Tuesday, February 27, 2007
To Stop Disease from Spreading, Open a Window
In this age of ever-accelerating medical advances, one would have thought that the latest medical discovery would be very sophisticated. But no, the latest discovery is a down-to-earth one.
An international team of researchers reported in Feb 2007 that opening the windows is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of airborne infections at hospitals!
According to the team, this low-tech solution worked much better than sophisticated and costly mechanical ventilating mechanisms and concepts such as "negative pressure" rooms with expensive designs aimed at pumping out air. According to the team, old-fashioned clinical areas with high-ceilings and large windows provide great protection against the spread of infectious diseases.
Seems that our earlier generations knew a thing or two, after all!
An international team of researchers reported in Feb 2007 that opening the windows is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of airborne infections at hospitals!
According to the team, this low-tech solution worked much better than sophisticated and costly mechanical ventilating mechanisms and concepts such as "negative pressure" rooms with expensive designs aimed at pumping out air. According to the team, old-fashioned clinical areas with high-ceilings and large windows provide great protection against the spread of infectious diseases.
Seems that our earlier generations knew a thing or two, after all!
Labels: health
Canvas Full of Banknotes Too Tempting for Thieves
Norwegian artist Jan Christensen must have thought he had a most creative idea when he glued 100,000 bills of 1000 kroner each ( in all about 16,000 US $ ) to the canvas in a painting titled "Relative Value", which was displayed at the MGM Gallery in Oslo.
Unfortunately, this idea was too attractive and tempting to a bunch of thieves as well who broke into the gallery during the weekend and methodically cut off each bill off the canvas and left the frame behind.
The thieves were so nice that they even took the canvas out of the frame before proceeding to pick off each bill!
Unfortunately, this idea was too attractive and tempting to a bunch of thieves as well who broke into the gallery during the weekend and methodically cut off each bill off the canvas and left the frame behind.
The thieves were so nice that they even took the canvas out of the frame before proceeding to pick off each bill!
Human Power - Energy from Exercise
The owner of a fitness center / gym in Hong Kong has figured out a novel way to cut his electricity bills.
Lucien Gambarota, owner of the Motorwave fitness centre has devised a method by which, connecting specially modified cross trainers at the fitness center to light fixtures and batteries, he powers overhead lighting from the energy generated by those using the cross trainers.
This concept is called Human Powered Energy in the alternative energy lingo, and you can find more interesting concepts and inventions in human powered energy at this page at Oilgae
Lucien Gambarota, owner of the Motorwave fitness centre has devised a method by which, connecting specially modified cross trainers at the fitness center to light fixtures and batteries, he powers overhead lighting from the energy generated by those using the cross trainers.
This concept is called Human Powered Energy in the alternative energy lingo, and you can find more interesting concepts and inventions in human powered energy at this page at Oilgae
Labels: alternative-energy
Experiential Marketing Showing Good Growth
Thought I'd dwell a bit on this interesting trend that is getting more and more advertisers interested. Here's what the Wikipedia entry has to say on Experiential Marketing.
"
Experiential marketing
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Experiential marketing uses brand relevant experiences to engage key audiences while creating a forum where these audiences interact with a brand. It involves high levels of interactivity and sensory impact and seeks to elicit an emotional response among the target through a more personal level of engagement than other media.
Category growth
As the term becomes more widely recognized, (now receiving more than 4.7 million hits on Google) experiential marketing continues to grow in popularity among consumers and marketers alike.
Marketers spent more than $150 billion on experiential marketing in 2005. According to a study by HPI Research Group, 68% of surveyed marketing executives spent more on experiential marketing in 2005 than in 2004 and half of those executives expect to increase spending in 2006.
Experiential marketing is also termed as customer experience marketing because the idea is to communicate the essence of the Brand through a personalised experience. "Remember," says Erik Hauser "Experiential is a methodology not a medium."
The term "experiential marketing" is trademarked and owned by Experiential Marketing Limited Partnership doing business as XMC Sports and Enterainment, a global experiential marketing firm located in Toronto, Canada.
The need
With emerging media entering the marketplace on a regular basis, vying for consumers’ attention is becoming increasingly difficult. The 30-second spot is proving to be less effective and marketers are forced to look for alternatives. Consumers themselves have even resorted to avoiding messages whenever possible by installing pop-up blockers or fast forwarding their DVR (such as TiVo) to avoid commercials.
Experiential marketing was once seen as an alternative approach to reaching the most media-savvy audience. It offers an engaging, entertaining and interactive brand experience unmatched by traditional marketing. In today's marketing landscape experiential marketing is leading the way.
In the past ten years, experiential marketing has become a hot topic in the branding world. Some of the most prominent brands such as Levi's, Nokia, Harley-Davidson and Volkswagen have implemented successful experiential programs to reach their target.
Visit the home of experiential marketing on the web at http://www.experientialforum.com
"
All content at Syn.in are licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. This page uses content from the Wikipedia article Experiential Marketing
"
Experiential marketing
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Experiential marketing uses brand relevant experiences to engage key audiences while creating a forum where these audiences interact with a brand. It involves high levels of interactivity and sensory impact and seeks to elicit an emotional response among the target through a more personal level of engagement than other media.
Category growth
As the term becomes more widely recognized, (now receiving more than 4.7 million hits on Google) experiential marketing continues to grow in popularity among consumers and marketers alike.
Marketers spent more than $150 billion on experiential marketing in 2005. According to a study by HPI Research Group, 68% of surveyed marketing executives spent more on experiential marketing in 2005 than in 2004 and half of those executives expect to increase spending in 2006.
Experiential marketing is also termed as customer experience marketing because the idea is to communicate the essence of the Brand through a personalised experience. "Remember," says Erik Hauser "Experiential is a methodology not a medium."
The term "experiential marketing" is trademarked and owned by Experiential Marketing Limited Partnership doing business as XMC Sports and Enterainment, a global experiential marketing firm located in Toronto, Canada.
The need
With emerging media entering the marketplace on a regular basis, vying for consumers’ attention is becoming increasingly difficult. The 30-second spot is proving to be less effective and marketers are forced to look for alternatives. Consumers themselves have even resorted to avoiding messages whenever possible by installing pop-up blockers or fast forwarding their DVR (such as TiVo) to avoid commercials.
Experiential marketing was once seen as an alternative approach to reaching the most media-savvy audience. It offers an engaging, entertaining and interactive brand experience unmatched by traditional marketing. In today's marketing landscape experiential marketing is leading the way.
In the past ten years, experiential marketing has become a hot topic in the branding world. Some of the most prominent brands such as Levi's, Nokia, Harley-Davidson and Volkswagen have implemented successful experiential programs to reach their target.
Visit the home of experiential marketing on the web at http://www.experientialforum.com
"
All content at Syn.in are licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. This page uses content from the Wikipedia article Experiential Marketing
Labels: advertising, marketing
The Blue Nile Story - Buying Diamonds Online, Anyone?
The Blue Nile Story - Buying Diamonds Online, Anyone?
By now, most anyone who has purchased a diamond ring offline or online would have heard the exotic name Blue Nile. If you happen one of the minority who has not, Blue Nile was one of the pioneers that started retailing diamonds, and more specifically diamond rings and jewelry, online.
Read an interesting account of how the site and company Blue Nile came about.
Way back in 1995, Doug Williams, a Seattle jeweller, got hooked on to the Net and created a basic web site that sold jewelry. Who would have thought that someone would purchase a 3,000 $ worth diamond ring online? But people did, and his online business grew to around a quarter million dollars a month in about four years, with practically no advertising budget and a bare-bones site.
Enter Mark Vadon. in 1998, Vadon, a recent Stanford MBA graduate and working then at Bain & Co was trying to shop for a diamond ring at Tiffany's and had a rather forgettable experience, partly he felt because he was not dressed right - T-shirt & shorts. Frustrated, he went online for advice, found Williams' site that offered useful advice and suggestions on diamond ring purchase - info on size, shape, imperfections and so on. He also found from the catalog at the site a diamond ring nearly identical to the one at Tiffany's but at almost half the price. He bought it.
The next time he was in Seattle a few weeks later, Vadon visited Williams site out of interest and was asking general questions when he figured that Williams had been selling a quarter million worth diamond rings from his rudimentary web site, with no ad costs!
The story goes that Mark Vadon took a call quickly and offered to buy 85% of Williams' site for 5 million $, which was accepted. The site was renamed Blue Nile, and then of course we all know the story.
By now, most anyone who has purchased a diamond ring offline or online would have heard the exotic name Blue Nile. If you happen one of the minority who has not, Blue Nile was one of the pioneers that started retailing diamonds, and more specifically diamond rings and jewelry, online.
Read an interesting account of how the site and company Blue Nile came about.
Way back in 1995, Doug Williams, a Seattle jeweller, got hooked on to the Net and created a basic web site that sold jewelry. Who would have thought that someone would purchase a 3,000 $ worth diamond ring online? But people did, and his online business grew to around a quarter million dollars a month in about four years, with practically no advertising budget and a bare-bones site.
