian survives on less than $2 a day.
Evidence of vast amounts of money floating around the "islands" - two small pieces of land poking into the Atlantic that anchor the city's economic activity and are home to banks, foreign consulates and oil and telecommunications companies - is everywhere. Dinner for two at an average restaurant costs more than $200. A cocktail costs more than $15. A box of cereal costs $12 at a supermarket. Hotel rooms under $400 are difficult to find.
In the aisles of glistening new malls, expatriates and wealthy Nigerians browse for - and often buy - $10,000 watches and $5,000 cellphones. New BMWs, Mercedes-Benzes and Bentleys plod along through grinding traffic, bumping over rocks and weaving around potholes.
Multimillion-dollar yachts speed up and down the creek separating the two islands. (The creek was recently determined to be too shallow for the biggest yachts, so a dredging project has been started to deepen the waterway and make it accessible for the more lavish boats.)
Apartment rents on the islands start at $3,000 a month, but rents of $6,000 to $7,000 a month are common here, and renters are required to pay two or three years of rent in advance.
But high prices do not always mean high quality. The city was built to accommodate fewer than 100,000 residents, but it is now home to an estimated 14 million people or more, according to the state government. So no matter your station in life, it is impossible to avoid the city's traffic or its lack of reliable water and electricity. Most homes and businesses on the islands run on diesel-powered generators nearly 24 hours a day, resulting in thousands of dollars in energy bills.
Tayo Emden, 33, a British-educated Ghanaian who has lived in Lagos for five years as a director for a telecom company, said the costs were just too high to stay. "After living in London with colleagues, we thought Lagos would be nice and cushy, but we're having second thoughts," Emden said. "You used to get a lot of bang for your buck, but that's not the case anymore."
Several efforts have been made to create economic hubs away from the islands to reduce traffic and lessen the burden, but none have been successful. So at least three million commuters fight their way through hours of traffic to the islands every day. Many leave before 5 a.m. to beat the traffic, and many do not return home until after 10 p.m.
Moreover, most Lagosians do not enjoy the privileges of the city's new wealth, and perhaps no economic division cuts deeper than housing.
On the islands, plots of 60 square meters, or 645 square feet, sell for millions of dollars, and houses built on the plots are subdivided and rented out to wealthy Nigerians or expatriates whose companies do not bargain down.
"Living in Lagos is tough, that's the bottom line," said Bola Sobande, the general manager of the popular Palms shopping mall. "But Nigerians are survivors. We survive against all odds. Until something else comes up, we'll just hang in there."
More than 70 percent of the city's residents live in informal housing, crammed into slums with no electricity or water, according to Felix Morka, the executive director of the Social and Economic Rights Action Center, a local economic rights group.
"Only the superrich can compete in this market," Morka said.
"Most people are looking for a small plot of land where they can build a shack, or to rent space in what are known as 'I See You, You See Me' buildings with no facilities at all. That's what people can afford.
"The oil companies can afford to rent out huge complexes for all their staff," Morka said, "so why would a landlord want to rent out to the Nigerian teacher who barely is even assured of a salary at the end of the month?"
Because of widespread corruption, the vast amounts of money coming in rarely trickle down in Nigeria. Still, more and more people stream into the city every day, drawn by the prospect of wealth absent from most of the rest of Nigeria.
"People are moving to Lagos because you can find work, you don't need to know anybody or have anything," said Francisco Abosede, the Lagos State minister for public planning.
Early Sunday morning, as the rich and famous begin to stumble out of clubs and into the hazy light, they are quickly surrounded by dozens of young boys acting as informal parking attendants or hawking chewing gum, mints and phone cards. The boys are paid little mind, but if they are lucky, a small bill may be handed to them from behind the narrow slit of a tinted window of a departing BMW.
Columnists - Friedman
Eight Strikes & You are out
John McCain recently tried to underscore his seriousness about pushing through a new energy policy, with a strong focus on more drilling for oil, by telling a motorcycle convention that the U.S. Congress needed to come back from vacation immediately and do something about America's energy crisis. "Tell them to come back and get to work!" McCain bellowed.
Sorry, but I can't let that one go by. McCain knows why.
It was only five days earlier, July 30, that the Senate was voting for the eighth time in the past year on a broad, vitally important bill that would have extended the investment tax credits for installing solar energy and the production tax credits for building wind turbines and other energy-efficiency systems.
Both the wind and solar industries depend on these credits - which expire in December - to scale their businesses and become competitive with coal, oil and natural gas. Unlike offshore drilling, these credits could have an immediate impact on America's energy profile.
McCain did not show up for the crucial vote July 30, and the renewable energy bill was defeated for the eighth time. In fact, John McCain has a perfect record on this renewable energy legislation. He has missed all eight votes over the last year - which effectively counts as a no vote
"McCain did not show up on any votes," said Scott Sklar, president of The Stella Group, which tracks clean-technology legislation. Despite that, McCain's campaign commercial running during the Olympics shows a bunch of spinning wind turbines - the very wind turbines that he would not cast a vote to subsidize, even though he supports big subsidies for nuclear power.
Barack Obama did not vote July 30 either - which is equally inexcusable in my book - but he did vote on three previous occasions in favor of the renewable-energy legislation.
The fact that Congress has failed eight times to renew them is largely because of a hard core of Republican senators who either don't want to give Democrats such a victory in an election year or simply don't believe in renewable energy.
What impact does this have? In the solar industry today there is a rush to finish any project that would be up and running by Dec. 31 - when the credits expire - and most everything beyond that is now on hold. Consider the Solana concentrated solar power plant, 70 miles southwest of Phoenix in McCain's home state. It is the biggest proposed concentrating solar energy project ever. The farsighted local utility is ready to buy its power.
But because of the Senate's refusal to extend the solar tax credits, "we cannot get our bank financing," said Fred Morse, a senior adviser for the American operations of Abengoa Solar, which is building the project. "Without the credits, the numbers don't work." Some 2,000 construction jobs are on hold.
Roger Efird is president of Suntech America - a major Chinese-owned solar panel maker that actually wants to build a new factory in America. They've been scouting the country for sites, and several governors have been courting them. But Efird told me that when the solar credits failed to pass the Senate, his boss told him: "Don't set up any more meetings with governors. It makes absolutely no sense to do this if we don't have stability in the incentive programs."
One of the biggest canards peddled by Big Oil is that, "Sure, we'll need wind and solar energy, but it's just not cost effective yet." They've been saying that for 30 years. What these tax credits are designed to do is to stimulate investments by many players in solar and wind so these technologies can quickly move down the learning curve and become competitive with coal and oil - which is why some people are trying to block them.
As Richard K. Lester, an energy-innovation expert at MIT, notes, "The best chance we have - perhaps the only chance" of addressing the combined challenges of energy supply and demand, climate change and energy security "is to accelerate the introduction of new technologies for energy supply and use and deploy them on a very large scale."
This, he argues, will take more than a Manhattan Project. It will require a fundamental reshaping by government of the prices and regulations and research-and-development budgets that shape the energy market. Without taxing fossil fuels so they become more expensive and giving subsidies to renewable fuels so they become more competitive - and changing regulations so more people and companies have an interest in energy efficiency - we will not get innovation in clean power at the scale we need.
That is what the U.S. election should be focusing on. Everything else is just bogus rhetoric designed by cynical candidates who think Americans are so stupid - so bloody stupid - that if you just show them wind turbines in your Olympics ad they'll actually think you showed up and voted for such renewable power - when you didn't.
John McCain recently tried to underscore his seriousness about pushing through a new energy policy, with a strong focus on more drilling for oil, by telling a motorcycle convention that the U.S. Congress needed to come back from vacation immediately and do something about America's energy crisis. "Tell them to come back and get to work!" McCain bellowed.
Sorry, but I can't let that one go by. McCain knows why.
It was only five days earlier, July 30, that the Senate was voting for the eighth time in the past year on a broad, vitally important bill that would have extended the investment tax credits for installing solar energy and the production tax credits for building wind turbines and other energy-efficiency systems.
Both the wind and solar industries depend on these credits - which expire in December - to scale their businesses and become competitive with coal, oil and natural gas. Unlike offshore drilling, these credits could have an immediate impact on America's energy profile.
McCain did not show up for the crucial vote July 30, and the renewable energy bill was defeated for the eighth time. In fact, John McCain has a perfect record on this renewable energy legislation. He has missed all eight votes over the last year - which effectively counts as a no vote
"McCain did not show up on any votes," said Scott Sklar, president of The Stella Group, which tracks clean-technology legislation. Despite that, McCain's campaign commercial running during the Olympics shows a bunch of spinning wind turbines - the very wind turbines that he would not cast a vote to subsidize, even though he supports big subsidies for nuclear power.
Barack Obama did not vote July 30 either - which is equally inexcusable in my book - but he did vote on three previous occasions in favor of the renewable-energy legislation.
The fact that Congress has failed eight times to renew them is largely because of a hard core of Republican senators who either don't want to give Democrats such a victory in an election year or simply don't believe in renewable energy.
What impact does this have? In the solar industry today there is a rush to finish any project that would be up and running by Dec. 31 - when the credits expire - and most everything beyond that is now on hold. Consider the Solana concentrated solar power plant, 70 miles southwest of Phoenix in McCain's home state. It is the biggest proposed concentrating solar energy project ever. The farsighted local utility is ready to buy its power.
But because of the Senate's refusal to extend the solar tax credits, "we cannot get our bank financing," said Fred Morse, a senior adviser for the American operations of Abengoa Solar, which is building the project. "Without the credits, the numbers don't work." Some 2,000 construction jobs are on hold.
Roger Efird is president of Suntech America - a major Chinese-owned solar panel maker that actually wants to build a new factory in America. They've been scouting the country for sites, and several governors have been courting them. But Efird told me that when the solar credits failed to pass the Senate, his boss told him: "Don't set up any more meetings with governors. It makes absolutely no sense to do this if we don't have stability in the incentive programs."
One of the biggest canards peddled by Big Oil is that, "Sure, we'll need wind and solar energy, but it's just not cost effective yet." They've been saying that for 30 years. What these tax credits are designed to do is to stimulate investments by many players in solar and wind so these technologies can quickly move down the learning curve and become competitive with coal and oil - which is why some people are trying to block them.
As Richard K. Lester, an energy-innovation expert at MIT, notes, "The best chance we have - perhaps the only chance" of addressing the combined challenges of energy supply and demand, climate change and energy security "is to accelerate the introduction of new technologies for energy supply and use and deploy them on a very large scale."
This, he argues, will take more than a Manhattan Project. It will require a fundamental reshaping by government of the prices and regulations and research-and-development budgets that shape the energy market. Without taxing fossil fuels so they become more expensive and giving subsidies to renewable fuels so they become more competitive - and changing regulations so more people and companies have an interest in energy efficiency - we will not get innovation in clean power at the scale we need.
That is what the U.S. election should be focusing on. Everything else is just bogus rhetoric designed by cynical candidates who think Americans are so stupid - so bloody stupid - that if you just show them wind turbines in your Olympics ad they'll actually think you showed up and voted for such renewable power - when you didn't.
Tech - Closer to making the invisible Cloak
Using tiny wires and fishnet structures, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have found new ways to bend light backward, something that never occurs in nature.
This technology could lead to microscopes able to peer more deeply and clearly into living cells. And the same kind of structures might one day be adapted to bend light in other unnatural ways, creating a Harry Potter-like invisibility cloak. "This is definitely a big step toward that idea," said Jason Valentine, a graduate student and a lead author of a paper being published online on Wednesday by the journal Nature. But scientists are still far from designing and manufacturing such a cloak.
The work involves materials that have a property known as negative refraction, which means that they essentially bend light backward.
Once thought to be pure fantasies, these substances, called metamaterials, have been constructed in recent years, and scientists have shown they can bend long-wavelength microwaves.
Negative refractive materials can in principle lead to fantastical illusions; someone looking down at a fish in a pool of negative refractive liquid would see the fish swimming in the air above.
Two separate advances are described in two scientific papers, both out of the research laboratory of Xiang Zhang, a professor at the Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center in Berkeley.
When a ray of light crosses the boundary from air to water, glass or other transparent material, it bends, and the degree of bending is determined by a property known as the index of refraction. Transparent materials like glass, water and diamonds all have an index of 1 or higher for visible light, meaning that when the light enters, its path bends toward an imaginary line perpendicular to the surface.
With the engineered metamaterials, scientists can create refractive indices less than 1 or even negative. Light entering a material with a negative index of refraction would take a sharp turn, almost as if it had bounced off the imaginary perpendicular line.
In the Nature paper, the Berkeley researchers created a fishnet structure with 21 layers, alternating between a metal and magnesium fluoride, resulting in a metamaterial with a negative index of refraction for infrared light. The researchers said that by making the fishnet structure even smaller, they should be able to do the same with visible light.
In the second paper, to be published in the issue this Friday of the journal Science, a different group of scientists in Zhang's laboratory used a different approach, building an array of minuscule upright wires, which changed the electric fields of passing light waves. That structure was able to bend visible red light.
One application of negative index materials could be a "superlens." Light is usually thought of as having undulating waves.
But much closer up, light is a much more jumbled mess, with the waves mixed in with more complicated "evanescent waves."
The evanescent waves quickly dissipate as they travel, and thus are usually not seen. A negative refraction lens actually amplifies the evanescent waves, preserving detail lost in conventional optics, and the hope is to eventually build an optical microscope that could make out tiny biological structures like individual viruses.
This technology could lead to microscopes able to peer more deeply and clearly into living cells. And the same kind of structures might one day be adapted to bend light in other unnatural ways, creating a Harry Potter-like invisibility cloak. "This is definitely a big step toward that idea," said Jason Valentine, a graduate student and a lead author of a paper being published online on Wednesday by the journal Nature. But scientists are still far from designing and manufacturing such a cloak.
The work involves materials that have a property known as negative refraction, which means that they essentially bend light backward.
Once thought to be pure fantasies, these substances, called metamaterials, have been constructed in recent years, and scientists have shown they can bend long-wavelength microwaves.
Negative refractive materials can in principle lead to fantastical illusions; someone looking down at a fish in a pool of negative refractive liquid would see the fish swimming in the air above.
Two separate advances are described in two scientific papers, both out of the research laboratory of Xiang Zhang, a professor at the Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center in Berkeley.
When a ray of light crosses the boundary from air to water, glass or other transparent material, it bends, and the degree of bending is determined by a property known as the index of refraction. Transparent materials like glass, water and diamonds all have an index of 1 or higher for visible light, meaning that when the light enters, its path bends toward an imaginary line perpendicular to the surface.
With the engineered metamaterials, scientists can create refractive indices less than 1 or even negative. Light entering a material with a negative index of refraction would take a sharp turn, almost as if it had bounced off the imaginary perpendicular line.
In the Nature paper, the Berkeley researchers created a fishnet structure with 21 layers, alternating between a metal and magnesium fluoride, resulting in a metamaterial with a negative index of refraction for infrared light. The researchers said that by making the fishnet structure even smaller, they should be able to do the same with visible light.
In the second paper, to be published in the issue this Friday of the journal Science, a different group of scientists in Zhang's laboratory used a different approach, building an array of minuscule upright wires, which changed the electric fields of passing light waves. That structure was able to bend visible red light.
One application of negative index materials could be a "superlens." Light is usually thought of as having undulating waves.
But much closer up, light is a much more jumbled mess, with the waves mixed in with more complicated "evanescent waves."
The evanescent waves quickly dissipate as they travel, and thus are usually not seen. A negative refraction lens actually amplifies the evanescent waves, preserving detail lost in conventional optics, and the hope is to eventually build an optical microscope that could make out tiny biological structures like individual viruses.
Tech - Nokia adds GPS to its cellphone
Since its inception, the mobile phone has been usurping the roles of other electronic devices in a bid to become the universal, do-all gizmo.
First the fixed-line phone came under attack, followed by the watch, the radio, the MP3 player, the game console, the computer and, most recently, the GPS device. But while GPS-equipped mobile phones have become common, functionality has remained limited. And it has been difficult to get the data off the phone and onto a computer, where it can be easily charted and viewed.
Nokia has been working on smoothing out those problems. Its new software, called Sports Tracker, collects GPS data and uploads it over a wireless network to a Web site.
It was balmy near Lake Como last Sunday when I put Sports Tracker to the test, in an effort to see how far cell phones had come in marrying their wireless possibilities with GPS.
I decided long ago to leave my watch at home in daily life, but I still have been wearing one when I go hiking, where its altimeter, barometer and compass come in handy. Now it was time to see if my hiking watch could be retired, too.
Armed with my Nokia N82 - Sports Tracker works with about 40 other Nokia GPS-enabled phones - I set out on my favorite day hike near Milan, where I live. It is a 35-kilometer, or 22-mile, undulating trail that crosses the mountains from Como to Bellagio with views down to Lake Como, across to Switzerland and over to the Alps.
As I began walking, I turned on the phone and started up Sports Tracker. I had downloaded the free software to my computer and then transferred it to my phone, using a USB cable (you can also download directly to the phone).
Sports Tracker shows the distance traveled, the altitude, the average speed and a host of other data that can be accessed during and after the activity. With a few clicks, everything is sent to www.sportstracker.nokia.com, where a line tracks the route on Google maps, and the photos and videos appear pinned to the map at the spot where they were taken. The activity can be tracked on the Web site if you choose to make it public, and a Sports Tracker box can be added to a Facebook page.
Though fully operational, Sports Tracker is still in its testing stage.
"We developed Sports Tracker for conventional sports like running, cycling and walking, but we're seeing it used by people doing all kinds of activities," said Jussi Kaasinen, who created Sports Tracker for Nokia with Yka Huhtala. "Some guys use it for paragliding, and they have special requirements for their GPS device, so they let us know and we added that."
There are similar, competing programs, including iTrail for the Apple iPhone (which costs $2.99), but Nokia's Sports Tracker collects more information, which is then easier to move to a computer. Sports Tracker is not without limitations, though; as with many GPS units, altitude measurements are sometimes erratic, especially when in a forest or among tall buildings.
The biggest limitation might be the GPS unit's power consumption. Two-thirds of the way into the eight-hour hike, my phone went black, even though I had not made or received any calls and had taken only a handful of photos.
"We're constantly working on improving the program, and power consumption is one of the things we are looking at," Huhtala said.
Kaasinen and Huhtala would not specify how many people had downloaded Sports Tracker, though Kaasinen did say "we're talking about seven-digit numbers."
Given a little more time to refine Sports Tracker and reduce its battery demands, Nokia may win another battle in its drive to make the cellphone the universal device. But I'm not ready to retire my hiking watch just yet.
First the fixed-line phone came under attack, followed by the watch, the radio, the MP3 player, the game console, the computer and, most recently, the GPS device. But while GPS-equipped mobile phones have become common, functionality has remained limited. And it has been difficult to get the data off the phone and onto a computer, where it can be easily charted and viewed.
Nokia has been working on smoothing out those problems. Its new software, called Sports Tracker, collects GPS data and uploads it over a wireless network to a Web site.
It was balmy near Lake Como last Sunday when I put Sports Tracker to the test, in an effort to see how far cell phones had come in marrying their wireless possibilities with GPS.
I decided long ago to leave my watch at home in daily life, but I still have been wearing one when I go hiking, where its altimeter, barometer and compass come in handy. Now it was time to see if my hiking watch could be retired, too.
Armed with my Nokia N82 - Sports Tracker works with about 40 other Nokia GPS-enabled phones - I set out on my favorite day hike near Milan, where I live. It is a 35-kilometer, or 22-mile, undulating trail that crosses the mountains from Como to Bellagio with views down to Lake Como, across to Switzerland and over to the Alps.
As I began walking, I turned on the phone and started up Sports Tracker. I had downloaded the free software to my computer and then transferred it to my phone, using a USB cable (you can also download directly to the phone).
Sports Tracker shows the distance traveled, the altitude, the average speed and a host of other data that can be accessed during and after the activity. With a few clicks, everything is sent to www.sportstracker.nokia.com, where a line tracks the route on Google maps, and the photos and videos appear pinned to the map at the spot where they were taken. The activity can be tracked on the Web site if you choose to make it public, and a Sports Tracker box can be added to a Facebook page.
Though fully operational, Sports Tracker is still in its testing stage.
"We developed Sports Tracker for conventional sports like running, cycling and walking, but we're seeing it used by people doing all kinds of activities," said Jussi Kaasinen, who created Sports Tracker for Nokia with Yka Huhtala. "Some guys use it for paragliding, and they have special requirements for their GPS device, so they let us know and we added that."
There are similar, competing programs, including iTrail for the Apple iPhone (which costs $2.99), but Nokia's Sports Tracker collects more information, which is then easier to move to a computer. Sports Tracker is not without limitations, though; as with many GPS units, altitude measurements are sometimes erratic, especially when in a forest or among tall buildings.
The biggest limitation might be the GPS unit's power consumption. Two-thirds of the way into the eight-hour hike, my phone went black, even though I had not made or received any calls and had taken only a handful of photos.
"We're constantly working on improving the program, and power consumption is one of the things we are looking at," Huhtala said.
Kaasinen and Huhtala would not specify how many people had downloaded Sports Tracker, though Kaasinen did say "we're talking about seven-digit numbers."
Given a little more time to refine Sports Tracker and reduce its battery demands, Nokia may win another battle in its drive to make the cellphone the universal device. But I'm not ready to retire my hiking watch just yet.
Lifestyle - Rising in Dubai;Tall & getting Taller
Just over a year ago the office, hotel and condo tower known as the Burj Dubai became the tallest building in the world. But when its developer, Emaar Properties, announced that the Burj had surpassed the 509-meter Taipei 101 Tower in Taiwan, it refused to say how much higher the building would go. That set off a guessing game among architects and developers who follow the tall buildings equivalent of the arms race. A spire that is being built inside the tower has yet to be unveiled, according to Emaar, which hopes to keep the guessing - and marketing - game going until the building opens next year.
But in Chicago, Adrian Smith, the building's lead designer, says that the Burj Dubai is already "in the past." He predicts that a taller building will surpass it within five years. And when the Burj Dubai cedes the title, it may well be to another building by Smith, a blond bear of a man whose firm, Adrian Smith & Gordon Gill Architecture, has made a specialty of designing "supertall" buildings, some as high as the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building put together.
Already he is designing six other buildings more than 330 meters (about 2,000 feet) tall in the United Arab Emirates, including a futuristic three-pronged tower with so many curving surfaces that it required technology created for Frank Gehry.
Thanks to his oil-rich clients Smith has the chance to create mammoth landmarks that will long outlive him; the risk is that these buildings, which are freed from nearly all stylistic constraints, will look ridiculous, like alien spacecraft that landed in the middle of the desert.
At 63, Smith is performing this high-wire act while building a big architecture firm essentially from scratch. When he led the team that created the Burj Dubai, he was part of the Chicago office of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the blue-chip firm behind many of the world's most famous skyscrapers, from Lever House in New York to the Sears and Hancock buildings in Chicago to the pagodalike Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai.
But after 39 years at Skidmore, including a stint as chief executive from 1993 to 1995, Smith left in 2006 to start a competing firm. That set off a struggle over bragging rights to the Burj.
Emaar lists Smith as the building's architect on its promotional materials. "They were buying Adrian Smith as a brand," said Carol Willis, director of the Skyscraper Museum in Manhattan. She described Smith as "a true artist." But when her museum, which occupies a space that Skidmore designed pro bono, organized a lecture series on the Burj, Smith was not included. (William F. Baker, a structural engineer from Skidmore, was the keynote speaker.)
Smith concedes that years of acrimony preceded his departure from Skidmore. But ultimately, he said, he left because the firm requires partners to retire at 65, and he was not ready to stop designing.
Today his Chicago firm is working on two dozen projects. The one closest to home is a proposed retrofit of the Sears Tower, a Skidmore landmark just a few blocks from his office. Smith is investigating ways to reduce energy and water use with a new glass skin and new mechanical systems.
Otherwise nearly all of the firm's work is in the United Arab Emirates. As for his clients' penchant for supertall buildings, he said it is less about egomania than real estate savvy, a way of creating value in the middle of the desert. Emaar, he said, may never make money on the Burj, but it will profit from all of the buildings that surround it - including at least three by Smith. The developer has already commissioned Smith to design three condo buildings with views of the Burj.
Like many architects, Smith - who collaborates with his partner Gordon Gill on all of the firm's designs - is fond of saying that he wants to make buildings responsive to their context. That can be a problem in the Emirates: most of the time, he concedes, there is no context, at least in the form of surrounding buildings, to respond to.
As a result he has turned to a larger context. He explains the buildings' architectural features as responses to geography, geology and climate and is consumed by the notion of making supertall buildings "green."
Hauling vast amounts of steel and concrete into the desert to create an edifice that needs to be heated, air-conditioned and supplied with huge amounts of water hardly seems eco-friendly.
But Smith casts those projects as an opportunity for environmental innovation. Several of the towers he is designing have wind turbines that can take advantage of their elevation - winds are stronger at high altitudes than near the ground - to generate electricity. And cool air surrounding the top of a supertall building can be pumped to the lower levels, reducing the load on the air-conditioning.
Many of the buildings Smith is working on will be double walled, meaning that a gap of 20 centimeters, or 8 inches, or more between layers of glass will allow heated air to be directed toward the outside of the building in the summer or toward the inside in winter.
One of Smith's projects, the centerpiece of a development in Abu Dhabi called Masdar City, will have double walls as well as wind turbines and photovoltaic panels, which can convert sunlight into electricity.
But there is a risk that the green features will be more about good intentions than about results. Chris Twinn, a director of the energy sustainability team at Arup, the London global engineering firm, said that a wind turbine "may be worth its weight in gold" in terms of drawing attention to alternative energy sources, but that it "certainly doesn't generate a significant amount of the energy the building uses." As for solar energy, he said, it would take vast arrays of photovoltaic panels to power a supertall building in Dubai because of its reliance on air conditioning.
Twinn said that the only thing inherently green about a skyscraper is that it permits high-density development, which can encourage the use of public transportation. But that benefit diminishes, he said, when a building goes supertall, since the abundance of elevators and other mechanicals takes up a lot of usable floor space.
And then there's the possibility that the building won't serve much of a purpose in the first place. Smith isn't clear on who will be filling his towers in the Middle East.
Smith started work at Skidmore while still a student at the University of Illinois, Chicago. In later years he designed Modernist towers, most of them for corporate clients in Chicago, Europe and the Middle East. But around the time he made partner at Skidmore, in 1980, architecture was entering its Postmodernist period, when historical detailing was de rigueur.
One of his largest buildings for Skidmore, the AT&T headquarters in Chicago, completed in 1989, is a perfect illustration, from the huge bronze lanterns over the entrances to the granite in Art Deco-inspired patterns in the lobby.
Walking through that lobby on a recent afternoon Smith said that, viewed in hindsight, the building "related too much to the past." But he is not regretful: "Each building becomes a part of who you are."
As Postmodernism petered out, Smith returned to designing glass-and-steel buildings that were sleek but often bland.
An exception is Skidmore's Jin Mao Tower, which resembles a glittering stack of pagodas. But even as Jin Mao was rising on the Shanghai skyline, becoming the tallest building in China upon its completion in 1998, Smith's influence at the firm was waning.
The decision to leave was a hard one, he said, since he could only continue to design large buildings if he had a large staff. He and Gill, then a young associate partner at Skidmore, and a third partner, Robert Forest, invested over $3 million in the new firm, Smith said.
Many of their employees work on the top floor of a 1957 building in Chicago's central business district that has all the hallmarks of exuberant postwar corporate Modernism - walls of dark green marble, aluminum-sheathed columns and gurgling bronze fountains.
It is classic Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. That Smith's offices would occupy a space designed by the firm he left, and now competes with, isn't a coincidence.
"I like S.O.M.'s stuff," he said, explaining why he chose the space. He also liked its location, in the center of the city's business district, known as the Loop, surrounded by important buildings from the 19th and 20th centuries. They are a constant reminder, he said, of his desire to create an urban fabric.
World - Experts ponder hazards of using Technology to save the world
Last year, a private company proposed "fertilizing" parts of the ocean with iron, in hopes of encouraging carbon-absorbing blooms of plankton. Meanwhile, researchers elsewhere are talking about injecting chemicals into the atmosphere, launching sun-reflecting mirrors into stationary orbit above the earth or taking other steps to reset the thermostat of a warming planet.
This technology might be useful, even life-saving. But it would inevitably produce environmental effects impossible to predict and impossible to undo. So a growing number of experts say it is time for broad discussion of how and by whom it should be used, or if it should be tried at all.
Similar questions are being raised about nanotechnology, robotics and other powerful emerging technologies. There are even those who suggest humanity should collectively decide to turn away from some new technologies as inherently dangerous.
"The complexity of newly engineered systems coupled with their potential impact on lives, the environment, etc., raise a set of ethical issues that engineers had not been thinking about," said William Wulf, a computer scientist who until last year headed the National Academy of Engineering. As one of his official last acts, he established the Center for Engineering, Ethics and Society there.
Rachelle Hollander, a philosopher who directs the center, said the new technologies were so powerful that "our saving grace, our inability to affect things at a planetary level, is being lost to us," as human-induced climate change is demonstrating.
Engineers, scientists, philosophers, ethicists and lawyers are taking up the issue in scholarly journals, online discussions and conferences around the world.
"It's a hot topic," said Ronald Arkin, a computer scientist at Georgia Tech who advises the U.S. Army on robot weapons. "We need at least to think about what we are doing while we are doing it, to be aware of the consequences of our research."
So far, though, most scholarly conversation about these issues has been "piecemeal," said Andrew Maynard, chief science adviser for the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington. "It leaves the door open for people to do something that is going to cause long-term problems."
That's what some environmentalists said they feared when Planktos, a California company, announced it would embark on a private effort to fertilize part of the South Atlantic with iron in hopes of producing carbon-absorbing plankton blooms that the company could market as carbon offsets. Countries bound by the London Convention, an international treaty governing dumping at sea, issued a "statement of concern" about the work, and a UN group called for a moratorium, but it is not clear what would have happened had Planktos not abandoned the effort for lack of money.
"There is no one to say 'thou shalt not,"' said Jane Lubchenco, an environmental scientist at Oregon State University and a former president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
When scientists and engineers discuss geoengineering, it is obvious they are talking about technologies with the potential to change the planet. But the issue of engineering ethics applies as well to technologies whose planet-altering potential may not emerge until it is too late.
Arkin said robotics researchers should consider not just how to make robots more capable, but also who must bear responsibility for their actions and how much human operators should remain "in the loop," particularly with machines to aid soldiers on the battlefield or the disabled in their homes.
But he added that progress in robotics was so "insidious" that people might not realize they had ventured into ethically challenging territory until too late.
Ethical and philosophical issues have long occupied biotechnology, where institutional review boards commonly rule on proposed experiments and advisory committees must approve the use of gene-splicing and related techniques. When the U.S. government initiated its effort to decipher the human genome, a percentage of the budget went to consideration of ethics issues like genetic discrimination.
But such questions are relatively new for scientists and engineers in other fields. Some are calling for the same kind of discussion that microbiologists organized in 1975 when the immense power of their emerging knowledge of gene-splicing or recombinant DNA began to dawn on them. The meeting, at the Asilomar conference center in California, gave rise to an ethical framework that still prevails in biotechnology.
"Something like Asilomar might be very important," said Andrew Light, director of the Center for Global Ethics at George Mason University, one of the organizers of a conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, in April on the ethics of emerging technologies. "The question now is how best to begin that discussion among the scientists, to encourage them to do something like this, then figure out what would be the right mechanism, who would fund it, what form would recommendations take, all those details."
But an engineering Asilomar might be hard to bring off.
"So many people have their nose to the bench," Arkin said, "historically a pitfall of many scientists."
Paul Thompson, a philosopher at Michigan State and former secretary of the International Society for Environmental Ethics, said many scientists were trained to limit themselves to questions answerable in the real world, in the belief that "scientists and engineers should not be involved in these kinds of ethical questions."
Researchers working in geoengineering say they worry that if people realize there are possible technical fixes for global warming, they will feel less urgency about reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
"Even beginning the discussion, putting geoengineering on the table and beginning the scientific work, could in itself make us less concerned about all the things that we need to start doing now," Light said.
On the other hand, some climate scientists argue that if people realized such drastic measures were on the horizon, they would be frightened enough to reduce their collective carbon footprint. Still others say that, given the threat global warming poses to the planet, it would be unethical not to embark on the work needed to engineer possible remedies - and to let policy makers know of its potential.
But when to begin this kind of discussion? "It's a really hard question," Thompson said. "I don't think anyone has an answer to it."
Many scientists do not like talking about their research before it has taken shape, for fear of losing control over it, according to David Goldston, former chief of staff at the House Science Committee and a columnist for the journal Nature. This mind-set is "generally healthy," he wrote in a recent column, but it is "maladapted for situations that call for focused research to resolve societal issues that need to be faced with some urgency."
And then there is the longstanding fear held by scientists that if they engage with the public for any reason, their work will be misunderstood or portrayed in inaccurate or sensationalized terms.
Francis Collins, who is stepping down as head of the government human genome project, said he had often heard researchers say "it's better if people don't know about it." But he said he was proud that the National Human Genome Research Institute had from the beginning devoted substantial financing to research on privacy, discrimination and other ethical issues raised by progress in genetics. If scientific research has serious potential implications in the real world, "the sooner there is an opportunity for public discussion the better," he said in a recent interview.
In part, that is because some emerging technologies will require political adjustments. For example, if the planet came to depend on chemicals in space or orbiting mirrors or regular oceanic infusions of iron, system failure could mean catastrophic - and immediate - climate change. But maintaining the systems requires a political establishment with guaranteed indefinite stability.
As Collins put it, the political process these days is "not well designed to handle issues that are not already in a crisis."
Or as Goldston put it, "with no grand debate over first principles and no accusations of acting in bad faith, nanotechnology has received only fitful attention."
Meanwhile, there is growing recognition that climate engineering, nanotechnology and other emerging technologies are full of "unknown unknowns," factors that will not become obvious until they are put into widespread use at a scale impossible to turn back, as happened, in a sense, with the atomic bomb. Before its first test, some of its developers worried that the blast might set the atmosphere on fire. They did not anticipate that the bombs would generate electromagnetic pulses intense enough to paralyze electrical systems across a continent
This technology might be useful, even life-saving. But it would inevitably produce environmental effects impossible to predict and impossible to undo. So a growing number of experts say it is time for broad discussion of how and by whom it should be used, or if it should be tried at all.
Similar questions are being raised about nanotechnology, robotics and other powerful emerging technologies. There are even those who suggest humanity should collectively decide to turn away from some new technologies as inherently dangerous.
"The complexity of newly engineered systems coupled with their potential impact on lives, the environment, etc., raise a set of ethical issues that engineers had not been thinking about," said William Wulf, a computer scientist who until last year headed the National Academy of Engineering. As one of his official last acts, he established the Center for Engineering, Ethics and Society there.
Rachelle Hollander, a philosopher who directs the center, said the new technologies were so powerful that "our saving grace, our inability to affect things at a planetary level, is being lost to us," as human-induced climate change is demonstrating.
Engineers, scientists, philosophers, ethicists and lawyers are taking up the issue in scholarly journals, online discussions and conferences around the world.
"It's a hot topic," said Ronald Arkin, a computer scientist at Georgia Tech who advises the U.S. Army on robot weapons. "We need at least to think about what we are doing while we are doing it, to be aware of the consequences of our research."
So far, though, most scholarly conversation about these issues has been "piecemeal," said Andrew Maynard, chief science adviser for the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington. "It leaves the door open for people to do something that is going to cause long-term problems."
That's what some environmentalists said they feared when Planktos, a California company, announced it would embark on a private effort to fertilize part of the South Atlantic with iron in hopes of producing carbon-absorbing plankton blooms that the company could market as carbon offsets. Countries bound by the London Convention, an international treaty governing dumping at sea, issued a "statement of concern" about the work, and a UN group called for a moratorium, but it is not clear what would have happened had Planktos not abandoned the effort for lack of money.
"There is no one to say 'thou shalt not,"' said Jane Lubchenco, an environmental scientist at Oregon State University and a former president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
When scientists and engineers discuss geoengineering, it is obvious they are talking about technologies with the potential to change the planet. But the issue of engineering ethics applies as well to technologies whose planet-altering potential may not emerge until it is too late.
Arkin said robotics researchers should consider not just how to make robots more capable, but also who must bear responsibility for their actions and how much human operators should remain "in the loop," particularly with machines to aid soldiers on the battlefield or the disabled in their homes.
But he added that progress in robotics was so "insidious" that people might not realize they had ventured into ethically challenging territory until too late.
Ethical and philosophical issues have long occupied biotechnology, where institutional review boards commonly rule on proposed experiments and advisory committees must approve the use of gene-splicing and related techniques. When the U.S. government initiated its effort to decipher the human genome, a percentage of the budget went to consideration of ethics issues like genetic discrimination.
But such questions are relatively new for scientists and engineers in other fields. Some are calling for the same kind of discussion that microbiologists organized in 1975 when the immense power of their emerging knowledge of gene-splicing or recombinant DNA began to dawn on them. The meeting, at the Asilomar conference center in California, gave rise to an ethical framework that still prevails in biotechnology.
"Something like Asilomar might be very important," said Andrew Light, director of the Center for Global Ethics at George Mason University, one of the organizers of a conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, in April on the ethics of emerging technologies. "The question now is how best to begin that discussion among the scientists, to encourage them to do something like this, then figure out what would be the right mechanism, who would fund it, what form would recommendations take, all those details."
But an engineering Asilomar might be hard to bring off.
"So many people have their nose to the bench," Arkin said, "historically a pitfall of many scientists."
Paul Thompson, a philosopher at Michigan State and former secretary of the International Society for Environmental Ethics, said many scientists were trained to limit themselves to questions answerable in the real world, in the belief that "scientists and engineers should not be involved in these kinds of ethical questions."
Researchers working in geoengineering say they worry that if people realize there are possible technical fixes for global warming, they will feel less urgency about reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
"Even beginning the discussion, putting geoengineering on the table and beginning the scientific work, could in itself make us less concerned about all the things that we need to start doing now," Light said.
On the other hand, some climate scientists argue that if people realized such drastic measures were on the horizon, they would be frightened enough to reduce their collective carbon footprint. Still others say that, given the threat global warming poses to the planet, it would be unethical not to embark on the work needed to engineer possible remedies - and to let policy makers know of its potential.
But when to begin this kind of discussion? "It's a really hard question," Thompson said. "I don't think anyone has an answer to it."
Many scientists do not like talking about their research before it has taken shape, for fear of losing control over it, according to David Goldston, former chief of staff at the House Science Committee and a columnist for the journal Nature. This mind-set is "generally healthy," he wrote in a recent column, but it is "maladapted for situations that call for focused research to resolve societal issues that need to be faced with some urgency."
And then there is the longstanding fear held by scientists that if they engage with the public for any reason, their work will be misunderstood or portrayed in inaccurate or sensationalized terms.
Francis Collins, who is stepping down as head of the government human genome project, said he had often heard researchers say "it's better if people don't know about it." But he said he was proud that the National Human Genome Research Institute had from the beginning devoted substantial financing to research on privacy, discrimination and other ethical issues raised by progress in genetics. If scientific research has serious potential implications in the real world, "the sooner there is an opportunity for public discussion the better," he said in a recent interview.
In part, that is because some emerging technologies will require political adjustments. For example, if the planet came to depend on chemicals in space or orbiting mirrors or regular oceanic infusions of iron, system failure could mean catastrophic - and immediate - climate change. But maintaining the systems requires a political establishment with guaranteed indefinite stability.
As Collins put it, the political process these days is "not well designed to handle issues that are not already in a crisis."
Or as Goldston put it, "with no grand debate over first principles and no accusations of acting in bad faith, nanotechnology has received only fitful attention."
Meanwhile, there is growing recognition that climate engineering, nanotechnology and other emerging technologies are full of "unknown unknowns," factors that will not become obvious until they are put into widespread use at a scale impossible to turn back, as happened, in a sense, with the atomic bomb. Before its first test, some of its developers worried that the blast might set the atmosphere on fire. They did not anticipate that the bombs would generate electromagnetic pulses intense enough to paralyze electrical systems across a continent
Business - Take stock of her share
The stock markets are giving the poor unsuspecting investor the jitters. Dalal Street, home to the benchmark Sensex, seems to be in a state of shock. Yet there seems to be an air of peace and tranquility about Deena A. Mehta, Managing Director, Asit C. Mehta, a well known financial services company.
Deena should actually know all about the stock markets which have raised people to dizzy heights and hurled them to bottomless depths with equal dispatch. She was the first woman to hold the prestigious chair of President of the Bombay Stock Exchange, albeit for a truncated period.
But life wasn’t all about bulls and bears for the young Deena who actually nurtured dreams of wanting to be an engineer. Her parents dismissed this idea and Deena went on to pass her Chartered Accountancy exam by the age of 20 and proceeded to add a post-graduate degree in management thereafter to her educational qualifications. Her induction into the world of finance was modest. “I started by writing my husband’s book of accounts,” says Deena, while applying for membership to the Bombay Stock Exchange.
Once she was inside the precincts of the stock exchange, there was no stopping Deena. “I am most happy solving problems, and have a nose to spot a mess. Then I go to the root of the problem and come up with solutions.”
Well, there were problems galore in the stock exchange in those days. She is credited with analyzing the problem with reconciliation of settlements and coming up with a triplicate-slip system that managed to compress the 15-day settlement period into a mere four-day affair. This was to be just the beginning of Deena’s problem-solving phase.
Addressing the problem of inter-member objections that had mounted to a daunting 38,000 complaints, Deena tabulated all the complaints into 13 categories and then proceeded to spell out a settlement procedure followed by an arbitration procedure to solve the problems created by these complaints. To her credit, every single complaint was settled.
The young Deena worked with a broking firm and became the first ever woman to enter the famous trading ring. The stock exchange viewed her application to enter the ring with trepidation and subjected her to a gruelling two-hour interview before succumbing to the inevitable. This was to give her invaluable first-hand experience in every aspect of stock broking and was to hold her in good stead when she and her husband began operating under the name and style of Asit C. Mehta in 1986.
By 1994, hers was the first “limited liability corporate member” of the Bombay Stock Exchange. In the meanwhile she was an active member of the core committee on computerization in the stock exchange and in all her various roles in the stock exchange, including that of the first woman Vice-President, earned the respect and trust of her peers. Trust that saw her sitting on almost 1,000 arbitration cases. “Integrity, knowledge and perseverance are the key attributes that I have endeavoured to have” says Deena.
“What about the glass ceiling?” I ask, wondering how this lady broke through in a completely orthodox male-run environment.
Deena is candid as she replies: “ So long as you are a peer, there is no problem. The moment I was perceived as a boss, there was active resistance from some quarters.” She hasn’t let that bother her though. “I’ve just been myself,” she declares with confidence.
Yet, there is so much more than stocks and shares to this peppy woman. She has been a trustee of the Prempuri Ashram for about six years and plays an active role in this spiritual institution that organises a plethora of programmes every year. This includes a TV serial on Sanskar channel where she delivers talks on spirituality and management. “I am not ritualistic. I am spiritual,” says Deena. “I listen to my conscience and stick to what is right.” She attributed this trait to the inspiration she draws from her husband whom she describes as “fearless”.
“Our biggest wealth is our potential. We are happy with what we have. God gives you what you need and what you deserve. If it goes, you probably didn’t deserve it,” says Deena, who, incidentally, was officially the highest woman taxpayer in the mid-Nineties.
There is a community-welfare-side to Deena too. Her company has surveyed 250 villages in Kutch and all the physically challenged people there have been identified. As a follow-up, 1,500 people have been medically examined, 90 surgeries have been performed and hundreds have been given callipers and wheel-chairs. This is an on-going programme with a target to cover 980 villages.
“Where do you find the time for all this?” I enquire. Her answer is revealing. “We all have 24 hours in a day. We need to prioritize!” And it’s not that Deena is all work and no play. She loves travelling and has visited almost every part of the world except South America.
Deena avers that good management is a game of patience. One should not just build up steam and get burnt out. It is more important to run the course. She advises young managers to stay relevant, and concentrate on building a career slowly and steadily. She does not recommend jumping jobs for those few extra bucks.
“If you are offered more money ask yourself if you will be adding more value. If not, you are no better that the man who diluted your milk with water or adulterates your rice with pebbles”.
Tough words indeed. At the end of the day Deena advocates humility at all times. And practices what she preaches. As I leave I couldn’t resist asking her for her forecast on the state of the markets. “It will take six months more for us to be on the right side of the U curve,” she says readily. Well, I think to myself, Deena has always advocated patience.
(Ramesh Narayan is a communications consultant.)
Deena should actually know all about the stock markets which have raised people to dizzy heights and hurled them to bottomless depths with equal dispatch. She was the first woman to hold the prestigious chair of President of the Bombay Stock Exchange, albeit for a truncated period.
But life wasn’t all about bulls and bears for the young Deena who actually nurtured dreams of wanting to be an engineer. Her parents dismissed this idea and Deena went on to pass her Chartered Accountancy exam by the age of 20 and proceeded to add a post-graduate degree in management thereafter to her educational qualifications. Her induction into the world of finance was modest. “I started by writing my husband’s book of accounts,” says Deena, while applying for membership to the Bombay Stock Exchange.
Once she was inside the precincts of the stock exchange, there was no stopping Deena. “I am most happy solving problems, and have a nose to spot a mess. Then I go to the root of the problem and come up with solutions.”
Well, there were problems galore in the stock exchange in those days. She is credited with analyzing the problem with reconciliation of settlements and coming up with a triplicate-slip system that managed to compress the 15-day settlement period into a mere four-day affair. This was to be just the beginning of Deena’s problem-solving phase.
Addressing the problem of inter-member objections that had mounted to a daunting 38,000 complaints, Deena tabulated all the complaints into 13 categories and then proceeded to spell out a settlement procedure followed by an arbitration procedure to solve the problems created by these complaints. To her credit, every single complaint was settled.
The young Deena worked with a broking firm and became the first ever woman to enter the famous trading ring. The stock exchange viewed her application to enter the ring with trepidation and subjected her to a gruelling two-hour interview before succumbing to the inevitable. This was to give her invaluable first-hand experience in every aspect of stock broking and was to hold her in good stead when she and her husband began operating under the name and style of Asit C. Mehta in 1986.
By 1994, hers was the first “limited liability corporate member” of the Bombay Stock Exchange. In the meanwhile she was an active member of the core committee on computerization in the stock exchange and in all her various roles in the stock exchange, including that of the first woman Vice-President, earned the respect and trust of her peers. Trust that saw her sitting on almost 1,000 arbitration cases. “Integrity, knowledge and perseverance are the key attributes that I have endeavoured to have” says Deena.
“What about the glass ceiling?” I ask, wondering how this lady broke through in a completely orthodox male-run environment.
Deena is candid as she replies: “ So long as you are a peer, there is no problem. The moment I was perceived as a boss, there was active resistance from some quarters.” She hasn’t let that bother her though. “I’ve just been myself,” she declares with confidence.
Yet, there is so much more than stocks and shares to this peppy woman. She has been a trustee of the Prempuri Ashram for about six years and plays an active role in this spiritual institution that organises a plethora of programmes every year. This includes a TV serial on Sanskar channel where she delivers talks on spirituality and management. “I am not ritualistic. I am spiritual,” says Deena. “I listen to my conscience and stick to what is right.” She attributed this trait to the inspiration she draws from her husband whom she describes as “fearless”.
“Our biggest wealth is our potential. We are happy with what we have. God gives you what you need and what you deserve. If it goes, you probably didn’t deserve it,” says Deena, who, incidentally, was officially the highest woman taxpayer in the mid-Nineties.
There is a community-welfare-side to Deena too. Her company has surveyed 250 villages in Kutch and all the physically challenged people there have been identified. As a follow-up, 1,500 people have been medically examined, 90 surgeries have been performed and hundreds have been given callipers and wheel-chairs. This is an on-going programme with a target to cover 980 villages.
“Where do you find the time for all this?” I enquire. Her answer is revealing. “We all have 24 hours in a day. We need to prioritize!” And it’s not that Deena is all work and no play. She loves travelling and has visited almost every part of the world except South America.
Deena avers that good management is a game of patience. One should not just build up steam and get burnt out. It is more important to run the course. She advises young managers to stay relevant, and concentrate on building a career slowly and steadily. She does not recommend jumping jobs for those few extra bucks.
“If you are offered more money ask yourself if you will be adding more value. If not, you are no better that the man who diluted your milk with water or adulterates your rice with pebbles”.
