All Governments indulge in spin. One should not, therefore, blame the Government of Dr.Manmohan Singh for indulging in spin in the case of David Coleman Headley, of the Chicago cell of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LET), and for trying to mislead the hapless Indian public with the help of obliging journalists that the plea bargain entered into by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with Headley was not a setback, but a great triumph for Indian diplomacy.
We might not have succeeded in getting him extradited in the Mumbai 26/11 case, says bravely Home Secretary G.K.Pillai, but the option of getting him extradited in other cases is still open. What other cases?
We will keep trying, says Home Minister P.Chidambaram. And, in the meanwhile, more Indians will keep dying at the hands of the terrorists.
“Four Reasons Why India is Smiling” says “The Times of India” of diminishing credibility. Why India is smiling according to the whiz kids of the TOI? For the first time LET’s links with Al Qaeda being underscored in a US Court. Oh really? The first time a clandestine cell of the LET was detected in the US was in 2003 when George Bush was the President. The FBI arrested a number of American nationals of Pakistani, Saudi and other origin and charged them with waging war against India from US territory.
What is the second reason for India’s smile visible only to the TOI and not to many of us? “The threat of execution will hang over him.” Oh really? Under the US law once the FBI renounces its right to demand death penalty in a case it cannot go back on its commitment whatever be the new evidence.
What is the third reason for the smile? India can interrogate Headley even if he is not extradited. Another gem from the TOI. Interrogation is done in your custody. Otherwise, it is meaningless. Yes, under the plea bargain Indian investigators can question him in FBI’s custody. The FBI officer will decide the relevance of the questions.
The fourth reason for India’s smile so visible to the TOI? India’s case against the LET has become stronger.So what? Will India be able to get Pro.Hafeez Mohammad Sayeed, the Amir of the LET, arrested and prosecuted by Pakistan? Will India be able to see that Pakistan dismantles the LET infrastructure in Pakistani territory? Will India be able to prevent another 26/11? Then of what use India’s case against the LET becoming stronger?
The “Hindu”, the other daily of no credibility, has come out with its own gem. Says N.Ram, the precious son of the Tamil soil and our own unique contribution to the world of Indian journalism: ” Barring death penalty enthusiasts, no one has any reason to bemoan the Plea Agreement”.
Oh,oh.oh,oh Mr.Ram. It has got nothing to do with death penalty. It has got everything to do with Pakistan’s continued use of the LET to kill hundreds of innocent Indians. Our investigation into 26/11 runs on two parallel tracks—– the responsibility of the LET, which the Pakistanis project as a non-State actor with which the State of Pakistan has nothing to do and the responsibility of the State of Pakistan. What the US has sought to achieve through the choreographed plea bargain is that while India will be able to highlight the responsibility of the LET, it will not be able to establish the responsibility of the State of Pakistan. The Obama Administration wants the world to perceive 26/11 as the crime of a non-state actor as claimed by Pakistan and not the crime of the State of Pakistan. That is the real issue here.
What did Headley know according to the FBI’s own court affidavits?
He knew Ilyas Kashmiri of the 313 Brigade, who is close to Osama bin Laden and who recently threatened to attack the IPL cricket matches and the Commonwealth Games. Headley had met him in North Waziristan in the beginning of 2009.
He knew many office-bearers of the LET whose identities the FBI has not revealed.
He knew many serving and retired officers of the Pakistan Army.
What he must be knowing?
The identities of the many contacts he made in India during his repeated visits.
The identities of the sleeper cells of the LET, which have not yet come to the notice of the Indian investigators. If the FBI had allowed us to question Headley in time, we might have been able to prevent the Pune blast of February 13 if it had been planned by the LET or its Indian associates.
The FBI had seen to it that we will not be able to find out all this by independently interrogating Headley. It is a great tragedy and speaks eloquently of the decay of our sense of national self-respect that instead of having the spine to stand up to the US and protest loud and clear over the FBI’s shutting out access to Headley, we are indulging in more spins to project what has happened as a triumph for Indo-US cooperation over which we should smile and not cry.
The Obama Administration has been repeatedly kicking us in the back.It did so in respect of Afghanistan. It has done so in respect of Headley. Instead of having the courage and intellectual honesty to admit to our people that we have been let down nastily by the US, we are indulging in more spins to project the kicks as, in fact, boquets from Obama with love.
Dear Dr.Manmohan Singh, Dear Shri Chidambaram, Dear Shri Pillai, Dear Shri Ram, Dear whiz-kids of ToI : Some weeks ago Mulla Baradar, supposedly No.2 in the Afghan Taliban, was arrested by the ISI in Karachi.He is in the ISI’s custody. The US and Afghan intelligence wanted independent access to him for interrogation. The ISI refused and told them he could be questioned in the ISI’s custody. The US insisted on independent access and warned Pakistan of the likely consequences if it did not agree to it. This week’s reports say that Pakistan has been forced to allow independent access to the Americans.
That is the way a self-respecting nation protects its interests and nationals. For the US, independent interrogation of Baradar was necessary to hold those responsible for American deaths in the past accountable and to prevent more deaths in future. It insisted on it and had its way.
India is not the US. The clout which it has over Pakistan we do not have anywhere in the world. At least we could have had the courage to protest—- loudly and openly— instead of projecting every stab in the back by Obama as a kiss in the back.
The spin continues. The more the spins, the more will be the fizzles.
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Sectors: covered by companies2watch.com (c2w):
1. Advertising and Media
2. Agriculture and Livestock
3. Chemical
4. Construction
5. Consumer and Retail Products
6. Diversified Company or Group
7. Education
Healthcare
Unique Courses
8. Government Departments including Defense and Miscellaneous
9. Electrical and Electronics
10. Engineering including Equipments
11. Finance
12. Hospitality
13. Information Technology
Communication
Hardware
Network
Software
14. Mining and Metallurgy
15. Services to Business and Industry
16. Textile
17. Transport
Sectors covered by companies2watch.com (c2w):
Advertising and Media
(Glimpse of coverage)
Active Associations
Advertising
Animation
Brand Management
Event Management
Exhibitions
Films
Government Bodies
Media Equipments and Accessories
Media Market Research
Music
Print and Electronic Publishing
Print Media
Public Relations
Radio and Television
Satellite Communication Services
Software for Advertising and Media
Sectors covered by companies2watch.com (c2w):
Agriculture and Livestock
(Glimpse of coverage)
Active Associations
Agricultural Crops
Agrochemicals
Bio-Diesel and Bio-Ethanol
Breweries
Cashew
Coffee and Tea
Consultants
Crop Biotechnology
Crops
Edible Oils
Farm Equipments
Fertilizers and nutrients
Flowers and Florists
Food Processors
Fruits, Vegetables and Processing
Government Bodies
High Breed Seeds
Milk co-operatives and Dairy Products
Paper Industry
Poultry Breeding
Research Institutes
Rubber and Rubber Products
Soya and Corn based Products
Spices
Storage and Warehousing
Sugar
Tobacco
Veterinary Products
Sectors covered by companies2watch.com (c2w):
Chemicals
(Glimpse of coverage)
Active Associations
Agrochemicals
Breweries
Chemical Engineering & Technology
Dyes and Dyestuffs
Environment related
Equipments
Explosives
Food chemicals
Glass
Government Bodies
Inorganic Chemicals
Laboratory Chemicals and Supplies