Enter Mark Vadon. in 1998, Vadon, a recent Stanford MBA graduate and working then at Bain & Co was trying to shop for a diamond ring at Tiffany's and had a rather forgettable experience, partly he felt because he was not dressed right - T-shirt & shorts. Frustrated, he went online for advice, found Williams' site that offered useful advice and suggestions on diamond ring purchase - info on size, shape, imperfections and so on. He also found from the catalog at the site a diamond ring nearly identical to the one at Tiffany's but at almost half the price. He bought it.
The next time he was in Seattle a few weeks later, Vadon visited Williams site out of interest and was asking general questions when he figured that Williams had been selling a quarter million worth diamond rings from his rudimentary web site, with no ad costs!
The story goes that Mark Vadon took a call quickly and offered to buy 85% of Williams' site for 5 million $, which was accepted. The site was renamed Blue Nile, and then of course we all know the story.
Labels: diamonds, gems, jewelry
Writing a Self-obituary - Review of Life Yet to Happen!
I was reading in a newspaper article about a company in London asking a candidate being interviewed for a marketing job to write a self-obituary.
I was intrigued and could easily see the merits of such a thing, though of course according to the article the candidate was much less pleased than I was.
A self-obit could very easily be the tool that can provide us with perspectives which we simply cannot have otherwise. If I continue living the way I have been so far, my obit would look rather like this I'm afraid: "He was a pompous ass who did not care much about others, though it must be said he did not trouble them either. Opinion is divided regarding his achievements - while some admit he might have done a good thing or two, most others feel he highly over-rated himself with regard to his talents and had little to show for all his talk. However, one should not talk ill of the dead, so in summary, he was a human being who made not much difference in either the positive or negative way."
I'm not being self-critical, what you see above is what my obit would look like, if someone cared to write one that is.
Guess I should continue looking at this post often, perhaps that could change the way my obit would look eventually.
I was intrigued and could easily see the merits of such a thing, though of course according to the article the candidate was much less pleased than I was.
A self-obit could very easily be the tool that can provide us with perspectives which we simply cannot have otherwise. If I continue living the way I have been so far, my obit would look rather like this I'm afraid: "He was a pompous ass who did not care much about others, though it must be said he did not trouble them either. Opinion is divided regarding his achievements - while some admit he might have done a good thing or two, most others feel he highly over-rated himself with regard to his talents and had little to show for all his talk. However, one should not talk ill of the dead, so in summary, he was a human being who made not much difference in either the positive or negative way."
I'm not being self-critical, what you see above is what my obit would look like, if someone cared to write one that is.
Guess I should continue looking at this post often, perhaps that could change the way my obit would look eventually.
Probiotic Foods - Live Bacteria, Micro-organisms in Food!
Came across an article describing probiotic foods. Must admit had never heard that term before, though I understand such foods have been around for many decades now. I had prided myself on being a foodie, so much for my pride.
Here's what I learnt about probiotic foods.
Probiotics is live micro-organisms or good bacteria which when taken in adequate amounts (65 ml everyday) provide excellent health benefits.
Why?
Apparently, having good, live bacteria in our diet promotes a healthy digestive and immune system. So, regular consumption of probiotic foods help regulate the intestinal balance and build immunity against infections.
Since the micro-organisms need to live when they reach our intestines, a real probiotic must be resistant to gastric juices in order to have the desired effect.
Interesting, isn't it?
One of the prominent companies in the probiotic foods segment is Yakult Honsha of Japan. Its 70-year old probiotic drink sells is over 25 countries today.
Here's what I learnt about probiotic foods.
Probiotics is live micro-organisms or good bacteria which when taken in adequate amounts (65 ml everyday) provide excellent health benefits.
Why?
Apparently, having good, live bacteria in our diet promotes a healthy digestive and immune system. So, regular consumption of probiotic foods help regulate the intestinal balance and build immunity against infections.
Since the micro-organisms need to live when they reach our intestines, a real probiotic must be resistant to gastric juices in order to have the desired effect.
Interesting, isn't it?
One of the prominent companies in the probiotic foods segment is Yakult Honsha of Japan. Its 70-year old probiotic drink sells is over 25 countries today.
Labels: food, health, nutrition
Jesus Christ's Coffin? The Whole Story
This blog entry will focus on the updates surrounding the reported finding (or rather identification) of some ossuaries as belonging to those of Jesus Christ and his family.
The core of the matter is a set of ten boxes, called ossuaries, that were discovered way back in 1980, in a cave in Jerusalem. Ossuaries are boxes that contain the bones of the deceased.
Not much was thought about these ten boxes at the time of discovery, but Titanic director James Cameron, working for a documentary for the Discovery Channel, has brought these ten boxes to the limelight by claiming that these ossuaries actually contained the bones of Jesus, Mary and their son Judah.
Not surprisingly, such a claim has made headlines. If proved to be true, it could be a big talking point for Christians, as well as the rest, for ages to come.
However, not everyone is convinced by what Cameron says and it could be years before any sort of proof, if such proof is indeed possible, is obtained.
This blog entry at Syn.in will follow the developments in this regard.
The core of the matter is a set of ten boxes, called ossuaries, that were discovered way back in 1980, in a cave in Jerusalem. Ossuaries are boxes that contain the bones of the deceased.
Not much was thought about these ten boxes at the time of discovery, but Titanic director James Cameron, working for a documentary for the Discovery Channel, has brought these ten boxes to the limelight by claiming that these ossuaries actually contained the bones of Jesus, Mary and their son Judah.
Not surprisingly, such a claim has made headlines. If proved to be true, it could be a big talking point for Christians, as well as the rest, for ages to come.
However, not everyone is convinced by what Cameron says and it could be years before any sort of proof, if such proof is indeed possible, is obtained.
This blog entry at Syn.in will follow the developments in this regard.
Labels: christianity, history, religion
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Vodka Makes Man Catch Shark with Bare Hands
A man, drunk on vodka, caught a 1.3 m shark with his bare hands off an Australian beach in Feb 2007.
While fishing for squid at Louth Bay, a town in South Australia, the manm Phillip Kerkhof spotted a bronze-color shark and simply snucked up behind the shark and caught it!
The shark, according to Phillip, trashed around and tried to bite him, but in spite of his vodka, he managed to escape without any wounds.
He has since recounted this story to many people, and has had the fotune to have a few meals made from the shark he caught - with his bare hands.
While fishing for squid at Louth Bay, a town in South Australia, the manm Phillip Kerkhof spotted a bronze-color shark and simply snucked up behind the shark and caught it!
The shark, according to Phillip, trashed around and tried to bite him, but in spite of his vodka, he managed to escape without any wounds.
He has since recounted this story to many people, and has had the fotune to have a few meals made from the shark he caught - with his bare hands.
Labels: drinking
Curbing Drunk Driving via Talking Urinals
The state of New Mexico in the US is using a novel method to curb drunken driving.
The state transportation department has placed electronic gadgets in some of the restrooms of bars of the state. These talking deodorisers remind the user in the restroom that if he is drunk, he better take a cab home or ask a friend to drive him home.
The talking deodoriser, a battery operated device manufactured by a New York company, chirps in with a brief but clear message that is intended to drunk guys see some sense before it is too late.
The state transportation department has placed electronic gadgets in some of the restrooms of bars of the state. These talking deodorisers remind the user in the restroom that if he is drunk, he better take a cab home or ask a friend to drive him home.
The talking deodoriser, a battery operated device manufactured by a New York company, chirps in with a brief but clear message that is intended to drunk guys see some sense before it is too late.
Labels: drinking
The Most Expensive Machine? - Our body!
In an interesting discussion recently, Swami Suddhananda, a philosopher with a background in Hindu philosophy, pointed out that, while human beings keep building ever more sophisticated machines and continue wondering how much the most sophisticated machine built would cost, they appear to ignore that each and every one of us own the most expensive machine available on earth - the human body.
He cited a study done by Yale University which apparently tried to put a cost on how much it would cost to build a human body part by part, with its intricate network of blood vessels and neurons and the musculo-skeletal system. The answer - over a trillion dollars. Admittedly, such a study can only be a speculative guess-work, but no one will deny that it will cost an incredible lot of money and resources to build a human body from scratch - assuming one ever gets built.
Taking this comparison of man and machine further, in the discussion the Swami infers that, just as an input to a machine will determine its output, so will an input to the human body (and mind) determine the types of thoughts and actions the mind and body will ultimately undertake. Interesting comparison, once again emphasises how important it is to keep good company, read good books and breathe fresh air every day!
He cited a study done by Yale University which apparently tried to put a cost on how much it would cost to build a human body part by part, with its intricate network of blood vessels and neurons and the musculo-skeletal system. The answer - over a trillion dollars. Admittedly, such a study can only be a speculative guess-work, but no one will deny that it will cost an incredible lot of money and resources to build a human body from scratch - assuming one ever gets built.