Tough words indeed. At the end of the day Deena advocates humility at all times. And practices what she preaches. As I leave I couldn’t resist asking her for her forecast on the state of the markets. “It will take six months more for us to be on the right side of the U curve,” she says readily. Well, I think to myself, Deena has always advocated patience.
(Ramesh Narayan is a communications consultant.)
Mktg - Higher,Faster,Further
The Olympics! The very epitome of human physical achievement, as exemplified by that glorious clarion call citius, altius, fortius. These games have always pushed humankind to stretch the very limits of what is possible. Right from the perfect ten that a diminutive Nadia Comaneci pranced her way to at Montreal, to the seven gold medal blitz Mark Spitz gave the world to savour at Munich or the enduring legend of Jesse Owens so magically replicated by Carl Lewis to the mesmeric stick wizardry of our very own Dhyan Chand. On the face of these memories it might be very tempting to classify the Olympics as a true celebration of winners and champions but that only captures the truth partly.
The Olympics eventually at the core celebrates the indomitable nature of the human spirit and that is where these games are at their most potent and endearing. That is where this magnificent event has lessons to teach us even in the seemingly distant world of marketing and brand building. As always the questions that rich human experiences throw up might have some very interesting implications for brand thinking.
The winner takes all? Well, not quite.
While traditionally the laurel wreaths and the accolades have always been cornered by the winners, the Olympics do provide a climate where the underdog is adulated as well.
One only has to think of Eric ‘the eel’ Moussambani’s exploits at the 2000 games at Sydney. Coming from Equatorial Guinea, a country with absolutely no swimming infrastructure or heritage, Eric took a full minute and several seconds more than any benchmark time (or competitor) in the 100 meter freestyle, traditionally the sprint event of the pool, and yet people cheered him on even as he laboured to a finish. He was one of the stars of those games, only because people anywhere across the world really relate strongly to the underdog.
Yet the underdog status in the brand and marketing world is rarely embraced. In this mad rush to reach the top positions in the market (the medal positions), are we missing a trick by burning down the opportunity of building deeper emotional bridges? Volkswagen, perhaps, began in America in glorious ‘underdog’ fashion and we all know what happened. What if brands were more candid about where they stood and faced the market with open arms?
Nostalgia is a thing of the past?
There is always a buzz around the younger upstarts who are lurking close to great achievements before any games, but this time around there is a refreshing change
It comes in the shape of the 41-year-old super mom, Dara Torres. A multiple gold medallist from before, she has really given hope to many people across the world by challenging age-endowed physical constraints. Whether she triumphs actually in the pool or not, her very presence is a wonderful tribute to the resilience of the human spirit
Likewise are there ‘any blasts from the past’ that we cursorily overlook in this quest for the new and enhanced?
Previous brand champions have a certain undefined charm to them that might just get a lot of attention and emotion going their way. One only has to recollect how Coca-Cola was forced to get back the ‘real thing’ after experiments to move on. Even in advertising terms closer home, wasn’t Onida forced to restore the devil after a brief divorce?
Is it time to ‘re-’ introduce some brands that were phased out? Like Dara they just might prove that the new might be improved but that old is still gold.
A rival? Or a friend in need?
The Games at Berlin 1936 saw one of the great moments not just in sport, but perhaps in human history. In that arrogantly intimidating arena of Aryan supremacy, two fierce rivals Jesse Owens, a black American, and Lutz Long, a blond, blue-eyed, ‘true’ German forged a friendship during the long jump competition that not just gave the word hope but lent true meaning to the brand called the Olympics. Even though Owens won the gold eventually after a keenly fought contest, really everyone won that day, except perhaps the watching Hitler.
On that note, is there a call for increased co-operation between rival brands? Far out as it might sound, Novell had wonderfully formalised this idea coining a term ‘co-opetition’, that is to cooperate and compete at the same time. At a time when the economy is poised to take promising turns and opportunities are manifold, does corporate India needs to revisit this philosophy? Markets overseas might present interesting common challenges which might make coming together a truly effective way to play the overseas game amongst others.
In conclusion, the Olympics are upon us and the Beijing edition is guaranteed to be a high-voltage event. But even as the spectacle unfolds, do keep an eye out for the interesting ‘human’ stories that emerge. They just might give us inspiration to take the world of brands, higher, faster and further…
(The author is an independent strategic and ideation consultant. He is also the patron saint of Juhu Beach United, a footballing movement that celebrates, ‘the unfit, out of breath, working professional of today’.)
The Olympics eventually at the core celebrates the indomitable nature of the human spirit and that is where these games are at their most potent and endearing. That is where this magnificent event has lessons to teach us even in the seemingly distant world of marketing and brand building. As always the questions that rich human experiences throw up might have some very interesting implications for brand thinking.
The winner takes all? Well, not quite.
While traditionally the laurel wreaths and the accolades have always been cornered by the winners, the Olympics do provide a climate where the underdog is adulated as well.
One only has to think of Eric ‘the eel’ Moussambani’s exploits at the 2000 games at Sydney. Coming from Equatorial Guinea, a country with absolutely no swimming infrastructure or heritage, Eric took a full minute and several seconds more than any benchmark time (or competitor) in the 100 meter freestyle, traditionally the sprint event of the pool, and yet people cheered him on even as he laboured to a finish. He was one of the stars of those games, only because people anywhere across the world really relate strongly to the underdog.
Yet the underdog status in the brand and marketing world is rarely embraced. In this mad rush to reach the top positions in the market (the medal positions), are we missing a trick by burning down the opportunity of building deeper emotional bridges? Volkswagen, perhaps, began in America in glorious ‘underdog’ fashion and we all know what happened. What if brands were more candid about where they stood and faced the market with open arms?
Nostalgia is a thing of the past?
There is always a buzz around the younger upstarts who are lurking close to great achievements before any games, but this time around there is a refreshing change
It comes in the shape of the 41-year-old super mom, Dara Torres. A multiple gold medallist from before, she has really given hope to many people across the world by challenging age-endowed physical constraints. Whether she triumphs actually in the pool or not, her very presence is a wonderful tribute to the resilience of the human spirit
Likewise are there ‘any blasts from the past’ that we cursorily overlook in this quest for the new and enhanced?
Previous brand champions have a certain undefined charm to them that might just get a lot of attention and emotion going their way. One only has to recollect how Coca-Cola was forced to get back the ‘real thing’ after experiments to move on. Even in advertising terms closer home, wasn’t Onida forced to restore the devil after a brief divorce?
Is it time to ‘re-’ introduce some brands that were phased out? Like Dara they just might prove that the new might be improved but that old is still gold.
A rival? Or a friend in need?
The Games at Berlin 1936 saw one of the great moments not just in sport, but perhaps in human history. In that arrogantly intimidating arena of Aryan supremacy, two fierce rivals Jesse Owens, a black American, and Lutz Long, a blond, blue-eyed, ‘true’ German forged a friendship during the long jump competition that not just gave the word hope but lent true meaning to the brand called the Olympics. Even though Owens won the gold eventually after a keenly fought contest, really everyone won that day, except perhaps the watching Hitler.
On that note, is there a call for increased co-operation between rival brands? Far out as it might sound, Novell had wonderfully formalised this idea coining a term ‘co-opetition’, that is to cooperate and compete at the same time. At a time when the economy is poised to take promising turns and opportunities are manifold, does corporate India needs to revisit this philosophy? Markets overseas might present interesting common challenges which might make coming together a truly effective way to play the overseas game amongst others.
In conclusion, the Olympics are upon us and the Beijing edition is guaranteed to be a high-voltage event. But even as the spectacle unfolds, do keep an eye out for the interesting ‘human’ stories that emerge. They just might give us inspiration to take the world of brands, higher, faster and further…
(The author is an independent strategic and ideation consultant. He is also the patron saint of Juhu Beach United, a footballing movement that celebrates, ‘the unfit, out of breath, working professional of today’.)
Mktg - Interview Titan Head
Fifty-three-year-old Bhaskar Bhat, Titan Industries’ dapper Managing Director, has been with the company virtually since inception in 1986. Along with the company’s erstwhile legendary founding Managing Director, Xerxes Desai, Bhat had moved from Tata Press for the initial spadework on the watches-to-jewellery maker and now eye wear retailer. Having seen the company transition from its initial success to a difficult time in the early part of this decade, Bhat says Titan, a joint venture between the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation and the Tatas, is on a strong wicket now and is ideally positioned to take advantage of the huge demographic and lifestyle changes the country is undergoing. BrandLine stopped Bhat’s watch for an hour in his busy day for a candid overview of the company’s plans and the direction it is taking. Excerpts:
There was a time in the early part of this decade when Titan seemed to be in a state of stasis. Foreign brands were entering at a quick pace but there didn’t seem to be much innovation coming out of Titan. Observers thought it was time up for Titan. You were also saddled with huge losses from your European ‘mis-adventure’. How did Titan bounce back?
For our European business we had committed to a 11-country launch; costs were high while our products too were not easily accepted, primarily because of the country of origin issue. Then in 2000-01 because of the problems of profitability we had cut back on innovation and brand investments and that was when the brand began to drift. The fundamental assumption we made was that these foreign brands will develop the market and we will ride the wave because we are a dominant brand. That doesn’t really work; when you are in the driver’s seat you have to drive, you can’t let somebody else do the job. I think we abdicated a bit at that time. Fortunately, the result was not too harsh because the competition truly was rather inept. Global brands can’t struggle for ten years and end up with 1.5 lakh watches sales a year unless for strategic reasons you occupy the high ground.
When did the process of course correction start?
In 2002, the year we had to revisit our entire fundamental operating principles. We had a high wage island in Hosur (where Titan’s main factory is located), high interest costs, high debt equity ratio and a flagging Titan brand while the jewellery business too was not making money — Tanishq was just out of the red, it didn’t make money for seven years.
Then we did a cost compression, engaged McKinsey and developed a very focused approach on improving business performance, which is the sheer matrix of the business. But we were clear that we should not cut back on two things — one is investment in brands and investment in employees. If you see, during that period nobody jumped ship. Our people made the big difference.
In today’s market with raging inflation, do you see an impact on the brand and consumer spends?
There is no question about impact on consumer — they are affected, how much that impacts your brand is the next thing. If your brands are strong, and strength to me means not just brand image, but a desire to acquire, we’ve got to generate demand, with an increased pace of new product introduction that creates desire for consumers to own a Titan. The second is providing access by opening more stores. Are we better than the next shirt guy, the shoe guy or the wellness clinic? I’ve got three stores around Indira Nagar (a shopping and residential district of Bangalore), so we’ve got to catch the consumer somewhere. This (store network) is helping today.
Gold prices have been volatile, how has that affected the Tanishq brand?
While the market has dropped by 50 per cent in plain gold jewellery the decline is only 4 per cent in Tanishq and we have grown in top line and margins. When prices were $970 a troy ounce it was a difficult price but it’s coming down. The gold prices are passed on to the consumer, and because of the high prices there has been a 50 per cent decline in (purchase of) plain gold jewellery. However, our diamond jewellery has seen 28 per cent growth in this quarter.
While the Tanishq brand is twice the size of Titan, the margins are still low … do you intend to correct that?
Correction is a gradual process, we can’t transform the market from plain gold to diamond jewellery, margins are better now. We are investing in diamond jewellery growth; our return on capital (ROC) is very high at 60 per cent; in watches and jewellery ROC is the same and the potential is much bigger.
What about your other businesses, in precision components manufacturing and eyewear?
In precision components we have an order book far higher than last year; we will cover this year’s target. It’s small still — Rs 56 crore out of Rs 3,000 crore; this year it will be about Rs 85-100 crore. We should have been about Rs 225 crore, by now but we are two years behind because of the processes in that industry. We are supplying to the aero space and automation business; word has to spread since it’s an industry application, we need to have feet on the street and tell people that we can deliver solutions. It’s not yet making money. In eyewear we will be about Rs 50 crore this year. We have 20 stores and should have 80 stores or so by the year end.
While you seem to have a watch for every segment how come Titan is not looking at the kids’ segment?
We are exploring, we had a brand called Dash; at that time it was still not making money but potential for sale was there and that window was not going to close. Not that someone could come and dominate the market. We postponed it but now people are willing to spend a decent amount on kids — this year will see a kids’ brand.
Would you look at tapping clients from outside for your design studio, to leverage your design strengths?
We could, but frankly speaking, our effort even today is to be able to bring out exceptionally good designs for the Titan stable and deliver it on time. However, the opportunity is there to go out. You won’t see it happen this year, perhaps next year or the year after.
Would you say that Titan today is rightly poised to take advantage of changing demographics?
Completely ... if there is any company that can take advantage of that it is Titan. We have a youth brand, we will soon have a children’s brand, we are in the mass market with Sonata, we have a women’s-only brand in Raga, mid-market with Titan and high-end Xylys, and we are fantastically distributed. We appeal to the Indian habit or Indian way of dealing with products providing them very good after sales-service. The importance of this is not known, this is a below-the-watermark kind of advantage — other brands don’t have the access points such as Titan. We don’t gyp people or cream the market.
You feel the foreign challenge will be restricted only to the top end?
I think so. You see, no one wants to come into the Titan space. It’s too difficult to emulate the Titan network and the width of offering — it’s very tough. Below Titan the margins don’t afford, above Titan it makes sense. Between Sonata and Titan we dominate in the Rs 1,000 to Rs 10,000 watches market.
You already retail licensed brands such as Tommy and Hugo Boss. Any more in the pipeline?
We may bring in a couple more — that’s to complement our range — pure play retail, buy and sell. It’s doing very well for us. We don’t have space in the store, so we may have only a few more. We don’t want to be unfair to the brands. We have been talking to Lacoste, D&G, but nothing is finalised. Not a clear yes yet.
Looking at your numbers you have shown strong revenue growth despite costs going up...?
It’s our access and brand strength. Despite inflation if you look at the individual customers they are so widely spread — if we were present only in the cities perhaps we would have got hit more. We are in 60 towns and jewellery is so intrinsic to our culture that during festivals people will buy. While jewellery contributes 70 per cent to revenues profits are almost equal between watches and jewellery.
What would you say are Titan’s strengths and weaknesses, and what are the opportunities you can look at?
Our strength today is our combination of owned brands and retail; we earn profits on account of being in the retail space which is booming but we are doing it our way because we own our brands, so we get the benefit of both. And, we manufacture our own products so we get a manufacturing margin which retailers don’t. We are highly risk diversified, even in our distribution the business model is of franchising and as a company too we are in multiple businesses.
I would say our balance sheet is a weakness. Opportunities are huge. While we are an India-centric company, and that is a strength, it is also a weakness as we are not sufficiently globalised. Our success in a way is a threat; we dominate the market, the number two brand is minuscule so we are likely to get complacent. The other problem is that we attract competition; people look at the extraordinary multiple that Titan is getting and see our margins, and everybody wants to get into the act. The moment we get into eyewear everyone wants to get into the business. Overall our biggest strength is our extraordinarily committed people and their talent
There was a time in the early part of this decade when Titan seemed to be in a state of stasis. Foreign brands were entering at a quick pace but there didn’t seem to be much innovation coming out of Titan. Observers thought it was time up for Titan. You were also saddled with huge losses from your European ‘mis-adventure’. How did Titan bounce back?
For our European business we had committed to a 11-country launch; costs were high while our products too were not easily accepted, primarily because of the country of origin issue. Then in 2000-01 because of the problems of profitability we had cut back on innovation and brand investments and that was when the brand began to drift. The fundamental assumption we made was that these foreign brands will develop the market and we will ride the wave because we are a dominant brand. That doesn’t really work; when you are in the driver’s seat you have to drive, you can’t let somebody else do the job. I think we abdicated a bit at that time. Fortunately, the result was not too harsh because the competition truly was rather inept. Global brands can’t struggle for ten years and end up with 1.5 lakh watches sales a year unless for strategic reasons you occupy the high ground.
When did the process of course correction start?
In 2002, the year we had to revisit our entire fundamental operating principles. We had a high wage island in Hosur (where Titan’s main factory is located), high interest costs, high debt equity ratio and a flagging Titan brand while the jewellery business too was not making money — Tanishq was just out of the red, it didn’t make money for seven years.
Then we did a cost compression, engaged McKinsey and developed a very focused approach on improving business performance, which is the sheer matrix of the business. But we were clear that we should not cut back on two things — one is investment in brands and investment in employees. If you see, during that period nobody jumped ship. Our people made the big difference.
In today’s market with raging inflation, do you see an impact on the brand and consumer spends?
There is no question about impact on consumer — they are affected, how much that impacts your brand is the next thing. If your brands are strong, and strength to me means not just brand image, but a desire to acquire, we’ve got to generate demand, with an increased pace of new product introduction that creates desire for consumers to own a Titan. The second is providing access by opening more stores. Are we better than the next shirt guy, the shoe guy or the wellness clinic? I’ve got three stores around Indira Nagar (a shopping and residential district of Bangalore), so we’ve got to catch the consumer somewhere. This (store network) is helping today.
Gold prices have been volatile, how has that affected the Tanishq brand?
While the market has dropped by 50 per cent in plain gold jewellery the decline is only 4 per cent in Tanishq and we have grown in top line and margins. When prices were $970 a troy ounce it was a difficult price but it’s coming down. The gold prices are passed on to the consumer, and because of the high prices there has been a 50 per cent decline in (purchase of) plain gold jewellery. However, our diamond jewellery has seen 28 per cent growth in this quarter.
While the Tanishq brand is twice the size of Titan, the margins are still low … do you intend to correct that?
Correction is a gradual process, we can’t transform the market from plain gold to diamond jewellery, margins are better now. We are investing in diamond jewellery growth; our return on capital (ROC) is very high at 60 per cent; in watches and jewellery ROC is the same and the potential is much bigger.
What about your other businesses, in precision components manufacturing and eyewear?
In precision components we have an order book far higher than last year; we will cover this year’s target. It’s small still — Rs 56 crore out of Rs 3,000 crore; this year it will be about Rs 85-100 crore. We should have been about Rs 225 crore, by now but we are two years behind because of the processes in that industry. We are supplying to the aero space and automation business; word has to spread since it’s an industry application, we need to have feet on the street and tell people that we can deliver solutions. It’s not yet making money. In eyewear we will be about Rs 50 crore this year. We have 20 stores and should have 80 stores or so by the year end.
While you seem to have a watch for every segment how come Titan is not looking at the kids’ segment?
We are exploring, we had a brand called Dash; at that time it was still not making money but potential for sale was there and that window was not going to close. Not that someone could come and dominate the market. We postponed it but now people are willing to spend a decent amount on kids — this year will see a kids’ brand.
Would you look at tapping clients from outside for your design studio, to leverage your design strengths?
We could, but frankly speaking, our effort even today is to be able to bring out exceptionally good designs for the Titan stable and deliver it on time. However, the opportunity is there to go out. You won’t see it happen this year, perhaps next year or the year after.
Would you say that Titan today is rightly poised to take advantage of changing demographics?
Completely ... if there is any company that can take advantage of that it is Titan. We have a youth brand, we will soon have a children’s brand, we are in the mass market with Sonata, we have a women’s-only brand in Raga, mid-market with Titan and high-end Xylys, and we are fantastically distributed. We appeal to the Indian habit or Indian way of dealing with products providing them very good after sales-service. The importance of this is not known, this is a below-the-watermark kind of advantage — other brands don’t have the access points such as Titan. We don’t gyp people or cream the market.
You feel the foreign challenge will be restricted only to the top end?
I think so. You see, no one wants to come into the Titan space. It’s too difficult to emulate the Titan network and the width of offering — it’s very tough. Below Titan the margins don’t afford, above Titan it makes sense. Between Sonata and Titan we dominate in the Rs 1,000 to Rs 10,000 watches market.
You already retail licensed brands such as Tommy and Hugo Boss. Any more in the pipeline?
We may bring in a couple more — that’s to complement our range — pure play retail, buy and sell. It’s doing very well for us. We don’t have space in the store, so we may have only a few more. We don’t want to be unfair to the brands. We have been talking to Lacoste, D&G, but nothing is finalised. Not a clear yes yet.
Looking at your numbers you have shown strong revenue growth despite costs going up...?
It’s our access and brand strength. Despite inflation if you look at the individual customers they are so widely spread — if we were present only in the cities perhaps we would have got hit more. We are in 60 towns and jewellery is so intrinsic to our culture that during festivals people will buy. While jewellery contributes 70 per cent to revenues profits are almost equal between watches and jewellery.
What would you say are Titan’s strengths and weaknesses, and what are the opportunities you can look at?
Our strength today is our combination of owned brands and retail; we earn profits on account of being in the retail space which is booming but we are doing it our way because we own our brands, so we get the benefit of both. And, we manufacture our own products so we get a manufacturing margin which retailers don’t. We are highly risk diversified, even in our distribution the business model is of franchising and as a company too we are in multiple businesses.
I would say our balance sheet is a weakness. Opportunities are huge. While we are an India-centric company, and that is a strength, it is also a weakness as we are not sufficiently globalised. Our success in a way is a threat; we dominate the market, the number two brand is minuscule so we are likely to get complacent. The other problem is that we attract competition; people look at the extraordinary multiple that Titan is getting and see our margins, and everybody wants to get into the act. The moment we get into eyewear everyone wants to get into the business. Overall our biggest strength is our extraordinarily committed people and their talent
Mktg - The TITAN way
It couldn’t be more typical than this for Monday-morning blahs. It’s 10 a.m. and traffic on the (now old) Airport Road in Bangalore is bumper-to-bumper. Looking at the time on your watch — Titan, of course — you wonder fiercel y whoever said traffic would be less now that Bangalore has got its spanking new airport on the city’s edge. After what seems like eternity one manages to rattle into Golden Enclave where watch-to-jewellery maker Titan Industries’ corporate office is located.
Away from the hurly-burly of the traffic, and ushered into Titan’s Design Studio you find Titan’s Business Head of Design, Revathi Kant, calmly exultant. And why wouldn’t she be? Two of Titan’s top designers, Neil Foley and Abhijit Bansod, have just bagged the Future Group-BusinessWorld-National Institute of Design award for best designs in the lifestyle category for their Titan Aviator and Heritage collections. And, Bansod has also been named designer of the year to boot as was Foley last year. A recognition of the avant garde design that Titan has been putting out in the market of late. Declares Kant, “It’s been a rediscovery of design at Titan; while design has always been Titan’s forte what we have done now is to bring design far more on to centrestage, more strategic and with a lot more of discipline and consistency.”
If in the early part of this decade, Titan, still recovering from a Rs 119-crore loss in its European business appeared to be dormant with hardly any cutting-edge design to show, in the past few years the company has put the zing back in, manifest in its artfully designed watch collections.
With a 20-member-strong team of designers, NID- and NIFT-trained, Titan’s core idea in watches is to create collections. Whether it’s the 10-watch Aviator series, created by Foley, which takes off, literally, on the World War II planes, or Bansod’s Heritage, inspired by the architectural splendour of India or the recent chunky Octane series which resembles the dashboard of a racing car, elaborate stories are woven around these collections into which customers buy. As Harish Bhat, Chief Operating Officer (Watches), says, “One of the key routes for watches to grow is really to get people interested in owning multiple watches. And if I have to do so, each of the watches has to look different and design has to do that. Buying a watch is no longer about a time-keeping device. Today, a watch is very much a lifestyle statement and you are buying a story more than the product itself. The story becomes more interesting if you are buying into the intellectual property behind the watch and there again the design element becomes the key.”
This trend of consumers’ buy-in into the story behind a brand, says Bhat, is not just in watches but across categories, whether they are apparel or other lifestyle products. With this insight gleaned, last year Titan launched 15 collections, with 10-12 cases in each, with a number of variations, and this year too could see around the same number, which, as Revathi Kant points out, could translate into 800 watches at least.
While Titan already straddles most segments of the Indian watch market — Sonata for the economy segment, Fastrack for youth (recording for the third year in succession an annual growth of over 50 per cent), the Titan brand for the mid-segment and the Swiss-made, Titan-branded Xylys at the top end, along with Nebula, Raga for women — like the tag line Be More in its recent ad campaign, Titan plans more offerings in the market. This year will see it revisit the market for kids’ watches, while it also plans an eco-friendly solar watch and at the top end, automatic winding watches, keeping with the trend the Swiss brand watches have established. And, right at the lowest end a recent launch has been that of Sonata Super Fibre – plastic watches to be sold in the price band of Rs 275 to Rs 550. Sourced from Hong Kong, China and Taiwan, these watches will take on cheap imports and spurious quality watches from China. The SF watches are a combination of analogue and digital watches and target the youth segment in the age group of 16-20 years. In trendy and sporty designs they would be available across 12,000 watch outlets and non-traditional chains. Titan expects to sell four lakh SF watches this year.
The Indian watch market is estimated at 42 million watches (60 per cent of this unorganized) in fiscal 2007-08 which registered in value terms a growth of 12 per cent. It is estimated that 55 global brands of watches are being marketed in the country. However, as Ajoy Chawla, Business Head (Titan & Retail), points out, in the bread-and-butter price segment of Rs 2,000 to Rs 10,000 it is Titan which dominates with a 74 per cent market share through its multiple brands. Driven by a strong brand-product and retail strategy, Titan, says Chawla, has been growing at 22 per cent, higher than the market growth of approximately 15 per cent. Its World of Titan outlets too are being scaled up from 245 to at least 300 by year end with larger flagship stores too planned to showcase the whole watches range.
Indeed Titan had its best ever year financially in 2007-08 where sales income stood at Rs 3,041 crore (Rs 2,136 crore in 2006-07) and profit after taxes (PAT) at Rs 158.29 crore (Rs 94.33 crore). In 2001-02 it had registered sales of Rs 725 crore and PAT of Rs 13.09 crore, pretty much at its nadir.
As a former senior executive of the company points out, in the early part of the decade, the losses in Europe prevented investments in the Titan watch brand, putting it in a somnolent mood. Added to it were the losses from the jewellery business (launched in 1996) which finally broke even only in 2004. Also, Titan was dependent on its own factory production. However, with trading allowed now, almost 25 per cent of its watches sold are sourced globally and all this has helped boost Titan’s financials. Also, fresh investments in the higher-margin watches business helped the brand bounce back. “Titan has been able to build an unassailable position with its retail distribution. However, an inability to grow the watch market could be a threat as the younger generation has to perceive watches as a fashion accessory where you are competing with a lot of other devices and brands,” he says. And, the other danger for Titan is consumers looking to make a fashion and lifestyle statement with a global brand.
Nikhil Vora, Managing Director, of IDFC-SSKI Securities, in a report published after the FY 2008 results, says he remains positive on the Titan business model of piggybacking on the lifestyle boom as well as its strong brand franchise. “However, our concern stems from the soaring gold prices and the volatility.” The lower-margin jewellery business growing ahead of the watches business and accounting for two-thirds of overall revenues is a matter of concern for the company, says Vora, as it would adversely impact the margin profile of the overall business as indeed the returns profile. However trite it may sound, in this case, time will tell.
Away from the hurly-burly of the traffic, and ushered into Titan’s Design Studio you find Titan’s Business Head of Design, Revathi Kant, calmly exultant. And why wouldn’t she be? Two of Titan’s top designers, Neil Foley and Abhijit Bansod, have just bagged the Future Group-BusinessWorld-National Institute of Design award for best designs in the lifestyle category for their Titan Aviator and Heritage collections. And, Bansod has also been named designer of the year to boot as was Foley last year. A recognition of the avant garde design that Titan has been putting out in the market of late. Declares Kant, “It’s been a rediscovery of design at Titan; while design has always been Titan’s forte what we have done now is to bring design far more on to centrestage, more strategic and with a lot more of discipline and consistency.”
If in the early part of this decade, Titan, still recovering from a Rs 119-crore loss in its European business appeared to be dormant with hardly any cutting-edge design to show, in the past few years the company has put the zing back in, manifest in its artfully designed watch collections.
With a 20-member-strong team of designers, NID- and NIFT-trained, Titan’s core idea in watches is to create collections. Whether it’s the 10-watch Aviator series, created by Foley, which takes off, literally, on the World War II planes, or Bansod’s Heritage, inspired by the architectural splendour of India or the recent chunky Octane series which resembles the dashboard of a racing car, elaborate stories are woven around these collections into which customers buy. As Harish Bhat, Chief Operating Officer (Watches), says, “One of the key routes for watches to grow is really to get people interested in owning multiple watches. And if I have to do so, each of the watches has to look different and design has to do that. Buying a watch is no longer about a time-keeping device. Today, a watch is very much a lifestyle statement and you are buying a story more than the product itself. The story becomes more interesting if you are buying into the intellectual property behind the watch and there again the design element becomes the key.”
This trend of consumers’ buy-in into the story behind a brand, says Bhat, is not just in watches but across categories, whether they are apparel or other lifestyle products. With this insight gleaned, last year Titan launched 15 collections, with 10-12 cases in each, with a number of variations, and this year too could see around the same number, which, as Revathi Kant points out, could translate into 800 watches at least.
While Titan already straddles most segments of the Indian watch market — Sonata for the economy segment, Fastrack for youth (recording for the third year in succession an annual growth of over 50 per cent), the Titan brand for the mid-segment and the Swiss-made, Titan-branded Xylys at the top end, along with Nebula, Raga for women — like the tag line Be More in its recent ad campaign, Titan plans more offerings in the market. This year will see it revisit the market for kids’ watches, while it also plans an eco-friendly solar watch and at the top end, automatic winding watches, keeping with the trend the Swiss brand watches have established. And, right at the lowest end a recent launch has been that of Sonata Super Fibre – plastic watches to be sold in the price band of Rs 275 to Rs 550. Sourced from Hong Kong, China and Taiwan, these watches will take on cheap imports and spurious quality watches from China. The SF watches are a combination of analogue and digital watches and target the youth segment in the age group of 16-20 years. In trendy and sporty designs they would be available across 12,000 watch outlets and non-traditional chains. Titan expects to sell four lakh SF watches this year.
The Indian watch market is estimated at 42 million watches (60 per cent of this unorganized) in fiscal 2007-08 which registered in value terms a growth of 12 per cent. It is estimated that 55 global brands of watches are being marketed in the country. However, as Ajoy Chawla, Business Head (Titan & Retail), points out, in the bread-and-butter price segment of Rs 2,000 to Rs 10,000 it is Titan which dominates with a 74 per cent market share through its multiple brands. Driven by a strong brand-product and retail strategy, Titan, says Chawla, has been growing at 22 per cent, higher than the market growth of approximately 15 per cent. Its World of Titan outlets too are being scaled up from 245 to at least 300 by year end with larger flagship stores too planned to showcase the whole watches range.
Indeed Titan had its best ever year financially in 2007-08 where sales income stood at Rs 3,041 crore (Rs 2,136 crore in 2006-07) and profit after taxes (PAT) at Rs 158.29 crore (Rs 94.33 crore). In 2001-02 it had registered sales of Rs 725 crore and PAT of Rs 13.09 crore, pretty much at its nadir.
As a former senior executive of the company points out, in the early part of the decade, the losses in Europe prevented investments in the Titan watch brand, putting it in a somnolent mood. Added to it were the losses from the jewellery business (launched in 1996) which finally broke even only in 2004. Also, Titan was dependent on its own factory production. However, with trading allowed now, almost 25 per cent of its watches sold are sourced globally and all this has helped boost Titan’s financials. Also, fresh investments in the higher-margin watches business helped the brand bounce back. “Titan has been able to build an unassailable position with its retail distribution. However, an inability to grow the watch market could be a threat as the younger generation has to perceive watches as a fashion accessory where you are competing with a lot of other devices and brands,” he says. And, the other danger for Titan is consumers looking to make a fashion and lifestyle statement with a global brand.
Nikhil Vora, Managing Director, of IDFC-SSKI Securities, in a report published after the FY 2008 results, says he remains positive on the Titan business model of piggybacking on the lifestyle boom as well as its strong brand franchise. “However, our concern stems from the soaring gold prices and the volatility.” The lower-margin jewellery business growing ahead of the watches business and accounting for two-thirds of overall revenues is a matter of concern for the company, says Vora, as it would adversely impact the margin profile of the overall business as indeed the returns profile. However trite it may sound, in this case, time will tell.
Mktg - Olympics & Omega
Sport is linked with great emotions. It appeals to a huge variety of human feelings: determination, pride, joy, hope, disappointment and sometimes anger. With all these attributes, it conveys an incredibly dynamic message. The Olympic Games reflect the message of brand Omega: speed and precision, endurance and performance.” This is exactly what Nicholas Hayek; President of the Swatch Group said in Great Olympic Moments in Time, a book which is devoted to the master watchmaker’s close ties with sport and the Olympic Movement.
Olympics is the time when various nations come together despite their differences — to celebrate the spirit of sport. While sport is the primary focus, it has evolved into an interesting ground for intense marketing. One of the reasons that sport is so influential in our society is probably because it is one of the best illustrations of human potential. That is enough reason why global corporations are betting big on what’s being called the biggest Olympics to date.
In 1932, Omega was appointed Official Timekeeper for the first time at the Olympic Games at Los Angeles, a position that it will hold until and including the 2012 Olympics in London. For 75 years, the Swiss watch industry has been entrusted with this role. In an interview with BrandLine, Christophe Berthaud, CEO, Swiss Timekeeping, lists the plans of the brand for the Beijing Olympics.
Excerpts from the interview:
Omega has been involved with Olympics since 1932. Can you brief me on what the brand has done so far? Can you tell us more about the brand’s link with sport and why Omega associates itself so much with sport?
At the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, we will be serving as Official Timekeeper for the 23rd time. In 1932, in Los Angeles, Omega became the first company ever to be entrusted with the timekeeping for every Olympic sport.
To see how Olympic timekeeping has evolved, it’s interesting take note of the 30 chronograph stopwatches and the lone watchmaker we deployed then. This time around, our 450 professional timekeepers and data handlers will be supported by more than a 1,000 trained local volunteers. They’ll be using some 420 tonnes of equipment including the scoreboards and sophisticated timekeeping equipment.
Omega’s relationship with sport is a natural one: our timekeeping activities are not limited to the Olympic Games. We are involved in some of the most high-profile sporting events in the world each year and we have been behind the development of much of the technology used in sports timekeeping. The fact that so many of our brand ambassadors come from the world of sport is logical given the role that Omega plays in international competition.
Has Omega made some innovations with time-keeping this time? Can you please elaborate on the same?
We have unveiled the newest generation of our famous photofinish camera — the Scan’O’Vision Star — that takes more than 2,000 images each second with a high resolution 2048 pixel vertical line, and the corresponding time is displayed with each picture.
Omega will be using global positioning system (GPS) technology to monitor and display the relative positions of the competitors in rowing as well as in canoeing and sailing events.
A range of new, refined virtual television services will be used. Virtual graphics adapted specifically for the needs of athletics, swimming, rowing/canoeing and sailing will allow a broad array of information to be provided on-screen.
Three-dimensional track introductions will make it possible to have virtual introductions to the tracks and courses used in marathon, cycling events, sailing, the triathlon and cross-country equestrian events.
The GPS signals provided to TV broadcasters will allow viewers to visualise the location of competitors in real time while a contest is taking place.
The fact that the Olympics is taking place in Beijing has had some implications for the design of the scoreboards being used there. The scores, results and announcements will be displayed not only in English, but in Chinese. This will ensure that the locals are fully informed in their own language of the results of every event.
How is the strategy different this time around?
In terms of our timekeeping, the strategy is consistent: to deliver the best possible performance to the International Olympic Committee and to the greatest athletes in the world. We intend to deliver flawless timekeeping and data handling and we will do everything in our power to help our Chinese hosts fulfil their desire to make these among the best Olympic games of all time. The Olympic Games are rare in that they bring together almost all nations in the world. We are proud to be able to contribute to this communication.
Tell us more about the advertising and marketing undertaken to promote the Olympics series watches.
Our Olympic Limited Edition watches were released on certain countdown dates leading up to the Olympic Games, starting one year in advance of the opening ceremony and continuing on 288 days, 188 days and 88 days before the start of the games, reflecting the fact that the number 8 is seen as fortuitous in China (the Opening Ceremony was held on 08/08/08). These watches have been extensively promoted at our flagship stores around the world. They will also be available at our boutique in the Omega pavilion in Beijing.
We also have the Timeless collection of Olympic-themed chronographs which have some special Olympic details. This collection also includes the Speedmaster 5-Counters, the first watch ever to feature five sub-dials on its dial; these are positioned in the shape of the Olympic rings. Again, these chronographs have enjoyed excellent press coverage and are promoted at the Omega boutiques and retailers.
We have two television commercials in worldwide distribution, which include images of one of the watches from the Timeless Collection.
Can you elaborate more on the Beijing Olympic deal?
While we don’t communicate the details of our professional deals, we are happy to say that we have signed a long-term contract with the IOC, which means we will be extending our Olympic timekeeping activities to the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games and the London 2012 Olympic Games.
How is it different to sell to brand-conscious Chinese? What are the challenges involved?
Omega has been present in China since 1895 and we have enjoyed substantial popularity there for many years. Their brand consciousness is an advantage for us because brand awareness of Omega is high and our values are well-known: we are a 160-year-old company built on the foundations of innovative technology and design excellence.
Olympics is the time when various nations come together despite their differences — to celebrate the spirit of sport. While sport is the primary focus, it has evolved into an interesting ground for intense marketing. One of the reasons that sport is so influential in our society is probably because it is one of the best illustrations of human potential. That is enough reason why global corporations are betting big on what’s being called the biggest Olympics to date.
In 1932, Omega was appointed Official Timekeeper for the first time at the Olympic Games at Los Angeles, a position that it will hold until and including the 2012 Olympics in London. For 75 years, the Swiss watch industry has been entrusted with this role. In an interview with BrandLine, Christophe Berthaud, CEO, Swiss Timekeeping, lists the plans of the brand for the Beijing Olympics.
Excerpts from the interview:
Omega has been involved with Olympics since 1932. Can you brief me on what the brand has done so far? Can you tell us more about the brand’s link with sport and why Omega associates itself so much with sport?
At the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, we will be serving as Official Timekeeper for the 23rd time. In 1932, in Los Angeles, Omega became the first company ever to be entrusted with the timekeeping for every Olympic sport.
To see how Olympic timekeeping has evolved, it’s interesting take note of the 30 chronograph stopwatches and the lone watchmaker we deployed then. This time around, our 450 professional timekeepers and data handlers will be supported by more than a 1,000 trained local volunteers. They’ll be using some 420 tonnes of equipment including the scoreboards and sophisticated timekeeping equipment.
Omega’s relationship with sport is a natural one: our timekeeping activities are not limited to the Olympic Games. We are involved in some of the most high-profile sporting events in the world each year and we have been behind the development of much of the technology used in sports timekeeping. The fact that so many of our brand ambassadors come from the world of sport is logical given the role that Omega plays in international competition.
Has Omega made some innovations with time-keeping this time? Can you please elaborate on the same?
We have unveiled the newest generation of our famous photofinish camera — the Scan’O’Vision Star — that takes more than 2,000 images each second with a high resolution 2048 pixel vertical line, and the corresponding time is displayed with each picture.
Omega will be using global positioning system (GPS) technology to monitor and display the relative positions of the competitors in rowing as well as in canoeing and sailing events.
A range of new, refined virtual television services will be used. Virtual graphics adapted specifically for the needs of athletics, swimming, rowing/canoeing and sailing will allow a broad array of information to be provided on-screen.
Three-dimensional track introductions will make it possible to have virtual introductions to the tracks and courses used in marathon, cycling events, sailing, the triathlon and cross-country equestrian events.
The GPS signals provided to TV broadcasters will allow viewers to visualise the location of competitors in real time while a contest is taking place.
The fact that the Olympics is taking place in Beijing has had some implications for the design of the scoreboards being used there. The scores, results and announcements will be displayed not only in English, but in Chinese. This will ensure that the locals are fully informed in their own language of the results of every event.
How is the strategy different this time around?
In terms of our timekeeping, the strategy is consistent: to deliver the best possible performance to the International Olympic Committee and to the greatest athletes in the world. We intend to deliver flawless timekeeping and data handling and we will do everything in our power to help our Chinese hosts fulfil their desire to make these among the best Olympic games of all time. The Olympic Games are rare in that they bring together almost all nations in the world. We are proud to be able to contribute to this communication.
Tell us more about the advertising and marketing undertaken to promote the Olympics series watches.
Our Olympic Limited Edition watches were released on certain countdown dates leading up to the Olympic Games, starting one year in advance of the opening ceremony and continuing on 288 days, 188 days and 88 days before the start of the games, reflecting the fact that the number 8 is seen as fortuitous in China (the Opening Ceremony was held on 08/08/08). These watches have been extensively promoted at our flagship stores around the world. They will also be available at our boutique in the Omega pavilion in Beijing.
We also have the Timeless collection of Olympic-themed chronographs which have some special Olympic details. This collection also includes the Speedmaster 5-Counters, the first watch ever to feature five sub-dials on its dial; these are positioned in the shape of the Olympic rings. Again, these chronographs have enjoyed excellent press coverage and are promoted at the Omega boutiques and retailers.
We have two television commercials in worldwide distribution, which include images of one of the watches from the Timeless Collection.
Can you elaborate more on the Beijing Olympic deal?
While we don’t communicate the details of our professional deals, we are happy to say that we have signed a long-term contract with the IOC, which means we will be extending our Olympic timekeeping activities to the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games and the London 2012 Olympic Games.
How is it different to sell to brand-conscious Chinese? What are the challenges involved?
Omega has been present in China since 1895 and we have enjoyed substantial popularity there for many years. Their brand consciousness is an advantage for us because brand awareness of Omega is high and our values are well-known: we are a 160-year-old company built on the foundations of innovative technology and design excellence.
Mktg - Coca-cola's environmental champions film doc premieres in Beijing
MUMBAI: The personal stories and achievements of seven environmental champion torchbearers selected by Coca-Cola for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay are the subject of a new documentary film which premieres today in Beijing.
The movie makes its debut inside the Coca-Cola Shuang Experience Center within the Olympic Green complex of sports and media venues.
The worldwide presentation by Coca-Cola of this year’s Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay focused primarily on environmental sustainability and the roles people can play in improving the quality of life in their communities.
To help underscore the message of environmental stewardship – and recognise those who are dedicated to pursuing positive change – Coca-Cola selected local environmental champions to join the ranks of all the torchbearers the Company chose around the world to carry the Olympic Flame.
Individual vignettes profiling seven of the Coca-Cola environmental champions were shot and edited by student filmmakers from the torchbearers’ respective parts of the world.
The environmental champions' documentary film project is among several environmental programmes by Coca-Cola for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. In one area, all the coolers and vending machines provided by Coca-Cola for Olympic Games venues – more than 5,600 climate-friendly, "eKOfresh" units – feature a natural refrigerant that is free of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), as well as proprietary technology that improves energy efficiency by up to 35 per cent.
This commitment alone the beverage conglomerate states will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 4,000 metric tons – the equivalent of taking more than 19,000 cars off the road for two weeks.
Other environmental initiatives by Coca-Cola for the Olympic Games include the presentation to all 2008 Olympians of Coca-Cola T-shirts made from a blend of cotton and recycled PET plastic bottles, to demonstrate the high value of PET bottles and how they can be turned into desirable products.
All 2008 paralympians are being provided unique Coca-Cola visors also produced using recycled Pet. In addition, all bottles collected from the Olympic venues will be recycled. Meanwhile, Coca-Cola is supporting Beijing’s efforts to improve the city’s air quality by operating a "clean fleet" of electric- or human-powered delivery vehicles for Olympic venues.
Coca-Cola president and CEO Muhtar Kent says, "The Olympic Games provide a great platform to demonstrate the Coca-Cola system’s commitment to sustainability and help raise global awareness about the importance of environmental stewardship.
"These seven ambassadors of sustainability are distinguished representatives of all the environmental champions selected by Coca-Cola to be part of the Olympic Torch Relay. Their environmental accomplishments weave together to tell a powerful, inspiring story of how individuals can make a difference"
Coca-Cola tapped into its worldwide system to identify local student filmmakers who could creatively capture the personal stories and environmental work of the seven torchbearers. Their vignettes were edited into the final documentary by film students from Georgia State University (GSU), in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
The 2008 voyage of the Olympic Flame marked the sixth time that Coca-Cola has served as a Presenting Partner of the Olympic Torch Relay and the eighth time since 1992 that the Company has been formally involved with the event.
The movie makes its debut inside the Coca-Cola Shuang Experience Center within the Olympic Green complex of sports and media venues.
The worldwide presentation by Coca-Cola of this year’s Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay focused primarily on environmental sustainability and the roles people can play in improving the quality of life in their communities.
To help underscore the message of environmental stewardship – and recognise those who are dedicated to pursuing positive change – Coca-Cola selected local environmental champions to join the ranks of all the torchbearers the Company chose around the world to carry the Olympic Flame.
Individual vignettes profiling seven of the Coca-Cola environmental champions were shot and edited by student filmmakers from the torchbearers’ respective parts of the world.
The environmental champions' documentary film project is among several environmental programmes by Coca-Cola for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. In one area, all the coolers and vending machines provided by Coca-Cola for Olympic Games venues – more than 5,600 climate-friendly, "eKOfresh" units – feature a natural refrigerant that is free of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), as well as proprietary technology that improves energy efficiency by up to 35 per cent.
This commitment alone the beverage conglomerate states will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 4,000 metric tons – the equivalent of taking more than 19,000 cars off the road for two weeks.
Other environmental initiatives by Coca-Cola for the Olympic Games include the presentation to all 2008 Olympians of Coca-Cola T-shirts made from a blend of cotton and recycled PET plastic bottles, to demonstrate the high value of PET bottles and how they can be turned into desirable products.
All 2008 paralympians are being provided unique Coca-Cola visors also produced using recycled Pet. In addition, all bottles collected from the Olympic venues will be recycled. Meanwhile, Coca-Cola is supporting Beijing’s efforts to improve the city’s air quality by operating a "clean fleet" of electric- or human-powered delivery vehicles for Olympic venues.
Coca-Cola president and CEO Muhtar Kent says, "The Olympic Games provide a great platform to demonstrate the Coca-Cola system’s commitment to sustainability and help raise global awareness about the importance of environmental stewardship.
"These seven ambassadors of sustainability are distinguished representatives of all the environmental champions selected by Coca-Cola to be part of the Olympic Torch Relay. Their environmental accomplishments weave together to tell a powerful, inspiring story of how individuals can make a difference"
Coca-Cola tapped into its worldwide system to identify local student filmmakers who could creatively capture the personal stories and environmental work of the seven torchbearers. Their vignettes were edited into the final documentary by film students from Georgia State University (GSU), in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
The 2008 voyage of the Olympic Flame marked the sixth time that Coca-Cola has served as a Presenting Partner of the Olympic Torch Relay and the eighth time since 1992 that the Company has been formally involved with the event.
World - Shock & Awe ( Beijing Olympics)
You don’t have to take it from me. You can bet on it. Nobody, visiting China for the 2008 summer Olympics and coming in through Beijing International Airport’s staggering new Terminal 3, would be thinking of 1989 and Tiananmen Square. In fact, after touch down, it’s unlikely people would be in a thinking frame of mind at all. They would simply be staring around in awe and admiration as they take in the stunning beauty of what’s indisputably the largest airport building in the world as well as its most modern.
It’s like stepping into a new planet. Not my words. One Western traveller wrote this in a recent blog, adding that, by comparison, London’s Heathrow looks like “a landing strip for Catholic fanatics”.
The New York Times said the same thing in a July 13 report on Beijing’s new architecture: “If Westerners feel dazed and confused upon exiting the plane at the new international airport terminal here, it’s understandable. It’s not just the grandeur of the space. It’s the inescapable feeling that you’re passing through a portal to another world, one whose fierce embrace of change has left Western nations in the dust.” Mark the last words.
The Chinese are clever and they have guessed right. It’s the first impression that matters and airports, being a visitor’s first point of contact with a new country, help build that impression. Shaped like a stretched-out dragon, with a sweeping aerodynamic roof that allows in natural sunlight throughout the day, the $3-billion airport, designed by famous British architect Sir Norman Foster, is a perfect introduction to a greater marvel that awaits visitors in the city, a Beijing that has totally re-invented itself and is unrecognisable from even eight years ago.
As Time magazine wrote in a recent issue: “Beijing today is a vibrant, increasingly confident metropolis of nearly 20 million people, the powered leader of a national social and cultural transformation that is developing hand in hand with China’s amazing economic boom.”
These are glowing words, and quite a play. Suddenly, China appears to the world, despite Bush, in a dramatic new image wherein its past failures are no longer more important than its current successes. In this respect alone, the $60-billion the government has sunk into transforming Beijing in the last seven years to prime it up for the Olympics will be viewed as an investment worth its while. The purpose was to change people’s perception of the country, to project it as a modern, forward-looking nation matching a vibrant, dynamic economy, and to portray a people who make things happen and take pride in what they achieve.