Oil and Gas
Paints and Pigments
Paper and Inks
Petrochemicals
Polymers, Plastics and Rubber
Soaps and Detergents
Specialty Chemicals
Sugar and Molasses
Sectors covered by companies2watch.com (c2w):
Construction
(Glimpse of coverage)
Active Associations
Architecture and Civil Engineering
Building Materials and Fittings
Air conditioners
Cement, Concrete and Sand
Electronic Security
Flooring Materials
Home Appliances
Insulation Products
Kitchens
Lighting Fixtures
Paints
Business Space Solutions
Construction Chemicals
Construction
Construction Equipments
Developers and Builders
Developers-Shops and Malls
Fire and Safety
Government Bodies
Infrastructure
Interior Decoration
Lifts and Escalators
Prefabricated Houses
Property Consultancy
Realty Finance
Research, Consultancy and Advisory Services
Sectors covered by companies2watch.com (c2w):
Consumer and Retail Products
(Glimpse of coverage)
Active Associations
Air Conditioners
All Retail Outlets
Apparel
Bakery and Biscuit Products
Bicycles
Bidis
Branded and Packaged Foods
Breweries, Liquors and Beverages
Cereals
Confectionery
Consumer Durables, Others
Consumer Electronics
Craftsmen’s products
Dairy and Dairy Products
Designer Boutiques
Domestic LPG
Edible Oils
Fabrics and Garments
Fashion Retail
Floral Enterprises
FMCG
Food Processors and Food Products
Gifts
Government Bodies
Greeting Cards
Home Appliances
Household Upholstery and Furniture
Jewellery
Leather Goods
Luxury Watches
Malls
Packaged Water
Packaging
Poultry Products
Shoes
Stationery
Writing Instruments
Sectors covered by companies2watch.com (c2w):
Diversified Company or Group
A group or company engaged in activities in different segments of commerce or industry is grouped under this sector. Tata, Aditya V Birla and Reliance Groups are good examples
Sectors covered by companies2watch.com (c2w):
Education-Healthcare
(Glimpse of coverage)
Ayurvedic
Beauty and Health
Cancer Research
Clinical Research and Education
Dental Science
Healthcare Management Course
Homeopathic
Hospital Administration
Laparoscopic Surgery Research and Training Centre
Medical Academy
Medical Laboratory and Technology
Nursing
Paramedical
Pharmacy
Public Health
Veterinary
Sectors covered by companies2watch.com (c2w):
Education-Unique Courses
(Glimpse of coverage)
Airlines Related
Aircraft Maintenance Engineering
Airhostess Academy
Pilot Training Centre
Apparel Training and Design Centre
Architect and Construction Management
Corporate Training School
Design Institute
Education in Gaming and Animation Applications
Film & Television Media Arts Institutes
Finance related
Courses in Foreign Trade and Microfinance
Insurance and Actuarial Science Courses
Vocational courses in Banking and Financial Services
Finishing School, Online
Fire and Safety and Elevator Technology Courses
Flying Training School
Footwear Design and Product Development Certificate Course
Global Accent Training Program
Hospitality
Bar Tending
Carving for Chefs
Catering
Chocolate
Culinary
Diving
Guest Service
Health Management
House Keeping
Kitchen
Master Chef
Nutrition
Spa
Travel
Tourism
Wine
Institute for Solar Energy Systems
Institute of Air Science and Contamination Control
Management Leadership
Online Tutoring and Test Preparation in the United States and United Kingdom
Photography Education
Policy and Rural Management
Steel Centered Management Institute
Telecom Management
Textile Management Institute
Tool Room
Sectors covered by companies2watch.com (c2w):
Electrical and Electronics
(Glimpse of coverage)
Active Associations
Alternate Energy: Biomass, Solar and Wind
Appliances
Cables and Insulators
Conductors
Consumer Electronics
Equipments
Government Bodies
Instruments
Oil & Gas
Power Generation: Hydro, Nuclear and Thermal
Power Transmission and Distribution
Process Control, Automation and Instrumentation
Semiconductors and Chips
Software Applications for Energy Sector
Sectors covered by companies2watch.com (c2w):
Engineering including Equipments
(Glimpse of coverage)
Active Associations
Air-conditioning Systems, Chilling Plants, Coolers and Radiators
Assembly Plants
Auto Ancillaries
Auto Component Manufacturers
Automation Equipments
Bakery Machinery
Bearings
Bulk Material Handling
Capital Goods
Castings, Extrusions, Forged Parts and Stampings
Chain Producers
Chip Production Machinery
Color Dispensing Machinery
Compressors and Pumps
Construction Equipments Producers
Conveyors
Cooling Towers
Crushers
Defense and Electronic Equipments
Design and Engineering
Drip Irrigation Systems
Engineering Consultancy
Equipment suppliers to Power and Railway sectors
Equipment Suppliers to Transmission and Distribution Sector
Farm Equipments
Fasteners
Government Bodies
Hospital Furniture
Industrial Equipments
Lifts and Escalators
Machinery for Agriculture
Machinery for Healthcare Industry
Machine Tools
Material Handling Equipments
Metal Forming
Mining Equipments
Packaging Machinery
Technology Plants
Vending Machines
Sectors covered by companies2watch.com (c2w):
Government Departments including Defense and Miscellaneous
(Glimpse of coverage)
Ambassadors, Consulates, High Commissions, Trade Commissions
Art Auction House
Astrology
Carbon Fund
Crackers and Fire Works
Defense Equipment Suppliers
Defense Research and Development
Diving Courses
E-Governance
Fitness Clubs
Government Authorities and Regulatory Bodies
Online Delivery of Pooja Kits
Online Library
Pottery
Religious Places
Salon
Sports
Tattoo Joint
Tourism Boards
Toys
Sectors covered by companies2watch.com (c2w):
Finance
(Glimpse of coverage)
Accountancy
Active Associations
Angel Partners
Asset Management
Audit, Consulting, Financial Advisory and Tax
Banking and Financial Software
Brokerage
Commercial Bank
E-Commerce
Equity Fund Management
Equity Research
Finance and Investment
Finance for Infrastructure and Realty
Financial Information Services
Financial Services
General Insurance
Government Bodies
Health Insurance
Healthcare Investment
Insurance and Actuarial science
Investment Bank
Law Company
Micro Financing
Mobile Banking
Mutual Fund
Portfolio Management
Private Equity
Property Consultancy
Retail Asset Finance
Securities
Transaction Banking Solutions
Transaction Processing
Wealth Management Services
Venture Capital
Sectors covered by companies2watch.com (c2w):
Healthcare
(Glimpse of Coverage)
Active Associations
Analytical Equipments and Services
API and Pharmaceutical Formulations
Bio-nanotechnology
Biopharmaceuticals
Biotechnology
Chemists and Druggists
Clinical Research
Clinics
Consulting & Support Services
Contract Research
Dental Science
Diagnostic Products
Drug Testing and Research
Government Bodies
Health Insurance
Hospitals of All Types
Laboratory Ware
Life Science
Medical Academy and Research Centers
Medical and Bio-Medical Devices and Equipments
Medical Educational & Research Institutions
Medical Equipments
Medical Science
Nursing Homes
Nursing Science
Packaging
Packaging Machinery
Packaging Materials
Paramedical
Pharmacy
Spa
Stem cell Banks
Sectors covered by companies2watch.com (c2w):
Hospitality
(Glimpse of coverage)
Active Associations
Auditing Solutions to Restaurants
Beauty Clinics, Spa and Gyms
Beverages
Catering
Government Bodies
Hotel Administration
Hotel and Tourism Courses
Hotel Consultancy
Hotel Equipments
Hotel Management
Hotels of All Types
Online Hotel Reservation
Resorts of All Types
Restaurants of All Types
Serviced Apartments
Software Applications for Hospitality Sector
Spa Institutes
Tour Operators
Travel Agents
Travel Agents, Logistics and Tourism Services
Travel Facilitators
Travel Management Services
Travel Portals
Yachts and Cruises
Sectors covered by companies2watch.com (c2w):
Information Technology-Communication
(Glimpse of coverage)
Active Associations
Audio Conferencing Facility
Communication Enabled Services
Communication Technology Platforms
Dual Handsets
Enterprise Communication Solutions
Government Bodies
Integrated Mobile Applications
IP Telephony
iPhones
Mobile Banking
Mobile Content
Mobile ERP
Mobile Hardware
Mobile Marketing and Campaign Solutions
Mobile Music Retailers
Mobile Payments
Mobile Platforms
Mobile Services
Mobile Solution
Mobile Technology
Mobile Telephone Services
Mobile Transaction Solutions
Optical Fiber
RFID
Satellite Communication Services
Telecom
Telecom Application Platforms
Telecom End to End Services
Telecom Equipments