Taking this comparison of man and machine further, in the discussion the Swami infers that, just as an input to a machine will determine its output, so will an input to the human body (and mind) determine the types of thoughts and actions the mind and body will ultimately undertake. Interesting comparison, once again emphasises how important it is to keep good company, read good books and breathe fresh air every day!
Labels: human-body
A Web Site that Helps in Goal Setting & Achieving Goals
A Web Site that Helps in Goal Setting & Achieving Goals
While I had come across a number of good articles that suggest how to set personal and professional goals, I was pleasantly surprised to find a web site dedicated only to setting goals.
myGoals is site for setting and managing all of your personal and professional goals. myGoals.com walks you through a step-by-step goal-setting process for any goal, whether it's short-term or long-term, easy or difficult, practical or lofty. It also provides pre-made plans for popular goals, to get you started even faster.
Once you've set a goal, the site will send you email reminders that arrive at the time when you should be working on each task. myGoals.com keeps you focused and on track until you accomplish your goal.
It assists in goal setting and achiving that goal in the following categories
Health & Fitness GoalsExercise, Nutrition, Weight-Loss, Peak Performance, Cosmetic Surgery...
Family & Relationship GoalsFriends, Romance & Marriage, Family, People Skills, Family Goals...
Time Management & Organization Goals
Recordkeeping, Housekeeping, Budgeting Your Time, Staying in Touch...
Personal Finance Goals
Investing, Paying Off Debt, Cutting Expenses, Charity & Philanthropy...
Career Goals
Job Seeking, Education & Skills, Entrepreneurship, Promotions...
Education & Training Goals
College & Grad School, Job Related, K-12, Languages, Technical Literacy...
Personal Growth & Interest Goals
Arts, Music, Writing, Community, Spirituality, Joie de Vivre...
Recreation & Leisure Goals
Travel, Boating, Golf, Outdoors, Cooking, Dancing...
Home Improvement & Real Estate Goals
Kitchen, Pool, Buying a Home, Rental Property, Cabin, Garden...
Interesting, isn't it?
myGoals web site
While I had come across a number of good articles that suggest how to set personal and professional goals, I was pleasantly surprised to find a web site dedicated only to setting goals.
myGoals is site for setting and managing all of your personal and professional goals. myGoals.com walks you through a step-by-step goal-setting process for any goal, whether it's short-term or long-term, easy or difficult, practical or lofty. It also provides pre-made plans for popular goals, to get you started even faster.
Once you've set a goal, the site will send you email reminders that arrive at the time when you should be working on each task. myGoals.com keeps you focused and on track until you accomplish your goal.
It assists in goal setting and achiving that goal in the following categories
Health & Fitness GoalsExercise, Nutrition, Weight-Loss, Peak Performance, Cosmetic Surgery...
Family & Relationship GoalsFriends, Romance & Marriage, Family, People Skills, Family Goals...
Time Management & Organization Goals
Recordkeeping, Housekeeping, Budgeting Your Time, Staying in Touch...
Personal Finance Goals
Investing, Paying Off Debt, Cutting Expenses, Charity & Philanthropy...
Career Goals
Job Seeking, Education & Skills, Entrepreneurship, Promotions...
Education & Training Goals
College & Grad School, Job Related, K-12, Languages, Technical Literacy...
Personal Growth & Interest Goals
Arts, Music, Writing, Community, Spirituality, Joie de Vivre...
Recreation & Leisure Goals
Travel, Boating, Golf, Outdoors, Cooking, Dancing...
Home Improvement & Real Estate Goals
Kitchen, Pool, Buying a Home, Rental Property, Cabin, Garden...
Interesting, isn't it?
myGoals web site
Labels: business-growth, personal-growth
Particle Accelerator to Recreate Big Bang Conditions
At a news conference in Beijing recently, an international consortium of physicists released the first detailed design of a new particle accelerator to complement the Large Hadron Collider now under construction at the European Center for Nuclear Research @ CERN, near Geneva.
The machine works by bringing together electrons and positrons to produce enough energy to recreate conditions similar to those of the universe just a fraction of the second after the Big Bang.
By getting conditions closer to those during the Big Bang scientists hope to understand the ultimate truth about the beginnings of the universe.
Source: New York Times
The machine works by bringing together electrons and positrons to produce enough energy to recreate conditions similar to those of the universe just a fraction of the second after the Big Bang.
By getting conditions closer to those during the Big Bang scientists hope to understand the ultimate truth about the beginnings of the universe.
Source: New York Times
Labels: physics
Mobile Handsets for the Elderly, Seniors - Cell Phones for Old People
A small Austrian company, The Emporia Telecom, has launched a simple mobile handset for the fast growing market populated by seniors. Discovering a latent demand for seniors-friends mobile phones for people over 65 years, it launched a mobile phone that has fewer teen-oriented features such as a camera, Internet access or instant messaging systems. The phone however has something more useful for seniors - a button to call relatives or friends during an emergency. The phone is also compatible with hearing aids.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Hafnium the new chip metal - new in microprocessors
In Jan 2007, Intel and IBM announced that their faster and more efficient microprocessors would be constructed using Hafnium.
The silvery metal Hafnium has the number 72 in the periodic table and is not available in plenty - not at least in practical terms. Every year only about 50 T of Hafnium is produced. Since it does not occur as a vein it can be extracted only as a by-product of zirconium oxide.
Some consider that this metal could signal the next breakthrough in semiconductors as chipmakers plan to use it in everything from computers to cell phone chips. In these microprocessors, Hafnium oxide will replace the layer of silicon oxide in the small transistors or microprocessors that constitute a computer chip.
The Hafnium chips are expected to reduce power loss significantly resulting in excellent power savings. Semiconductors based on Hafnium are also estimated to run run 20% faster.
The main users of Hafnium currently are in the domains of nuclear control rods and high-specification jet engine metals.
Los Angeles based American Elements is one of the producers of hafnium, doing about half a tonne per year.
Would the fact that the world produces so little Hafnium be a constraint for use in chips? Apparently not, since each transistor / microprocessor would be using such miniscule quantities of this metal.
The silvery metal Hafnium has the number 72 in the periodic table and is not available in plenty - not at least in practical terms. Every year only about 50 T of Hafnium is produced. Since it does not occur as a vein it can be extracted only as a by-product of zirconium oxide.
Some consider that this metal could signal the next breakthrough in semiconductors as chipmakers plan to use it in everything from computers to cell phone chips. In these microprocessors, Hafnium oxide will replace the layer of silicon oxide in the small transistors or microprocessors that constitute a computer chip.
The Hafnium chips are expected to reduce power loss significantly resulting in excellent power savings. Semiconductors based on Hafnium are also estimated to run run 20% faster.
The main users of Hafnium currently are in the domains of nuclear control rods and high-specification jet engine metals.
Los Angeles based American Elements is one of the producers of hafnium, doing about half a tonne per year.
Would the fact that the world produces so little Hafnium be a constraint for use in chips? Apparently not, since each transistor / microprocessor would be using such miniscule quantities of this metal.
Labels: metals, microprocessors
Mass wedding takes place in a swamp - of marriage and ecology
Mass wedding takes place in a swamp in the Philippines
Read an AFP news item on Valentine's Day that there was an unusual Valentines Day' ceremony on a western Philippine island called Puerto Princesa, the capital of the Palawan Islands.
The mass wedding that took place enabled poor people to get married at no cost, and at the same time represented a token affirmation of their commitment to environmental and ecological conservation
About 100 barefoot couples stood in the swamp facing the sea and exchanged vows in a ceremony officiated by the city mayor.
The official ceremony was free of charge for the couples in exchange for planting mangrove saplings in the swamp and helping further to protect their island.
This unusual ceremony helped many young couples and at least one old couple (groom: 72 years, bride: 67 years!), to get married.
The importance of the mangrove swamp was that it served as a nursery and habitat for small fish and anchors the fragile soil on the shore to prevent erosion.
Read an AFP news item on Valentine's Day that there was an unusual Valentines Day' ceremony on a western Philippine island called Puerto Princesa, the capital of the Palawan Islands.
The mass wedding that took place enabled poor people to get married at no cost, and at the same time represented a token affirmation of their commitment to environmental and ecological conservation
About 100 barefoot couples stood in the swamp facing the sea and exchanged vows in a ceremony officiated by the city mayor.
The official ceremony was free of charge for the couples in exchange for planting mangrove saplings in the swamp and helping further to protect their island.
This unusual ceremony helped many young couples and at least one old couple (groom: 72 years, bride: 67 years!), to get married.
The importance of the mangrove swamp was that it served as a nursery and habitat for small fish and anchors the fragile soil on the shore to prevent erosion.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Sleep Well to Do Well in Exams - Sleeping & Memory
Sleep Well to Do Well in Exams - Sleeping & Memory
Well, to clarify, I do not mean "Sleep well during exams to do well in exams"! I mean, have a good sleep everyday to do well in exams.
Now that the clarification has been made, on to the topic.