That purpose has been eminently achieved.
But, in my opinion, Beijing’s amazing rebirth also reflects something more fundamental and important: The will of a government to change and improve things, to stand up against status quo and to leave no stone unturned to achieve meaningful, harmonious, and sustainable growth. The Olympics haven’t been to the government just a sporting event, to be handled by a particular sporting authority, but a national cause as pertinent as preparing a national development plan, rallying the highest authorities behind the effort.
Some observers think what China has done to rebuild Beijing in less than seven years is comparable to what went into the building of the Great Wall about 2,500 years ago. That may be an exaggeration, but only just a little. The Bird’s Nest, the Terminal 3, the Water Cube, the extraordinary new CCTV Headquarters, and the Opera House in Tiananmen Square will be cited as examples of China’s post-modernist future long after the Games are over. And the physical infrastructure built around these architectural landmarks will continue to influence Beijing’s urban lifestyle for years to come.
Remember this: The length of Beijing’s expressways and ring roads has tripled from 216 km in 2002 to over 700 km by this year, directly linking every satellite town in metropolitan Beijing. Nine toll expressways link Beijing to its suburbs, outlying regions and other cities. Three new subway lines have been built especially with the Olympics in mind, creating an eight-line network that now boasts a total length of 200 km. Thus, in one go, Beijing has become a good example of what a modern, livable city should be like. Surely, not all the bad air has been shooed out of Beijing, but a truly massive effort has gone into clearing it up. Polluting factories have been shut down or removed and extensive new plantings of trees have given Beijing a face much greener than ever before.
For me, though, there’s another aspect to Beijing’s Olympic legacy. It poses for us a test as we push our own plans to rebuild Delhi ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
People will be comparing. We better remember that.
It’s like stepping into a new planet. Not my words. One Western traveller wrote this in a recent blog, adding that, by comparison, London’s Heathrow looks like “a landing strip for Catholic fanatics”.
The New York Times said the same thing in a July 13 report on Beijing’s new architecture: “If Westerners feel dazed and confused upon exiting the plane at the new international airport terminal here, it’s understandable. It’s not just the grandeur of the space. It’s the inescapable feeling that you’re passing through a portal to another world, one whose fierce embrace of change has left Western nations in the dust.” Mark the last words.
The Chinese are clever and they have guessed right. It’s the first impression that matters and airports, being a visitor’s first point of contact with a new country, help build that impression. Shaped like a stretched-out dragon, with a sweeping aerodynamic roof that allows in natural sunlight throughout the day, the $3-billion airport, designed by famous British architect Sir Norman Foster, is a perfect introduction to a greater marvel that awaits visitors in the city, a Beijing that has totally re-invented itself and is unrecognisable from even eight years ago.
As Time magazine wrote in a recent issue: “Beijing today is a vibrant, increasingly confident metropolis of nearly 20 million people, the powered leader of a national social and cultural transformation that is developing hand in hand with China’s amazing economic boom.”
These are glowing words, and quite a play. Suddenly, China appears to the world, despite Bush, in a dramatic new image wherein its past failures are no longer more important than its current successes. In this respect alone, the $60-billion the government has sunk into transforming Beijing in the last seven years to prime it up for the Olympics will be viewed as an investment worth its while. The purpose was to change people’s perception of the country, to project it as a modern, forward-looking nation matching a vibrant, dynamic economy, and to portray a people who make things happen and take pride in what they achieve.
That purpose has been eminently achieved.
But, in my opinion, Beijing’s amazing rebirth also reflects something more fundamental and important: The will of a government to change and improve things, to stand up against status quo and to leave no stone unturned to achieve meaningful, harmonious, and sustainable growth. The Olympics haven’t been to the government just a sporting event, to be handled by a particular sporting authority, but a national cause as pertinent as preparing a national development plan, rallying the highest authorities behind the effort.
Some observers think what China has done to rebuild Beijing in less than seven years is comparable to what went into the building of the Great Wall about 2,500 years ago. That may be an exaggeration, but only just a little. The Bird’s Nest, the Terminal 3, the Water Cube, the extraordinary new CCTV Headquarters, and the Opera House in Tiananmen Square will be cited as examples of China’s post-modernist future long after the Games are over. And the physical infrastructure built around these architectural landmarks will continue to influence Beijing’s urban lifestyle for years to come.
Remember this: The length of Beijing’s expressways and ring roads has tripled from 216 km in 2002 to over 700 km by this year, directly linking every satellite town in metropolitan Beijing. Nine toll expressways link Beijing to its suburbs, outlying regions and other cities. Three new subway lines have been built especially with the Olympics in mind, creating an eight-line network that now boasts a total length of 200 km. Thus, in one go, Beijing has become a good example of what a modern, livable city should be like. Surely, not all the bad air has been shooed out of Beijing, but a truly massive effort has gone into clearing it up. Polluting factories have been shut down or removed and extensive new plantings of trees have given Beijing a face much greener than ever before.
For me, though, there’s another aspect to Beijing’s Olympic legacy. It poses for us a test as we push our own plans to rebuild Delhi ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
People will be comparing. We better remember that.
India - Triple Punch for Economy
The world economy enjoyed an exceptionally strong (and wholly unexpected) boom in the period 2002-2007 with global growth averaging about 5 percent a year. It was no coincidence that India’s record five-year growth at nearly 9 percent a year occurred in 2003/4-2007/8. If anyone needed further proof of the wisdom of India’s “opening up to the world” policies of the 1990s and beyond, it would be hard to find a stronger vindication. While domestic factors (such as surging savings/investment, a services boom and the cumulative effects of earlier reforms) probably played the dominant role in driving India’s growth acceleration, the benign international environment of strong trade expansion and burgeoning cross-border flows of capital and technology undoubtedly played a significant part. But globalization cannot be a bed of roses. There are bound to be some thorns. When the world economy runs into rough weather, participant countries can expect some pain. In 2008, the combination of the global credit crunch and the steep rise in international commodity prices (especially oil) has dealt India a triple punch: through plummeting stock prices, an unprecedented spurt in inflation and slower growth.
The blow to equity prices came first, beginning January 2008. A potent brew of souring global equity markets and a reassessment (by investors) of the oil-import-dependent Indian economy sent the Sensex tumbling down 40 percent from the inflated levels of mid-January. The second big punch landed in March 2008, as soaring prices of oil, food (especially edible oils) and metals transformed a “comfortable” inflation rate of around 5 percent to an extremely painful 12 percent rate in four short months. This has been the sharpest rise in headline inflation experienced by the country since Independence. It may also have been the least anticipated. Basically, the global economy has delivered a terms-of-trade shock to which the Indian economy and policies have to adjust. Some of the price shock may correct over time as the global commodity price boom subsides. But it is unlikely that international oil prices will revert below $80/bbl or that fertilizer prices will return to pre-2008 levels. The enduring part of the price shock poses significant challenges to fiscal, monetary, price and exchange rate policies as part of the necessary adjustment to permanently elevated relative prices of key commodities. It also implies an inevitable, though hopefully temporary, decline in the country’s growth rate.
The third punch, to economic growth, has not yet been fully delivered. Yes, the commodity price shock has already begun to take its toll of growth momentum. But that’s only part of the blow to growth. In fact, the price surge was a byproduct of the strong global boom. What has yet to hit India is the full weight of the post-boom slowdown in the global economy. This point may not be adequately appreciated in India for three reasons. First, there is a belief that the “sub-prime” related global credit crunch is now past its worst point and financial market recovery is under way. Second, despite the global deceleration, India’s exports grew at a healthy 22 percent (in dollars) in April-June 2008. So where’s the worry? Third, surely the penalty in the form of slower growth is already accounted for in the various downward-revised growth projections for the Indian economy in 2008/9? For example, the RBI has trimmed its projection to 8 percent; CRISIL has reduced its forecast down to 7.8 percent (from an earlier 8.5 percent); NCAER has dropped it to 7.8 percent (from its earlier 8.5-8.8 percent range) and JP Morgan to 7.0 percent (from 7.5 percent). Some of these projections look quite optimistic now that data for industrial production shows growth of only 5.2 percent in the April-June quarter of 2008, compared to 10.3 percent in the previous year. Besides, it’s 2009/10 that I would worry about more, for reasons outlined below.
To elaborate on the first point, every passing quarter suggests that the severity of the financial market problems (that emerged a year ago) and their adverse impact on national output in the US and Europe is likely to be greater than originally expected. As former US Treasury Secretary, Lawrence Summers puts it (Financial Times, August 7, 2008) : “There is growing consensus that the west is facing the most serious financial crisis since the second world war…Four vicious cycles are simultaneously under way: falling asset prices are forcing levered holders to sell, driving prices further down; losses at financial institutions are reducing their ability to finance investment, which in turn reduces asset values, causing further losses; the weakness of the financial system is reducing growth, which in turn weakens the financial system; and falling output is hitting employment, which in turn reduces demand for output.” Summers estimates that “the American economy is operating between 2 and 2.5 percent below its sustainable potential level.” Worse, he expects further slowing of US growth could lead to a near doubling of this gap in the next year or so. Recent reports indicate that growth in Europe and Japan is also slowing more than earlier expected. Asia’s trade-dependent economies will undoubtedly suffer from this slowdown in US-Europe-Japan. India’s growth cannot be immune to these developments, no matter what the recent export data show (which are any way inflated by petroleum exports from a couple of private refineries).
So, the world economy’s punch to Indian growth has not yet landed with full force. It will have done so by 2009. Add to that the other growth-retarding factors that are in play already, including: the higher interest rates from tightened monetary policy (perhaps the July measures were excessive?) and much higher government borrowing because of huge subsidies on oil, fertilizer and food; the likely decline in savings and investment in 2008/9 (see my piece in BS June 26, 2008); the negative effects of four years of “pause” in economic reforms; the downturn in the business cycle in industry; and the over-reliance on monetary policy to cope with the recent terms of trade shock. All things considered, it should not be a surprise if India’s economic growth dips below 7 percent in 2009/10. Of course, much will depend on the uncertain trajectory of international oil prices.
The author is Honorary Professor at ICRIER and former Chief Economic Adviser to the Government of India. Views expressed are personal
The blow to equity prices came first, beginning January 2008. A potent brew of souring global equity markets and a reassessment (by investors) of the oil-import-dependent Indian economy sent the Sensex tumbling down 40 percent from the inflated levels of mid-January. The second big punch landed in March 2008, as soaring prices of oil, food (especially edible oils) and metals transformed a “comfortable” inflation rate of around 5 percent to an extremely painful 12 percent rate in four short months. This has been the sharpest rise in headline inflation experienced by the country since Independence. It may also have been the least anticipated. Basically, the global economy has delivered a terms-of-trade shock to which the Indian economy and policies have to adjust. Some of the price shock may correct over time as the global commodity price boom subsides. But it is unlikely that international oil prices will revert below $80/bbl or that fertilizer prices will return to pre-2008 levels. The enduring part of the price shock poses significant challenges to fiscal, monetary, price and exchange rate policies as part of the necessary adjustment to permanently elevated relative prices of key commodities. It also implies an inevitable, though hopefully temporary, decline in the country’s growth rate.
The third punch, to economic growth, has not yet been fully delivered. Yes, the commodity price shock has already begun to take its toll of growth momentum. But that’s only part of the blow to growth. In fact, the price surge was a byproduct of the strong global boom. What has yet to hit India is the full weight of the post-boom slowdown in the global economy. This point may not be adequately appreciated in India for three reasons. First, there is a belief that the “sub-prime” related global credit crunch is now past its worst point and financial market recovery is under way. Second, despite the global deceleration, India’s exports grew at a healthy 22 percent (in dollars) in April-June 2008. So where’s the worry? Third, surely the penalty in the form of slower growth is already accounted for in the various downward-revised growth projections for the Indian economy in 2008/9? For example, the RBI has trimmed its projection to 8 percent; CRISIL has reduced its forecast down to 7.8 percent (from an earlier 8.5 percent); NCAER has dropped it to 7.8 percent (from its earlier 8.5-8.8 percent range) and JP Morgan to 7.0 percent (from 7.5 percent). Some of these projections look quite optimistic now that data for industrial production shows growth of only 5.2 percent in the April-June quarter of 2008, compared to 10.3 percent in the previous year. Besides, it’s 2009/10 that I would worry about more, for reasons outlined below.
To elaborate on the first point, every passing quarter suggests that the severity of the financial market problems (that emerged a year ago) and their adverse impact on national output in the US and Europe is likely to be greater than originally expected. As former US Treasury Secretary, Lawrence Summers puts it (Financial Times, August 7, 2008) : “There is growing consensus that the west is facing the most serious financial crisis since the second world war…Four vicious cycles are simultaneously under way: falling asset prices are forcing levered holders to sell, driving prices further down; losses at financial institutions are reducing their ability to finance investment, which in turn reduces asset values, causing further losses; the weakness of the financial system is reducing growth, which in turn weakens the financial system; and falling output is hitting employment, which in turn reduces demand for output.” Summers estimates that “the American economy is operating between 2 and 2.5 percent below its sustainable potential level.” Worse, he expects further slowing of US growth could lead to a near doubling of this gap in the next year or so. Recent reports indicate that growth in Europe and Japan is also slowing more than earlier expected. Asia’s trade-dependent economies will undoubtedly suffer from this slowdown in US-Europe-Japan. India’s growth cannot be immune to these developments, no matter what the recent export data show (which are any way inflated by petroleum exports from a couple of private refineries).
So, the world economy’s punch to Indian growth has not yet landed with full force. It will have done so by 2009. Add to that the other growth-retarding factors that are in play already, including: the higher interest rates from tightened monetary policy (perhaps the July measures were excessive?) and much higher government borrowing because of huge subsidies on oil, fertilizer and food; the likely decline in savings and investment in 2008/9 (see my piece in BS June 26, 2008); the negative effects of four years of “pause” in economic reforms; the downturn in the business cycle in industry; and the over-reliance on monetary policy to cope with the recent terms of trade shock. All things considered, it should not be a surprise if India’s economic growth dips below 7 percent in 2009/10. Of course, much will depend on the uncertain trajectory of international oil prices.
The author is Honorary Professor at ICRIER and former Chief Economic Adviser to the Government of India. Views expressed are personal
Mktg - Visa & Phelps go for Gold
NEW YORK Visa broke a new commercial in its "Go world" campaign yesterday, commemorating Michael Phelps' historic performance at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
The commercial celebrates the athlete's record-breaking achievement of winning the most career Olympic gold medals, 11. The ad continues the sepia-toned treatment of Visa's ongoing Olympics campaign from TBWA\Chiat\Day, which began running in May. Images of Phelps in competition are featured as Morgan Freeman's narration explains that the athlete has competed against the past, against the history books, but "most of all, he's competed against himself. Congratulations Michael for having won more gold medals than anybody. Ever." The spot ends with the image of Phelps, celebrating the U.S. team's gold medal performance in the 4 x 100 meter freestyle relay.
"Michael Phelps truly embodies the spirit of our 'Go world' campaign that celebrates memorable Olympic moments and the extraordinary athletes who achieve them," said Kevin Burke, head of consumer marketing at Visa. "We congratulate Michael on this momentous achievement and wish him the best as he continues his march towards Olympic history."
Visa has been a worldwide Olympic partner for more than two decades. During the 2004 Summer Games in Athens, Greece, the company ran an ad showing Phelps swimming from Greece to the Statue of Liberty.
Watch the Campaign Here
http://usa.visa.com/microsites/goworld/?ep=v_sym_goworld
The commercial celebrates the athlete's record-breaking achievement of winning the most career Olympic gold medals, 11. The ad continues the sepia-toned treatment of Visa's ongoing Olympics campaign from TBWA\Chiat\Day, which began running in May. Images of Phelps in competition are featured as Morgan Freeman's narration explains that the athlete has competed against the past, against the history books, but "most of all, he's competed against himself. Congratulations Michael for having won more gold medals than anybody. Ever." The spot ends with the image of Phelps, celebrating the U.S. team's gold medal performance in the 4 x 100 meter freestyle relay.
"Michael Phelps truly embodies the spirit of our 'Go world' campaign that celebrates memorable Olympic moments and the extraordinary athletes who achieve them," said Kevin Burke, head of consumer marketing at Visa. "We congratulate Michael on this momentous achievement and wish him the best as he continues his march towards Olympic history."
Visa has been a worldwide Olympic partner for more than two decades. During the 2004 Summer Games in Athens, Greece, the company ran an ad showing Phelps swimming from Greece to the Statue of Liberty.
Watch the Campaign Here
http://usa.visa.com/microsites/goworld/?ep=v_sym_goworld
World - Advertisement promoting Islam in Newyork
Advertisements promoting Islam will be placed in New York City subway cars for one month beginning in September. Victoria Cavaliere reports from VOA's New York Bureau that the organizers of the ad campaign say they hope the ads will clarify some misunderstandings about the Muslim religion.
The subway ad campaign, sponsored by the Islamic Circle of North America, will roll out on September 15 in 1,000 subway cars through out New York City's subway system.
The ads are simple and graphic, using phrases about Islam, such as "Head Scarf" or "Islam?" The ads then direct riders to a website or to a telephone hotline to obtain more information about Islam.
Azeem Khan, the Assistant Secretary General of the Islamic Circle of North America, said the promotional campaign was timed to coincide with the holy month of Ramadan. He said the idea is to begin a dialogue with Americans about the Islamic religion.
"Hopefully it will erase some of the stereotypes and misconceptions about Islam. It will give people an avenue to reach someone. Everyone doesn't have a Muslim neighbor or Muslim co-worker or Muslim friend,even. So for those individuals especially they will find an opportunity
to speak to a real life Muslim who will represent their faith better than anyone else," he said.
Even before its debut, the ad campaign has met with some controversy because one of its sponsors, Brooklyn imam Siraj Wahhaj, was a character witness for convicted 1993 World Trade Center bombing mastermind Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman. One New York lawmaker, U.S Representative Peter King,has urged New York's Metropolitan Transit Authority to reject the ads.
Azeem dismisses criticism of the imam, who was the first Muslim to lead a prayer before the U.S. House of Representatives. "He's not controversial to the Muslim community or to anyone who knows him. He came out of the 60's era. He's one of the foremost leaders of Muslims in America. Anyone who knows about the work he's done in Brooklyn, cleaning up the area of Bedford-Stuyvesant, which is a very rough neighborhood. He got the drug dealers out of there, he increased economic viability. So all these accusations that are out there against him are totally false," he said.
The Islamic Circle of North America is paying $48,000 for the month-long promotion. The group said a second promotional campaign is in the works.
The subway ad campaign, sponsored by the Islamic Circle of North America, will roll out on September 15 in 1,000 subway cars through out New York City's subway system.
The ads are simple and graphic, using phrases about Islam, such as "Head Scarf" or "Islam?" The ads then direct riders to a website or to a telephone hotline to obtain more information about Islam.
Azeem Khan, the Assistant Secretary General of the Islamic Circle of North America, said the promotional campaign was timed to coincide with the holy month of Ramadan. He said the idea is to begin a dialogue with Americans about the Islamic religion.
"Hopefully it will erase some of the stereotypes and misconceptions about Islam. It will give people an avenue to reach someone. Everyone doesn't have a Muslim neighbor or Muslim co-worker or Muslim friend,even. So for those individuals especially they will find an opportunity
to speak to a real life Muslim who will represent their faith better than anyone else," he said.
Even before its debut, the ad campaign has met with some controversy because one of its sponsors, Brooklyn imam Siraj Wahhaj, was a character witness for convicted 1993 World Trade Center bombing mastermind Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman. One New York lawmaker, U.S Representative Peter King,has urged New York's Metropolitan Transit Authority to reject the ads.
Azeem dismisses criticism of the imam, who was the first Muslim to lead a prayer before the U.S. House of Representatives. "He's not controversial to the Muslim community or to anyone who knows him. He came out of the 60's era. He's one of the foremost leaders of Muslims in America. Anyone who knows about the work he's done in Brooklyn, cleaning up the area of Bedford-Stuyvesant, which is a very rough neighborhood. He got the drug dealers out of there, he increased economic viability. So all these accusations that are out there against him are totally false," he said.
The Islamic Circle of North America is paying $48,000 for the month-long promotion. The group said a second promotional campaign is in the works.
Business - Digital cinema is IN
Digital cinema has finally arrived in Bollywood. The technological revolution has also brought in a revolution in the way films are distributed and exhibited in Bollywood and nowhere is this shift — away from the old theatres and old technology — more visible than in the collection figures . Bollywood has earned 40 per cent of its revenue from these digital screens between March 2007 and August 2008.
The number of prints of recent hits that has been released in the digital theatres — over and above the prints released in non-digital format — gives another indication of the direction in which things are heading.
“Amitabh Bachchan’s Sarkar Raj released in 372 digital theatres all over the country, Shah Rukh’s Om Shanti Om on 384 digital screens and Akshay Kumar’s Singh Is Kinng in 415 such theatres,’’ Sanjay Gaikwad of UFO Moviez said
The trend remained the same for the other big releases like Love Story-2050 and Welcome; the first released in 320 and the latter in 392 digital theatres.
“It has paved a new path for the century-old film business. The large number of digital screens all across the country gives an extra opportunity to our fantasy-loving janata to catch a film’s very first show throughout India,’’ he added.
What he leaves unsaid is that the industry is also loving it. These digital releases are over and above the normal quota of non-digital releases and give collections a huge boost.
Money plays a large role in Bollywood’s eagerness to release films on multiple (digital) screens.
Trade guru Amod Mehra explained: “Producers today are keen on releasing their film in the digital format with a pan-India release because they can cash in on the initial hype. The digital format is advantageous to the producers and distributors as they are sometimes able to recover the cost in the first week itself, irrespective of how the film fares later. Singh Is Kingg, for instance, has earned something to the tune of Rs 59.5 crore in the first weekend itself; and 40 per cent of this revenue has come from the 415 digital theatres.’’
Digital cinema also helped Om Shanti Om earn Rs 48 crore over the first weekend. And Welcome earned Rs 44 crore over the same period when it was released.
Trade insiders say the biggest grossers of 2007, like Heyy Babyy, OSO and Welcome, managed their numbers because of the unyielding advantage that digital cinemas gave.
Being able to release in around 300 theatres in A, B and C centres simultaneously along with the X number of non-digital prints gave them an unbeatable lead. Heyy Baby, like OSO and Welcome, released in 340 digital theatres. Siddharth Roy Kapur of UTV agreed that the digital cinema had proved to be a boon for the film industry . “It has other advantages,’’ he said.
“By going digital, for instance, we save on the print cost and so our earnings from digital theatres start being counted from the first rupee that comes through the door,’’ he explained
Kapur also added that most upmarket single theatres had been digitalised in even B and C centres. So they, too, can beam movies on the first day just like A centres.
The technology The analog version (called prints) comes in reels and has to be ‘interpreted’ by a movie projector. Cinemas stored on digital format are kept in a CD; it is encrypted with a secret code and played back by a digital/computer projector.
The convenience
Reels are bulkier and occupy more space; they have to be physically moved from the film laboratory to the theatres. But there is no physical lugging involved in the digital format and it eliminates the cost of making prints.
How’s 2K different from 1.3K?
Resolution in digital films is measured in terms of picture elements or pixels. The specification of the RESOLUTION is determined by pixels in the horizontal direction multiplied by pixels in the vertical direction.
The 2K STANDARD calls for a resolution of 2048 pixels multiplied by 1080 pixels.
The number of prints of recent hits that has been released in the digital theatres — over and above the prints released in non-digital format — gives another indication of the direction in which things are heading.
“Amitabh Bachchan’s Sarkar Raj released in 372 digital theatres all over the country, Shah Rukh’s Om Shanti Om on 384 digital screens and Akshay Kumar’s Singh Is Kinng in 415 such theatres,’’ Sanjay Gaikwad of UFO Moviez said
The trend remained the same for the other big releases like Love Story-2050 and Welcome; the first released in 320 and the latter in 392 digital theatres.
“It has paved a new path for the century-old film business. The large number of digital screens all across the country gives an extra opportunity to our fantasy-loving janata to catch a film’s very first show throughout India,’’ he added.
What he leaves unsaid is that the industry is also loving it. These digital releases are over and above the normal quota of non-digital releases and give collections a huge boost.
Money plays a large role in Bollywood’s eagerness to release films on multiple (digital) screens.
Trade guru Amod Mehra explained: “Producers today are keen on releasing their film in the digital format with a pan-India release because they can cash in on the initial hype. The digital format is advantageous to the producers and distributors as they are sometimes able to recover the cost in the first week itself, irrespective of how the film fares later. Singh Is Kingg, for instance, has earned something to the tune of Rs 59.5 crore in the first weekend itself; and 40 per cent of this revenue has come from the 415 digital theatres.’’
Digital cinema also helped Om Shanti Om earn Rs 48 crore over the first weekend. And Welcome earned Rs 44 crore over the same period when it was released.
Trade insiders say the biggest grossers of 2007, like Heyy Babyy, OSO and Welcome, managed their numbers because of the unyielding advantage that digital cinemas gave.
Being able to release in around 300 theatres in A, B and C centres simultaneously along with the X number of non-digital prints gave them an unbeatable lead. Heyy Baby, like OSO and Welcome, released in 340 digital theatres. Siddharth Roy Kapur of UTV agreed that the digital cinema had proved to be a boon for the film industry . “It has other advantages,’’ he said.
“By going digital, for instance, we save on the print cost and so our earnings from digital theatres start being counted from the first rupee that comes through the door,’’ he explained
Kapur also added that most upmarket single theatres had been digitalised in even B and C centres. So they, too, can beam movies on the first day just like A centres.
The technology The analog version (called prints) comes in reels and has to be ‘interpreted’ by a movie projector. Cinemas stored on digital format are kept in a CD; it is encrypted with a secret code and played back by a digital/computer projector.
The convenience
Reels are bulkier and occupy more space; they have to be physically moved from the film laboratory to the theatres. But there is no physical lugging involved in the digital format and it eliminates the cost of making prints.
How’s 2K different from 1.3K?
Resolution in digital films is measured in terms of picture elements or pixels. The specification of the RESOLUTION is determined by pixels in the horizontal direction multiplied by pixels in the vertical direction.
The 2K STANDARD calls for a resolution of 2048 pixels multiplied by 1080 pixels.
India - Now IIMs to announce CAT scores by sms,email
AHMEDABAD: For any Common Admission Test (CAT) applicant, more than the months of preparation, what seemed longer were the few hours that they had to spend in front of a computer, waiting for scores. But the candidates for CAT 2008 to be conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) in November will not have to wait at all as their score will be announced by a beep.
For the first time, the IIMs will be making the CAT scores available on SMS and e-mail.
The option of seeing the score on the website and receiving a formal letter from the institute still exists, but
the SMS and email will help the candidates learn of their scores sooner.
The institute will close the selling of application forms on Thursday and the test will be conducted on November 16. The CAT results will be declared on January 9, 2009. It is expected that over two lakhs candidates will take the test this year.
"We realised that the candidates had to wait for hours before they could get through their roll numbers to see the scores. We had put this on a trial run in CAT 2007 as well and got a very good response. So we decided to introduce this in the CAT bulletin," said Satish Deodhar, the faculty incharge of Post Graduate Programme Admissions.
Deodhar said,"At the time of results, our official website is literally stocked with not only the candidates but their friends, family and coaching centres, trying to get a chance to view the score. The rush makes the website slower and thus we are also in the process of revamping the website so it can take the load better."
For the first time, the IIMs will be making the CAT scores available on SMS and e-mail.
The option of seeing the score on the website and receiving a formal letter from the institute still exists, but
the SMS and email will help the candidates learn of their scores sooner.
The institute will close the selling of application forms on Thursday and the test will be conducted on November 16. The CAT results will be declared on January 9, 2009. It is expected that over two lakhs candidates will take the test this year.
"We realised that the candidates had to wait for hours before they could get through their roll numbers to see the scores. We had put this on a trial run in CAT 2007 as well and got a very good response. So we decided to introduce this in the CAT bulletin," said Satish Deodhar, the faculty incharge of Post Graduate Programme Admissions.
Deodhar said,"At the time of results, our official website is literally stocked with not only the candidates but their friends, family and coaching centres, trying to get a chance to view the score. The rush makes the website slower and thus we are also in the process of revamping the website so it can take the load better."
LIfestyle - Indian vacationers opting for cheaper International holidays
New Delhi: Mahera Sham, 27, a Mumbai homemaker, doesn’t like the rains. She loves beaches and would rather holiday in a place where she can explore the outdoors.
So, taking advantage of the much-awaited long weekend around the corner, thanks to Independence Day falling on a Friday, Sham and her businessman-husband, joined by another couple, will head out to the Indonesian island resort of Bali for a six-day break.
“We already have a good three-day weekend and will add another three days for our trip,” said Sham, who organized the trip through a travel agency. “We looked at Kerala but in India it’s raining everywhere.”
The couple will spend about Rs1.3 lakh on their Bali trip, a few thousands more than the luxury resort they checked out in Kerala. “We don’t mind spending a few extra bucks if we can see an international destination,” said Sham.
For travel companies such as Kuoni Travel India (Pvt) Ltd, its unit SOTC and STIC Travel Group, extended weekend getaways to foreign shores are proving to be a lucrative and expanding business.
South-East Asia is attracting short-duration vacationers because of low air fares and inexpensive hotels; in India, increased fuel prices have forced domestic airlines to raise fares, making travel more expensive.
In Bangkok, a room in a three-star hotel is available for $50 (about Rs2,122) a night, while in India it could cost as much as $125-$150 a night, according to Ashwini Kakkar, executive vice-chairman at Mercury Travels Ltd.
A Kolkata-Bangkok return ticket would cost around Rs7,000 but a Delhi-Goa return flight would cost around Rs20,000. “Last year, Mumbai to Goa was Rs3,000 and this year it costs around Rs10,000. Why would one pay so much and travel in India when you can see a foreign location with less money?” Kakkar adds.
Ajay K. Jain, a corporate lawyer practising at the Supreme Court, is heading to Singapore on work and his family will join him there to spend the long weekend “just relaxing and sleeping”.
“We chose Singapore because of its cost effectiveness and the fact that hotel charges are much more reasonable there than in India,” he said. “Five-star hotels in India are frightfully expensive and two- and three-star hotels don’t have the security and the hygiene one expects.”
At Kuoni, bookings for weekend travel have grown by 25-30% over last year and destinations such as Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Bangkok and Mauritius are becoming more competitive and priced at par with domestic locations.
Short flights and easy visa procedures contribute to the popularity of such international destinations, said Sunil Gupta, chief operating officer at Kuoni Holidays and SOTC.
Extended weekend vacations are becoming a “year-round movement” as people try to get away from the stress brought by work pressure, says Richa Goyal Sikri, director, group business development, at STIC Travel Group. “Around 15% of our business is from weekend getaway customers as compared to only 5% last year,” she said. “We see this particular segment growing at least another 15-20% next year if not more.”
So, taking advantage of the much-awaited long weekend around the corner, thanks to Independence Day falling on a Friday, Sham and her businessman-husband, joined by another couple, will head out to the Indonesian island resort of Bali for a six-day break.
“We already have a good three-day weekend and will add another three days for our trip,” said Sham, who organized the trip through a travel agency. “We looked at Kerala but in India it’s raining everywhere.”
The couple will spend about Rs1.3 lakh on their Bali trip, a few thousands more than the luxury resort they checked out in Kerala. “We don’t mind spending a few extra bucks if we can see an international destination,” said Sham.
For travel companies such as Kuoni Travel India (Pvt) Ltd, its unit SOTC and STIC Travel Group, extended weekend getaways to foreign shores are proving to be a lucrative and expanding business.
South-East Asia is attracting short-duration vacationers because of low air fares and inexpensive hotels; in India, increased fuel prices have forced domestic airlines to raise fares, making travel more expensive.
In Bangkok, a room in a three-star hotel is available for $50 (about Rs2,122) a night, while in India it could cost as much as $125-$150 a night, according to Ashwini Kakkar, executive vice-chairman at Mercury Travels Ltd.
A Kolkata-Bangkok return ticket would cost around Rs7,000 but a Delhi-Goa return flight would cost around Rs20,000. “Last year, Mumbai to Goa was Rs3,000 and this year it costs around Rs10,000. Why would one pay so much and travel in India when you can see a foreign location with less money?” Kakkar adds.
Ajay K. Jain, a corporate lawyer practising at the Supreme Court, is heading to Singapore on work and his family will join him there to spend the long weekend “just relaxing and sleeping”.
“We chose Singapore because of its cost effectiveness and the fact that hotel charges are much more reasonable there than in India,” he said. “Five-star hotels in India are frightfully expensive and two- and three-star hotels don’t have the security and the hygiene one expects.”
At Kuoni, bookings for weekend travel have grown by 25-30% over last year and destinations such as Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Bangkok and Mauritius are becoming more competitive and priced at par with domestic locations.
Short flights and easy visa procedures contribute to the popularity of such international destinations, said Sunil Gupta, chief operating officer at Kuoni Holidays and SOTC.
Extended weekend vacations are becoming a “year-round movement” as people try to get away from the stress brought by work pressure, says Richa Goyal Sikri, director, group business development, at STIC Travel Group. “Around 15% of our business is from weekend getaway customers as compared to only 5% last year,” she said. “We see this particular segment growing at least another 15-20% next year if not more.”
Mktg - Nielsen,Mediamark research and intelligence in partnership
MUMBAI: Nielsen Mobile, a service of US media research company Nielsen and Mediamark Research and Intelligence (MRI) have announced that they will launch Mobile-MRI, an integrated database of consumers' mobile and offline media usage that will allow mobile media companies and advertisers to better target audiences with their mobile campaigns.
The new tool will offer behavioural, psychographic, demographic and product usage information on mobile users, providing marketers with more options for customer analysis. The companies will link respondent-level information from their two separate, well-respected media tracking services to create a single database.
Mobile-MRI will link data from Nielsen Mobile's industry-leading Mobile Media Marketplace with corresponding data points from MRI's Survey of the American Consumer. Using representative panels of mobile users, Nielsen's Mobile Media Marketplace collects and reports consumer mobile usage, audience sizes and composition across all mobile media vehicles, including messaging, mobile internet, mobile video, games, ringtones, music, mobile applications etc.
MRI's survey provides data on magazine and newspaper reading, television viewing, radio listening, product consumption, psychographic characteristics, computer and Internet access configurations, and geodemographic characteristics. Together, the data will provide a comprehensive understanding of mobile media consumers' lifestyle and behavior.
"Mobile advertising is in its early stages with effective targetting being the key to unlocking mobile ROI. MRI and Nielsen Mobile will deliver a complete view of the mobile consumer, creating the industry's first holistic mobile audience targeting tool," said Nielsen Mobile Media VP Kanishka Agarwal.
"This new partnership will enable media planners to obtain a greater understanding of where they can find specific consumer target audiences on mobile," said MRI president and CEO Kathi Love.
Love informed that in light of MRI's two-year-old collaboration with Nielsen Online and the impending deal with Nielsen Mobile, MRI recently terminated its relationship with M:Metrics to measure mobile media audiences. In May 2008, M:Metrics was acquired by comScore, a competitor of Nielsen.
The new tool will offer behavioural, psychographic, demographic and product usage information on mobile users, providing marketers with more options for customer analysis. The companies will link respondent-level information from their two separate, well-respected media tracking services to create a single database.
Mobile-MRI will link data from Nielsen Mobile's industry-leading Mobile Media Marketplace with corresponding data points from MRI's Survey of the American Consumer. Using representative panels of mobile users, Nielsen's Mobile Media Marketplace collects and reports consumer mobile usage, audience sizes and composition across all mobile media vehicles, including messaging, mobile internet, mobile video, games, ringtones, music, mobile applications etc.
MRI's survey provides data on magazine and newspaper reading, television viewing, radio listening, product consumption, psychographic characteristics, computer and Internet access configurations, and geodemographic characteristics. Together, the data will provide a comprehensive understanding of mobile media consumers' lifestyle and behavior.
"Mobile advertising is in its early stages with effective targetting being the key to unlocking mobile ROI. MRI and Nielsen Mobile will deliver a complete view of the mobile consumer, creating the industry's first holistic mobile audience targeting tool," said Nielsen Mobile Media VP Kanishka Agarwal.
"This new partnership will enable media planners to obtain a greater understanding of where they can find specific consumer target audiences on mobile," said MRI president and CEO Kathi Love.
Love informed that in light of MRI's two-year-old collaboration with Nielsen Online and the impending deal with Nielsen Mobile, MRI recently terminated its relationship with M:Metrics to measure mobile media audiences. In May 2008, M:Metrics was acquired by comScore, a competitor of Nielsen.
Mktg - GE & brandbuilding initiatives at Beijing
MUMBAI: At the ongoing Olympic Games in Beijing, General Electric (GE) has been working around the clock to make sure all 37 official Beijing Olympic venues have a variety of essentials, power and lighting being key among them.
But this isn’t the company’s first time around the block. GE director of PR Deirdre Latour says, “It is a great opportunity for us to build our brand around the world in key cities like Beijing, Vancouver and London. And the values of the Games align with the values of GE.”
One of GE’s strategies is to provide environmentally advanced technologies to the Games from cleaner energy generation and water purification to efficient lighting technology.
And they are doing that by providing water recycling technologies to the National Stadium as well as supplying more than 100 wind turbines to wind farms north of Beijing, which will supply energy to the Olympic central area.
On-site, GE is showcasing its innovative technology via its Imagination Centre. The 1,500 square-metre pavilion allows visitors to see first-hand the pioneering solutions GE created in order to help Beijing host the largest, most technologically advanced Olympic Games to date.
Latour adds, “The Imagination Centre brings to life GE’s sponsorship of the Beijing Games. It showcases our innovative technologies like wind, water and lighting that have contributed to building the infrastructure of all 37 venues and 168 commercial buildings around Beijing.”
The two-storey building features an outdoor waterfall and interactive tour and is located in the Sponsor Village on the Olympic Green. It is open daily to the public till 24 August. After the Games, the Centre will be moved and installed in the lobby of the new GE-China headquarters in Shanghai
But this isn’t the company’s first time around the block. GE director of PR Deirdre Latour says, “It is a great opportunity for us to build our brand around the world in key cities like Beijing, Vancouver and London. And the values of the Games align with the values of GE.”
One of GE’s strategies is to provide environmentally advanced technologies to the Games from cleaner energy generation and water purification to efficient lighting technology.
And they are doing that by providing water recycling technologies to the National Stadium as well as supplying more than 100 wind turbines to wind farms north of Beijing, which will supply energy to the Olympic central area.
On-site, GE is showcasing its innovative technology via its Imagination Centre. The 1,500 square-metre pavilion allows visitors to see first-hand the pioneering solutions GE created in order to help Beijing host the largest, most technologically advanced Olympic Games to date.
Latour adds, “The Imagination Centre brings to life GE’s sponsorship of the Beijing Games. It showcases our innovative technologies like wind, water and lighting that have contributed to building the infrastructure of all 37 venues and 168 commercial buildings around Beijing.”
The two-storey building features an outdoor waterfall and interactive tour and is located in the Sponsor Village on the Olympic Green. It is open daily to the public till 24 August. After the Games, the Centre will be moved and installed in the lobby of the new GE-China headquarters in Shanghai
Mktg - HUL partners with Disney for Packaging Initiative
In a strategic move, FMCG major Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) is partnering with Disney to design packaging strategy for its flagship brand ‘Kissan Jam’ in the processed foods sector. In a bid to woo kids, HUL is using Disney characters such as King Louis, Mougli and Sher Khan on the packaging of its new launch, an ‘easy-to-squeeze’ tube called “Kissan Jam Squeezee”. Incidentally, HUL’s arrangement with Disney is only for the Indian market place. Meanwhile, HUL’s arch rival ITC Foods is planning to launch its brand ‘Kitchens of India Fruit Conserves’ in easy-to-squeeze tubes to pump up volumes. At present, ITC‘s portfolio includes six variants of fruit conserves.
On the company’s new packaging initiative, Siddhartha Singh, category head, processed foods, HUL said: “Our consumer research showed that involving kids in the process of preparing food would encourage them to eat it. The format of having jams in a tube is based on this insight. The launch strengthens the Kissan brand promise to “help moms feed good wholesome food to kids.”
According to Singh, HUL’s new launch is being partnered with Disney. “The packaging is colorful and has the favorite Disney characters such as Baloo and Sher Khan. The partnership with Disney will also be leveraged in bringing interesting marketing initiatives to promote the launch,” he added. HUL’s new launch will be available in both general and modern trade outlets across the country. The packaging and identity has been designed by “DCell” and the advertising has been created by Lowe India.
Increasingly, Indian FMCG majors are opting for packaging initiatives that feature famous cartoon characters to lure kids, according to industry analysts. ”Recognising the pester power of kids, many FMCG majors now opt for innovative packaging designs that feature cartoon characters,” said an analyst based in Mumbai. According to HUL, the company has used similar marketing approach of using popular characters in other categories too.“For example, our oral category recently used Barbie, Pokemon and Superman characters in their packaging for Pepsodent toothpaste for kids,” explained a spokesperson from HUL.
On the company’s new packaging initiative, Siddhartha Singh, category head, processed foods, HUL said: “Our consumer research showed that involving kids in the process of preparing food would encourage them to eat it. The format of having jams in a tube is based on this insight. The launch strengthens the Kissan brand promise to “help moms feed good wholesome food to kids.”
According to Singh, HUL’s new launch is being partnered with Disney. “The packaging is colorful and has the favorite Disney characters such as Baloo and Sher Khan. The partnership with Disney will also be leveraged in bringing interesting marketing initiatives to promote the launch,” he added. HUL’s new launch will be available in both general and modern trade outlets across the country. The packaging and identity has been designed by “DCell” and the advertising has been created by Lowe India.
Increasingly, Indian FMCG majors are opting for packaging initiatives that feature famous cartoon characters to lure kids, according to industry analysts. ”Recognising the pester power of kids, many FMCG majors now opt for innovative packaging designs that feature cartoon characters,” said an analyst based in Mumbai. According to HUL, the company has used similar marketing approach of using popular characters in other categories too.“For example, our oral category recently used Barbie, Pokemon and Superman characters in their packaging for Pepsodent toothpaste for kids,” explained a spokesperson from HUL.
Entertainment - Discovery brings home Global Dream Hotels
KOLKATA: Lifestyle channel Discovery Travel and Living will air a series 'Dream Hotels' in five continents from August 21, with an aim to cater to the Indian trourists' forndness for luxury, a top company official said.
The series, covering 55 hotels spread across the globe including heritage, would take the viewers on a tour of choicest destinations like Manhattan, Barcelona, Rome, Lisbon, Amsterdam, Bangkok, Udaipur, Marrakech, Cairo and Mozambique.
The hotels will be of diferent types safari, ski resort and romantic getaways, said Director (Marketing and Communications) Discovery networks (India) Rajiv Bakshi.
Discovery Travel and Living is a channel from Discovery Networks India, which also run Animal Planet and Discovery Channel and is part of the non-fiction media firm Discovery Comminications.
Three Indian hotels that have made it to the list of 55, are Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur, a symbol of royalty, Rambagh Palace in Jaipur and the luxurious Devigarh nestled in the Aravalli hills.
The series, covering 55 hotels spread across the globe including heritage, would take the viewers on a tour of choicest destinations like Manhattan, Barcelona, Rome, Lisbon, Amsterdam, Bangkok, Udaipur, Marrakech, Cairo and Mozambique.
The hotels will be of diferent types safari, ski resort and romantic getaways, said Director (Marketing and Communications) Discovery networks (India) Rajiv Bakshi.
Discovery Travel and Living is a channel from Discovery Networks India, which also run Animal Planet and Discovery Channel and is part of the non-fiction media firm Discovery Comminications.
Three Indian hotels that have made it to the list of 55, are Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur, a symbol of royalty, Rambagh Palace in Jaipur and the luxurious Devigarh nestled in the Aravalli hills.
World - Fall in Oil prices come with a warning
It is too soon to call an end to the oil price crisis that has engulfed global energy markets in the past year, the West’s oil watchdog warned on Tuesday. World oil prices, which have fallen by more than $30 a barrel since the July peak, touched a three-month low with the International Energy Agency reporting that global supplies would be more than adequate to meet a slightly-higher-than-expected increase in demand next year. However, the IEA was cautious about whether the market had now reached a turning point. “We would hesitate before automatically extrapolating the recent price trend,” said the organization.
Within hours of the release of the IEA’s sober assessment, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said U.S. demand had fallen by 8,00,000 barrels a day in the first half of the year, the largest decline for 26 years. It blamed slower economic growth and higher petrol prices. The EIA also cut its forecast for U.S. oil demand for the third quarter, but revised it upwards for the final three months of the year.
The Paris-based IEA earlier said its “all other things being equal” forecast suggested easing fundamentals and potentially higher stocks of crude in the months to come. But it warned that such a scenario was threatened by a number of factors; disruption to supplies from Nigeria and Azerbaijan, storms hitting the Gulf of Mexico and potential delays to projects in Brazil, Canada and Russia.
The threat posed by geo-political unrest to world oil supplies was underlined on Tuesday, when BP closed the Baku-Supsa gas pipeline which leads to the Georgian port of Supsa because of the conflict between Georgia and Russia. Last week, the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline, which runs close to Georgia’s capital Tbilisi towards the Turkish port of Ceyhan, was shut down because of an explosion unrelated to the conflict. Kurdish separatists claimed responsibility.
The IEA said political problems could hold up Iraqi and Russian supply growth and that while the OECD demand could prove weaker than expected, inventories remained “worryingly flat” and demand from non-OECD countries, not least from China and the Middle East, could prove higher than expected. “Add in ever-changing sentiment over Iran, and it looks too early to cite definitively a sea change in the market.” The IEA said it expected global demand for oil products in 2008 to be virtually unchanged at 86.9 million barrels a day and slightly higher at 87.8 million barrels for 2009, on demand from outside the OECD area.
OPEC’s effective spare capacity was about 1.5 million barrels a day, the IEA said, but should rise later this year and into next. At one point on Tuesday, U.S. crude price hit its lowest level since May, at $112.48 a barrel. It then recovered to $116 but subsequently fell back to $113. Back in July, it reached a peak of more than $147.
“Demand for OPEC oil is going to be lower than its production capacity, so the market is looking forward to seeing an inventory build,” said Olivier Jakob at the trading advisory company, Petromatrix. The latest figures from the U.S. showed a surprise fall in the trade deficit with a $6 billion drop in non-oil imports offsetting higher energy costs.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez said the lower-than-expected deficit could prompt the department to raise the second-quarter economic growth from its initial estimate of 1.9 per cent. “It’s a very strong month for exports,” Mr. Gutierrez said. “The growth is coming from Brazil, it’s coming from Russia, it’s coming from India, it’s coming from the Middle East ... It’s very broad-based.”
The dollar rose against the euro on news that the trade gap narrowed in June, but was then hit by profit taking. Kurt Karl, chief U.S. economist at Swiss Re in New York, said the better-than-expected figures “will support growth going into the third quarter.” However, he noted that the narrowing trade deficit was more evidence that the U.S. economy could be in a recession, because it showed consumers were buying less.
The falling oil price has brought some relief to U.S. motorists with the price of a gallon of fuel falling below $4 (88 cents per litre) for the first time since late May. The regular Lundberg survey of filling stations found that the average cost of unleaded petrol had fallen by 15 cents over two weeks to $3.85. High prices have been causing soul-searching in car-dependent parts of America.
In some areas, employers have allowed staff to compress their workload into intensive four-day weeks to reduce commuting costs. Several towns have switched police patrols on to bicycles, charities have had to cut back on meals on wheels and rail services have reported a surge in passenger numbers.
Within hours of the release of the IEA’s sober assessment, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said U.S. demand had fallen by 8,00,000 barrels a day in the first half of the year, the largest decline for 26 years. It blamed slower economic growth and higher petrol prices. The EIA also cut its forecast for U.S. oil demand for the third quarter, but revised it upwards for the final three months of the year.
The Paris-based IEA earlier said its “all other things being equal” forecast suggested easing fundamentals and potentially higher stocks of crude in the months to come. But it warned that such a scenario was threatened by a number of factors; disruption to supplies from Nigeria and Azerbaijan, storms hitting the Gulf of Mexico and potential delays to projects in Brazil, Canada and Russia.
The threat posed by geo-political unrest to world oil supplies was underlined on Tuesday, when BP closed the Baku-Supsa gas pipeline which leads to the Georgian port of Supsa because of the conflict between Georgia and Russia. Last week, the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline, which runs close to Georgia’s capital Tbilisi towards the Turkish port of Ceyhan, was shut down because of an explosion unrelated to the conflict. Kurdish separatists claimed responsibility.