Telecom Infrastructure
Telecom Products
Training in Telecom
Wireless Applications Development
Wireless Communication
Sectors covered by companies2watch.com (c2w):
Information Technology-Hardware
(Glimpse of coverage)
Active Associations
Application for Converting One Computer into Two
Authorized Dealers, Distributors and Channel Partners
Chips and ICs
Computer and Computer Peripherals
Computer Components
Desktops
Laptop
Monitors
Netbooks
Notebooks
Printers
Retailer
Cooling Solutions from Desktop to Datacenter
Datacenter
Digital Imaging Supplies, Consumables and Service Business
Document Storage and Management
Education and Training
Government Bodies
Imaging Solutions
Information Technology Infrastructure Solution
Maintenance
Office Peripherals
Power Protection Products
Processors
Servers
Storage Products
System Integration
Thin Client Computing
UPS
Virtual Desk Tops
Virtual Servers
Sectors covered by companies2watch.com (c2w):
Information Technology-Network
(Glimpse of coverage)
Active Associations
ATM Infrastructure
Broadband Service
Cooling Solutions
Digital Infrastructure for Networks
Ethernet Technology and Products
Gateway Security
Government Bodies
Internet Services
Internet Solutions
Network Cabling
Network Design
Network Management
Network Products and Services
Networked Video Management and Recording Software
Networking
Networking Equipments and Components
Networking Solutions
Optical Networking
Rack Management
Radio Infrastructure Solutions
Router Clustering Technology
Routers and Switches
Routing Platforms
Server Administration
Service Portals
Trading Exchange
WAN Application
Wireless Broadband
Wireless Network
Sectors covered by companies2watch.com (c2w):
Information Technology-Software
(Glimpse of coverage)
Active Associations
Aerospace Solutions
Animation and Content Development
Animation, Multimedia and Gaming
Anti Spy ware
Anti Tool Kit Applications
Anti Virus Software
Auditing Solutions to Hotels and Restaurants
Automatic Speech Recognition
Automation Solutions
Automotive e-Retailing Solutions
Automotive Software
Banking and Financial Software Testing
BPO
Business Application Services
Communications Software
Computer Aided Engineering (CAE)
Consulting and Training Company
CRM Solutions
Customer Engagement Management Solutions
Data and Physical Security
Development of Tools for Analysis of DNA Sequencing
Digital Design Software
Disaster Recovery
Document Management
Domain Specific Applications
Domain Specific Merchandising Solutions
Electronic Health Record Solutions
End-to-End Game Development
Engineering Simulation Software
Enterprise Communication Solutions
Enterprise Software
Enterprise Statistical Analytics
E-Payment Solutions
ERP Solutions
Gateway Security Software
Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
Government Bodies
Healthcare IT Services
Hotel Management software
HR Management Solutions
Identity Management
Insurance Solutions
KPO
Laboratory Automation Software
Learning Solutions
Lease and Asset Management Solutions
Life Science Products Solution
Mobile Phone Solutions
Multimedia
Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) Solutions
Publishing Solutions
Supply Chain Management
Textile Design Software
Ticketing Portals
Training
Transaction Banking Solutions
Travel Portals
Video Management and Recording
VLSI Design
Web Analytics
Web Design and Development
Sectors covered by companies2watch.com (c2w):
Mining and Metals
(Glimpse of coverage)
Active Associations
Alloys, Metals (Ferrous & Non-ferrous)
Boiler Tubes and Pipes
Cast, Extruded and Rolled Products
Coal and Coke
Consulting and Engineering
Earth Moving and Mining Equipments
Equipments for the Mineral and Metal Industries
Ferro Alloys
Ferrous Foundry
Foundry Equipment and Products
Government Bodies
Heat Treatment Equipments
Integrated Iron and Steel Plants
Metal Cookware
Metal Preparation
Metal Trading
Metals
Mineral Processing
Non-ferrous Metals
Ores and Minerals
Precious Metals
Rare Earth
Refractory
Sponge Iron
Steel and Steel Products
Welding Consumables and Equipment
Sectors covered by companies2watch.com (c2w):
Services to Business and Industry
(Glimpse of coverage)
Active Associations, Chambers and Federations
Advisory Services
Business Process Outsourcing
Business services, others
Consultancy
Corporate Training Schools
Courier Service
Distribution
Exhibition Management
Fire and Safety Training
Foundations and Trusts Relating to Business
Government Bodies
Hospitality Business Management
Hotel Management
HR Services
Information Services
Information Technology Enabled Services
Insurance Services
Knowledge Process Outsourcing
Law Firms
Legal Process Outsourcing
Management
Management Consultancy Firms
Market Research
Property Management
Recruitment
Sectors covered by companies2watch.com (c2w):
Textile
(Glimpse of coverage)
Active Associations
Apparel and Garment Manufacturers
Architectural Products
Bed Linen Producers
Cloth, Grey
Composite Textile Mills
Designer Boutiques
Fabric Care Products
Fabrics-Cotton, Decorative, Knitted, Printed
Fashion Accessories
Fashion Schools
Garment Hanger Designer and Manufacturer
Government Bodies
Home Furnishings
Home Resources-Bedroom, Dining, Upholstery
Integrated Textile Solutions
Information Technology Consultancy to Textile Units
Jeans
Lingerie
Lungis and Dhotis
Mall Developers
Merchandising Solutions
Polyester Chips
Polynet
Retail Chains
Retail-Apparel, Brands, Fashion, Garments, Lifestyle
Silk-Sericulture, Tasar, Sarees
Spinning Mills
Suitings
Textile Machinery
Towel Manufacturer
Wear-Casual, Inner, Kids, Knit
Wholesalers
Yarn-Bleached, Blended Dyes Spun, Cotton, Dyed, Filament, Spun Greige, Synthetic
Yarn-Bleached, Dyed
Sectors covered by companies2watch.com (c2w):
Transportation
(Glimpse of coverage)
Airlines and Related
Aeronautical Research and Development
Aerospace Engineering Services
Air Cargo
Aircraft Manufacturer
Aircraft, Maintenance, Training Centre
Airhostess Academy
Airline Booking Portal
Airline Maintenance
Airlines
Airport Cities
Aviation Academy
Aviation Consultancy
Aviation Recruitment
Air Cargo Agents
Cargo Airliner
Cargo Handling Solutions
Charter Operators
Consolidation Service
Container Freight
Containers Handling
Flying Training School
Helicopter Design and Manufacturing
IATA Travel Agency
Non-schedule Air Operator
Automotive and Related
Air Brake Actuation Systems
Auto Additives and Car Care Products
Auto Ancillaries
Auto Component Manufacturer
Auto LPG
Automobile Company
Automobile Dealers
Automobile Producers, Car, SUV, Truck, Bus
Automobile Systems and Components
Automotive Company
Automotive Consulting
Automotive e-Retailing
Automotive Software
Axles to Vehicles
Bikes
Bio-Ethanol and Bio-Diesel
Car and Limousine Rental
Cycle Manufacturer
Distributors of Automobile Spare Parts and Accessories
E-Bike
Electric Bikes
Electric Car
Electric Two Wheeler
Fuel Injection Systems
Fuel Tank Supplier
Gearboxes and Gear Motors
Global Positioning System Technology
Nylon Cord
OEM Supplier to Automobile Industry
Oil Coolers, Radiators
Piston and Piston Rings
Power Train, Chassis System
Radio Taxi Service
Ride Control Products and Engine Bearings
Safety Management Systems
Sales and Servicing Network
Supplier of Automobile Body Structure
Three Wheelers
Two Wheelers
Two Wheelers, Battery Run
Tire Manufacturer
Used Cars
Wheel Rims
Wiper Systems
Railways
Metro Rail
Railway Equipment Manufacturer
Train Contact Wire
Ship and Related
Crew and Ship Management Services
Cruise Ships
Greenfield Shipyard
River Transport Company
Sea Transportation
Seaworthy Inflatable
Ship Broking House
Ship Builders, Repairers and Engineers
Ship Building Yard
Ship Management Company
Shipping
Shipping Agency
Shipping Consultancy
Shipping Services
Logistics
Courier Service
End to End Transportation Solutions
Express Delivery
Integrated Logistics Solutions
Logistics Company
Supply Chain and Logistics
Surface Transportation
Third Party Logistics
General
Active Associations
Government Bodies
This year started off well for Emli Bendixen as she was short-listed for Professional Photographer of the Year Award 2009. With a long list of clients like Wonderland, Vice and Dazed and Confused and a fascinating portfolio of images, this North London-based photographer – who was born in South Korea and grew up in Denmark – has the passion and vision to go far in her career.