A recent report in the journal Nature Neuroscience by Harvard Medical School investigators says that lack of sleep appears to disrupt functioning of the hippocampus, an area of our brains that is key to memory.
The Harvard Med School researchers recruited a number of volunteers, some sleep deprived and the other who were allowed to sleep normally.
The tests involved all the volunteers to initially look at the a number of pictures while the researches did their testing and screening using a fMRI scanner, which allowed them to monitor blood flow and consequently the brain activities. One group was allowed to sleep for two days after this, while the second group was given two sleep-deprived days!
At the end of this period, the two groups were asked to identify the original pictures from a new set of slides.
Through this testing, it was found that the group who slept normally for two days did much better than the sleep-deprived group.
This experiment, while certainly not the final word, appears to suggest that sleep after learning is vital for memory consolidation.
So, the next time your pop scolds you for sleeping off the day before the exam, just let him know you are doing so on the recommendation from Harvard.
Well, to clarify, I do not mean "Sleep well during exams to do well in exams"! I mean, have a good sleep everyday to do well in exams.
Now that the clarification has been made, on to the topic.
A recent report in the journal Nature Neuroscience by Harvard Medical School investigators says that lack of sleep appears to disrupt functioning of the hippocampus, an area of our brains that is key to memory.
The Harvard Med School researchers recruited a number of volunteers, some sleep deprived and the other who were allowed to sleep normally.
The tests involved all the volunteers to initially look at the a number of pictures while the researches did their testing and screening using a fMRI scanner, which allowed them to monitor blood flow and consequently the brain activities. One group was allowed to sleep for two days after this, while the second group was given two sleep-deprived days!
At the end of this period, the two groups were asked to identify the original pictures from a new set of slides.
Through this testing, it was found that the group who slept normally for two days did much better than the sleep-deprived group.
This experiment, while certainly not the final word, appears to suggest that sleep after learning is vital for memory consolidation.
So, the next time your pop scolds you for sleeping off the day before the exam, just let him know you are doing so on the recommendation from Harvard.
ISM3 - Information Security Management Maturity Model
ISM3 - Information Security Management Maturity Model
Information and data security will be one of the most critical areas in future as the world increasingly relies on the computer and Internet to keep everything ticking. It perhaps is hence time for a framework to measure and manage information security - enter ISM 3 (pronounced ISM cubed), the Information Security Management Maturity Model.
The brainchild of Vicente Aceituno Canal who is based in Spain. ISM3 differs from the other models of information security management in that it puts in a lot of focus on measurement of security before trying to manage it.
This framework follows a process oriented approach (somewhat similar to the capability maturity model - CMM - used in software development) where each process would be measured using metrics to determine efficiency
ISM3 uses a maturity-based model that divides information security management into five levels of maturity. It also divides information security management responsibilities into strategic, tactical and operational levels. And in each of these levels, metrics are applied to determine the maturity.
The principal aim of ISM 3 is "achievable security" - which implies a level of security commensurate with business needs. Thus, one is talking about a different level of security applicable for a financial sector company, say a bank, where security standards requirement standards will be much as against a advertising / creative company in which security requirements will be relatively less.
More info on ISM3 from the web site
Information and data security will be one of the most critical areas in future as the world increasingly relies on the computer and Internet to keep everything ticking. It perhaps is hence time for a framework to measure and manage information security - enter ISM 3 (pronounced ISM cubed), the Information Security Management Maturity Model.
The brainchild of Vicente Aceituno Canal who is based in Spain. ISM3 differs from the other models of information security management in that it puts in a lot of focus on measurement of security before trying to manage it.
This framework follows a process oriented approach (somewhat similar to the capability maturity model - CMM - used in software development) where each process would be measured using metrics to determine efficiency
ISM3 uses a maturity-based model that divides information security management into five levels of maturity. It also divides information security management responsibilities into strategic, tactical and operational levels. And in each of these levels, metrics are applied to determine the maturity.
The principal aim of ISM 3 is "achievable security" - which implies a level of security commensurate with business needs. Thus, one is talking about a different level of security applicable for a financial sector company, say a bank, where security standards requirement standards will be much as against a advertising / creative company in which security requirements will be relatively less.
More info on ISM3 from the web site
Labels: information-security
Beating Stress at Work - Stress-busters for Workaholics
Beating Stress at Work - Stress-busters for Workaholics
If you are one of those work-till-I- die workaholic who is badly in need of ways to beat stress at work, help is at hand.
The reputed science magazine New Scientist has done yeoman service to the cubicle-dwellers by publishing a guide to beat stress at work and have a stress-free career.
If you thought that one of the suggestions would be to have coffee at regular intervals, you couldn't have been more wrong. The suggestions range from the unorthodox to the unbelievable. A sample of the suggestions:
1. Sneaking out to rub a cat's tummy (just make sure you don't mistake your lady colleague for a cat for pete's sake - our advice!)
2. Climb the corporate ladder (hello, is this a stress-buster or stress-muster? - our question)
3. Hanging out at the water cooler & lunching with colleagues (the only one I could have guessed on my own)
4. Booking nap time in a sleep pod (makes sense, but I'm not sure if it will make sense to your boss)
5. Sniffing a colleague's armpit (this takes the cake; the research reports that in a study female volunteers reported that they felt less stress after sniuffing armpit sweat - though the scientists who conducted the survey are at a loss to explain the reason for this "discovery")
It takes all kinds of things and people to make the corporate world
If you are one of those work-till-I- die workaholic who is badly in need of ways to beat stress at work, help is at hand.
The reputed science magazine New Scientist has done yeoman service to the cubicle-dwellers by publishing a guide to beat stress at work and have a stress-free career.
If you thought that one of the suggestions would be to have coffee at regular intervals, you couldn't have been more wrong. The suggestions range from the unorthodox to the unbelievable. A sample of the suggestions:
1. Sneaking out to rub a cat's tummy (just make sure you don't mistake your lady colleague for a cat for pete's sake - our advice!)
2. Climb the corporate ladder (hello, is this a stress-buster or stress-muster? - our question)
3. Hanging out at the water cooler & lunching with colleagues (the only one I could have guessed on my own)
4. Booking nap time in a sleep pod (makes sense, but I'm not sure if it will make sense to your boss)
5. Sniffing a colleague's armpit (this takes the cake; the research reports that in a study female volunteers reported that they felt less stress after sniuffing armpit sweat - though the scientists who conducted the survey are at a loss to explain the reason for this "discovery")
It takes all kinds of things and people to make the corporate world
Climate Change - From the Horse's Mouth
Climate Change - From the Horse's Mouth
Now this is getting it as it is, straight from the horse's mouth.
Scientists have estimated that the earth's average temperature dropped by about 8 degress C in the last 4,00,000 years. And how did they estimate this? Using horses' mouths, no I'm not kidding!
As reported in a recent edition of the scientific journal Nature, scientists used the clues present in the equine teeth, which, owing to the evolution of these animals, gave hints to the scientists about how long, how cold and how big the chill was hundreds of thousands of years ago.
Now this is getting it as it is, straight from the horse's mouth.
Scientists have estimated that the earth's average temperature dropped by about 8 degress C in the last 4,00,000 years. And how did they estimate this? Using horses' mouths, no I'm not kidding!
As reported in a recent edition of the scientific journal Nature, scientists used the clues present in the equine teeth, which, owing to the evolution of these animals, gave hints to the scientists about how long, how cold and how big the chill was hundreds of thousands of years ago.
Labels: climate-change, horses
Photosensitive Epilepsy and Chinese Students - Seizures from Lights!
Photosensitive Epilepsy and Chinese Students - Seizures from Lights!
Key words: Epilepsy, lights, seizures, neurology
Photo-sensitive epilepsy, an unusual type of seizure which is characterised by seizures triggered by flashing or flickering lights, is becoming common among Chinese youngsters. Many blame this unusual epilepsy to Chinese youngsters spending a lot of time watching TV and playing video games.
Epilepsy, a neurological disorder, is mostly caused by an underlying brain disease or injury, but sometimes appears from no obvious causes. The normal symptoms of epilepsy range from lapse in attention / concentration to serious loss of consiousness and severe convulsions.
Photosensitive epilepsy can be triggered from the flickering lights from monitors of computers, video games and televisions. Some of the non-monitor sources that can be singled out as causing photosensitive epilepsy are camera flashes, strobe lights in discos and even sunlight shining off wet surfaces and through trees!
Drugs can control photosensitive epilepsy in about 25% of cases, say medical experts. Preventive measures could range from installation of filter screens in front of monitors, to watching TV from a safe distance.
Key words: Epilepsy, lights, seizures, neurology
Photo-sensitive epilepsy, an unusual type of seizure which is characterised by seizures triggered by flashing or flickering lights, is becoming common among Chinese youngsters. Many blame this unusual epilepsy to Chinese youngsters spending a lot of time watching TV and playing video games.
Epilepsy, a neurological disorder, is mostly caused by an underlying brain disease or injury, but sometimes appears from no obvious causes. The normal symptoms of epilepsy range from lapse in attention / concentration to serious loss of consiousness and severe convulsions.