The IEA said political problems could hold up Iraqi and Russian supply growth and that while the OECD demand could prove weaker than expected, inventories remained “worryingly flat” and demand from non-OECD countries, not least from China and the Middle East, could prove higher than expected. “Add in ever-changing sentiment over Iran, and it looks too early to cite definitively a sea change in the market.” The IEA said it expected global demand for oil products in 2008 to be virtually unchanged at 86.9 million barrels a day and slightly higher at 87.8 million barrels for 2009, on demand from outside the OECD area.
OPEC’s effective spare capacity was about 1.5 million barrels a day, the IEA said, but should rise later this year and into next. At one point on Tuesday, U.S. crude price hit its lowest level since May, at $112.48 a barrel. It then recovered to $116 but subsequently fell back to $113. Back in July, it reached a peak of more than $147.
“Demand for OPEC oil is going to be lower than its production capacity, so the market is looking forward to seeing an inventory build,” said Olivier Jakob at the trading advisory company, Petromatrix. The latest figures from the U.S. showed a surprise fall in the trade deficit with a $6 billion drop in non-oil imports offsetting higher energy costs.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez said the lower-than-expected deficit could prompt the department to raise the second-quarter economic growth from its initial estimate of 1.9 per cent. “It’s a very strong month for exports,” Mr. Gutierrez said. “The growth is coming from Brazil, it’s coming from Russia, it’s coming from India, it’s coming from the Middle East ... It’s very broad-based.”
The dollar rose against the euro on news that the trade gap narrowed in June, but was then hit by profit taking. Kurt Karl, chief U.S. economist at Swiss Re in New York, said the better-than-expected figures “will support growth going into the third quarter.” However, he noted that the narrowing trade deficit was more evidence that the U.S. economy could be in a recession, because it showed consumers were buying less.
The falling oil price has brought some relief to U.S. motorists with the price of a gallon of fuel falling below $4 (88 cents per litre) for the first time since late May. The regular Lundberg survey of filling stations found that the average cost of unleaded petrol had fallen by 15 cents over two weeks to $3.85. High prices have been causing soul-searching in car-dependent parts of America.
In some areas, employers have allowed staff to compress their workload into intensive four-day weeks to reduce commuting costs. Several towns have switched police patrols on to bicycles, charities have had to cut back on meals on wheels and rail services have reported a surge in passenger numbers.
World - Clinton Memos
A stash of internal memos and emails from Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign on Tuesday exposed a toxic mix of indecision and infighting that destroyed her chances of winning the White House.
The 26 documents, which are posted online and are to be published in the Atlantic magazine, suggest Ms Clinton sabotaged her chances by failing to face up to tough decisions and act — even while she was campaigning on the slogan of “Ready to lead on Day One.” They also suggest the Clinton campaign struggled to come up with a coherent strategy against Barack Obama, even when she was the undisputed front runner.
Mark Penn, Ms Clinton’s chief strategist, repeatedly pushed for her to attack Mr. Obama. “His roots to basic American values and culture are at best limited,” Mr. Penn writes in a March 2007 memo. “Let’s explicitly own ‘American’ in our programmes, the speeches and the values. He doesn’t.” In the same memo, Mr. Penn writes: “The right knows Obama is unelectable except perhaps against Attila the Hun.”
Mr. Penn pushed for Ms Clinton to emphasize her toughness. In a December 2006 memo laying out his launch strategy, he advised her to use Margaret Thatcher as a role model, mentioning with approval the former British Prime Minister’s reputation as the Iron Lady.
“Regardless of the sex of the candidates, most Americans in essence see the president as the “father” of the country. They do not want someone who would be the first mama, especially in this kind of world. But there is a yearning for a kind of tough single parent.”
But Ms Clinton did not sign on to a tough campaign, or to a more negative strategy against Mr. Obama, until late February. By that point, she had suffered 12 consecutive primary defeats. Even then, Ms Clinton could not decide whether to air the “3am” ads touting her fitness to deal with a national security crisis in the White House. According to the Atlantic, it was Bill Clinton who finally issued the order to run the attack ads.
In December 2007, Ms Clinton demanded her campaign go on the attack after learning that she was trailing Mr. Obama in Iowa. Within four minutes, according to the email trail in the Atlantic, her press operation decided to attack Mr. Obama for overweening ambition on the basis of a comment he made as a five-year-old. The over-the-top attack backfired on Ms Clinton.
That mindset of paralysis alternated with too-hasty decisions extended to other crucial areas of the campaign, including fundraising and delegate-counting. Key figures, such as Harold Ickes, expressed alarm that Ms Clinton, who finished her campaign with more than $20 million in debt, would run out of money by February. Mr. Ickes said the campaign needed to keep $25 million in reserve. His advice was not acted on.
Clinton staffer Philippe Reines suggested in a February 25 memo that the campaign should raise the issue of the disputed Florida and Michigan primaries, which could provide enough delegates to win the nomination. But the campaign did not act until late May.
The sheer quantity of email and memos produced by the campaign — the Atlantic claimed to have obtained hundreds — suggests a bureaucracy mired in its own infighting. By March, Ms Clinton’s friends were appalled at the bickering. “This circular firing squad that is occurring is unattractive, unprofessional, unconscionable, and unacceptable,” the Clintons’ lawyer, Robert Barnett, wrote. “It must stop.”
But the campaign clung to its last shreds of hope. The final memo from Mr. Penn in June lays out an argument to super delegates, or senior and elected Democratic officials, for supporting Ms Clinton over Mr. Obama
The 26 documents, which are posted online and are to be published in the Atlantic magazine, suggest Ms Clinton sabotaged her chances by failing to face up to tough decisions and act — even while she was campaigning on the slogan of “Ready to lead on Day One.” They also suggest the Clinton campaign struggled to come up with a coherent strategy against Barack Obama, even when she was the undisputed front runner.
Mark Penn, Ms Clinton’s chief strategist, repeatedly pushed for her to attack Mr. Obama. “His roots to basic American values and culture are at best limited,” Mr. Penn writes in a March 2007 memo. “Let’s explicitly own ‘American’ in our programmes, the speeches and the values. He doesn’t.” In the same memo, Mr. Penn writes: “The right knows Obama is unelectable except perhaps against Attila the Hun.”
Mr. Penn pushed for Ms Clinton to emphasize her toughness. In a December 2006 memo laying out his launch strategy, he advised her to use Margaret Thatcher as a role model, mentioning with approval the former British Prime Minister’s reputation as the Iron Lady.
“Regardless of the sex of the candidates, most Americans in essence see the president as the “father” of the country. They do not want someone who would be the first mama, especially in this kind of world. But there is a yearning for a kind of tough single parent.”
But Ms Clinton did not sign on to a tough campaign, or to a more negative strategy against Mr. Obama, until late February. By that point, she had suffered 12 consecutive primary defeats. Even then, Ms Clinton could not decide whether to air the “3am” ads touting her fitness to deal with a national security crisis in the White House. According to the Atlantic, it was Bill Clinton who finally issued the order to run the attack ads.
In December 2007, Ms Clinton demanded her campaign go on the attack after learning that she was trailing Mr. Obama in Iowa. Within four minutes, according to the email trail in the Atlantic, her press operation decided to attack Mr. Obama for overweening ambition on the basis of a comment he made as a five-year-old. The over-the-top attack backfired on Ms Clinton.
That mindset of paralysis alternated with too-hasty decisions extended to other crucial areas of the campaign, including fundraising and delegate-counting. Key figures, such as Harold Ickes, expressed alarm that Ms Clinton, who finished her campaign with more than $20 million in debt, would run out of money by February. Mr. Ickes said the campaign needed to keep $25 million in reserve. His advice was not acted on.
Clinton staffer Philippe Reines suggested in a February 25 memo that the campaign should raise the issue of the disputed Florida and Michigan primaries, which could provide enough delegates to win the nomination. But the campaign did not act until late May.
The sheer quantity of email and memos produced by the campaign — the Atlantic claimed to have obtained hundreds — suggests a bureaucracy mired in its own infighting. By March, Ms Clinton’s friends were appalled at the bickering. “This circular firing squad that is occurring is unattractive, unprofessional, unconscionable, and unacceptable,” the Clintons’ lawyer, Robert Barnett, wrote. “It must stop.”
But the campaign clung to its last shreds of hope. The final memo from Mr. Penn in June lays out an argument to super delegates, or senior and elected Democratic officials, for supporting Ms Clinton over Mr. Obama
Lifestyle - GenNext Bras can shatter Glass
LONDON: Ladies, get ready for the GenNext undergarments! Leading lingerie chain Wonderbra has produced a poster illustrating its new bras not only give a nice lift but also a push-up hard enough to even "shatter" glass.
The advertisement shows a female model sporting a Wonderbra and her breasts smashing through the glass of a bus stand -- the striking poster has appeared at various sites across Germany, 'The Daily Telegraph' reported.
The poster, published by the leading British daily, appears at first sight to be a victim of vandalism rather than a marketing stunt. It is the work of the Frankfurt branch of leading international advertising agency Publicis.
Wonderbra has had a reputation for eye-catching advertising ever since supermodel Eva Herzigov posed in the firm's lingerie next to the slogan "Hello Boys" for a campaign in the 1990s.
Last year the company scored a viral Internet hit with a risque spoof of the cult Cadbury's drumming gorilla advert.
The Wonderbra version featured the enthusiastic and energetic musical efforts of a scantily clad brunette whose upper-body stability was only maintained -- thanks to just her brassire.
However, the advertisement, which had the catchline "Two cups full of joy", was never broadcast on television.
Wonderbra's other recent advertising gimmicks include painting a yellow strip in front of genuine safety lines at Singapore underground stations, to show the safe distance at which Wonderbra wearers will have to stand from the trains.
India - Many Dreams
India would be celebrating its 62nd Independence Day in the backdrop of a highly turbulent domestic political and internal security environment, a slowing global economy, and a resurgent China that has — yet again — managed to defy legions of sceptics by hosting what so far seems to be the most spectacular and geo-politically among the most impactful one.
For me personally, the ongoing Beijing Olympics have made more impact than any other previous editions. For starters, the theme “One World One Dream” — utopian though it may sound — is extremely apt in the context of conflicts across the globe, forcing billions to live under the perpetual shadow of terrorism and war. India itself seems to be besieged with myriad tensions and internal conflicts — many of them of its own making — that have the potential to lead to a Balkanisation of the Republic if not checked immediately.
It is yet too early to imagine the immediate and the long-term impact of the Beijing Olympics not only on China but on the rest of the world. However, one of the most compelling messages for India can be actually taken from the short and simple inaugural ceremony speech of Jacques Rogge, the president of the International Olympic Committee, who said that the Olympics are “about much more than performance alone. They are about the peaceful gathering of 204 National Olympic Committees — regardless of ethnic origin, gender, religion or political system. Please compete in the spirit of the Olympic values: excellence, friendship and respect”. This simple but extraordinarily powerful message can be adapted specifically for India by our political and civil leadership in myriad ways to douse the myriad internal conflicts and unclog the political logjams that are now once again stymieing the badly needed economic growth and social reform.
While at it, Indians must also urgently and very seriously reflect on an extremely relevant sub-theme of “excellence”. Anyone who would have had the good fortune to watch the Olympic opening ceremony “live” on August 8 would have been mesmerised and awed by the sheer audacity of imagination and the absolute perfection of execution within the architecturally breathtaking main stadium that will now become yet one more of the many globally recognisable landmarks of modern China. Yes, China may have used an unprecedented amount of money and its iron fist to achieve this outcome but that should not take anything away from the fact that no one can now accuse China of being capable of only churning out cheap, low-cost goods and services for the rest of the world. China may well have now joined the ranks of the few nations that set standards of creativity and excellence for the rest of the world.
Contrast this quest for excellence of China with the all-pervasive mediocrity that has engulfed India in just about every sphere but most visibly telling in the design and execution of public infrastructure and private spaces. “Modern” Gurgaon in the National Capital Region epitomises just about everything that is wrong with Indian infrastructural development: no semblance of any kind of master planning, no semblance of any kind of public transport, each new office building and shopping mall uglier and more dysfunctional than the previous one, every road including the much-delayed and so-named expressway more clogged and more pock-marked than ever, and just about every basic civic amenity, be it electricity or water or sanitation and sewage disposal or law & order conspicuous by near absence. The Commonwealth Games are less than two years away, and yet Delhi has never been more chaotic and disorderly than it is now. While the rest of the world continuously upgrades its infrastructure while ambitiously pushing the envelope, the only envelopes (and suitcases) we seem to be pushing are the type news channels purportedly capture in stage-managed sting operations. As China opens newer and more efficient airports almost on a weekly basis, the Mumbai airport temporarily shuts down on account of potholes even on the runways, and the operators of the newly opened Bangalore airport have to be told by the government to immediately start working on a new terminal since the airside passenger handling capacity of the newly inaugurated terminal is already woefully short of meeting even the current peak passenger loads!
India and Indians should stop blaming our democracy for all the ills that they face on the eve of the 62nd Independence Day. Democracy cannot be seen as the subterfuge for stalling reform, stunting economic and social growth, haphazard redevelopment of urban and rural infrastructure, and for accepting mediocrity all around. Alas, if this dangerous line of thinking is allowed to seep in the psyche of the hundreds of millions of very young Indians, they may well end up shunning democracy itself which itself is a horrifying spectre. By the time the Beijing Olympics end, they would have demonstrated how individual and national dreams can be achieved if only there is a determined quest for succeeding and excelling! I hope that the 1.2 billion Indians choose for themselves a powerful motivational theme: One India, Many Dreams, Unflinching Resolve!
For me personally, the ongoing Beijing Olympics have made more impact than any other previous editions. For starters, the theme “One World One Dream” — utopian though it may sound — is extremely apt in the context of conflicts across the globe, forcing billions to live under the perpetual shadow of terrorism and war. India itself seems to be besieged with myriad tensions and internal conflicts — many of them of its own making — that have the potential to lead to a Balkanisation of the Republic if not checked immediately.
It is yet too early to imagine the immediate and the long-term impact of the Beijing Olympics not only on China but on the rest of the world. However, one of the most compelling messages for India can be actually taken from the short and simple inaugural ceremony speech of Jacques Rogge, the president of the International Olympic Committee, who said that the Olympics are “about much more than performance alone. They are about the peaceful gathering of 204 National Olympic Committees — regardless of ethnic origin, gender, religion or political system. Please compete in the spirit of the Olympic values: excellence, friendship and respect”. This simple but extraordinarily powerful message can be adapted specifically for India by our political and civil leadership in myriad ways to douse the myriad internal conflicts and unclog the political logjams that are now once again stymieing the badly needed economic growth and social reform.
While at it, Indians must also urgently and very seriously reflect on an extremely relevant sub-theme of “excellence”. Anyone who would have had the good fortune to watch the Olympic opening ceremony “live” on August 8 would have been mesmerised and awed by the sheer audacity of imagination and the absolute perfection of execution within the architecturally breathtaking main stadium that will now become yet one more of the many globally recognisable landmarks of modern China. Yes, China may have used an unprecedented amount of money and its iron fist to achieve this outcome but that should not take anything away from the fact that no one can now accuse China of being capable of only churning out cheap, low-cost goods and services for the rest of the world. China may well have now joined the ranks of the few nations that set standards of creativity and excellence for the rest of the world.
Contrast this quest for excellence of China with the all-pervasive mediocrity that has engulfed India in just about every sphere but most visibly telling in the design and execution of public infrastructure and private spaces. “Modern” Gurgaon in the National Capital Region epitomises just about everything that is wrong with Indian infrastructural development: no semblance of any kind of master planning, no semblance of any kind of public transport, each new office building and shopping mall uglier and more dysfunctional than the previous one, every road including the much-delayed and so-named expressway more clogged and more pock-marked than ever, and just about every basic civic amenity, be it electricity or water or sanitation and sewage disposal or law & order conspicuous by near absence. The Commonwealth Games are less than two years away, and yet Delhi has never been more chaotic and disorderly than it is now. While the rest of the world continuously upgrades its infrastructure while ambitiously pushing the envelope, the only envelopes (and suitcases) we seem to be pushing are the type news channels purportedly capture in stage-managed sting operations. As China opens newer and more efficient airports almost on a weekly basis, the Mumbai airport temporarily shuts down on account of potholes even on the runways, and the operators of the newly opened Bangalore airport have to be told by the government to immediately start working on a new terminal since the airside passenger handling capacity of the newly inaugurated terminal is already woefully short of meeting even the current peak passenger loads!
India and Indians should stop blaming our democracy for all the ills that they face on the eve of the 62nd Independence Day. Democracy cannot be seen as the subterfuge for stalling reform, stunting economic and social growth, haphazard redevelopment of urban and rural infrastructure, and for accepting mediocrity all around. Alas, if this dangerous line of thinking is allowed to seep in the psyche of the hundreds of millions of very young Indians, they may well end up shunning democracy itself which itself is a horrifying spectre. By the time the Beijing Olympics end, they would have demonstrated how individual and national dreams can be achieved if only there is a determined quest for succeeding and excelling! I hope that the 1.2 billion Indians choose for themselves a powerful motivational theme: One India, Many Dreams, Unflinching Resolve!
Mktg - Ads make a pitch with real-life relationships
Mumbai: Consumer products maker Procter and Gamble Co.’s or P&G’s, haircare brand Head & Shoulders recently signed on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan as its brand ambassador. While the actor seems a perfect fit for the brand, what makes this deal interesting is that he has been signed on just after Kareena Kapoor was chosen as the new face for Head & Shoulders. The fact that they make up one of Bollywood’s hottest real-life couples helps.
Or take the case of Aviva Life Insurance Company India Ltd, which has appointed master blaster Sachin Tendulkar as its brand ambassador. The company decided to portray him as a father (son in tow) in their “tension chodo…cricket khelo (forget tensions, play cricket)” ad and promotional campaign for insurance plans for children.
Experts say such personal associations add creative credibility to the brand pitch and help widen the demographic base. “As of now, a number of brands are using real-life relationships to help cut across the clutter,” says K.V. Sridhar, national creative director, Leo Burnett India, who believes that real-life relationships, if captured in a believable way, could go a long way for the brand.
Agrees Vishal Gupta, associate director, marketing, Aviva Life Insurance: “The challenge for us was to identify how to leverage the association (with Tendulkar) better.” Explaining the rationale behind potraying Tendulkar this way, Gupta says, “We had a far better chance of being differentiated in this market. We were using Sachin (in his role as a father) in a way no one had ever before.”
The Aviva campaign will culminate with 15 father-son duos playing cricket with Tendulkar and his son Arjun. While his son will not be shown in any of the ads, he will participate in the event.
Estimated at Rs300 crore today, the market for celebrity endorsements is expected to grow to Rs2,000 crore by 2010. At least 80% of this amount is being pumped into endorsement deals with celebrities from Bollywood and sports.
Even as the market for celebrity endorsements matures in India, there is greater pressure on advertisers to ensure that their endorsements cut across the clutter and are easily recalled by consumers. Little wonder, then, that a number of advertisers are pulling out the relationship card from their marketing arsenal. Enter family, friends and in Saif’s case, girlfriend
P&G’s detergent brand Ariel recently signed on the mothers of cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan, and Dinesh Karthik’s wife to be its brand ambassadors.
“Our reason is very simple. We all celebrate the champions, but the ‘real champions’ who go unnoticed are the demanding women behind these champions who settle for nothing but the best,” said a spokesperson for P&G India.
While it is no longer rare to see advertisers use real-life relationships to promote their brand—Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan for Maruti Versa, Hema Malini and her daughters Esha and Ahana for Kenstar water purifiers, the Pataudi family for a multitude of brands—it is now becoming a bigger trend, says Anirban Das Blah, chief executive, Globosport India Pvt. Ltd.
And signing on a non-celebrity relative can be extremely cost-effective for the company. “In most cases, the incremental cost is not very much,” says Blah.
Of course, if the relative in question is a celebrity, the cost may not diminish. “There would be separate contracts and the individual market rates would apply,” says Vivek Kamat, director, Matrix India Entertainment Consultants Pvt. Ltd, which worked with Hindustan Unilever Ltd to bring real-life couple John Abraham and Bipasha Basu together for Clinic All Clear shampoo.
“In some cases, you may actually end up paying a huge premium to get multiple related personalities together,” Kamat says, referring to the Bachchan family.
Costs notwithstanding, Sridhar of Leo Burnett says advertising that can capture real-life relationships in a realistic way minus cheesy ad-libbing can go a long way in grabbing consumer attention. “In the past, MMS (video phone messages) scandals involving stars and their private lives have been all over the news channels… There is a reason for that,” says Sridhar. “Everyone wants an insight into the personal and private lives of these stars. It’s almost a voyeuristic kind of advertising which people can believe is real.”
Or take the case of Aviva Life Insurance Company India Ltd, which has appointed master blaster Sachin Tendulkar as its brand ambassador. The company decided to portray him as a father (son in tow) in their “tension chodo…cricket khelo (forget tensions, play cricket)” ad and promotional campaign for insurance plans for children.
Experts say such personal associations add creative credibility to the brand pitch and help widen the demographic base. “As of now, a number of brands are using real-life relationships to help cut across the clutter,” says K.V. Sridhar, national creative director, Leo Burnett India, who believes that real-life relationships, if captured in a believable way, could go a long way for the brand.
Agrees Vishal Gupta, associate director, marketing, Aviva Life Insurance: “The challenge for us was to identify how to leverage the association (with Tendulkar) better.” Explaining the rationale behind potraying Tendulkar this way, Gupta says, “We had a far better chance of being differentiated in this market. We were using Sachin (in his role as a father) in a way no one had ever before.”
The Aviva campaign will culminate with 15 father-son duos playing cricket with Tendulkar and his son Arjun. While his son will not be shown in any of the ads, he will participate in the event.
Estimated at Rs300 crore today, the market for celebrity endorsements is expected to grow to Rs2,000 crore by 2010. At least 80% of this amount is being pumped into endorsement deals with celebrities from Bollywood and sports.
Even as the market for celebrity endorsements matures in India, there is greater pressure on advertisers to ensure that their endorsements cut across the clutter and are easily recalled by consumers. Little wonder, then, that a number of advertisers are pulling out the relationship card from their marketing arsenal. Enter family, friends and in Saif’s case, girlfriend
P&G’s detergent brand Ariel recently signed on the mothers of cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan, and Dinesh Karthik’s wife to be its brand ambassadors.
“Our reason is very simple. We all celebrate the champions, but the ‘real champions’ who go unnoticed are the demanding women behind these champions who settle for nothing but the best,” said a spokesperson for P&G India.
While it is no longer rare to see advertisers use real-life relationships to promote their brand—Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan for Maruti Versa, Hema Malini and her daughters Esha and Ahana for Kenstar water purifiers, the Pataudi family for a multitude of brands—it is now becoming a bigger trend, says Anirban Das Blah, chief executive, Globosport India Pvt. Ltd.
And signing on a non-celebrity relative can be extremely cost-effective for the company. “In most cases, the incremental cost is not very much,” says Blah.
Of course, if the relative in question is a celebrity, the cost may not diminish. “There would be separate contracts and the individual market rates would apply,” says Vivek Kamat, director, Matrix India Entertainment Consultants Pvt. Ltd, which worked with Hindustan Unilever Ltd to bring real-life couple John Abraham and Bipasha Basu together for Clinic All Clear shampoo.
“In some cases, you may actually end up paying a huge premium to get multiple related personalities together,” Kamat says, referring to the Bachchan family.
Costs notwithstanding, Sridhar of Leo Burnett says advertising that can capture real-life relationships in a realistic way minus cheesy ad-libbing can go a long way in grabbing consumer attention. “In the past, MMS (video phone messages) scandals involving stars and their private lives have been all over the news channels… There is a reason for that,” says Sridhar. “Everyone wants an insight into the personal and private lives of these stars. It’s almost a voyeuristic kind of advertising which people can believe is real.”
India - Most Optimistic Economy,Grant Thornton
Soaring inflation and global recessionary trends notwithstanding, India has emerged as the most optimistic economy with majority of the privately-held businesses in the country feeling positive about their prospects for the next year, says a report.
According to a recent report prepared by advisory firm Grant Thornton India, the country is the most optimistic along with Philippines.
However, the report said India is witnessing a slowdown and projected GDP of 7.9 per cent for this fiscal.
"Despite the global recessionary trends, mounting inflation and prospects of elections in the near future, Privately Held Businesses (PHBs) in India have shown the highest level of optimism about their prospects for next year.
"With an overall optimism/pessimism balance of +95 per cent, the Philippines has joined India at the top for the first time, while Japan has remained at the bottom this year with a balance of -49 per cent," the advisory firm said.
The Country Focus International Business Report 2008 said that India's expected employment growth is pegged at 74 per cent which is higher than global forecast at 33 per cent.
Further, India's optimism for exports this year at 37 per cent, is also above global average of 18 per cent.
"PHBs in India are less optimistic about their revenue prospects in 2008 (+84 per cent) compared to 2007 (+92 per cent). However, their levels of optimism regarding revenue performance are well above the global average of +63 per cent," Grant Thornton India's National Markets Leader Monish Chatrath said.
The report examined the attitudes, plans and trends of 7,800 privately held businesses in 34 economies. For India, the advisory firm looked at key issues that PHBs need to manage to survive the economic downturn.
According to a recent report prepared by advisory firm Grant Thornton India, the country is the most optimistic along with Philippines.
However, the report said India is witnessing a slowdown and projected GDP of 7.9 per cent for this fiscal.
"Despite the global recessionary trends, mounting inflation and prospects of elections in the near future, Privately Held Businesses (PHBs) in India have shown the highest level of optimism about their prospects for next year.
"With an overall optimism/pessimism balance of +95 per cent, the Philippines has joined India at the top for the first time, while Japan has remained at the bottom this year with a balance of -49 per cent," the advisory firm said.
The Country Focus International Business Report 2008 said that India's expected employment growth is pegged at 74 per cent which is higher than global forecast at 33 per cent.
Further, India's optimism for exports this year at 37 per cent, is also above global average of 18 per cent.
"PHBs in India are less optimistic about their revenue prospects in 2008 (+84 per cent) compared to 2007 (+92 per cent). However, their levels of optimism regarding revenue performance are well above the global average of +63 per cent," Grant Thornton India's National Markets Leader Monish Chatrath said.
The report examined the attitudes, plans and trends of 7,800 privately held businesses in 34 economies. For India, the advisory firm looked at key issues that PHBs need to manage to survive the economic downturn.
Columnists - Sitaram Yechury
Petty Politics
As we prepare to celebrate independent India’s entry into its sixth decade, incendiary flames engulf Jammu and Kashmir, grievously threatening the unity and integrity of our country.
What is unfolding is like a Greek tragedy, where apart from those who work for its success, all other protagonists, fully conscious of the impending tragedy, are unable to prevent it. For the sake of India, this script has to be rewritten urgently.
The lethal combination of communalism and separatism has already claimed lives, disrupted normalcy and is now threatening to spin out of control. Inflammable passions continue to be roused with communalism and separatism feeding on each other. It is, indeed, a matter of shame that the situation has been allowed to come to such a pass. Worse, no tangible steps appear to have been initiated even after an all-party delegation held discussions with a cross section of public opinion makers both in Jammu and Kashmir.
The dispute centres round a widely circulated belief that land allocated to the Amarnath Shrine Board was withdrawn under pressure from the extremists in the valley. The facts, however, are to the contrary. Ownership of forest land cannot be transferred under law.
However, the government can permit a change in the pattern of land use. Earlier, the state government had allocated some land to the Board to provide facilities to the pilgrims. Since this had become a controversy, the new Governor withdrew his predecessor’s decision seeking an assurance from the state government that it would undertake the responsibility for providing all required facilities.
These are, indeed, being provided now and the yatra continues. In fact, in 2005, a similar situation occurred when the allocated land for the Board, whose ex-officio chairman is the Governor (if he is a Hindu), was rescinded. At that time, the issue never became a controversy.
Today it has led to a raging agitation, first in Jammu and now in the valley, shows that this has been mounted keeping in view the forthcoming assembly elections in October and the general elections in 2009. Communal passions are being sharply aroused. Rumours are spreading like wildfire; Hindus are prevented from undertaking the yatra while the Haj is subsidised.
Likewise, extremist elements in the valley are whipping up passions, invoking parallel visions of Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands: a prelude for altering the demographic composition of the valley.
In June, a Parliamentary Committee headed by me had visited the state. In our report to the Parliament, we spoke with a deep sense of satisfaction of the return to normalcy and surge in tourism. Alas, we had grossly underestimated the fragility of such a peace. Clearly, there are forces that continue to stoke divisive fires to advance their agendas that are intrinsically opposed to secularism.
Standing at the Parimahal, built by the tragic Mughal Prince Dara Sikoh to study celestial bodies — but intended for higher theological discourses on the commonalties between Vedanta and Islamic Sufism— one could not help but reflect on the precariousness of such lofty visions. Such syncretic civilisational ethos that India is capable of scaling has unfortunately been grounded, yet again, by fundamentalist elements who seek to destroy this potential.
Such a conflagration , which has a very dangerous potential for undermining the unity and integrity of India, is being created in order to reap electoral and political benefits. This has serious implications threatening the very security of our country and creating a fertile ground for cross-border terrorism to raise its ugly head. The RSS/BJP, who are spearheading the agitation in Jammu, have called a three-day all-India bandh. The brazen provocative assertions of L.K. Advani at the BJP’s yuva rally the other day, declared unambiguously the sharpening of communal passions to further consolidate its ‘Hindu votebank’.
This, in turn, feeds the extremist response in the valley. They, thus, strengthen each other. Recollect, on the eve of 1999 general elections in India, the information secretary of the Lashkar-e-Tayyeba said: “The BJP suits us. Within a year they have made us into a nuclear and missile power.
Lashkar-e-Tayyeba is getting a good response because of the BJP’s statements. It is much better than before. We pray to God that they come to power again. Then we will emerge even stronger” (Hindustan Times, July 19, 1999).
Rewrite the script of this tragedy to douse these incendiary flames. Immediately reconstitute the Shrine Board in a manner that is acceptable to all. The land under question, while remaining under State ownership, must be used for creating temporary facilities for the yatra in accordance with the J&K High Court judgement.
However, if the dispute is only a mask for a larger agenda for both the RSS and the Kashmiri extremists, who invoke pent up feelings of injustice and ‘perceived’ injustice, then these must be met squarely. India’s unity and integrity are non-negotiable. With this as the basis, the UPA government must invite, first separately, then, together both the sides to hammer out an acceptable solution.
Both sides must suspend the agitation to allow this process to succeed. Failing this, the UPA, fearless of electoral consequences, must unhesitatingly uphold the Constitution and the law of the land.
(Sitaram Yechury is CPI(M) Politburo member and a Rajya Sabha MP. He was a member of the all-party delegation to J&K)
As we prepare to celebrate independent India’s entry into its sixth decade, incendiary flames engulf Jammu and Kashmir, grievously threatening the unity and integrity of our country.
What is unfolding is like a Greek tragedy, where apart from those who work for its success, all other protagonists, fully conscious of the impending tragedy, are unable to prevent it. For the sake of India, this script has to be rewritten urgently.
The lethal combination of communalism and separatism has already claimed lives, disrupted normalcy and is now threatening to spin out of control. Inflammable passions continue to be roused with communalism and separatism feeding on each other. It is, indeed, a matter of shame that the situation has been allowed to come to such a pass. Worse, no tangible steps appear to have been initiated even after an all-party delegation held discussions with a cross section of public opinion makers both in Jammu and Kashmir.
The dispute centres round a widely circulated belief that land allocated to the Amarnath Shrine Board was withdrawn under pressure from the extremists in the valley. The facts, however, are to the contrary. Ownership of forest land cannot be transferred under law.
However, the government can permit a change in the pattern of land use. Earlier, the state government had allocated some land to the Board to provide facilities to the pilgrims. Since this had become a controversy, the new Governor withdrew his predecessor’s decision seeking an assurance from the state government that it would undertake the responsibility for providing all required facilities.
These are, indeed, being provided now and the yatra continues. In fact, in 2005, a similar situation occurred when the allocated land for the Board, whose ex-officio chairman is the Governor (if he is a Hindu), was rescinded. At that time, the issue never became a controversy.
Today it has led to a raging agitation, first in Jammu and now in the valley, shows that this has been mounted keeping in view the forthcoming assembly elections in October and the general elections in 2009. Communal passions are being sharply aroused. Rumours are spreading like wildfire; Hindus are prevented from undertaking the yatra while the Haj is subsidised.
Likewise, extremist elements in the valley are whipping up passions, invoking parallel visions of Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands: a prelude for altering the demographic composition of the valley.
In June, a Parliamentary Committee headed by me had visited the state. In our report to the Parliament, we spoke with a deep sense of satisfaction of the return to normalcy and surge in tourism. Alas, we had grossly underestimated the fragility of such a peace. Clearly, there are forces that continue to stoke divisive fires to advance their agendas that are intrinsically opposed to secularism.
Standing at the Parimahal, built by the tragic Mughal Prince Dara Sikoh to study celestial bodies — but intended for higher theological discourses on the commonalties between Vedanta and Islamic Sufism— one could not help but reflect on the precariousness of such lofty visions. Such syncretic civilisational ethos that India is capable of scaling has unfortunately been grounded, yet again, by fundamentalist elements who seek to destroy this potential.
Such a conflagration , which has a very dangerous potential for undermining the unity and integrity of India, is being created in order to reap electoral and political benefits. This has serious implications threatening the very security of our country and creating a fertile ground for cross-border terrorism to raise its ugly head. The RSS/BJP, who are spearheading the agitation in Jammu, have called a three-day all-India bandh. The brazen provocative assertions of L.K. Advani at the BJP’s yuva rally the other day, declared unambiguously the sharpening of communal passions to further consolidate its ‘Hindu votebank’.
This, in turn, feeds the extremist response in the valley. They, thus, strengthen each other. Recollect, on the eve of 1999 general elections in India, the information secretary of the Lashkar-e-Tayyeba said: “The BJP suits us. Within a year they have made us into a nuclear and missile power.
Lashkar-e-Tayyeba is getting a good response because of the BJP’s statements. It is much better than before. We pray to God that they come to power again. Then we will emerge even stronger” (Hindustan Times, July 19, 1999).
Rewrite the script of this tragedy to douse these incendiary flames. Immediately reconstitute the Shrine Board in a manner that is acceptable to all. The land under question, while remaining under State ownership, must be used for creating temporary facilities for the yatra in accordance with the J&K High Court judgement.
However, if the dispute is only a mask for a larger agenda for both the RSS and the Kashmiri extremists, who invoke pent up feelings of injustice and ‘perceived’ injustice, then these must be met squarely. India’s unity and integrity are non-negotiable. With this as the basis, the UPA government must invite, first separately, then, together both the sides to hammer out an acceptable solution.
Both sides must suspend the agitation to allow this process to succeed. Failing this, the UPA, fearless of electoral consequences, must unhesitatingly uphold the Constitution and the law of the land.
(Sitaram Yechury is CPI(M) Politburo member and a Rajya Sabha MP. He was a member of the all-party delegation to J&K)
Sport - Mendis's Success
S.Ram Mahesh
Colombo: When Mahela Jayawardene was translating for Ajantha Mendis in the press conference following the conclusion of the third Test, there occurred the sort of moment that throws light on the natural humours of two men, and the relationship sport binds them in.
Jayawardene would incline his head in Mendis’s direction, listen to the reply, which to every question was incredibly brief, and answer in English, looking at his young spinner from time to time to see if he had anything to add.
Then came a question on the one-day series — you’ve broken Sir Alec Bedser’s record of the most wickets in a debut three-Test series; now what?
Jayawardene started to laugh as the question neared completion. Mendis half-turned to his captain as he answered, and smiled.
“He says he will probably bowl well,” said Jayawardene, and both men broke into laughter, as mates do after an in-joke.
Warmth and candour
Whether this was a reference to the final of the Asia Cup in Karachi, where Mendis scythed through India’s batting, announcing his act wasn’t merely an oddity, we will never know; but it was a moment of such warmth and candour that it didn’t matter what prompted it.
“He’s very quiet, it’s difficult to get anything out of him,” said Jayawardene, when asked what Mendis was like in the dressing room.
“Even in Sinhalese he’s very quiet. The only time he’s bubbly is when you ask him to come and bowl.
“That’s when he has a smile. I’m sure he’ll stay the same. He has an excellent role model in Murali who has stayed very humble for all his achievements. If he can follow that, Sri Lankan cricket is in very good hands.”
Mendis’s success is an illustration of the Sri Lankan way of cricket. Where in some countries, unorthodoxy is frowned upon, beaten immediately into reassuringly recognisable patterns by coaches and guides limited by what’s passed on to them, in Sri Lanka, uniqueness is cultivated.
One needs look no further than the tripe Anil Kumble had to put up with in his early years — and indeed sometimes still — to get a sense of why freak talents and maverick methods don’t break though in other countries as readily they do in Sri Lanka.
That Kumble’s mental strength got him through is beside the point; here, every cricketer is given the time and space to develop his natural expression. Unlike John Gleeson, who gave up the wicketkeeping gloves to attempt with a table tennis ball what he had seen Jack Iverson do in Test and Shield cricket, Mendis discovered on his own several ways of propelling, kneading, and manipulating the ball, reinventing the wheel so to speak.
Thus developed a powerful run-up and delivery, designed to project a ball over 20 yards with the middle finger coiled like the spring of an ejector seat; the action also had to accommodate the other variations, the off-break bowled by dragging the fingers across the ball, the googly, also flicked through, but with the wrist flipped.
This development and the long hours spent grooving it, gave Mendis the confidence that he wouldn’t break down against the best. An understanding captain (and vice-captain Kumar Sangakkara) took it from there, planning the deployment of the Army man from an artillery regiment.
Different dimension
They recognised immediately that he would add a different dimension to the bowling attack. “When a bowling unit is headed in the same direction, it’s not going to be very effective in varying conditions,” said Jayawardene. “You need bowlers who can create opportunities in different, different ways.”
Yet, they didn’t rush him. They decided not to take him to Australia, but to phase his break-in with the brief: “Go out and enjoy yourself”.
His instructions were simple. He was asked to bowl wicket to wicket, a line the 23-year-old assiduously practised, for his variations were most dangerous when constantly asking questions.
During the Dravid-Laxman partnership on day four of the third Test, a rare period Mendis went without a wicket this series, he showed his bow had another string. He went around the wicket, which some seasoned spinners are loathe to do, forcing Dravid to immediately recalibrate his angles.
The move worked, strengthening his spectre — ominous signs for the one-day team that had confessed after Karachi that they couldn’t quite pick him. And Murali will wheel away as ever from the other end.
Colombo: When Mahela Jayawardene was translating for Ajantha Mendis in the press conference following the conclusion of the third Test, there occurred the sort of moment that throws light on the natural humours of two men, and the relationship sport binds them in.
Jayawardene would incline his head in Mendis’s direction, listen to the reply, which to every question was incredibly brief, and answer in English, looking at his young spinner from time to time to see if he had anything to add.
Then came a question on the one-day series — you’ve broken Sir Alec Bedser’s record of the most wickets in a debut three-Test series; now what?
Jayawardene started to laugh as the question neared completion. Mendis half-turned to his captain as he answered, and smiled.
“He says he will probably bowl well,” said Jayawardene, and both men broke into laughter, as mates do after an in-joke.
Warmth and candour
Whether this was a reference to the final of the Asia Cup in Karachi, where Mendis scythed through India’s batting, announcing his act wasn’t merely an oddity, we will never know; but it was a moment of such warmth and candour that it didn’t matter what prompted it.
“He’s very quiet, it’s difficult to get anything out of him,” said Jayawardene, when asked what Mendis was like in the dressing room.
“Even in Sinhalese he’s very quiet. The only time he’s bubbly is when you ask him to come and bowl.
“That’s when he has a smile. I’m sure he’ll stay the same. He has an excellent role model in Murali who has stayed very humble for all his achievements. If he can follow that, Sri Lankan cricket is in very good hands.”
Mendis’s success is an illustration of the Sri Lankan way of cricket. Where in some countries, unorthodoxy is frowned upon, beaten immediately into reassuringly recognisable patterns by coaches and guides limited by what’s passed on to them, in Sri Lanka, uniqueness is cultivated.
One needs look no further than the tripe Anil Kumble had to put up with in his early years — and indeed sometimes still — to get a sense of why freak talents and maverick methods don’t break though in other countries as readily they do in Sri Lanka.
That Kumble’s mental strength got him through is beside the point; here, every cricketer is given the time and space to develop his natural expression. Unlike John Gleeson, who gave up the wicketkeeping gloves to attempt with a table tennis ball what he had seen Jack Iverson do in Test and Shield cricket, Mendis discovered on his own several ways of propelling, kneading, and manipulating the ball, reinventing the wheel so to speak.
Thus developed a powerful run-up and delivery, designed to project a ball over 20 yards with the middle finger coiled like the spring of an ejector seat; the action also had to accommodate the other variations, the off-break bowled by dragging the fingers across the ball, the googly, also flicked through, but with the wrist flipped.
This development and the long hours spent grooving it, gave Mendis the confidence that he wouldn’t break down against the best. An understanding captain (and vice-captain Kumar Sangakkara) took it from there, planning the deployment of the Army man from an artillery regiment.
Different dimension
They recognised immediately that he would add a different dimension to the bowling attack. “When a bowling unit is headed in the same direction, it’s not going to be very effective in varying conditions,” said Jayawardene. “You need bowlers who can create opportunities in different, different ways.”
Yet, they didn’t rush him. They decided not to take him to Australia, but to phase his break-in with the brief: “Go out and enjoy yourself”.
His instructions were simple. He was asked to bowl wicket to wicket, a line the 23-year-old assiduously practised, for his variations were most dangerous when constantly asking questions.
During the Dravid-Laxman partnership on day four of the third Test, a rare period Mendis went without a wicket this series, he showed his bow had another string. He went around the wicket, which some seasoned spinners are loathe to do, forcing Dravid to immediately recalibrate his angles.
The move worked, strengthening his spectre — ominous signs for the one-day team that had confessed after Karachi that they couldn’t quite pick him. And Murali will wheel away as ever from the other end.
Health - Indian researchers on their way to create vital part of Human Eye
Half a dozen eye hospitals in India are collaborating with a research centre in Chennai to create the inner layer of the cornea, the vital window of the human eye. It may allow 14,000 eye transplants a year.
Nichi-In Centre for Regenerative Medicine (NCRM) hopes to make corneal endothelium (inside cell layer) available on a commercial scale. NCRM eventually plans to set up a world class Corneal Endothelial Stem (CES)/Precursor Cell Bank at a cost of $8 million.
The CES bank is expected to facilitate 14,000 eye transplants a year.
The project is based on the findings of Japanese doctor Shiro Amano of the Tokyo University School of Medicine, who in 2002 found that the endothelium of the cornea contains stem cells (cells in initial stages of development) that can be multiplied several times in the laboratory.
"The finding triggered worldwide research in creating corneal cells for therapeutic use," Samuel J.K. Abraham, lead researcher and director of the Chennai laboratory of the Nichi-In Centre, told IANS.
The eye has three main parts. The first is the cornea, which is a transparent film like structure that transmits light into the eye. The other two are the lens and retina.
During eye transplant, only the cornea is taken from the donor, not the whole eye. The black central portion of the eye has an outer layer, a middle portion and an inside layer (known as the endothelial layer).
Eye fluid keeps the cornea alive for up to six hours, allowing time for harvesting it and transplanting it.
The World Health Organisation says that in India, there are approximately 6.8 million people who are blind because their corneas are diseased. By 2010, this figure is estimated to go up to nine million.
A study done in the temple town of Madurai found 113 out of every 100,00 people had corneal ulcer. Another study in Andhra Pradesh estimated that 1,200 people per million are blind from corneal diseases.
"About 100,000 people are in need of eye transplant every year, yet only about 10,000 are able to get donated eyes. The wait for a donor can be endless for the other 90,000," eye specialists say.
"Imagine what a boon it will be if an eye stem cell bank could provide these lab generated endothelial layer of the cornea," S. Natarajan, chairman, academic research committee of the All-India Opthalmological Society and chairman of the Aditya Jyot Eye Hospital, told IANS.
"We don't have to wait for someone to die for every eye transplant."
With the new technique, when cornea specimen from one eye donor is received, it could be used for 5-10 needy patients, he pointed out.
Nichi-In is now growing the animal and human corneal inner layer cells on a nano-scaffolding.
The research centre is hoping to begin phase I clinical trials on humans in six months.
Nichi-In Centre for Regenerative Medicine (NCRM) hopes to make corneal endothelium (inside cell layer) available on a commercial scale. NCRM eventually plans to set up a world class Corneal Endothelial Stem (CES)/Precursor Cell Bank at a cost of $8 million.
The CES bank is expected to facilitate 14,000 eye transplants a year.
The project is based on the findings of Japanese doctor Shiro Amano of the Tokyo University School of Medicine, who in 2002 found that the endothelium of the cornea contains stem cells (cells in initial stages of development) that can be multiplied several times in the laboratory.
"The finding triggered worldwide research in creating corneal cells for therapeutic use," Samuel J.K. Abraham, lead researcher and director of the Chennai laboratory of the Nichi-In Centre, told IANS.
The eye has three main parts. The first is the cornea, which is a transparent film like structure that transmits light into the eye. The other two are the lens and retina.
During eye transplant, only the cornea is taken from the donor, not the whole eye. The black central portion of the eye has an outer layer, a middle portion and an inside layer (known as the endothelial layer).
Eye fluid keeps the cornea alive for up to six hours, allowing time for harvesting it and transplanting it.
The World Health Organisation says that in India, there are approximately 6.8 million people who are blind because their corneas are diseased. By 2010, this figure is estimated to go up to nine million.
A study done in the temple town of Madurai found 113 out of every 100,00 people had corneal ulcer. Another study in Andhra Pradesh estimated that 1,200 people per million are blind from corneal diseases.
"About 100,000 people are in need of eye transplant every year, yet only about 10,000 are able to get donated eyes. The wait for a donor can be endless for the other 90,000," eye specialists say.
"Imagine what a boon it will be if an eye stem cell bank could provide these lab generated endothelial layer of the cornea," S. Natarajan, chairman, academic research committee of the All-India Opthalmological Society and chairman of the Aditya Jyot Eye Hospital, told IANS.
"We don't have to wait for someone to die for every eye transplant."
With the new technique, when cornea specimen from one eye donor is received, it could be used for 5-10 needy patients, he pointed out.
Nichi-In is now growing the animal and human corneal inner layer cells on a nano-scaffolding.
The research centre is hoping to begin phase I clinical trials on humans in six months.
Columnists - Anil Kumble
Any which way you look at it, we left Sri Lanka with a strong sense of disappointment. The result read 1-2 but we know in our hearts that we squandered a rare opportunity to beat the Lankans in their backyard. Not too many teams have done this in the recent past and Sri Lanka take great pride in their record at home.
After losing the first Test and coming back strongly in the second one, we won an important toss in the final Test.
The toss plays an important role, but you still have to do well once you win it and make the first innings count. Instead, what we did was first fail with the bat — 249 after choosing to bat was never going to be enough — and then let them off the hook by allowing their tail to stretch their first innings.
All the batsmen got starts but at the highest level, that’s not enough. There were no big scores and this really cost us in the decider. Virender Sehwag’s first-innings double hundred was a big factor at Galle and without that we would have found it hard to win that Test.
In a team game, it’s very important for those doing well to really make it count as it helps those who are struggling to overcome difficulties.
Often, when a series has been lost, the tendency is to look only at those who fail. But sometimes it’s also worth asking: Those who were in good form and doing well, getting starts, could they have done a bit more?
In a team sport, it’s the result that matters, not the batsmen saying the bowlers failed or vice-versa. You have to work together to make up for whichever department you are lacking in.
A common theme throughout our series was that we did not make most of the chances that came our way. In the final Test, we had the game in control till the end of the second day.
In both innings, we had a chance to make it count with the bat and the simple fact is that we failed to do so. Of course, the injuries, all on the same day, did not help in any way, but that’s not an excuse. We really missed a great opportunity to win a series in Sri Lanka.
Ajantha Mendis was a deciding factor in many ways. Muttiah Muralitharan always gives it his best and he is a champion, but to have two spinners operating in tandem and controlling the game makes it very different for the opposition. In that light, from our point of view, I could have done better and provided more support to Harbhajan Singh in terms of picking up wickets.
In hindsight, there were a couple of situations where we could have done better. Full credit to VVS Laxman for the way he batted despite intense pain and discomfort in the final innings.
It was a special effort. Ideally, we would have liked a couple of our middle-order batsmen to find form early in the series.