For this week’s London Art Spot, she tells us about her approach to photography on a recent trip to India, where we can find a taste of Korean and Danish food in London and about some of the capital’s interesting locations to take a camera.
LLO: How did you end up in London and how long have you lived here?
EB: I first moved to London aged 19 after finishing school in Denmark. Being from a small town, I couldn’t wait to move to the city. I later went off to Glasgow and then to Copenhagen for university before returning to London where I have been ever since. I’ve lived in Shepherds Bush, Kennington, Old Street, Dalston, Stoke Newington and now Crouch End.
LLO: How does living in London influence your creativity?
EB: First and foremost it gives me access to some really exciting people. I’m curious and inquisitive by nature – and I can think of few places better than London to keep you stimulated and with so much to look at.
LLO: You’re from a Korean/Danish background. Where’s the best place in London to find a taste of Korean or Danish culture?
EB: To be honest, I haven’t looked into either much. I’m here to check out all the other bits of culture that are different to mine… Although not entirely Danish, I do love the food at Elk in the Woods in Angel; and the Scandinavian bakery in Golden Square. For Korean food there are a couple of excellent places just next to Centre Point – and I really like Dong San in Poland Street.
LLO: Twitter tells me you went to India over Christmas and Flickr shows you brought back some great photos. Tell us a bit about your trip and the photos you took while you were there?
EB: I went to Kerala in the South. It was an incredible experience. I was very aware of being a tourist, with a Western background, with a camera. I noticed that this role in relation to the people I photographed tinted my photographs with something not quite real – at best something very self-conscious, so I decided to break this process and instead forced myself to focus more on general impressions, the little and the big things… the view from our homestay in Periyar, our taxi driver from Munnar, and the dog that followed us down the beach in Varkala…The result is more personal – I suppose much like a diary – in that I spoke to almost everyone I photographed and walked the same mountains you see in my pictures. The food photography was part of a separate food diary, which my girlfriend was writing.
LLO: Which piece are you most proud of and why?
EB: A portrait called Harmony.
LLO: Favourite place in London to take your camera?
EB: The city is full of exciting locations – I’ve shot in pubs, clubs, warehouses, studios and council flats; next week I’m shooting in a friend’s house in Finsbury Park that’s in the middle of being renovated. Although I mainly shoot indoors at the moment, I love Hampstead Heath and Abney Park in Stoke Newington.
LLO: Your largest set on Flickr is called “Faces”. What do you try to capture when you’re shooting a portrait and where do you find your models?
EB: More often than not, I ask people I know to sit for me. What is most interesting for me in taking a picture is capturing some part of that person which may not usually be on display; so it’s about going beyond what immediately meets the eye. Again, it’s about curiosity… I just want to know a little bit more than I did the moment before that picture was taken.
LLO: What type of camera and lens do you use?
EB: I normally use a Canon 450D and recently a Canon 1DS Mark III; also a Diana F+, a Holga, and a Minolta XD7.
LLO: Your client list already includes Dazed and Confused, Vice and Professional Photographer Magazine. Who is your dream client and why?
EB: I would love to work for The Guardian and The Times; Monocle and Intelligent Life are also high on my list. I’m also keen to shoot more music photography – I’ve done press shots for bands such as Robots in Disguise for a couple of years which has been a great challenge and definitely something I want to get more into. I suppose generally I would be happy shooting portraits and lifestyle images that allow for a personal and aesthetic approach.
Thanks Emli!
For more of Emli’s work, check out her website: www.emli.dk/photography.html
The weight of the daily grind is getting heavier! Less than three weeks until I leave for India, and the responsibilities keep pilin’ up (or rather, I can’t get seem to get rid of the ones I have)!
However, the week was GORGEOUS! It was hoodie/vest/t-shirt weather most of the week. Amazing. Unfortunately the cold is apparently coming back soon, but I’ll take what I can get.
Earlier in the week I came home, checked the mail and was greeted by this:
From, of course, none other than the BF who is still in Borneo (guh).
But I was thrilled! And I couldn’t stop smiling when I read this:
Ahhh, what a cutie! I especially love the illustrations (particularly the alligator…haha). And yes, he signed off as “Chef James” – a little nickname he has acquired based on his spectacular culinary skills (did I mention he used to try to woo me by leaving little vegan treats on my doorstep? yep.). He’d probably be pretty mortified (well, or feel like the prince that he is) that I posted this all up here, but so far he has given me no indication that he’s been reading my blog [from Indonesia] so perhaps if he is this will incite him to pipe up
Other things! I did a bunch of cooking this week, though not too many pictures to post up. One thing I did make was Christie’s Lentil and Cabbage Soup. I added a few things into the mix (a carrot, some celery, and 100g of lean ground turkey I had in the freezer) and decided to let’er go on the Crock Pot! I love this thing:
The recipe is great – thanks Christie! It is an extremely hearty and satisfying bowl of soup that really warms the soul…
How-ev-er…upon some trial&error with this soup and some hummus, I have determined that for the moment, beans and legumes are just NOT sitting well with me. Almost immediately after eating them (particularly the chickpeas) my stomach becomes an unhappy-in-turmoil place. So for the moment, the rest of the soup is going to chill out (ha-ha) in the freezer until my digestion becomes completely normal. Happy to report that it’s almost there, but I want to focus on keeping my sensitivities out of my diet as much as possible. (sidebar: although peanuts are legumes, my body seems to be ok with them)
Since we’re talking about lentils, may I please remind everyone to pick over your lentils well? Otherwise you might end up with something like this scraping between your teeth:
Oh yes. A rock. Never again will I be the lazy girl who picks through her lentils for 4.6 seconds.
On the thesis front, I’ve taken a step back. My supervisor read my last chapter, liked it, and offered some references for me to check out to enhance it (always a good idea!). However, after checking out the suggested books, I opted to essentially re-write my most recent chapter. I’m leaving my main ideas (they still stick) but have just gone through and bolstered the text with my new references. Doesn’t sound like much, but it’s adding up to a lot of work. This is good news because it means I’ll have much more solid text, but it’s bad news because it is putting me a week behind schedule in getting my thesis done before India. If I successfully completely the revisions this weekend, that gives me only 2 weeks to write 2 more chapters before I leave. Oh my god!
So, in the spirit of bucking down, I started my morning with this:
Books, books, books, and a bowl of almost-normal oats! This one had 1/4 oats (soaked overnight), 1/2 T chia seeds, 2 T applesauce, 2T pumpkin, cinnamon, and 1/4 c 1% cottage cheese (with probiotics). Topped with 1 T natural pb and a few frozen berries, nuked and poured overtop. It was so delicious.
Where did the cottage cheese come from? Yesterday I made the executive decision to bring some dairy back into my life since I’ve been feeling a lot better. It’s admittedly a bit early, but I’m the captain of my body, right? It felt like it was going to sit well, and so far, so good. The idea is to introduce one thing at a time without changing the diet, see how you feel over hte next 72 hours (apparently that’s how long food intolerances can take to flare up) so that you can watch your reactions. Depending on the severity of the reaction, you can decide whether to include the food regularly, occasionally, rarely, or obviously never. So there we have it – day 2 of dairy!
Anyway, it was so worth it for this bowl. Yum Yum.
Also, I’m do apologize for not posting the cookie recipe yet! For some reason I have just not been in the mood for eating them lately. But let me give you a preview of the three ingredients: nut butter + carob powder + coconut. That’s it!
Happy weekend – I hope you guys are enjoying it for me, because I’ll be on lockdown mode!
To look at the original purpose of Work, I need to take you to the MANUAL (Bible) where the MANUFACTURER (God) has given the OBJECTIVE for creating each of the products.
If you have a bible turn to the first book of the bible, GENESIS chapter 2 and verse 15 (Genesis 2:15). The background of this scripture and the events leading to this scripture are:
1. God creates all the earth
2. He creates the first MAN. (with the woman inbuilt in him)
3. He creates their home and their office (Garden of Eden)
4. He creates all the resources they need to Live and Work (water, food, etc.,)
5. And then He tells the man to WORK and to KEEP everything well.
The old testament in The Bible was written in Hebrew language.