Photosensitive epilepsy can be triggered from the flickering lights from monitors of computers, video games and televisions. Some of the non-monitor sources that can be singled out as causing photosensitive epilepsy are camera flashes, strobe lights in discos and even sunlight shining off wet surfaces and through trees!
Drugs can control photosensitive epilepsy in about 25% of cases, say medical experts. Preventive measures could range from installation of filter screens in front of monitors, to watching TV from a safe distance.
The Secret behind ASICS Gel-Kinsei - The High-tech Running Shoes
The Secret behind ASICS Gel-Kinsei - The High-tech Running Shoes
Developed at a cost of 3 million US $ and costing 165 $, the ASICS Gel-Kinsei sure raised a lot of expectations when launched at the New York City Marathon on 2005.
Has it lived to the hype?
From many accounts from its users, it apparently has.
Considered by some as the most technologically advanced shoe ever - even better than Nike's Air Max 360 and the microprocessor-in-built shoe 1 from Adidas - it has won many awards for its design and its functional performance appears to be no less splendid.
So what indeed is this high-tech shoe's secret? Why does it appear to perform better than those from its its far-larger competitors? The secret is in the fact that the designers of ASICS created three pods of shock absorbent gel attached to the shoe's heel, as against just one gel encasement in competing shoes. The three encasements mean that you are propelled by three springs and three shock absorbers in place of one - three times the shock minimisation and three times forward spring.
Some of the other features of interest in the Gel-Kinsei are:
1. It contains a Space Trusstic System, a pocket that maintains stability as your foot moves forward
2. It contains a special mesh that prevents your feet from developing blisters
3. Its fabric is also so designed to reflect sunlight in such a way to keep your toes cool and comfortable.
4. Its expected durability is higher than those of its competitors
If you are runner, you should at least walk into a shop and check out the Gel-Kinsei. Your purse might not allow you to buy a pair, but why forgo the opportunity to try them on once at least?
Developed at a cost of 3 million US $ and costing 165 $, the ASICS Gel-Kinsei sure raised a lot of expectations when launched at the New York City Marathon on 2005.
Has it lived to the hype?
From many accounts from its users, it apparently has.
Considered by some as the most technologically advanced shoe ever - even better than Nike's Air Max 360 and the microprocessor-in-built shoe 1 from Adidas - it has won many awards for its design and its functional performance appears to be no less splendid.
So what indeed is this high-tech shoe's secret? Why does it appear to perform better than those from its its far-larger competitors? The secret is in the fact that the designers of ASICS created three pods of shock absorbent gel attached to the shoe's heel, as against just one gel encasement in competing shoes. The three encasements mean that you are propelled by three springs and three shock absorbers in place of one - three times the shock minimisation and three times forward spring.
Some of the other features of interest in the Gel-Kinsei are:
1. It contains a Space Trusstic System, a pocket that maintains stability as your foot moves forward
2. It contains a special mesh that prevents your feet from developing blisters
3. Its fabric is also so designed to reflect sunlight in such a way to keep your toes cool and comfortable.
4. Its expected durability is higher than those of its competitors
If you are runner, you should at least walk into a shop and check out the Gel-Kinsei. Your purse might not allow you to buy a pair, but why forgo the opportunity to try them on once at least?
The Anti Valentine Brigade - No to Valentine's Day
The Anti Valentine Brigade - No to Valentine's Day
For those of you who have always felt that the Valentine's Day was one of those over-hyped, over-mushy concepts, you have organized company, in the form of anti-valentine brigades and anti-valentine offerings.
Though cards poking fun on the Valentine Day concept have been around for many years, the effort just got more organized and some distinguished names behind it. Greeting cards industry heavyweight American Greetings Corp has added 10 anti-Valentine's Day cards this year. The company is also providing tips on its web site on hosting anti-Valentine parties.
A number of organizations and companies are also holding anti-Valentine's Day contests. CafePress, a company that produces and sells gifts and T-shirts also plans to release a number of anti-Valentine's Day messages on its shirts.
For those of you who have always felt that the Valentine's Day was one of those over-hyped, over-mushy concepts, you have organized company, in the form of anti-valentine brigades and anti-valentine offerings.
Though cards poking fun on the Valentine Day concept have been around for many years, the effort just got more organized and some distinguished names behind it. Greeting cards industry heavyweight American Greetings Corp has added 10 anti-Valentine's Day cards this year. The company is also providing tips on its web site on hosting anti-Valentine parties.
A number of organizations and companies are also holding anti-Valentine's Day contests. CafePress, a company that produces and sells gifts and T-shirts also plans to release a number of anti-Valentine's Day messages on its shirts.
Labels: romance
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Voluntary Simplifiers - Making Do with Less
Voluntary Simplifiers - Making Do with Less
I read about a small movement called the Voluntary Simplifiers. In spite of an erudite sounding name, what they do is rather simple - leading their lives in a less ostentatious and less consumerist manner.
Voluntary simplicity refers to the choice out of free will rather than by being coerced by poverty, government austerity programs, or being imprisoned, to limit expenditures on consumer goods and services, and to cultivate non-materialistic sources of satisfaction and meaning. To put it another way, they try to lead life quite different from what an average American (and increasingly the average modern human being) leads.
This does not mean that a voluntary simplifier leads a puritanical life or the life led by the saints. Nope. In most cases, it just means that a voluntary simplifier does not consider money to be the most important thing in life, and possibly works fewer hours for money and spends more time with family and friends.
According to one research on the subject, voluntary simplicity can be in different levels of intensity - moderate levels (in which people downshift their consumptive rich lifestyle, but not necessarily into a low gear), to strong simplification (in which they significantly restructure their lives), to holistic simplification.
A 2005 study of voluntary simplifiers found that they were more happy than a sample group comprising the rest of the population in the same geography. Interesting comparison, because most times we compare ourselves with those who have more money, not less!
I read about a small movement called the Voluntary Simplifiers. In spite of an erudite sounding name, what they do is rather simple - leading their lives in a less ostentatious and less consumerist manner.
Voluntary simplicity refers to the choice out of free will rather than by being coerced by poverty, government austerity programs, or being imprisoned, to limit expenditures on consumer goods and services, and to cultivate non-materialistic sources of satisfaction and meaning. To put it another way, they try to lead life quite different from what an average American (and increasingly the average modern human being) leads.
This does not mean that a voluntary simplifier leads a puritanical life or the life led by the saints. Nope. In most cases, it just means that a voluntary simplifier does not consider money to be the most important thing in life, and possibly works fewer hours for money and spends more time with family and friends.
According to one research on the subject, voluntary simplicity can be in different levels of intensity - moderate levels (in which people downshift their consumptive rich lifestyle, but not necessarily into a low gear), to strong simplification (in which they significantly restructure their lives), to holistic simplification.
A 2005 study of voluntary simplifiers found that they were more happy than a sample group comprising the rest of the population in the same geography. Interesting comparison, because most times we compare ourselves with those who have more money, not less!
Labels: lifestyle
GPS Shoes, Footwear to Locate People - Electronics in Daily Life
GPS shoes make people findable
Excerpts from an Associated Press article, Feb 2007
1. Quantum Satellite Technology introduced a line of adult sneakers that promises to locate the wearer anywhere in the world with the press of a button. A children's line will be out this summer.
2. It's the latest implementation of satellite-based navigation into everyday life.
3. The sneakers work when the wearer presses a button on the shoe to activate the GPS. A wireless alert detailing the location is sent to a 24-hour monitoring service
4. In some emergencies a parent, spouse or guardian can call the monitoring service, and operators can activate the GPS remotely and alert authorities.
5. The shoe is only for emergencies. If authorities are called and it is not an emergency, the wearer will incur all law enforcement costs!
6. Once the button is pressed, the shoe will transmit information until the battery runs out.
7. The company also has put the technology into military boots and is in talks with Colombia and Ecuador
8. But retail experts say the shoe might be a tough sale to brand-conscious kids.
Excerpts from an Associated Press article, Feb 2007
1. Quantum Satellite Technology introduced a line of adult sneakers that promises to locate the wearer anywhere in the world with the press of a button. A children's line will be out this summer.
2. It's the latest implementation of satellite-based navigation into everyday life.
3. The sneakers work when the wearer presses a button on the shoe to activate the GPS. A wireless alert detailing the location is sent to a 24-hour monitoring service
4. In some emergencies a parent, spouse or guardian can call the monitoring service, and operators can activate the GPS remotely and alert authorities.
5. The shoe is only for emergencies. If authorities are called and it is not an emergency, the wearer will incur all law enforcement costs!
6. Once the button is pressed, the shoe will transmit information until the battery runs out.
7. The company also has put the technology into military boots and is in talks with Colombia and Ecuador
8. But retail experts say the shoe might be a tough sale to brand-conscious kids.
Labels: electronics, footwear, wireless
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Bigger is not always better - Indra Nooyi, Pepsi CEO
Bigger is not always better - Indra Nooyi, Pepsi CEO
I read a recent discussion between Indra Nooyi of Pepsi Cola and Nandan Nilekani, the CEO of Infosys, the Indian software pioneer. This was reported in the Economic Times, an Indian business newspaper.