All in all, though, I’d have to point to two pieces of statistics: we made only one hundred, and took one five-for all tour.
You have to have stronger performances than that in the long form. That made the difference between victory and defeat.
After losing the first Test and coming back strongly in the second one, we won an important toss in the final Test.
The toss plays an important role, but you still have to do well once you win it and make the first innings count. Instead, what we did was first fail with the bat — 249 after choosing to bat was never going to be enough — and then let them off the hook by allowing their tail to stretch their first innings.
All the batsmen got starts but at the highest level, that’s not enough. There were no big scores and this really cost us in the decider. Virender Sehwag’s first-innings double hundred was a big factor at Galle and without that we would have found it hard to win that Test.
In a team game, it’s very important for those doing well to really make it count as it helps those who are struggling to overcome difficulties.
Often, when a series has been lost, the tendency is to look only at those who fail. But sometimes it’s also worth asking: Those who were in good form and doing well, getting starts, could they have done a bit more?
In a team sport, it’s the result that matters, not the batsmen saying the bowlers failed or vice-versa. You have to work together to make up for whichever department you are lacking in.
A common theme throughout our series was that we did not make most of the chances that came our way. In the final Test, we had the game in control till the end of the second day.
In both innings, we had a chance to make it count with the bat and the simple fact is that we failed to do so. Of course, the injuries, all on the same day, did not help in any way, but that’s not an excuse. We really missed a great opportunity to win a series in Sri Lanka.
Ajantha Mendis was a deciding factor in many ways. Muttiah Muralitharan always gives it his best and he is a champion, but to have two spinners operating in tandem and controlling the game makes it very different for the opposition. In that light, from our point of view, I could have done better and provided more support to Harbhajan Singh in terms of picking up wickets.
In hindsight, there were a couple of situations where we could have done better. Full credit to VVS Laxman for the way he batted despite intense pain and discomfort in the final innings.
It was a special effort. Ideally, we would have liked a couple of our middle-order batsmen to find form early in the series.
All in all, though, I’d have to point to two pieces of statistics: we made only one hundred, and took one five-for all tour.
You have to have stronger performances than that in the long form. That made the difference between victory and defeat.
Lifestyle - Traditional British names disappearing fast
More parents in Britain are now choosing names of celebrities, picking them up from magazines like Hello!, or front pages of newspapers for their newborns. A new report found babies are rarely named after godparents or relatives, as was the tradition a century ago.
Parents are also naming children after names given by celebrities to their babies. Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin who named their daughter Apple and Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie who called their twins Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline, will be surprised to find how many newborns bear the names of their kids.
The traditional names Walter, Harold, Percy, one finds in so many old novels are now almost forgotten, The era of the traditional names in Britain has ended, replaced by names that reflect the demographic changes leading to a multi-cultural society. The conservative lament that a piece of British history is rapidly dying out.
Some evoke the spirit of the Blitz and Dad’s Army, says a Telegraph report. Others recall the confidence of Queen Victoria’s Britain and the age of colonial conquest.
But now according to new research, traditional British names are disappearing at a faster rate than at any time in history.
Mohammad was the 17th most popular boy’s name last year. More boys born in Britain last year were named after the Prophet than were given any other name.
Popular names in 1907 were compiled by Dr Geoff Ellis, a statistician, but none of those names made it to the list of 100 most popular baby names in each of the past five years recorded by the Office of National Statistics in 2005.
Richard, the most popular boys’ name in Britain two centuries ago, is 19th on the overall list compiled by Dr Ellis, having fallen in popularity by 66 per cent since 1907.
Thirteen per cent of all children born in Britain today are given one of the five most popular boys’ or girls’ names, compared with eight per cent a century ago.
The five most popular boys’ names last year were Jack, Thomas, Oliver, Joshua, and Harry, while the five most popular girls’ names were Grace, Ruby, Olivia, Emily, and Jessica.
Dr Ellis believes the decline of traditional names can be largely attributed to immigration and the willingness of parents to be more bold and experimental when naming their children.
Indians have however remained more conservative, sticking to the names given after gods and goddesses and suggesting wealth, fortune and fame.
But, young parents are naming their newly born by digging out names from old scriptures and such like, which are not only pleasant sounding but also have a meaning.
Parents are also naming children after names given by celebrities to their babies. Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin who named their daughter Apple and Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie who called their twins Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline, will be surprised to find how many newborns bear the names of their kids.
The traditional names Walter, Harold, Percy, one finds in so many old novels are now almost forgotten, The era of the traditional names in Britain has ended, replaced by names that reflect the demographic changes leading to a multi-cultural society. The conservative lament that a piece of British history is rapidly dying out.
Some evoke the spirit of the Blitz and Dad’s Army, says a Telegraph report. Others recall the confidence of Queen Victoria’s Britain and the age of colonial conquest.
But now according to new research, traditional British names are disappearing at a faster rate than at any time in history.
Mohammad was the 17th most popular boy’s name last year. More boys born in Britain last year were named after the Prophet than were given any other name.
Popular names in 1907 were compiled by Dr Geoff Ellis, a statistician, but none of those names made it to the list of 100 most popular baby names in each of the past five years recorded by the Office of National Statistics in 2005.
Richard, the most popular boys’ name in Britain two centuries ago, is 19th on the overall list compiled by Dr Ellis, having fallen in popularity by 66 per cent since 1907.
Thirteen per cent of all children born in Britain today are given one of the five most popular boys’ or girls’ names, compared with eight per cent a century ago.
The five most popular boys’ names last year were Jack, Thomas, Oliver, Joshua, and Harry, while the five most popular girls’ names were Grace, Ruby, Olivia, Emily, and Jessica.
Dr Ellis believes the decline of traditional names can be largely attributed to immigration and the willingness of parents to be more bold and experimental when naming their children.
Indians have however remained more conservative, sticking to the names given after gods and goddesses and suggesting wealth, fortune and fame.
But, young parents are naming their newly born by digging out names from old scriptures and such like, which are not only pleasant sounding but also have a meaning.
Lifestyle - Mittal loses record for most expensive home purchase
Steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal has lost the world record for the most expensive home purchase to an anonymous Russian billionaire, who has forked out USD 750 million for a French villa, built by a Belgian king and once frequented by the likes of Frank Sinatra and Ronald Reagan.
The present inhabitant Lily Safra, the widow of Edmond Safra -- a billionaire and founder of Republic Bank of New York -- is expected to move out and give the possession to the new buyer next month.
While the sale of the property with a never heard of price tag has made headlines in a number of French newspapers such as Nice Matin and Le Parisien, as well as in the British media, the name of the buyer is not yet known.
The reports have said that the Russian oil billionaire does not want to disclose his name.
The deal, priced at 500 million euro (close to USD 750 million), is more than double the previous world record of 117 million pound paid by Mittal for a house in Kensington Palace Gardens area of London earlier this year for his son Aditya.
Safra bought the French villa in 1999 a few months before his death. The Republic Bank of New York was bought by HSBC.
The property named Villa Leopolda is said to be dotted with over a thousand olive, lemon and orange trees and has close to 50 people to take care of its garden only.
It was build in early 1900s by King Leopold II of Belgium and was later converted by his nephew and heir King Albert I into a hospital in 1916 for treating soldiers injured in World WarI. In 1950s, it was bought by Italian auto giant Fiat's former Chief Giovanni Agnelli as his summer holiday home.
During Agnelli's ownership days, it was home to a number of high-profile parties attended by Frank Sinatra and Ronald Reagan among others.
The present inhabitant Lily Safra, the widow of Edmond Safra -- a billionaire and founder of Republic Bank of New York -- is expected to move out and give the possession to the new buyer next month.
While the sale of the property with a never heard of price tag has made headlines in a number of French newspapers such as Nice Matin and Le Parisien, as well as in the British media, the name of the buyer is not yet known.
The reports have said that the Russian oil billionaire does not want to disclose his name.
The deal, priced at 500 million euro (close to USD 750 million), is more than double the previous world record of 117 million pound paid by Mittal for a house in Kensington Palace Gardens area of London earlier this year for his son Aditya.
Safra bought the French villa in 1999 a few months before his death. The Republic Bank of New York was bought by HSBC.
The property named Villa Leopolda is said to be dotted with over a thousand olive, lemon and orange trees and has close to 50 people to take care of its garden only.
It was build in early 1900s by King Leopold II of Belgium and was later converted by his nephew and heir King Albert I into a hospital in 1916 for treating soldiers injured in World WarI. In 1950s, it was bought by Italian auto giant Fiat's former Chief Giovanni Agnelli as his summer holiday home.
During Agnelli's ownership days, it was home to a number of high-profile parties attended by Frank Sinatra and Ronald Reagan among others.
Health - Tomatoes
Tomato a day can keep many problems at bay.
You know that rhyme every kid learns how to finish: "An apple a day ..." Make that "A tomato a day" — it may be even better at keeping problems away.
Tomatoes are stellar sources of vitamins A and C, folate, potassium, fibre, and all kinds of protective antioxidants.
And organic tomatoes are even better — when they’re grown without chemicals, tomatoes contain much higher amounts of flavonoids, which have antioxidant, anti-viral , and anti-inflammatory properties.
Lower your blood pressure: Try snacking on cherry tomatoes. These fruits (yes, tomatoes are fruits, not veggies) may keep your blood pressure in check.
In just eight weeks, people with mild hypertension who got a daily "dose" of tomatoes saw their systolic blood pressures (the top number ) drop a whopping 10 points on average, and their diastolic blood pressures (the bottom number) drop by four points.
Avoid colds and flu: When men who are deficient in carotenoids drink tomato juice regularly , they bump up their ability to fend off bacteria and viruses.
However, the immunity-boosting effects take a while to kick in. So if you start upping your Tjuice intake today, you may stay a step ahead of sore throats and colds.
Save your skin: Who knew this thin-skinned fruit would make a natural sunscreen?
But people who include lycopene-rich tomato paste in their diets for at least 10 weeks get much less intense sunburns.
Control cholestero:l A tomato a day may keep artery and heart problems at bay. Four weeks of daily tomato munching can increase good HDL cholesterol by 15 per cent.
Fight aging: Tomatoes are rich in two spectacular antiaging free-radical squelchers: lycopene and beta carotene. In some cells, these antioxidants reduce free-radical damage to DNA by 42 per cent.
Both youth-protecting nutrients are enhanced when tomatoes are heated or eaten with a little fat.
You know that rhyme every kid learns how to finish: "An apple a day ..." Make that "A tomato a day" — it may be even better at keeping problems away.
Tomatoes are stellar sources of vitamins A and C, folate, potassium, fibre, and all kinds of protective antioxidants.
And organic tomatoes are even better — when they’re grown without chemicals, tomatoes contain much higher amounts of flavonoids, which have antioxidant, anti-viral , and anti-inflammatory properties.
Lower your blood pressure: Try snacking on cherry tomatoes. These fruits (yes, tomatoes are fruits, not veggies) may keep your blood pressure in check.
In just eight weeks, people with mild hypertension who got a daily "dose" of tomatoes saw their systolic blood pressures (the top number ) drop a whopping 10 points on average, and their diastolic blood pressures (the bottom number) drop by four points.
Avoid colds and flu: When men who are deficient in carotenoids drink tomato juice regularly , they bump up their ability to fend off bacteria and viruses.
However, the immunity-boosting effects take a while to kick in. So if you start upping your Tjuice intake today, you may stay a step ahead of sore throats and colds.
Save your skin: Who knew this thin-skinned fruit would make a natural sunscreen?
But people who include lycopene-rich tomato paste in their diets for at least 10 weeks get much less intense sunburns.
Control cholestero:l A tomato a day may keep artery and heart problems at bay. Four weeks of daily tomato munching can increase good HDL cholesterol by 15 per cent.
Fight aging: Tomatoes are rich in two spectacular antiaging free-radical squelchers: lycopene and beta carotene. In some cells, these antioxidants reduce free-radical damage to DNA by 42 per cent.
Both youth-protecting nutrients are enhanced when tomatoes are heated or eaten with a little fat.
World - Facebook is world's number 1 social networking site
SAN FRANCISCO: Facebook has overtaken MySpace to become the world's most popular social networking site with 132 million unique visitors in June, according to new figures from web tracking firm ComScore.
The study also found that Facebook's visitor growth far outpaced that of MySpace, with Facebook visits up 153 percent on an annual basis, compared to just three percent growth for MySpace. Other social networks showing strong global growth include Hi5 (100 per cent) Friendster (50 per cent), Orkut (41 per cent) and Bebo (32 per cent).
Comscore said Facebook grew 38 per cent in the US, where it had 49 million visitors in June.
The strongest growth was in Latin America, where Facebook's visitors grew by 1055 per cent. The number of European visitors tripled to 35 million a month, while growth in the Middle East and Africa was 400 per cent. In the Asia Pacific region visitors increased 458 per cent.
"Facebook has done an exceptional job of leveraging its brand internationally during the past year," ComScore executive Jack Flanagan said in a statement from the company. "By increasing the site's relevance to local markets through local language interface translation, the site is now competing strongly or even capturing the lead in several markets where it had a relatively minor presence just a year ago."
Comscore said the dizzying increases were helped by Facebook's tiny global presence prior to its recent initiative to translate the site into other languages. A year ago, it had only one million unique visits a month in all of Latin America, three million in the Middle East and Africa, and four million in all of Asia Pacific.
Flanagan said international expansion was now the main target for the major social networking sites.
"While the social networking trend first took off in North America, it is beginning to reach a point of maturity in the region," Flanagan said. "However, the phenomenon is still growing rapidly in other regions around the world - especially as the established American brands turn their focus to developing markets."
The study also found that Facebook's visitor growth far outpaced that of MySpace, with Facebook visits up 153 percent on an annual basis, compared to just three percent growth for MySpace. Other social networks showing strong global growth include Hi5 (100 per cent) Friendster (50 per cent), Orkut (41 per cent) and Bebo (32 per cent).
Comscore said Facebook grew 38 per cent in the US, where it had 49 million visitors in June.
The strongest growth was in Latin America, where Facebook's visitors grew by 1055 per cent. The number of European visitors tripled to 35 million a month, while growth in the Middle East and Africa was 400 per cent. In the Asia Pacific region visitors increased 458 per cent.
"Facebook has done an exceptional job of leveraging its brand internationally during the past year," ComScore executive Jack Flanagan said in a statement from the company. "By increasing the site's relevance to local markets through local language interface translation, the site is now competing strongly or even capturing the lead in several markets where it had a relatively minor presence just a year ago."
Comscore said the dizzying increases were helped by Facebook's tiny global presence prior to its recent initiative to translate the site into other languages. A year ago, it had only one million unique visits a month in all of Latin America, three million in the Middle East and Africa, and four million in all of Asia Pacific.
Flanagan said international expansion was now the main target for the major social networking sites.
"While the social networking trend first took off in North America, it is beginning to reach a point of maturity in the region," Flanagan said. "However, the phenomenon is still growing rapidly in other regions around the world - especially as the established American brands turn their focus to developing markets."
India - E-charkha
BASSI (Jaipur): Mahatma Gandhi's charkha or the spinning wheel not only is an instrument of self-reliance and empowerment in this small hamlet but has literally become a beacon of light in the life of the villagers.
The villagers have devised a novel way of producing electricity while spinning the charkha. The power then is stored in a battery and used later to lit up their homes.
Ever since the Amber charkha was introduced by Ekambernath of Tamil Nadu in 1954 on the call of Gandhiji, it has undergone many transformations and the e-charkha, which has the facility to pro-duce, electricity is the latest in this series.
A specially-designed light emitting diode (LED) and a transistor radio, tailor-made for the charkha, help these villagers keep abreast with news and entertainment as they use the power to lis-ten to the radio.
The Khadi Gramodhyog Saghan Vikas Samiti, Bassi, has intro-duced this multi-purpose Amber charkha as a pilot project of the Khadi Commission for the first time in the country.
The new charkha has a convertor, a storage rechargable battery and LED as attachments. After two hours of running the e-charkha battery stores sufficient power to light a bulb and transistor for 7.5 hours.
Says the secretary of the Khadi Gramodhyog Sanghan Vikas Samiti, Bassi, Laxmi Chand Bhandari, "The e-charkha was introduced as part of a pilot project of the Khadi Commission about six months ago. The new Amber charkha has provisions for affixing up to eight spindles toincrease the output. Besides, a kit is also at-tached to generate elecricity."
The villagers have devised a novel way of producing electricity while spinning the charkha. The power then is stored in a battery and used later to lit up their homes.
Ever since the Amber charkha was introduced by Ekambernath of Tamil Nadu in 1954 on the call of Gandhiji, it has undergone many transformations and the e-charkha, which has the facility to pro-duce, electricity is the latest in this series.
A specially-designed light emitting diode (LED) and a transistor radio, tailor-made for the charkha, help these villagers keep abreast with news and entertainment as they use the power to lis-ten to the radio.
The Khadi Gramodhyog Saghan Vikas Samiti, Bassi, has intro-duced this multi-purpose Amber charkha as a pilot project of the Khadi Commission for the first time in the country.
The new charkha has a convertor, a storage rechargable battery and LED as attachments. After two hours of running the e-charkha battery stores sufficient power to light a bulb and transistor for 7.5 hours.
Says the secretary of the Khadi Gramodhyog Sanghan Vikas Samiti, Bassi, Laxmi Chand Bhandari, "The e-charkha was introduced as part of a pilot project of the Khadi Commission about six months ago. The new Amber charkha has provisions for affixing up to eight spindles toincrease the output. Besides, a kit is also at-tached to generate elecricity."
World - Snooper's charter to check texts & emails
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Local councils, health authorities and hundreds of other public bodies in the United Kingdom are to be given the power to access details of everyone’s personal text, emails and Internet use under Home Office ( Ministry of the Interior) proposals published on August 12. Ministers want to make it mandatory for telephone and Internet companies to keep details of all personal Internet traffic for at least 12 months so that it can be accessed for investigations into crim e or other threats to public safety.
The Home Office admitted on Tuesday that the measure would mean companies having to store “a billion incidents of data exchange a day.” As the measure is the result of a European Union directive, the data will be made available to public investigators across Europe. The consultation paper estimates that it will cost the Internet industry over £50 million to store the mountain of data. Conservatives and Liberal Democrats branded the measure a “snooper’s charter.”
When the measure was floated after the London bombings in 2005 by the then Home Secretary, Charles Clarke, it was justified on the grounds that it was needed to investigate terrorist plots and organised crime. But the Home Office document makes clear that the personal data will now be available for all sorts of crime and public order investigations and may even be used to prevent people self-harming.
Details of personal Internet and text traffic, but not the content, will have to be made available by telecommunications companies to public sector officials investigating crime, or to “protect the public.”
The measure will also cover VOIP — voice over Internet protocol — calls such as Skype. The Home Office confirmed that access to personal Internet and text data would also be available to all public bodies licensed under the U.K.’s 2000 Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (Ripa). This means hundreds of public bodies in the U.K. including local councils, health authorities, the Food Standards Agency, the Health and Safety Commission and even the education standards watchdog, Ofsted, will be able to require telecommunications companies to hand over the personal data.
It is already mandatory for telecommunications companies such as BT, Orange and O2 to keep records of all mobile and landline phone traffic. They voluntarily store electronic Internet data as well. But the Home Office said on Tuesday they now had to make it mandatory because of a European directive requiring all such personal data to be collected across all EU states. This is justified on the grounds that much of the information is already stored as billing information by the companies.
Mr. Clarke campaigned strongly in Europe for the measure to be adopted after the 7/7 bombings in London.
The government has already indicated that it intends to go one step further this autumn by introducing a draft communications bill, which would require all telecommunications companies to hand over this data to one central “super” database so that the police and other public authorities will be able to access it directly without having to make a request each time to the individual company holding the records. A Home Office spokesman said historic communications data was a vital tool in investigations and intelligence gathering in support of national security : “This data allows investigators to identify suspects, examine their contacts, establish relationships between conspirators and place them in a specific location at a certain time,” he said.
“It also gives investigators the potential to identify other forensic opportunities, identify witnesses and premises of evidential interest. Many alibis are proven or refuted through the use of communications data. Without the EC directive investigative opportunities will be increasingly lost.”
But the Liberal Democrats’ home affairs spokesman, Chris Huhne, said Ministers had proved time and again that they were not to be trusted with sensitive data but they seemed intent on pressing ahead with this snooper’s charter: “We will be told it is for use in combating terrorism and organised crime but if Ripa powers are anything to go by, it will soon be used to spy on ordinary people’s kids, pets and bins.”
Local councils, health authorities and hundreds of other public bodies in the United Kingdom are to be given the power to access details of everyone’s personal text, emails and Internet use under Home Office ( Ministry of the Interior) proposals published on August 12. Ministers want to make it mandatory for telephone and Internet companies to keep details of all personal Internet traffic for at least 12 months so that it can be accessed for investigations into crim e or other threats to public safety.
The Home Office admitted on Tuesday that the measure would mean companies having to store “a billion incidents of data exchange a day.” As the measure is the result of a European Union directive, the data will be made available to public investigators across Europe. The consultation paper estimates that it will cost the Internet industry over £50 million to store the mountain of data. Conservatives and Liberal Democrats branded the measure a “snooper’s charter.”
When the measure was floated after the London bombings in 2005 by the then Home Secretary, Charles Clarke, it was justified on the grounds that it was needed to investigate terrorist plots and organised crime. But the Home Office document makes clear that the personal data will now be available for all sorts of crime and public order investigations and may even be used to prevent people self-harming.
Details of personal Internet and text traffic, but not the content, will have to be made available by telecommunications companies to public sector officials investigating crime, or to “protect the public.”
The measure will also cover VOIP — voice over Internet protocol — calls such as Skype. The Home Office confirmed that access to personal Internet and text data would also be available to all public bodies licensed under the U.K.’s 2000 Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (Ripa). This means hundreds of public bodies in the U.K. including local councils, health authorities, the Food Standards Agency, the Health and Safety Commission and even the education standards watchdog, Ofsted, will be able to require telecommunications companies to hand over the personal data.
It is already mandatory for telecommunications companies such as BT, Orange and O2 to keep records of all mobile and landline phone traffic. They voluntarily store electronic Internet data as well. But the Home Office said on Tuesday they now had to make it mandatory because of a European directive requiring all such personal data to be collected across all EU states. This is justified on the grounds that much of the information is already stored as billing information by the companies.
Mr. Clarke campaigned strongly in Europe for the measure to be adopted after the 7/7 bombings in London.
The government has already indicated that it intends to go one step further this autumn by introducing a draft communications bill, which would require all telecommunications companies to hand over this data to one central “super” database so that the police and other public authorities will be able to access it directly without having to make a request each time to the individual company holding the records. A Home Office spokesman said historic communications data was a vital tool in investigations and intelligence gathering in support of national security : “This data allows investigators to identify suspects, examine their contacts, establish relationships between conspirators and place them in a specific location at a certain time,” he said.
“It also gives investigators the potential to identify other forensic opportunities, identify witnesses and premises of evidential interest. Many alibis are proven or refuted through the use of communications data. Without the EC directive investigative opportunities will be increasingly lost.”
But the Liberal Democrats’ home affairs spokesman, Chris Huhne, said Ministers had proved time and again that they were not to be trusted with sensitive data but they seemed intent on pressing ahead with this snooper’s charter: “We will be told it is for use in combating terrorism and organised crime but if Ripa powers are anything to go by, it will soon be used to spy on ordinary people’s kids, pets and bins.”
India - Study confirms merits;AIDS
A study involving more than 10,500 people, undertaken by the Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society, has conclusively demonstrated that providing micro- and macro-nutritional supplements to people with HIV/AIDS improves their health, and greatly delays the progression of the disease. The study covered both HIV-infected individuals who are on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and those who are not. The most important finding is that the CD4 count shot up. The increase was remarkable in those on ART — the figure rose from 113 to 402 at the end of the 18-month study period. The increase seen in HIV-positive people who do not require drugs, even if marginal, is significant in its own way. Since CD4 counts indicate how strong the immune system is, a higher count means it would take a longer time for therapy to become necessary. For those already on ART, an increase in CD4 translates to lesser risk of contracting AIDS-related illnesses. A marked reduction in the rates of tuberculosis co-infection and other opportunistic infections for those on ART best illustrates this. Though the advantages of a healthy lifestyle in delaying the progression of the disease are well known, the results of the Tamil Nadu study are powerful confirmation of this knowledge.
There are economic benefits also, as evidenced by the fact that the percentage of people on ART getting employed nearly doubled in six months, thanks to the nutrition supplement. Together, the twin benefits could change the entire dynamics of the health care of those afflicted with HIV/AIDS. It is commendable that the Tamil Nadu government decided, on the basis of six-month data, to incorporate nutritional supplementation in its HIV/AIDS strategy for those on therapy — there are about 25,000 people on ART and some 1,000 more are estimated to join their ranks every month. The government’s current programme covers only those on medicines. A vigorous campaign is called for to spread awareness among the HIV/AIDS-infected people on the proven merits of nutrition in putting off the contingency of medication. In this, the role of counsellors cannot be overemphasised. The findings of the study make a strong case for nutritional supplementation being included in the all-India programme run by the National AIDS Control Organisation. The additional cost it entails — Rs.900 a year per person — is eminently justifiable considering that the government may not have to spend money on treating thousands of people who would otherwise become co-infected with TB or get opportunistic infections.
There are economic benefits also, as evidenced by the fact that the percentage of people on ART getting employed nearly doubled in six months, thanks to the nutrition supplement. Together, the twin benefits could change the entire dynamics of the health care of those afflicted with HIV/AIDS. It is commendable that the Tamil Nadu government decided, on the basis of six-month data, to incorporate nutritional supplementation in its HIV/AIDS strategy for those on therapy — there are about 25,000 people on ART and some 1,000 more are estimated to join their ranks every month. The government’s current programme covers only those on medicines. A vigorous campaign is called for to spread awareness among the HIV/AIDS-infected people on the proven merits of nutrition in putting off the contingency of medication. In this, the role of counsellors cannot be overemphasised. The findings of the study make a strong case for nutritional supplementation being included in the all-India programme run by the National AIDS Control Organisation. The additional cost it entails — Rs.900 a year per person — is eminently justifiable considering that the government may not have to spend money on treating thousands of people who would otherwise become co-infected with TB or get opportunistic infections.
Tech - Japan techies eye 'e-skin' for robots
TOKYO: Japanese researchers say they have developed a rubber that is able to conduct electricity well, paving the way for robots with stretchable “e-skin” that can feel heat and pressure like humans.
The material is the first in the world to solve the problems faced by metals—which are conductive but do not stretch—and rubber, which hardly transmits electricity, according to the team at the University of Tokyo.
The new technology is flexible like ordinary rubber but boasts conductivity some 570 times as high as commercially available rubbers filled with carbon particles, said the team led by Takao Someya at the university’s School of Engineering.
If used as wiring, the material can make elastic integrated circuits (ICs), which can be stretched to up to 1.7 times their original size and mounted on curved surfaces with no mechanical damage or major change in conductivity.
One application of the material would be artificial skin on robots, said Tsuyoshi Sekitani, a research associate in the team.
“As robots enter our everyday life, they need to have sensors everywhere on their bodies like humans,” he told said. “Imagine they bump into babies. Robots need to feel temperatures, heat and pressure like we do to co-exist. Otherwise it would be dangerous,” he said.
The material itself can be stretched up to 2.3 times the original size but conductivity drops roughly by half at the maximum extension. It can be stretched by 38 percent with no significant change in conductivity.
The material is the first in the world to solve the problems faced by metals—which are conductive but do not stretch—and rubber, which hardly transmits electricity, according to the team at the University of Tokyo.
The new technology is flexible like ordinary rubber but boasts conductivity some 570 times as high as commercially available rubbers filled with carbon particles, said the team led by Takao Someya at the university’s School of Engineering.
If used as wiring, the material can make elastic integrated circuits (ICs), which can be stretched to up to 1.7 times their original size and mounted on curved surfaces with no mechanical damage or major change in conductivity.
One application of the material would be artificial skin on robots, said Tsuyoshi Sekitani, a research associate in the team.
“As robots enter our everyday life, they need to have sensors everywhere on their bodies like humans,” he told said. “Imagine they bump into babies. Robots need to feel temperatures, heat and pressure like we do to co-exist. Otherwise it would be dangerous,” he said.
The material itself can be stretched up to 2.3 times the original size but conductivity drops roughly by half at the maximum extension. It can be stretched by 38 percent with no significant change in conductivity.
Aug 13, 2008
India - Delhi Metro Story
Those who regularly use the Delhi Metro service swear by it. The first phase of the network, covering a 65-kilometre stretch that now carries about 800,000 passengers every day, was completed ahead of schedule. Its service was efficient, when it started the first leg of the network more than five years ago. It continues to be so even today. The service stands out because of the manner in which its coaches and the station areas are regularly maintained and kept clean. Most users are impressed by Delhi Metro’s adherence to basic safety guidelines, punctuality of service and the use of technology for the benefit of its passengers.
What’s more, Delhi Metro’s operational efficiency will make any manager turn green with envy. Its operating ratio (expenditure as a proportion of the total income) has seen steady improvements over the years. In 2007-08, it was down to 0.52 from 0.60-0.64 a year before. In other words, Delhi Metro’s expenditure on running the service is now just about half its total income.
For connoisseurs, experts and economists, though, Delhi Metro has many problems. First, there are those who question the very model of running a highly capital-intensive metro service in a city like Delhi. A metro service, they argue, is better suited to cities that have grown vertically and not to those like Delhi, which has seen circular growth.
Second, there are legitimate questions about the manner in which Delhi Metro has been funded. The bulk of Delhi Metro’s financing needs has been met through long-term loans from Japanese and other agencies at hugely concessional interest rates. The money it has got is virtually free. So, its real costs have been hidden and the operational efficiency that Delhi Metro boasts of will not look as dramatic if it had to budget for market rates of interest on the funds it used to build the network.
Third, there is a view that Delhi Metro has hugely benefitted from the large tracts of land it got from the government. It has used that land to develop real estate and augment its income. Indeed, only 40 per cent of its total revenue is coming from traffic operations and Delhi Metro’s target is to reduce it further. In other words, Delhi Metro’s profit is boosted not so much by its traffic income as by what it earns from real estate (which incidentally is now more than its revenue from traffic).
And finally, there is the argument that the ownership structure followed for Delhi Metro is not sustainable. With the state and the Centre owning 50 per cent each in Delhi Metro, neither of the shareholders can actually assert itself or drive the company. This, it is argued, is not a healthy structure.
Each of these arguments may have some merit. Delhi Metro may not be the ideal form of public transport in the capital city. Concessional funds may have skewed the general assessment of Delhi Metro’s financial performance and credit is being given where it is not due (though, public transport projects are globally subsidised through such concessional funding). Real estate development has given an advantage to Delhi Metro which no other public transport provider in the country has got so far. And finally, there may be some merit in the view that the success of Delhi Metro is largely dependent on an efficient administrator like its present managing director, E Sreedharan. But once he is gone, the system might collapse. So, Delhi Metro’s ownership structure is not what should be replicated in any other city.
But it is important to note that the entire debate on Delhi Metro has centred round its financial model, its ownership structure and the use of real estate to augment revenues. The fact that it is a public transport network offering service efficiently and at a reasonable tariff seems to have no place in this debate. There are few examples of an efficient public service network in this country and when one of them shines like the way Delhi Metro does, it is perhaps more appropriate to assess how that model has worked, instead of focussing on what is wrong with it.
Indeed, the 50:50 ownership pattern, followed for Delhi Metro, may well be the preferred option for most other public transport systems, provided the management of such a network is given the kind of operational autonomy that E Sreedharan has got. There is no need to allow him to run metro services in other cities as subsidiaries of Delhi Metro. But surely the same ownership structure with a top management that enjoys full autonomy with clearly defined performance goals will be a better option.
The Hyderabad metro project has raised hopes of a new model in which a private sector infrastructure company will implement the public transport project at no cost to the government. The irony is that the Hyderabad metro project also is dependent on real estate development as a significant source of revenue. And given what problems surface when private sector players start acquiring land for their projects (special economic zones and Posco are recent examples), the government’s gains from the Hyderabad project may well remain illusory.
What’s more, Delhi Metro’s operational efficiency will make any manager turn green with envy. Its operating ratio (expenditure as a proportion of the total income) has seen steady improvements over the years. In 2007-08, it was down to 0.52 from 0.60-0.64 a year before. In other words, Delhi Metro’s expenditure on running the service is now just about half its total income.
For connoisseurs, experts and economists, though, Delhi Metro has many problems. First, there are those who question the very model of running a highly capital-intensive metro service in a city like Delhi. A metro service, they argue, is better suited to cities that have grown vertically and not to those like Delhi, which has seen circular growth.
Second, there are legitimate questions about the manner in which Delhi Metro has been funded. The bulk of Delhi Metro’s financing needs has been met through long-term loans from Japanese and other agencies at hugely concessional interest rates. The money it has got is virtually free. So, its real costs have been hidden and the operational efficiency that Delhi Metro boasts of will not look as dramatic if it had to budget for market rates of interest on the funds it used to build the network.
Third, there is a view that Delhi Metro has hugely benefitted from the large tracts of land it got from the government. It has used that land to develop real estate and augment its income. Indeed, only 40 per cent of its total revenue is coming from traffic operations and Delhi Metro’s target is to reduce it further. In other words, Delhi Metro’s profit is boosted not so much by its traffic income as by what it earns from real estate (which incidentally is now more than its revenue from traffic).
And finally, there is the argument that the ownership structure followed for Delhi Metro is not sustainable. With the state and the Centre owning 50 per cent each in Delhi Metro, neither of the shareholders can actually assert itself or drive the company. This, it is argued, is not a healthy structure.
Each of these arguments may have some merit. Delhi Metro may not be the ideal form of public transport in the capital city. Concessional funds may have skewed the general assessment of Delhi Metro’s financial performance and credit is being given where it is not due (though, public transport projects are globally subsidised through such concessional funding). Real estate development has given an advantage to Delhi Metro which no other public transport provider in the country has got so far. And finally, there may be some merit in the view that the success of Delhi Metro is largely dependent on an efficient administrator like its present managing director, E Sreedharan. But once he is gone, the system might collapse. So, Delhi Metro’s ownership structure is not what should be replicated in any other city.
But it is important to note that the entire debate on Delhi Metro has centred round its financial model, its ownership structure and the use of real estate to augment revenues. The fact that it is a public transport network offering service efficiently and at a reasonable tariff seems to have no place in this debate. There are few examples of an efficient public service network in this country and when one of them shines like the way Delhi Metro does, it is perhaps more appropriate to assess how that model has worked, instead of focussing on what is wrong with it.
Indeed, the 50:50 ownership pattern, followed for Delhi Metro, may well be the preferred option for most other public transport systems, provided the management of such a network is given the kind of operational autonomy that E Sreedharan has got. There is no need to allow him to run metro services in other cities as subsidiaries of Delhi Metro. But surely the same ownership structure with a top management that enjoys full autonomy with clearly defined performance goals will be a better option.
The Hyderabad metro project has raised hopes of a new model in which a private sector infrastructure company will implement the public transport project at no cost to the government. The irony is that the Hyderabad metro project also is dependent on real estate development as a significant source of revenue. And given what problems surface when private sector players start acquiring land for their projects (special economic zones and Posco are recent examples), the government’s gains from the Hyderabad project may well remain illusory.
India - Next twenty years
Last Sunday’s Business Standard* carried an edit commenting on the stunning display of organisational capacity manifested in the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games. Instead of mystically attributing this success to cultural superiority, the edit sensibly argued that such organisational capacities are typically associated with attaining “upper middle-income status”.
The edit associated this status with a per capita income of around $3000, but was not very precise in how it defined this threshold. A glance at the World Bank’s recent (July 1, 2008) estimates of 2007 per capita Gross National Income (GNI) using the Atlas method shows China at 132nd position at $2360, while India at $950 holds a lowly 160th rank. By way of comparison, per capita GNI at purchasing power parity exchange rates from the same source reveals a figure for China of $5370 (rank 119) while that of India is $2740 (rank 152).
While not wanting to split hairs, given these numbers, it is difficult to know exactly what to make of the $3000 figure. But of more interest and importance are two other judgments embedded in the article. The first was that it would take India another twenty years to get to the income levels of China today. The second is that China today is at roughly the same level of per capita income as other past “emerging” hosts such as Mexico, Japan, South Korea and even Italy. Let us examine these two propositions more closely.
In doing so, one enters into some tricky methodological territory. PPP comparisons across countries (calculated in various benchmark years) do not always relate very precisely to the real growth rates commonly reported by national statistics offices. Also, the International Comparison Project (ICP), on which the World Bank bases its PPP estimates, has not, to my knowledge chosen to go back in history to come up with international comparisons of real living standards over the span of centuries.
For such comparisons, the standard source is the much-cited work of Angus Maddison,** which provides consistent cross-country comparisons of per capita GDP until 2001. He uses what he calls “1990 international Geary-Khamis dollars” which are similar to the ICP in providing consistent measures of real economic activity across time.
The Table gives the date of various recent Olympic games, each designed to be a “coming out” party for the countries in question. As noted, Maddison’s calculations only extend until 2001. In that year China’s per capita GDP, at G-K1990$ was $3583, while India’s was $1957 on the same basis. Conservatively assuming that Chinese per capita income has grown at 7% per year since then, by 2007 it would have been around $5375, placing it almost exactly where Japan and Italy were in the 1960s. So the fundamental insight of the BS edit is correct. Before our very eyes, over the course of this decade, China has become the kind of country that most of us of a certain age would have called “developed” when we were growing up, the country of Sophia Loren, La Dolce Vita and Fiat.
What then of India? According to Maddison, the last time that China and India were at approximately the same income level was 1978, on the eve of China’s reforms. (The ICP by contrast portrays the two countries’ per capita income in 1990 as approximately equal.) In 2001, China’s per capita income was already almost 80% higher than that of India; this gap would certainly have widened in the intervening period. Assuming average per capita growth of 5% since 2001, India’s per capita income in 2007 would be calculated at $2622, almost exactly half that of China. By way of additional comparison, this is roughly where a country like Italy stood soon after the First World War, in the early 1920s.
That then is the magnitude of the challenge facing India: to transform itself from the kind of rural society that Italy was in the second decade of the 20th century, to the kind of industrial power that it had become by the mid-1960s. With the turmoil of two World Wars and a global depression, the journey took Italy forty years. China has compressed the same evolution into fifteen. So again, the judgment of the edit holds up to scrutiny: assuming we grow slightly more slowly than China’s recent record, it will take between fifteen and twenty years for us to reach where China is today.
Of the many challenges that lie along our path, one is likely to be managing urbanisation. A recent joint publication between NCAER and the Future Group*** projects that, by 2050, 45% of India’s population will be urban, as compared with 30% today. This amounts to an additional 379 million people being added to urban spaces over the next forty years. This is a transition that China is currently experiencing, and the sheer scale of urban investment underway all over the country is mind-boggling. Sir Arthur Lewis, one of the founders of development economics, and a noted economic historian, observed in one of his lectures that in economic development it is urbanisation, and not industrialisation that absorbs investment. The NCAER-FCH report shows that the underlying drivers of urban growth are so powerful that against the odds many important cities continue to thrive. More focused attention on urban infrastructure and governance is urgently needed to help India close the gap before it becomes unbridgeable. Whether we choose to host the Olympics when the time comes is another matter altogether.
* “Upper middle-income magic”. Business Standard, August 10, 2008
**Angus Maddison. 2003. The World Economy: Historical Statistics. Development Centre Studies. OECD, Paris
***Rajesh Shukla and Roopa Purushothaman. 2008. “The Next Urban Frontier: Twenty Cities to Watch”. NCAER and Future Capital Holdings
The edit associated this status with a per capita income of around $3000, but was not very precise in how it defined this threshold. A glance at the World Bank’s recent (July 1, 2008) estimates of 2007 per capita Gross National Income (GNI) using the Atlas method shows China at 132nd position at $2360, while India at $950 holds a lowly 160th rank. By way of comparison, per capita GNI at purchasing power parity exchange rates from the same source reveals a figure for China of $5370 (rank 119) while that of India is $2740 (rank 152).
While not wanting to split hairs, given these numbers, it is difficult to know exactly what to make of the $3000 figure. But of more interest and importance are two other judgments embedded in the article. The first was that it would take India another twenty years to get to the income levels of China today. The second is that China today is at roughly the same level of per capita income as other past “emerging” hosts such as Mexico, Japan, South Korea and even Italy. Let us examine these two propositions more closely.
In doing so, one enters into some tricky methodological territory. PPP comparisons across countries (calculated in various benchmark years) do not always relate very precisely to the real growth rates commonly reported by national statistics offices. Also, the International Comparison Project (ICP), on which the World Bank bases its PPP estimates, has not, to my knowledge chosen to go back in history to come up with international comparisons of real living standards over the span of centuries.
For such comparisons, the standard source is the much-cited work of Angus Maddison,** which provides consistent cross-country comparisons of per capita GDP until 2001. He uses what he calls “1990 international Geary-Khamis dollars” which are similar to the ICP in providing consistent measures of real economic activity across time.
The Table gives the date of various recent Olympic games, each designed to be a “coming out” party for the countries in question. As noted, Maddison’s calculations only extend until 2001. In that year China’s per capita GDP, at G-K1990$ was $3583, while India’s was $1957 on the same basis. Conservatively assuming that Chinese per capita income has grown at 7% per year since then, by 2007 it would have been around $5375, placing it almost exactly where Japan and Italy were in the 1960s. So the fundamental insight of the BS edit is correct. Before our very eyes, over the course of this decade, China has become the kind of country that most of us of a certain age would have called “developed” when we were growing up, the country of Sophia Loren, La Dolce Vita and Fiat.
What then of India? According to Maddison, the last time that China and India were at approximately the same income level was 1978, on the eve of China’s reforms. (The ICP by contrast portrays the two countries’ per capita income in 1990 as approximately equal.) In 2001, China’s per capita income was already almost 80% higher than that of India; this gap would certainly have widened in the intervening period. Assuming average per capita growth of 5% since 2001, India’s per capita income in 2007 would be calculated at $2622, almost exactly half that of China. By way of additional comparison, this is roughly where a country like Italy stood soon after the First World War, in the early 1920s.
That then is the magnitude of the challenge facing India: to transform itself from the kind of rural society that Italy was in the second decade of the 20th century, to the kind of industrial power that it had become by the mid-1960s. With the turmoil of two World Wars and a global depression, the journey took Italy forty years. China has compressed the same evolution into fifteen. So again, the judgment of the edit holds up to scrutiny: assuming we grow slightly more slowly than China’s recent record, it will take between fifteen and twenty years for us to reach where China is today.
Of the many challenges that lie along our path, one is likely to be managing urbanisation. A recent joint publication between NCAER and the Future Group*** projects that, by 2050, 45% of India’s population will be urban, as compared with 30% today. This amounts to an additional 379 million people being added to urban spaces over the next forty years. This is a transition that China is currently experiencing, and the sheer scale of urban investment underway all over the country is mind-boggling. Sir Arthur Lewis, one of the founders of development economics, and a noted economic historian, observed in one of his lectures that in economic development it is urbanisation, and not industrialisation that absorbs investment. The NCAER-FCH report shows that the underlying drivers of urban growth are so powerful that against the odds many important cities continue to thrive. More focused attention on urban infrastructure and governance is urgently needed to help India close the gap before it becomes unbridgeable. Whether we choose to host the Olympics when the time comes is another matter altogether.
* “Upper middle-income magic”. Business Standard, August 10, 2008
**Angus Maddison. 2003. The World Economy: Historical Statistics. Development Centre Studies. OECD, Paris
***Rajesh Shukla and Roopa Purushothaman. 2008. “The Next Urban Frontier: Twenty Cities to Watch”. NCAER and Future Capital Holdings
Mktg - Brand Khadi (V.G.Read)
Never in history has a length of cloth played as central a role in shaping a nation’s destiny as khadi has in India’s freedom struggle. For that matter, never has cloth been as intrinsic to a country’s formative ethos as khadi has been to the notion of Indian nationhood. For what Mahatma Gandhi achieved, when he first sat himself down at the humble charkha, was not only to set in motion a mass rebellion to Colonial rule, but also lay the tenets of simplicity, self-reliance and empowerment which went on to become the cornerstone of an entire generation’s belief-system .
Such is the near-umbilical connect between khadi and the ‘Indian way of life’ envisioned by the nation’s founding fathers. Paradoxically, while independent India has exorcised the ghosts of its painful past with moderate success and edges towards global prominence, khadi, the fabric, finds itself pretty much on the margin - not quite consigned to the history it once so effectively wrought, but fairly close.
“If in this generation we do not revive khadi, we will lose it forever. It is important to support something that is so Indian, something that is the ethos of who we are,” says Devieka Bhojwani, director, Brite Idea, and one of the early proponents of the khadi revival during the 1980s. Khadi, as a ‘way of life’ or as a philosophy, isn’t entirely dead - as social scientist Shiv Vishwanathan points out, echoes of that philosophy continue to resonate in movements like the Narmada Bachao Andolan.
However, as a material object, its decline in popular imagination is irrefutable. “The spirit of khadi was alive for the generation that had seen the Independence movement, and for the one born into the aftermath of a discourse that had transcended the narrow confines of personal identifications,” says Vinita Kapur, social anthropologist & head - ethnography division, Quantum Market Research. She adds that today, the average Indian has fallen out of the discourse of freedom which is an integral part of the Indian ethos, and therein lies khadi’s problem of relevancy.
Viewed from a brand marketer’s prism, ‘Brand Khadi’ is beset by textbook brand marketing problems - issues pertaining to the product, its supply, its image perception and competition . In the decade following Independence, khadi’s popularity stemmed from the values dear to free India; it’s no coincidence that India’s political class, which embodied those values, was synonymous with khadi. However, through the following decades, this ‘brand ambassadorship’ became a liability, once the moral fibre of India’s politicians became open to question.
“Khadi’s association with politics is very strong and gives it a ‘not so clean’ image,” points out Nabankur Gupta, marketing consultant, and chairman, Blue Ocean. What compounded matters was that khadi began acquiring an anti-establishment , counter-culture image among younger Indians; colleges were full of wild-eyed teenagers in khadi spouting Marx and Engels - which was fine only till such time as spouting Marx and Engels was in fashion. While subsequent generations of college kids steered clear of Marx, khadi failed to make a clean getaway.
Consistency in product quality was another issue, something that Bhojwani grappled with during the time she worked with India’s best fashion designers to introduce khadi into haute couture. “There was the issue of paying a fixed rate to the tailors, which was then Rs 20,” she adds. “Since the structure was such that only 10 per cent of the profits went back to them, we had to find designs which would fit into that structure.”
Designer duo Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla were associated with the movement to make khadi fashionable, but Khosla reveals that while they were keen on increasing their khadi offering, they could never get enough supply. “Now, linen has come as a contender to khadi, it has a similar kind of feel, is a breathing fabric and is easier to maintain,” he says.
Another issue was credit facilities, “which you cannot get from khadi, so the lure to move to other fabrics is there as well,” Khosla adds. And as Manish Kelshikar, design head, Shoppers Stop, observes , khadi also suffers from limitations in usage occasions. “Khadi is best used in social occasions; at best it has two-days-a-week usage, and given the high degree of maintenance it requires, that’s a problem,” he says. Equally important is the poor retail experience that khadi offered shoppers. Alluding to the khadi bhandars scattered across India , Gupta says: “Look at the places where khadi is sold — I feel I have grown 10 years older when I go in there. Instead it must be vibrant; customers should feel younger and youthful when they go to these places.”
None of this, however, can take away from the fact that Brand Khadi has the resilience to bounce back. Vishwanathan, for one, believes that even in the current scenario, khadi will “easily survive another 20 years” . He adds that khadi is pretty popular the world over, “Go to any American campus — and not just South American campuses — and you will find a number of people wearing khadi,” he says.
Quantum’s Kapur concurs , saying: “Khadi may have diminished internally, but outside India it still enjoys high patronage. The values surrounding khadi is respected highly even today.” What’s helping khadi maintain a toehold is the efforts of companies like Fabindia and Anokhi, which have played a significant role in making khadi contemporary to consumers. Says William Bissell, MD, Fabindia: “Khadi is a natural cultural asset that we all should be very proud of. I find it very amusing that people who pride themselves in being able to differentiate between 50 different French wines, can’t differentiate cultural markers closer to home, despite the symbolic significance.”