The root word in Hebrew which is translated as “WORK“ in english is the root word “Awbaad”. As we saw earlier, this is the very first time that the word WORK appears in the English Bible.
While reading the bible, one principle that we need to remember is that, if we want to learn the original purpose/design of any created thing, we need to go to the VERY FIRST time the Bible talks about it. That is where we will learn most of the principles of operation of that created thing. For example, if you want to learn about the design/purpose of “Marriage”, then you need to go to the first time the Bible talks about it, which is in Genesis 1:20 to 25. That is where all the original principles of marriage are revealed by God, the creator.
Now we are learning about WORK, so it is important that we go to the very first time the word WORK is mentioned, so that we may learn the original purpose/plan for WORK. That is why Genesis 2:15 is important.
Coming to the ROOT word “AWBAAD”… in the Hebrew language, each word has multiple meanings, but they are all related. So, if we look at various meanings of this root word, we can truly understand the original purpose of WORK as it was in the heart of God.
According to the Strong’s concordance (an authentic reference book) of the Hebrew language, the TOP 5 meanings of the root word AWBAAD are:
1. To Serve
2. To Worship
3. To Do
4. To Dress Up
5. To Labour
Isn’t that beautiful?! When the creator took the VERY FIRST MAN who was created and asked him to WORK, this is what he meant. He would have said, “Adam why don’t you go to your workplace and serve me, worship me, do what I want you to do, dress up the place the way I would have done it and labour to cultivate it, guard it and make it fruitful”
Today, this is exactly what He is telling you and me, when we go to work! Read that sentence again and think about it for a couple of minutes! Ask yourself if you are DRESSING UP your workplace by cleaning up all unwanted things (greed, lust, pride, envy, hatred, jealousy, corruption, etc.,). Ask yourself if you are SERVING and WORSHIPING God in and through your work, on a daily basis.
Now one more question… take a close look at the list of 5 things… in that list, where is “SALARY” or “Pay Check” or “Profit”??!! After all that is what most of us go to work for, right? But it does not appear in God’s ORIGINAL purpose of work??!! Why??!! Does that mean God wants me to work all my life for free? How will I live? Do I have to be poor? Do I have to not expect any returns for my work? What about the SALARY part??!
In 1199, Qutbuddin raised the Qutab Minar either as a victory tower or as a minaret to the adjacent mosque. From a base of 14.32 mtrs. it tapers to 2.75 mtrs. at a height of 72.5 mtrs. It is still the highest stone tower in India, one of the finest stone tower in India, one of the finest Islamic structures ever raised and Delhi’s recognised landmark. It was completed by the Sultan’s successor and son-in-law, Iltutmish. The tomb of Iltutmish, which he himself built in 1235, is nearby, Its interiors are profusely decorated with calligraphy, though the dome has collapsed.
Social networking site Facebook is all set to establish its support centre at India’s Silicon Valley 2 – Hyderabad. And what’s more, Facebook is already on a hiring spree for its office in Hyderabad. The social networking site founded in 2004 has more than 400 million active users and still counting.
Facebook’s office at Hyderabad would be its first in Asia and worlds fourth support centre following Palo Alto, California; Dublin; and Austin, Texas. Hyderabad office has been announced in view of providing multilingual and round the clock service to Facebook users and advertisers. “The Hyderabad office is expected to provide a round-the-clock multilingual support to its ever-growing user base,” the release said.
Facebook’s decision to set up its office in India and mainly Hyderabad could be attributed to a number of reasons. Firstly, the site has a commendable more than 8 million user base in India.
A support centre in India would enable Facebook to provide support across multiple time zones in view of its rapid international growth.Hydeabad with a vast IT base and software culture proved an ideal choice.” We’re proud to now call America’s Lone Star State and India’s City of Pearls home.” Don Faul, director, global online operations, Facebook said in a statement
From its establishment back in 2004, Facebook has grown by leaps and bounds. The website has penetrated into every corner of the world with more than 70 translations on the site.70% of Facebook users are based outside US. Facebook ha a mind boggling 100 million active users accessing the site through their mobiles.
Facebook is currently looking to hire professionals for various positions starting next week. The positions include local language specialists, online sales managers and IT security heads.
The company is on a lookout for post of India Head. Describing the candidate profile, Don Faul said, “We will start small. Currently, we are looking for a person who can set up an India team and scale it up. The required skill sets obviously include strong insights into consumer internet experience. We also need the person to be intensely passionate about Facebook. The person should strengthen relations with our advertisers and partners in India and support those in North America and Western Europe out of here.”
–infocera
I arrived in India early yesterday morning. I was lucky enough to get a small burst of somewhat stable internet tonight so I thought I would make a short introduction to India. I think India is amazing. It’s like no other place I’ve ever been to. That does not mean it’s all roses in the least, just different, and for me the positives out way the negatives. The country itself is beautiful. The people almost all speak good English as well. This of course has it’s down side when the beggars bombard you though. There is a lot of poverty, and that does tug at the heart strings, but there is also a lot of beauty in the quaint lives of some of the less poor. India is a country that is growing with out a doubt but they aren’t industrializing at the rapid speed of Thailand. I like that that. I think I’ve decided I like place to be either finished with industrialization or not quite started. I’ve got tons of photographs that will eventually make their way on here. I’m also learning a lot about Buddhism since this is a temple tour. Not to mention I am loving the food here!
Online edition of India’s National Newspaper Tuesday, Mar 16, 2010
JAMMU: A Srinagar court on Monday asked the government as to how was a passport issued to Major Avtar Singh, the main accused in the murder of prominent human rights lawyer Jalil Andrabi. The Crime Branch told the court that the process of his extradition had already been taken up with concerned authorities in Delhi.
The case came up for hearing before Chief Judicial Magistrate, Srinagar, Mohammad Ibrahim Wani, who directed the prosecution to explain their stand on re-investigation by March 22. The CJM also directed the prosecution to explain as to how and who provided a passport to the accused and asked it to consult his relatives in Srinagar to seek his whereabouts.
Mr. Andrabi’s brother Arshad Andrabi, who pleaded the case, told the court about the accused Major’s in-laws living in Srinagar. The family of the slain lawyer had on November 19, 2009 submitted an application before the CJM asking for re-investigation of the case, claiming that Major Avtar was not the only accused in the case. The family claimed there were four more persons who accompanied him when Jaleel Andrabi was killed in custody in 1996.
“It was the duty of this court to get into the matter that how the passport was issued to the accused and who facilitated his travel aboard. But the court has so for done nothing in that direction. This court could have called the travel records of the accused on the passport issued as all the online travel records are available with the immigration authorities of the country,” said Mr Arshad.
“The prosecution should explain its stand about the re-investigation of the case. Major Avtar’s relatives should be grilled to reveal his whereabouts. Major Avtar Singh’s sister, who lives in London, has been calling some Valley-based human rights activists,” he claimed. The prosecution sought more time to file objections into the matter and to explain its stand about the re-investigation of the case.
The Inspector-General of Police, Crime, also submitted his report on the status of extradition and Interpol warrant process as asked by the CJM during the last few hearings.
“In compliance to the orders, the requisite documents were obtained from the concerned agencies and the same have been forwarded to Assistant Director, National Control Bureau (NCB), New Delhi, for onward submission to authorities of Interpol in India,” said the IGP adding that “the finger Prints of the accused are not available with the investigation agency in Jammu and Kashmir, as was sought by the Interpol.”
In December 2009, United States Interpol-National Central Bureau, Washington, while confirming the presence of the accused in California, had sought “formal request for his provisional arrest and ex-tradition.”
Major Avtar is accused of kidnapping and later killing human rights activist Jaleel Andrabi in 1996. A red-corner notice through Interpol stands already issued against him.
This morning, the Sunday edition of the Times of India trumpeted the ascension of English to the rank of 2nd most spoken language after Hindi in this country. “125M citizens now speak the language, twice as many as the United Kingdom,” said the old standard across the front page. It is very easy for the Times’ readers to get caught up in self congratulation.