It was interesting to read the strategic perspectives that Indra and her team applied in the 90s to the existing Pepsi businesses. What interested me most was that she and her team demerged some key businesses from Pepsi, effectively reducing the revenues from 33 billion US$ to something like 20 billion. That's over 30% drop in revenues. It sure requires some courage to do that.
Essentially, what she and her team realised that was that the restaurant business, then directly under PepsiCo, was a completely different business from that of the beverages and packaged foods business which was Pepsi's core business. By forcefully having these different business units under one entity, they were burdening both businesses.
But what's more interesting is what Indra mentions. She says during the discussion that while because of these demerging of non-synergistic business revenues dropped dramatically, profits as a % of revenues increased equally dramatically. Cash flow on the original 30 billion $ business was about 1 billion $, but on the reduced 20 billion, it was over 3 billion $, and return on invested capital more than doubled!
Interesting! Just imagine how many businesses around the world could profit by being so common-sensical! If only...
I read a recent discussion between Indra Nooyi of Pepsi Cola and Nandan Nilekani, the CEO of Infosys, the Indian software pioneer. This was reported in the Economic Times, an Indian business newspaper.
It was interesting to read the strategic perspectives that Indra and her team applied in the 90s to the existing Pepsi businesses. What interested me most was that she and her team demerged some key businesses from Pepsi, effectively reducing the revenues from 33 billion US$ to something like 20 billion. That's over 30% drop in revenues. It sure requires some courage to do that.
Essentially, what she and her team realised that was that the restaurant business, then directly under PepsiCo, was a completely different business from that of the beverages and packaged foods business which was Pepsi's core business. By forcefully having these different business units under one entity, they were burdening both businesses.
But what's more interesting is what Indra mentions. She says during the discussion that while because of these demerging of non-synergistic business revenues dropped dramatically, profits as a % of revenues increased equally dramatically. Cash flow on the original 30 billion $ business was about 1 billion $, but on the reduced 20 billion, it was over 3 billion $, and return on invested capital more than doubled!
Interesting! Just imagine how many businesses around the world could profit by being so common-sensical! If only...
Labels: business-strategy, finance
Food Miles Might Not be Always Bad
Food Miles Might Not be Always Bad
These days, conscientious customers are buying locally grown vegetables and fruits. This is owing to the concept of Food Miles. The idea of food miles is simple - buy food products that have travelled the least distance. Why is this important? Because the less a product travels, the less fossil fuel consumed owing to its transport, and the less ecological damage, goes the logic. According to the British National Consumer Council, about 10% of CO2 emissions come from transport of air-freighted goods.
Whether food miles are good or bad might not be such a simple question however. For instance, the "buy only local" policy might harm farmers in Africa who are already poor and impoverished. Some advocate a fair miles principle that factors in additional considerations, and not just a simplistic food miles principle. To drive home the point, one expert points out that cutting out products from sub-Saharan Africa would reduce Britain's overall contribution to global CO2 emissions by just 0.1% . With that being the case, is it worth the poverty that could cause to the poor African farmers?
Not an easy question to answer, is it?
Labels: agriculture, ecology
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
The Oil-addicted Ayatollahs - Dealing with Iran through Economics
The Oil-addicted Ayatollahs - Dealing with Iran
In an interesting article in his column in The New York Times, Thomas Friedman explores whether the best way to deal with Iran is indeed is oil.
At a time when the US administration is taking various postures that it hopes will make Iran a far more reasonable state, Friedman gives an analogy of what happened to the erstwhile Soviet Union and the forces that led to its disintegration and made it a much-less formidable Cold War foe.
The Soviet Union, according to Friedman, was killed in part by its addiction to oil. The story, as told by Friedman runs somewhat like this: The Soviet Union had an extremely inefficient economy that was waiting to implode at many points in time. But every time, the government was able to gloss over these inefficiencies using manupulative practices and short-term economic policies. These practices however were not sustainable and could have led to the Soviet Union's demise much earlier than it happened. However, oil came to its rescue. By virtue of the fact that it was the number two oil and gas exporting country after Saudi Arabia, the Soviet Union profited enormously from the rise in oil prices following the 1973 Arab oil embargo.
For the next 15 years the Soviet Union thrived on oil exports and high oil prices, when the share of oil in exports went up to 40% from 15%.
When the oil prices started declining in the early 80s, the Soviets found that they had little money to import anything. Of course they could not simply ask their population to suddenly consume less of everything. It was during this time that Gorbachev started reforming communism as well...all these factors simply led to the inevitable result of the Soviet Empire crumbling under its own weight and unsustainable economic conflicts.
After recounting this story, Friedman asks, why can't we manage things in such a way that a similar fate befalls Iran as well - perhaps not with the country disintegrating, but with perhaps a major leadership / regime change that happens on its own, propelled by the Iranians themselves?
The reason his argument could hold is because Iran is following practices pretty similar to those followed by the Soviet Union. Iran's government is spending heavily on subsidies earned from oil. If oil prices were to fall, so would subsidies and then the ills of the whole economic framework could start unravelling.
In short, says Friedman, perhaps the best way to counter Iran is to make the price of oil get to much lower levels. Now, how do we do it? With conservation and better focus on alternative energy, says Friedman.
Interesting perspective for sure.
In an interesting article in his column in The New York Times, Thomas Friedman explores whether the best way to deal with Iran is indeed is oil.
At a time when the US administration is taking various postures that it hopes will make Iran a far more reasonable state, Friedman gives an analogy of what happened to the erstwhile Soviet Union and the forces that led to its disintegration and made it a much-less formidable Cold War foe.
The Soviet Union, according to Friedman, was killed in part by its addiction to oil. The story, as told by Friedman runs somewhat like this: The Soviet Union had an extremely inefficient economy that was waiting to implode at many points in time. But every time, the government was able to gloss over these inefficiencies using manupulative practices and short-term economic policies. These practices however were not sustainable and could have led to the Soviet Union's demise much earlier than it happened. However, oil came to its rescue. By virtue of the fact that it was the number two oil and gas exporting country after Saudi Arabia, the Soviet Union profited enormously from the rise in oil prices following the 1973 Arab oil embargo.
For the next 15 years the Soviet Union thrived on oil exports and high oil prices, when the share of oil in exports went up to 40% from 15%.
When the oil prices started declining in the early 80s, the Soviets found that they had little money to import anything. Of course they could not simply ask their population to suddenly consume less of everything. It was during this time that Gorbachev started reforming communism as well...all these factors simply led to the inevitable result of the Soviet Empire crumbling under its own weight and unsustainable economic conflicts.
After recounting this story, Friedman asks, why can't we manage things in such a way that a similar fate befalls Iran as well - perhaps not with the country disintegrating, but with perhaps a major leadership / regime change that happens on its own, propelled by the Iranians themselves?
The reason his argument could hold is because Iran is following practices pretty similar to those followed by the Soviet Union. Iran's government is spending heavily on subsidies earned from oil. If oil prices were to fall, so would subsidies and then the ills of the whole economic framework could start unravelling.
In short, says Friedman, perhaps the best way to counter Iran is to make the price of oil get to much lower levels. Now, how do we do it? With conservation and better focus on alternative energy, says Friedman.
Interesting perspective for sure.
Labels: alternative-energy, iran, middle-east, oil, russia
And Pigs Have Wives - The Marriage of Pigs
And Thou Shall Be Man and Wife
The bridegroom was a 18-kg old boar and his bride a 11-kg pig. With the local magistrate presiding over the function, the two pigs were married in a lavish ceremony in north-eastern Taiwan in Feb 2007.
The newly-wed couple also received the blessings of the Catholic Church along with the 400 well-wishers who had gathered for the festive occasion.
Gifts made to the pigs would be used to help handicapped children.
This charity even attracted widespread attention in Taiwan, whose people are readying themselves to welcome the Year of the Pig that starts Feb 18 2007.
The bridegroom was a 18-kg old boar and his bride a 11-kg pig. With the local magistrate presiding over the function, the two pigs were married in a lavish ceremony in north-eastern Taiwan in Feb 2007.
The newly-wed couple also received the blessings of the Catholic Church along with the 400 well-wishers who had gathered for the festive occasion.
Gifts made to the pigs would be used to help handicapped children.
This charity even attracted widespread attention in Taiwan, whose people are readying themselves to welcome the Year of the Pig that starts Feb 18 2007.
Labels: animals, marriage, tradition
Fake e-mail Bills on Internet - Virus, Spam, Frauds
Fake e-mail Bills on the Internet
Computer and Net viruses have started taking different avatars. These days, they have started arriving via forged bills on e-mail. While earlier it was rather easy to detect bogus mails earlier, the spammers and hackers of today are far more sophisticated. The images and logos you find these days on fake bills and mails are quite similar to the original and to add to the authenticity, the mails also have genuine-looking telephone numbers you can make calls to.