The challenge, of course, is to connect with today’s consumers in a relevant manner , and Bissell says Fabindia has been able to create a resonance with all segments of consumers. “From college kids to their grand-parents , we’ve held the interest of all age-groups . That’s also because what we do very well is to create a contemporary context for the traditional: this is as true for khadi as it is for our other products,” he says. Kelshikar, who holds Fabindia’s efforts in high esteem, adds that Shoppers Stop has just completed a pilot for its ethnic wear store brand Kashish, keeping khadi in mind. “We are experimenting with kurtas in terms of styling, surface ornamentation and graphics; the thigh-level kurta is easily adaptable for youngsters, and we are seeing if there is consumer interest,” he says.
There are plenty of indications that khadi can reclaim its pride of place — as long as efforts are made to understand consumer trends and khadi is branded properly. For one, khadi can ride on the ethnic chic wave. For another, the fabric can cash in on what Kelshikar calls the ‘glocal trend’ in fashion — say denim jeans and khadi kurtas . Then there’s the entire shift in global mindset towards eco-friendly products.
Gupta believes positioning khadi products as “organic and green” is an opportunity to move the brand up the value chain, particularly in the west, adding that khadi suffers from a lack of sharp branding and positioning . “Khadi needs to be positioned well; it has to move forward as a national entity. Brands like Raymond, Arvind Mills and others can come together and release a khadi collection every year, just like you have the spring-summer or autumn-winter collection. Then you can declare October 2 (Gandhi Jayanti) as Khadi Day and promote khadi products.”
Kelshikar also points out that with the explosion of large format retail, initiatives to promote khadi stand a much better chance of succeeding than in the past. Bhojwani also thinks khadi’s potential can be exploited in the home and bed linen space. “The world over, pure cotton is so expensive that a fabric that breathes will work wonderfully,” she says.
However, khadi’s best bet, it seems, lies in tapping into young India’s sense of Indianness . “There is a huge ‘I am for India’ spirit amongst this generation and this is the right time to revive khadi,” says Bhojwani, “Because the new generation of weavers are not going to sit forever waiting to augment their meagre income.” Kapur adds that for the post-90 s generation, it is only through ‘Gandhigiri’ that the meaning of khadi can be plumbed. “Khadi symbolised freedom and self-reliance so powerfully that awakened by the right ‘kiss of love’ , it can still symbolise those values in those whose hearts the desire for freedom still flames,” she says. Bissell puts it best, perhaps, when he says: Khadi is a complex fabric — versatile, distinctive, adaptable. It’s a brand ambassador in its own right: it’s time we recognised it as such and looked upon it as a symbol of what is best in our evolved and adaptive culture.”
Such is the near-umbilical connect between khadi and the ‘Indian way of life’ envisioned by the nation’s founding fathers. Paradoxically, while independent India has exorcised the ghosts of its painful past with moderate success and edges towards global prominence, khadi, the fabric, finds itself pretty much on the margin - not quite consigned to the history it once so effectively wrought, but fairly close.
“If in this generation we do not revive khadi, we will lose it forever. It is important to support something that is so Indian, something that is the ethos of who we are,” says Devieka Bhojwani, director, Brite Idea, and one of the early proponents of the khadi revival during the 1980s. Khadi, as a ‘way of life’ or as a philosophy, isn’t entirely dead - as social scientist Shiv Vishwanathan points out, echoes of that philosophy continue to resonate in movements like the Narmada Bachao Andolan.
However, as a material object, its decline in popular imagination is irrefutable. “The spirit of khadi was alive for the generation that had seen the Independence movement, and for the one born into the aftermath of a discourse that had transcended the narrow confines of personal identifications,” says Vinita Kapur, social anthropologist & head - ethnography division, Quantum Market Research. She adds that today, the average Indian has fallen out of the discourse of freedom which is an integral part of the Indian ethos, and therein lies khadi’s problem of relevancy.
Viewed from a brand marketer’s prism, ‘Brand Khadi’ is beset by textbook brand marketing problems - issues pertaining to the product, its supply, its image perception and competition . In the decade following Independence, khadi’s popularity stemmed from the values dear to free India; it’s no coincidence that India’s political class, which embodied those values, was synonymous with khadi. However, through the following decades, this ‘brand ambassadorship’ became a liability, once the moral fibre of India’s politicians became open to question.
“Khadi’s association with politics is very strong and gives it a ‘not so clean’ image,” points out Nabankur Gupta, marketing consultant, and chairman, Blue Ocean. What compounded matters was that khadi began acquiring an anti-establishment , counter-culture image among younger Indians; colleges were full of wild-eyed teenagers in khadi spouting Marx and Engels - which was fine only till such time as spouting Marx and Engels was in fashion. While subsequent generations of college kids steered clear of Marx, khadi failed to make a clean getaway.
Consistency in product quality was another issue, something that Bhojwani grappled with during the time she worked with India’s best fashion designers to introduce khadi into haute couture. “There was the issue of paying a fixed rate to the tailors, which was then Rs 20,” she adds. “Since the structure was such that only 10 per cent of the profits went back to them, we had to find designs which would fit into that structure.”
Designer duo Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla were associated with the movement to make khadi fashionable, but Khosla reveals that while they were keen on increasing their khadi offering, they could never get enough supply. “Now, linen has come as a contender to khadi, it has a similar kind of feel, is a breathing fabric and is easier to maintain,” he says.
Another issue was credit facilities, “which you cannot get from khadi, so the lure to move to other fabrics is there as well,” Khosla adds. And as Manish Kelshikar, design head, Shoppers Stop, observes , khadi also suffers from limitations in usage occasions. “Khadi is best used in social occasions; at best it has two-days-a-week usage, and given the high degree of maintenance it requires, that’s a problem,” he says. Equally important is the poor retail experience that khadi offered shoppers. Alluding to the khadi bhandars scattered across India , Gupta says: “Look at the places where khadi is sold — I feel I have grown 10 years older when I go in there. Instead it must be vibrant; customers should feel younger and youthful when they go to these places.”
None of this, however, can take away from the fact that Brand Khadi has the resilience to bounce back. Vishwanathan, for one, believes that even in the current scenario, khadi will “easily survive another 20 years” . He adds that khadi is pretty popular the world over, “Go to any American campus — and not just South American campuses — and you will find a number of people wearing khadi,” he says.
Quantum’s Kapur concurs , saying: “Khadi may have diminished internally, but outside India it still enjoys high patronage. The values surrounding khadi is respected highly even today.” What’s helping khadi maintain a toehold is the efforts of companies like Fabindia and Anokhi, which have played a significant role in making khadi contemporary to consumers. Says William Bissell, MD, Fabindia: “Khadi is a natural cultural asset that we all should be very proud of. I find it very amusing that people who pride themselves in being able to differentiate between 50 different French wines, can’t differentiate cultural markers closer to home, despite the symbolic significance.”
The challenge, of course, is to connect with today’s consumers in a relevant manner , and Bissell says Fabindia has been able to create a resonance with all segments of consumers. “From college kids to their grand-parents , we’ve held the interest of all age-groups . That’s also because what we do very well is to create a contemporary context for the traditional: this is as true for khadi as it is for our other products,” he says. Kelshikar, who holds Fabindia’s efforts in high esteem, adds that Shoppers Stop has just completed a pilot for its ethnic wear store brand Kashish, keeping khadi in mind. “We are experimenting with kurtas in terms of styling, surface ornamentation and graphics; the thigh-level kurta is easily adaptable for youngsters, and we are seeing if there is consumer interest,” he says.
There are plenty of indications that khadi can reclaim its pride of place — as long as efforts are made to understand consumer trends and khadi is branded properly. For one, khadi can ride on the ethnic chic wave. For another, the fabric can cash in on what Kelshikar calls the ‘glocal trend’ in fashion — say denim jeans and khadi kurtas . Then there’s the entire shift in global mindset towards eco-friendly products.
Gupta believes positioning khadi products as “organic and green” is an opportunity to move the brand up the value chain, particularly in the west, adding that khadi suffers from a lack of sharp branding and positioning . “Khadi needs to be positioned well; it has to move forward as a national entity. Brands like Raymond, Arvind Mills and others can come together and release a khadi collection every year, just like you have the spring-summer or autumn-winter collection. Then you can declare October 2 (Gandhi Jayanti) as Khadi Day and promote khadi products.”
Kelshikar also points out that with the explosion of large format retail, initiatives to promote khadi stand a much better chance of succeeding than in the past. Bhojwani also thinks khadi’s potential can be exploited in the home and bed linen space. “The world over, pure cotton is so expensive that a fabric that breathes will work wonderfully,” she says.
However, khadi’s best bet, it seems, lies in tapping into young India’s sense of Indianness . “There is a huge ‘I am for India’ spirit amongst this generation and this is the right time to revive khadi,” says Bhojwani, “Because the new generation of weavers are not going to sit forever waiting to augment their meagre income.” Kapur adds that for the post-90 s generation, it is only through ‘Gandhigiri’ that the meaning of khadi can be plumbed. “Khadi symbolised freedom and self-reliance so powerfully that awakened by the right ‘kiss of love’ , it can still symbolise those values in those whose hearts the desire for freedom still flames,” she says. Bissell puts it best, perhaps, when he says: Khadi is a complex fabric — versatile, distinctive, adaptable. It’s a brand ambassador in its own right: it’s time we recognised it as such and looked upon it as a symbol of what is best in our evolved and adaptive culture.”
India - Khadi & Government Controls
One of the biggest impediments to most of the efforts that have been put in to revive khadi is the excessive government control exercised over the industry.
Devieka Bhojwani reveals that after repeated attempts at resusticating the fabric’s appeal, she finally gave up on account of red tape. “I tried consultancy with them as well, but khadi is wired in too much bureaucracy,” she says. Shiv Vishwanathan believes that government intervention in trying to market khadi would be to the detriment of the brand.
“What the government can do to help khadi is do something for the revival of natural dyes, which will help khadi in a big way,” he concedes , adding that what needs to be done is help preserve the weaver and help improve his condition . Rta Kapur Chishti, author of Tradition and Beyond : Handcrafted Indian Textiles, points out that the greates t achievement of state support has been the fact that the production of hands pun / hand woven fabric has survived right up to the present day. “Yet the drawback of this circumstance has been the erosion of its philosophical basis and the expansive growth of a bureaucratic supervising agency,” she adds.
That said, the Khadi & Village Industries Commission (KVIC) — which was instituted in 1957 with the social objective of providing employment and creating self-reliance amongst rural communities — has had some role to play in the evolution of Brand Khadi. For instance, in 2006-07 , KVIC had a production of Rs 17,562.40 crore, working with 3,000 NGOs, three lakh rural entrepreneurs and nine million weavers.
KVIC has 7,050 khadi outlets across the country. J S Mishra, CEO, KVIC says that the commission is planning increased production of higher quality products for both the domestic and international markets in the next year or so. “We are focusing on 200 khadi institutions by improving wages for weavers to stop them from moving away from making khadi,” he says. “Today even a labourer who moves earth gets wages of Rs 60- Rs 100 per hour, whereas for weaving khadi it was Rs 40- Rs 50, which was not attractive. The 10th plan didn’t make provisions for this, but now it has changed.”
The government has allocated Rs 85- Rs 90 crore to improve the working conditions and ambience of the weaving facilities, and these allocations will benefit about roughly 45,000 workers. KVIC claims to be working on innovative production and incentive schemes to improve efficiency and increase productivity; improving market development strategies and investing in bar-coding facilities are other plans on the anvil.
This year, the government has increased the fund allocation to KVIC by 46% to Rs 300 crore, collectively for khadi and village industries . And last week, a MOU was signed between KVIC and the CII for a joint-marketing , branding and export strategy. In the 11th five-year plan, KVIC has an employment generation target of 141 million, and a production target of Rs 30,000 crore, double that of the last five-year plan.
Mishra also informs that 30%-40 % of the khadi bhandars have been marked for “upgradation”, which will happen in a “phased manner”. He adds: “We have plans to convert 30 outlets across the country to have dedicated khadi and village industry product sales.
While KVIC has not worked with the likes of Fabindia and Anokhi, there is a realisation that it would be useful for the commission to learn how these companies use machine-spun khadi to manufacture clothes; KVIC could also benefit from learnings in packaging, production techniques and supply management.
Another plan on the anvil is to have a ‘Khadi mark’ — along the lines of Woolmark — to propagate different forms of khadi. And yes, KVIC has plans to appoint a professional ad agency to work on a massmedia campaign to promote its brands. Developing a website and subsequently grow e-commerce are some of the other tasks it has identified for the agency.
Another scheme called Product Development , Design Intervention and Packaging (PRODIP) has been introduced with the objective of improving quality and design by way of value addition, bringing out new product lines, and improving packaging. A professional agency’s help will be sought to enable this as well.
Devieka Bhojwani reveals that after repeated attempts at resusticating the fabric’s appeal, she finally gave up on account of red tape. “I tried consultancy with them as well, but khadi is wired in too much bureaucracy,” she says. Shiv Vishwanathan believes that government intervention in trying to market khadi would be to the detriment of the brand.
“What the government can do to help khadi is do something for the revival of natural dyes, which will help khadi in a big way,” he concedes , adding that what needs to be done is help preserve the weaver and help improve his condition . Rta Kapur Chishti, author of Tradition and Beyond : Handcrafted Indian Textiles, points out that the greates t achievement of state support has been the fact that the production of hands pun / hand woven fabric has survived right up to the present day. “Yet the drawback of this circumstance has been the erosion of its philosophical basis and the expansive growth of a bureaucratic supervising agency,” she adds.
That said, the Khadi & Village Industries Commission (KVIC) — which was instituted in 1957 with the social objective of providing employment and creating self-reliance amongst rural communities — has had some role to play in the evolution of Brand Khadi. For instance, in 2006-07 , KVIC had a production of Rs 17,562.40 crore, working with 3,000 NGOs, three lakh rural entrepreneurs and nine million weavers.
KVIC has 7,050 khadi outlets across the country. J S Mishra, CEO, KVIC says that the commission is planning increased production of higher quality products for both the domestic and international markets in the next year or so. “We are focusing on 200 khadi institutions by improving wages for weavers to stop them from moving away from making khadi,” he says. “Today even a labourer who moves earth gets wages of Rs 60- Rs 100 per hour, whereas for weaving khadi it was Rs 40- Rs 50, which was not attractive. The 10th plan didn’t make provisions for this, but now it has changed.”
The government has allocated Rs 85- Rs 90 crore to improve the working conditions and ambience of the weaving facilities, and these allocations will benefit about roughly 45,000 workers. KVIC claims to be working on innovative production and incentive schemes to improve efficiency and increase productivity; improving market development strategies and investing in bar-coding facilities are other plans on the anvil.
This year, the government has increased the fund allocation to KVIC by 46% to Rs 300 crore, collectively for khadi and village industries . And last week, a MOU was signed between KVIC and the CII for a joint-marketing , branding and export strategy. In the 11th five-year plan, KVIC has an employment generation target of 141 million, and a production target of Rs 30,000 crore, double that of the last five-year plan.
Mishra also informs that 30%-40 % of the khadi bhandars have been marked for “upgradation”, which will happen in a “phased manner”. He adds: “We have plans to convert 30 outlets across the country to have dedicated khadi and village industry product sales.
While KVIC has not worked with the likes of Fabindia and Anokhi, there is a realisation that it would be useful for the commission to learn how these companies use machine-spun khadi to manufacture clothes; KVIC could also benefit from learnings in packaging, production techniques and supply management.
Another plan on the anvil is to have a ‘Khadi mark’ — along the lines of Woolmark — to propagate different forms of khadi. And yes, KVIC has plans to appoint a professional ad agency to work on a massmedia campaign to promote its brands. Developing a website and subsequently grow e-commerce are some of the other tasks it has identified for the agency.
Another scheme called Product Development , Design Intervention and Packaging (PRODIP) has been introduced with the objective of improving quality and design by way of value addition, bringing out new product lines, and improving packaging. A professional agency’s help will be sought to enable this as well.
Mktg - India's freedom struggle poorly marketed (V.G.Read)
For most people around the globe, the Statue of Liberty is synonymous with the American Revolution , when the 13 British colonies in North America fought for independence from the British Empire. Ironically, the famed lady has very little to do with the actual war for independence ; the 46-meter tall statue was designed by French sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi in France in 1884 — more than a century after the Revolution — and was shipped to America in 350 pieces on a French ship, to commemorate the French-American alliance during the American Revolution.
Yet, such is the manner in which the statue has been marketed that to many minds, the notion that it played a pivotal part in the Revolution still holds sway. Ditto with other popular US monuments like the White House, Washington Memorial and Mount Rushmore — all were built much after the Revolution.
Strangely enough, there are umpteen places in India that have monumental significance in the country’s freedom struggle — the Andaman Cellular Jail, Dandi, Sabarmati Ashram, Jallianwala Bagh, Kakori near Lucknow , Alfred Park in Allahabad, Jinnah House and Mani Bhavan in Mumbai, just to name a few. All these places had an intrinsic role in the freedom struggle, yet with the possible exception of Lal Qila and Raj Ghat, none of them have been marketed as tourist destinations.
“What’s most shocking is the neglect that structures associated with our freedom struggle suffer,” says Gurcharan Das, former CEO of P&G India, and author of India Unbound. Very few Indians know where Jinnah House or Mangal Pandey’s tomb is. And at least 99 per cent of Indians would struggle to pin-point Dandi on the map of Gujarat.
R Balakrishnan (Balki), chairman & CCO of Lowe India, concurs that the Indian freedom struggle has been very badly marketed. “It appears that only the English know about the intricate details of our freedom struggle,” he rues.
Particularly jarring is the fact that the nature of India’s freedom struggle — its predominantly non-violent , Gandhian aspect, that is — has won many admirers in the world community.
In that sense, the freedom struggle, in itself, doesn’t call for any marketing: all that’s actually required is kindling the latent interest by showcasing places that have strong linkages with the movement. All that it calls for is taking a leaf out of the American book of patriotism: from Mount Rushmore, which draws as many as three million visitors from across the world in a busy year, to Pearl Harbour, the US has perfected the art of marketing its history.
However, Santosh Desai, CEO of Future Brands, thinks it won’t be so easy, given Indians’ poor sense of history, especially physical history. “Most Indians are smitten by the mythical rather than the historical ,” he says. “While Kurukshetra may evoke an instant connect in Indian minds, no one is interested in visiting the physical place.” Desai also pins the blame on Indians’ “superficial, narcissist and selective consumption” of patriotism. “It’s not about India but about India’s wins. We’re gungho about our victories — be it the 1983 World Cup win or Kargil — but no one wants to remember the painful memories of Jallianwala or the war with China.”
The sorry state of affairs can be easily gauged by just looking at the environs of many of our monuments — barring a few, none are preserved, packaged and presented as places worthy of anyone’s interest. “In England, amenities around the forts, castles and palaces make you want to visit these places,” Balki says. “In India, by the time you reach a place you’re so full of dirt that you don’t want to discover history. We have to learn from England how to preserve our history.” Interestingly, Das advocates public-private partnership models to manage these important sites. He cites the example of Kathmandu’s Patan Museum, which has followed the model and is “one of the best in South Asia” . Das also feels this is too important a responsibility to be left to the government alone — he feels top-notch historians should be roped in as well.
There is no dearth as far as marketing opportunities are concerned. For instance, the restaging of the Dandi March makes imminent sense. The Andaman Islands could be sold on the back of the Cellular Jail as much as it is sold as a scuba diving and snorkeling retreat. Sabarmati Ashram and Mani Bhavan can be made a part of a Discover Gandhi package, while Alfred Park and Kakori can be bundled into a ‘Revolutionary’ package.
As proven in the case of Lal Qila and Khajuraho, monuments can serve as backdrops for light and sound shows. And the merchandising opportunities arising out of these are immense — after all, ‘been there, done that and got the Tshirt’ is an essential aspect of ‘memorabilia tourism’ worldwide. “Something like the Dandi Marathon instead of a Mumbai Marathon will bring alive the history of the place,” observes Desai, adding that these sites need to be marketed as a spectacular re-enactment of history. “Indians are drawn towards spectacles. The Taj Mahal and the Red Fort bring in crowds because of their ‘spectacular’ beauty,” he says.
The problem is one of poor supply — and poor demand. While government has done little to promote and market the freedom struggle, the average Indian hasn’t displayed a keen desire to lap up the history of the struggle either. “The market is not ripe. Someone needs to develop the market; only then will the market grow,” Desai says. The foreign tourist is a potential target , but Piyush Pandey, executive chairman & NCD, Ogilvy India, says it all boils down to the pride Indians attach to such monuments. “Only when you have demonstrated your passion and belief in these places adequately can you think of marketing them to the world,” says Pandey. Filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker, known for movies like Lagaan, Swades and Jodhaa-Akbar , adds: “Maintaining these historic places is not only the government’s responsibility , but also that of the people. Writing on the walls and littering the premises are unpardonable acts. The government and the people need to work hand in hand.”
Even tourism-specific campaigns such as ‘Incredible India’ have never covered the freedom struggle as a ‘destination’ . The man behind the original ‘Incredible India’ campaign, Prathap Suthan — now NCD, Southwest Asia, Cheil Communications — says one plausible reason why the government hasn’t thought of doing it so far is the “possible politicisation of the freedom struggle and the fear of turning it into a communal issue” . Balki, however , says that it’s the little facts and stories centred at the history of the place — and not campaigns like Incredible India — that will be most effective in promoting the sites. “The government should use popular tourist spots to entice tourists to discover these places,” he adds.
Given that popular cinema — recent Bollywood movies like Gadar, Rang De Basanti and Lage Raho Munna Bhai, for instance — has triggered audience interest through themes drawn from the freedom struggle, Pandey thinks it shouldn’t be too hard capitalising on the trend. Desai, however, cautions against pop-patriotism . “You might end up trivialising the struggle, the leaders, the places...
People might remember Gandhi but forget the spirit of Gandhi,” he says. Ultimately though, it’s a question of the importance that is attached to history and places of historical importance. “Only if we maintain them, take care of them, will we be able to market them,” says Gowariker , adding that he has given the issue some thought. “I have certain ideas but that can only be implemented if I am given all the freedom,” he says. Given the infinite layers of bureaucracy attached, this might just prove to be yet another freedom struggle.
Yet, such is the manner in which the statue has been marketed that to many minds, the notion that it played a pivotal part in the Revolution still holds sway. Ditto with other popular US monuments like the White House, Washington Memorial and Mount Rushmore — all were built much after the Revolution.
Strangely enough, there are umpteen places in India that have monumental significance in the country’s freedom struggle — the Andaman Cellular Jail, Dandi, Sabarmati Ashram, Jallianwala Bagh, Kakori near Lucknow , Alfred Park in Allahabad, Jinnah House and Mani Bhavan in Mumbai, just to name a few. All these places had an intrinsic role in the freedom struggle, yet with the possible exception of Lal Qila and Raj Ghat, none of them have been marketed as tourist destinations.
“What’s most shocking is the neglect that structures associated with our freedom struggle suffer,” says Gurcharan Das, former CEO of P&G India, and author of India Unbound. Very few Indians know where Jinnah House or Mangal Pandey’s tomb is. And at least 99 per cent of Indians would struggle to pin-point Dandi on the map of Gujarat.
R Balakrishnan (Balki), chairman & CCO of Lowe India, concurs that the Indian freedom struggle has been very badly marketed. “It appears that only the English know about the intricate details of our freedom struggle,” he rues.
Particularly jarring is the fact that the nature of India’s freedom struggle — its predominantly non-violent , Gandhian aspect, that is — has won many admirers in the world community.
In that sense, the freedom struggle, in itself, doesn’t call for any marketing: all that’s actually required is kindling the latent interest by showcasing places that have strong linkages with the movement. All that it calls for is taking a leaf out of the American book of patriotism: from Mount Rushmore, which draws as many as three million visitors from across the world in a busy year, to Pearl Harbour, the US has perfected the art of marketing its history.
However, Santosh Desai, CEO of Future Brands, thinks it won’t be so easy, given Indians’ poor sense of history, especially physical history. “Most Indians are smitten by the mythical rather than the historical ,” he says. “While Kurukshetra may evoke an instant connect in Indian minds, no one is interested in visiting the physical place.” Desai also pins the blame on Indians’ “superficial, narcissist and selective consumption” of patriotism. “It’s not about India but about India’s wins. We’re gungho about our victories — be it the 1983 World Cup win or Kargil — but no one wants to remember the painful memories of Jallianwala or the war with China.”
The sorry state of affairs can be easily gauged by just looking at the environs of many of our monuments — barring a few, none are preserved, packaged and presented as places worthy of anyone’s interest. “In England, amenities around the forts, castles and palaces make you want to visit these places,” Balki says. “In India, by the time you reach a place you’re so full of dirt that you don’t want to discover history. We have to learn from England how to preserve our history.” Interestingly, Das advocates public-private partnership models to manage these important sites. He cites the example of Kathmandu’s Patan Museum, which has followed the model and is “one of the best in South Asia” . Das also feels this is too important a responsibility to be left to the government alone — he feels top-notch historians should be roped in as well.
There is no dearth as far as marketing opportunities are concerned. For instance, the restaging of the Dandi March makes imminent sense. The Andaman Islands could be sold on the back of the Cellular Jail as much as it is sold as a scuba diving and snorkeling retreat. Sabarmati Ashram and Mani Bhavan can be made a part of a Discover Gandhi package, while Alfred Park and Kakori can be bundled into a ‘Revolutionary’ package.
As proven in the case of Lal Qila and Khajuraho, monuments can serve as backdrops for light and sound shows. And the merchandising opportunities arising out of these are immense — after all, ‘been there, done that and got the Tshirt’ is an essential aspect of ‘memorabilia tourism’ worldwide. “Something like the Dandi Marathon instead of a Mumbai Marathon will bring alive the history of the place,” observes Desai, adding that these sites need to be marketed as a spectacular re-enactment of history. “Indians are drawn towards spectacles. The Taj Mahal and the Red Fort bring in crowds because of their ‘spectacular’ beauty,” he says.
The problem is one of poor supply — and poor demand. While government has done little to promote and market the freedom struggle, the average Indian hasn’t displayed a keen desire to lap up the history of the struggle either. “The market is not ripe. Someone needs to develop the market; only then will the market grow,” Desai says. The foreign tourist is a potential target , but Piyush Pandey, executive chairman & NCD, Ogilvy India, says it all boils down to the pride Indians attach to such monuments. “Only when you have demonstrated your passion and belief in these places adequately can you think of marketing them to the world,” says Pandey. Filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker, known for movies like Lagaan, Swades and Jodhaa-Akbar , adds: “Maintaining these historic places is not only the government’s responsibility , but also that of the people. Writing on the walls and littering the premises are unpardonable acts. The government and the people need to work hand in hand.”
Even tourism-specific campaigns such as ‘Incredible India’ have never covered the freedom struggle as a ‘destination’ . The man behind the original ‘Incredible India’ campaign, Prathap Suthan — now NCD, Southwest Asia, Cheil Communications — says one plausible reason why the government hasn’t thought of doing it so far is the “possible politicisation of the freedom struggle and the fear of turning it into a communal issue” . Balki, however , says that it’s the little facts and stories centred at the history of the place — and not campaigns like Incredible India — that will be most effective in promoting the sites. “The government should use popular tourist spots to entice tourists to discover these places,” he adds.
Given that popular cinema — recent Bollywood movies like Gadar, Rang De Basanti and Lage Raho Munna Bhai, for instance — has triggered audience interest through themes drawn from the freedom struggle, Pandey thinks it shouldn’t be too hard capitalising on the trend. Desai, however, cautions against pop-patriotism . “You might end up trivialising the struggle, the leaders, the places...
People might remember Gandhi but forget the spirit of Gandhi,” he says. Ultimately though, it’s a question of the importance that is attached to history and places of historical importance. “Only if we maintain them, take care of them, will we be able to market them,” says Gowariker , adding that he has given the issue some thought. “I have certain ideas but that can only be implemented if I am given all the freedom,” he says. Given the infinite layers of bureaucracy attached, this might just prove to be yet another freedom struggle.
Business - GM's Volt
DETROIT: In a bid to show the demand for the upcoming all-electric Chevrolet Volt, a proponent of the car has released details of an unofficial waiting list for the vehicle with over 33,000 prospective buyers.
Lyle Dennis, a New York neurologist who has emerged as a prominent enthusiast for the battery-powered car from General Motors Corp, has been assembling a list of prospective Volt buyers for over a year through his Web site GM-Volt.com. On Tuesday, Dennis released details gleaned from the list showing that 33,411 people had signed up to show their intent to buy a Volt when the rechargeable car is released in 2010.
The list shows the highest number of potential Volt buyers in California, Texas, Florida and Michigan. It also includes potential buyers from 46 countries outside the United States. The average price buyers were willing to pay for the car was $31,261 -- substantially less than the $40,000 GM has said it will cost to build the first-generation of the car equipped with a massive lithium-ion battery pack.
GM has been racing to finish development of the Volt in time for the planned launch as the centerpiece of its effort to break a costly association with gas-guzzling vehicles at a time when truck sales are tumbling and gas prices remain high. Like most automakers, GM typically keeps its vehicle development programs under tight wraps and shuns publicity.
But with the Volt, GM has taken the opposite approach, actively consulting enthusiasts like Dennis and featuring the concept version of the Volt in high-profile advertising, including a television spot broadcast during the Olympics. Dennis, who organized a meeting between enthusiasts called the "Volt Nation" and GM executives at the New York Auto Show earlier this year, said he was motivated by a desire to show the Detroit-based automaker that the Volt would have a wide base of buyers from the start.
"If everyone who wanted a Volt could get one, that would be the dream," said Dennis. GM, which does not expect to make money on the first-generation of the Volt, has said it will ramp up output slowly when production of the plug-in hybrid starts at a Hamtramck, Michigan plant.
A GM spokesman said that the automaker expected an initial shortage for the Volt, similar to the shortages for other hot-selling recent models. "I don't know if there is any other vehicle or any other technology that has generated this kind of interest because of the state of the market and gas prices," said GM spokesman Dave Darovitz. "We know the demand is going to be there."
Darovitz declined to discuss pricing for the Volt GM showed off a concept version of the Volt in January 2007 but has retooled the look of the vehicle significantly since then, in part in order to improve its aerodynamics, representatives of the automaker have said. GM is designing the Volt to run for 40 miles (64 km) on a lithium-ion battery pack that can be recharged at a standard outlet.
The Volt will also capture energy from braking, like a traditional hybrid, and feature an on-board engine that will be used to send power to the battery on longer trips. GM is racing Toyota Motor Corp to bring the first mass-market, plug-in car to the marketplace.
Lyle Dennis, a New York neurologist who has emerged as a prominent enthusiast for the battery-powered car from General Motors Corp, has been assembling a list of prospective Volt buyers for over a year through his Web site GM-Volt.com. On Tuesday, Dennis released details gleaned from the list showing that 33,411 people had signed up to show their intent to buy a Volt when the rechargeable car is released in 2010.
The list shows the highest number of potential Volt buyers in California, Texas, Florida and Michigan. It also includes potential buyers from 46 countries outside the United States. The average price buyers were willing to pay for the car was $31,261 -- substantially less than the $40,000 GM has said it will cost to build the first-generation of the car equipped with a massive lithium-ion battery pack.
GM has been racing to finish development of the Volt in time for the planned launch as the centerpiece of its effort to break a costly association with gas-guzzling vehicles at a time when truck sales are tumbling and gas prices remain high. Like most automakers, GM typically keeps its vehicle development programs under tight wraps and shuns publicity.
But with the Volt, GM has taken the opposite approach, actively consulting enthusiasts like Dennis and featuring the concept version of the Volt in high-profile advertising, including a television spot broadcast during the Olympics. Dennis, who organized a meeting between enthusiasts called the "Volt Nation" and GM executives at the New York Auto Show earlier this year, said he was motivated by a desire to show the Detroit-based automaker that the Volt would have a wide base of buyers from the start.
"If everyone who wanted a Volt could get one, that would be the dream," said Dennis. GM, which does not expect to make money on the first-generation of the Volt, has said it will ramp up output slowly when production of the plug-in hybrid starts at a Hamtramck, Michigan plant.
A GM spokesman said that the automaker expected an initial shortage for the Volt, similar to the shortages for other hot-selling recent models. "I don't know if there is any other vehicle or any other technology that has generated this kind of interest because of the state of the market and gas prices," said GM spokesman Dave Darovitz. "We know the demand is going to be there."
Darovitz declined to discuss pricing for the Volt GM showed off a concept version of the Volt in January 2007 but has retooled the look of the vehicle significantly since then, in part in order to improve its aerodynamics, representatives of the automaker have said. GM is designing the Volt to run for 40 miles (64 km) on a lithium-ion battery pack that can be recharged at a standard outlet.
The Volt will also capture energy from braking, like a traditional hybrid, and feature an on-board engine that will be used to send power to the battery on longer trips. GM is racing Toyota Motor Corp to bring the first mass-market, plug-in car to the marketplace.
Lifestyle - Take it from an expert
Iam not a braggart and it is true I have much to be modest about. But in one respect I do not suffer from any false sense of modesty. I can say without beating round the bust that I am an authority on dieting. I have been at it through most of my life and the way things are going, I will remain a veteran practitioner of the art till I call it a day.
Don’t get me wrong. I am not an incurable anorexic whose eating disorder will not let him/her look any more substantial than those sorry specimens who sashay up and down ramps in oversized clothes that hang limply loose. I am true to my calories and am a living testimony to the nutritiousness in all that I ingest.
The problem is really not with me. It is those body mass index charts evolved in the west which say that should you stand so much in your socks, then god help you if the scales go beyond a point. It is of course a silly arithmetical average for all of humankind, unadjusted for the skeletal structures of different sub-species among humans. I would not have even cared to look up those charts had not words like ‘fatty’ (when I read in an English medium boarding school) and the vernacular mota (when I attended college on Kolkata’s College Street) relentlessly stalked me through school and college.
Dieting and dietary misconceptions have blighted my life for as long as I can remember with my mother painting rice and potatoes as the villains of the piece while sweets somehow never made it to the banned list. Then when I grew up and decided to adopt a scientific approach to the subject and read up all that I could access — in the late 1970s, I came across a wondrous entity called the Atkins diet.
More than changing the way I looked, it changed the way others looked at me. Unsurprisingly, I caught the eye of my wife to be and to cut a long story short she took over my diet and has forever complained thereafter. She says I played a fast one on her. After she took over, the scales for me never went back to where they were when we were dating and I was on Atkins, prompting her to say with bemusement that she thought it was girls who lost interest in their looks once they got married.
My theory of course is that it is the newer theories of dieting that are the culprit. My opting for a balanced diet and discarding the Atkins diet’s diktat of going off carbohydrates and living on just proteins made me ‘healthy’ and in need of dieting for the rest of my life. But when Robert C Atkins died a few years ago, the innumerable obituary notices made me realise how mainstream his dieting recipe had become over time. As a true expert on the subject I had spotted an idea almost before its time had come, only to discard it in favour of more current wisdom. Over time, the currently favoured theories will be discarded in favour of newer theories, taking me on an unending quest.
Today’s dietary literature emphasises that you must eat healthily and one or two shots a day can in fact be beneficial. Fruits are supposed to be excellent fodder to remain healthy but they are an utter nuisance because they are an appetiser which helps you digest your food double quick and look for absolutely-forbidden between meals snacks.
As age has caught up with me and I have tried to combat the consequences of healthy living, I have been bewildered by an inexplicable phenomenon. The less I ingest the more the body gets used to it and the scales keep playing back the same old refrain like a needle stuck in a broken record, or a mechanical toy that keeps uttering the same rubbish, in case you are too young to have seen a gramophone disc.
By the time I began to have serious doubts about notions of healthy living, deliverance came in the form of the findings of an Australian researcher. He said as you eat less and less your body gets adjusted to the lower calorific intake and manages to make do with less, thus requiring you to eat even less so as to oblige the scales. This is the human body’s evolutionary inheritance from having had to survive famine.
So here I am, facing a dilemma. The doctors say I am in disgusting good health. My blood pressure at the beginning and end of the treadmill test remains identical and I am not panting at all, but my body mass index says I am near the danger zone.
My wife keeps saying with mildly-disguised disapproval, ‘Look at you’, and our son who has taken to clicking decent photographs relishes capturing me in poses which highlight an ungainly middle.
So I will soldier on, reading up all that I can access on dieting and remaining a practitioner of the distilled wisdom of the ages in the field and looking ruefully at the scales which have neither imagination nor gumption.
Don’t get me wrong. I am not an incurable anorexic whose eating disorder will not let him/her look any more substantial than those sorry specimens who sashay up and down ramps in oversized clothes that hang limply loose. I am true to my calories and am a living testimony to the nutritiousness in all that I ingest.
The problem is really not with me. It is those body mass index charts evolved in the west which say that should you stand so much in your socks, then god help you if the scales go beyond a point. It is of course a silly arithmetical average for all of humankind, unadjusted for the skeletal structures of different sub-species among humans. I would not have even cared to look up those charts had not words like ‘fatty’ (when I read in an English medium boarding school) and the vernacular mota (when I attended college on Kolkata’s College Street) relentlessly stalked me through school and college.
Dieting and dietary misconceptions have blighted my life for as long as I can remember with my mother painting rice and potatoes as the villains of the piece while sweets somehow never made it to the banned list. Then when I grew up and decided to adopt a scientific approach to the subject and read up all that I could access — in the late 1970s, I came across a wondrous entity called the Atkins diet.
More than changing the way I looked, it changed the way others looked at me. Unsurprisingly, I caught the eye of my wife to be and to cut a long story short she took over my diet and has forever complained thereafter. She says I played a fast one on her. After she took over, the scales for me never went back to where they were when we were dating and I was on Atkins, prompting her to say with bemusement that she thought it was girls who lost interest in their looks once they got married.
My theory of course is that it is the newer theories of dieting that are the culprit. My opting for a balanced diet and discarding the Atkins diet’s diktat of going off carbohydrates and living on just proteins made me ‘healthy’ and in need of dieting for the rest of my life. But when Robert C Atkins died a few years ago, the innumerable obituary notices made me realise how mainstream his dieting recipe had become over time. As a true expert on the subject I had spotted an idea almost before its time had come, only to discard it in favour of more current wisdom. Over time, the currently favoured theories will be discarded in favour of newer theories, taking me on an unending quest.
Today’s dietary literature emphasises that you must eat healthily and one or two shots a day can in fact be beneficial. Fruits are supposed to be excellent fodder to remain healthy but they are an utter nuisance because they are an appetiser which helps you digest your food double quick and look for absolutely-forbidden between meals snacks.
As age has caught up with me and I have tried to combat the consequences of healthy living, I have been bewildered by an inexplicable phenomenon. The less I ingest the more the body gets used to it and the scales keep playing back the same old refrain like a needle stuck in a broken record, or a mechanical toy that keeps uttering the same rubbish, in case you are too young to have seen a gramophone disc.
By the time I began to have serious doubts about notions of healthy living, deliverance came in the form of the findings of an Australian researcher. He said as you eat less and less your body gets adjusted to the lower calorific intake and manages to make do with less, thus requiring you to eat even less so as to oblige the scales. This is the human body’s evolutionary inheritance from having had to survive famine.
So here I am, facing a dilemma. The doctors say I am in disgusting good health. My blood pressure at the beginning and end of the treadmill test remains identical and I am not panting at all, but my body mass index says I am near the danger zone.
My wife keeps saying with mildly-disguised disapproval, ‘Look at you’, and our son who has taken to clicking decent photographs relishes capturing me in poses which highlight an ungainly middle.
So I will soldier on, reading up all that I can access on dieting and remaining a practitioner of the distilled wisdom of the ages in the field and looking ruefully at the scales which have neither imagination nor gumption.
India - Govt's next worry,diesel shortage
NEW DELHI: Oil minister Murli Deora is to seek answers from heads of state-owned oil marketing companies on Wednesday on reports of diesel shortages and resultant long queues at petrol pumps in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Bihar, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh.
Deora's move follows complaints from several Members of Parliament cutting across party lines. The policymakers have written to the minister saying the companies were cutting down on supplies with the aim of reducing their losses.
Diesel is the highest-selling fuel and the companies are losing Rs 23.23 on each litre for selling at government-capped rates.
On their part, executives of oil companies explain that there is no shortage of diesel and they were releasing additional tankers daily. They attributed reports of some pumps running out of stocks to a spur in demand coming from increased use for running generators and small industries switching to diesel from fuel-oil due to skewed pricing of the motor fuel.
In 2007-08, the country consumed 47 million tonnes of diesel. This reflected an 11% increase in demand over the previous year. In 2006-07 , diesel demand recorded a growth of 6-7 %. Against these figures, demand in the first four months of 2008-09 has already risen 20% month-on-month, according to latest industry data. "There is no shortage of diesel.
Demand has increased by 20-22 % despite the slowdown. We had planned our production estimating a 12% demand increase in mind. But growth in demand has far exceeded as huge quantities of diesel are being diverted to non-transport and nonagricultural use as it has become cheaper than other industrial fuels,'' a top executive of one oil marketing firm said.
One of factors pushing diesel demand is shortage of electricity. With huge parts of the country suffering outages for hours on end-sometimes stretching to 24 hours-existing generators are being run for longer hours and more establishments are adding new ones. The increase in the number of malls too has contributed to diesel demand as they all depend on captive generators for power. Simultaneously, small units have started using diesel as fuel because the government's pricing policy has made it cheaper than other industrial fuels
Deora's move follows complaints from several Members of Parliament cutting across party lines. The policymakers have written to the minister saying the companies were cutting down on supplies with the aim of reducing their losses.
Diesel is the highest-selling fuel and the companies are losing Rs 23.23 on each litre for selling at government-capped rates.
On their part, executives of oil companies explain that there is no shortage of diesel and they were releasing additional tankers daily. They attributed reports of some pumps running out of stocks to a spur in demand coming from increased use for running generators and small industries switching to diesel from fuel-oil due to skewed pricing of the motor fuel.
In 2007-08, the country consumed 47 million tonnes of diesel. This reflected an 11% increase in demand over the previous year. In 2006-07 , diesel demand recorded a growth of 6-7 %. Against these figures, demand in the first four months of 2008-09 has already risen 20% month-on-month, according to latest industry data. "There is no shortage of diesel.
Demand has increased by 20-22 % despite the slowdown. We had planned our production estimating a 12% demand increase in mind. But growth in demand has far exceeded as huge quantities of diesel are being diverted to non-transport and nonagricultural use as it has become cheaper than other industrial fuels,'' a top executive of one oil marketing firm said.
One of factors pushing diesel demand is shortage of electricity. With huge parts of the country suffering outages for hours on end-sometimes stretching to 24 hours-existing generators are being run for longer hours and more establishments are adding new ones. The increase in the number of malls too has contributed to diesel demand as they all depend on captive generators for power. Simultaneously, small units have started using diesel as fuel because the government's pricing policy has made it cheaper than other industrial fuels
Lifestyle - Reading Difficulties (V.G.Read)
In a 1946 essay, ‘Books v Cigarettes’, George Orwell explored, with penetrating and amusing insight, the reading and book-buying habits of his fellow Englishmen. He took the assumption — as prevalent in the England of 1946 as the India of 2008 — that “the buying, or even the reading, of books is an expensive hobby and beyond the reach of the average person”, and showed how much of a myth it was.
Taking the national average of smoking and drinking, Orwell demonstrated how “the [annual] cost of reading, even if you buy books instead of borrowing them and take in a fairly large number of periodicals, does not amount to more than the combined cost of smoking and drinking”.
I returned to Orwell’s essay after noticing over and over again just how few of us in public places have a book with us. How many people have you seen reading in an airport/on a plane/on the beach/having a solitary meal/on a park bench/at a salon/on a train or bus/in a doctor’s waiting room? Perhaps the only pleasure of travelling in an aeroplane nowadays — in what Jonathan Raban called its “sealed pod” — is to be able to read undistracted, free of the clutter and the white noise of our own lives. Phones can’t ring. Strangers don’t usually try and make conversation. Emails don’t ping in. Is there a better time?
Yet we don’t, really, do we?
The whole sub-genre of literary journalism alive in the West, that of ‘Summer Books’ or ‘Holiday Books’, doesn’t quite exist for us. What do we do on our holidays? Oh, we talk a lot on our mobile phones. (The roaming rates have been slashed again, let’s chatter some more.) But away from home and its attendant daily annoyances, we seldom commune with a dead master (or a living author).
We read, the 16th century English poet John Dryden told us, “for instruction and delight”. We read, as the Victorian novelist George Eliot said, because “art is the nearest thing to life”. What that means, the critic Louis Bayard explains, is that “to approach the mystery of our own condition, we have to grasp the mystery by which words make worlds”.
But we don’t seem to be doing enough reading or buying. An author’s sales figures in India (unless you happen to be Chetan Bhagat — not an aspiration anyone who fancies himself as a writer will share) are dismal. Sea of Poppies, Amitav Ghosh’s latest, intricately plotted, page turner of a maritime adventure, is expected to sell 30,000 copies across the country. (And while we’re at it, this, his publishers say, will be one of the biggest sellers of the year for them.) It is Ghosh’s big breakthrough book, his most accessible, almost crossover novel. The equivalent in England would perhaps be Ian McEwan and Atonement. That sold millions, and is still selling.
The old argument about English being the language of the metropolitan elite won’t wash here. There are in Delhi or Mumbai alone more than a million buyers of daily English newspapers. And there are 30,000 buyers across India for probably the most-hyped, most riveting English book of the year from an Indian writer. Also, even allowing for the thing about English being the preserve of the elite, is Bengali literature flying off the shelves? Is Hindi? Not when I last noticed.
So why are we so loathe to buy books? Too expensive, we say. How can young people afford them? Well, let’s use an Orwellian parameter to calculate things.
It costs Rs 200 to watch a movie on a weekend evening at a multiplex. (And that’s without the popcorn and the soft drinks.) Now my edition of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road — for my money the finest novel of 2007 and a New York Times bestseller, which means that a lot of people, including those who make their reading choices based on what Oprah recommends in her book club, have bought it — costs Rs 195. A Penguin Modern Classic — the storehouse of the finest literature in the history of literature — usually costs Rs 250.
It costs Rs 900-1,200 for a meal for two at a restaurant in Mumbai. You could get the new Ghosh and the new book of stories by Jhumpa Lahiri (award-winning, finely calibrated, exquisite tales of belonging and loss) for Rs 1,049. It costs Rs 125-150 for a coffee and a sandwich at one of the coffee chains. A Penguin Popular Classic — the cheaper version of the Penguin Modern Classic — is available for Rs 95. Oh, and my Orwell Centenary Edition of Shooting an Elephant and Other Essays costs Rs 367. That’s less than what I would spend for a few drinks at a Mumbai bar. So it’s not the money. And it’s certainly not that we don’t have the time. (If I could lay my hands on a study that totted up the amount of time we spend sending text messages or watching puerile rubbish on TV or travelling, vacant-minded, and not reading…)
It’s just that we’d rather not buy books. Most of us choose not to.
How many times have you dined out/watched a movie/gone for a drink in, say, the past three months? And exactly how many books have you bought in that period? How many things have you actively sought out and read? (Text messages, credit card bills and restaurant menus don’t count.)
What is it in our culture — especially our aggressively consumerist, burgeoning middle-class and affluent, urban, elite culture — that makes us shy away from reading and buying? It suggests that we don’t have the patience for it, don’t quite appreciate what it can give us; don’t derive enough pleasure for it.
“We used to build civilisations,” Bill Bryson once wrote. “Now we build shopping malls.” And we love them. We can’t love shopping enough. But we don’t love shopping for books. It is an affront to the notion of being civilised.
Taking the national average of smoking and drinking, Orwell demonstrated how “the [annual] cost of reading, even if you buy books instead of borrowing them and take in a fairly large number of periodicals, does not amount to more than the combined cost of smoking and drinking”.
I returned to Orwell’s essay after noticing over and over again just how few of us in public places have a book with us. How many people have you seen reading in an airport/on a plane/on the beach/having a solitary meal/on a park bench/at a salon/on a train or bus/in a doctor’s waiting room? Perhaps the only pleasure of travelling in an aeroplane nowadays — in what Jonathan Raban called its “sealed pod” — is to be able to read undistracted, free of the clutter and the white noise of our own lives. Phones can’t ring. Strangers don’t usually try and make conversation. Emails don’t ping in. Is there a better time?
Yet we don’t, really, do we?
The whole sub-genre of literary journalism alive in the West, that of ‘Summer Books’ or ‘Holiday Books’, doesn’t quite exist for us. What do we do on our holidays? Oh, we talk a lot on our mobile phones. (The roaming rates have been slashed again, let’s chatter some more.) But away from home and its attendant daily annoyances, we seldom commune with a dead master (or a living author).