It is true that a record number of Indians have been trained in English and the 125M that claim fluency can probably understand it, with abilities ranging from basic conversational to the complex and nuanced. This is very pertinent to how India develops as a nation and as an economy. The understanding of the language has propelled India’s rise as an exporter of services. English language skills in a low-cost labor pool was the key reason for the rise of call centers, IT offshoring, legal process outsourcing, medical transcription, remote medicine, and health tourism, among others.
However, in my experience, very few of the millions are able to communicate their thoughts and ideas effectively in English. The ability to develop new products and sell their wares across the world takes strong communication skills. India has produced legions of entrepreneurs who do this every day locally, but as their businesses set their sights on global markets, they need to not only understand English but also “speak” it well. There are countless good examples of Indians who are very eloquent on the global stage but more effective articulation of ideas coming from the average speaker is what the country needs in spades.
On a tangent, one test I have always used to reassure interlocutors about my own limited English language abilities was that I think in English despite fluency in several languages. I translate in my head when speaking other tongues. There are rampant colloquialisms in India that suggest most people are translating from their first language into English on the fly. (One example is the use of “only” at the end of sentences which reflects similar usage of the word in Hindi to convey emphasis.)
To be fair, Americans have dominated the world stage although their elocution skills have generally impressed me a lot less than British speakers (on average). Further, the Germans, Japanese and Chinese have all done well despite being hamstrung by language. Clearly, it takes a lot more than effective speaking to succeed. But, all else being equal, it can only help if more of the 125M start speaking up and speaking well.
Those who are inspired by a model other than Nature, a mistress above all masters, are laboring in vain. – Leonardo Da Vinci
Biomimicry -> Bios(Life) + Mimesis (To Imitate)
Biomimicry- Examination of the nature , its models, its process to emulate or take inspiration to solve the human problems sustainably.
Nature is an amazing laboratory which has the best engineers in the world. No I am not taking about the engineers for the MIT’s , IIT’s but the plants , animals and microbes . They are the consummate engineers.
Biomimicry concept is not new to the world. The concept of Biomimicry as an approach of innovation has been around for a while. It has already solved many of the problems that humans were grappling with.
The coolest example of the Biomimicry is Velcro. Invented in 1941 by Swiss engineer George de Mestral, who took the idea from the burrs that stuck tenaciously to his dog’s hair. Under the microscope he noted the tiny hooks on the end of the burr’s spines that caught anything with a loop – such as clothing, hair or animal fur.
Hook-and-loop fasteners, consists of two layers: a “hook” side, which is a piece of fabric covered with tiny hooks, and a “loop” side, which is covered with even smaller and “hairier” loops. When the two sides are pressed together, the hooks catch in the loops and hold the pieces together. When the layers are separated, the strips make a characteristic “ripping” sound.
Solar cells copied from leaves, passive cooling, self – healing plastics are some of the interesting examples of Biomimicry.
15 coolest examples of Biomimicry
The Biomimicry Guild is the only innovation company in the world to use a deep knowledge of biological adaptations to help designers, engineers, architects, and business leaders solve design and engineering challenges sustainably.
Innovation Inspired by Nature. Janine Benyus (1997)
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High Court sides with women. They’re on a par with male officers, tells Centre
R Sedhuraman & Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, March 12. In a path-breaking judgement, the Delhi High Court today directed the Centre to offer within two months Permanent Commission (PC) to Short Service Commissioned (SSC) women officers of the Air Force and the Army at par with male SSC officers with all consequential benefits, including promotion.
At present, the Indian Army offers permanent commission to women after 10 years of SSC. This is applicable to those who were recruited after March 2009 and that too only in two streams — the Judge Adjutant General (JAG) branch and the Education corps.
Women are also recruited in Signals, Engineers, Ordnance and Air Defence but are not eligible for PC.
In the IAF, women are offered a permanent option in the Legal, Accounts and Education corps. Women chopper and transport pilots, engineering corps, Logistics and Meteorological streams are not eligible for permanent commission. At present, there are about 1,050 and 827 women officers in the Army and the IAF, respectively. Separately, the Navy has 280 women.
Strangely, and against the principles of natural justice, those women who were recruited before March 2009 were not offered any permanent commission. They simply retire after 10 years or at best get another 4 years’ extension in service. In reality, the Ministry of Defence existing policy will help the women only in 2019 when the first batch will be eligible.
Correcting this anomaly, a Bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Mool Chand Garg today ruled: “Women officers of the Air Force who had opted for PC and were not granted PC but granted extension of SSCs and of the Army are entitled to PC at par with male SSC officers.”
The benefit would be extended to women officers recruited prior to change of policy ( March 2009) and the PC shall be offered to them after completion of five years. However, these benefits would be available only to women officers in service or who approached the HC but retired when the case was pending in the court, the Bench clarified.
The court made significant remark on having women in combat roles saying “the claim of absorption in areas of operation not open for recruitment of women officers cannot be sustained being a policy decision.”
The court also refused to interfere with the policy decision which does not offer PC to SSC officers across the board for men and women being on parity and as part of manpower management exercises.
The HC clarified that those women officers, who “have not attained the age of retirement available for the PC officers shall, however, be reinstated in service and shall be granted all consequential benefits including promotion, except for the pay and allowance for the period they have not been in service.”
The HC expressed the hope that with the expanding horizon of women participation in different walks of life, the respondents would be encouraged to have larger participation of women in more areas of operation both for SSC and PC.
From time to time exotic travel can be a little more challenging than anticipated so remember the saying: What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. In a letter home from Malaysia I said the three things I hate most in this part of the world are cockroaches, lizards and the heat: “The first two are far too big, the latter unbelievable—the kind of heat that melts you in five minutes.” It was Malaysia during its hottest season, however.
Many years ago, a three-day boat trip from Indonesia to Singapore certainly tested my (then) husband and me. The ship was headed to Mecca. It was packed. For the many who had only ‘deck passage’ (thankfully, not us), there was no room to walk around, no toilet, and no place to wash. When it was time for the few of us who were going to Singapore to disembark, a wooden gangplank was lowered way offshore and we were told to jump to the rowboats a good distance below. To complicate things, men got behind us and started to push, which caused a panic as we hung onto one another so as not to fall in the ocean. These men were there to steal our stuff, taking whatever they could grab. There was much screaming and we were certainly relieved when we were safely on shore (and glad that we had put our valuables in waterproof bags buried deep in our packs).
My sister Nancy in Morocco souk
Recent travel through Morocco was much easier than anticipated. I had heard horror stories about the souks and the young men who would drive us crazy asking to be our guide. Well, young men did approach us and one even told me that I would be “really, really sorry” for turning down his offer to show us through the medina in Fes for we were sure to be lost. But it was all rather tame. Maybe it’s because everything is rather tame after India. Also, I visited Morocco in January when it is not packed with tourists and probably more relaxed.
Letters home
“The only thing that surprises me in Jodpur is camels pulling carts of produce. Camels are new to me today but by tomorrow they won’t be as I’m going to the desert tomorrow.”
- India
Rajasthan, India
Weighing dire warnings
If you listen to all the chatter about what could possibly happen to you when you travel to foreign destinations you’d never leave home. Travel books devote pages to health and safety issues. U.S. government travel advisories are particularly discouraging. You really need to put these warnings into perspective. There are travel snobs who see themselves as intrepid and don’t want “just anyone” to follow in their footsteps, such as a co-worker of mine who kept saying I was a ‘brave girl, brave girl’ for planning a trip to Ecuador, a country he visited frequently. Being unduly fearful will keep you inside the travel bubble.
Yes, you should weigh dire warnings and indeed bad things can happen. But incidents that you hear about can be isolated and not impact on your plans. Or if they do, you may be able to make alternate arrangements. Sometimes concerns are exaggerated or misunderstood. I recall (with some embarrassment) asking the customs officer at the New York City international airport if it was safe to travel across the city to the train station. I asked him this as I handed over my passport with visas in it from Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, countries I had just been to. I suspect he thought my question was ridiculous, and even insulting, and told me rather sarcastically that I had a “50-50 chance of making it alive.” Well, in those days, we were bombarded with warnings about how dangerous New York City was. But I had obviously failed to weigh such warnings.