Typically, these fake bills will have an attachment - a Microsoft Word or PDF document - which when opened will install harmful viruses on your desktop computer.
While scams such as these are conceptually as old as the Internet itself, the authentic looking new-age viruses are very tempting to click on. As a careful Net user, it is advisable for you never to click on an attachment you are not sure about. When in doubt, first call up the relevant entity before clicking on the link.
In a similar vein, you will likely be getting mails with attachments from your acquaintances. Some of these messages even have genuine-looking message topics. Unless you are sure that your friend or acquaintance would have sent such an attachment, do not open it. And again, if you are in doubt, send a response to your friend asking him/her if they had sent you any attachment. You would rather wait for a day to open a document than spend days starting life anew on your computer, wouldn't you?
Computer and Net viruses have started taking different avatars. These days, they have started arriving via forged bills on e-mail. While earlier it was rather easy to detect bogus mails earlier, the spammers and hackers of today are far more sophisticated. The images and logos you find these days on fake bills and mails are quite similar to the original and to add to the authenticity, the mails also have genuine-looking telephone numbers you can make calls to.
Typically, these fake bills will have an attachment - a Microsoft Word or PDF document - which when opened will install harmful viruses on your desktop computer.
While scams such as these are conceptually as old as the Internet itself, the authentic looking new-age viruses are very tempting to click on. As a careful Net user, it is advisable for you never to click on an attachment you are not sure about. When in doubt, first call up the relevant entity before clicking on the link.
In a similar vein, you will likely be getting mails with attachments from your acquaintances. Some of these messages even have genuine-looking message topics. Unless you are sure that your friend or acquaintance would have sent such an attachment, do not open it. And again, if you are in doubt, send a response to your friend asking him/her if they had sent you any attachment. You would rather wait for a day to open a document than spend days starting life anew on your computer, wouldn't you?
Labels: computer-virus, internet, online-fraud
Advertainment - Entertaining Advertisements, Commercials, Ads
Advertainment - Entertaining Advertisements, Commercials
Entertainment in advertisements is not new - hardly so, in fact. But there has been a renewed focus on how entertaining advertisements can be a win-win for everybody - the advertiser, the product/brand and of course the audience, not to mention the advertising company that makes a good amount of money too
The million dollar question is of course to figure out how to blend all the aspects - entertainment, the message about the product, positioning, target audience - in such a manner that the ad does what it is supposed to do - increase sales / mind share - is cost-effective to produce and is able to deliver the goods in the few seconds that it has got. Not an easy thing to do!
See a useful resource on Memorable Advertisements for more on this topic
Entertainment in advertisements is not new - hardly so, in fact. But there has been a renewed focus on how entertaining advertisements can be a win-win for everybody - the advertiser, the product/brand and of course the audience, not to mention the advertising company that makes a good amount of money too
The million dollar question is of course to figure out how to blend all the aspects - entertainment, the message about the product, positioning, target audience - in such a manner that the ad does what it is supposed to do - increase sales / mind share - is cost-effective to produce and is able to deliver the goods in the few seconds that it has got. Not an easy thing to do!
See a useful resource on Memorable Advertisements for more on this topic
Labels: advertising
Image Spam Getting Smarter, More Sophisticated
Image Spam Getting Smarter, More Sophisticated
Consider this: Image spam rose 500% in 2006! It currently accounts for 35% of messages and 50% of bandwidth taken by all spam messages.
Spammers now send the code included in the images, and many of the anti-spam technologies are adding more features to curb this menace of image spam. The threat of image spam could be even worse than that for text-spam owing to the additional bandwidth and space that images occupy.
If you are using a robust anti-virus package such as Norton Anti-virus, you should have little to worry about since these are usually able to identify all malware - whethere images or text - but make sure you upgrade your anti-virus softwares to the newer versions regularly
Consider this: Image spam rose 500% in 2006! It currently accounts for 35% of messages and 50% of bandwidth taken by all spam messages.
Spammers now send the code included in the images, and many of the anti-spam technologies are adding more features to curb this menace of image spam. The threat of image spam could be even worse than that for text-spam owing to the additional bandwidth and space that images occupy.
If you are using a robust anti-virus package such as Norton Anti-virus, you should have little to worry about since these are usually able to identify all malware - whethere images or text - but make sure you upgrade your anti-virus softwares to the newer versions regularly
Labels: e-mail, internet, spam
More Hedge Funds May Collapse - Jim Rogers
More Hedge Funds May Collapse - Jim Rogers
Jim Rogers predicted - correctly - the start of the commodities in 1999. He now predicts that many more hedge funds may collapse following the collapse of Amaranth Advisors LLC, and reports of major losses at the metals trading hedge fund Red Kite Management Ltd.
He thinks that there is too much money in hedge funds and funds have been too high prices and been leveraging themselves too much. A gigantic shake-out in the hedge funds industry is in store, feels Jim Rogers.
Rogers also predicted that oil would rise above $100 per barrel.
When asked for their comments on this prediction, David Lilley, Michael Farmer & Oskar Lewnowski III - the founders of Red Kite Management - declined to respond.
Hedge funds globally control over 1.3 trillion $ in assets more than double the figure five years ago.
Jim Rogers is the chairman of Beeland Interests Inc, and some of his well-known books include Adventure Capitalists & Hot Commodities.
Jim Rogers predicted - correctly - the start of the commodities in 1999. He now predicts that many more hedge funds may collapse following the collapse of Amaranth Advisors LLC, and reports of major losses at the metals trading hedge fund Red Kite Management Ltd.
He thinks that there is too much money in hedge funds and funds have been too high prices and been leveraging themselves too much. A gigantic shake-out in the hedge funds industry is in store, feels Jim Rogers.
Rogers also predicted that oil would rise above $100 per barrel.
When asked for their comments on this prediction, David Lilley, Michael Farmer & Oskar Lewnowski III - the founders of Red Kite Management - declined to respond.
Hedge funds globally control over 1.3 trillion $ in assets more than double the figure five years ago.
Jim Rogers is the chairman of Beeland Interests Inc, and some of his well-known books include Adventure Capitalists & Hot Commodities.
Labels: hedge-funds
Mars to End Ads, Commercials for Under-12 Children, Kids
Mars to End Ads, Commercials for Under-12 Children, Kids
Masterfoods, the makers of Mars & Snickers chocolate bars is to stop marketing confectionery to children by end of 2007. This is a much higher age threshold than had been set previously by makers of confectionery.
This response has been partly owing to increasing concerns regarding links between advertising and childhood obesity.
Masterfoods, one of the top 30 advertisers in the world, could also have taken such a decision in light of a EU ruling made two years ago threatening companies with regulation.
Other companies which are major advertisers in the same or similar categories - PepsiCo, Cadbury Schweppes, Nestle, Kraft, Coca Cola etc could also make somewhat similar decisions, feel industry analysts, though some of these companies already have regulations on advertising to children.
Regulatory authorities in countries - especially in the EU - have started looking more seriously at advertising to children of specific product categories - especially snack foods, confectionery, beverages & soft drinks - that could have serious implications for the health & diet of children
Masterfoods, the makers of Mars & Snickers chocolate bars is to stop marketing confectionery to children by end of 2007. This is a much higher age threshold than had been set previously by makers of confectionery.
This response has been partly owing to increasing concerns regarding links between advertising and childhood obesity.
Masterfoods, one of the top 30 advertisers in the world, could also have taken such a decision in light of a EU ruling made two years ago threatening companies with regulation.
Other companies which are major advertisers in the same or similar categories - PepsiCo, Cadbury Schweppes, Nestle, Kraft, Coca Cola etc could also make somewhat similar decisions, feel industry analysts, though some of these companies already have regulations on advertising to children.
Regulatory authorities in countries - especially in the EU - have started looking more seriously at advertising to children of specific product categories - especially snack foods, confectionery, beverages & soft drinks - that could have serious implications for the health & diet of children
Labels: advertising, children, confectionery, obesity
Monday, February 05, 2007
Low Power Consumption Chips, Microprocessors
Low Power Consumption Chips, Microprocessors
Microprocessors / chips that have a lower power consumption have applications across a number of electronic items - such as personal computers, cell phones, DVD players among others.
Some useful resources & updates:
See this Physorg news item that says "Maintaining Low Power Consumption on Chips is critical to Drive Wireless Internet on a Chip Technology"
See this Oct 2006 press release: Broadcom Introduces Ultra-Low Power Wi-Fi® Chips Optimized for Mobile Devices - Ultra Low Power Single Chip Solutions Target Cellular Handset, Portable Gaming, and other Embedded Applications with Optimized Size and Industry Leading Power
Intel powers up plans for low-power chips - Chipmaker changes course from some Pentium 4 designs and says future processors will go easy on the energy - By Michael Kanellos, CNET News.com, August , 2005 - At Intel, watt is the word. The chip giant showed off road maps for its server, notebook and desktop chips for 2006 and 2007 at its Intel Developer Forum here Tuesday, and the dominant theme revolves around reducing power consumption, a concept the company has espoused since the beginning of the decade.