We read, the 16th century English poet John Dryden told us, “for instruction and delight”. We read, as the Victorian novelist George Eliot said, because “art is the nearest thing to life”. What that means, the critic Louis Bayard explains, is that “to approach the mystery of our own condition, we have to grasp the mystery by which words make worlds”.
But we don’t seem to be doing enough reading or buying. An author’s sales figures in India (unless you happen to be Chetan Bhagat — not an aspiration anyone who fancies himself as a writer will share) are dismal. Sea of Poppies, Amitav Ghosh’s latest, intricately plotted, page turner of a maritime adventure, is expected to sell 30,000 copies across the country. (And while we’re at it, this, his publishers say, will be one of the biggest sellers of the year for them.) It is Ghosh’s big breakthrough book, his most accessible, almost crossover novel. The equivalent in England would perhaps be Ian McEwan and Atonement. That sold millions, and is still selling.
The old argument about English being the language of the metropolitan elite won’t wash here. There are in Delhi or Mumbai alone more than a million buyers of daily English newspapers. And there are 30,000 buyers across India for probably the most-hyped, most riveting English book of the year from an Indian writer. Also, even allowing for the thing about English being the preserve of the elite, is Bengali literature flying off the shelves? Is Hindi? Not when I last noticed.
So why are we so loathe to buy books? Too expensive, we say. How can young people afford them? Well, let’s use an Orwellian parameter to calculate things.
It costs Rs 200 to watch a movie on a weekend evening at a multiplex. (And that’s without the popcorn and the soft drinks.) Now my edition of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road — for my money the finest novel of 2007 and a New York Times bestseller, which means that a lot of people, including those who make their reading choices based on what Oprah recommends in her book club, have bought it — costs Rs 195. A Penguin Modern Classic — the storehouse of the finest literature in the history of literature — usually costs Rs 250.
It costs Rs 900-1,200 for a meal for two at a restaurant in Mumbai. You could get the new Ghosh and the new book of stories by Jhumpa Lahiri (award-winning, finely calibrated, exquisite tales of belonging and loss) for Rs 1,049. It costs Rs 125-150 for a coffee and a sandwich at one of the coffee chains. A Penguin Popular Classic — the cheaper version of the Penguin Modern Classic — is available for Rs 95. Oh, and my Orwell Centenary Edition of Shooting an Elephant and Other Essays costs Rs 367. That’s less than what I would spend for a few drinks at a Mumbai bar. So it’s not the money. And it’s certainly not that we don’t have the time. (If I could lay my hands on a study that totted up the amount of time we spend sending text messages or watching puerile rubbish on TV or travelling, vacant-minded, and not reading…)
It’s just that we’d rather not buy books. Most of us choose not to.
How many times have you dined out/watched a movie/gone for a drink in, say, the past three months? And exactly how many books have you bought in that period? How many things have you actively sought out and read? (Text messages, credit card bills and restaurant menus don’t count.)
What is it in our culture — especially our aggressively consumerist, burgeoning middle-class and affluent, urban, elite culture — that makes us shy away from reading and buying? It suggests that we don’t have the patience for it, don’t quite appreciate what it can give us; don’t derive enough pleasure for it.
“We used to build civilisations,” Bill Bryson once wrote. “Now we build shopping malls.” And we love them. We can’t love shopping enough. But we don’t love shopping for books. It is an affront to the notion of being civilised.
World - Here's the sunny side of economic crunch
Oh, what a lovely credit crunch, it is turning out to be! Or, so it seems.
For all the doom and gloom on the economic front (the breaking news is that it is going to get bleaker over coming months) many Britons, apparently, are simply loving it: home-cooking, which means healthy food, is back in fashion; the mythically happy days when families ate together are here again with people re-discovering the lost art of conversation; and with socialising reduced to the odd must-attend leaving party parents are spending more “quality time” with their children.
An unintended effect of the economic crisis, we’re told, has been the return of domestic bliss evoking images of mum-and-dad-and-the kids all seated round the dining table, sharing the home-cooked meal over a sparkling conversation and then retiring to the living room to watch the telly together or reading aloud from their favourite book of the day.
Scenes like these (reminiscent of the classical happy American family in those old Hollywood movies — “Honey I’m back! Missed you! Where are the kids?”) are reportedly becoming commonplace all over Britain as lack of enough dosh is forcing more and more people to stay at home — and make the best of their forced confinement.
The economic crisis is doing wonders not only for the family life but is also claimed to have boosted domestic tourism with cash-strapped Britons preferring to spend their holidays locally instead of going abroad; made movie-going (the cheapest form of entertainment) popular again; and is even contributing to environment.
A new study says that pollution levels have come down as motorists are driving less because of higher fuel prices; and the rise in air fares has led to a fall in air travel and, consequently, in carbon emission.
There are also many other ways in which the economic crunch is said to be helping the “green” cause. Here are a few, courtesy The Times columnist Alice Thomson:
“Fewer people are moving house so they are buying fewer white goods such as washing machines and fridges. They may not be queuing up for £9 organic Poilane bread, but for the first time in a decade they are discarding less food.... Children are wearing hand-me-down uniforms rather than new ones made in sweatshops. Bottled water sales have fallen. Garden centres have reported a 10 per cent rise in the sale of vegetable seeds in the past 12 months. People are saving money by growing their own potatoes and carrots. They are turning off their central heating for a few more months of the year .... And instead of carbon-offsetting their holidays, they’re simply going on fewer of them.”
So, with the economic downturn actually doing such a lot of good who’s afraid of it? Except, of course, those affected by the housing market crash, higher mortgage rates, threatened job losses and rapidly falling purchasing power. And their number runs into millions.
* * *
Wrong spelling? What’s that?
First, they did it to English language usage and, in the rush to globalise it, said: let everyone have their own English. And now they want to do it to English spelling.
Frustrated by his students’ poor spelling, a British academic has controversially suggested falling back on that oldest trick in the book: if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Ken Smith of Buckinghamshire New University wants pundits to agree on a set of “variant spellings” of some of the more commonly misspelt words such as “their” for “their,” “argument” for “argument,” “twelth” for “twelfth,”, “truly” for truly and — horror of horrors — “speech” for speech! His argument is that these (and a host of other) words are so routinely misspelt that it is best to accept the “variant spellings” instead of moaning about them.
“Either we go on beating ourselves and our students up over this problem, or we simply give everyone a break and accept these variant spellings as such,” he wrote in The Times Higher Education Supplement furnishing a long list of words most commonly misspelt by his students “misspelt” being one of them!
Dr. Smith clarified that he was not advocating that the wrong spelling should be taught in the classroom.
All I am suggesting is that we might well put 20 or so of the most commonly misspelt words in the English language on the same footing as those other words that have a widely accepted variant spelling,” he said.
His suggestion was greeted with fury by puritans who called it a prescription for further dumbing down a language that, in the process of being globalised, has already lost a great deal of its originality. Some pointed out that the number of words that were commonly misspelt was so vast that if Dr. Smith’s suggestion was accepted it would add up to a parallel dictionary.
As reported in these columns recently, research has shown that half of native Britons whose first language is English struggle with their spellings, and are unable to get even routinely used words like “friend,” “liaison,” “definitely” and “accommodation” right. It showed that a majority of the “under-35s” had difficulty filling a job application without help confirming what employers have been saying for a long time: that it is almost impossible to get candidates with good writing skills.
Variant spellings” are clearly a lazy option which will only reward those who can’t spell correctly.
What next: a “variant” grammar?
For all the doom and gloom on the economic front (the breaking news is that it is going to get bleaker over coming months) many Britons, apparently, are simply loving it: home-cooking, which means healthy food, is back in fashion; the mythically happy days when families ate together are here again with people re-discovering the lost art of conversation; and with socialising reduced to the odd must-attend leaving party parents are spending more “quality time” with their children.
An unintended effect of the economic crisis, we’re told, has been the return of domestic bliss evoking images of mum-and-dad-and-the kids all seated round the dining table, sharing the home-cooked meal over a sparkling conversation and then retiring to the living room to watch the telly together or reading aloud from their favourite book of the day.
Scenes like these (reminiscent of the classical happy American family in those old Hollywood movies — “Honey I’m back! Missed you! Where are the kids?”) are reportedly becoming commonplace all over Britain as lack of enough dosh is forcing more and more people to stay at home — and make the best of their forced confinement.
The economic crisis is doing wonders not only for the family life but is also claimed to have boosted domestic tourism with cash-strapped Britons preferring to spend their holidays locally instead of going abroad; made movie-going (the cheapest form of entertainment) popular again; and is even contributing to environment.
A new study says that pollution levels have come down as motorists are driving less because of higher fuel prices; and the rise in air fares has led to a fall in air travel and, consequently, in carbon emission.
There are also many other ways in which the economic crunch is said to be helping the “green” cause. Here are a few, courtesy The Times columnist Alice Thomson:
“Fewer people are moving house so they are buying fewer white goods such as washing machines and fridges. They may not be queuing up for £9 organic Poilane bread, but for the first time in a decade they are discarding less food.... Children are wearing hand-me-down uniforms rather than new ones made in sweatshops. Bottled water sales have fallen. Garden centres have reported a 10 per cent rise in the sale of vegetable seeds in the past 12 months. People are saving money by growing their own potatoes and carrots. They are turning off their central heating for a few more months of the year .... And instead of carbon-offsetting their holidays, they’re simply going on fewer of them.”
So, with the economic downturn actually doing such a lot of good who’s afraid of it? Except, of course, those affected by the housing market crash, higher mortgage rates, threatened job losses and rapidly falling purchasing power. And their number runs into millions.
* * *
Wrong spelling? What’s that?
First, they did it to English language usage and, in the rush to globalise it, said: let everyone have their own English. And now they want to do it to English spelling.
Frustrated by his students’ poor spelling, a British academic has controversially suggested falling back on that oldest trick in the book: if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Ken Smith of Buckinghamshire New University wants pundits to agree on a set of “variant spellings” of some of the more commonly misspelt words such as “their” for “their,” “argument” for “argument,” “twelth” for “twelfth,”, “truly” for truly and — horror of horrors — “speech” for speech! His argument is that these (and a host of other) words are so routinely misspelt that it is best to accept the “variant spellings” instead of moaning about them.
“Either we go on beating ourselves and our students up over this problem, or we simply give everyone a break and accept these variant spellings as such,” he wrote in The Times Higher Education Supplement furnishing a long list of words most commonly misspelt by his students “misspelt” being one of them!
Dr. Smith clarified that he was not advocating that the wrong spelling should be taught in the classroom.
All I am suggesting is that we might well put 20 or so of the most commonly misspelt words in the English language on the same footing as those other words that have a widely accepted variant spelling,” he said.
His suggestion was greeted with fury by puritans who called it a prescription for further dumbing down a language that, in the process of being globalised, has already lost a great deal of its originality. Some pointed out that the number of words that were commonly misspelt was so vast that if Dr. Smith’s suggestion was accepted it would add up to a parallel dictionary.
As reported in these columns recently, research has shown that half of native Britons whose first language is English struggle with their spellings, and are unable to get even routinely used words like “friend,” “liaison,” “definitely” and “accommodation” right. It showed that a majority of the “under-35s” had difficulty filling a job application without help confirming what employers have been saying for a long time: that it is almost impossible to get candidates with good writing skills.
Variant spellings” are clearly a lazy option which will only reward those who can’t spell correctly.
What next: a “variant” grammar?
India - Woman Qazi creates history
Lucknow: A Planning Commission member and an expert on Islamic studies on Tuesday night created history by becoming the first woman to act as a ‘qazi’ and solemnise a ‘nikah’ ceremony here.
Sayeda Hamid flew in from New Delhi to perform the nikah (Islamic marriage ceremony) of Imran Naeem, Ph.D. scholar from AMU, and Naesh Hasan, founder member of a social organisation, Bhartiya Muslim Mahila Andolan in the presence of eminent citizens at a city hotel.
The introduction as well as the vows were read in English giving the function a different hue than traditional rituals. Four women stood up as witnesses.
Although there has been no precedent of women conducting a nikah in recent Muslim history, they are known to have attained the position of qazi and mufti in times of the Prophet.
“The response from our families and local religious leaders has been positive,” said Ms. Hasan.
“We speak of progress but leave all the important jobs to menfolk. Religious duties have nearly solely been a male premise, not only in Islam but also in other religions.”
The nikah took place according to the tenets of Islam, her family members said. — PTI
Sayeda Hamid flew in from New Delhi to perform the nikah (Islamic marriage ceremony) of Imran Naeem, Ph.D. scholar from AMU, and Naesh Hasan, founder member of a social organisation, Bhartiya Muslim Mahila Andolan in the presence of eminent citizens at a city hotel.
The introduction as well as the vows were read in English giving the function a different hue than traditional rituals. Four women stood up as witnesses.
Although there has been no precedent of women conducting a nikah in recent Muslim history, they are known to have attained the position of qazi and mufti in times of the Prophet.
“The response from our families and local religious leaders has been positive,” said Ms. Hasan.
“We speak of progress but leave all the important jobs to menfolk. Religious duties have nearly solely been a male premise, not only in Islam but also in other religions.”
The nikah took place according to the tenets of Islam, her family members said. — PTI
India - Looking for brains behind terror cells;M.K.Narayanan
KUALA LUMPUR: Indian intelligence agencies have uncovered 800 terrorist cells operating with “external support,” and are looking for the brains behind them within the country, National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan has said. “We are concerned that there is a great deal of external inspiration and support, we are also concerned and are looking at a mastermind within the country,” he told The Straits Times here.
He was replying to a question about investigations into the recent blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad.
Mr. Narayanan said intelligence agents had “disrupted” several modules, some of which were “not entirely foreign.”
“Clearly, there is some kind of organization. We have to find out if that organization is localized or there is an external group or module operating,” he said.
Impeachment worry
Mr. Narayanan said it was not important from the Indian point of view whether Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf was impeached or not. “But it leaves a big vacuum and we are deeply concerned about this vacuum because it leaves the radical extremist outfits with freedom to do what they like, not merely on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border but clearly our side of the border too.”
He said, “Like nature abhors a vacuum, we abhor the political vacuum that exists in Pakistan. It greatly worries us.”
Maintaining that the situation was evolving in a manner that nobody could quite reach a conclusion, Mr. Narayanan said he thought the impeachment of President Musharraf might not take place.
“And if at all he has to go, he will be allowed to go in grace and some sort of a compromise would be reached. Obviously that is not happening. Mr. Nawaz Sharif [leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz] is very angry.”
Mr. Narayanan said a large number of people in the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) were unhappy about Benazir Bhutto’s assassination and most of them attributed it to the ISI or some such agency.
As for Afghanistan, Mr. Narayanan said India would not abandon that country in the wake of the attack on its mission in Kabul, saying New Delhi and the rest of the world were not prepared for it. India would “strengthen security very substantially” for its mission in Kabul.
Mr. Narayanan said one of the reasons for the attack could be that those behind it wanted to get India out of Afghanistan.
“Quite obviously Pakistan wishes to be the only country in Afghanistan so it can have Afghanistan as its client state,” he said, adding it was something that not only India but also the rest of the world were not prepared for.
Noting that the Kabul attack marked an entirely new stage in the levels of acrimony and violence, Mr. Narayanan warned that “therefore we expect that something would be done rather than mere words.”
He said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had made it extremely clear, without raising his voice, to Pakistan at the recent SAARC summit in Colombo that “it could not be business as usual.”
“I think the message went home. Pakistan Prime Minister Gilani got the message.” Coming from Dr. Singh, it had the “most devastating effect.”
Mr. Narayanan said New Delhi had never accused Pakistan’s political hierarchy of being involved in the attack on the Indian embassy.
“ISI is behind it, according to whatever information we have,” he said, adding it was hoped that the political leadership would take some action against either the rogue elements in it or the ISI operating without control.
Commenting on the Line of Control, Mr. Narayanan said there had been increased infiltrations, increased activity and firings. “Pakistan denies it but clearly that is not the truth.” On dialogue with Pakistan, he said India was maintaining and would like to emphasize the importance of composite dialogue. – PTI
He was replying to a question about investigations into the recent blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad.
Mr. Narayanan said intelligence agents had “disrupted” several modules, some of which were “not entirely foreign.”
“Clearly, there is some kind of organization. We have to find out if that organization is localized or there is an external group or module operating,” he said.
Impeachment worry
Mr. Narayanan said it was not important from the Indian point of view whether Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf was impeached or not. “But it leaves a big vacuum and we are deeply concerned about this vacuum because it leaves the radical extremist outfits with freedom to do what they like, not merely on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border but clearly our side of the border too.”
He said, “Like nature abhors a vacuum, we abhor the political vacuum that exists in Pakistan. It greatly worries us.”
Maintaining that the situation was evolving in a manner that nobody could quite reach a conclusion, Mr. Narayanan said he thought the impeachment of President Musharraf might not take place.
“And if at all he has to go, he will be allowed to go in grace and some sort of a compromise would be reached. Obviously that is not happening. Mr. Nawaz Sharif [leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz] is very angry.”
Mr. Narayanan said a large number of people in the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) were unhappy about Benazir Bhutto’s assassination and most of them attributed it to the ISI or some such agency.
As for Afghanistan, Mr. Narayanan said India would not abandon that country in the wake of the attack on its mission in Kabul, saying New Delhi and the rest of the world were not prepared for it. India would “strengthen security very substantially” for its mission in Kabul.
Mr. Narayanan said one of the reasons for the attack could be that those behind it wanted to get India out of Afghanistan.
“Quite obviously Pakistan wishes to be the only country in Afghanistan so it can have Afghanistan as its client state,” he said, adding it was something that not only India but also the rest of the world were not prepared for.
Noting that the Kabul attack marked an entirely new stage in the levels of acrimony and violence, Mr. Narayanan warned that “therefore we expect that something would be done rather than mere words.”
He said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had made it extremely clear, without raising his voice, to Pakistan at the recent SAARC summit in Colombo that “it could not be business as usual.”
“I think the message went home. Pakistan Prime Minister Gilani got the message.” Coming from Dr. Singh, it had the “most devastating effect.”
Mr. Narayanan said New Delhi had never accused Pakistan’s political hierarchy of being involved in the attack on the Indian embassy.
“ISI is behind it, according to whatever information we have,” he said, adding it was hoped that the political leadership would take some action against either the rogue elements in it or the ISI operating without control.
Commenting on the Line of Control, Mr. Narayanan said there had been increased infiltrations, increased activity and firings. “Pakistan denies it but clearly that is not the truth.” On dialogue with Pakistan, he said India was maintaining and would like to emphasize the importance of composite dialogue. – PTI
Mktg - Consumer Behaviour
Consumers globally have never had it so good with choices galore in both quantity and quality. But these are also the times of stiff competition where marketers find it hard to get consumers and even harder to hold on to them. So, how does a marketer identify his target and build loyalty among his consumers?
Suresh Ramanathan, associate professor of marketing at the Graduate School of Business, Chicago University, who specializes in consumer behaviour, provided some answers
Has globalization brought about a certain amount of standardisation in consumer behaviour?
There is some amount of standardisation. Actually, I wouldn’t call it standardisation as much as commonality. One of the things that we should realize is that regardless of cultural nuances, certain underlying psychologies remain the same. Culture is just a contextual factor that might influence things, but the basic behaviour remains the same. What people are looking for in general remains more or less standard. Having said that, there are certain specific differences between cultures, and those should be respected. But the old understandings that you have limitations like borders for marketing don’t really apply anymore.
How is the changing media landscape affecting consumers and brands?
The big change now is in the way customers are involved in creating awareness about brands. They are talking about brands in ways beyond the control of the brand manager. Customers themselves decide on what kind of information they want to give and how they give it. So, there are a lot of choices for customers in how they want to convey their thoughts on a brand.
Are companies reacting to this change?
Some are reacting by embracing that change. So, there are companies that are actively monitoring social buzz. There are companies that are trying to feed the buzz through things like viral marketing, which influences what people say about your brand. Some companies are still convinced that the only way to go is through television advertising.
Which is fine in many ways but savvier companies are embracing all the ways of coming in contact with customers. A good marketing strategy is one that finds the cheapest way to tap the customer.
How does a company like Apple manage to enter the consumer psyche so deep that it becomes iconic?
Companies like that have great understanding of what their brand and their consumers are all about. They invest in creating a sense of brand community — where consumers come together for a common purpose.
For its computers, Apple has created a band of users that think of themselves as creative. A sense of social community and connection has been built among them.
But Apple has successfully gone beyond its core products and created mass appeal products such as the iPod and the iPhone…
The thing that connects the iPhone and the iPod to the Mac is the design. But that’s not all. The ‘coolness’ factor has a huge value for consumers. Apple succeeded in extending that factor to its phone and music player. It also increased sales of the Mac to allow more people to come in contact with the community.
These days sensory branding is seen as a big thing, especially for retail enterprises…
Sensory branding is just one aspect of the experience you should create as a retailer. It’s the overall user experience that deserves more attention. What sensory branding does is create opportunities for emotions to come into play. But beyond that it is important to create opportunities for relationship building.
US Presidential candidate Barack Obama has built a very popular global brand in a short period of time. What are the lessons for marketers?
That could be an entire discussion all by itself. The novelty factor and the background of the candidate is one. He is also an extremely articulate guy who can influence people and he inspires. The general political environment is also conducive to somebody like him because of the last few years. For marketers it has been an amazing campaign at the grassroots level especially in terms of fund-raising. He has been able to influence a lot of people into contributing $15-20 to his campaign. He has built social networks in all major towns and has people organizing his campaign all over.
I go back to the point I was making earlier. Advertising is not a one-way process and the Obama campaign has realized that. Get people involved in the process. The Hillary Clinton campaign was built on a traditional advertising model that was top down. Obama’s bottom up model completely changed the equation.
Suresh Ramanathan, associate professor of marketing at the Graduate School of Business, Chicago University, who specializes in consumer behaviour, provided some answers
Has globalization brought about a certain amount of standardisation in consumer behaviour?
There is some amount of standardisation. Actually, I wouldn’t call it standardisation as much as commonality. One of the things that we should realize is that regardless of cultural nuances, certain underlying psychologies remain the same. Culture is just a contextual factor that might influence things, but the basic behaviour remains the same. What people are looking for in general remains more or less standard. Having said that, there are certain specific differences between cultures, and those should be respected. But the old understandings that you have limitations like borders for marketing don’t really apply anymore.
How is the changing media landscape affecting consumers and brands?
The big change now is in the way customers are involved in creating awareness about brands. They are talking about brands in ways beyond the control of the brand manager. Customers themselves decide on what kind of information they want to give and how they give it. So, there are a lot of choices for customers in how they want to convey their thoughts on a brand.
Are companies reacting to this change?
Some are reacting by embracing that change. So, there are companies that are actively monitoring social buzz. There are companies that are trying to feed the buzz through things like viral marketing, which influences what people say about your brand. Some companies are still convinced that the only way to go is through television advertising.
Which is fine in many ways but savvier companies are embracing all the ways of coming in contact with customers. A good marketing strategy is one that finds the cheapest way to tap the customer.
How does a company like Apple manage to enter the consumer psyche so deep that it becomes iconic?
Companies like that have great understanding of what their brand and their consumers are all about. They invest in creating a sense of brand community — where consumers come together for a common purpose.
For its computers, Apple has created a band of users that think of themselves as creative. A sense of social community and connection has been built among them.
But Apple has successfully gone beyond its core products and created mass appeal products such as the iPod and the iPhone…
The thing that connects the iPhone and the iPod to the Mac is the design. But that’s not all. The ‘coolness’ factor has a huge value for consumers. Apple succeeded in extending that factor to its phone and music player. It also increased sales of the Mac to allow more people to come in contact with the community.
These days sensory branding is seen as a big thing, especially for retail enterprises…
Sensory branding is just one aspect of the experience you should create as a retailer. It’s the overall user experience that deserves more attention. What sensory branding does is create opportunities for emotions to come into play. But beyond that it is important to create opportunities for relationship building.
US Presidential candidate Barack Obama has built a very popular global brand in a short period of time. What are the lessons for marketers?
That could be an entire discussion all by itself. The novelty factor and the background of the candidate is one. He is also an extremely articulate guy who can influence people and he inspires. The general political environment is also conducive to somebody like him because of the last few years. For marketers it has been an amazing campaign at the grassroots level especially in terms of fund-raising. He has been able to influence a lot of people into contributing $15-20 to his campaign. He has built social networks in all major towns and has people organizing his campaign all over.
I go back to the point I was making earlier. Advertising is not a one-way process and the Obama campaign has realized that. Get people involved in the process. The Hillary Clinton campaign was built on a traditional advertising model that was top down. Obama’s bottom up model completely changed the equation.
Mktg - Precycling is IN
Among the early-adopter segment of eco-conscious consumers, The Intelligence Group has observed a new trend called “precycling” and believes it will grow.
Consumers who precycle aren’t just content with throwing cans and bottles in the recycle bin and letting waste management sort it out. With increasing consumer interest in sustainable living, those engaged in precycling aim to avoid products that create more superfluous stuff. This could mean everything from buying bulk in order to avoid excess packaging to reusing everything from water bottles to shopping bags (the latter of which has caught on with retailers and the public at large).
In its May Cassandra Report, The Intelligence Group found that 45% of trendsetters and 14% of mainstream consumers have "cut down on bottled water purchases" in the past six months, while 49% and 16% respectively have "cut down on use of plastic bags" during the same period.
Precycling evolved out of a trend the market research and consulting firm spotted in 2007, which it called “wasted.” This is when it noticed excess was emerging as a dirty word. People were looking for ways to pare down packaging and/or repurpose it, for starters. As examples, think Pom Wonderful’s reusable glassware and Chaco footwear’s program that offers customers a 20% discount when they send in used but clean shoes, which are donated to developing countries.
It is becoming a more popular viewpoint that recycling cans, bottles, paper and such is an antiquated misuse of energy, so precyclers remove themselves from junk mail lists, read paper-based media online and even carry around “precycling kits” consisting of cloth napkins and silverware—anything to reduce waste and not contribute to the recycling bin.
“It’s not just about how you dispose of [products and packaging] anymore,” said Melissa Lavigne, director of marketing for The Intelligence Group, which is a division of CAA. “It’s about being conscious about products you buy in the first place. That’s the idea behind precycling.”
Of course, precycling isn’t replacing recycling completely, especially in its more abstract forms. Consumers are all for donating or reselling their electronic gadgets, for instance, thanks to eBay and other Web resources. Lavigne said, “We asked people how many think of the resale value when they purchase a product, and 49% said they do."
Consumers who precycle aren’t just content with throwing cans and bottles in the recycle bin and letting waste management sort it out. With increasing consumer interest in sustainable living, those engaged in precycling aim to avoid products that create more superfluous stuff. This could mean everything from buying bulk in order to avoid excess packaging to reusing everything from water bottles to shopping bags (the latter of which has caught on with retailers and the public at large).
In its May Cassandra Report, The Intelligence Group found that 45% of trendsetters and 14% of mainstream consumers have "cut down on bottled water purchases" in the past six months, while 49% and 16% respectively have "cut down on use of plastic bags" during the same period.
Precycling evolved out of a trend the market research and consulting firm spotted in 2007, which it called “wasted.” This is when it noticed excess was emerging as a dirty word. People were looking for ways to pare down packaging and/or repurpose it, for starters. As examples, think Pom Wonderful’s reusable glassware and Chaco footwear’s program that offers customers a 20% discount when they send in used but clean shoes, which are donated to developing countries.
It is becoming a more popular viewpoint that recycling cans, bottles, paper and such is an antiquated misuse of energy, so precyclers remove themselves from junk mail lists, read paper-based media online and even carry around “precycling kits” consisting of cloth napkins and silverware—anything to reduce waste and not contribute to the recycling bin.
“It’s not just about how you dispose of [products and packaging] anymore,” said Melissa Lavigne, director of marketing for The Intelligence Group, which is a division of CAA. “It’s about being conscious about products you buy in the first place. That’s the idea behind precycling.”
Of course, precycling isn’t replacing recycling completely, especially in its more abstract forms. Consumers are all for donating or reselling their electronic gadgets, for instance, thanks to eBay and other Web resources. Lavigne said, “We asked people how many think of the resale value when they purchase a product, and 49% said they do."
Business - Airtel on its way to become India's largest Telco
The country’s largest mobile operator Bharti Airtel is set to become the country’s largest telecom operator (both fixed line and mobile), beating the state-owned BSNL in a month’s time.
BSNL, which is today the largest telecom operator, has a total subscriber base of 73 million in June compared to Bharti’s 71.7 million. Given the average growth of the previous months, Bharti should be well ahead of BSNL by a margin of one million subscribers within a month’s time.
While Bharti is adding well over 2.5 million customers each month for the last two months, BSNL’s subscriber base is growing by merely 6,00,000 each month. The landline connections, which are seeing a positive growth for Bharti, constitute just a minuscule 3% of its subscribers. For BSNL the landline subscribers constitute slightly less than half.
Bharti Airtel, which has a mobile subscriber base of over 69 million in June, is growing at an average of 3% while BSNL, which has a mobile subscriber base of over 37 million is growing at less than 1%, adding around 3 lakh subscribers each month.
The state-run company is also experiencing a decline in its fixed line growth. Its landline subscribers declined by 160,000 in June contrary to Bharti Airtel.
BSNL, which was the country’s second largest GSM service provider, before Vodafone became the No 2 GSM service provider, slipped to the third position owing to delays in its capacity expansion arising out of the delay in tenders and equipment orders.
BSNLis expanding the capacity of its mobile network—the company has ordered the equipment required for expansion. The company has ordered 5 million lines each for north and east, while an additional 5.5 million for south and 9 million lines for the western zone. With this it is hoping to have an extra capacity of as many as 24.5 million lines.
In an interview to FE earlier, chairman Kuldeep Goyal said that CDMA is another important area of expansion for the company, which is in the process of ordering equipments in CDMA.
Currently, the company has 4.6 million customers in CDMA and is hoping to add another 3 million customers. It is ordering equipments to add another 2 million lines.
BSNL, which is today the largest telecom operator, has a total subscriber base of 73 million in June compared to Bharti’s 71.7 million. Given the average growth of the previous months, Bharti should be well ahead of BSNL by a margin of one million subscribers within a month’s time.
While Bharti is adding well over 2.5 million customers each month for the last two months, BSNL’s subscriber base is growing by merely 6,00,000 each month. The landline connections, which are seeing a positive growth for Bharti, constitute just a minuscule 3% of its subscribers. For BSNL the landline subscribers constitute slightly less than half.
Bharti Airtel, which has a mobile subscriber base of over 69 million in June, is growing at an average of 3% while BSNL, which has a mobile subscriber base of over 37 million is growing at less than 1%, adding around 3 lakh subscribers each month.
The state-run company is also experiencing a decline in its fixed line growth. Its landline subscribers declined by 160,000 in June contrary to Bharti Airtel.
BSNL, which was the country’s second largest GSM service provider, before Vodafone became the No 2 GSM service provider, slipped to the third position owing to delays in its capacity expansion arising out of the delay in tenders and equipment orders.
BSNLis expanding the capacity of its mobile network—the company has ordered the equipment required for expansion. The company has ordered 5 million lines each for north and east, while an additional 5.5 million for south and 9 million lines for the western zone. With this it is hoping to have an extra capacity of as many as 24.5 million lines.
In an interview to FE earlier, chairman Kuldeep Goyal said that CDMA is another important area of expansion for the company, which is in the process of ordering equipments in CDMA.
Currently, the company has 4.6 million customers in CDMA and is hoping to add another 3 million customers. It is ordering equipments to add another 2 million lines.
India - Prisons wake up to needs of physically challenged inmates
CHENNAI: The State Prison Department is working on a relief package to make the prison environment-friendly for physically challenged inmates.
The initiative is also expected to bring succour to senior citizens serving life sentences in different jails across Tamil Nadu. According to Additional Director-General of Police (Prisons) R. Natraj, 87 prisoners were found to be physically challenged during a census conducted recently.
“We are also taking a list of senior citizens, particularly those above the age of 80 years. Jail Superintendents and Medical Officers have been told to interact with these inmates and submit recommendations on the extra care or facilities that can be extended to them,” he told The Hindu.
He said steps would be taken to provide crutches, wheel chairs and special toilets for the physically challenged and senior citizens. Focus would be more on their health and diet requirements. As per the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Jail Manual, efforts would be made to recommend the release of inmates with “serious” ailments and remission of sentence on merit.
Mr. Natraj said a list of orphans was also being prepared in Central prisons. “We are considering those who never had visitors over a period of one year as an orphan. An arrangement has been worked out with NGOs to provide such inmates with sweets or snacks on occasions such as birthday, festival etc. “Custodial care is a vital part of prison administration. Prisoners with diabetes and hypertension are given special diet as per the recommendations of the medical officer,” he said.
The initiative is also expected to bring succour to senior citizens serving life sentences in different jails across Tamil Nadu. According to Additional Director-General of Police (Prisons) R. Natraj, 87 prisoners were found to be physically challenged during a census conducted recently.
“We are also taking a list of senior citizens, particularly those above the age of 80 years. Jail Superintendents and Medical Officers have been told to interact with these inmates and submit recommendations on the extra care or facilities that can be extended to them,” he told The Hindu.
He said steps would be taken to provide crutches, wheel chairs and special toilets for the physically challenged and senior citizens. Focus would be more on their health and diet requirements. As per the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Jail Manual, efforts would be made to recommend the release of inmates with “serious” ailments and remission of sentence on merit.
Mr. Natraj said a list of orphans was also being prepared in Central prisons. “We are considering those who never had visitors over a period of one year as an orphan. An arrangement has been worked out with NGOs to provide such inmates with sweets or snacks on occasions such as birthday, festival etc. “Custodial care is a vital part of prison administration. Prisoners with diabetes and hypertension are given special diet as per the recommendations of the medical officer,” he said.
World - Got voice,but not pretty enough to sing on stage
A 7-year-old Chinese girl was not good-looking enough for the Olympics opening ceremony, so another little girl with a pixie smile lip-synched “Ode to the Motherland,” a ceremony official said —the latest example of the lengths Beijing took for a perfect start to the Summer Games.
A member of China’s Politburo asked for the last-minute change to match one girl’s face with another’s voice, the ceremony’s chief music director, Chen Qigang, said in an interview with Beijing Radio.
“The audience will understand that it’s in the national interest,” Chen said in a video of the interview posted online Sunday night.
The news follows reports that some footage of the fireworks exploding across China’s capital during the ceremony was digitally inserted into television coverage, apparently over concerns that not all of the 29 blasts could be captured on camera.
China has been eager to present a flawless Olympics image to the world, shooing migrant workers and so-called petitioners who come to the central government with grievances from the city and shutting down any sign of protest.
The country’s quest for perfection apparently includes its children.
Lin Miaoke’s performance Friday night, like the ceremony itself, was an immediate hit. “Nine-year-old Lin Miaoke becomes instant star with patriotic song,” the China Daily newspaper headline said Tuesday.
A member of China’s Politburo asked for the last-minute change to match one girl’s face with another’s voice, the ceremony’s chief music director, Chen Qigang, said in an interview with Beijing Radio.
“The audience will understand that it’s in the national interest,” Chen said in a video of the interview posted online Sunday night.
The news follows reports that some footage of the fireworks exploding across China’s capital during the ceremony was digitally inserted into television coverage, apparently over concerns that not all of the 29 blasts could be captured on camera.
China has been eager to present a flawless Olympics image to the world, shooing migrant workers and so-called petitioners who come to the central government with grievances from the city and shutting down any sign of protest.
The country’s quest for perfection apparently includes its children.
Lin Miaoke’s performance Friday night, like the ceremony itself, was an immediate hit. “Nine-year-old Lin Miaoke becomes instant star with patriotic song,” the China Daily newspaper headline said Tuesday.
Entertainment - Kapoors of bollywood awaiting a 52 year old's debut
Mumbai, August 12: In the Kapoor household, there is a lot of excitement about a debut. The latest actor from Bollywood’s first family has just shed 25 kg for his first movie. He is called Mickey in the family—just like Rishi is Chintu, Randhir is Dabbu, Karishma is Lolo and Kareena is Bebo.
Mickey, aka Aditya Raj Kapoor, is the son of actors Shammi Kapoor and Geeta Bali. He is 52 and his debut movie, Mumbai-118, will be out next month.
“He is a fool,” says cousin Randhir Kapoor. “I would have launched him 30 years ago after he finished his stint as an assistant director to me on Dharam Karam.”
Bearing a striking resemblance to his dad from good old yahoo days, Aditya wishes to bring in his mother’s style of acting but his favourite from the family is “Prithviraj Kapoor in Sikander”.
Like just any other Kapoor, Aditya started off as an assistant director along with J P Dutta and Kuku Kohli for Dharam Karam. However, he quit movies and moved to marketing. “I wasn’t ready for films then,” he says. “I got into a marketing job and travelled the world. I helped sell amusement parks across the globe including our very own Fantasy Land, for that at least, my kids were happy with me.”
“I used to sneak out and smoke cigarettes here,” says Aditya Kapoor pointing out to a room right beside Randhir’s at RK Studios. “Dutta, Kohli and I were the three musketeers, notorious for the mischief we caused on the sets,” he adds. “We worked hard though, amidst all the mischief.”
So what makes a successful marketing head pack up and face the unknown? “While I was settled in Sharjah, I started writing scripts in my head,” he says. So he moved back home in 2007 and while he was circulating his scripts around, writer Sachindra Sharma spotted him and producer Umesh Gandhi picked him for the lead role.
“Acting happened by mistake, though for the moment it seems to be suiting me fine,” he says. “I guess it’s something I have to do before I finally get on to direction.”
At home, Shammi Kapoor is the happiest: “My son finally comes around. After years of nagging, he has listened to us at last. Better late than never.”
Mickey, aka Aditya Raj Kapoor, is the son of actors Shammi Kapoor and Geeta Bali. He is 52 and his debut movie, Mumbai-118, will be out next month.
“He is a fool,” says cousin Randhir Kapoor. “I would have launched him 30 years ago after he finished his stint as an assistant director to me on Dharam Karam.”
Bearing a striking resemblance to his dad from good old yahoo days, Aditya wishes to bring in his mother’s style of acting but his favourite from the family is “Prithviraj Kapoor in Sikander”.
Like just any other Kapoor, Aditya started off as an assistant director along with J P Dutta and Kuku Kohli for Dharam Karam. However, he quit movies and moved to marketing. “I wasn’t ready for films then,” he says. “I got into a marketing job and travelled the world. I helped sell amusement parks across the globe including our very own Fantasy Land, for that at least, my kids were happy with me.”
“I used to sneak out and smoke cigarettes here,” says Aditya Kapoor pointing out to a room right beside Randhir’s at RK Studios. “Dutta, Kohli and I were the three musketeers, notorious for the mischief we caused on the sets,” he adds. “We worked hard though, amidst all the mischief.”
So what makes a successful marketing head pack up and face the unknown? “While I was settled in Sharjah, I started writing scripts in my head,” he says. So he moved back home in 2007 and while he was circulating his scripts around, writer Sachindra Sharma spotted him and producer Umesh Gandhi picked him for the lead role.
“Acting happened by mistake, though for the moment it seems to be suiting me fine,” he says. “I guess it’s something I have to do before I finally get on to direction.”
At home, Shammi Kapoor is the happiest: “My son finally comes around. After years of nagging, he has listened to us at last. Better late than never.”
Entertainment - London Dreams to cost 120 crores
The deal surpasses Aamir Khan's Ghajini, which was bagged at Rs 90 crore, again by The Indian Film Company. This the first three-digit distribution deal for a Bollywood movie that is still in production stage.
Yet it was only last year that the distribution rights of Shah Rukh Khan's Om Shanti Om was grabbed by Eros International for Rs 75 crore, which made headlines in Bollywood.
Vipul Shah, the maker of the film, confirmed that the deal was close to be signed. "We are in talks with The Indian Film Company and should be able to finalise the deal in a week’s time," confirmed Shah. Sandeep Bhargava, CEO of The Indian Film Company, however, said there was nothing confirmed at this point of time.
London Dreams, which also features Ajay Devgan along with Salman Khan, is currently in the production stage and is slated for release in 2009 with a budget of Rs 60-70 crore.
In what has been a growing but new trend in Bollywood, distribution companies are ready to offer staggering amounts to pick up movies on the production floor.
"There is a lack of talent and with just a handful of films that feature the top actors that draw audiences to the cinema halls, the cost of production is increasing. As a result, the cost of acquisition of these movies is accelerating," said a media analyst. Adds Siddharth Roy Kapur, director, UTV Motion Pictures, "Ultimately, studios realise that having an impressive slate of films is essential for the business going forward."
Film producers, who can hawk their movies at a premium, are not complaining. Apart from recovering the cost of the film they are assured of profits even before the movie hits the screens. However, if the movie is a blockbuster, they miss out on the upside of the movie.
Some distribution companies have hit big time. Eros International hit jackpot with Om Shanti Om raking the moolah at the box-office, so did The Indian Film Company, when it acquired the rights of the Akshay Kumar-starrer Welcome for Rs 45 crore (the film's budget was Rs 30 crore) and Singh is Kinng for Rs 60 crore (the film's budget being Rs 35 crore).
However, not all have struck gold. For instance, UTV bought rights to Race and Kismat Konnection from Tips for around Rs 90 crore, while the budget of the two movies together was in the range of Rs 40-45 crore. While Race fared well at the box office, UTV did not recover its money. Kismat Konnection too had a lukewarm response
Yet it was only last year that the distribution rights of Shah Rukh Khan's Om Shanti Om was grabbed by Eros International for Rs 75 crore, which made headlines in Bollywood.
Vipul Shah, the maker of the film, confirmed that the deal was close to be signed. "We are in talks with The Indian Film Company and should be able to finalise the deal in a week’s time," confirmed Shah. Sandeep Bhargava, CEO of The Indian Film Company, however, said there was nothing confirmed at this point of time.
London Dreams, which also features Ajay Devgan along with Salman Khan, is currently in the production stage and is slated for release in 2009 with a budget of Rs 60-70 crore.
In what has been a growing but new trend in Bollywood, distribution companies are ready to offer staggering amounts to pick up movies on the production floor.
"There is a lack of talent and with just a handful of films that feature the top actors that draw audiences to the cinema halls, the cost of production is increasing. As a result, the cost of acquisition of these movies is accelerating," said a media analyst. Adds Siddharth Roy Kapur, director, UTV Motion Pictures, "Ultimately, studios realise that having an impressive slate of films is essential for the business going forward."
Film producers, who can hawk their movies at a premium, are not complaining. Apart from recovering the cost of the film they are assured of profits even before the movie hits the screens. However, if the movie is a blockbuster, they miss out on the upside of the movie.
Some distribution companies have hit big time. Eros International hit jackpot with Om Shanti Om raking the moolah at the box-office, so did The Indian Film Company, when it acquired the rights of the Akshay Kumar-starrer Welcome for Rs 45 crore (the film's budget was Rs 30 crore) and Singh is Kinng for Rs 60 crore (the film's budget being Rs 35 crore).
However, not all have struck gold. For instance, UTV bought rights to Race and Kismat Konnection from Tips for around Rs 90 crore, while the budget of the two movies together was in the range of Rs 40-45 crore. While Race fared well at the box office, UTV did not recover its money. Kismat Konnection too had a lukewarm response
Business - Tesco to enter C&C with Tatas
Rs 480 cr initial plan will see three cash-and-carry hubs
MUMBAI: Tesco, the largest retailer in the United Kingdom, followed global competitors Metro and Wal-Mart into the Indian retail industry with a cash-and-carry (C&C) format, and an alliance with Trent Ltd, the Tata Group’s retail arm.
Tesco will initially invest Rs 480 crore to set up three hubs —Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore — in the next two years.
Philip Clarke, the international and IT director of Tesco, said most of this investment would go into setting up the supply chain for its operations.
“We intend to bring in our expertise in cold chain, distribution and IT systems and also work closely with farmers,” he added.
The first store will open in Mumbai by the end of 2009.
The £50-billion retailer will follow the business-to-business cash-and-carry format, the only format allowed for a foreign retailer currently. It will supply food and grocery as well as non-food products to small retailers, neighbourhood stores, hotels and restaurants.
Asked if Tesco will enter the front-end retail business, Clarke said, “We’d love to operate in retail because that is what we do best. But we are not planning our own business at this point and are focusing only on what is allowed here.”
Industry experts see Tesco’s foray as a positive for the retail sector. Arvind Singhal, the chairman of retail and consumer goods consultancy firm Technopak said its entry is ‘like a vote of confidence for the retail industry’. “At a time when the domestic media is talking about a slowdown here, we see more and more international retailers such as Wal-Mart, Marks & Spencer and Metro entering the Indian market,” he said.
For Tesco, India is part of a bigger plan to expand its Asia operations, which currently posts sales of £7 billion and is growing at 15% annually, said Clarke.
The company already sources Rs 1,400 crore worth of products from India for its global operations. It set up a Tesco Hindustan Service Centre in Bangalore a couple of years ago.
Tesco operates 3,730 stores in 13 countries through five formats, including hypermarkets and small neighbourhood stores. It entered the United States with ‘Fresh and Easy’ in October 2007.
MUMBAI: Tesco, the largest retailer in the United Kingdom, followed global competitors Metro and Wal-Mart into the Indian retail industry with a cash-and-carry (C&C) format, and an alliance with Trent Ltd, the Tata Group’s retail arm.
Tesco will initially invest Rs 480 crore to set up three hubs —Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore — in the next two years.
Philip Clarke, the international and IT director of Tesco, said most of this investment would go into setting up the supply chain for its operations.
“We intend to bring in our expertise in cold chain, distribution and IT systems and also work closely with farmers,” he added.
The first store will open in Mumbai by the end of 2009.
The £50-billion retailer will follow the business-to-business cash-and-carry format, the only format allowed for a foreign retailer currently. It will supply food and grocery as well as non-food products to small retailers, neighbourhood stores, hotels and restaurants.
Asked if Tesco will enter the front-end retail business, Clarke said, “We’d love to operate in retail because that is what we do best. But we are not planning our own business at this point and are focusing only on what is allowed here.”
Industry experts see Tesco’s foray as a positive for the retail sector. Arvind Singhal, the chairman of retail and consumer goods consultancy firm Technopak said its entry is ‘like a vote of confidence for the retail industry’. “At a time when the domestic media is talking about a slowdown here, we see more and more international retailers such as Wal-Mart, Marks & Spencer and Metro entering the Indian market,” he said.
For Tesco, India is part of a bigger plan to expand its Asia operations, which currently posts sales of £7 billion and is growing at 15% annually, said Clarke.
The company already sources Rs 1,400 crore worth of products from India for its global operations. It set up a Tesco Hindustan Service Centre in Bangalore a couple of years ago.
Tesco operates 3,730 stores in 13 countries through five formats, including hypermarkets and small neighbourhood stores. It entered the United States with ‘Fresh and Easy’ in October 2007.
Business - Nivea to enter women's fairness market in India
Germany-based Beiersdorf AG, the maker of Nivea skin creams, is entering the women’s fairness cream market in India, almost a year after it began selling fairness cream for men locally in a bid to take on rivals including Hindustan Unilever, L’Oreal and other players.
Beiersdorf plans to begin selling Nivea Visage Sparkling Glow range to tap the country’s Rs 900-crore women’s fairness market in India. The company plans to sell through modern trade (organised retail) to bring the affluent urban consumer into its fold.
The Hamburg-based consumer company is expanding its presence in India at a time when sales in its home country is slowing, crimping operating margin. Consumer spending in western Europe and the US is prompting leading consumer companies including L’Oreal to cut sales forecast and expand in emerging markets.
Soma Ghosh, head (marketing), Nivea India, told Business Standard, “Fairness provides the biggest business opportunity for skin players in India. Hence, Sparkling Glow would be our number one priority in the Indian market. We would launch it nationally with special focus on the top six metros and 25 mini metros.”
Of the Rs 2,000-crore skin care market in India, the fairness market makes up for half of the pie and is growing in double digits.
The Sparkling Glow range would be positioned in the new mass premium segment worth Rs 40 crore of the total fairness market. This segment is expected to grow at 50 per cent annually, estimates the company.
Beiersdorf plans to begin selling Nivea Visage Sparkling Glow range to tap the country’s Rs 900-crore women’s fairness market in India. The company plans to sell through modern trade (organised retail) to bring the affluent urban consumer into its fold.
The Hamburg-based consumer company is expanding its presence in India at a time when sales in its home country is slowing, crimping operating margin. Consumer spending in western Europe and the US is prompting leading consumer companies including L’Oreal to cut sales forecast and expand in emerging markets.
Soma Ghosh, head (marketing), Nivea India, told Business Standard, “Fairness provides the biggest business opportunity for skin players in India. Hence, Sparkling Glow would be our number one priority in the Indian market. We would launch it nationally with special focus on the top six metros and 25 mini metros.”