Occasionally it can be difficult to assess the situation from home. Before we went to Peru an earthquake measuring 8.1 on the Richter Scale caused considerable damage to telecommunications, power lines, transportation routes, and general infrastructure in that country. The Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs recommended deterring travel to the area. We altered our itinerary so that the city most hard hit was our last stop and sure enough, most of the damage had been cleared away by the time we arrived. On another trip, an erupting volcano threatened to block the highway between Mexico City and Oaxaca but the bus just drove around it. Floods prevented our overland travel from Malaysia to Thailand so we took a plane instead. A tornado flattened the Darwin airport in Australia where we were to catch our flight to Indonesia so we made alternate arrangements. All to say that if you remain calm and flexible you will usually find a way to overcome logistical challenges.
Dire warnings, Southern India
While changes to your itinerary may be disappointing, alternate arrangements can have their rewards. In a letter home from Ecuador I wrote: “We were hoping to get the train out of Riobamba to Guayaquil through the infamous Nariz des Diable (Devil’s Nose). However, El Nino wiped out the train tracks. So we took the bus and the trip was spectacular.”
Terrorist bombs have gone off in the United States, Britain and Spain, all countries much like ‘home’. Australians seem to get a thrill out of telling tourists that a bite from one of their poisonous snakes can kill hundreds of sheep. While travelling in Europe a highly educated Brit told me he would love to visit Canada but was afraid of the bears, which to me is ridiculous. This is not to trivialize the bad stuff but to suggest you not over react.
You can also anticipate difficulties but don’t become a creative worrier for things tend to work out well.
Letters home
“Yesterday there were mothballs in the drain in the bathroom, which was a turn off. Today I’m in a different hotel and there are no mothballs. A toad just hopped out of the drain. I chased it under the bed where it is now huddled. What else do you think can come up from drains?”
- India
You’re more appreciative of home There’s nothing like travelling in the less developed world to make you realize how fortunate you are. As I wrote to my kids from India, “big things must be expected of us for we are so privileged.”
Letters home
“Women seem to do most of the physical work. You see them walking barefoot carrying a pan of cement on their head to pave the road.”
- Indonesia
“The women wear saris, even when cutting wood or gathering hay. The men? Too many of them pee in public, spit on the street, and blow their nose using their fingers.”
- India
At the end of 2009, we noted that sugar prices were soaring to multi-decade highs. Sugar prices proceeded to peak at the end of January and have plunged 33% from there.
Sugar prices continue to plunge from multi-decade highs
Sugar prices are riding a rollercoaster of scarcity and abundance. Monsoons in India forced the world’s largest consumer of sugar to import it. This year, sugar crops are expected to produce a large bounty from India and Brazil. See “Indian sugar stocks turn bitter as output seen rising” for more details.
There’s this place I go to just before I make a big re-location: the place of Lasts. This is the last time I’ll hug my dad, the last time I’ll drink cheap beer, the last time I’ll watch my favorite American TV program without the hassle of is-it-available-to-stream-internationally-online-and-what’s-my-connection-like. My subconscious starts to get desperate; desperate to hold on to the things I love about a place while fleeing the things that bore me. This emotional tick generally causes me to gain about five pounds and consume much more than I normally would, all in the name of, I don’t know when the next time will be.
Today is D-Day Minus six. Departure Day, that is, and I’ve spent this past weekend gorging on Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and eating chocolate dessert at every restaurant I visit with every family member that wants to see me once more before I leave. It might be the PMS talking (I hate international airline travel during that time, but that’s certainly a different post with a different readership alltogether) but the Maine coastal sunsets seem more beautiful these past few days. My mother’s embrace seems warmer, and the snuggles from my kitty cat, just a bit less flea-ridden.
Soon my reminiscences of Boston’s skyline and the perpetually-tardy T will be replaced with longing for warm naan and the heat of Mumbai that I can, at this point, still only fantasize about. When I was in Paris I made my 100 Things to Love post series, and it remains popular with my readers. Validation, I think, that we’re all searching for those things to love about a city, whether it’s our own or one we’re still dreaming about.
Here we bring you the weekly overview of the Indian as well as of the Global economy and latest global business and industry updates.
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Markets continued to build on the gains that came in the post budget week. Investors seem to have overcome the worry factors like domestic fiscal deficit & concerns over Euro Zone.
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Even the sudden burst of buying by the foreign institutional investors reflects the confidence in the domestic economy. Food price index rose 17.87% in the 12 months to 20 February 2010, faster than the annual rise of 17.58% in the previous week but is expected to come down on the likelihood of good harvest going ahead.
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On the external economy front, India’s imports posted a strong growth for the second month running in January, signaling a pickup in domestic demand and investment. Non-oil imports registered a growth of 28.8% in January, while oil imports were up 56% from the year ago period.
Exports jumped for a third straight month in January, rising 11.5 per cent from a year earlier as demand picked up in the United States and other major overseas markets.
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The data cheered the markets & eased some concerns over the optimistic economic growth outlook that came after the third quarter GDP numbers showing growth of 6%. In the nine months to December Indian economy has expanded by 6.7% & in order to meet the CSO expected growth of 7.2% in the current fiscal, it should grow by 8.8% in the last quarter ending March 2010.
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Going forward markets are expected to trade in line with the global markets & will keep a close eye on the IIP numbers that are scheduled to be announced in the coming week. However markets may face liquidity pressure with approximately 22,000 crore going out from the banking system last week & another 12,000 crore expected to go out by the week ending 13th march as a result of hike in Cash reserve ratio by 75 bps by RBI.
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Another liquidity squeeze would be from the corporate in the system as the last tranche of Advance tax is approaching i.e. 15th March. Above all the expected rush of new & follow on public offering in the near term is expected to put a continuous pressure on the liquidity front.
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The week gone by saw one of the strongest rallies in stock markets across the world which goes to show that bulls are still strong and a lot of money lying in the sidelines enters the market at every fall. Trend of Nifty and Sensex is bullish and Nifty has support between 5030-4950 and Sensex between 16700- 16400 levels. The dollar index is finding a strong resistance between 80-81 levels and if it does not cross this strongly then the rally is expected to continue.
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Commodities rose on benefits of doubt as dollar index is witnessing see saw movements amid some improvement in economic releases. However, there is still some uneasiness, regarding the health of European countries, including Spain. In metals and energy, things look balanced right now. These commodities are expected to trade in a range.
Story of agro commodities is little different.
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Despite fragile outlook, most of commodities prices soared on support at lower level buying and domestic as well as overseas demand.
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Cautious trading is advisable here, especially in spices as they have already witnessed significant upside in last few trading sessions.
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Stay Tuned for More updates
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Note : For More Latest Industry, Stock Market and Economy News and Updates, please click here
An Indian minister has warned that Maoist rebels are planning to topple the New Delhi government by 2050.
Indian Home Secretary G.K. Pillai says security forces are facing a long-term conflict with the rebels.
“We have a long, bloody war ahead,” Pillai told a seminar in New Delhi.
He noted that at least 908 people died in Maoist attacks in 2009.
“It’s quite likely violence will go up in 2010 or 2011,” Pillai said.
In response to the minister’s remarks, Maoist leader Koteswar Rao said they would achieve victory long before that date.
“We will overthrow the Indian government much before 2050,” Rao told the Press Trust of India late on Saturday.
The Maoists have spread into less developed areas of rural central and eastern India.
There are thought to be between 10,000 and 20,000 armed Maoist rebels in India, active in 13 of India’s 29 states and backed by hundreds of thousands of supporters.
Thousands of people have been killed since the Maoist rebellion began in the late 1960s.
In the week leading up to March 1, the Pushpavan apartment complex where we live started revving up Holi fever. Holi (pronounced just like our work “holy” as in the Holy Ghost) is the celebration of the end of winter and start of spring. Even though, it has felt more like spring ever since we arrived in January, for the locals here, any temperature under 90 degrees is cause to wear a sweater and ear muffs. Not kidding. I’ve been wanting to capture a photo of our boys in shorts next to someone covered up in several layers, but never had the chance yet.
Anyway, here at Pushpavan apartments, the kids have been having water fights every evening for a week. We missed many days of this due to our vacation in Goa (Goa post coming soon). The security in the complex didn’t allow the water fights to start until 6pm, probably to keep the rucus down to a low roar out of respect for other residents…probably a good thing, since the neighbor kids can get a little out of control and aggressive. Everyone participating gets completely soaked.