AMD: New Chips Consume Half the Power of Core 2 Duo - AMD Moves to 65nm Generation - By Mark Hachman - Extreme Tech, Dec 2006 - AMD announced its entry into the 65nm manufacturing generation Tuesday with a new line of 65-watt "energy-efficient" processors that the company claimed already consumes just under 50 percent less power than the Intel Core 2 Duo.
PLASTIC DIODE COULD LEAD TO FLEXIBLE, LOW POWER COMPUTER CIRCUITS, MEMORYCOLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State University researchers have invented a new organic polymer tunnel diode – an electronic component that could one day lead to plastic computer memory and plastic logic circuits on computer chips. Today, computer chips use mainly inorganic silicon - says this Ohio State University research report
Microprocessor Technology Lab @ Intel Technology Research Center
Low-power Microprocessors Home Page @ MIT
Microprocessors / chips that have a lower power consumption have applications across a number of electronic items - such as personal computers, cell phones, DVD players among others.
Some useful resources & updates:
See this Physorg news item that says "Maintaining Low Power Consumption on Chips is critical to Drive Wireless Internet on a Chip Technology"
See this Oct 2006 press release: Broadcom Introduces Ultra-Low Power Wi-Fi® Chips Optimized for Mobile Devices - Ultra Low Power Single Chip Solutions Target Cellular Handset, Portable Gaming, and other Embedded Applications with Optimized Size and Industry Leading Power
Intel powers up plans for low-power chips - Chipmaker changes course from some Pentium 4 designs and says future processors will go easy on the energy - By Michael Kanellos, CNET News.com, August , 2005 - At Intel, watt is the word. The chip giant showed off road maps for its server, notebook and desktop chips for 2006 and 2007 at its Intel Developer Forum here Tuesday, and the dominant theme revolves around reducing power consumption, a concept the company has espoused since the beginning of the decade.
AMD: New Chips Consume Half the Power of Core 2 Duo - AMD Moves to 65nm Generation - By Mark Hachman - Extreme Tech, Dec 2006 - AMD announced its entry into the 65nm manufacturing generation Tuesday with a new line of 65-watt "energy-efficient" processors that the company claimed already consumes just under 50 percent less power than the Intel Core 2 Duo.
PLASTIC DIODE COULD LEAD TO FLEXIBLE, LOW POWER COMPUTER CIRCUITS, MEMORYCOLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State University researchers have invented a new organic polymer tunnel diode – an electronic component that could one day lead to plastic computer memory and plastic logic circuits on computer chips. Today, computer chips use mainly inorganic silicon - says this Ohio State University research report
Microprocessor Technology Lab @ Intel Technology Research Center
Low-power Microprocessors Home Page @ MIT
Labels: microprocessors, power-consumption
Gym Training Sessions for Nudists
A Dutch gym is introducing training sessions for nudists. The special sunday morning session, called the "Naked Sunday" has been initiated primarily to cater to demand from the naturists.
Patrick de Man, owner of Fitworld gym in the town of Heteren, said he got the idea in part from two of his customers who are avid nudists.
If you are looking to join the session just to, well, ogle, beware - you could get thrown out. This session is strictly for avowed naturists and not to voyeurs.
Patrick de Man, owner of Fitworld gym in the town of Heteren, said he got the idea in part from two of his customers who are avid nudists.
If you are looking to join the session just to, well, ogle, beware - you could get thrown out. This session is strictly for avowed naturists and not to voyeurs.
Labels: Gym, Naturists, Nudists
Neural Implants, Telepathy and Extra Sensory Inputs (ESP)
Neural Implants, Telepathy and Extra Sensory Inputs (ESP)
Prof Kevin Warwick, a cybernetics expert at the University of Reading in the UK wants to make telepathy an (almost) exact science!
One of his interests being neural implants, he works in the domains of artificial intelligence control, robotics and bio-medical engineering.
The professor has "proved" that humans can have extra sensory inputs (ESI) that their brains can directly communicate. He has had a chip implant inside himself as well as in his wife and has been studying how movement, thought, emotions and signals could be transmitted from one person to another, even perhaps via the Internet! He is confident that our nervous system can be extended to wherever we want.
In a few years, he plans to implant a chip in his brain and study further communication by thought - what we call telepathy.
The professor also believes in cyborgs and feels they will be a reality soon. He partially proved his belief when he was able to move the arm of a robot thousands of miles away just by moving his arm! When he moved his arm, his neuro systems / brain signals were transmitted through the Internet to the remote robotic hand making it to move!
He feels that the use of chips among patients - such as those suffering from Parkinson's Disease - could do wonders but he also believes that the use of these chips should go beyond just therapeutic use.
Prof Kevin Warwick, a cybernetics expert at the University of Reading in the UK wants to make telepathy an (almost) exact science!
One of his interests being neural implants, he works in the domains of artificial intelligence control, robotics and bio-medical engineering.
The professor has "proved" that humans can have extra sensory inputs (ESI) that their brains can directly communicate. He has had a chip implant inside himself as well as in his wife and has been studying how movement, thought, emotions and signals could be transmitted from one person to another, even perhaps via the Internet! He is confident that our nervous system can be extended to wherever we want.
In a few years, he plans to implant a chip in his brain and study further communication by thought - what we call telepathy.
The professor also believes in cyborgs and feels they will be a reality soon. He partially proved his belief when he was able to move the arm of a robot thousands of miles away just by moving his arm! When he moved his arm, his neuro systems / brain signals were transmitted through the Internet to the remote robotic hand making it to move!
He feels that the use of chips among patients - such as those suffering from Parkinson's Disease - could do wonders but he also believes that the use of these chips should go beyond just therapeutic use.
Labels: artificial-intelligence, bio-medical-engineering, cybernetics, robotics, telepathy
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Marie Antoinette's Perfume, Fragrance Revealed
Marie Antoinette's Perfume Revealed
Using techniques from Marie Antoinette's days, and all natural ingredients, one of France's top perfume creators, Francis Kurkdjian, has recreated the perfume used by Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France during the French Revolution.
To arrive at the exact ingredients and formula to create the perfume, he used a contemporary encyclopedia of perfume-making, which was written by Jean Louis Fargeon, the royal perfumer and supplier to Marie Antoinette. This encyclopedia was subsequently unearthed by the famous historian Elizabeth Feydeau, and contained details about the perfume ingredients, their botanical properties, distillation methods etc.
The combination in the perfume includes iris, rose, cut jasmine, tuberose, orange blossom, cedar, sandalwood, Tonkin musk and grey amber.
The perfume has an aristocratic price as well - 8000 euros for a crystal flask and 350 euros for small vials.
Using techniques from Marie Antoinette's days, and all natural ingredients, one of France's top perfume creators, Francis Kurkdjian, has recreated the perfume used by Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France during the French Revolution.
To arrive at the exact ingredients and formula to create the perfume, he used a contemporary encyclopedia of perfume-making, which was written by Jean Louis Fargeon, the royal perfumer and supplier to Marie Antoinette. This encyclopedia was subsequently unearthed by the famous historian Elizabeth Feydeau, and contained details about the perfume ingredients, their botanical properties, distillation methods etc.
The combination in the perfume includes iris, rose, cut jasmine, tuberose, orange blossom, cedar, sandalwood, Tonkin musk and grey amber.
The perfume has an aristocratic price as well - 8000 euros for a crystal flask and 350 euros for small vials.
Labels: Fragrances, Perfumes, Scents
Understanding Emerging Markets, BRIC by Brick
Understanding Emerging Markets, BRIC by Brick
This is the title of a new book about doing business in the emerging markets, especially the BRIC countries Brazil, Russia, India & China. Written by Stefano Pelle, the COO of Perfetti Van Melle Group's Russia and South Asia.
The book answers questions that executives ask while planning to enter these emerging markets - including issues such as joint ventures, choosing expatriates who will manage / head these divisions, hiring local talent, implementing culturally intelligent strategies etc.
The book also points out some of the challenges in these emerging markets - corruption for instance, and related unsustainable practices.
This book blends theory with data and offers practical insights and perspectives.
Publisher: Response Books
Published Year: 2006 / 2007
This is the title of a new book about doing business in the emerging markets, especially the BRIC countries Brazil, Russia, India & China. Written by Stefano Pelle, the COO of Perfetti Van Melle Group's Russia and South Asia.
The book answers questions that executives ask while planning to enter these emerging markets - including issues such as joint ventures, choosing expatriates who will manage / head these divisions, hiring local talent, implementing culturally intelligent strategies etc.
The book also points out some of the challenges in these emerging markets - corruption for instance, and related unsustainable practices.
This book blends theory with data and offers practical insights and perspectives.
Publisher: Response Books
Published Year: 2006 / 2007
Labels: Books, Brazil-Business, BRIC, China-Business, Emerging-Markets, India-Business, Russia-Business