Of the Rs 2,000-crore skin care market in India, the fairness market makes up for half of the pie and is growing in double digits.
The Sparkling Glow range would be positioned in the new mass premium segment worth Rs 40 crore of the total fairness market. This segment is expected to grow at 50 per cent annually, estimates the company.
Mktg - Nalli Silks business moves to McCann
McCann Erickson Bangalore has been awarded the creative duties for Nalli Silks. The agency acquired the business after going through a two stage pitch process. Other shortlisted agencies in the pitch process were JWT Chennai, TBWA India Chennai and Dentsu Chennai. O&M was the incumbent agency and it had worked with the brand for the past decade. The size of the business is estimated to be Rs 12-15 crore.
Nalli Silks is also reviewing its media duties, which have been with Media Edge so far. The brand has now decided to get a new media agency on board and two prominent names are being considered for the portfolio.
Poorna Govindaswamy, brand manager, Nalli Silks, tells afaqs!, "People head to Nalli if they have to buy a wedding sari, but they go elsewhere to buy a sari for the reception. We want to change that perception and that is why we have come up with the concept of Nalli Next. Now, people will be able to buy saris for all occasions, such as cocktail saris, casual wear, and for corporate meetings, from our store."
Govindaswamy adds, "We will have a 360 degree communication. For the past year, we haven't done much as we were channelling our thoughts for the new venture."
afaqs! spoke to Prasoon Joshi, executive chairman, India, and regional executive creative director, Asia Pacific, McCann Erickson, who confirmed the development. He says, "Nalli Silks is a respected brand and we are lucky that we’ve got an opportunity to build the brand."
Nalli Silks is an 80 year old heritage brand, which is in expansion mode. It has already made its mark in all the metros across India and is now making forays into Tier II cities. It has come up with a new format store named Nalli Next, which will enable consumers to purchase designer saris as well as home furnishings under the same roof.
Nalli Silks is also reviewing its media duties, which have been with Media Edge so far. The brand has now decided to get a new media agency on board and two prominent names are being considered for the portfolio.
Poorna Govindaswamy, brand manager, Nalli Silks, tells afaqs!, "People head to Nalli if they have to buy a wedding sari, but they go elsewhere to buy a sari for the reception. We want to change that perception and that is why we have come up with the concept of Nalli Next. Now, people will be able to buy saris for all occasions, such as cocktail saris, casual wear, and for corporate meetings, from our store."
Govindaswamy adds, "We will have a 360 degree communication. For the past year, we haven't done much as we were channelling our thoughts for the new venture."
afaqs! spoke to Prasoon Joshi, executive chairman, India, and regional executive creative director, Asia Pacific, McCann Erickson, who confirmed the development. He says, "Nalli Silks is a respected brand and we are lucky that we’ve got an opportunity to build the brand."
Nalli Silks is an 80 year old heritage brand, which is in expansion mode. It has already made its mark in all the metros across India and is now making forays into Tier II cities. It has come up with a new format store named Nalli Next, which will enable consumers to purchase designer saris as well as home furnishings under the same roof.
Mktg - Play your ending to Center Fresh story
As part of its Zubaan Pe Lagaam campaign running on television and radio, Center Fresh has launched an animated viral video. The viral features Vikram and Betal, two characters from Indian folk tales, but with a twist.
In the original story, the wise King Vikram of Ujjain has to carry the evil spirit, Betal, to a sage as a favour. Betal keeps posing riddles before him. The king has to answer correctly or be killed. The catch is that as soon as the king speaks, Betal slips away to the tree on which he lives.
In the viral, Milan ki Khatir, created by digital agency Webchutney, Vikram's son is obsessed with Betal and keeps pestering his father to get it for him. Whenever Vikram is alone with his wife, the son comes and asks for Betal. Ultimately, the wife asks Vikram to get Betal and hands him a bag of Center Fresh to help him keep Betal's mouth shut.
In most virals, stories are told in a linear manner, but the Center Fresh viral is different because it has two endings. The narration of the story ends at the point when Vikram leaves on his journey. The game takes off at this point, and the player has to stop Betal from speaking by popping a Center Fresh into its mouth. If the player wins, he sees one ending. If he doesn't, there's another ending.
The viral is being hosted on a microsite, Centerfresh.in, on which the TV and radio campaigns have also been showcased.
In an email interview with afaqs!, Rohit Kapoor, group product manager, Perfetti Van Melle, says, "The Internet was a perfect fit for the Center Fresh target audience of 15-24 year olds. The Internet also provides the opportunity for interactivity because it's not a one way communication – the youth can actually interact with the brand."
Speaking about the campaign to afaqs!, Prabhat Bhatnagar, creative director, Webchutney, says, "We were given the theme of Zubaan Pe Lagaam for the viral, so we decided to change the Vikram-Betal story. Since the Internet is a very different medium, the user experience has to be very sticky. This is the first viral that we have created with an interactive game."
The viral is being promoted through banners on general portals and gaming sites. Emailers have been sent out to a select consumer database. Prizes are being given weekly to the winners of the game.
According to Kapoor, the microsite has received about 20,000 hits in the first three days of its launch.
Center Fresh has also created a series of animated spoofs, which are being broadcast on MTV. It recently launched a TV commercial and two radio spots created by O&M Mumbai.
In the original story, the wise King Vikram of Ujjain has to carry the evil spirit, Betal, to a sage as a favour. Betal keeps posing riddles before him. The king has to answer correctly or be killed. The catch is that as soon as the king speaks, Betal slips away to the tree on which he lives.
In the viral, Milan ki Khatir, created by digital agency Webchutney, Vikram's son is obsessed with Betal and keeps pestering his father to get it for him. Whenever Vikram is alone with his wife, the son comes and asks for Betal. Ultimately, the wife asks Vikram to get Betal and hands him a bag of Center Fresh to help him keep Betal's mouth shut.
In most virals, stories are told in a linear manner, but the Center Fresh viral is different because it has two endings. The narration of the story ends at the point when Vikram leaves on his journey. The game takes off at this point, and the player has to stop Betal from speaking by popping a Center Fresh into its mouth. If the player wins, he sees one ending. If he doesn't, there's another ending.
The viral is being hosted on a microsite, Centerfresh.in, on which the TV and radio campaigns have also been showcased.
In an email interview with afaqs!, Rohit Kapoor, group product manager, Perfetti Van Melle, says, "The Internet was a perfect fit for the Center Fresh target audience of 15-24 year olds. The Internet also provides the opportunity for interactivity because it's not a one way communication – the youth can actually interact with the brand."
Speaking about the campaign to afaqs!, Prabhat Bhatnagar, creative director, Webchutney, says, "We were given the theme of Zubaan Pe Lagaam for the viral, so we decided to change the Vikram-Betal story. Since the Internet is a very different medium, the user experience has to be very sticky. This is the first viral that we have created with an interactive game."
The viral is being promoted through banners on general portals and gaming sites. Emailers have been sent out to a select consumer database. Prizes are being given weekly to the winners of the game.
According to Kapoor, the microsite has received about 20,000 hits in the first three days of its launch.
Center Fresh has also created a series of animated spoofs, which are being broadcast on MTV. It recently launched a TV commercial and two radio spots created by O&M Mumbai.
Mktg - BBC's new Ad campaign ,Condoms
MUMBAI: The BBC World Service Trust has launched a new ad campaign that features the ‘condom a cappella’ ringtone in an attempt to make condoms more acceptable. The advertisement is part of a two-year project and is funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) is also using the ad to support its condom promotion efforts. The campaign, whose tagline is Jo Samjha Wohi Sikander (“the one who understands is a winner”), focuses on social support for condoms
BBC World Service Trust creative director Radharani Mitra states, “Ringtones have become such personal statements that a specially created condom ringtone seemed just the right vehicle to define its user as a sensible person. We have always had a strong interactive, response-oriented element in this ongoing campaign. This downloadable ringtone provides another opportunity for our target audience to translate the message into an action point. The very act of downloading and using this ringtone would have a counter effect on the inhibitions and taboos that can be associated with condoms. And it adds an element of fun and comfort to it.”
The campaign uses “youth-friendly” platforms like website downloads, online games, mobile advertising and downloads, along with the TV and radio advertisements and on-ground activation. The objective is to connect with all age groups and across the socio-economic strata.
BBC World Service Trust creative director Radharani Mitra states, “Ringtones have become such personal statements that a specially created condom ringtone seemed just the right vehicle to define its user as a sensible person. We have always had a strong interactive, response-oriented element in this ongoing campaign. This downloadable ringtone provides another opportunity for our target audience to translate the message into an action point. The very act of downloading and using this ringtone would have a counter effect on the inhibitions and taboos that can be associated with condoms. And it adds an element of fun and comfort to it.”
The campaign uses “youth-friendly” platforms like website downloads, online games, mobile advertising and downloads, along with the TV and radio advertisements and on-ground activation. The objective is to connect with all age groups and across the socio-economic strata.
Entertainment - Indian films in safe hands ,says Balachander
CHENNAI: Actor Aamir Khan was presented the 11th Gollapudi Srinivas National Award for his film ‘Taare Zameen Par’ in the city on Tuesday .
Speaking on the occasion, veteran film-maker K.Balachander said that after watching the film, the first directorial venture of the actor, he was convinced that Indian cinema was in safe hands.
The award comprised a memento and a cash prize of Rs.1.50 lakh from the Gollapudi Srinivas Memorial Foundation.
Balachander said, “This movie made me cry, yet made me happy somehow.” He appreciated the director’s conviction in putting a buck-toothed Darsheel Safary in the lead role and appearing himself in the second half of the movie. He noted that movies such as ‘Taare Zameen Par’ should make Indian cinema wake up from its complacency.
Aamir himself was unassuming, clad in his white turtleneck shirt and blue jeans He was flanked by lyricist Prasoon Joshi, film-maker Vidhu Vinod Chopra, theatre personality and socialite Dolly Thakore and ‘Ghajini’ director A.R. Murugadoss.
The event took off with soul-stirring renderings of six popular ‘ghazals’ by Jagjit Singh.
Next, a short film by Rajiv Menon ‘The Second Innings’ was screened in memory of Gollapudi Srinivas, in whose name the award has been instituted. Srinivas was an upcoming director who was killed by a big wave on the beaches of Vishkapatnam while shooting his first film.
A short film on Aamir’s experience as a director was screened in which he was found saying, “The job of a director is to make people bloom.” The idea matched perfectly the theme of the award itself that recognizes budding directors.
Actor Anupam Kher appreciated Aamir Khan for his sheer courage.
“Today, when we are marketing cinema, and even lives and values, to make a film on special children is truly an act of courage,” he said. Director Vidhu Vinod Chopra expressed his disbelief at how a person could “remain as untouched by success as Aamir is”.
He appreciated the actor’s commitment for cinema .
For an actor who is known for not attending award functions, Aamir agreed to accept this award as a mark of respect towards the Gollapudi family. An emotionally charged Aamir was moved to tears on the stage.
He gave the credit for the movie’s success to Amol Gupte, the story writer, and the entire team. He also dedicated the prize money to the M.G.R. Film and Television Institute, Chennai, to promote talented film-makers.
Speaking on the occasion, veteran film-maker K.Balachander said that after watching the film, the first directorial venture of the actor, he was convinced that Indian cinema was in safe hands.
The award comprised a memento and a cash prize of Rs.1.50 lakh from the Gollapudi Srinivas Memorial Foundation.
Balachander said, “This movie made me cry, yet made me happy somehow.” He appreciated the director’s conviction in putting a buck-toothed Darsheel Safary in the lead role and appearing himself in the second half of the movie. He noted that movies such as ‘Taare Zameen Par’ should make Indian cinema wake up from its complacency.
Aamir himself was unassuming, clad in his white turtleneck shirt and blue jeans He was flanked by lyricist Prasoon Joshi, film-maker Vidhu Vinod Chopra, theatre personality and socialite Dolly Thakore and ‘Ghajini’ director A.R. Murugadoss.
The event took off with soul-stirring renderings of six popular ‘ghazals’ by Jagjit Singh.
Next, a short film by Rajiv Menon ‘The Second Innings’ was screened in memory of Gollapudi Srinivas, in whose name the award has been instituted. Srinivas was an upcoming director who was killed by a big wave on the beaches of Vishkapatnam while shooting his first film.
A short film on Aamir’s experience as a director was screened in which he was found saying, “The job of a director is to make people bloom.” The idea matched perfectly the theme of the award itself that recognizes budding directors.
Actor Anupam Kher appreciated Aamir Khan for his sheer courage.
“Today, when we are marketing cinema, and even lives and values, to make a film on special children is truly an act of courage,” he said. Director Vidhu Vinod Chopra expressed his disbelief at how a person could “remain as untouched by success as Aamir is”.
He appreciated the actor’s commitment for cinema .
For an actor who is known for not attending award functions, Aamir agreed to accept this award as a mark of respect towards the Gollapudi family. An emotionally charged Aamir was moved to tears on the stage.
He gave the credit for the movie’s success to Amol Gupte, the story writer, and the entire team. He also dedicated the prize money to the M.G.R. Film and Television Institute, Chennai, to promote talented film-makers.
Lifestyle - Are animals getting mad at humans?
A new theory seeks to explain why the wild is steeped in anger against people
Human beings since the dawn of civilization have been the lords of their own destiny and also of all other species. From their vantage point on top of the food chain, they have ruled over the vast fiefdom that is earth. But now, some scientists believe, the tide is turning against humans. Animals are on the prowl with vengeance in their inscrutable eyes. It’s hard to believe, but the wild is literally burning with revenge.
The phenomenon is being studied through a new discipline called human-animal conflict, warranted by an unprecedented increase in the frequency of animal attacks on humans throughout the world, reported The Daily Telegraph on Monday. The theory seems more akin to science fiction than science, but for its proponents, the purported change in relation between animals and humans is a line of enquiry worth betting their careers on.
The evidence these animal behaviourists have gathered show how across the continents, there has been a spike in attacks by elephants, leopards, mountain lions, cougars, foxes, wolves, bears, dogs and dingos, not to speak of sharks, sea lions and crocodiles, and how traditional theories fail to account for this sharp rise. In Africa, for instance, chimpanzees, not known to attack humans, have started doing so. And there have been unprovoked attacks by dogs in Asian countries, and dingos and crocodiles in Australia.
Such attacks have reached such frightening levels that the animal behaviourists are suspecting revenge may indeed be a motive.
Consider elephants. From Assam to Southeast Asia to Africa, there has been a great rise in instances of the pachyderms attacking humans. “What’s happening today is extraordinary,” the newspaper quotes Dr Gay Bradshaw, director of the Kerulos Centre for Animal Psychology and Trauma Recovery, Oregon, and a world authority on elephants, as saying. “Where for centuries humans and elephants lived in relatively peaceful co-existence, there is now hostility and violence.”
Bradshaw says the elephants are “under siege” from humans, and that explanations like encroachment and loss of habitat aren’t sufficient to explain the manifold increase in the attacks. She and her colleagues think there has been an across-the-species psychological collapse among the world’s elephants. Drawing a parallel between the animals and people caught in circumstances of war, the experts say the attacks are the response of a generation of traumatised elephants.
They have grown up witnessing the systematic slaughter of their families by humans and, now, they are getting back.
Bradshaw backs her claims with observational, psychological and neuroscientific evidence, and says the tolerance threshold has been breached not only in elephants, but also in other animals as evidenced by “atypical behaviours in an array of species”.
Human beings since the dawn of civilization have been the lords of their own destiny and also of all other species. From their vantage point on top of the food chain, they have ruled over the vast fiefdom that is earth. But now, some scientists believe, the tide is turning against humans. Animals are on the prowl with vengeance in their inscrutable eyes. It’s hard to believe, but the wild is literally burning with revenge.
The phenomenon is being studied through a new discipline called human-animal conflict, warranted by an unprecedented increase in the frequency of animal attacks on humans throughout the world, reported The Daily Telegraph on Monday. The theory seems more akin to science fiction than science, but for its proponents, the purported change in relation between animals and humans is a line of enquiry worth betting their careers on.
The evidence these animal behaviourists have gathered show how across the continents, there has been a spike in attacks by elephants, leopards, mountain lions, cougars, foxes, wolves, bears, dogs and dingos, not to speak of sharks, sea lions and crocodiles, and how traditional theories fail to account for this sharp rise. In Africa, for instance, chimpanzees, not known to attack humans, have started doing so. And there have been unprovoked attacks by dogs in Asian countries, and dingos and crocodiles in Australia.
Such attacks have reached such frightening levels that the animal behaviourists are suspecting revenge may indeed be a motive.
Consider elephants. From Assam to Southeast Asia to Africa, there has been a great rise in instances of the pachyderms attacking humans. “What’s happening today is extraordinary,” the newspaper quotes Dr Gay Bradshaw, director of the Kerulos Centre for Animal Psychology and Trauma Recovery, Oregon, and a world authority on elephants, as saying. “Where for centuries humans and elephants lived in relatively peaceful co-existence, there is now hostility and violence.”
Bradshaw says the elephants are “under siege” from humans, and that explanations like encroachment and loss of habitat aren’t sufficient to explain the manifold increase in the attacks. She and her colleagues think there has been an across-the-species psychological collapse among the world’s elephants. Drawing a parallel between the animals and people caught in circumstances of war, the experts say the attacks are the response of a generation of traumatised elephants.
They have grown up witnessing the systematic slaughter of their families by humans and, now, they are getting back.
Bradshaw backs her claims with observational, psychological and neuroscientific evidence, and says the tolerance threshold has been breached not only in elephants, but also in other animals as evidenced by “atypical behaviours in an array of species”.
Lifestyle - Buffet Ettiquette
Buffets are a cost-effective and quick way to serve meals to large numbers and hence, extremely popular at corporate events and in restaurants. While buffets may seem like a free-for-all, the rules of etiquette still apply.
Queuing:
Queues at a buffet can be annoying, as everyone wants to serve themselves first but do politely wait your turn instead of sneaking up to the counter. Wait for the food to be replenished instead of scraping the dishes. Eating while waiting your turn or serving is avoidable behaviour.
Buffets serve larger numbers and are not to be compared with the experience associated with fine-dining in a sit-down meal. While standing in the queue, stop complaining about the food or caterer or the long wait as it is impolite to the host. Instead use this time to network or chat with the others waiting with you.
Serving:
Use the serving spoon or tongs to serve yourself and not your fingers. Resist the urge to pop that papad directly into your mouth, no matter how tempting it looks. One serving spoon per dish is provided and should be replaced on the holder or back in the dish.
Avoid accidents and spillages by bringing your plate close to the serving dish. When deciding what to eat, don’t sniff the food, instead take a small amount and return if you like it. For hygiene and safety purposes, avoid leaning over the dishes while serving yourself.
Avoid sampling all dishes and over-loading your plate. Instead, exercise choice and serve limited portions of select dishes, such that the food is neatly arranged on your plate and presents an appetising picture.
Buffet Courtesies:
Buffets are self-serve meals but the buffetcounter staff needs to be thanked if they serve you. The clearance staff have an extremely tough job and need to be thanked when taking away the used plate from you.
Queuing:
Queues at a buffet can be annoying, as everyone wants to serve themselves first but do politely wait your turn instead of sneaking up to the counter. Wait for the food to be replenished instead of scraping the dishes. Eating while waiting your turn or serving is avoidable behaviour.
Buffets serve larger numbers and are not to be compared with the experience associated with fine-dining in a sit-down meal. While standing in the queue, stop complaining about the food or caterer or the long wait as it is impolite to the host. Instead use this time to network or chat with the others waiting with you.
Serving:
Use the serving spoon or tongs to serve yourself and not your fingers. Resist the urge to pop that papad directly into your mouth, no matter how tempting it looks. One serving spoon per dish is provided and should be replaced on the holder or back in the dish.
Avoid accidents and spillages by bringing your plate close to the serving dish. When deciding what to eat, don’t sniff the food, instead take a small amount and return if you like it. For hygiene and safety purposes, avoid leaning over the dishes while serving yourself.
Avoid sampling all dishes and over-loading your plate. Instead, exercise choice and serve limited portions of select dishes, such that the food is neatly arranged on your plate and presents an appetising picture.
Buffet Courtesies:
Buffets are self-serve meals but the buffetcounter staff needs to be thanked if they serve you. The clearance staff have an extremely tough job and need to be thanked when taking away the used plate from you.
Health - Gastroenteritis can be dangerous
If you have been ignoring gastroenteritis symptoms for long, better take note. Not many would know that if not cured in the beginning itself, gastroenteritis could result in acute kidney failure and, in some cases, even heart attack, say doctors.
Gastroenteritis is the inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, caused by common viruses, bacteria and parasites. The usual symptoms are acute diarrhoea accompanied by vomiting, abdomen pain and, occasionally, fever.
"Sometimes carelessness on the part of the patient suffering from mild to moderate gastroenteritis can result in serious complications," said Dr Harsh Kapoor, senior gastroenterologist consultant, Max Hospital, Gurgaon.
A healthy person can have pre-renal failure if he/she is suffering from gastroenteritis. Acute diarrhoea causes severe dehydration, which in turn decreases the blood circulation in the body. This results in low blood pressure.
Because of the decreased blood flow, kidneys become sluggish and can even results in acute renal failure, he said.
Those who already suffer from some heart ailment also need to be particularly cautious. "The sudden drop in blood pressure means the heart needs to work harder and faster than normal. And if a person already has a heart condition, it can precipitate a heart attack in him or her," said Dr M.P. Sharma, Head of department, medicine and gastroenterology, Rockland Hospital.
The loss of fluids due to vomiting and diarrhoea can be replenished at a reasonably early stage through intravenous fluids to avoid complications.
According to doctors, gastroenteritis can be easily cured at home if the condition is mild, which requires a lot of rest and oral rehydration. Hospitalisation is a must if the condition does not improve. In that case, a patient needs to be given intravenous treatment and antibiotics.
Gastroenteritis is the inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, caused by common viruses, bacteria and parasites. The usual symptoms are acute diarrhoea accompanied by vomiting, abdomen pain and, occasionally, fever.
"Sometimes carelessness on the part of the patient suffering from mild to moderate gastroenteritis can result in serious complications," said Dr Harsh Kapoor, senior gastroenterologist consultant, Max Hospital, Gurgaon.
A healthy person can have pre-renal failure if he/she is suffering from gastroenteritis. Acute diarrhoea causes severe dehydration, which in turn decreases the blood circulation in the body. This results in low blood pressure.
Because of the decreased blood flow, kidneys become sluggish and can even results in acute renal failure, he said.
Those who already suffer from some heart ailment also need to be particularly cautious. "The sudden drop in blood pressure means the heart needs to work harder and faster than normal. And if a person already has a heart condition, it can precipitate a heart attack in him or her," said Dr M.P. Sharma, Head of department, medicine and gastroenterology, Rockland Hospital.
The loss of fluids due to vomiting and diarrhoea can be replenished at a reasonably early stage through intravenous fluids to avoid complications.
According to doctors, gastroenteritis can be easily cured at home if the condition is mild, which requires a lot of rest and oral rehydration. Hospitalisation is a must if the condition does not improve. In that case, a patient needs to be given intravenous treatment and antibiotics.
Business - Reliance ties up with Toy retailer Hamleys
MUMBAI: Reliance Retail has tied up with the British toy retailer Hamleys Group to set up a nationwide network of exclusive toy stores. Under the exclusive franchise agreement, Reliance Retail will invest for setting up the network while Hamleys will bring in its expertise on designing stores, training staff and developing its private labels. Reliance Retail will pay royalty to the British company for 20 years.
Reliance Lifestyle Holdings president and CEO Bijou Kurien said they would set up 20 stores in seven years. This includes two flagship stores of nearly 25,000 sq ft, one each in Mumbai and New Delhi. The first store will be in place by April 2009. The regional stores will come up in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai and Kolkata. ET had reported on March 21 that Reliance Retail would partner Hamleys to set up exclusive toy stores in the country.
Reliance Retail targets sales of Rs 900 crore from this business. The Rs 2,500-crore Indian toy industry is dominated by unorganised players and is growing at 25% per annum. Almost 20% of the market share belongs to the organised players like Mattel and Funskool, and other modern retailers. Reliance is targeting a growth of 20% from its toy stores by launching a range of Hamleys products costing Rs 400 and onwards.
Mr Kurien said the partnership with Hamleys is expected to help Reliance Retail develop the toy market in India. “This is a nascent market. But it has huge growth potential,” he added. Reliance Retail will replicate the experimental elements of seven-storied flagship store of Hamleys in Regent Street, London, in some of its stores.
Hamleys Group trading director Paul A Currie said the company is looking at India as a possible destination of its product sourcing. “At present we are reviewing our supply chain and our initial investigation shows that there is an opportunity in India. We will not compromise in terms of quality as our products should conform to European Union quality,” he said. Hamleys sources its toys mostly from far-eastern countries.
Reliance Lifestyle Holdings president and CEO Bijou Kurien said they would set up 20 stores in seven years. This includes two flagship stores of nearly 25,000 sq ft, one each in Mumbai and New Delhi. The first store will be in place by April 2009. The regional stores will come up in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai and Kolkata. ET had reported on March 21 that Reliance Retail would partner Hamleys to set up exclusive toy stores in the country.
Reliance Retail targets sales of Rs 900 crore from this business. The Rs 2,500-crore Indian toy industry is dominated by unorganised players and is growing at 25% per annum. Almost 20% of the market share belongs to the organised players like Mattel and Funskool, and other modern retailers. Reliance is targeting a growth of 20% from its toy stores by launching a range of Hamleys products costing Rs 400 and onwards.
Mr Kurien said the partnership with Hamleys is expected to help Reliance Retail develop the toy market in India. “This is a nascent market. But it has huge growth potential,” he added. Reliance Retail will replicate the experimental elements of seven-storied flagship store of Hamleys in Regent Street, London, in some of its stores.
Hamleys Group trading director Paul A Currie said the company is looking at India as a possible destination of its product sourcing. “At present we are reviewing our supply chain and our initial investigation shows that there is an opportunity in India. We will not compromise in terms of quality as our products should conform to European Union quality,” he said. Hamleys sources its toys mostly from far-eastern countries.
Business - Spencer's to push private labels
Targets Rs 2,500 cr turnover by 09-10
KOLKATA: Spencer’s Retail expects private labels to contribute at least 25% to its total targeted turnover of Rs 2,500 crore by the financial year 2009-10. Currently, private labels form adds about 10% to its sales.
Retailers rake in larger margins from their private labels against margins on brands from other firms. For example, food items fetch about 15% for retailers but private food labels can reap double this figure. In apparels, the margin on private labels are even higher at 40-50%.
So, Spencer’s, which is the retail arm of RPG Enterprises, has decided to focus on some of the high margin categories such as non-branded foods (such as teas), household products (such as floor cleaners) and other less sophisticated products (toothbrush, etc) to meet its turnover target .
However, experts said retailers face various challenges when they make an attempt to push private labels and even Spencer’s would have to overcome similar hurdles.
“In India, it will take some time to sell good quality private labels,” an industry analyst said.
Unlike overseas, where retailers rake in 25-40% of sales from private labels, the share is only 1-2% for the organised retailers in India, he said.
The challenges mostly lie in putting in place an efficient supply chain. Spencer’s has 32 distribution centres currently, but it is looking to almost double this count to 50-60 by 2010.
Also, getting the vendors to produce quality goods is a big challenge.
“It is not possible to have dedicated vendors unless retailers promise them certain volumes, which, at this stage, is not possible,” the retail analyst said.
Spencer’s believes that team building is necessary for pushing its private labels. It will also aim at educating consumers through various below-the-line and above-the line advertising activities.
“Fixing the supply chain and replenishment of stocks with speed are key to successful retailing of private labels,” a Spencer’s spokesperson said.
He said the company’s investment in the backend, warehousing and other infrastructure would be about 5% of its targeted sales by 2009-10. The company’s investment in stocks will be 25% of the targeted topline, he said.
Spencer’s is also aiming to triple the count of its stock-keeping units (SKUs) to 15,000 from 5,000 currently.
The company had earlier said it would be investing Rs 2,500 crore by the financial year 2009-10 for expanding its retail network. It is said to be planning to take up the number of its hyper stores to 75 by March 2009 from 33 currently.
Spencer’s, which has streamlined from its earlier four sub-brands of Daily, Express, Super and Hyper to two only models- Spencer’s and Spencer’s Hyper - is targeting a turnover of Rs 1,800 crore by 2008-09 and Rs 2,500 crore by the fiscal year 2009-10.
KOLKATA: Spencer’s Retail expects private labels to contribute at least 25% to its total targeted turnover of Rs 2,500 crore by the financial year 2009-10. Currently, private labels form adds about 10% to its sales.
Retailers rake in larger margins from their private labels against margins on brands from other firms. For example, food items fetch about 15% for retailers but private food labels can reap double this figure. In apparels, the margin on private labels are even higher at 40-50%.
So, Spencer’s, which is the retail arm of RPG Enterprises, has decided to focus on some of the high margin categories such as non-branded foods (such as teas), household products (such as floor cleaners) and other less sophisticated products (toothbrush, etc) to meet its turnover target .
However, experts said retailers face various challenges when they make an attempt to push private labels and even Spencer’s would have to overcome similar hurdles.
“In India, it will take some time to sell good quality private labels,” an industry analyst said.
Unlike overseas, where retailers rake in 25-40% of sales from private labels, the share is only 1-2% for the organised retailers in India, he said.
The challenges mostly lie in putting in place an efficient supply chain. Spencer’s has 32 distribution centres currently, but it is looking to almost double this count to 50-60 by 2010.
Also, getting the vendors to produce quality goods is a big challenge.
“It is not possible to have dedicated vendors unless retailers promise them certain volumes, which, at this stage, is not possible,” the retail analyst said.
Spencer’s believes that team building is necessary for pushing its private labels. It will also aim at educating consumers through various below-the-line and above-the line advertising activities.
“Fixing the supply chain and replenishment of stocks with speed are key to successful retailing of private labels,” a Spencer’s spokesperson said.
He said the company’s investment in the backend, warehousing and other infrastructure would be about 5% of its targeted sales by 2009-10. The company’s investment in stocks will be 25% of the targeted topline, he said.
Spencer’s is also aiming to triple the count of its stock-keeping units (SKUs) to 15,000 from 5,000 currently.
The company had earlier said it would be investing Rs 2,500 crore by the financial year 2009-10 for expanding its retail network. It is said to be planning to take up the number of its hyper stores to 75 by March 2009 from 33 currently.
Spencer’s, which has streamlined from its earlier four sub-brands of Daily, Express, Super and Hyper to two only models- Spencer’s and Spencer’s Hyper - is targeting a turnover of Rs 1,800 crore by 2008-09 and Rs 2,500 crore by the fiscal year 2009-10.
India - Kerala Reserves post for HIV Positive (G.Read)
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: This is a quota that is unlikely to be embroiled in a debate about merit dilution and fairness. Kerala became the first Indian state on Tuesday to reserve a government job for HIV positive candidates, marking a new sensitivity for those afflicted with the killer virus.
The Kerala State Aids Control Society (KSACS) announced that it had reserved a vacancy in its office for HIV positive candidates with the hope that the presence of such a person will improve coordination and communication with groups at risk and ensure effective prevention.
"We have issued advertisements inviting applications to the post of coordinator, People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA), only from candidates who are HIV positive. Earlier, we had set this as a desirable factor, but then we decided to make it an essential one," KSACS project director and special secretary, health, Usha Titus told TOI.
"Right now in Kerala, we have what is called 'drop-in centres'. They work to facilitate grouping or association of people with HIV/AIDS. The belief is that when they come together, they would get to share their problems and it would be a great relaxing factor," Titus said.
But there are thousands of HIV affected who still keep themselves out of these collectives, for fear of being identified and perhaps ostracised by larger society which still sees HIV and AIDS patients as dangerous and dissolute.
"The aim of reserving the post is to reach out to them. We believe that a lifestyle modification may be possible if somebody who understands their problem better is in charge. It will also help us send out our message in a better way as the channel of communication will be better," Kerala State Aids Control Society (KSACS) project director and special secretary, health, Usha Titus said.
AIDS prevention groups laud Kerala move to reserve post
NGOs working in the field of HIV and AIDS prevention said they were delighted. "This is a very positive step. The best way to fight the disease is to break the confidentiality which is maintained by those affected by it to avoid the associated stigma," said J Rajasekharan Nair of Thrani, an NGO working with high-risk groups like sex workers.
"When Nelson Mandela's son died of AIDS, he had said that the HIV affected should break the confidentiality," he said.
"They should be encouraged to come forward as confidentiality can only lead to their isolation."
Kerala has an estimated 25,000 HIV positive people. The prevalence is maximum (5% to 10%) among ingesting drug users followed by high risk groups like male and female sex workers, where the rate is 0.2%. Also an average of 0.13% of pregnant women test positive for the disease.
The Kerala State Aids Control Society (KSACS) announced that it had reserved a vacancy in its office for HIV positive candidates with the hope that the presence of such a person will improve coordination and communication with groups at risk and ensure effective prevention.
"We have issued advertisements inviting applications to the post of coordinator, People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA), only from candidates who are HIV positive. Earlier, we had set this as a desirable factor, but then we decided to make it an essential one," KSACS project director and special secretary, health, Usha Titus told TOI.
"Right now in Kerala, we have what is called 'drop-in centres'. They work to facilitate grouping or association of people with HIV/AIDS. The belief is that when they come together, they would get to share their problems and it would be a great relaxing factor," Titus said.
But there are thousands of HIV affected who still keep themselves out of these collectives, for fear of being identified and perhaps ostracised by larger society which still sees HIV and AIDS patients as dangerous and dissolute.
"The aim of reserving the post is to reach out to them. We believe that a lifestyle modification may be possible if somebody who understands their problem better is in charge. It will also help us send out our message in a better way as the channel of communication will be better," Kerala State Aids Control Society (KSACS) project director and special secretary, health, Usha Titus said.
AIDS prevention groups laud Kerala move to reserve post
NGOs working in the field of HIV and AIDS prevention said they were delighted. "This is a very positive step. The best way to fight the disease is to break the confidentiality which is maintained by those affected by it to avoid the associated stigma," said J Rajasekharan Nair of Thrani, an NGO working with high-risk groups like sex workers.
"When Nelson Mandela's son died of AIDS, he had said that the HIV affected should break the confidentiality," he said.
"They should be encouraged to come forward as confidentiality can only lead to their isolation."
Kerala has an estimated 25,000 HIV positive people. The prevalence is maximum (5% to 10%) among ingesting drug users followed by high risk groups like male and female sex workers, where the rate is 0.2%. Also an average of 0.13% of pregnant women test positive for the disease.
India - IIMA prof's husband kills self on campus
AHMEDABAD: Shockwaves ran through the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) campus on Tuesday evening, following the suicide of the husband of a faculty member, who is currently away in US.
Laxman Mohanty, 43, visiting professor at Institute of Petroleum Technology, Gandhinagar was found hanging at his residence on Tuesday evening. Police suspect that he may have died earlier. Neighbours reported to the police.
His wife, Neharika Vohra, who is away on an official trip to US, is a faculty of Organisational Behaviour in the institute. Mohanty was a visiting faculty in a management institute at Gandhinagar.
Police officials said, "The deceased has left behind a suicide note which says that nobody is to be blamed for his suicide and also that marital discord was not a reason for the extreme act."
"A complaint of accidental death has been registered at the Satellite police station. We are investigating into the causes behind his suicide," said BK Jha, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 1).
Sources said that Mohanty was suffering from depression and the police believes that this could be the reason behind the suicide. "Mohanty dreamed of setting up a school in Orissa. This was not materializing, which had added to his depression," said police officials.
"His wife has been away for almost a month. Mohanty's body was found on Tuesday, hanging by a nylon rope from a ceiling fan. But, the exact time of death is still not known," said police officials.
According to police officials, Mohanty's friend Sajjan Singh who was supposed to come for dinner had called him repeatedly. But when the deceased did not reply, Singh informed Mohanty's neighbour. Mohanty and the neighbour employed the same househelp who provided the key to Mohanty's residence. Mohanty's body was discovered when the neighbours entered the home.
"The body has been sent for postmortem to ascertain the cause and time of death," said officials.
Sources from the institute said that Vohra has been intimated of the incident and she is likely to return on August 14. "Other family members of the deceased in Orissa have also been intimated and they are on their way," said the source.
Vohra has been with the institute for around 10 years. She is a visiting professor at the University of Manitoba and has taught at the Xavier's Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar. Currently, she is the Associate Editor of Indian Psychological Abstracts and Reviews and Book Review Editor of International Journal of Cross Cultural Management.
Laxman Mohanty, 43, visiting professor at Institute of Petroleum Technology, Gandhinagar was found hanging at his residence on Tuesday evening. Police suspect that he may have died earlier. Neighbours reported to the police.
His wife, Neharika Vohra, who is away on an official trip to US, is a faculty of Organisational Behaviour in the institute. Mohanty was a visiting faculty in a management institute at Gandhinagar.
Police officials said, "The deceased has left behind a suicide note which says that nobody is to be blamed for his suicide and also that marital discord was not a reason for the extreme act."
"A complaint of accidental death has been registered at the Satellite police station. We are investigating into the causes behind his suicide," said BK Jha, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 1).
Sources said that Mohanty was suffering from depression and the police believes that this could be the reason behind the suicide. "Mohanty dreamed of setting up a school in Orissa. This was not materializing, which had added to his depression," said police officials.
"His wife has been away for almost a month. Mohanty's body was found on Tuesday, hanging by a nylon rope from a ceiling fan. But, the exact time of death is still not known," said police officials.
According to police officials, Mohanty's friend Sajjan Singh who was supposed to come for dinner had called him repeatedly. But when the deceased did not reply, Singh informed Mohanty's neighbour. Mohanty and the neighbour employed the same househelp who provided the key to Mohanty's residence. Mohanty's body was discovered when the neighbours entered the home.
"The body has been sent for postmortem to ascertain the cause and time of death," said officials.
Sources from the institute said that Vohra has been intimated of the incident and she is likely to return on August 14. "Other family members of the deceased in Orissa have also been intimated and they are on their way," said the source.
Vohra has been with the institute for around 10 years. She is a visiting professor at the University of Manitoba and has taught at the Xavier's Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar. Currently, she is the Associate Editor of Indian Psychological Abstracts and Reviews and Book Review Editor of International Journal of Cross Cultural Management.
Business - 3G policy favours CDMA
NEW DELHI: After global telecom operators and potential new entrants, it is now the turn of existing GSM operators to express discomfort with the government’s recently announced 3G guidelines.
Several potential 3G entrants have already indicated that steep financial and regulatory barriers vis-a-vis existing operators may prevent them from participating in the auction. GSM operators now point out that they, too, face a steeper financial entry barrier compared to CDMA firms.
In effect, despite fixing a reserve price of Rs 2,020 crore, the 3G auctions are designed with a different financial entry point for all three categories of bidders - new entrants, existing GSM operators and existing CDMA operators.
A new entrant must begin the bid at Rs 3,671 crore (the reserve price plus Rs 1,651 crore for a unified access license) while an existing 2G GSM operator can enter the bid at just Rs 2,020 crore. In contrast, a CDMA operator can begin the 3G journey at a mere Rs 505 crore for 1.25 MHz of spectrum in the 800 MHz band without bidding.
Even though future blocks of CDMA spectrum will come at a pro rata price of the highest bid, the startup price for CDMA operators is a fraction of the others.
"The policy is partial to CDMA operators as they are entitled to spectrum in both 800 MHz and 450 MHz bands in addition to being eligible to bid in the 2.1 GHz band", T V Ramachandran, director general, Cellular Operators’ Association of India (COAI), told the TOI.
"This defies Trai’s recommendations, restricting a CDMA operator opting for the 450 MHz band from bidding in the 2.1 GHz band", he added.
Trai had also recommended that if the CDMA operator opted for one carrier of 1.25 MHz in the 800 MHz band, then it should receive proportionately less (3.7 MHz) spectrum in the 2.1 GHz band. Trai had also said both GSM and CDMA operators must get an equal amount or 5 MHz of 3G spectrum
Several potential 3G entrants have already indicated that steep financial and regulatory barriers vis-a-vis existing operators may prevent them from participating in the auction. GSM operators now point out that they, too, face a steeper financial entry barrier compared to CDMA firms.
In effect, despite fixing a reserve price of Rs 2,020 crore, the 3G auctions are designed with a different financial entry point for all three categories of bidders - new entrants, existing GSM operators and existing CDMA operators.
A new entrant must begin the bid at Rs 3,671 crore (the reserve price plus Rs 1,651 crore for a unified access license) while an existing 2G GSM operator can enter the bid at just Rs 2,020 crore. In contrast, a CDMA operator can begin the 3G journey at a mere Rs 505 crore for 1.25 MHz of spectrum in the 800 MHz band without bidding.
Even though future blocks of CDMA spectrum will come at a pro rata price of the highest bid, the startup price for CDMA operators is a fraction of the others.
"The policy is partial to CDMA operators as they are entitled to spectrum in both 800 MHz and 450 MHz bands in addition to being eligible to bid in the 2.1 GHz band", T V Ramachandran, director general, Cellular Operators’ Association of India (COAI), told the TOI.
"This defies Trai’s recommendations, restricting a CDMA operator opting for the 450 MHz band from bidding in the 2.1 GHz band", he added.
Trai had also recommended that if the CDMA operator opted for one carrier of 1.25 MHz in the 800 MHz band, then it should receive proportionately less (3.7 MHz) spectrum in the 2.1 GHz band. Trai had also said both GSM and CDMA operators must get an equal amount or 5 MHz of 3G spectrum
Lifestyle - It's possible to be fit & fat
WASHINGTON: It may be possible to be both fat and healthy, researchers reported, for at least half of overweight adults, and close to a third of obese men and women, have normal blood pressure, cholesterol and other measures of heart health.
And being lean does not necessarily protect people, either. Close to a quarter of normal-weight American adults in one study had risk factors for heart disease or diabetes.
"We really don't know as much about obesity as we think we do," Judith Wylie-Rosett of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, who oversaw the study, said on Monday.
"A considerable proportion of overweight and obese US adults are metabolically healthy, whereas a considerable proportion of normal-weight adults express a clustering of cardiometabolic abnormalities," Wylie-Rosett and Rachel Wildman and colleagues wrote in their report, published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.
Wylie-Rosett's team looked at data on 5,440 men and women who were examined and filled out questionnaires for the National Health and Nutritional Examination Surveys between 1999 and 2004. Most did not exercise very much.
They found just over 51% of those who were overweight, and 31.7% of those who were obese, had healthy levels of cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure and other measures linked to heart disease.
These measures have been shown in many other studies to predict heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and other heart disease, although this particular study did not look at whether people suffered any of these problems.
More than 23% of those who were at a healthy weight had two or more unhealthy readings, the researchers found.
And being lean does not necessarily protect people, either. Close to a quarter of normal-weight American adults in one study had risk factors for heart disease or diabetes.
"We really don't know as much about obesity as we think we do," Judith Wylie-Rosett of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, who oversaw the study, said on Monday.
"A considerable proportion of overweight and obese US adults are metabolically healthy, whereas a considerable proportion of normal-weight adults express a clustering of cardiometabolic abnormalities," Wylie-Rosett and Rachel Wildman and colleagues wrote in their report, published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.
Wylie-Rosett's team looked at data on 5,440 men and women who were examined and filled out questionnaires for the National Health and Nutritional Examination Surveys between 1999 and 2004. Most did not exercise very much.
They found just over 51% of those who were overweight, and 31.7% of those who were obese, had healthy levels of cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure and other measures linked to heart disease.
These measures have been shown in many other studies to predict heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and other heart disease, although this particular study did not look at whether people suffered any of these problems.
More than 23% of those who were at a healthy weight had two or more unhealthy readings, the researchers found.
World - Kangaroos on brink of extinction
MELBOURNE: Four wildlife groups, the Australian Society for Kangaroos, the Wildlife Protection Association of Australia, the Kangaroo Protection Coalition and Kangaroo Defenders, have warned that kangaroos are on the brink of extinction in three states -- New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland.
In view of this alarming development, they have called for a moratorium on the commercial and non-commercial slaughter of this iconic Australian animal.
According to reports, they have based their claims on a report written for the Australian Society for Kangaroos, which suggests that falling numbers are a result of the drought and unsustainable kangaroo meat and leather industries.
The groups said the report found that there are less than five kangaroos per square kilometre across most of NSW, South Australia and Queensland, a number defined previously as being akin to "quasi extinction".
In view of this alarming development, they have called for a moratorium on the commercial and non-commercial slaughter of this iconic Australian animal.
According to reports, they have based their claims on a report written for the Australian Society for Kangaroos, which suggests that falling numbers are a result of the drought and unsustainable kangaroo meat and leather industries.
The groups said the report found that there are less than five kangaroos per square kilometre across most of NSW, South Australia and Queensland, a number defined previously as being akin to "quasi extinction".
India - To be hotter by 4 degrees in 40 years
NEW DELHI: The effect of climate change on India could be far worse than previously estimated. Latest projections indicate that after 2050, temperatures would rise by 3-4 degrees over current levels and rainfall would become both heavier and less regular, posing a grave threat to agriculture.
These are part of the research conducted by scientists at Pune's Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, one of the key government institutions studying climate change in India. The findings are currently under review by a well-recognized scientific journal.
This provides another, more serious wake-up call for India's planners to look at adapting to the impending climatic changes. But as importantly, it demands that the developed countries reduce their emissions substantially before their accumulated emissions turn these projections into a reality for India and other developing countries.
If even a part of the projections turn into reality, the IITM modelling has dire implications for almost all aspects of life in the country — agriculture, power, water resources and biodiversity.
The team at IITM, led by Dr Krishna Kumar, used what is known as "A1B scenario" to pick a curve against which greenhouse emissions are calculated. The A1B scenario refers to a UN-accepted set of changes in the world economy that drive greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It presumes a global economy growing by 3% annually with high rates of investment and innovation, use of varied sources of energy and an economic convergence between the developed and developing countries.
With the emissions growth curve drawn from the A1B scenario, Kumar and his team used data relevant to India in complex climate models to generate future projections for dozens of climate parameters that allowed them to map out how temperatures and monsoon would change if emissions rose.
'Cities to bear brunt of rising temp'
The results of their work will now be used by others to calibrate how vulnerable the country could be on different fronts if these projections come true. The study is an eye-opener. It says the rise of temperatures would be far more over northern India than the peninsular region.
The temperatures would begin rising in northern and western regions initially and then the pattern would shift eastward. The increase would occur in both night and day time temperatures.
Global modelling results have been suggesting that average annual precipitation in the country may see about a 8-10% increase. The pattern of increase in rainfall too is predicted to move from north and north-west India towards the east.
The consequences are easy to see — cities like Delhi that are not able to handle the occasional heavy shower even today, as was the case this year, could get flooded rapidly. The scene may not be much better for cities like Mumbai.
These are part of the research conducted by scientists at Pune's Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, one of the key government institutions studying climate change in India. The findings are currently under review by a well-recognized scientific journal.
This provides another, more serious wake-up call for India's planners to look at adapting to the impending climatic changes. But as importantly, it demands that the developed countries reduce their emissions substantially before their accumulated emissions turn these projections into a reality for India and other developing countries.
If even a part of the projections turn into reality, the IITM modelling has dire implications for almost all aspects of life in the country — agriculture, power, water resources and biodiversity.
The team at IITM, led by Dr Krishna Kumar, used what is known as "A1B scenario" to pick a curve against which greenhouse emissions are calculated. The A1B scenario refers to a UN-accepted set of changes in the world economy that drive greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It presumes a global economy growing by 3% annually with high rates of investment and innovation, use of varied sources of energy and an economic convergence between the developed and developing countries.
With the emissions growth curve drawn from the A1B scenario, Kumar and his team used data relevant to India in complex climate models to generate future projections for dozens of climate parameters that allowed them to map out how temperatures and monsoon would change if emissions rose.
'Cities to bear brunt of rising temp'
The results of their work will now be used by others to calibrate how vulnerable the country could be on different fronts if these projections come true. The study is an eye-opener. It says the rise of temperatures would be far more over northern India than the peninsular region.
The temperatures would begin rising in northern and western regions initially and then the pattern would shift eastward. The increase would occur in both night and day time temperatures.
Global modelling results have been suggesting that average annual precipitation in the country may see about a 8-10% increase. The pattern of increase in rainfall too is predicted to move from north and north-west India towards the east.
The consequences are easy to see — cities like Delhi that are not able to handle the occasional heavy shower even today, as was the case this year, could get flooded rapidly. The scene may not be much better for cities like Mumbai.
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