Sunday was the 1st day of Holi. This was the day we returned from Goa. On the way from the airport, we noticed many piles of wood in the middle of the streets for bonfires later that night. The simplified meaning of the bonfires is to drive away evil spirits and overcome obstacles.
So, Monday, if you read my previous post, was an example of missed opportunity and miscommunication. That post came from not being able to fall asleep and needing to write out my frustrations.
Sunday, when we returned from Goa, there was a posting on the apartment bulletin board, stating that there were Dhuleti festivities in the complex starting at 9:15 am continuing until lunch to be served at 1:30pm. I assumed, wrongly, that the festivities would be all morning, then. We were called by the airline to tell us that Ian had left one of his books on the airplane. The driver was available to take us in the morning at 10am. I thought that this would be OK to do and we would only miss part of the festivities. Well, we actually missed everything accept for 10 minutes. How was I to know? Holi was on March 1st…I thought that it was an all day event, and, in addition, Pushpavan was celebrating in the morning. When I asked neighbor women in the complex here, they confirmed, “Yes, Holi is all day on Monday.” Their meaning and my meaning was obviously different. Well, when we returned from the airport at 11am, the garage area was completely deserted. All festivities were over. The boys were completely broken-hearted. They had been looking forward to participating in the fun all week. I felt very responsible.
I managed to salvage a little bit of fun with a family water balloon fight in the courtyard. We lugged about 40 filled balloons down to the courtyard in the evening…it lasted about 5 minutes, but we had fun.
(Audrey) Today, March 6, marks halfway through my time abroad—10 months in India, 6 weeks in the UK, and 2 weeks in Paris. I arrived in India on Sept. 6, 2009, and how have I done? It seems an appropriate time to take stock with some stats of what I’ve accomplished in the past 6 months—
9 research-related trips outside of Delhi
6 Indian states
18 different archives
countless manuscripts
And let’s not forget the fun side of things—
3 non-research related trips
add another 2 Indian states
My favorite moment so far has been in Jaipur. I went last October/November in order to find a unique, unprinted manuscript held in a Jain library connected with a temple. There are lots of Jain temple-libraries in Jaipur and so, despite my best efforts, I initially identified the wrong one. Upon arriving, my host there (one of the head lay overseers of this particular temple) figured out the problem, said no worries, and made a few phone calls. Within 5 minutes I was on the back of his motorcycle, weaving through the old pink city of Jaipur on our way to the correct Jain temple. We walked in and another guy was there, ready to greet us.
I was promptly shown a stack of a few thousand CDs that held digital copies of all of the library’s manuscripts. We found the one I wanted, but alas, the photos were a little fuzzy. No problem, my two hosts replied, and promptly showed me to the manuscript room and allowed me to see the actual manuscript. I asked to photograph it, and they quickly agreed. The last remaining problem was that the manuscript room had no natural light, which is really helpful for capturing text crisply. At this point, my hosts suggested that I take the manuscript outside and photograph in the light. As I was carrying the manuscript out of the room, they pointed to an inscription above the door. It was too high and small for me to read, but they claimed it said that if anybody should ever take a text out of this room, may he be struck dead. They then laughed, I proceeded to go outside and photograph the manuscript, all the while chatting with my two hosts about the importance of archival access for scholars. That was a great day.
My work in India continues. Tomorrow I leave for Rajasthan. This will be my longest trip in India to date, stretching to 10-12 days before I return to Delhi. On the itinerary are Udaipur, Jodhpur, and Bikaner, in that order. Expect updates.
Today, Timesofindia.indiatimes.com news portal of India writes about H1N1 swine flu virus vaccination, “Mass vaccinations against the deadly H1N1 swine flu virus are likely to begin in India next week. The 1.5 million doses of vaccines imported by the government from Sanofi Pasteur have passed the safety test.”
The vaccine has been testified by Drug Controller General of India on Wednesday. About it the news portal writes, “The French vaccine manufacturers submitted the results of their clinical bridge study — conducted in Delhi and Pune on 100 adult subjects — to the Drug Controller General of India on Wednesday. The trials were completed on February 21. The results were then checked thoroughly in Lyon before being submitted to DCGI.”
On the other hand, Dr Surinder Singh of DCGI said to TOI, “The trials of the vaccine have proven its safety profile. By Friday, we will vet the results and give its clearance for use on humans in India. By next week, the vaccination should begin.”
Union health ministry officials also have said, “10 lakh doses of the vaccine will be sent to all Central government hospitals for administering on all frontline health workers and those at highest risk of getting infected.”
About the availability of the vaccine the news portal writes, “India’s indigenous H1N1 vaccine is expected to be available by April 15 and could cost between Rs 80 and Rs 100.”
About the impact of the vaccine the news paper writes, “No vaccine is 100% safe for everyone. People with allergies to eggs, for example, can’t take flu vaccines because eggs are involved in the manufacturing process.” This is the statement of experts.
We already have published a Swine Flu graph in our previous post of Health Awareness blog. Now, the graph of H1N1 has spread to 210 countries. Only in India, the virus has infected over 29,710 people. Among them about 1,376 has been killed.
I think the vaccine will surly be effective because till now over 300 million people have been vaccinated globally. In India, the price of vaccine is also very affordable.
(Audrey) Reading the stats on how many people are killed every year in car accidents in India is a sobering task. The numbers came out recently that an average of 14 people in India died every hour in 2008 on roads (1.18 lakh overall). As might be expected, Delhi is one of the worst offenders. A combination of the city’s awful traffic and total lack of any driving laws, I suppose. You might think: well, driving in India may be unsafe, but only people like Audrey and Thane are crazy enough to actually drive in a madhouse like Delhi, if they’d just walk they’d be fine. But there, you would be mistaken. In fact, around 30 percent of road deaths in Delhi are of pedestrians. A few dozen were even killed in 2008 from falling into manholes. A comparative stat—You were more likely to get killed by car while walking around this city in 2008 than you were just to be murdered outright. In other words, pedestrian fatalities exceed murders in Delhi. And did I mention that Delhi also has a bad reputation for crime?
It’s a sad legacy of modernity that so many die on roads, not just in India but around the world. And it should be noted that while India is notoriously bad, I’m still more likely at my age to be killed by a car accident in America than by any other means. Driving may be the most unsafe thing I ever do in this country or, really, anywhere in the world.
In my Rough Guide to India I have been reading about the Ayappa Cult that is centred here in Thekkedy.
Each December and January, loads of men dressed in black come here to walk deep into the jungle to a forest shrine. This shrine was built for the god, Ayappa. It’s the second largest pilgrimage in the world.
I read about this and was really interested in going there, but then I read that “although males of any age and any religion can take part in the pilgrimage, females between the ages of 9 and 50 are barred.”
This rule is still enforced vigorously.
In 1995 someone complained about the temple’s hygiene facilities so the “local collector” – a 42 year old woman insisted that she be allowed to inspect. The temples authorities refused her entrance as she was of menstruating age, but the High Court said she had to be allowed in. She was allowed, but not into the central shrine.
So now, of course, I really want to go to the temple. I mentioned it to Andrew, but he said “no way.” I asked, “why not?” And he said, “you only want to go there because you aren’t allowed.” So I said,
“Maybe that’s true, but I’m still going to go.”
Today when we saw Thomas, I asked him about the shrine. He knew it, but said that women couldn’t go there. I said, “why not Thomas?” He chewed on his nail for a bit, then said, “I can take you there. I know a way – through the forest. But I could only take you so far, then I would go. If anyone sees you, you’d say you found your way through the forest.” As we were walking I asked him why women weren’t allowed in.
Through mixed mutterings of Indian/English I managed to make out that there was a goddess who wanted to marry a specific man. And the king god (Shiva?) says that she can marry anyone else, but not the man she wants. So the goddess in now in the temple, waiting for her true husband and all these Ayappa cult people traipse into the jungle, hoping that they’ll be the one. The One then gets given some powers.
This story that Thomas gave me was very different to the myth behind the god Ayappa that the Rough Guides gives, so I’m not 100% sure why women aren’t allowed in. I think Thomas missed his occupation as a writer. He’s got a great imagination, what with his visiting royalty and goddess stories.